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I really wish there were more podfics out there. I do a lot of paperwork at work that doesn't really require much thought, so listen to them while working. I've downloaded pretty much everything from

sgapodfic and listened to it at least twice. Which is why, I'm currently at work, listening to the most recently posted fic, which is John/Elizabeth.

Man, nothing against the author (really really, this is all me) but I'm having a lot of trouble listening to it. I just... can't take John/Elizabeth seriously. In fact I have trouble taking John/Anyone-but-Rodney seriously. I think I've been reading McShep too long to be able to read anything else. I only started reading McShep because there was so much of it (and so many of the writers were *good*), I actually started out reading McBeck, but I think I finally have to admit to myself that I am a McShep fan.

Also, after all this time, it's kind of hard to go back to het. I've been reading slash for... 4 years now.

God I'm bored at work right now. There's *nothing* to do! I think I'm going to shuffle some papers and look busy.

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And fandom, in a lot of ways, is like a school playground. There are the “cool kids” that the lurkers really admire...Fandom has a lot of really weird dynamics.
God, isn't that the truth. The cool kid analogy is so spot on and it's even more ridiculous online than it is in real life. In real life, you at least have a sense of the wider social dynamics: there's some shared sense of who's cool and who's not, who's in and who's out. Online, I think we're largely missing that shared consensus. Sometimes I think that translates as seeing groups as more insular than they really are and that keeps the out kids from being the in kids and perpetuates the cycle.

In a similar vein, I've always wished I had a flow chart for fandom to keep track of who gets along with whom. Sometimes I'll read Person A on my flist and they'll snark about Person B and I'll have forgotten that they didn't like each other. Or I'll forget who's on which side of what wank and get everyone all mixed up. Part of it is that I have a horrible memory for names (and there are some pairs of LJers that I'll forever get mixed up no matter what), but part of it is that fandom is so fast paced and transitory I just can't keep up. But that's another discussion entirely.

Oh, you have a podfic?
I have a few, yeah. There's a House fic (http://www.livejournal.com/community/podslash/6255.html) with that horrible mispronounciation, a CSI fic (http://www.livejournal.com/community/podslash/7780.html) that's somehow now missing its last two minutes when I swear it used to be complete, and an SGA fic (http://paradise-city.us/lj/podslash/Less%20With%20Longing%20Than%20Wonder.mp3) I took down because I really didn't like the reading. It was more an experiment than anything else, trying to figure out what kind of reading voice I have so I'd know what sort of fics I'd be best suited to read. It's all been for naught, really, since I've never actually gotten around to finishing recording or asking someone for permission to record their fic. Like my website, I think it'll always stay an experiment.

And why I’d feel really awkward about going up to an author that doesn’t know me and asking before I record. I figure if I have at least some of it recorded that I can send with my original request they can make an informed decision.
That's such a great idea, and it never even occurred to me. That's really the way to do it, though.

...just because of all the popslash out there (I never read it, but I assumed that people just slashed the whole group).
Dear god. I don't even want to think about all the hours I wasted reading fics just like that. It was its own genre and it was completely ridiculous. Not as ridiculous as all the LOTR orgy fic, but pretty close.

I’m *really* surprised that I was able to read NC-17 bits without it even being an issue. I think fandom has desensitized me.
Gah, it's a huge issue for me. It's my own issue that I'm hypersensitive to anything that's vaguely lesbian but aside from that, it takes a particular voice to read porn. I've heard good porn and bad porn, and oftentimes someone who reads a great Rodney can't read great porn. I don't know if it's two different skill sets or if it has more to do with the timbre of the reader's voice or what, but badly read porn just squicks me. I think I'm learning to fast forward, thought. And speaking of recs, I don't need them -- I've decided to just go through the podfic comm and download all of it for at least one listen and toss out the really bad readings. I don't know how far I'll get -- so far I've spent more time trying to figure out what I don't like the Nantucket AU series than actually listening to the series (or anything else, for that matter).

