Not Who-Related, but sort of is...

[timelord1]

Well, Chapter 1 got validated and I just put Chapter 2 on the system, waiting for that to get validated. Meanwhile, I'm working on another silly fluff story featuring 10 sans his usual companions, but with a few new pals from history. So far I've got it spot-on and should really be writing it now instead of writing this journal, but I'm considering this my warm-up for the day.

Some day I hope to have something published (my original work, probably not the Doctor Who stuff ha ha), and I have a job that allows me to write for several hours each day. I take care of a young man with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and while he sleeps from 8am - 1pm, the family doesn't care what I do with myself as long as I'm available to help him whenever he needs something. I work two 16-hour days at the start of the week, so the writing time is about the only "me" time I get Mondays & Tuesdays. It's a nice change from my previous job (11 years as a TV producer for the local cable company), where I was creative all day, but never got to work on my own stuff.  Cutbacks made it necessary for the company to cut one of the producers and I received an 11-week paid severance, during which I wrote a novel.

Why am I writing my life story on livejournal? I have no idea. Probably because it's on my mind lately. I lost my mom on September 5th of last year and the first anniversary is approaching faster than I would like it to. My mom and I were very, very close and my husband and I moved in to the house to take care of her for the last three months she was at home, then stayed with her in the hospital until she passed. I was there until the last moment. In fact, we didn't leave the hospital until she did.

On a superficial level, I think that's why I identify so much with the Doctor - in ways with 9 even moreso than 10 - I had a front-row seat for the end of my world as well, and try to be upbeat and fun despite what's sitting an inch below the surface. I can be just as moody and distant, and I'm still waiting for the time when I can throw my arms out and shout "Just this once, EVERYBODY LIVES!" I'm sure it sounds silly to put grief in terms of Doctor Who, but I just see something in that character that helps me process my everyday life. I'm not a TV watcher in general (we don't even have cable now that I don't work for the company any more) - all we watch is stuff on Netflix through our XBox, and one day I saw Doctor Who on the suggested things to watch and figured why not?

My first episode was "Rose," and, just like Rose, I was in love from the moment the Doctor said "Run!" I've seen everything now up to "Journey's End," as well as a bunch of the older stuff - I bought the Complete Specials on blu-ray, but want to watch them slowly. I'm not ready to give David Tennant up yet lol. When we first were watching and Eccleston's episodes were coming to an end, I was so MAD and thought I would not want to watch the show once David Tennant started. He literally had me at that first adorable "Hello!" right after regeneration.

So, anyway, that's a bit of  me. Probably more than you needed/wanted to know, but there you have it. Now, it's only 9:20 in the morning and I've got 3 hours left to write - plenty of time to churn out some fluff. Allons-y!

Comments

[who-in-whoville.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing your story. I understand the odd need to share personal details with strangers. It seems easier to tell strangers rather than friends sometimes, doesn't it? I had a big secret once, and I shared it with my hairdresser. I just had to tell someone, and she was the safest person. Just getting things out of our heads and into the air (or in this case, onto the screen) is somewhat cathartic, I think.

Have you published your novel?

Your Who story is strangely similar to mine. We too do not have cable. Ditched it in favor of a digital antenna two years ago this month and have never looked back. We stream Netflix as well through our PS3 or now, our AppleTV box. I watched the entire first series in the space of 4 days as we moved from Arizona to Virginia, watching in hotel rooms after the girls went to sleep and hubby played "Modern Warfare" on the PS3 that he brought along. I was hooked from the minute Nine commanded, "Run." I knew nothing about regeneration... only knew that a new actor was coming at some point. I didn't want to like him. I knew I was in love with Ten when he gave the Big Threatening Button speech. Still love Nine, too... he'll always be my first Doctor, but Ten just speaks to me for some reason.

