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Xena's Effect (01-02)
The Aftermath (03-04)
Keeping the Memories Alive (05-08)
Biography
ADDICTED TO LOVE?
Xena's Effect
[01] My name is Sue and I am a Xena addict. Notice that I did not say, "Recovering Xena addict." I am still addicted to the show in reruns, on videotape, in my home décor, through my body art and jewelry, by way of all the T-shirts I wear to work, through the mailing lists I am on, and even through the registered name of my Scottish Terrier - Xenascots Flying Chakram (Chak, for short.). One of my two annual vacations is a trip to the Pasadena Xena convention where I end up helping out at the photo table. I love Xena. I have loved her and the show from the very beginning, and I always will. Thanks to Xena, people around the world know who I am. Thanks to Xena, I met my last lover (although we have now grown apart). Thanks to Xena, I have many more people whom I can call friends.
[02] Xena is a force to be reckoned with. The phenomenon of Xena caught many people unawares: an independent woman who could handle any situation without having to back off and let a man do the dirty work. Often imitated -- Sheena, Relic Hunter, Witchblade, and Cleopatra 2525 have all tried to cash in on the Xena bandwagon -- but never duplicated. Xena was much more than just two women traveling through ancient Greece righting wrongs and vanquishing foes. It was the story of two women who grew very close and shared a love that will never be equaled.
The Aftermath
[03] How does a Xena addict handle the ending of the original program? Badly, I am afraid, VERY badly. I have just about all the dialog from all the episodes memorized. I have worn out copies of tapes, worn out my CDs of the music from the show, read as much fan fiction as I can find (except for the Uber - that is not really Xena), still spend too much of my paycheck on eBay and Yahoo auctions, and hope and pray that Rob Tapert and TPTB [the powers that be] will break down and give us a Xena movie, or at the very least, a new series about the adventures of Gabrielle on her own.
[04] I will admit it, I cried when Xena died. I had hoped above all that the misogyny that Tapert had exhibited in other projects of his would not rear its ugly head in the series finale of Xena, but alas, that was not to be. I had hoped the producers would leave a window slightly ajar, through which we could hope for more adventures, but no, they slammed it shut in our faces.
Keeping the Memories Alive
[05] So now, I have to make do with what was available in the past and hope that the writers of the Xenaverse continue to provide us with more Xena the Conqueror, Xena and Gabrielle, and Janice and Mel stories. I have to pray that Creation Entertainment will still honor us with the Pasadena convention devoted strictly to Xena and not meld it into a general "SciFi" convention. You see, for all the cons that I have been to -- two Pasadena, one Valley Forge, and one Dearborn -- I have yet to see Lucy Lawless in person. I have seen Renee O'Connor twice, Danielle Cormack three times, Hudson Leick twice, Claire Stansfield once, Alexandra Tydings once, and many of the other guest stars once or twice. I have even seen and talked with Lawless' sister, Josie Ryan. Nevertheless, I have not had the privilege of seeing Lucy Lawless in person. That is my one big regret.
[06] Lucy Lawless' convention appearances have been at times in my life when I had little, if any, money to spend. Now I have a job that will allow me the time to go to the Pasadena cons. I have to hope that Lucy Lawless will not completely abandon those of us who still respect and admire her, and who helped make her an international star. Other people have gotten autographs for me, and who knows, Lucy Lawless may even have heard of me because of what happened to me in Valley Forge (I got sick and almost died). Nonetheless, I continue to hope and dream that somehow, someday, I will see the Wonderful One in the flesh.
[07] Until that happens, I will continue to feed my addiction the best way I possibly can, though "fixes" are starting to dwindle. Oxygen is not showing the reruns as often as they used to, merchandise is becoming harder and harder to find, and my T-shirts are starting to wear out. I do not know what I will do when it all "disappears". I hope that there will always be someone, somewhere, who will write new Xena stories and keep the show "alive". (Bat Morda, are you listening?) Also, as long as Whoosh! lives, I will still be able to get a fix at least once a month or so. Thanks to all the volunteers who put Whoosh! together for their fellow fans.
[08] My name is Sue and I am a Xena addict. Always have been and always will be.
Biography
Sue Dayton
A woman of mystery.