Swear to god, I never think I have this much to say about anything until I start commenting with you. :)

The cool kid analogy is so spot on and it's even more ridiculous online than it is in real life. In real life, you at least have a sense of the wider social dynamics: there's some shared sense of who's cool and who's not, who's in and who's out. Online, I think we're largely missing that shared consensus.
Sooo, true. I mean at least in the playground the cool kids *know* they're cool, and the uncool kids know it too. In fandom though, there are the BNFs, who often try and act surprised or modest when you call them on it. And then there are the people who the BNFs and some of their followers think are uncool. I remember in the QaF fandom that was really apparent. The title Bad!Fic writer would get thrown around a lot. But those "uncool kids" would have the legions of fans on their own. And then there's everyone else, and I bet, that if you have put forth anything in a fannish way, there is at least one person out there who fangirls you, or think that you're a BNF. The lines are so blurry here.

I've always wished I had a flow chart for fandom to keep track of who gets along with whom. Sometimes I'll read Person A on my flist and they'll snark about Person B and I'll have forgotten that they didn't like each other.
Oh god, I just don't even try. I know that there's someone on my flist (you?) who doesn't like

trinityofone and

rageprufrock's writing? That wouldn't stop me from fangirling over them though. There are people in fandom that I dislike, but I don't think I'd ever want my flist to choose sides, or to dislike someone just because I did. But then again, I'm not deeply set against any of the people I dislike, I just find them annoying.

I have a few, yeah.
Ohh, pretty. I'll take a listen to them tomorrow at work.

That's such a great idea, and it never even occurred to me. That's really the way to do it, though.
Yeah, it makes sense, especially if it's your first podfic. If you have a couple under your belt, then you can just show those, but, it's kind of like a resume.

ear god. I don't even want to think about all the hours I wasted reading fics just like that.
When I started out in fandom it was in Queer as Folk, so having all the characters gay was pretty much canon, but it would get me, especially in the HP fandom, how you'd go read a fic and suddenly the *entire* cast is gay. I notice it sometimes in SGA, but it's not that bad. It just doesn't work that way. *shakes head*

Gah, it's a huge issue for me.
I'm really, really surprised that it *isn't* for me. I was raised in this really religious family where your sexuality is something that you just don't discuss. My parents don't think I've ever dated, the truth is, I just don't talk about it with them. I feel uncomfortable talking about the kinds of fics I like to read, because of what they reveal about me. But for some reason, I can read these sex scenes out loud without any problems. Weird. Whether I'm any good at it remains to be seen. :P

And speaking of recs, I don't need them -- I've decided to just go through the podfic comm and download all of it for at least one listen and toss out the really bad readings.
Good luck! There aren't all *that* many. I think I have about 5GBs worth on my computer. I'm sure you could get through them all in a week.

Swear to god, I never think I have this much to say about anything until I start commenting with you. :)
Hey it's not just you. I' feel I'm doing well if I can keep it down to one comment.

In fandom though, there are the BNFs, who often try and act surprised or modest when you call them on it.
I think that's one of my least favorite aspects of fandom. Someone on my flist used an economic model for fandom hierarchy and pointed out that what makes someone a BNF is often some sort of service to fandom. From that point of view, BNFdom is their paycheck. You can accept that paycheck without having to fake modesty about it -- you do top quality work, you get a top quality salary. A lot of people in town know who the doctors and lawyers are, so it's kind of pointless pretending your paycheck isn't as large as everyone knows it is. I suppose it's difficult on the other side, too -- BNFs tend to have a lot of actions and trends ascribed to them when perhaps they shouldn't be. I suppose it's hard for a pimp, even online.

Oh god, I just don't even try. I know that there's someone on my flist (you?) who doesn't like trinityofone and rageprufrock's writing? That wouldn't stop me from fangirling over them though.
Yep, that's me. And the flowchart comment was prompted by a friend's entry yesterday -- she's a recognizable name to me, so I always assume she aligns herself with the other recognizable names on my flist, when she's usually on the opposite side. It's so strange to read an anti-metafandom post from her when I assume she's pro-metafandom. It's the memory for names thing again.

how you'd go read a fic and suddenly the *entire* cast is gay. I notice it sometimes in SGA, but it's not that bad. It just doesn't work that way. *shakes head*
Oh, that drives me crazy. It's a huge pet peeve.