I am praying that the upcoming anniversary of your Mom's passing is a day filled with remembrance... {{hugs}}

I can't imagine what it will be like when the time comes that my parents pass. I am an only child, they are elderly, and we, too, are very, very close.

[timelord1.livejournal.com]

Thank you ((hugs)) It is very cathartic to share stuff like this sometimes. Usually I like to keep things light, but this combined with my post on the Writer's Block prompt were all "True Confessions" today ha ha.

I haven't published yet - haven't even tried, because I needed a serious confidence boost. My writing kind of existed in a vacuum after college, and I wanted to see if I had some appreciable skills before I put my "baby" out in the world. So, that's what brought me to the Teaspoon.

Losing parents is like having someone rip part of your soul out of your throat. My dad passed in 2002, and when mom went I wasn't entirely sure I was ever going to recover. All I can say is delight in every possible moment while you've got moments to delight in, and that will be your comfort when you need it most. :)

And I, too, love the Big Threatening Button speech. The first time I realized just how awesome he was going to be was both when he answered "Who are you?" with "I DON'T KNOW" and when he called the Sycorax a clallachpeldassacrisalvac. <---I <3 it when he speaks the other languages, ohyes. :)

[kelkat9.livejournal.com]

There is no way I could not respond to your post as it's a bit similar to what happened to me. I lost my Mom 2 1/2 yrs ago. (Yes, I still think of her every day) DW Fiction was my go to for stress relief amidst a heart wrenching time. Losing a parent to a prolonged illness is one of those things in life you never contemplate until it's right there in front of you. I know another writer who had a similar experience with DW and its related fan fiction. Isn't it funny what great therapy DW is. Oh don't watch End of Time for a while! I cried so hard watching that. You need happy right now, not angsty, tragic end of Ten.

It's perfectly normal for you to have tumultous feelings right now. I think writing is a tremendous way to work through it. Sometimes I think the reason I write is because my Mom is with me. I didn't start writing any DW fiction until the 2nd anniversary of my Mom's passing. I can't explain it but, I just felt a gentle push.

I'll bet RTD didn't realize what great therapy he was providing when he wrote his angsty Doctors. Boy, wouldn't this make a great psychology paper!

I love your writing by the way. That's awesome that you completed a novel! What genre is your original fic? You should feel so proud to have completed a novel! It's a huge accomplishment.

[timelord1.livejournal.com]

I'm very sorry to hear about your mom - I'm glad you feel her with you, though. I feel that same thing. Sometimes even see little "signs" - like hearing one of her favorite songs when I'm thinking of her. I like to think that's her saying hello.

The Doctor is tremendously good therapy. It's such a great show, and there are lessons you can learn from it that are rather surprising. The young man I take care of is, thankfully, also a Who fan, and we are watching the show. When we saw the end of the last Rose episode before she came back at Journey's End, he was talking about how, in Rose's position, he wouldn't have tried to choose life with the Doctor, but would have gone for his family. I said to him "Ah, but she knew her family was all right. If I knew that, I could follow the Doctor anywhere." And I realized that, in a way, my parents were all right - they were together again, and not hurting any more. So it was all right for me to "follow the Doctor" and live my life. Big lessons from a show where one of the biggest threats is a giant screaming salt shaker ;)

I'm going to take your word for it and hold off on End of Time until I'm in a better mental place - thanks for the warning!!!!! :) Definitely not the week to watch the end of 10. I think I'll make a mini-marathon of silly episodes. Unicorn & The Wasp..New Earth...yes yes yes... :)

Thank you very much for the compliment on my writing - my original stuff is high fantasy with a cheeky sense of humor. There's a character in it that SO reminds me of Tennant's portrayal of the Doctor that if it ever gets published and made into a movie (yes I have pipe dreams!), he would HAVE to play that character. It falls somewhere along the lines of The Princess Bride (a bit more serious) and Stardust...with a Celtic bent and lots of made-up monsters, sword fighting and romance, while making fun of itself just enough... :)