Stopping by...

Hello all,

Just wanted to "record" and "share" a bit of exciting news--I have completed two scrapbooking orders!!! I can also happily add that I can call these people "satisfied customers"!! It is a very small step on the path of my new adventure, aka my website and business--For the Love of Soaps, http://www.fortheloveofsoaps.com, but I am happy. I want to thank Tracy and Kelly for taking a chance and allowing me to share my passion--THANK YOU!

I am also excited about the fact that I have purchased a new scrapbooking tool and plan on purchasing another one (if Santa brings me some Michael's Craft cards!!) after the first of the year. Both tools give me the opportunity to try new ideas and create a much larger variety of designs with much less labor. Love technology!

The world of soaps is even pleasing me at the moment--something that I haven't been able t say for several months. My favorite acting duo, Kimberly McCullough and Jason Thompson, are being reunited--as acting partners and as a "couple" on the show! YIPPEE! I have missed their work together and their chemistry so much. I am a happy Scrubbie :)

What is happening with you? What is making you happy this holiday season? I hope you have found something that brings you laughter and smiles!

Robin :)

Surviving the world of Super Soap Weekend

I had an amazing time at Super Soap Weekend(SSW) 2007 at MGM Studios in Orlando, FL and I didn't even have one meaningful, extended conversation with a daytime performer or have my picture taken with a "favorite actor" of mine. I didn't have any intention of doing either of these activities and it is because of that personal decision that I had so much fun!

I LOVE meeting, chatting and posing with my favorite daytime performers, but setting such goals at SSW is very risky because the likelihood of disappointment is extremely high. I would have to endure much less sleep and much discomfort to have even the slightest chance to have basically less than a minute of an actor's time at SSW, so I keep such personal hopes and chances for smaller, more intimate settings--such as personal appearances at fan club weekends and banquet-room style gatherings that are held throughout the country during the year.

I returned for my second SSW adventure because it gives me a chance to see a wonderful mixture of ABC Daytime performers mingling in "talk show" settings, "game show" settings and concerts. It is very rare that daytime fans have a chance to see actors from the same network, yet from different shows and coasts, interact with each other. I also LOVE Street Jam--the concert of daytime performers belting out tunes and dancing with and under the stars :) One of my favorite daytime performers, Kathy Brier, is simply incredible each time she performs on stage and this time, she once again ROCKED the house!! Her rendition of Janis Joplin's "Piece of My Heart" and her performance of "Untouchable" (from her CD, 'Heartbreaker') were sheer perfection! I also enjoyed watching the daytime version of "Cell Block Tango" (from 'Chicago') peformed by the women from OLTL and AMC. Although the day is long and exhausting, I would never crawl back to the hotel room without experiencing Street Jam. It is worth the time and physical effort (the "crawling home to the room") to watch the wonderful performances!

Because of my love for scrapbooking, I am a "picture hog". Want to see how much of a "picture hog" I am???? Check out my Shutterfly.com links listed below. I hope you aren't "allergic" to gorgeous men named Jason Thompson and John Paul Lavoisier, otherwise you may be risking your health--LOL :) I have numerous pictures of two of my favorite daytime men--as well as Kathy Brier, Kimberly McCullough, Bradford Anderson, Sonya Eddy... If none of these names sound familiar, but you are a "General Hospital" fan, I promise you--you will know their faces.

Jason's Saturday Autograph Session

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZsW7Ry3ZMmLIxA&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

Jason's Sunday Autograph Session
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZsW7Ry3ZMmLHvA&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

NS Motorcade/Chat
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZsW7Ry3ZMmLH-A&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

Kimberly's Sat Autograph Session

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZsW7Ry3ZMmLH2g&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

NS Sat Talk Show
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZsW7Ry3ZMmLIKg&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

Burn'n Up--Men of Daytime

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZsW7Ry3ZMmLICA&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

NS Motorcade/Chat

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZsW7Ry3ZMmLITA&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

Triple Play Game Show

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AZsW7Ry3ZMmLIgA&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

Look for some exciting news about my website and new scrapbooking business. I'll be posting another message about this topic by tomorrow morning :)

New Adventures...A New Purpose?

