Anniversaries, RL and Fannish, and a New Fannish Love

[przed]

Yesterday, we celebrated our 4th adoption day. Four years ago, we traveled to China to adopt the little girl who is now firmly a part of our family. It both seems like yesterday, and a million years ago. I can't quite remember what it was like not to be a mom.

This week was also my anniversary on LiveJournal. I've been on LJ for eight years now. Eight! (I came here chasing LotR VigBean RPS, if you can believe it.)

Eight years ago today, I posted my first VigBean RPS. Which I've just put up on AO3, for those of you who are curious about why I'll be going to hell in a handbasket:

Waiting

(Given LJ's difficulties, I'm working seriously at putting all my stories up at AO3 now. Should you want to, you can find me at przed.)

Finally, courtesy of the Brit Awards and halotolerant's mad pimping skills, I seem to have stumbled into a new RPS fandom: Take That. There is fic in progress (5,000 words of a World War I AU, and yes, I know I should really be working on my Pros BB story) and a possible vid. But today, for my own amusement, I thought I'd share a pic spam of some very pretty men.


First, let me just say that none of the prettiness that follows would have done a thing for me if I hadn't also liked their music. Nor would I have fallen for the RPS quite so hard if they didn't slash themselves quite so blatantly or interestingly. (They write songs about each other! Really! Check out Halo's recent post for the proof.)

Okay, on to teh pretteh.

Take That, back in the '90s. I have to say, adorable though they are here (I especially like Howard leaning on Mark's shoulder) I have no interest in them in this era. They're infants! And even though I'm not much older than the lot of them, I still wouldn't have looked twice at them back in the day.


However, they have morphed into a group of very nice looking men. Men, who are entirely willing to form a puppy pile for a nice photographer.


Though they're all lovely to look at (well, except maybe Gary Barlow; he's just not my type) it's Mark Owen who I've fallen for utterly. Here he is in his infancy, and yeah, okay, I probably would have looked at him twice. Possibly more than that.


And another young-ish pic of him.


Here he is after the band reformed in 2005, looking prettier than a man has any right to. (Mark has a thing for wearing scarves. I have a thing for men who wear scarves. This works out nicely.)


Here he is this year, performing the single Kidz. Still adorable and enthusiastic.


Okay, so they're pretty. But why the slash?

Take That RPS fandom rivals Blake's 7 for the variety of pairings you get, but the Mark Owen/Robbie Williams combination is one that has completely captivated me. There is epic friendship. And epic cuddling. And a tragic break up. And a touching reunion. It is, in essence, a narrative tailor made for slash.

Plus, you get visuals like this:

I mean, seriously: explain this pic without slash. I dare you.

Also, they are silly straight boys who are willing to do stuff like this:

(My over-fondness for this picture is also probably due to the fact that my daughter loves luring people in close and then licking their noses. I get a kick out of teenage boys doing what a four-year-old finds amusing.)

Lest you think they only behaved that way back in the day, they're still all over each other now. On stage, even!




Awwwww.

Comments

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Happy anniversary - can't believe it's been four years since you posted about your trip to China.. Wow.

And look at your pretty new fandom! I must admit, that modern day puppy pile is very appealing to the eye, and I have *always* been a Robbie Williams fan.

So I am all subscribed to you over at AO3 and eagerly awaiting the first bit of Take That RPS from you, mate.

[przed.livejournal.com]

It doesn't seem four years ago. But on the other hand, I can't imagine not having Ros around.

The fandom is very pretty. And angsty. And slashy. (They hug! And talk about their feelings! They're pretty much the opposite of Bodie and Doyle.)

Robbie was my gateway drug to this insanity. We saw him at Glasto (well, more heard, since we were taking a break in our tent and just heard his set), and then I dragged the Sweetie to the one show he did in Toronto. It was in a small club and it was brilliant. He hasn't been back since, the rotter. But him rejoining TT was the reason I finally gave them a listen. And it was all downhill from there.

I was hoping to get the first TT story done this weekend, but I've hit a plotting snag. I reckon it'll be done in the next week, and then you'll be sorry. ;-)

[togsos.livejournal.com]

happy both anniversaries :D as for Take That fandom well just NO lol!!!!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And yeah, the Take That thing is just... I have no words.

[nakeisha.livejournal.com]

Happy Anniversary.

Wow, four years, it doesn't seem like that.

[przed.livejournal.com]

It does not feel like four years. But I couldn't imagine Ros not being in our lives.

[angel-ci5.livejournal.com]

Congrats on your anniversaries!

And thank you for the gorgeous piccies! Hey, did you see Mark and Rob doing the football predictions last weekend:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhztoj_robbie-williams-mark-owen-football-predictions_music

They're just so gorgeous together! :-D

[przed.livejournal.com]

Ah, so that's where these pics are from:



Thanks for the link! I shall totally be grabbing that video.

They are gorgeous together, aren't they?

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Mark's scarf reminds me of this interview, which you may not have seen - with Scott Mills on Radio 1 just before Progress came out (hope this will work for you):

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmmmm the link is here: http://markowendaily.com/?p=620

Ah, YT, you never let me down *g*:

[przed.livejournal.com]

Awww, bless them.

And that's the one where Mark falls asleep! I'd seen that bit.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on your family's anniversary! I remember when you were expecting. *bg*

[przed.livejournal.com]

It was the longest gestation period in the history of the world! But it's definitely paid off.

[solosundance.livejournal.com]

Very happy anniversaries to you! As for your new fandom... well hee! I've always had a soft spot for the Robster in all his mad messiness :)

[przed.livejournal.com]

The Robster got me into this. Not that I'm complaining. *g*

I need an icon with Robbie in it, I really do

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the anniversary! *g* One of my Mum's best friends from way back adopted a little girl from China six years ago and I remember how wonderful it was when everything finally came together and she arrived home.

