So, it is party time again, folks!

[wiseheart]

Each year this time, we launch my virtual birthday party, which starts on October 1 and ends on October 9 at midnight, sharp. The goals of the party are to post as many comments and collapse as many threads as possible, on as many new pages as we can. It is always great fun, as you can see if you check out the similar entries of the last few years.

This year, I'll also throw the real party at mid-time - and post the recipes of all the food that will be there for you, so that you can all participate if you want to. Virtual food has no calories.

Fandom-related discussions are as welcome as the ones about coffee or chocolate (just to name a few favourites from previous years), and, of course, pictures and recipes of birthday cakes. ;)

So, drop by, tell your story, post your pics or silly poems, ask questions you always wanted to ask and have a good time!

Soledad, in excited expectation




Oh, and by the way, to provide birthday gifts hobbit-style, I've got a revived story and a Kansas 2 update for you.

Enjoy!

Comments

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

And in the interests of boosting our progress on the page count, a new question -- how did you first encounter our gracious host?

I'm not sure I know the precise answer to my own question! I know we met in Tolkien fandom. I recall I'd read and enjoyed her stories in that fandom. I think altariel must have introduced us? She kindly invited me to LJ back when codes were necessary, and I did pick up quite a few of her f'list when I joined.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Ah, I think I've tracked it down -- it was your 50th birthday party, when Altariel & others on my f'list sent everyone over here to get your threads collapsing.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Yes, she used to send guests to my parties. :)
Of course, that was before the arrival of the little princess.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Indeed, she's not been on LJ much since V day.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

And who could blame her? Seeing how adorable the little one is? Probably a lot of work, too. Small children usually are.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Having met her, briefly, she's a huge amount of work -- tho' extremely charming -- I must admit it didn't make me feel broody.

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

I love having nieces and nephews -- it is the best of both worlds to me: I get to spend time with charming little children, but I don't have to take care of them (at least not full time)! It also means I get to buy all sorts of fun -- and educational -- toys and generally get invited to play with them, too! The one sad thing about my current job, is how long it takes me to get from here to Uppsala, where the nieces and nephews are, but so far I have still managed to get back there twice a year, so I shouldn't complain.

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

She emailed my about one of my stories (back in the days when you could just get someone's email address from ffnet), and then followed emails and comments both way, and so on. (Tolkien fandom ~2003)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Ah, so you too were in Tolkien fandom back in the day!

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

Yes - it was where I started out in fandom - wanting people to complain to about the movies.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Tolkien was probably my first offline fandom, way back in the 1980s, but I got online & into fanfiction with Blake's 7 in the 1990s. Most of the Tolkien fans I knew loved the films a whole lot more than I did, so I didn't get to complain very loudly.

[jenn-calaelen.livejournal.com]

*nods*
I quite liked the first one, rolled eyes at some of the changes (especially Arwen) and things being missed out - liked the extended version more. Then had real problems with the second, especially the character assassination of Faramir, and all the excessive battle scenes. And the third was still a disappointment from there (evil Denethor, all the fighting, no scouring of the Shire, etc).

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

I first met our lovely host at one of her exciting birthday parties, having been invited by altariel; then later on I had the great good fortune of meeting her in person when she and her Mum visited London, while I was living there. That was a fantastic day!

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Altariel really is the great facilitator!

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

She is indeed! :-)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

I didn't realise you knew her!

[solanpolarn.livejournal.com]

I think I may have met her through spotting that she had a "Lilla My" icon, who is a character out of Tove Janson's Moomin books, which I think you call "Little Mymble" in English. I wasn't very fond of the character when I read the books as a kid, but now I love her tough attitude!

Then I was fortunate enough to meet altariel in the non-virtual world, when wiseheart and her Mum visited London.

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

I think I read on or Soledad's lovely stories and sent an email complimenting it. However, I lost some years of email in a computer failure, so I can't be sure anymore. However long it's been, I remain delighted by her company!

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Was this in Tolkien fandom? we mostly seem to hail from there.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Yes, it was my Boromir/Elladan series that, in the end, fell victim to another author's greater popularity.

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

Boromir/Elladan -- now that's a pairing I hadn't thought of. I must admit I don't find the twins all that exciting -- there's so little about them in canon they might as well be OCs.

[sammydragoncat]

I ran across some of her Torchwood stories, I was a bad girl at first and didn't comment - although I loved them. I started following her and started commenting, and that was about 3 years ago.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

And in the meantime you've earned the Most Supportive Reviewer Award, together with jenn_calaelen. Without the two of you I think I'd have given up writing out of sheer frustration, *hugs*

[sammydragoncat]

*hugs* :)

[espresso-addict.livejournal.com]

And the rest is history!