I have always longed to find a way to channel my passion for soaps into a career that would allow me to be involved--someway, somehow--in the industry. My "search" led me to begin this blog because it is a way that I can combine my passion for writing with my passion for soaps. Now, I'm embarking on a new adventure that will allow me to combine my scrapbooking and soap passions--I'm designing soap opera-themed scrapbooking products--page layouts, page toppers and embellishments.

For years, I've been not only attending soap opera events, but also creating scrapbooks of my memories and experiences. Through recent conversations and experiences, I have concluded that I am not the only soap fan who has this "duo of passions"; in fact, it is very common. Unfortunately, what is not common is soap opera-oriented or themed scrapbooking embellishments. As my skills and scrapbooking experiences has increased, I have created pages and embellishments that have a "soap flair" to them--pages with circles that represent soap bubbles, medical embellishments, diecuts of symbols of daytime dramas (scrubs, hearts, televisions, soap bubbles). Since the scrapbooking industry has not yet designed much for the soap opera fan, and since I love to design and share my own "personal touch" creations to "fit" my soap event experiences, I have decided create an opportunity for other fans to "tweak" and use them for their own needs.

I am combining this new adventure with another endeavor--a website called "For the Love of Soaps". In addition to my soap opera-oriented scrapbooking products, the website will also include information pertaining to the history of soap operas, personal appearances of daytime actors, links to fan club and fan-designed websites, and fans' soap opera experiences(including a link to this blog. )

The adventures are just beginning! I hope you will join me on my journey :) I hope to launch my website and product line by October 20th! Check this blog for updates.

Robin

To do or not to...meet your favorite soap star?

This seems like the easiest question for a fan to answer, right? Well, duh, you want to meet your favorite performer(s); it would be a dream come true. However, after years of watching and supporting, what if you finally get to meet that "favorite" and he or she is not the person you envisioned. Would you be able to "move beyond" that disappointment and continue to support and enjoy that performer? It is a scenario that I believe each fan should ponder before going to an event.

Each of us create our own "standards" about those(friends, family, co-workers) we want to support. I am not a fan who can support an actor solely based on his/her talents; I have to believe that I would respect and admire the person behind the character because I want to support actors who are people I would want to engage in conversation or be around in a social environment. Are my "standards" too high for actors to "reach"? Luckily for me, the answer has been a definite "No". For the most part, I have been extremely fortunate; the actors I have supported and admired have met my "standards". Some have even far exceeded my expectations. This is the question I pose to you --Can you risk being disappointed by the person behind your favorite character and/or storyline?

Soap fans are known for their loyalty and passion for their "favorites". We (the fans) have often "grown up" with these characters, "fallen in love" along with these couples and "loved" these families. I welcome these characters, as well as the actors, into my home every week day. For me, it is a "must" that I feel positive about the person who breathes life into my favorite characters and stories. My emotions for the character and actors are entangled. Although I like actors whose characters have not been a favorite of mine,the reverse has never occurred. My head knows the difference (between character and actor), but my heart does not. This realization about my passion for the characters and actors I enjoy is the risk factor I battle each time I meet a "favorite" because I am not only taking a chance of being disappointed; I am risking losing a "favorite". When I become devoted to a character, couple or storyline, I completely immerse myself into that particular situation(the story or relationship). Often, that story or characters have become a "bright spot" that provides me a much needed smile or laugh in a day filled with much real life angst. Each time I prepare to attend an event or personal appearance I wonder, "Is meeting this person worth the risk of losing a "bright spot" in my life? Is it a risk you are willing to take?

