#I have scared to many staff members with this book plus my therapist

[ladywordsworth]

When Dr. Jefferson joined an archeological expedition in search of ancient artifacts for the local museum, she didn’t expect to dig into a creature that been sleeping for centuries. Nor did she expect the drastic changes it would bring to her life.

“It took centuries before they realized the mine was digging into the flesh of a petrified creature.” Shout out to @thependragonwritersguild for the prompt!

Dr. Jefferson stood hesitantly in the doorway, high strung and chewing her lip as she tightly gripped the green notebook clutched to her chest. She stood with one foot over the threshold, while the other hanged idly in the hallway as if to anchor her back to a reality that she knew would disappear the moment she walked in the hospital room.

And with the foreboding sensation that rumbled within her gut, she was reminded that she had no choice in the matter. She would cross, or they would make her cross.

Unwilling to let them react should she waste more time, Dr. Jefferson stepped into the hospital room with a ‘click-clack’ of her heels, announcing her presence with an additional clearing of her throat. The patient gave very little indication that he’d heard her though, as his attention seemed to be given completely to the scene outside of the window.

Aside from his auburn hair, which seemed to gleam like embers in the sunlight pouring through the window, the strands catching like fires, he seemed still as a statue. Which wasn’t surprising considering how she and the team of archeologist had found him.

Even her chair, skidding across the waxed floor seemed to do little to disturb him.

Another uncomfortable rumble of her throat as she adjusted herself in the plastic chair, moving back just a bit to put a comfortable distance between her and the patient still did nothing to alert him.

“Hello…um” she drew, “I’m Dr. Jefferson, and--”

“The one who found me?” What attention he’d given to the sun and sky, he’d seemingly given to her, as his unsettling, green eyes seemed to fall on her hazel ones.

“Yes, well no--” She clarified, “I was only the one who recognized the...scales. But you’d been found centuries ago.”

No response. Only those green, unsettling eyes. Dr. Jefferson chewed on her tongue

“Do you know where you are?” She decided it was best to skip the formalities and go straight to the questioning, “When you...changed...you looked at me and told me you didn’t know you were in Africa?”

“It was you,” he replied as his eyes ghosted over her appearance, “your skin...is so...dark, and your hair…perhaps we're in London?”

Quite accustomed to the locals here already making a point to question her about her skin or culture, she prepared her memorized rebutle.

“um...no,” she laughed, nervously, “I'm from the United States, I'm just here for a program. We’re in Ireland now, though”

“The United States?” His immaculately serene expression seemed to contort into a series of different expressions all at once. And Dr. Jefferson stilled herself as she prepared for whatever was to come out of his seemingly animated emotional state.

Until finally, he settled for an unreadable expression.

“What year am in?”

Oh boy, she thought to herself, the plot thickens.

“2015.” Those dark pupils seemed to elongate into the reptilian slits that they were just hours ago, and he seemed to grow glossy sheen about his skin. With her eyes, Dr. Jefferson could make out the vaguest outline of scales.

“Please don’t do that,” she reached over the bed without thinking, and placed a comforting arm on his skin, “you did it earlier...tried to turn...and almost fell out of the sky.” Plus, your real form is so big you’d destroy this building and me along with it, she thought.

It seemed as if his inability to escape sent him into a panic. He looked around frantically, chest rising and falling as he his heart rammed against his ribcage. He seemed nervous, scared almost. And all at once began showing the typical signs of an anxiety attack.

“Hey, let’s calm down.” Immediately, Dr. Jefferson jumped into the role of a therapist, shedding the anxiety and uncertainty she’d had earlier, “take a deep breath, breath with me.”  She squeezed his arm repeatedly, noticing how it fluctuated between soft human-like skin and thick scaly skin. It seemed as if he was fighting the urge to turn his body and fly away, fly away to some time he’d just realized he’d lost, or to a home, he’d realized was gone.

“I’m fine.” He sounded anything but certain, and not even the steady tone in his voice seemed convincing. However, he did seem more collected than he had before and managed to breathe easier.

“How did you find me?”

“I didn’t find you,” she repeated, honestly, “I only came here with a digging group and happened to wake you up. But the locals were technically the ones who found you, years ago though. They just didn’t know what you were.”

“It was just now we saw the scales, and realized not even diamond drills could cut into you. Everything else must've been shedded skin--at least that’s what the reptile people said--

And then there was that sword that came out of nowhere. And--

“You pulled it out?” He asked, with a curious tilt of his head.