Relatedly, I read a lot of first time John/Rodney and what really irritates me is the way people often write Rodney as automatically assuming that (a) John is homophobic and (b) going to hit Rodney for revealing his feelings. I've been meaning to make a post about this forever because I don't understand where it comes from, but I've just been too lazy.

I feel uncomfortable talking about the kinds of fics I like to read, because of what they reveal about me.
Dear god, yes. Yesyesyes. Someone on my flist lost her John/Rodney bookmarks the other day and was asking for recs. I don't quite know what possessed me, but I offered to send her my John/Rodney bookmarks and afterward I thought, "God, I wonder what she thinks of me now." Probably nothing -- my bookmarks probably look like anyone else's. So I like biting -- big deal. Some people dig genderswap (which I'll never understand) or D/s or drugged!John or aliens made them do it, etc. etc. But I was still thinking, "Oh, no, she knows I like biting!" So ridiculous, but great food for thought. I should make a post about this too, at some point. I wonder if this self-consciousness is one of the reasons people shy away from discussing fic in general.

You can accept that paycheck without having to fake modesty about it
Hmm, I think part of it, and I'm totally guessing here, is that fandom seems to attract a lot of people who are socially awkward in RL (at least that's what I've seen, we may not have been the kid getting picked on, but a lot of us weren't the cool kid at school either). So people are genuinely surprised when they find themselves popular here. Also, even if you have a ton of people on your flist, you may not feel very close to many of them, so it doesn't feel like your have a ton of friends (I have over 90 mutual friends on my flist, but I probably only talk to about 10 of them at a time, friends will cycle).
Although, I do think you hit a point when you have to realize that, yes, you are a BNF. When you can make a post about how you have to do the laundry later and get over a page of comments, then I think it's time to accept it.

Oh, that drives me crazy. It's a huge pet peeve
It really drove me crazy at first. It's just... come on! Atlantis is half military, they're not exactly gay friendly! And I highly doubt that Lorne and Parrish are going to be offering gay sex tips to John, while Markham and Stackhouse make out in the hallway.

I've been meaning to make a post about this forever because I don't understand where it comes from, but I've just been too lazy.
Hmm, I have a feeling getting into this is going to send me into a second comment, but hey, here I go anyways.

I think I can kind of understand it, if only because John is military and Rodney has spent most of his life working for the military. Beside the whole DADT thing, well, it's based on actual feelings. I can't say as I know all that many people in the US military, but I did watch a section of the Republican Debate a few weeks ago when they were asking politicians about the rule. Also, guys in general seem to make a lot of careless homosexual jokes, and use words like "gay" "fag" and "pansy" as insults. If Rodney had spent a lot of his life around people like that, hearing people *talk* like that, then, well, he probably has certain low expectations for people in the military.
I personally don't think John would be homophobic, even if he isn't gay. You see him on screen acting with an air of "To each their own" when they meet aliens, and he doesn't act like the typical military man. But! He is very physical with McKay. He'll give him whacks and smacks if he thinks McKay is being stupid, he'll get right into his face if he's angry, and even hit things or grab him.
So, if McKay is basing things off his various past experiences... it's not *that* far fetched. It may not be the most likely outcome, but it's not outside the realm of possibilities. *shrugs*

So people are genuinely surprised when they find themselves popular here.
I never really think about that. I mean, I know what kind of people populate the internet, but I tend to forget sometimes. That's a really good point, and I'd do well to keep that mind.

And I highly doubt that Lorne and Parrish are going to be offering gay sex tips to John, while Markham and Stackhouse make out in the hallway.
Which brings me to another point here -- I've always wondered how pairings like Markham/Stackhouse and Parrish/Lorne get off the ground. They have five second of screen time together and somehow develop their own slice of fandom. It's cool, but it boggles me completely.

