Sending out very special birthday wishes to a lady who has helped shape me into the person that I am today.  She has shared so many mantras that I have made me own of late - including "Courage means feeling the fear, and doing it anyway.", "When I think of normal I think of mediocrity, and mediocrity scares the fuck out of me." She's taught me that being of service is something that is extremely empowering and without her encouragement over the years there's no way that I would have been half as successful in charitable endeavours as I have been. She's got the most amazing smile that is completely infectious, and a heart that is golden and generous.

Becoming a fan of hers back when I was 12 years old was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Happy Birthday, Gillian Anderson.

Australian Conventions! Listen Up!

To the Australian Convention that can bring Gillian Anderson to our country, I pledge my undying adoration and awesome press coverage.

— Sandi Hicks (@sandihicks_au) March 4, 2013

This post is going out to the folks that run Supanova, Armageddon Expo and even OzComicCon.

The lady needs to come back to Australia. Gillian's fans (myself included) desperately want to see her. The Northern Hemisphere conventions have been lapping up all the appearances that are happening up there. How's about some Southern Hemisphere love?

Did you hear my fangirl squeal?

My favourite leading lady, Gillian Anderson, is going to be starring alongside one of my favourite Australian leading ladies, Rachael Taylor, in a new NBC Drama Pilot.

It's a pretty good casting move. They have been cast as sisters, and the pictures that The Hollywood Reporter used in the casting news shows you why.

Anderson and Taylor - cast as sisters - Photo Credit THR (Via Getty Images)

Shocked. Stunned. Amazed.

The fact that I didn't even get the chance to blog about this portion of my latest fundraiser, speaks to the level of success that it has had. 

In December I bought 200 wristbands for my favourite charity, SA-YES (South African Youth Education for Sustainability). 150 wristbands were sold to fans in all corners of the globe, at a low price of $5.00 a wristband.

Less than 48 hours ago I received 50 wristbands back, signed by the delightful Ms Gillian Anderson.  Selling them for a set price of $30.00 each (with a certificate of authenticity), these wristbands sold-out in approximately 39 hours, with fans desperately trying to get their hands on them even after the website ceased selling them.

Thank you SO much to everyone who has made this such a successful charity endeavour (especially Julie from SA-YES). I am truly grateful for all the support.

Gillian's Autograph on one of the fifty wristbands.

Selling progress - so many orders to fill all at once!

AXF Project 'For Your Consideration'

My X-Files Fandom group, Aussie X-Files Fans (@ Facebook) are about to commence a fandom campaign that has been coming for quite some time.

It's not your usual X-Files 3 campaign, but instead a 'Convention' Campaign.



Inspired by the fact that the lovely Ms Gillian Anderson is going to be appearing at several conventions in the Northern Hemisphere this year (UK/Canada/USA), us fans in the Southern Hemisphere are feeling a little lost right now. 

So, the 'For Your Consideration' project has been born.

If you are an Australian/New Zealand fan who would like to help campaign to see Gillian appear at an Australian/New Zealand Convention, please join our Facebook Group.

Tabloid use of my MH Article

Not that I want to post where it was written, but a lovely 'tabloid' on the internet is using part of my Gillian Anderson quote for their ongoing rumours. I don't know how long they can carry on with those rumours, but it seems that they are determined to carry on as long as there is a market for it.

Le sigh.

MH Feature: The Likelihood of XF3 in 2013?

Very excited that my first feature for Moviehole is online!

Very excited that my first assignment was writing about something that I do know so well. I really appreciate the opportunity. Thank you so much CM. :)

Also, a huge thank you from the bottom of my heart to the always amazing Frank Spotnitz and Gillian Anderson who willingly answered some questions.

Massive thanks to everyone who have given me positive feedback and constructive criticism. It's greatly appreciated.

Thanks to Roi for tweeking the IWTB poster for me as well. She got the font just right. :)

You can read my first feature here.

Support SA-YES This November!

 

If everyone could please donate what they can for the month of November - we can guarantee that this programme continues to benefit these amazing young people in South Africa.

My own personal theme song

For the longest time I was defined as a 'nerd', a 'geek', as someone who you really shouldn't associate with because I was different from the rest. Over the last few years I have really discovered within myself that it's actually okay to be different from everyone else. That it doesn't matter that you're different.

We are all individuals and should all be unique.

I know that in the last twelve months especially since starting to learn Buddhist teachings... I think I've even found a stronger sense of self. All those people who used to berate me back in the day for being something that they found to be 'not normal' - I can't even imagine that half of those people are living their dreams.

In fact, I can tell you with great certainty that they probably aren't. 

Gillian Anderson puts it perfectly into perspective:

"When I think of normal, I think of mediocrity… and mediocrity scares the fuck out of me."

In fact. I am so so so thankful that I found this strength that showed me that my 'less than normal' ways were in fact quite normal, that there are hundreds of thousands of other fandom geeks out there. By embracing this geekiness I have been able to really overcome some great difficulties that I always had within me. They may seem small and insignificant now, but they will always be my demons.

An example of one of those demons (for me) is public speaking. By throwing Aussie X-Files Fans @ Facebook fundraisers it brought me out of my shell, taught me that the only thing that matters is that I have the confidence in myself - and then everything else will follow.

Believe me, they have followed. Some of my wildest dreams have come true in the last few years since I've been working on this strength. They continue to happen. They are unfolding in ways that I never even began to imagine when I started out on this road.

New Auctions to benefit SA-YES

Julie Baron from SA-YES has listed some amazing new auctions! Dig deep, and bid high! : )

The Eager wait for Postal Delivery

Don't you hate it when you have a truckload of mail coming from all corners of the globe... and it takes weeks and months to arrive. You check your mailbox every single day hoping that today is the day.