Dr. Jefferson nodded, remembering the surge of power that erupted throughout her body as she grabbed the silver hilt. At the time it seemed like the sword at been beckoning her to pull it.

“Yes. And it seemed to wake you up because the ground just started moving, and suddenly there was half a dragon trying to come out of the crater. But then....you turned into a man not seconds later?”

“It’s our disguise.” responded the man, as he threw the cover off of his legs and swung his body over the bed, “We use it to blend in with the humans.”

We?” She scribbled in her notebook, “There are more of you--wait, where are you going?”

She stood just as he placed a foot on the windowsill as if preparing to jump. He gave a push to the glass, furrowing his brows when it refused to open.

“Those won’t open. Hospital regulation won’t allow the staff to unlock them,” explained Dr. Jefferson, as she walked around the bed so that she stood beside the dragon.

“Interesting,” he commented, tilting his head in wonder at the glass, “I figured this was a hospital. Though last I remember, we were allowed to open the windows.”

Last I remember, she thought, just how old is this guy?

He then quickly muttered a sentence under his breath, the language foreign to Jefferson’s ears. Though she could pick up the distinct sound of hissing and growling, almost as if she were listening to a snake. She jotted a quick note down in her book, not having time to write much of anything else, as the window swung open, letting a cool breeze of summer air into the room.

“Wait, sir!? I can’t let you leave, the--”

“I have things to do doctor, and I can’t do them trapped here in your prison of a hospital.”  Then he turned away from her, with both feet on the edge of the window, and his hands on the frames as if holding himself before he jumped. He looked at the woman, those green of his eyes amused and delighted, and continued to stare very hard at her. Now the doctor felt nervous all over again, and the reluctance she’d felt as she debated on crossing the threshold came back again.

“Thank you, doctor, for waking me. Our paths will cross again, as it should be for the human who woke me from my slumber.” And with that, he let himself fall, “for I am a member of the dragon race, and we do not tell lies.”

Jefferson ran towards the ledge, looking down in horror, half expecting to see a man splattered across the pavement. But she saw no such thing, and any trace of the dragon had disappeared completely.

Then, it happened. A collum of very hot air the size of a large building blue upward with such a force that knocked her off her feet. With it, a  sinister laugh filled the air, followed by a deep, booming voice.

“Keep your knowledge amongst you and those close to you, for many will seek what little you know for great power.” It said, fading with the wind, “and remember; we will see one another again, very, very soon.”

Dr. Jefferson allowed herself to collapse on the bed, her mind attempting to process everything that had just happened in the span of two minutes. The spell, the freefall, the air...and the two ominous warnings.

Not surprisingly, she could piece together very little of it, but never the less began scribbling her observations. Though hesitated just slightly, perhaps it was best to write as little as possible.

She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief.

Truly, she’d lost the little tether to reality she’d had the moment she’d stepped over that threshold.

[dancedance-resolution]

please do not reblog, this is just a personal little note

i’m really happy with how therapy went today

it was my fourth session with my new therapist. i think i like her a lot.

conversations with my new therapist feel a lot more natural than with the old one.

with her, i don’t feel the same sort of pressure that i did with my last therapist. my last therapist gave me extremely rigidly professional vibes. and this new therapist is still appropriately professional of course, but she’s also more casual. she always opens every session with a funny anecdote about her kids, and then sort of uses that as a segue to get me to share something similar, and then based on what i share, she asks a lot of questions that lead us to dive deeper.

conversely, my old therapist always followed a strict script. she first asked me to rate my mood on a scale of 1 to 10 (which i hated doing, because i never knew what my mood actually was other than “vaguely in the middle i suspect question mark”) (thank you alexythemia, lol). then she always asked “is there anything you want to talk about today.” and i would always shake my head no, because the question is too broad to know how to respond. and that’s something my mom and i actually worked on together - starting around age 17, before each session, we’d written down stuff i should mention. but i was rarely able to say the stuff i had prepared, because i couldn’t get myself to say the words (autism symptom maybe? idk). it’s a lot easier for me to talk when i have a narrow, specific question to answer, and if the other person has been talking for a bit before they expect me to talk. and my new therapist does both of these things

and i like that this new therapist is a bit similar to me. she’s fat. she doesn’t wear make up. she was raised catholic. oh, and she has visible tattoos - which i don’t have, but my point here is that she’s not the stereotypical picture of Health Professional. and she knows a lot more about adhd than my old therapist did, and she knows slightly more about autism than my old therapist did (which was Absolutely Nothing, lol).

