Fandom Snowflake Challenge 11

[cmk418]

In your own space, Interact with someone.

When I saw this challenge, the first thing I thought of was doing an AMA. So throw me a question in the comments and I'll do my best to answer.

Comments

[sidleypkhermit.livejournal.com]

What's your favorite fandom challenge (past or present)?

[cmk418]

As far as challenges go, I enjoy anything involving rare pairs. There's something satisfying about having two characters that don't have a relationship or rarely interact in canon to interact.

If we're talking about exchanges, Oz Magi got me into fandom and I've participated every year since 2006. It's for fans of HBO's OZ and has evolved over the years, so it's actually possible to participate in it more- some of the wishes that come up can be pretty challenging (including mine because I like weird, non-canon pairings).

And I hope to do all the prompts at halfamoon this year, which is a bit of a personal challenge for me.

[severina2001.livejournal.com]

What is it about McMurph that inspires you to write about them?

What's your favourite Oz fic that YOU have written? (and please give a link)

What's your favourite Oz fic that SOMEONE ELSE has written? (and please give a link)

What's your favourite thing about where you live?

(hope that's not too many)

[cmk418]

That's a lot but since you asked...

1. Well, you'll have to blame lisacali and rustler for that one because before reading their stories on Oz Magi, it never would have occurred to me that there could be a pair beyond Beecher/Keller. After reading their stories, I could see that the pairing made sense just based on their friendship. I think Sean's a good stabilizing presence for Tim and isn't afraid to call him on his more ridiculous ideas or actions.

2. I'll give you two- one fic & one drabble (and surprisingly neither one are McMur) - the fic - Five Ways Kareem Said Should Have Died - this one gave me fits, but ultimately I think it was one of the best things I've written (and it has a bit of Said/McManus because that's how I roll) and the drabble One Step Behind - which combined my Roman Catholic upbringing with my love for OZ & gangster movies

3. There are too many so I'll give one from this year's Magi that I loved: Blood (Inside and Out) by visionofblue. It's a really beautiful story with Miguel Alvarez as the focal point. Hits you right in the feels.

4. Aside from both proximity to my family and my hockey team, the thing I like about St Louis is that there are so many things you can do for free and everything seems like it's like a 15 or 20 minute drive away. The Arch is a great state park and they now have a very nice museum on the grounds. There's a sculpture park nearby, art museums that are free (except for the occasional special exhibit, and a top-notch free zoo. It's a big city with a small town feel.

[severina2001.livejournal.com]

Thanks for answering. Loved your fics. It was reading someone's version of McMurph that had me nodding along and *seeing* the pair for the first time, too. It might have been your fic. :)

I love that you mentioned your hockey team as your second reason for staying. That is so awesome. It's funny, I was at my sister's and we were watching one of those food shows that goes to different cities eating at what's supposed to be the most popular restaurants or diners or food trucks. And St. Louis was the city. So the restaurant they said was the "must eat at" in the city was called Gobble Stop! So now I must know: have you ever been there and if so, do you agree that it is amazing? :D

[cmk418]

I had never heard of Gobble Stop before you mentioned it. Weirdly, I'm much more daring when it comes to restaurants when I'm on vacation than when I'm home. There was a restaurant (Highway 61 Roadhouse) featured on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" that is only a few blocks from where I live. I've been there once. If you like Cajun food, it's good.

If the Gobble Stop has pork steaks, I may have to go there. Pork steaks, toasted ravioli (I'll take their word), and thin crust square cut pizza with a mixture of provolone & mozzarella cheeses are the local specialties. That & Ted Drewes frozen custard. And we used to be the headquarters for White Castle. So those are our culinary claims to fame. (And yes, I do realize that was a long answer to your question)

[severina2001.livejournal.com]

I KNEW IT. All the shows that are like, "This is the hottest diner in town, everyone in xxx goes here," are all lies. LIES, I TELL YOU. Gobble Stop, if I remember correctly, sold mounds of chicken and turkey. Hence the name, I suppose.

Ted Drewes sounds very much like Dairy Queen. Do you have Dairy Queen in the States? It's a mostly seasonal place, selling shakes and cones and the kind of stuff that Ted Drewes has (i just looked at the Ted website.) The one near me is bigger and sells stuff like burgers and fries too, though, and is open year round.

I WANT TO GO TO WHITE CASTLE. Only because of Harold & Kumar. LOL

[cmk418]

I haven't lived here all my life. I went to school in Chicago for a while and when I started with LJ I was living in Los Angeles. Both were lovely places, but I've been back here since 2008 and it's been very nice.

[cmk418]

I have a Dairy Queen down the street from me. We go there quite a lot especially in the summer. We don't go to Ted Drewes often but that's mostly because we don't want to deal with the crowds.

I don't like onions so I've never had a White Castle. Their Chicken rings are pretty good. I usually take my dad there a couple of times each year. He loves it. My mom hates it so when we were kids we'd have to go to a 7-11 afterward to get him or mints so that mom wouldn't know we'd been there (she always knew).

They do make microwaveable slider packs that may be available at your local store, but it might not be on your food plan.