But! He is very physical with McKay. He'll give him whacks and smacks if he thinks McKay is being stupid, he'll get right into his face if he's angry, and even hit things or grab him. So, if McKay is basing things off his various past experiences... it's not *that* far fetched.
And here you've made another excellent point. I was thinking about my brother when you brought this up. He's a teenager and pretty tolerant for someone who grew up in a fairly homophobic culture. He's even weathered being the option of a gay crush very well (better than I have, in fact, and I've got ten years on him). Despite all that, though, he'll still use slurs without really thinking about and while I know he's more tolerant than he might come across, I can see how someone could miss that. So yeah, your explanation for John holds a lot of water.

I still think I'll make a post about it, though -- probably after the holidays when everyone's back in Netville. I've even thought about taking it to metafandom, but I'm still not sure about that. I once accidentally stepped into a huge pile of wank in a metafandomesque comm and I'm always afraid of doing that again every time I post to a place I don't frequent.

I never really think about that. I mean, I know what kind of people populate the internet, but I tend to forget sometimes.
Hee, I always keep it in mind, since I'm totally one of those people. I'm often surprised at the amount of people I consider friends on the internet, and really wish that we weren't so spread around the world so we could actually get together in RL. The few times I've met online friends in RL have been absolute blasts though. :)

I've always wondered how pairings like Markham/Stackhouse and Parrish/Lorne get off the ground. They have five second of screen time together and somehow develop their own slice of fandom. It's cool, but it boggles me completely.
I've heard the argument made that they become popular because it's basically wish fulfillment on the author's part. Since there's so little canon about them, they're a blank slate and you can do whatever the hell you want with them. Put them in any situation, and not have to worry about it being OOC.

Despite all that, though, he'll still use slurs without really thinking about and while I know he's more tolerant than he might come across, I can see how someone could miss that.
*nods* There are a lot of people who intellectually are ok with homosexuality, but don't know how to deal with it, so act in ways that aren't always the best. They say things that they don't realize is insulting, or try too hard to not be insulting and come off as insulting anyways. Like, my uncle, every time he says anything at all about homosexuals or homosexuality, no matter how vague (although it's generally after a joke), adds the line "not that there's anything wrong with that".

I've even thought about taking it to metafandom, but I'm still not sure about that. I once accidentally stepped into a huge pile of wank in a metafandomesque comm and I'm always afraid of doing that again every time I post to a place I don't frequent.
Oh god,

metafandom *scares* me. One of my recent posts was linked there (

metafandom is just a news letter that links, you post in your own journal) and I had a bit of a panic attack and had to work myself up into reading what the people leaving comments were saying. It turns out that the comments were all ok, and I was worried over nothing, but I just think back to the first time I was linked and the sleepless nights it caused then. :S

I should make a post about this too, at some point.
I would totally support such a post. I think part of it comes down to sexuality; Woman have never been open about sex the same way men are (not that we can't be plenty open in some ways), and to air to the world what it is we find sexy... it's a bit weird. We're not used to that. I had a girl on my flist make a post a while back about how she found it really odd and TMI when people would leave comments to fic saying "I'll be in my bunk now" or I've seen icons that say something to the effect of "You owe me a new pair of panties". The friend was kind of nervous about saying anything because she didn't want to come off as a prude, but it's true. I would *never* tell someone, or imply that what they wrote had me masturbating. In fact, the one time a friend of mine brought up masturbating habits with regards to me, I almost *died*. I'm so not exaggerating there.
I think another aspect of sharing fics, is, well, everyone has certain standards for reading. I know my roommate, and the person who got me into fanfic, only reads fics that have been recommended by people she trusts, or written by author's she loves. She's in a bazillion fandoms so she's able to do that, but as someone who only reads in one fandom, you end up reading some fics that aren't *amazing*. When I first started off in fandom, back in my QaF days (wow I bring those days up a lot when speaking with you :P) I read everything I could get my hands on. Everything. And QaF isn't that big of a fandom, and doesn't (or at least didn't, I haven't checked lately) have a ton of choice in fic, and the fic it did churn out, well a lot of them were *bad*. So bad, that I have no idea how I read them, looking back. I'd sometimes talk to my room mate about the fics that I would read, and she'd often just look at me, and say "Oh Lindsay." and "Why do you read stuff like that?" or "I can point you towards some really good fic if you'd like."
While I know my standards have risen since those days, I still read some that others turn their noses up at. I love AUs. Probably more than I love canon fics. I love harlequin fics. Hell, I sometimes read Mpreg. I read almost any fic that is posted to