A Stepping Stone to Friendship--Soap Operas

Over the past 16 years, I have had been given the "gift" of the meeting many daytime performers, but the "stars" I'm most grateful for meeting are Cheryl from Sydney, Australia in 1990. Hoori from Dayton, OH in 1991. Jill from San Diego and Suzanne from Troy, MI in 1993. Patricia from Syracuse, NY in 1997. Stacy from Bellevue, WA in 2003. Courtney from Nederland, TX and Beth from Cornith, KY in 2006. These women came into my life and became my friends because of one reason--soap operas. Although we are of various ages, live in different parts of the world, have extremely different backgrounds and have taken different paths in life, they were brought into my life through our dedication to the same soap or same "favorite couple". I believe in the adage, "If it is meant to happen, it will happen, but I truly wonder how I would have found these friends if "Jack and Jennifer", "Marcie and Al" or "Patrick and Robin" weren't a part of my life.

When people inquire about my devotion to soap operas, I do not spend time trying to convince them of their "worth" to society, the quality of the acting, or the fact that many of their favorite primetime and motion picture actors first worked on a soap opera; I tell them of the "gifts of friendship" that they have brought into my life. I usually start the story with how we met--through a fan club, a soap opera event, or a messageboard--and they reply with the usual unconvinced reply, "Oh, you like the same people/same show, but are they REALLY friends of yours?" Their demeanor immediately changes when I tell them how long I have known most of these friends and that I have not only met them in person, but talk to them regularly and vacation with them. It is truly amazing to watch their disbelief wash away and be replaced by fascination.

To be honest, each friendship--our emotional connections, the "common ground" we find beyond our love of soap operas, the experiences we have shared, and the support we have given and received--is extremely fascinating to ME. I never had what I considered "true friends" throughout my youth. My physical disability was prevalent at that time in my life, and that often caused me to be "noticed" in the most undesired way. The teasing, along with my shortness and insecurity due to a struggle with my weight, fostered low self-esteem and a negative self-image. I tried to "push forward" and mingle with peers, but I could never find a way to "fit" in the glorious groups that festered throughout the schools. Everyone knew me, but no one KNEW me. Once I finally embraced and shared my love of soap operas, true friendships entered my life. Who would have guessed such gifts would be brought by soap operas??? Not me. It was--and still is--fascinating.

How do I know these women are TRUE FRIENDS? They know my family. They know my talents and quirks. They like me in spite of those quirks. They laugh with me. They cry with me. Some days, we call to chat and soap operas are never even mentioned. They trust me to meet them at an airport in a strange city they have never visited and they share a hotel room with me. They have invited me to stay in a room with them only hours after we met for the very first time--ever! They come from half-way around the world to me. They encourage me to follow my heart. They know my heart.

I have thanked Matthew Ashford, Wally Kurth, Judi Evans Luciano, Kathy Brier and , most recently, Jason Thompson for "doing something you probably don't realize you have done" and they all had similar reactions--"Wow. I am glad you told me" or "I never really considered that affect." Truthfully, the gifts of friendship were just as unexpected to me. What wonderful surprise!

Do you have any friendships that you'd like to thank a soap or performer for giving you?

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Bubbling Over Soaps

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Where is the "Ever-lasting, Never give up" love?

I am a child of the 80's "romantic soaps"--especially my favorites of the day, Days of Our Lives and Santa Barbara. During that decade, romance thrived on daytime. Couples were put through the ringer of drama-- including the lose of innocence, tortured, star-crossed love stories, physical trauma (blindness, paralysis,etc) and, of course, the long-lost child/spouse "back from the dead" obstacles. However, through of the trials, fans could be extremely confident that the love of their favorite couple would triumph. Call me a "sap" if you wish, but that is why I began watching soaps and it is the reason I still tune in--ROMANCE.