The guys at Australia Post always laugh at my excited face as I stand there with the awaiting collection notice that gets put into our PO Box. I can look at them before I go to the mail box and they always give me a knowing smile.

Love it.

So just what have I got coming exactly?

Well.... I was recently naughty with the GillianAnderson.ws auctions. Naughty, but some of the things I won went for a REALLY good price. And at least I know what I have purchased is pretty much a 'One of' - that's why I bought them. And because of charity. Always charity.

Some of that money goes to help the Neurofibromatosis Network.

I also helped a couple of friends out by buying some of their collectables off them as they needed some money. I figured I'd buy them and keep them in a safe place - and if the time came when they wanted to buy them back off me - they could definitely do that.

I have a friend who is sending me a surprise from London Film and Comic Con - although that was sent in July (it is now September, why isn't it here?!).

I had the lovely Roileigh get me an autograph at Toronto Fan eXpo.

And of course there is the evil website that is eBay. I should be banned from eBay.

Okay, so I know we're far away, but Australia needs to be on @gilliana's Convention Tour. Who agrees with me?

— Sandi(@sandihicks_au) August 26, 2012

'How come you're not here!?!'

My amazing friend Roileigh is badassed. Sending her on my behalf to get this was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Because I think this needs to be rewatched.

Just because celebrities live their life in the public eye, doesn't mean they aren't also human... With real feelings and emotions.

Gillian's personal statement on her website today should have not had to have happened!

That being said, it shows incredible strength and character on her part for being able to make such a powerful statement, with her heart on her sleeve, while remaining true to herself.

So bravo Gillian. All of your fans stand with you. I'm standing on my chair slow clapping, even though you can't hear it.

Enough is enough is enough.

I am so damned excited.

We never get movies like this. They always go straight to DVD.

So imagine my surprise when browsing my favourite boutique cinemas upcoming releases to see Shadow Dancer as coming soon - October 4th!

False Advertising

So... The 'Living North' Article is all false. Fans shouldn't be promoting it. Spread the word.

— Sandi(@sandihicks_au) August 1, 2012

As a Gillian fan, I hate hearing that some of the press that has come out of late is completely fabricated. Having it confirmed that the 'Living North' article which surfaced today is false, that apparently Gillian never sat down and did this interview. Makes you wonder how much other press that has been presented as 'fact' - is actually complete and utter fiction.

If it doesn't appear on GillianAnderson.ws (Gillian's official website) - you can guarantee that it has some sort of made up tripe in the article. All articles on GAWS are verified.

Amended 23/7/2012: Dragon*Con have announced that they announced this prematurely - that they are working to resolve the issues, but as of now Ms Anderson is not attending the convention.

********************************************

Another convention announcement for Gillian Anderson: Dragon*Con in Atlanta, GA.

While hopes of Ms Anderson attending an Australian convention this year are slowly dwindling with the announcement of Guests at Armageddon Expo already happening - There's still other conventions that are possible.

At least she's on a 'round the world' path that could bring her down here on her way back to London.

Who the hell am I kidding?! 

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE...and we have it.Gillian Anderson joins us for Dragon*Con 2012! ow.ly/i/MhKv
— DragonCon(@DragonCon) July 18, 2012

I hope that everyone that goes to LFCC (this weekend) really cherish the moment, because it will be over way too fast. Here in Australia we are lucky that our cons are so much smaller and we really do get to spend a good amount of time with the stars - I'm worried that people will be going into LFCC expecting to get their life story out to Gillian/Mitch/Nic (and recently announced Frank!!) and will be disappointed when they get told to move on after a minute or so. It's going to be a circus... but at least it will be a better organised circus than OCC was. :)

#FML - This is my most hated hashtag on Twitter. Why? Because no one should ever hate themselves that much that they say 'Fuck my life'. Life is a gift. Sometimes we aren't happy with our lives, but hey - we have the opportunity in ourselves to do everything that we can do change them. 

Yes, I've been complaining a lot recently about the Gaga injustice, and I know that a lot of my readers think that it's probably pretty trivial (and it probably is, but I won't give up fighting for something that I believe is right) ... but I've seen people complaining that their life sucks, that they hate their life.

If your life sucks - fucking do something about it! We are all in charge of our life path, and our own destiny. If you're not happy, you are the only person who can do something about it. No one else.

Honestly, if you have a roof over your head, you have a job, you have an education and you have a little bit of money - you have nothing to complain about. If you have a family who loves you, you have friends that would do anything for you, you have nothing to complain about.

Why not take a moment to stop and think about those who don't have money, those who go hungry every night. Those that don't have access to an education. Those who will never even leave their city, or their own country, let alone travel the world. Those who live on less than $2 a day. Those who rely on the generosity of people who have a salary that donate money to charities around the world so that they can just have a meal at night, and a place to rest their worried head.

A very wise woman once said, "Be of service. Whether you make yourself available to a friend or co-worker, or you make time every month to do volunteer work, there is nothing that harvests more of a feeling of empowerment than being of service to someone in need." (Gillian Anderson) - honestly if you could get into these shelters, or even use your money to travel to Africa to see some real human struggles - then you could tell me that you have something to truly complain about.

How much money did you donate to charity last year? If your answer is none (because you had no money) - then that is the only acceptable answer I will take. If your answer is none, because you spent it on other trivial things that made you happy for a little while, and then went back to being unhappy with your life... my advice to you, donate a portion of that money to a charity and help change someone elses life.  It may not make you happier, but it will empower you just a little, knowing that you are bringing happiness to someone else.