atlantiskink. I used to be one of those emo teenagers, and sometimes still want to read fics where the guys act like that (even though I realize that they're wildly OOC, and can only read them in certain moods now or they make me claw my eyes out). I also read a ton of "normal" fic too, but, I don't know, it's like, I don't want people to think less of me, because I read something they wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. And it's stupid, but there you go.

Also, since you have a nice list all ready, would you show me the favourites that you shared with your friend?

Woman have never been open about sex the same way men are (not that we can't be plenty open in some ways), and to air to the world what it is we find sexy... it's a bit weird. We're not used to that. I had a girl on my flist make a post a while back about how she found it really odd and TMI when people would leave comments to fic saying "I'll be in my bunk now..."
That might have been me, actually. And if it wasn't, there's someone out there who shares my hang-up. Awesome. :)

I wonder if maybe it has to do with permission. It seems like guys don't really need permission to talk about sex -- they just do. Women, on the other hand, seem to need explicit permission for each different situation. For example, I had a friend who used to use the "I need a new pair of panties" line whenever she saw a hot guy or a nice car, just interject it into the middle of a non-sexual conversation and that always seemed inappropriate to me. But if I were have a sexually-centered conversation with her, it wasn't as inappropriate. Maybe that's the issue with the commenting and sharing thing: some people don't see that as an appropriate venue for sexual frankness, whereas other people do. And maybe that has a polarizing effect: the people who are comfortable with sexual frankness are quite happy to produce and talk porn wherever whenever, which might make the conservative fans even more conservative. Who knows.

I think another aspect of sharing fics, is, well, everyone has certain standards for reading...I'd sometimes talk to my room mate about the fics that I would read, and she'd often just look at me, and say "Oh Lindsay." and "Why do you read stuff like that?"
I totally get that. I always feel that if I were to share my reading choices, I'd have to defend them for any number of reasons. "Yes, serious fic is really very good and I'm sure I'm missing out on a lot by never having read [insert serious epic here], but I just don't like sad stories" or "Yes, I know [insert schmoopy OOC fic] is kind of ridiculous, but sometimes I just like the idea of the characters and not their actual representation," etc. etc. I know fandom isn't entirely made up of snooty acafans, but I forget that sometimes.

Also, since you have a nice list all ready, would you show me the favourites that you shared with your friend?
I don't know if you still want it, but if you do, let me know. And allow me to defend my choices here: there's a lot of porn on there because (a) it's hard for me to find good gen fic and (b) I like stories with sex not necessarily for the sex, but because there seems to be more on the line emotionally when sex is involved. I'm not a dirty, dirty porn whore and even if I were, that would totally be okay. Or something.

That might have been me, actually. And if it wasn't, there's someone out there who shares my hang-up. Awesome. :)
I thought it was

ana_grl who made the post, but I think it's more likely I just confuse you two when it comes to opinions, since I thought she was the one who didn't like Pru and Trinity....

I wonder if maybe it has to do with permission. It seems like guys don't really need permission to talk about sex -- they just do. Women, on the other hand, seem to need explicit permission for each different situation.
I think that's definitely a part of it. I also think it comes down (at least for me) what is permissible to talk about. Like, for example, if I were to meet a guy tomorrow and have a hot one night stand, then I probably wouldn't feel any hesitation is giving details to my best friend. I would however feel really hesitant to tell her that I found a fic hot, nothing so explicit as needing new panties, just it made me go "guh". And of course, like I mentioned, the one time a friend asked me about masturbating and I nearly died, because I don't think I could ever talk about that comfortably, whereas with guys, masturbating is kind of a fact of life, and it's assumed that they do it regularly.