also, i think that this change in therapists was necessary. i was with my old therapist for 5 years. i started seeing her when i was 14. she had a very specific perception of me based on how i was when she first met me at 14 - a perception which tainted the way she responded to my current problems. and that wasn’t a good thing for me, because my outlook on life and self-understanding have changed a lot since i was 14, in ways that i never was able to articulate to her properly. plus, i was always anxious to reveal anything new to her. like i was afraid she’d get upset if one day i was like, “hey bestie, i know i’ve been seeing you for 5 years already, but i’m just now going to bring up the fact that i’ve had issues with compulsively lying to my father since age 7 uwu.” (i know it’s irrational to fear “failing therapy”, but also, it’s not as irrational as it sounds. because when i was 18, my mom revealed to the therapist that i’ve always been the type of person to cry at the tip of a hat, and my therapist seemed kind of taken aback and frustrated that i never told that to her. and yeah, it is understandable that that would frustrate her, but it unintentionally made me feel really guilty and bad.)

also, this therapist definitely treats me like an adult more than the other one did. i think maybe my old therapist was still stuck on seeing me as that initial terrified 14-year-old. whereas this therapist gives me a lot more agency and has more trust in me to know myself and my needs. our sessions do follow somewhat of a routine, but it’s a routine we worked out together over the course of the first 3 sessions when she was trying to figure out how to make things comfortable for me. (example - at the first session, she asked me what i want out of therapy, and i said, “i don’t know.” she took me at my word, and she didn’t shame me for it. and i think that that experience sorta taught her that she needs to be more specific when asking me questions.)

i also like she’s very open with me about her perception of me. like, today, i told her about how i started crying when a staff member from my community college called me to confirm that i’d cancelled my classes for this summer semester. and my therapist expressed some surprise that i cried because [paraphrasing] “you always seem very put together and articulate during our sessions. sometimes i’m able to hear anxiety in your tone of voice about certain topics, but for the most part, you always seem very emotionally grounded during our sessions.” and her honesty gave us an opportunity to talk about masking. (also, i appreciate knowing that she can hear anxiety in my voice, because i had no idea that was a thing?? like i know you can hear when someone’s voice gets high-pitched and breaks like they’re gonna cry, but i‘ve never done that during one of our sessions? lol, so i guess this is a little fun fact i’ve learned about neurotypicals, that they can detect anxiety in ppl’s voices even if they’re not obviously on the brink of tears lol.)

a few specific things that happened at today’s session that were good:

when i talked about my sleep issues, she actually brought the conversation in a direction i hadn’t expected - she started asking if i’m putting too much pressure on myself regarding productivity. my initial answer was no - i unenrolled from my summer classes. i don’t have a part time job. i don’t have any traditional responsibilities. but upon discussing it, we kinda figured out that i am putting a lot of pressure on myself to enjoy the summer, because i have this sort of doomsday mindset of This Is My Last Summer Break Before I Have To Work Full-Time So I Must Take Advantage Of Every Moment To Enjoy Myself. and that’s unreasonable - it’s a pandemic, i’m recovering from bad burn out, and i’m trying to adjust to new meds. she actually said a lot of things about bodily consent and stuff that i’d already read in the book laziness does not exist, so it was sort of like affirmation and emphasis that those concepts are good, valid, and applicable to me.

she gave me some reassurance regarding my summer schedule. my alarm goes off at 6:20 every weekday morning so i can attend mass. (i’m an atheist, but the structure is very good for me.) but i’ve had some concerns that maybe waking up so early is unhealthy and also contributing to my sleep issues (i unintentionally wake up around 4 almost every morning, and i started to wonder if maybe that’s because my internal clock is anticipating waking up at 6:20). we discussed the pros and cons of waking up for mass in the morning, and she gave me her opinion that this schedule is probably good for me (she agreed with my pro/con assessment). and she also pointed out that i woke up at 6 every morning throughout high school without as much sleep issues, so it’s more likely that the sleep issues are from anxiety. (and i’m going on anxiety meds starting in early july, so we’re hopeful that that will help that a bit.) so yeah, i feel better about my mass schedule, and i feel reassurance that this is a reasonable and good plan. she also said that she was very proud that i had not only the idea to use morning mass as a source of structure but also the discipline to go every morning despite the early hour and despite the fact that i have no external force forcing me to go 🥺 which was nice to hear, because over years of having undiagnosed adhd, i received a lot of messaging that i lack self-discipline, so i was glad to hear the validation that she thinks i’m a disciplined person (at least regarding mass, lol)

we talked about my summer goals, and we talked about possible sources of non-stressful accountability. the current flexible plan is that i’ll keep track of everything i accomplish from that goal list and then share it with her at the end of each session so we can workshop what went well, why it went well, what i’m struggling with, and how i could maybe work through those things better.

