I'd been planning on profiling the various people who'd been selected door the Fanpop users as "Fans of the Fortnight" for months, but it was only after link that I took any time to do so. I started my initial inquiries back in January, followed door fact-checking and quote-gathering from other users. The problem was, I figured that news travels fast in the Fanpop world, and I didn't want any recipients feeling slighted that I hadn't asked them for an interview...so I interviewed them all at once. What resulted was a big chaotic mess of messages flying around without much progress being made on any particular interview. Eventually I got organized, dusting off my rusty press badge and worked on them each individually.
I present linkinterview to u first, for two reasons: 1) he was the first to reply to my inquiries, and 2) he (along with benji and cressida) is responsible for the lijst of fans that I interviewed, having created most of the fan of the Fortnight picks.
I first interacted with PkmnTrainerJ back in the spring of 2007, when I first read his commentaren in the link spot sometime in April. After that, I paid attention and began to see his contributions all over the site, especially in various video game-related spots. Here was a man who was serious and dedicated in his fandom. Joe and his friend link - whom I saw all over various comics spots - seemed to be everywhere I was! But then the Fanpop staff released the "picks" feature, and Joe's activity really came to the fore. In early May 2007, Benji asked the question: "Fan of the week?" and an institution was born. After that first week, link revamped the "fan of the..." question, doubling the period for consideration to a fortnight, and since then Joe continued it, diligently creating a new lijst of nominees each month. Over time, his name has become synonymous with the fan of the Fortnight pick. link writes: "(Fan of the Fortnight) always contains different people, he makes a concentrated effort to bring overlooked fans to the fore. It really shows his willingness to include everyone, which is the entire concept Fanpop is based on."
In the course of writing this piece, I talked to many different users about Joe. Time and again, the users I spoke with also commentaar gegeven on his dedication to Fanpop. dazl also wrote: "The thing that impresses me most about J is his absolute consistency on the site. I mean, he started just a short time before I did, yet established himself as a valued contributor and a mainstay of the site in such a short time."
link wrote: "I think the best thing about him is that he is meer than dedicated to get something done... even if its just to get the right afbeeldingen for picks! He goes far above the call of duty on the spots that he contributes which makes him a very hard-working, single-minded and unique person. With his knowledge of all things link I would personally call him a mentor. He has been one of the people who made me start to commit to Fanpop. His continued work will last for a long time."
The following interview was conducted over the course of meer than a month, with questions, answers, follow-up questions, fact checking and fishing for quotes. So, finally, after a long tedious introduction, I present u with...
Catching up with PkmnTrainerJ
Harold: Joe, thanks for agreeing to participate in this little interview. Following up on the link, I'll try to avoid too much overlap.
So, let's begin: what would surprise other Fanpop users to learn about you?
PkmnTrainerJ: That I have never learned how to ride a bike.
PkmnTrainerJ: The whole place must have been underwater at one time because Plesiosaur bones have been excavated and one is on the roundabout in the High Street.
Harold: What is your favourite little-known Fanpop spot?
PkmnTrainerJ: I love the link and link spots. I'd remake those games in an instant had I the resources.
Harold: Describe your favourite place.
PkmnTrainerJ: I live near a few large fields and it's always great just to take my DS, book of notepad (along with some lunch) there on a summer's dag and just spend a while there. :-)
Harold: What did u do online before u found Fanpop?
PkmnTrainerJ: Pretty much the same things I do now. Read link, check my e-mails and participate in a few forums.
Harold: Ooh! What's your current favourite web comic? I got into link recently myself.
PkmnTrainerJ: I really like link (xkcd.com) but unless you're a programmer of scientist, some of the jokes can be very hit and miss.
Harold: Why do u think people chose u as fan of the Fortnight?
PkmnTrainerJ: I think it was meer out of "He made them, so he should win one" pity meer than anything, but I'd like to think that people do appreciate my contributions.
