Friday, September 03, 2010

My Weekend Crush

The Internet is many things. Time waster. Wondrous revelation. Complete wanker. But at its best what it can be is a window into our common humanity. It can, in the words of that British TV show about teenagers who fight and fuck and fall in love, make us a better person – happier, less alone, less lonely. People enter our lives through this flickering screen who, while we may never meet face to face, change us. They make us happier, less alone. And then there are the extraordinary people who try to make the world happier, less alone.

Heather Hogan is that kind of person.

Sometimes all you have in common with another person is words. OK, there is also the liking girls thing. But mostly it is words and a mutual respect for them that led me to meet Heather Hogan. We share a reverence for those who put them together properly. And a belief in the magic of that happens when they’re put together perfectly. I’ve never met Heather Hogan, not in person. I’ve never shook her hand or given her a hug. But I know Heather Hogan, or at least the best bits. I feel lucky enough to call her a friend. Still the true magic of Heather Hogan is that she makes everyone feel like a friend, like they know her.

Heather is without a doubt the nicest person on the Internet, possibly the universe. She writes from a place beyond her heart. It’s at the core of who she is. It shows with every syllable. While we are very different – I’m not sporty, I’m not religious, I don’t have Carrie Underwood on my iPod – when Heather writes I can always relate. Take her beautiful new AfterEllen column, Beyond Visibility, where she examines the push-pull that comes from loving God and loving boobs . Take her sublime Skins recaps, which are as much an intimate dissection of her love for the stories as they are recaps.

Earlier this week I tweeted that it was Heather Hogan Day, and I meant it. That day her radio interview with the Aussie show Diff’rent Strokes aired, her first AE column ran and she launched her new website, theheatherhogan.com. I really couldn’t be more proud. I think what I love best is the way people respond to Heather. She is the consummate fan and her excitement and joy, thoughtfulness and caring can be infectious. It can actually make other people better. Like I was saying – a world that is happier, less alone.

I have made many friends through these series of tubes, people I will respect forever. People who have made me smarter, people who have made me laugh, people who have made me turn positively green with writer’s envy. But I’ve only met one Heather Hogan. You can’t not root for her. I think it’s a sin. Happy weekend, all.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well said.

Dawn said...

What a lovely Weekend Crush! After listening to her radio interview this week, I've decided that the only proper way to pronounce Heather's name is with an Australian accent. It sounds so very cute that way!

Anonymous said...

I have 2 favorite writers that I can't wait to read. The first is Dorothy Snarker beginning each day with your blog and reading anything that's on AfterEllen. My other favorite is Heather. She makes me laugh and although I've never met her I feel like she's a friend.

lauwer said...

Amen. Heather Hogan is an internet goddess and friend. I don't know her (not personally) but I still kinda feel like I know her through her awesome recaps/blogs!
And you Mrs Snarker are brilliant for writing the post.

alice said...

I'm SO glad that AE's RSS feed got sorted out, because now I can get more good writing in my life, and I have to say that the bulk of my click-throughs tend to be pieces by you or by her.

I can't agree with you more about the contents of your praise, though - Heather writes in such a way that I feel I can call her 'Heather', and where she makes things feel like you're just getting back into a conversation you've been having for years. Combine such good writing with such great analysis, and the wonder woman avatar is appropriate indeed.

linster said...

A worthy crush indeed. One we all share.
Thanks!

heather anne hogan said...

I'm just ... I'm just your fangirl, Dorothy Snarker. I was in a Tibette forum arguing about Bette on that goddamn tractor driving to woo Jodie. That's how I found you. I don't ... I can't ...

*sob* *sob* *sob*

M said...

the internet is now a massive catflap with heather hogan patiently and cheerfully waiting on the other side, proving to us that it's worth taking the risk of laying your gasping heart open 'cause the end is so ecstatically worth it:)

heather hogan for queen of life!

rocketdyke said...

i agree, i've been really happy to read more and more of what she has to say, because she's not only funny and interested in things i like, but she's a good writer and has such an authentic voice.

-Kat- said...

Wow that was a great post! I only recently came to know more about Heather after reading her recaps of Pretty Little Liars on Afterellen (although I knew for quite a while that she was one of the writers on Afterellen). I started following her on twitter and tweeted her recaps. She was really friendly and open, like you said how she made everyone feel like she's a friend. And I really do enjoy reading the things she writes.
So weird that I only came to become a fan of hers in the past few weeks, and then came Heather Hogan Day and I checked out her blog, Afterellen article and her interview and now this! Dorothy snarker, you just made me a bigger fan of hers!

And thanks Heather for being a friend to so many people across the internet who felt your warmth and feel connected to you, in any way, even without meeting you. Thank God for the internet! :)

Anonymous said...

Crushed agreed.

Dig said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dig said...

I drop by your blog alot. It started with our mutual affection for gorgeous women in singlets.(Tank top doesn't do it for me, although admittedly it has more rythmn)
You have blogged on a plethora of lezza-centric themes and every single post has me exhaling "fuck yeah", at some point or another.
This "My Weekend Crush" got me jumping head first into the long time reader, first time commenter pool.

Heather Anne Hogan made me do it.

Like any true superhero she has the innate ability to infuse us with both hope & certitude - which may sound trite - but is actually seriously vital shit that very few people are willing to share with relative strangers.
I fully love the Hoags,(and only a little in that weird, stalky, locker-shrine, jean shorts kinda way)and can't wait until the rest of the world discovers what we gay girls(and discerning literary blog type blokes)have known for quite some time...HH is true awesomeness bloggified.

Anonymous said...

Heather Hogan is awesome! Best weekend crush ever! :)

Jules said...

Definately agree!I don't know her that well but what I learned about her and what I read by her makes me think she is a pretty awesome person

keng singian said...

definitely the loveliest weekend crush to date! Heather is such a wonderful writer, she can make you laugh, she can make you cry, she can even make you crazy! JK! i love both ms.heather and ms.dorothy. i think both are internet goddess.

HEATHER HOGAN, i like!
DOROTHY SNARKER, i like!

Anonymous said...

you know what? what a beautiful friendship! :)

*** GayGirl2000 *** said...

Absolutely the best crush ever!

You were my first "must read", dear Dorothy Snarker - besides AfterEllen, but that almost goes without saying. ;o) Then came everything Heather Hogan writes… anywhere! And with this post everything seems to have come full circle.

This truly is a wonderful online world of amazing minds – and simply two awesome people, who put their words out there for the rest of us to read, enjoy, love and marvel at.

Thank you! :o)

Unknown said...

Brilliantly said - I always really love reading Heather's stuff. There's a time for quip, there's a time for heart, there's a time for introspection, humor, etc...and she has an amazing command of them all. Excellent choice! :)

Lil Cameron said...

Snarker, you need to get on a plane and meet her, you guys make the dream team!! Hell, I live in New Zealand and I'm considering getting on a plane to meet her/stalk her and make her read fanfiction to me until I fall into a blissful Naomily-induced slumber... where was I? Oh right, yes, you should definitely meet!