i still feel very anxious about this whole therapy thing (i’m still very scared that i’m doing it wrong and not saying the right things), but i felt especially good after today’s session. like, i’ve been in therapy for 5 years. i felt like i plateaued in progress a while ago, so i’m really happy that i managed to get something out of today’s session!!!!! that hasn’t happened in so so long (low key if ever…..).

also. IM PROUD OF MYSELF for sharing stuff with her, correcting her when she misinterpreted one thing i said, and having a positive attitude about how today went 😎. and i’m proud of myself for fending off feelings of guilt that i spent so long typing this out (it’s not wasted time, because it’s helping me process what happened today), and i’m proud that i’m in a place where i’m open to going on anxiety meds.

my life is still a mess. i had a fun little breakdown not even an hour before the therapy session, in fact! but i’ve made some significant progress over these few months - i started meds, i switched therapists, and i started (and am sticking to) a new daily routine. and i had the courage to prioritize my health and cancel my summer semester classes, which was a really hard decision for me! oh, and i also finally published that smutty crucible fic that’s been in my wip folder for over a year!

my mental health is still extremely poor, lol. in fact, one could argue that i’ve regressed in many ways. but guess what bitch!! i don’t have skooter ankle ideation, and also, generally? IM MAKING PROGRESS. that’s what counts. i’m very happy about that, and i’m very proud of myself for that.

[movietvtechgeeks]

Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/lynn-zubernis-talks-supernatural-experiences-family-dont-end-blood/

Lynn Zubernis talks her 'Supernatural' experiences and Family Don't End With Blood

Lynn Zubernis is quite well known in the Supernatural world and a very visible member of the #SPNFamily, but we know her for her amazingly in-depth recap reviews and interviews. We've loved having her part of the Movie TV Tech Geeks family, so we're proud to talk about her latest book "Family Don't End With Blood: Cast and Fans on How Supernatural Has Changed Their Lives." You can grab your copy here (yes our shameless plug!) We recently published exclusive excerpt's from her latest book, and you can see that here. Keep watching as we'll be running a series of the best of Lynn's Supernatural interviews with new introductions from her. Since she's spent so many years asking fans and the stars of Supernatural their innermost thoughts and secrets, we thought it only fair to give her the same treatment. So, get to know the woman who has tirelessly given Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins and countless other Supernatural fans, friends and cast members plenty of support and media attention

Did you discover Supernatural right when it began or after?

Yes and no. I had a friend who heard about the show at Comic Con and knew she was going to love it from the preview she saw there. She started watching it when it premiered, loved it as expected, and then set about trying to convince all the rest of her friends (including me) to watch it too. When we would have “girls weekends” she would bring VHS tapes (hey, it was 2005) and “make” us all watch Supernatural. I thought it was a good show, but it didn’t bowl me over at first. I watched it sporadically through its first season but wasn’t a ‘fan,' just a casual viewer. Then, early in Season 2, one night I was grading papers with the tv on in the background, watching Supernatural so I could chat knowledgeably with my friend. I suddenly realized that I was just sitting there, red pen hovering in the air, so transfixed by what was on the screen that I hadn’t graded anything in twenty minutes. I actually turned to my daughter and said “Ohmygod, this is the BEST show ever! How did I not realize that?” My daughter (clearly thinking I’d lost my mind): “Mom, you’ve been watching this show for a year…” It’s true. But something suddenly clicked for me. The moment that did it was Dean and Sam leaning on the Impala, parked at a gorgeous mountain pass when Dean breaks down and gets emotional for the first time. He was so anguished, and Sam, in turn, was so anguished in empathy. I suddenly realized these characters were way more complex than I’d given them credit for. And oh wow, those actors were really kinda attractive too. Huh.

What about it appealed to you so much?

