From: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org (chakram-refugees-digest) To: chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Subject: chakram-refugees-digest V5 #221 Reply-To: chakram-refugees@smoe.org Sender: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-chakram-refugees-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk chakram-refugees-digest Monday, September 5 2005 Volume 05 : Number 221 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [chakram-refugees] It's been ten years... ["Xena Torres" Subject: [chakram-refugees] It's been ten years... Ten years ago, I was fourteen. I was excited about the premiere of a new show  Xena: Warrior Princess  a show all about a woman who was going to kick a lot of ass, something I had never seen before. Just the thought empowered me, and I HAD to watch. Unfortunately, my bed time was 9pm, so I was only able to catch the opening teaser until I could watch the recording later. Those few minutes, however, just seeing Xena beat up on Dracos men with the running staff circle kick, the wielding of the chakram and the blaring of her ululation, would be the start of a new life for me. Many people would think it crazy that a television show could impact someones life enough to make any sort of difference. Those people simply dont understand that is it not the show itself that brings about change and makes a difference, it is the community of fans that watch it, and the messages the series gives them. Xena taught me things that I cannot say I would have if not for the series. Xena taught me that we are all equal and all worthy of respect. Xena taught me that anyone can make a difference and help others. Xena taught me that there is never reason for hatred and always reason for forgiveness. Xena taught me that redemption is possible and that we always have the power to make changes in ourselves. Even with all the series taught me, it gave me more still. Xena gave me some of the greatest friends I have ever had, who I met online, but whom now are a large part of my life. Xena gave me a community to belong to, a unity with the rest of the world. Xena gave me heroes to inspire me, and Xena gave me freedom of expression. Xena gave me passion for writing and creativity, which has inspired my career choice to be a writer  to express my thoughts and opinions to others, and maybe, one day, create a series that can do for others what Xena did for me. Most important, Xena gave me hope and got me through the roughest times in my life. I had a show that moved me, that made me laugh, that, for an hour a week, took me away from everything else and gave me a world I wanted to be in. It gave me a community to be a part of, to connect with. No matter how things were outside of it, I could always come back to the Xenaverse and the series, and find what I needed. Xena has done so much for me, but Xena has also done for the world. Xena led to the creation of Sword and Staff, an organization all about helping and giving to others  of fans expressing their thanks to the series with good deeds and kind acts. Xena gave celebrity to some amazing talents and remarkable human beings, who can and do use that celebrity to make a difference. Xena gave women empowerment, and made the world take notice of everyone, as equals, not more or less than any other. Ten years ago, Robert Tapert created a character and a series that will survive the test of time, because Xena would not be contained in a mold of standard design. Lucy Lawless and Renee OConnor breathed life into these women, so much more than mere TV characters, and in doing so, breathed life into millions of people, millions of fans, all touched by this series. On this day, September 4, 2005, the ten year anniversary of the first airing of Xena: Warrior Princess, I want to say thank you. Thank you to all the cast and all the crew and all the fans, for creating this series, for being a part of it, a part of history, and for the differences you have made. Happy 10th anniversary Xena. Continue to always inspire. BATTLE ON XENA! Xena Torres: Bitch of Rome http://www.bitchofrome.com "Time to put you out of my misery." - Livia "Eve" ========================================================= This has been a message to the chakram-refugees list. To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@smoe.org with "unsubscribe chakram-refugees" in the message body. Contact meth@smoe.org with any questions or problems. ========================================================= ------------------------------ End of chakram-refugees-digest V5 #221 **************************************