[HPforGrownups] The Ship Hits the Fan (long, but filled with brilliant insights)

[Kathleen Kelly MacMillan]

No: HPFGUIDX 10348

(I've been waiting to use that subject line for awhile now!)

OK, first of all, WHERE are all the R/H-ers?  At the moment, the Good Ship R/H 
feels more like a rowboat, with me paddling furiously to get out of the way of 
the wake created by the big gaudy SS H/H.  Zsenya?  Elizabeth?  Thena?  Little 
help, please?  :)

OK, Here goes:
Ebony wrote:
>LOL!  Thanks for the compliment, Kathy!

Er...yeah, compliment...that's what it was....<g>

Ebony again:
>Recent readable fanfic lately is swinging heavily R/H.

Ya really think so?  It does seem I haven't had to slush through as much as I 
used to to find good R/H (or *any* R/H, for that matter!).  Actually, I guess 
you're right, because I haven't had to supplement my preferred diet of R/H 
fics with so-so H/H ones for awhile now.  (I have actually become fairly picky 
about which fanfics I read now, which is a switch.  I used to read anything 
and everything.  Now, it has to have Hermione, Ron and/or Harry in it [in that 
order of preference, though I find I am preferring Ron more and more], the 
minute I see a "new girl" my finger's on the back button, and the font has to 
be legible.  Maybe I'm getting old, but are some of those stories in tiny 
writing or what?  The last thing I need at 2 am, which is when I end up 
reading most of it.  Which is why "Hermione's 4th year" is entirely in Arial 
14 point, btw).  Also, of course, if someone else recommends something or it's 
an author I know is good (even if, alas, they are H/H).

Ebony again:
>And Kathy, I'll bet the R/Hers thought they were off the hook due to Penny's
>carpal tunnel and the upcoming arrival of the littlest Linsenmayer.

Oh, I know better than to think that H/H-ers will ever be silent.  Though the 
"destroyer" rhetoric is starting to get a little disturbing, I must admit.  I 
know it's all in jest, but tell me, why is it that H/H-ers seem to see 
themselves as missionaries of some sort?  I hope you know I'm not picking on 
you, Ebony, or anyone in particular for that matter, but it just seems to me 
that the H/H crowd often manifests an almost manic to convert others.  (Almost 
like they're trying to convince themselves of the rightness of their 
position...(;, sorry, couldn't resist throwing that in!).  But seriously, I 
have corresponded with several other R/H-ers off-list who have told me they 
wouldn't participate in the shipper debates on this list because they 
perceived the H/H-ers here as being, well, let's just say too vehement.  
Obviously, I don't really agree, since I get into it with y'all on a regular 
basis :), but I can't help but notice that the R/H ranks have gotten quieter 
around here, even though the number of R/H-ers (at least according to the 
poll) hasn't gone down.

Ebony again:
>I can't speak from the R/H perspective at all, but I'm
>sure there will be no terrible cry from the H/H battleship-cum-Carnival
>Cruise if H/H is disproven (partly because one of our theories-in-progress
>is "all roads lead to H/H"... but I digress).

And I don't think there will be a terrible outcry from the Good Ship R/H 
either.  We know where Hermione belongs; it's just a matter of her figuring it 
out.  (:

Ebony yet again:
>I think I've become one of the most vocal around
>these parts, but I don't have two horns growing out of my head.

Hmm, now I have to totally rethink my image of you, Eb.  <g>

And again:
>I think the H/H image problem stem from the fact that we... I don't know...
>we post a lot more?

Gee, YA THINK?  (Again, helloooooo, other R/H-ers...help?)

Ebony yet again (we knew she was loquacious!):
>You know, I never thought I'd agree with an R/Her on so much. Of course,
>deep down I really think Kathy is an H/H Prodigal, who will eventually tire
>of R/H Disorder and come on home. :-)

Not a chance, my friend.  It never really did it for me in the first place, 
and the more you try to convert me, the more I will stick to my guns with 
Ron-like stubbornness.

Penny said:
>Neil! It was hilarious, but couldn't you have compared the Good Ship R/H to
>Titanic rather than our very own SS H/H?

Because it was just more appropriate, I suppose <g>.  Maybe the Good Ship R/H 
can play the Carpathia, and arrive the next morning to pick up the 
survivors...

Ebony again:
>Many of the best H/H writers *do* deal with Ron. Just perhaps not to the
>satisfaction of some.

Exactly.  And the very fact that it is termed "The Ron problem" should tell 
you why this annoys R/H-ers so greatly.

All that said, I REALLY liked Penny's idea of the various ships as party 
liners sailing along the HP waters.  I have been thinking about the Good Ship 
R/H: It's large and looks fairly rickety from the outside, but it's held up by 
magic and is much more sturdy than some might think.  It has chess sets 
throughout and small explosions are considered a matter of course.  It also 
has a large closet full of shoes so Ron can demonstrate his shoe-tying 
technique (if you don't get it, go read B Bennett's newest fic).  Oh, and we 
never serve Corned Beef on the Good Ship R/H.

You know, it occurs to me that part of the problem for us R/Hers is that we 
don't have an Uber-fic the way H/Hers have PoU and DD/DS.  (OH wait, there is 
that one by Joanne something...though she's not very timely about getting the 
parts out...)

There was a whole bunch more I wanted to say, but I'm tired of babbling and 
I'm sure you guys are tired of me babbling too!

So, all are welcome to the Good (Rowboat) R/H--we can build on additions and 
the magic'll hold it up!


Kathy
AKA Elanor Gamgee