I think it was the emotionality that they weren’t afraid to portray. I watched ‘Born Under A Bad Sign’ shortly after, and was once again blown away by Jared and Jensen’s acting. Possessed Sam was a revelation, both when he menaces Jo and later when he tortures his brother. The fact that Dean wouldn’t fight back, and then later hauled off and punched his no-longer-possessed brother, struck me as so real and so compelling (the first Ackles ad lib I noticed, which I now delight in trying to figure out). It was especially rare at the time to find a show that allowed its male leads to express so much emotion, certainly not for each other. But because Sam and Dean were brothers, they got a pass, and the result was a relationship that was fascinating and endlessly inspiring. Here were two brothers who really would die for each other, and that got me by the heartstrings. (It still has me by the heartstrings over a decade later). The chemistry between the two actors was off the charts from day one, bringing the depth of that relationship to life in an extraordinary way. Interestingly, it wasn’t until I’d fallen for the Show and the characters that I even noticed that Jared and Jensen were somewhat attractive. Once I noticed, I didn’t forget it again though. Another wave of new fans were drawn to the show with the addition of Misha Collins as Castiel in Season 4. Castiel was another fascinating character, and his status as the perpetual outsider who always felt a little different and set apart really spoke to many fans. (Many of us define ourselves as unique as well). Misha also was the first to tap into the fandom’s creativity and passion to help do good in the world, which spread to the entire SPN Family, cast and fandom alike.

Was there anything going on in your life at the time that made the show feel like it was speaking to you? Many fans talk about something life changing happening to them and how the show has helped them weather the storm.

I was in the midst of a lot of change. My children were going through some transitions, I was thinking of changing jobs (still a psychologist, but from clinical practice to being a professor) and was in a relationship that wasn’t all that fulfilling. None of those things at the time were cataclysmic, but there was a lot of uncertainty. I don’t like change, and I was faced with a lot of it. I think, looking back, that becoming passionate about something else—like a television show—was a helpful fantasy escape for 42 minutes a week. Once I discovered the fan community, that was even more helpful—like a built in therapy group I could access at the touch of a button. Through the fandom support, I got back in touch with my own creativity and self-expression, which had gotten lost and put on the back burner to being a mom and a partner and a therapist. Who had time for things like self-expression? There’s no denying that the message of the show is an inspiring one also. The Winchesters and Cas have been through more than most of us will ever have to face, and they still keep getting up and going on. During challenging times, that’s a very helpful message. #AlwaysKeepFighting. I’ve needed to hear it sometimes, just like most of us have.

Were you surprised to find out how devoted its fanbase was?

Absolutely. I had never been part of an organized fandom, so I didn’t even know that online fan communities existed, let alone for a little-known show on a little-known network! I knew how devoted I had become, so it was a tremendous relief to find that there were lots of other people out there who were thinking and feeling the same things that I was about this show. And who were also creative and passionate and wanting to share that passion openly with like-minded others. Once I started going to conventions, I started to realize that this was a unique fandom—and a unique group of actors too. I think we used the phrase “lightning in a bottle” early on, and others started to use it about the show too, to describe both the chemistry between the actors and how passionate the show’s fans were.

What inspired you to write the first book, and did you think it might be a great way to meet other fans like yourself plus the stars of the show?

At first, that wasn’t our thought at all. I’m a psychologist, so I’m endlessly fascinated by what makes people do the things they do and feel the things they feel. That goes for myself too. So when (usually level headed, briefcase carrying, serious-minded) me was suddenly spending hours every night scouring the internet for pictures of Jared and Jensen and Supernatural fanfiction, my first thought was OMG what is happening to me?! I started to do research with the goal of figuring that out, along with fellow professor Kathy Larsen. We started out talking to other fans, collecting data as it were. Then we wondered how the “other side” felt about this whole fandom thing—did they value it? Think it was crazy? Were they a little scared? Once again, the best way to figure that out seemed to be to ask. So, naively, we started picking up the phone and just asking. We blundered our way into conversations with then writer Sera Gamble (who wanted to talk to us writer to writer), writer Betsy Morris (who had penned the indie film Ten Inch Hero, starring Jensen Ackles and Danneel Harris) and actor Jim Beaver (who answered his own phone).  The conversation with Jim was thoroughly fascinating, and he was amazingly kind and welcoming—he welcomed us right into his house to spend three hours in his living room drinking homemade iced tea and talking about EVERYTHING. Sera and Betsy became correspondence pals; I think because we were all writers. Betsy introduced us to Danneel (now Ackles), and she was so kind and welcoming too that we were encouraged to just keep on talking to these people. I realize now that we were incredibly lucky and just happened to start out with some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. We make fun of ourselves in ‘Fangasm Supernatural Fangirls’ for writing a book to “get to meet the actors” but the first book, “Fandom At The Crossroads,” really wasn’t about that. Crossroads is an academic book that tried to answer those early questions. Did we later develop a never-talked-about semi-unconscious goal of trying to meet the elusive Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki? Absolutely. I mean, we had questions to ask.