Harold: Name your favourite fictional character and explain a little why u chose him/her.
PkmnTrainerJ: Garion from the Belgariad series door link. He has a great story, which starts from a strange mark on his hand and continues to the slaying of a god who cracked the world almost in two. His discoveries about things like the Will and the Word feel like your discoveries. Shan't spoil meer than that.
Harold: Name your favourite historical figure and explain a little why u chose him/her.
PkmnTrainerJ: I'm not much of a history man I'm afraid, but I do love war stories and like war poetry as well.
Harold: What's a war story of poem you'd recommend, then?
PkmnTrainerJ: Though most people will have heard of it I really like Dulce Et Decorum Est door Wilfred Owen. I spent ages analysing this for an English class.
Harold: If u could travel anywhere, where would u go and why?
PkmnTrainerJ: link. It's every gamers dream to go there at some point.
Harold: What muziek are u listening to these days?
PkmnTrainerJ: My favourite band remain link, but I am listening to link a lot lately and am anticipating his new album.
Harold: Do u have a good concert memory you'd like to share? There's something about seeing artists perform live that is completely different than listening to an album. A little bit like the difference between watching a film online of in a theater with a large audience, only somehow meer so.
Me, Benji and the third in our usual party, Joel went to see (link) last jaar which was great. The atmosphere for it was fantastic. Also I went to see link a while ago, and getting thrown around in the mosh pit-thing and keeping up with everyone else was lots of fun.
Harold: What are u reading these days?
PkmnTrainerJ: I'm on another Eddings book. The Treasured One, the seconde book in the Dreamers series.
Harold: Would u recommend that? How does it compare with the Belgariad? I haven't tried the Dreamers yet, so I'm curious.
PkmnTrainerJ: I'd recommend it yes, but it has a bit of a slow start. I was reading that and The Redemption Of Althalus door Eddings again, which had a faster pace when I grew tired of the other book.
Harold: What film/show have u enjoyed recently?
PkmnTrainerJ: link was an absolute gem of a film. link & link are two very talented young actors. I'm also enjoying Lost's return but only have three weeks left of it. I keep checking the casting calls to see if there's anything I'd fly to link to try for, but nothing yet.
Harold: Tell us about the favourite thing you've seen on Fanpop in the past week.
PkmnTrainerJ: It's got to be the whole Fanpop Game Night thing link was running the other night.
PkmnTrainerJ at ease
Harold: Describe your life philosophy.
PkmnTrainerJ: I don't really have a big philosophy, I just try and live each dag as it comes, and try to do the right thing.
I believe in a form of reincarnation and consider myself agnostic.
Harold: Imagine an interdimensional portal opens and a visitor comes through to stay with u for a month, after which it returns and may never come back. What one thing would u like that being to take away from the experience about you? About your country? About the world?
PkmnTrainerJ: I'd like the being to take with it a good knowledge of human behaviour. I'd also like it to sample the food of the world from the UK, like the chinese takeaways we get as well as British vis and chips.
Harold: I note that u didn't say anything specifically about yourself. Just pointing it out, in case it wasn't intentional.
PkmnTrainerJ: That's because I don't want it to go back a huge geek. From me, I'd like for it to take back my optimism and my laidback attitude I think.
But who knows? It might end up ruling over all the other beings in its dimension for the gaming skills (for instance) it acquired...
Hey, it's got to be of use somewhere. of at least that's what I keep telling myself...
If it's dimension required gaming skills and had oxygen, Fanpop, tuna & cucumber sandwiches, I'd go back with it!
Harold: Of all your contributions, of what are u most proud?
Fanpop Dharma
Harold: Which languages do u speak?
PkmnTrainerJ: English, a few words of French, a few words of Spanish.
Harold: When were u happiest in your life? When were u the most scared?
PkmnTrainerJ: I am usually quite happy in my life, I can't think of a singular really, really, happy instance.
