Saying hello... and goodbye

[selah_1977]

Hi, everyone--

I didn't know this discussion had been going on until today! 

After giving it some thought, I've come to a decision.  For the time 
being, I'm going to have to bow out of the FAQ group.  I'll also 
unsub myself from the HP4GU-Mod list, as I have no other reason to be 
there.

No man can serve two masters.  Right now, almost all of my energy is 
devoted to the fanfiction side of the fandom.  I need to be a better 
FictionAlley Mod, I need to post chapters more than once every two 
months, I need to do a lot of things I'm trying to find time to do.  
I don't have a RL job where I can do anything fandom-wise during the 
day either... and I'm in graduate school full time.  That means that 
through the week, I'm online 2-3 hours a night max, and a good chunk 
of that time is spent reading e-mail and doing stuff for teaching and 
grad school.  (Yes, most of the time if you IM me I am checking 
papers... and chat is a regular checking/lesson planning time!  ;-))

What I am finding is that if I am not teaching or attending class, I 
am online... and that is unhealthy.  I'm really trying to heed my 
family's worries about me and limit my computer time... learn how to 
say "sorry, but I can't."  I'm a workhorse in RL and a Hermione in 
grad school... so when I do come online, I really need it to be as 
pressure-free as possible.

Fanfiction is how I entered the HP4GU realm, and after all is said 
and done, it's my first love.  The novel-length fanfiction I'm 
currently working on is extremely involved.  I'll be done with it 
sometime this year, but I'm determined to see it through.

I'll still be working on the non-fanfiction side of the fandom, 
primarily with the HP4GU regional groups.  We are arranging a major 
first HP4GU-GreatLakes meet in a few months (with people coming from 
as far away as Australia).  I need to be available for Sheryll, esp. 
as the convention date draws closer.  And I'm also encouraging the 
many, many Brazilian HP fans that I'm meeting to consider forming a 
regional group there.

I think that both of my FAQs *could* be covered, but I'm almost 
certain that they're already included in other facts.  "Social 
Issues" is covered in "The Wizarding World", I think.  And I've been 
blocked on the racial diversity FAQ for going on a second year 
because I've realized that I'm far too close to the issue to debate 
it objectively.  

I love all of you dearly, and will continue to lurk at the HP4GU list 
forever.  Or, at least for the foreseeable future.  :)

(((((((hugs)))))))

--Ebony AKA AngieJ