Has there been a specific low point in your life that Supernatural has helped you get through?

Just recently, yes. My dad passed away at the end of last year quite suddenly. I was very close to him, and his loss hit me very hard. When I got the news, I was literally walking in the door of a Supernatural convention. And while that might seem like not the best place to be for such news, it turned out to be a godsend. I walked in, and the Creation convention staff immediately knew there was something wrong. I told one or two, and they swung into action. They checked me in, got a wristband on me even though it was late and registration was closed, made sure I had something to drink and some Advil. They escorted me into the auditorium where the traditional Saturday evening concert (the “Saturday Night Special”) was about to start and walked me to my seat, then checked on me periodically. I was sort of in shock and just wanted to sit back and immerse myself in the music and in the company of my fellow fans, many of whom are now good friends. I wanted to listen to the beautiful music of Louden Swain and friends and give my brain a chance to process the information I’d just gotten before I called my kids and the rest of the family. There is a moment during the concert when actor Matt Cohen often leaps off the stage and runs through the audience, standing on chairs and getting us all riled up and in the spirit. That night, Matt jumped down and came straight over to me, threw his arms around me and whispered in my ear “I’m so sorry. You know we all love you.” It was a simple gesture, but it meant so much. Later that night and the next day, most of the actors found a moment to say the same thing. Including the show’s leads, who you would expect to be too busy with a hectic schedule to think about such things. They made me cry for the first time with the strength of their hugs, but it was a good cry. I won’t forget that phone call, of course, but because it’s also wrapped up with such an expression of love and caring—from such an unlikely source—that it eases the memory even now. That’s what SPNFamily – and Family Don’t End With Blood – is all about.

As you cover so many Supernatural Cons and are traveling so much, does it ever cause any conflicts within your own family?

Sometimes. Especially early on, when my children were younger and not at all happy about mom taking off for the weekend. Kathy and I used to take turns being on the phone with a disgruntled child, then cry on each other’s shoulders about it when we hung up. There were some disgruntled partner conversations too. Once the books started to be published, the legitimacy of the research and the writing and the con-going made things easier. But is it still a source of conflict sometimes.

What have you learned most about fan culture in researching your books?

How unique fandom is as a community, and how valuable. For many of us, but especially for women, there is a strong message not to be yourself—to put on a façade and be whatever is socially acceptable. Fandom knocked that norm on its head. Fandom said, be who you really are, even if you’re pretty sure you are absolutely WEIRD. Be it anyway—and damned if you won’t find a whole bunch of other people who instead of saying “You’re weird” will jump up and down and say “Oh yay, me too!” That was life changing for me. I got to be myself and to find lifelong friends who liked that real self just fine. It helped me start to be that real self in the rest of my “real” life too. That’s not to say there isn’t conflict in fandom. It’s a group—and while groups bring us belongingness, which we have an evolutionary need for—they also bring hierarchies and jockeying for positions of power and intra and inter-group conflict. That’s why we have Sam fans and Dean fans and Cas fans and shippers of every possible combination, and sometimes it seems like these groups of people can’t possibly be part of the same fandom. With great passion comes great investment, so everyone wants the story to go their way. Some of that is inevitable, but it doesn’t erase all the wonderful healthy things about fandom. I have friends in every single camp and cherish them all.

When you began writing about Supernatural, were the PR people at the show helpful or did you have to find your own ways to get access to people like Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins?

They were hugely helpful in the beginning. They were at first very interested in our book. Nobody else had really taken an interest in the show at the time, so two professors who wanted to write a whole book about it was their best shot at somebody trying to keep it on the air (it was at the time constantly on the verge of cancellation). They invited us to the set and everyone on the set was unbelievably kind—they were all so proud of their show and their part in making it that everyone, one by one, came up to introduce themselves and then offer to show us exactly what they did. We met the art director, the director of photography, the lovely man who wrangles the cars, the props person—everyone! Jared and Jensen invited us into their trailers for candid conversation even though they’d been on set for an entire day and way into the night, and Misha met up with us at a local bar after filming was over. Everyone was absolutely lovely.  Unfortunately, we wanted to write a very different book than the one the studio wanted us to write—we wanted to tell what we saw as the real story of fandom and Supernatural, not the light and fluffy version. The sad thing is, that never meant that what we wanted to write wasn’t positive – it was even more powerful for its “realness” so that positivity actually rang true!  I’ll never really know what made them so nervous about what we were going to write, but they slammed the doors on us and decided they didn’t want to publish our book after all. At the time, we were crushed, but it turned out to be for the best. We got to tell the story we wanted to tell, and that so many fans have told us changed their lives over the years, which was the most important thing.

