So, my fandom friends who've been around a long time often grumble and moan about the current state of the fandom, and I, being new here, tilt my head adorably to the side, bite my lip, and ask, tremulously, "But the fandom seems fine to me, and there are lots of new people every day, and everywhere I go I meet people who love Brian and Justin, including lots of other lesbians."

Then I tilt my head the other way and let go of my lip, because talking like that makes me sound kind of stupid. "How do you think the fandom's changed?"

The oldtimers look at each other knowingly, and at me condescendingly, and answer, "It's the fic."

One or more of them will heave a huge sigh. "Back in the heyday of this fandom, there were at least two new fics every single day. Good ones."

"Oh my!" I answer. "That must have been wonderful even though I wouldn't trade that for having had to live through the hiatus between 122 and 201 without knowing what was going to happen."

So when, today, not one, not two, but THREE good new fics were posted (and perhaps more, these are just the three I culled from my personal flist), I had to mention it.