30 Days of Fangirl-ism - Day 4: Fandom Crush(es)

The prompt asks for the "first, current, or favorite crush"... I think I'll do all three of those, because I'm a fangirl and a nerd and a dork... ha ha

First Fandom Crush

 Since I included Figure Skating in my list of fandoms earlier this week, I should probably count Scott Hamilton as my first crush. I was four and after seeing him skate live I was hooked. I used to tell people I was going to marry him. He was in his early 30s (late 20s?) and I was four. But I didn't care. He was my hero and I loved him.

gif by dreaming-inpepperland on tumblr.

I don't remember having another crush until I was 8 or 9 when I crushed hard for Han Solo. Harrison Ford was the first actor I really studied their career and wanted to see all of his movies. Han Solo was my hero. I wanted to be Han! ha ha!

Current Fandom Crush

I'm a big fan of "CaptainFire" my two fav
actors on Once Upon A Time!

Ooo, this is hard. I'm not sure if I should say Neal Cassidy (Michael Raymond-James) who I love more than I should (especially since they killed him!)... or if I should choose Captain Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) because, seriously, how can you not crush hard on those gorgeous pirate guyliner eyes?!... or Tommy Merlyn (Colin Donnell) another character who was killed off his show but was so loveable that I'm hoping beyond hope that the theories are true and that he's back on the show.

Seriously Colin Donnell is just so adorable.

So can I just pick all three, because, really... why not?

Favorite Crush

Yup, this is why I fangirl.

Okay so I should've just done Captain Hook and Tommy Merlyn for the last one... but this is definitely my favorite and current crush. Neal Cassidy/Michael Raymond James from Once Upon A Time. Oh. My. Word. I can't even understand WHY this is or HOW it happened, but I truly love the character. I love the complex character, the pain that he has... the guilt. I wish he could've had a happy ending. He deserved one after everything he went through. I mean if Regina can get her happy ending (and, trust me, she will) I don't understand why they thought it was okay that Neal/Baelfire didn't get his. I'm not even saying Emma! I'm saying his son, Henry deserved to have his father. At least to get to know him, have him in his life. Sure Robin Hood and Captain Hook are cool step-dad material... but both Neal and Henry deserved to be in each other's life.

I could rant for days on this subject... and I can gush for an equally long time about the awesomeness that is Michael Raymond-James. He is such a natural and warm actor. He's severely underrated in the fandom as well as in general. I'm not just saying this because I have a weird affection for a character he plays - he's good. Really good. Just like I did as a kid with Harrison Ford, I'm quickly catching up with Michael's career (which is easy, there isn't much he's in/available...sadly)... and EVERYTHING I've seen him in I've been impressed. I may not like his character or the show/movie but I can appreciate what he brings to it. He was by far one of the best (read strongest) actors on Once Upon A Time. I think the only one stronger would be Robert Carlyle. I know that won't be a popular opinion, but I just really find that the natural style that he has lends to him being incredibly believable... and his chemistry with everyone only helps solidify that in my mind.

I'm so excited to see him in a week in Sons of Liberty as Paul Revere. He said back in June when he announced the project that this one felt special and I really really really hope that it IS special and leads to fantastic opportunities. He deserves it. If his character couldn't get a happy ending, then MRJ better.

30 Days of Fangirl-ism - Day 3: First Fandom

Ah, Star Wars. I was 8 when dad introduced me to the original trilogy... you know the ORIGINAL original trilogy. No Special Edition existed yet. No stupid prequel trilogy. No Jar Jar Binks... Han Solo shot first... when it was about the story and adventure not CGI.

I LOVED the movies. I was obsessed. I had Star Wars everything - nothing really collectible, we couldn't afford the good stuff, but enough crap that fills half the basement now. I really need to go through that stuff and purge.

I also LOVED the "Expanded Universe" books. Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy especially... The obsession followed me all the way through high school... even with the prequels slowly taking away my love. And the "New Jedi Order" series breaking my heart (Anikan Solo :'( )... and the books following it made me mad (seriously Jacen Solo turning to the dark side? Um, no. Just NO.)

I had a bookshelf filled with nothing but Star Wars books. My binders and folders were Star Wars... all my video games on my first home computer were Star Wars...

Most of my Language Arts papers had something to do with Star Wars.

I wanted to work at Lucasfilms or Lucasarts (if I'd done that I'd be working for Disney now. Oh the irony!)


It's not a fandom I participate in these days. All of my Star Wars memorabilia and books are packed away. But I think I still have the movies pretty much memorized. And Han Solo is still one of my all time favorite anti-heroes.

31 Days of Film - Day 6: movie that reminds you of an event

Remember when I was a big time Star Wars nerd. Yeah, those were the days of no friends and lonely school hours. Still, it was a great time of imagination - and the Expanded Universe (now destroyed thanks to Disney... grrrrrr) kept me reading. But, I digress.

In 1999, Star Wars came back to theatres with the first of three prequels. The Phantom Menace was all I could think about during the spring semester of 8th grade. I wanted to go to the very first showing of it in town, problem was it opened on a school day - a very important school day. 8th grade graduation.

Mom and Dad were not about to let me skip school that day and I was so very bummed. It was just a ceremony and then we were going to watch movies in class all day. I was a loner in 8th grade, I really had no desire to sit alone and watch as former friends had a good time. But Mom and Dad would hear none of it.

The day of graduation was fun enough, I was in the band and that was the highlight as we played the 1812 Overture (still one of my favorite pieces of music EVER). We walked across the "stage" and got our "KCHS Class of 2003" tshirts. Our parents all cheered, some got teary eyed. We ate cookies, drank punch (well those that like punch - which I don't - did.)... and then Mom and Dad went to the office and signed me out early. We picked up my best friend Kassy and went to the movies.

I was so surprised! I really didn't think I'd get to see Star Wars until the weekend and I got to see it that afternoon instead! And back at age 14 I loved the movie. It wasn't until way later that the movie started to annoy me. All of the prequels were so disappointing (Sith being the only one I own on DVD.) The ONLY positive of the prequels is Ewan McGregor, who - even with the bad hair they gave him - is one of my favorite actors.

Even Yoda was disappointing in Episode 1. But the lightsaber fights were epic.