I'd been planning on profiling the various people who'd been selected দ্বারা the ফ্যানপপ 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 দ্বারা fact-checking and quote-gathering from other users. The problem was, I figured that news travels fast in the ফ্যানপপ 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 আপনি 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 তালিকা of অনুরাগী that I interviewed, having created most of the অনুরাগী of the Fortnight picks.
I first interacted with PkmnTrainerJ back in the spring of 2007, when I first read his মতামত 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 ফ্যানপপ 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 তালিকা of nominees each month. Over time, his name has become synonymous with the অনুরাগী of the Fortnight pick. link writes: "(Fan of the Fortnight) always contains different people, he makes a concentrated effort to bring overlooked অনুরাগী to the fore. It really shows his willingness to include everyone, which is the entire concept ফ্যানপপ is based on."
In the course of লেখা this piece, I talked to many different users about Joe. Time and again, the users I spoke with also মতামত প্রদত্ত 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 আরো than dedicated to get something done... even if its just to get the right প্রতিমূর্তি 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 আরো than a month, with questions, answers, follow-up questions, fact checking and fishing for quotes. So, finally, after a long tedious introduction, I present আপনি 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 ফ্যানপপ 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 অস্থি have been excavated and one is on the roundabout in the High Street.
Harold: What is your favourite little-known ফ্যানপপ spot?
PkmnTrainerJ: I প্রণয় 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 অথবা notepad (along with some lunch) there on a summer's দিন and just spend a while there. :-)
Harold: What did আপনি do online before আপনি 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 অথবা scientist, some of the jokes can be very hit and miss.
Harold: Why do আপনি think people chose আপনি as অনুরাগী of the Fortnight?
PkmnTrainerJ: I think it was আরো out of "He made them, so he should win one" pity আরো 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 আপনি chose him/her.
PkmnTrainerJ: Garion from the Belgariad series দ্বারা 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 আরো than that.
Harold: Name your favourite historical figure and explain a little why আপনি chose him/her.
PkmnTrainerJ: I'm not much of a history man I'm afraid, but I do প্রণয় war stories and like war কবিতা as well.
Harold: What's a war story অথবা poem you'd recommend, then?
PkmnTrainerJ: Though most people will have heard of it I really like Dulce Et Decorum Est দ্বারা Wilfred Owen. I spent ages analysing this for an English class.
Harold: If আপনি could travel anywhere, where would আপনি go and why?
PkmnTrainerJ: link. It's every gamers dream to go there at some point.
Harold: What সঙ্গীত are আপনি 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 আপনি have a good সঙ্গীতানুষ্ঠান 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 অথবা in a theater with a large audience, only somehow আরো so.
Me, Benji and the third in our usual party, Joel went to see (link) last বছর 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 আপনি পাঠ করা these days?
PkmnTrainerJ: I'm on another Eddings book. The Treasured One, the সেকেন্ড book in the Dreamers series.
Harold: Would আপনি 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 পাঠ করা that and The Redemption Of Althalus দ্বারা Eddings again, which had a faster pace when I grew tired of the other book.
Harold: What film/show have আপনি 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 ফ্যানপপ in the past week.
PkmnTrainerJ: It's got to be the whole ফ্যানপপ 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 দিন 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 আপনি for a month, after which it returns and may never come back. What one thing would আপনি 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 খাবার of the world from the UK, like the chinese takeaways we get as well as British মাছ and chips.
Harold: I note that আপনি 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. অথবা 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 আপনি most proud?
Fanpop Dharma
Harold: Which languages do আপনি speak?
PkmnTrainerJ: English, a few words of French, a few words of Spanish.
Harold: When were আপনি happiest in your life? When were আপনি 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 দেওয়াল 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 পূর্বে to যোগদান 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 লাইব্রেরি 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, অথবা my favourite one.
Harold: If আপনি could have lunch with 3 other users whom আপনি do not know in real life already, which would আপনি 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 হারিয়ে গেছে if the two of আপনি get in to a conversation.
Harold: What has been the biggest surprise for আপনি 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 অথবা notepad (along with some lunch) there on a summer's দিন and just spend a while there. :-)
Harold: Do আপনি have a favourite smell, either to go along with that, অথবা just in general?
PkmnTrainerJ: I like the smell of freshly cut ঘাস on a summer's দিন and the smell of rain.
Harold: Describe your favourite outdoor activity...
PkmnTrainerJ: I like walking along rivers অথবা 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 ফ্যান্টাসি VII is a fantastic feat when আপনি 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 প্রশ্ন 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 আপনি win in পোকেমন video games. I have purchased the Frontier Symbols too and own one of about 100 special পোকেমন DS game cases প্রদত্ত out at E3.
Harold: দ্বারা now we all know how আপনি discovered Fanpop. Once আপনি were here, what was it that kept drawing আপনি 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 ফ্যানপপ 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 আপনি post things because they're mildly interesting অথবা for completeness on a particular topic, and then are surprised দ্বারা the strong positive reaction আপনি get. Is there anything আপনি পোষ্ট হয়েছে where আপনি were surprised দ্বারা how enthusiastically well it was received?
PkmnTrainerJ: My link got আরো response that I ever expected and my link eventually inspired me to start my own হারিয়ে গেছে blog, which I never thought I'd do.
Harold: What would আপনি like to see on ফ্যানপপ 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!