I totally get that. I always feel that if I were to share my reading choices, I'd have to defend them for any number of reasons.
*word* I'm a really moody person when it comes to reading, so sometimes I want something really dark that will make me cry, other times I just want something that's pure fluff. Sometimes I want to read about harlequins or mpregs. I just do. It doesn't mean I don't read a ton of other fic that aren't such extremes.
It drives me crazy when people demand certain qualities from a *fic* and fail to recognize the qualities of a *story*. Like people who turn their noses up at AUs or porny fic. Someone on my flist made a post bitching about

xanthelj and her Coming Home fic. She, and it seemed almost everyone but me who responded to the post, couldn't see Coming Home as good because there were too many "errors" in it. They didn't see how that AU-verse could work in RL, or they saw her characters as too OOC, etc. I tried to explain that the people who read and love that fic, love it for different reasons, but it came across to me that the reasons I had for liking it weren't as... good? important? valid? as theirs were. And I don't think that's an isolated incident.

I know fandom isn't entirely made up of snooty acafans, but I forget that sometimes.
In the SGA fandom especially it's hard to remember that, and this coming from the fandom that made *penguin* fics a common trope.

I don't know if you still want it, but if you do, let me know.
I'm still interested. If it's easier you can e-mail it to me, my main e-mail is my LJ one.

Someone on my flist made a post bitching about [info]xanthelj and her Coming Home fic...

Gah. I think we've covered this already, but I have so much love for that fic. She gave great Rodney, and he's one of the hardest characters to pin down? How could anyone deny her props for that?

...and this coming from the fandom that made *penguin* fics a common trope.
And the genderfuck, god. I will never understand how Rodney being a GIRL is okay, but the Coming Home scenario is not.

Also, I will always and forever remember SGA fic as the one with the cat and the barista, the same way all Smallville fic can be boiled down to that one where Lex wore a corset. The things that stick in people's minds, I swear.

The bookmark list is coming your way via email. :)

Gah. I think we've covered this already, but I have so much love for that fic.
Yeah, I think we did too, which is why I felt ok at mentioning it. I have to say, Coming Home is probably my favourite fic ever, in *any* fandom.

She gave great Rodney, and he's one of the hardest characters to pin down?
Well, in the General and Dr. Sheppard I found her Rodney characterization painfully off, so I think of the two stories as different fics altogether, so I personally have no problems with Coming Home, but I can see how others would think it's OOC (too many people see Rodney as a control freak who could never let go like that, even though it tends to be the control freaks that do let go like that...).
Also, one of the things that was brought up in the discussion is that they found it OOC for Rodney to be a bottom, which I found hilarious, because it took me a long time to even consider that John could be the bottom in their relationship, because in my head it was totally Rodney all the way.
It's weird how different people can interpret the same thing.

How could anyone deny her props for that?
Well, if you're interested, here's the discussion, although, I should warn you, IIRC I think I go a kittke into the realm of TMI when it comes to my own sex life.
But the jist of the argument, from

geeklite was that everyone was OOC, and the argument from

amireal was that it wasn't realistic enough.
Actually, how old do you think someone has to be in order to reach the rank of General? That was one of the things she felt was off.

And the genderfuck, god. I will never understand how Rodney being a GIRL is okay, but the Coming Home scenario is not.
Ah ha ha ha! That is the best. Yeah it gets me how in some respects people will have no problem with improbable things (just touch this machine and it will change your sex/species and/or make you pregnant, even though you haven't a uterus!) and in other's it's totally unacceptable (this world would never work!).

Also, I will always and forever remember SGA fic as the one with the cat and the barista
Well, that whole thing forever cemented SGA in my mind as a fandom that is crazy in a *scary* way, and not just a "AUs! Good for what ails you" way. :S

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