What would your advice be for the PR people at Supernatural who didn’t make it so easy for you with your interviews and books?

Like I said, it worked out, but it certainly wasn’t easy. And it made no sense! I’ve written five books on Supernatural and countless blog posts and articles and interviews on everything from NPR to The Conversation to Nylon to right here at MovieTVTechGeeks. I’ve spread the word about this show for ELEVEN YEARS, not because I was paid to do so, but because I genuinely wanted to, and without any help. Our books have reached tons of people, and the interviews and articles have reached countless more. That’s the kind of PR people pay tons of money for, and all that publicity was absolutely for free.  Why wouldn’t they want to facilitate that?  The actors and show creator Eric Kripke have all let us know that they recognize our significant contribution to keeping the show on the air, which is what means the most to me. But would it be nice to have some recognition from the studio? Yes. I have an entire blog and all those articles and books devoted to this particular show and don’t even get invited to the set visits for bloggers. With help, I could do even more for the Show. Isn’t that a win/win? FULL DISCLOSURE: We here at Movie TV Tech Geeks have encountered very similar experiences with the PR person at the CW Supernatural publicity department. Oddly enough, it's been easier to get interviews with people like Ben Affleck, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Ridley Scott and Dwayne Johnson than Jensen, Jared or Misha.

Can you say that Supernatural has changed your life like so many other fans?

Absolutely. I’ve told the actors this many times—I’ve even thanked them for their substantive contribution to helping me get tenure and promotion at my university with all my Supernatural psychology research. It has changed my professional life and also my personal life. I’m a different person now than I was when I discovered this show way back in 2007. More outspoken, more confident, more comfortable in my own skin and less willing to put on a façade instead of being myself. I’ve made friends who will be friends for life, with whom I’ve traveled the world and had more crazy wild wonderful experiences than I ever could have imagined having. I’ve shared what I’ve learned about this fandom and this show with the actors, which is part of the reason I think they wanted to contribute to the new book I have coming out next week, Family Don’t End With Blood: Cast and Fans on How Supernatural has Changed Lives. They know that they’ve been a part of something unique and special and that knowledge has changed them too. I was honored that they trusted me enough to write their personal stories for the new book and to let me shepherd them through the process of writing. It’s been a privilege to get to know them through the years, just as it’s been a privilege to get to know so many of my fellow fans.  After all, I wrote a chapter in the book too. It’s called “Fangirl”. [caption id="attachment_45241" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Photos: Courtesy of Lynn Zubernis[/caption] You can check out all of Lynn's books on Supernatural here, and if you're in Los Angeles on May 10, you can meet her and plenty of SPN fans and cast.

Movie TV Tech Geeks News

[thejerny]

Formerly known as the Selah Garden Suites, this hotel will change the way you look at any other hotels in the metro.

Normally, what we would see in a hotel and their facilities are all rooms, bed, swimming pool, etc. Some do have their unique identity as a ‘designer’ hotel which makes them unique by design but giving the same treatment and services. Some hotels rising are one with golf course but you have to go outside and it’s costly to play.

Selah Garden Hotel became different with their ambition. They want their hotel to be recognized as a different, unique one, not far from the others but with a touch of adventure and enthusiasm at every corner possible. By that statement, they wanted to be exceptional.

Relaxation plus adventure is what they want to offer their customers without having to go far. Adventure by means of adrenaline rush via taking challenges and pulling exciting stunts. Giving it your best and bringing all the courage you’ve got to finish the courses with all your might. Are you ready to take on the challenge at Selah Garden Hotel?

What Selah Garden Hotel has to offer

One weekend, we were able to experience the relaxation plus adventure provided by Selah Garden Hotel.

