Date: Tue, 16 Sep 1997 11:04:47 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Susan 
Subject: Re: [vp] new member update

On Tue, 16 Sep 1997, Roberta C Kwong wrote:
> Welcome to our newest member! That makes about 66 of us here on
> veniceplace. 

If that's me, thanks for the welcome, Robin!  And this is 
probably the last you'll hear from this here lurker for quite a 
while.  As I've told Kendra and Robin, I've only seen three or 
four episodes so far, anyway, so I haven't much to contribute...

I'm very, very happy to see plans going forward for putting 
stories on the net, though, and I am eager to read whatever 
appears.

Waving and going back into deep lurk,
Susan 


Date: Fri, 17 Jul 1998 19:55:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: Susan 
Subject: [VP] Timid intro

OK, I'm going to get this all over with at once!  My intro and my 
first post regarding an episode --- and then it's back to lurking 
forEVER.

Maybe.  

You really are the most uniformly nice neighbors I've met so far 
in ListLand, so I'm not quite as terrified posting as I would 
normally be, but I'm not very good at public speaking!  Also 
rusty from never talking on any of my many lists, so I may sound 
awkward sometimes...

Anyway, here I am -- I've lived in this friendly building for 
almost a year now, but I've only said quiet hellos to a few 
people in the hallway, mostly entering and leaving the place 
unnoticed.

Last September or so, I started to get curious, after reading all 
the tantalizing S/H references on the Sentinel list so I 
contacted one of the people over there who seemed most in the 
know (I'm not mentioning names in this intro because there seem 
to be some rules of courteous discretion in force here, and I'm 
not sure I understand all of them yet!) and she put me in touch 
with Robin who helped me find a very nice, quiet apartment (with 
a most advantageous view!) here.  One exceedingly kind neighbor 
welcomed me warmly -- even sending me a tape of 5 episodes 
because I said I'd hardly seen any (I might add that she 
adamantly refused payment for this, which, frankly, floored me!)  
This same dear person also put me in touch with very amiable 
neighbors who offered to supply me with tapes of other episodes 
and to connect me with the zine lending library.  I even got a 
lovely Christmas card from one of our sweet neighbors!

Being something of a hermit, and even shyer in an online crowd, I 
immediately shut up like a clam and locked my apartment door, 
only going downstairs to do the laundry at 11 at night, ducking 
behind pillars when I saw anyone approaching me in the hall.   I 
have never felt that I adequately thanked those who welcomed me 
with such open hearts, and I hope they know how much their 
kindness meant to me.  Because I felt I had been so ungracious, I 
found it even more difficult to speak up, even as I began to feel 
more comfortable.

Meanwhile, I've just been having a blast using my James Stewart 
binoculars and that stethoscope I press against the wall to help 
me eavesdrop, and enjoying the banter and raunch and 
clever/passionate analysis that rings through the building.

Now that TNT has started showing episodes again, I'm starting to 
really get a feel for the show (aided immensely by listmum's 
color reporting!), and I can't believe how much I love it!  It's 
so special to be able to see it for the first time with 
impressions and thoughts and silly jokes from all of you floating 
around in my brain.  I see things I remember you talking about, 
and I also see things I don't expect at all that just underscore 
all the analyses and fanfic I've read this year.  I know I will 
spend the rest of my days making new discoveries about this show 
and its remarkable fandom.

I *think* I sent in a short intro when I first moved in, but I'm 
not sure, so here goes.  How I got here, you know, but I started 
as a TOS fan when I was about 13 or so (watching reruns, c.  
1974), began going to cons in college and there discovered K/S 
slash.  I didn't know anyone else who read it 'til I got online 
about 4 years ago.  Began with Trekslash on Usenet, discovered XF 
(the show and the slash) 3 years ago, and, at about the same 
time, HL, DS, and TS, among others.  I can't believe that a list 
has JUST started for K/S after all this time!  Full Circle, 
indeed (flinging bouquets at Killa!)

Well, for someone with a dry mouth and sweaty palms, I've stood 
up here for a long time!  Very, very glad to live here with all 
of you, and to be under the benevolent, quirky wing of our Momma 
Bird.

See you in the hall!

Susan 
