So I found this essay on an old tripod site (i didn't even know they were still around, much less than my account was still intact). It was for English 1A at RCC. I don't remember my grade, or what I got overall in that class. I just remember that my 1B teacher probably fit this description for LotR (all the required texts were Tolkien's).
How to Be an Obsessive Fanatic
Author:Becky Grove
Date completed: October 7, 2002
When it’s your birthday, no one ever knows what to give you. You are being featured in something, but the writer -- a close friend -- doesn’t know what to put under “interests.” Is any of this sounding familiar? Then this is just what you should be reading. Sure, you have lots of interests, but no one ever seems to know what they are. This is because you don’t show it; you aren’t that enthusiastic about it. Reading this will help you show the world your love, because everyone has to be obsessive about at least one thing.
Before you start you need to choose something to obsess about. It can be practically anything, such as movies, music groups, singers, bands, TV shows, actor/actresses, or books. To make things simple, I am going to be talking about movie obsessions, but these steps apply to anything. When choosing a movie, make sure it’s a movie that you already love, or else it won’t be fun. Once you choose a movie its time to start on the journey to obsession.
The first and most obvious step is to watch the movie repeatedly. If you get an eye roll from someone around you when you turn on the movie for the hundredth time, then good job; you are on your way to obsession. One very important part is that you must own, if nothing else, a copy of the movie. The DVD, if available, is most desirable because of the special features. It is good to have a back-up copy on video just in case you lose your first video or the DVD, or if you leave it at someone else’s house. The back up copy can be something that you taped off the TV since it’s only going to be used in case of emergencies.
When just watching the movie doesn’t satisfy you anymore it is time to move on to the second step. The second step is to go online. There is a lot to do on the Internet, but at this point you are only doing two. One is to find all the pictures you can of scenes and actors from the movie and, print these out, set them as your computer’s wallpaper and screensaver, and save them for later use. Put the pictures you printed out in your notebook, on your walls, or wherever you would like them. The other is to find out all the information you can on the movie. This includes the names of all the actors, the other movies they were in, and official and fan web sites. Also, if it's not included on the DVD, find out about bloopers, background information, and comments of fans or the director. List and print out everything you found. Save the links on your computer for future reference.
The third step is to buy the movie’s products. There are three different sets of merchandise to buy from. These are electronics, apparel, and miscellaneous. Electronics consists of copies of other movies the actors have been in, the soundtrack, and games that have been made from the movie, if any. Apparel consists of clothes, jewelry, buttons, patches, and backpacks. Miscellaneous consists of commodities to put in your car or room, such as: dolls, stickers, stuffed animals, board games, and key chains. Note from modern-day Becky: haha i'm such a girl. What about action figures and whatever else fanboys get?? Guess that falls under dolls... Some movies have a fourth set, which consists of trading cards. You should get these if the movie does offer them. They offer amusement and fun facts.
The fourth step is to attempt contact. Enter all the contests and sweepstakes you can that involve the movie. Be on the look out for local events involving actors from the movie. These two does not guarantee contact, but writing letters does. Write letters to the actors, and request an autograph. Since you are in the mood for writing letters, then write letters to the company (Disney, Columbia, etc.) asking for them to release the director’s cut of the movie.
The fifth and final step is to share your fondness of the movie. You do this by making web sites, screen names, and email addresses that has to do with the movie. Use the pictures and information from step two for your web sites. You also do this by joining numerous fan clubs, online groups, mailing lists, message boards, and street teams. That way, you can talk about the movie all the time with others who love it.
Now that you are an official obsessive fanatic there are some rules you need to follow. Those are to keep executing all that you learned, and make sure you annoy your friends and family by sleeping, eating, and breathing your obsession. You’re not going to get just gift certificates now that people know what you like.
How to Be an Obsessive Fanatic
Author:Becky Grove
Date completed: October 7, 2002
When it’s your birthday, no one ever knows what to give you. You are being featured in something, but the writer -- a close friend -- doesn’t know what to put under “interests.” Is any of this sounding familiar? Then this is just what you should be reading. Sure, you have lots of interests, but no one ever seems to know what they are. This is because you don’t show it; you aren’t that enthusiastic about it. Reading this will help you show the world your love, because everyone has to be obsessive about at least one thing.
Before you start you need to choose something to obsess about. It can be practically anything, such as movies, music groups, singers, bands, TV shows, actor/actresses, or books. To make things simple, I am going to be talking about movie obsessions, but these steps apply to anything. When choosing a movie, make sure it’s a movie that you already love, or else it won’t be fun. Once you choose a movie its time to start on the journey to obsession.
The first and most obvious step is to watch the movie repeatedly. If you get an eye roll from someone around you when you turn on the movie for the hundredth time, then good job; you are on your way to obsession. One very important part is that you must own, if nothing else, a copy of the movie. The DVD, if available, is most desirable because of the special features. It is good to have a back-up copy on video just in case you lose your first video or the DVD, or if you leave it at someone else’s house. The back up copy can be something that you taped off the TV since it’s only going to be used in case of emergencies.
When just watching the movie doesn’t satisfy you anymore it is time to move on to the second step. The second step is to go online. There is a lot to do on the Internet, but at this point you are only doing two. One is to find all the pictures you can of scenes and actors from the movie and, print these out, set them as your computer’s wallpaper and screensaver, and save them for later use. Put the pictures you printed out in your notebook, on your walls, or wherever you would like them. The other is to find out all the information you can on the movie. This includes the names of all the actors, the other movies they were in, and official and fan web sites. Also, if it's not included on the DVD, find out about bloopers, background information, and comments of fans or the director. List and print out everything you found. Save the links on your computer for future reference.
The third step is to buy the movie’s products. There are three different sets of merchandise to buy from. These are electronics, apparel, and miscellaneous. Electronics consists of copies of other movies the actors have been in, the soundtrack, and games that have been made from the movie, if any. Apparel consists of clothes, jewelry, buttons, patches, and backpacks. Miscellaneous consists of commodities to put in your car or room, such as: dolls, stickers, stuffed animals, board games, and key chains. Note from modern-day Becky: haha i'm such a girl. What about action figures and whatever else fanboys get?? Guess that falls under dolls... Some movies have a fourth set, which consists of trading cards. You should get these if the movie does offer them. They offer amusement and fun facts.
The fourth step is to attempt contact. Enter all the contests and sweepstakes you can that involve the movie. Be on the look out for local events involving actors from the movie. These two does not guarantee contact, but writing letters does. Write letters to the actors, and request an autograph. Since you are in the mood for writing letters, then write letters to the company (Disney, Columbia, etc.) asking for them to release the director’s cut of the movie.
The fifth and final step is to share your fondness of the movie. You do this by making web sites, screen names, and email addresses that has to do with the movie. Use the pictures and information from step two for your web sites. You also do this by joining numerous fan clubs, online groups, mailing lists, message boards, and street teams. That way, you can talk about the movie all the time with others who love it.
Now that you are an official obsessive fanatic there are some rules you need to follow. Those are to keep executing all that you learned, and make sure you annoy your friends and family by sleeping, eating, and breathing your obsession. You’re not going to get just gift certificates now that people know what you like.
