Paula is a fangirl

Once upon a time – about a decade ago, and dear god that makes me feel old – I was absolutely crazymad on fanlistings. I joined as many as I was able to, I ran them for all the things I loved that no-one else had startd one for. I swear at one point I was running like 50odd of the bloody things, all by hand cos php and I did not get on.

And then recently, I’ve discovered that they are still a thing and my little fangirl heart is exploding with glee. I’m all excited and ready to go joinjoinjoin!

If you’re staring at me blankly right now, wondering what the ever-living fuck I’m talking about…

A fanlisting is simply an online listing of fans of a subject, such as a TV show, actor, or musician, that is created by an individual and open for fans from around the world to join. There are no costs, and the only requirements to join a fanlisting are your name and country. Fanlistings do not have to be large sites (although some are) – they are just a place where you can have your name listed along with other fans of the same subject. TheFanlistings.org is the original (but not only) web directory for fanlistings, dedicated to uniting fans across the globe.

Vanitas vanitatum… et omnia vanitas

This is my favourite painting in the whole world. And it’s what inspired the name of my blog. It’s title is Still Life: An Allegory of the Vanities of Human Life by the dutch painter Harmen Steenwyck, C1640. Vanitas’ in general are my favourite style of art but there’s something about this one that just grabbed me from the very first time I saw it.

The term Vanitas is from the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes (1:2): ‘Vanitas vanitatum… et omnia vanitas’, translated ‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity’. The books symbolise human knowledge, the musical instruments (a recorder, part of a shawm, a lute) the pleasures of the senses. The Japanese sword and the shell, both collectors’ rarities, symbolise wealth. The chronometer and expiring lamp allude to the transience and frailty of human life. All are dominated by the skull, the symbol of death.

When I was casting around for a site name when I realised I wanted to get back into blogging the painting came to me almost instantaneously, because what really is more vain than a personal site. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not using vain as a derogatory term. This site is about me – about the books I love, the music I love, the tv/movies I love, the gigs/cons I go to… it’s about the things that make me me. It’s a modern-day Vanitas.