Gadeth

*escaboys

showing off

10.08.01 - Reety awrighty! I'm a prizewinner in the 2001 Aoi Awards for fanfiction! Specifically, I got first place in the Alternative Universe category for Love With Its Back Turned, and second place in Continuation for Scars On the Heart - which also won Fanfiction of the Year! (I put that award graphic on the Scars page at <<prettyboy from hell>>) If you'd like to read Love With Its Back Turned (which, I'll warn you, is a yaoi lemon - I still don't understand why it was placed in the alternative universe category and not the yaoi/yuri/lemon one) head to My Author Page at www.fanfiction.net. Thank you very much to the judges, and to all the nice people who voted for my stories in whatever category.

Not much more to say here, except that my chest is puffing up with pride - also possibly my head *^.^*

19.03.01 - Wasn't it nice of Sakura Kinomoto, from Cherries 'n' Peaches, to give me this award? Does anyone else find it vaguely unnerving that I apparently have the endorsement of Hello Kitty? This came the same day as finding out Tripod had killed all my sites on their server, so you win some, you lose some.

Five-star award

27.02.01 - Rebecca, webmistress of Mr Dragon Man, has kindly given me this award for 'all the amazing work you did for the Esca-fandom.' (Translation: I got her hooked through my pages and now she blows lots of money on Escaphernalia *^.^*)

I love this thing where people praise my 'work for Escaflowne fandom' (see way below). It sounds so serious and worthy and not like I'm an eccentric, seldom-updating fangirl addicted to off-colour jokes and bizarre fanfiction matchmaking at ALL *^.^*

15.11.00 - Ack! I just found this again. Amethyst Angel gave it to me a couple of months ago and I carefully put it away and forgot where it was. Anyway, thank you so much, Angel! I'll keep a lookout for one of those 'real life' dealies... but I understand they don't come with an Allen Schezar Option, which reduces the appeal somewhat. Click on the award to go to her delightful site.

And I'm a nimrod, because I got this award on the twelfth of June 2000. Again, I put it away in such a safe place that I couldn't find it *^.^* It's actually for my Van and Folken shrine, but I thought it made sense to keep all my awards together, and only show off in a nauseating fashion in one place. Many thanks to Rosencrantz of the Lina and Zelgadis Webring! I wish I had some more text to go here, because this little chunk looks unbalanced next to the tall award picture. As I write I am listening to a song called 'Doctor I Like Your Medicine,' by I have no idea who, but hey, it's perky New Zealand reggae with lyrics like 'I'm looking forward to my accident!' All class.

Lord Dornkirk wasn't the only Cambridge Lucasian Professor of Mathematics to go on to an unusual second career, you know. Apart from making guest appearances on Star Trek: the Next Generation and The Simpsons, Stephen Hawking has apparently been pursuing fame as a gangsta rapper. Go to MC Hawking's Crib to see what I mean! Random diversion over.

29.10.00
Update: Look what I got!
Pocket Bishónen is a fun website that lets you 'capture' cute anime guys in Pokémon style. The first person to submit a catch to the Pokédex gets a special badge graphic, and believe me, I'm unbelievably proud to have caught Chesta. Like it was hard to do *^.^* It was kinda process of elimination, because everyone else I would have liked to submit was already in the listing... even Yuuichirou from Sailor Moon, for gosh sakes! But don't worry, Chesta, I love you very much. I'll even slap you around a little so you won't be homesick for Dilandau-sama!

End of March 2000
Well, it looks like all my devoted efforts have paid off *^.^* Sweet recognition is mine. These awards are the spoils of my campaign to be the person who entered the greatest sheer volume of stuff in the
Escaflowne... For Lovers Only Valentine's Day contest, which ran throughout the month of February 2000. I sent in more fanart than you can shake a stick at (well - three pictures, I think) and entered two fanfic stories, my golden oldie, Scars On the Heart, and a new one I wrote just for the contest, Dryden & Sylvie. These have a permanent home in my shrines for Dilandau Albatou and Dryden Fassa - you can find those through the Sites page, should you fancy reading them. Unfortunately, I didn't win prizes for my fiction (though I'm told Dryden & Sylvie only lost by one vote, and I'm sufficiently gracious in defeat not to try to find that one voter and stuff gravel up his or her nose *^.^*), but here are the gongs I did get. Many thanks to Dillypickle, who ran the contest, and to her fellow judges. I know I sound really bumptious, showing off with my awards, but really I'm very surprised and grateful that anyone likes my stuff this much!

Loyalty

This award was created just for me by Dillypickle, in recognition of me being... well, very obsessive and persistent. She says it's 'the "Esca Loyalty Medal"---for showing (through those many many many submissions hehehehe...and your many many many homepages......and many many many fan fics and pics) what a true Escaflowne fan you are!!!'

Aw... to quote Cap'n Churchy Lafemme from Pogo, 'big words of praise makes me giggle and sneeze.'

*giggle*

*atishoo*

This is the Best Valentine Character award, for a piece of fanart - my drawing of Hitomi in a pose borrowed from Claire Danes in the movie Romeo + Juliet - you know, with the white dress and angel wings. You can see it here.

Dillypickle explains the award graphic as follows: 'You may be wondering about Dilly's pic on the best Valentine character award hehehe...I just thought it would be funny to put HIS face in the award since we all know what a ROMANTIC and LOVING character he could be ne? hehehe...the expression on his face there was priceless too! hahahahahaha...thats what I imagine his face would be if he ever won it in real (anime) life!! hehehehehe.'

Well, no-one should ever pass up an opportunity to make a little affectionate fun of Dilandau. Especially when he looks so adorable.

Character

Choice

Finally, DP-chan says this is 'the " Viewers Choice Award " -----> I had a lot of votes for ya on this one!!! I didn't know you were that famous Sarah-chan!!! I guess I could pretty much tell ya, if I ever decide to sack the board of judges who did the picking, and use audience impact instead---you would have probably won all the awards!!!! O_o''''

(Yes folks, Sarah-neko, she makes Dryden Fassa look modest and self-effacing - but at least I ain't saying these things directly about myself *^.^* it's all quotations, I swear.)

Actually, I didn't know I was famous either. *shrug* So thank you very, very much to everyone who voted for my work. Trying for a moment to be humble (and honest) I'm immensely touched and honoured by this award, because it's wonderful to have the validation of knowing that the time and energy I spend on this stuff is appreciated.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm just being self-indulgent, and doing stuff that only I think is interesting. It is true that my criterion for what I put on the Web is always 'would I think this was good if I found it when browsing? Is this what I want to read or see?' In many cases, like the Gadeth and Dryden shrines, I end up creating something because I couldn't find it when I wanted it, and it seemed to me that someone else out there might also be looking for the same kind of thing. You know, 'There is a crying need for a dedicated Gadeth image gallery on the Web, and I am the woman to meet that need! If not me, who else?' If you want these things to exist you can't sit back waiting for someone to make them for you.

When I get feedback like this, and like the lovely comments that people have left in my guestbooks, I know it is all worthwhile, and that I'm really doing something to spread awareness and appreciation of the most wonderful anime series I know, contributing in a valuable way to the online fan community. Ego aggrandisement is one thing, but the real reason for all this is just that: to serve Escaflowne (and have fun). That's the goal I share with the people who run the shrines in the Sites listing, and a big reason for making this site in this form was to give them some of the kind of recognition I find so gratifying.

My hearty congratulations to the other winners (even whoever beat me for best fanfic *^.^*).

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