I was most scared when I was at PGL (an activity camp) and had to absail down a 40ft uithangbord when I was younger. I was scared when I was at the top, but when I did it, it was great.
Harold: One of my big regrets is that I didn't have the cash about ten years geleden to kom bij my friend Derek skydiving. I just know I'd get a kick out of that, even as terrifying as it would be.
PkmnTrainerJ: I really want to try skydiving at some point.
Harold: Tell us your favourite expression.
PkmnTrainerJ: "Quotabulary" - A word Benji came up with to describe a person's bibliotheek of quotes, much like a vocabulary.
Harold: Tell us your favourite joke.
PkmnTrainerJ: My humour can be very, very dark at times, so I can't share the most hilarious joke I know, of my favourite one.
Harold: If u could have lunch with 3 other users whom u do not know in real life already, which would u choose and why?
PkmnTrainerJ: Hmmmm...I think you'd be interesting to have lunch with harold. link as well, as we can talk for great lengths at a time, and then TheLostBrotha so we can talk about Lost if the two of u get in to a conversation.
Harold: What has been the biggest surprise for u in your life?
PkmnTrainerJ: Finding out I have a stepbrother.
Harold: Describe your favourite place.
PkmnTrainerJ: I live near a few large fields and it's always great just to take my DS, book of notepad (along with some lunch) there on a summer's dag and just spend a while there. :-)
Harold: Do u have a favourite smell, either to go along with that, of just in general?
PkmnTrainerJ: I like the smell of freshly cut gras on a summer's dag and the smell of rain.
Harold: Describe your favourite outdoor activity...
PkmnTrainerJ: I like walking along rivers of through scenic routes. I'm not any good at sports unfortunately, save Wii Sports.
Harold: What goes best with a link?
PkmnTrainerJ: Ice, and link.
Harold: Describe your favourite moment in gaming.
PkmnTrainerJ: I always get a great smile when I complete my Pokédex in the games. 490 little beasties this time around! Beating Sephiroth for the first time in Final Fantasy VII is a fantastic feat when u finally do it.
Harold: Ah, Sephiroth. Yes, that was grand.
PkmnTrainerJ: I tried to fight him on link the other day. Oh good lord, he destroyed me. I'm level 80, and the final boss is pretty easy for me now (Shan't give away spoilers on the identity) but Sephy still puts up a good fight.
Small sidenote on this vraag actually, when I met my mother's boyfriend (now fiancé) for the first time, I was hugely in to FFVII and he now calls me "Josephiroth"
Harold: <laughs> In retrospect, what's the geekiest thing you've ever done? I've had some doozies myself, most of them related to Doctor Who when I was a teenager.
PkmnTrainerJ: The geekiest thing I've ever done is order the link Trading Card Game badges, which are the actual badges u win in Pokémon video games. I have purchased the Frontier Symbols too and own one of about 100 special Pokémon DS game cases gegeven out at E3.
Harold: door now we all know how u discovered Fanpop. Once u were here, what was it that kept drawing u back?
PkmnTrainerJ: Originally it was the competitive spirit of adding these previews for Lost, and I first thought of that as 'my job' on Fanpop. After that though I found myself settled and expanding to other spots and realised that I loved the place.
Harold: How has Fanpop evolved since March 2007?
PkmnTrainerJ: Well, we had no picks, and no image galleries! Some of the users would be stuck without these!
Harold: If you're like me, sometimes u post things because they're mildly interesting of for completeness on a particular topic, and then are surprised door the strong positive reaction u get. Is there anything u geplaatst where u were surprised door how enthusiastically well it was received?
PkmnTrainerJ: My link got meer response that I ever expected and my link eventually inspired me to start my own Lost blog, which I never thought I'd do.
Harold: What would u like to see on Fanpop in 2008?
PkmnTrainerJ: Well I know something that's coming up, but I've been told to keep it all hush hush. It'll be good is all I can say.
Mysterious!