Selah Garden Hotel is located in 2715 Park Avenue, San Rafael, Pasay City, a few minutes walk from LRT and MRT Taft station. It has 82 rooms which can accommodate many guests at a time. You wouldn’t even think that this is a hotel when you look from the outside. Once you came in, I bet you’ll definitely be surprised.

It’s a garden-themed hotel boasting of facilities you’d truly enjoy. Here’s a little list of the highlights:

→ Infinity Pool (acts as a double for Scuba Diving class) → Hydroponic Garden → High Rope Challenge (Wall Climbing, Free Fall, Zipline, Rope Bridge, etc) → Spa Treatment (by the time we were there, it was closed)

Yes, you read it right! This hotel offers high rope challenges! The hotel has this facility inside so that team building activities and participants won’t be scattered. That’s what relaxation and adventure come at a point. After your team building activities, you may go straight to sleep in your comfortable bed, or dip for a little while in the infinity pool (but take a shower first, please), or ask for a spa treatment at the upper floor.

They are planning to hire in-house therapists for their spa. You may know someone who’s interested?

As for the high rope challenges, make sure your endurance is on a high because it might take your energy away.

The High Rope Challenges

We weren’t able to catch the flag atop the wall. I was really so close but the stone was small and it was slippery. Plus the course I chose was the inclined one. It shouldn’t be very hard but with the small and slippery stone there, it made our journey to the top exhausting. We couldn’t get a grip on that small part. All of us. It was still exciting anyway!

Wall Climbing at Selah Garden Hotel

Rope Bridge

Free Fall

Zipline

Next in the course was the zipline, that was an enjoyable part, it’s only around 20 meters above the ground and this one’s perfectly safe. Kids enjoyed zipline the most according to the staff. Once you get past the zipline, next one was the net bridge, then the rope bridge, and another one of it in a different style. Each course was different so you’d definitely enjoy it! I can assure you I enjoyed all parts! Last on the course was the free fall. Don’t be scared. You’re just gonna fall slowly. It’s not like a sudden drop (which what I was expecting, but no).

If you happen to know Sandbox, the amusement in Porac, Pampanga, they have the same contractors/developers so you can be assured that the activities they provide are of high quality and are perfectly safe.

Flagship Room

Gazebo

Starts at 750/pax per night

Since Selah Garden Hotel has plenty of rooms, our group were divided into three, Jon and me, Marge and Chiki, Cathy and Pancake.

We had the Flagship Room which can accommodate 2 persons each. It has a refrigerator, sofa (to which can also be used as a bed), a cable television, and two double-sized beds. The comfort room was elegant looking and neat. It’s spacious and serves hot and cold shower. It has more than the space you’d need for a night.

By the morning, my arms were hurting. Aching from the wall climbing and activities we had done from yesterday. I suggest you bring some ointment with you or pain reliever if in case the same happens to you. I felt like I had a sprain. But that didn’t stop me from doing the next activity.

SCUBA Diving Lesson

In Selah Garden Hotel, their infinity pool serves as a classroom for their SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving class. It has a reserved depth of 10ft and if you went on the 10 feet depth of the pool, that means you have already passed the lessons and ready to go SCUBA diving anytime at will.

The instructors were Christoferou Chan of RAID Philippines (www.diveRAID.com) and Ericson Paul Yee, an Ocean Quest Instructor and underwater photographer. They were both good at disseminating instructions. They were all so patient too. We all both took the time we need in order to learn SCUBA diving.

What will be taught in this class? Gears, underwater signals, how to remove water from your mask while diving, how to use your SCUBA gears, how to equalize so you won’t purge your ears, etc. You’ll have your time to test all the skills you have learned from them while in the pool. Gears will be provided in the class and you don’t need to bring any diving materials.

Important notes:

Every booking comes with a complimentary breakfast. You may use the infinity pool as much as you want to. The High Rope Challenge (as stated above) on full-course will cost you 750 pesos ($15) – with gears and staff assistance. The SCUBA diving class will cost you 2700 pesos ($55) – with SCUBA gears and taught by professional instructors. Room rate starts at 750 pesos ($15) to 13000 pesos ($260) for a family with many members. Check the other rates in Selah Garden Hotel here.

Selah Garden Hotel 2715 Park Avenue San Rafael, Pasay City +632 511.1331 +632 508.9141

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored stay at Selah Garden Hotel. All reviews and opinions stated here are my own.

Selah Garden Hotel: Relaxation and Adventure in the Heart of Pasay Formerly known as the Selah Garden Suites, this hotel will change the way you look at any other hotels in the metro.