I get a kick out of teenage boys doing what a four-year-old finds amusing
Robbie-is-a-four-year-old makes a great deal of sense, actually *g*

And oooh, lovely pics to drool over. I've seen them about but all so lovely and in one place! Mark Owen, both now and back in the day, is not at all my type, but there's something universally wibble-making about him all the same *g* And him and Robbie together... *sighs happily*

5,000 words eh? *bounces excitedly* Can't wait! *g*

I need an OT5 icon, definitley

[przed.livejournal.com]

Robbie is sooo a four-year-old. Especially when he's around Mark. They shave years off each other's ages.

I'm sure I stole at least one or two of these pics from you. And I've snagged tons from the various tumblr feeds, and just all over. (I seem to have acquired a ridiculous number of TT pics in the past few weeks.)

5,000 words, and stalled out. I thought the next scene should be Mark's POV, but it's not working, so I'm giving it a mull. I'm trying to come up with a plausible reason to keep Mark and Rob together after the whumpage. My research into what really happened with wounded troops who were shipped back to England is not making this easy. I do have a hand waving option where I make only a passing acknowledgement to plausibility, and I may just go with that. (After all, this is RPS, not a historical essay. *g*)

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

After all, this is RPS, not a historical essay
Well indeed. I think one can get too stalled on accuracy - yes, it's good, but how many of us reading it will know there's a problem/mind? *g* And I always think that no matter what generally happened in any given situation, there's always going to be exceptional/accidental cases.

This is of course from the girl who is currently playing with the idea of an AU world with both Romans AND dinosaurs...

[przed.livejournal.com]

So I should take that as leave to hand wave, then? *g* That will make my life easier, anyway.

Romans and dinosaurs?! Bring it on.

Re: I need an icon with Robbie in it, I really do

[przed.livejournal.com]

Mark Owen, both now and back in the day, is not at all my type, but there's something universally wibble-making about him all the same *g* And him and Robbie together... *sighs happily*

Okay, yes, I'm coming back to this wayyyy after the fact, because I meant to comment on it, but then forgot.

Mark is also not my type in general (my affection for the Hamster notwithstanding.) Howard is more my type, pretty much exactly: tall, muscular, curly-haired and scruffy. But Mark is definitely wibble-making, and to a ridiculous degree. ::sighs happily too::

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on your fourth anniversary! ♥

[przed.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

I saw you'd posted right before I went to bed last night but LJ was having a fit and it wouldn't open. :(

Congratulations, both on your fourth and eighth anniversaries although the fourth one, the fourth one... *twirls you* ♥

[przed.livejournal.com]

LJ was being a bastard last night. I was working on archiving a few of my LJ fics, and I'd have to hit them two or three times each to get them up.

The fourth anniversary is the amazing one. (We had one of the other families from our China travel group over for brunch today. It's so astounding to see how the girls are growing up.)

[norfolkdumpling.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on your anniversaries!

Also...Take That. *happy sigh* Although I'm not in the fandom, I've always loved them - with Robbie, without Robbie, Robbie on his own (even through his epic douchebag phases - what can I say, I was a teenager/twenty-something/thirty-something in love *g*), and with Robbie again. They have turned into the most beautiful men, and as you say, their slashy dynamic and obvious love for each other just makes my heart go all mushy. And even as a slash-and-fandom innocent 14 year old I was deeply in love with Robbie and Mark being in love with each other. Ah...memories. Heh.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I'm with you on Robbie. Robbie is the reason I finally gave Take That Mark III a listen. I was in my thirties when I first heard his solo stuff, but I immediately fell for it. I didn't even consider that I might like Take That, though. The Robbie and Mark clearly being in love with each other is such a lovely, unexpected surprise.

[soundofthesurf.livejournal.com]

Congratulations from me too! I'm always in awe for people who choose to adopt.

And, since I've started reading some of your Pro-fics and totally loved them, I can't wait for your TT-fic!

[przed.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

And I'm so pleased you like some of the Pros stuff. I do hope the TT story will measure up to what's in the fandom. (I can't wait to finish it!) I'm also hoping for some spare time so I can read more of the fic in the fandom. I feel like I have 20 years of catching up to do, both in canon and fic.

[soundofthesurf.livejournal.com]

I love your writing style and I have a good feeling about you catching up with TT. We are a small lot and generally suck up everything that's beautifully written and shows the writer's love for the lads. ;) (I've only started writing last year and was welcomed very warmly.)

[przed.livejournal.com]

It's nice to hear it's a friendly fandom. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more of the fic out there and getting to know more of the people in the fandom. What I've seen of the fic so far has been brilliant.

the look on Mark's face says it all

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

OMG YOUR ICON

*makes soppy noises*

*stares*

*g*

Re: the look on Mark's face says it all

[soundofthesurf.livejournal.com]

*g*

Why have I still not added you? I'm pathetic. *goes to add you*

[sooguy.livejournal.com]

Happy Anniversaries!

I know what you mean about time B.K. (Before Kids), doesn't seem like there ever was such a thing.

Wow, I've been on LJ 8 years as of Feb 18 too. Where does the time go.

[przed.livejournal.com]

B.K. seems an impossible time ago. I'm now in awe of friends without kids who can just hang out and read or whatever for the weekend. It's amazing that I was like that once.

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Happy Anniversary luv.

[przed.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[windrain10.livejournal.com]

Wow. I think I remember when you went to China but it doesn't seem like four years ago! In any case, congratulations on having your little girl home w/ you for four years now.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I think we met at the very last ZCon, which was just after I got back. Which, yeah, doesn't seem like four years ago.