I am not a fan of the "mushy-ness" that sometimes accompanied the stories of the '80s--the infamous longing looks and the language often associated with Harlequin romance novels--but, I certainly do LONGGGGG for the "We can make it through anything" type of couples. I want to see couples FIGHT for their lovers--both physically and emotionally. I want to watch characters who aren't "emotionally assinated" for a "story beat" because it is easier to write than actions/behaviors that would stay true to the characters' personalities. I WANT angst; it is the "breath of soaps" and the stories would not be engaging without drama. However, my challenge to soap opera writers is to create drama that is character-driven and true to the characters involved. Soap opera couples are built through the development of the characters--the revelation of their "past", the introduction to their "present",their hopes and dreams for their "future" and their "fit" with another character. Once that "connection" has clicked, then stay true to that connection.

Sure, "true love" is not always meant to last. Couples "outgrow" each other. Love can change. I could accept such growth if these changes occurred through the evolution of the characters and not due to "storyline-dictated" decisions. When characters suddenly "switch gears" about their feelings for their once "love of my life", it cheapens the characters and betrays the devotion and belief I have in the couple.

I am not a fickle fan. When I "fall" for a couple, I fall completely, "head over heels" for the twosome. When a show has asked me to believe in a couple and I have opened my "soap heart" to that pairing, I will be devoted until the actor(s) leave. I want the same devotion from the writers.

Why a blog?

I enjoy writing. I enjoy discussing soaps. I enjoy writing about soaps--my opinions of storylines, my favorite characters and couples, my knowledge of the history of the medium, my experiences with daytime performers at soap opera events.

I enjoy reading the opinions of other fans--their favorite storylines, characters and couples, their enthusiasm and frustrations, their experiences with daytime performers at soap opera events.

I want to have a personal forum where I can feel comfortable in voicing my thoughts and opinions. I am a "positively--passionate soap fan"--my term for describing someone who expresses thoughts, ideas, and experiences without a harsh, mean-spirited or derogatory attitude. I support diverse opinions and lively discussion, but so many sites are frequented by fans who purposely express opinions or information in a manner that will elicit anger or panic in others. Often these fans create rude, derogatory nicknames for characters and actors they dislike and enjoy wallowing in the negativity of situations. I believe I am just as devoted and passionate than these fans, but I choose to express my opinions in a manner that (hopefully) doesn't promote negative responses or instigate rude behavior toward the actors who portray the unpopular/disliked characters. When all is expressed and shared, I want all of us who love daytime to remember--these are real people portraying characters. It is a job--more exciting than many other jobs we may work--but, it is a job. I wanted to create a positive, friendly place where I could promote the stories and actors I enjoy, as well as my frustrations and disappointments. I also want to "throw down the welcome mat" to others who desire the opportunity to "cheer, scream or cry" about anything in daytime that elicits the passion only soap fans can understand.

Once upon a summer...

My love of daytime dramas began twenty-five years ago out of the combination of boredom and fascination. I was a ten year old who wasn't very athletic or physically coordinated due to partial paralysis caused by a stroke during my infancy. Playing outside with other kids wasn't very enjoyable because I always felt like the "ugly duckling"--picked last for teams and out of pity. I was the slowest and least talented--even at bicycling. Besides being annoyed at my lack of coordination and skills, I simply didn't enjoy the heat and humidity (Actually, I'm still not a big fan :)) I simply hate being sweaty and sticky. The combination of my lack of skills and dislike of the summer climate of my Ohio summers, I returned to the "comforts" of my fan-filled house to relax. I would usually find my mom and one of my older sisters watching television (and sitting in front of an oscillating fan). After days of ignoring what they were watching, I heard and saw something that would ultimately change my attitude about summer and bring more joy and entertainment into my life than I could ever have imagined--the pairing of "Jenny Gardner and Greg Nelson" (Kim Delaney and Laurence Lau) on "All My Children". Suddenly, I became mesmerized by a soap opera. I wanted to be home each day at 1:00 to watch the love story of my first "favorite couple". I wanted to learn the connection between characters and families and I started to detest weekends!(What? They don't air on Saturdays and Sundays!!) The more I watched, the more I felt like I had finally found something I could enjoy about summer--the soaps. It was the beginning of an exciting, adventurous and passionate connection.