Date: Mon, 13 Jul 1998 19:42:00 -0400
From: Maria V
Subject: [VP] Yet another Intro


Hi Neighbors,

I've only been a "resident" of VP for about 2 weeks and I never 
introduced myself so here it goes...

My name is Maria and I'm in my early 30's. I'm originally from 
Brooklyn, NY  but I recently moved to New Jersey. I'm single 
(never married) and I have  no children but between both my 
sisters I have 4 nieces and 1 nephew - so  that takes care of any 
maternal urges I might have.

I have been a S&H fan since it first aired. I was in elementary 
school when  the show was on and at first I just liked it because 
it was another "cool"  show. Soon I started to notice that this 
show was something special. Even  at that young age I realized 
that the affection S&H showed each other was  special. I was 
devastated when the show was cancelled.

Luckily, my dad worked at RCA at the time and my family was one 
of the first  on the block to have a VCR. Back then they cost 
about $1,000. I managed to  tape two shows while S&H aired re-
runs. I wish I could have taped more (  they were uncut back 
then) but the cost of a blank tape was $25 so my  parents did 
think taping a "kids" show was worth the expense.  I guess they  
figured I grow out of my childish obsession with the show.

I remember watching the show late at night in the 80's. One of 
the station  in NY would air the show every Thursday at 12:30am 
to 1:40am.  I had a small  B/W set in my room and  I would beg my 
sister not to tell my parents that I  stayed up that late to 
watch the show.  My semi-saintly sister never told.

After the late night airings were pulled I had to do without S&H. 
I'm a fan  of the "buddy" type shows and I tried to find an 
acceptable substitution for  the guys. Many shows came close but 
nothing could replace the chemistry of  S&H. That's why when TNT 
starting airing S&H in January of '95, I tried to  tape every 
episode I could.  I didn't think it could get any better having  
the shows among my tape library when I discovered Fanfiction.

I discovered Fanfic via the internet this February.  At first it 
was all  Gen but then I found the S/H Archive. All these years I 
thought I was the  only one that saw a slash element in the 
series. I started reading anything  I could find on the internet 
and ordering anything available. I refer to  myself as a Zine 
"Junky".  I can never get enough of a good S/H or S&H  story.

No one, not my family, nor my friends, co-workers etc.  know 
about my love of  fan fic or S&H. I like it that way.  Unless 
you're a fan you can never truly  understand. At least that's how 
I feel. I guess if I should finally fall  in love enough to marry 
someone someday, I'll have to share my secret. How  else will I 
explain all those Zines?

Well,  that's my long winded intro. I just like to thank everyone 
whose  ever written a S&H or S/H story. I think the fanfic is 
even better that  watching the shows in some ways.  The fanfic 
writer seems to explore S&H in  ways that the show never could.
