Sometimes people look at me strangely when I explain I have friends I haven’t met yet. But it’s totally a thing — you “hang out” and talk on Twitter so much that you feel like you’re pals. And for me, Shanti is one of those people. We share similar thoughts on a lot of things, which is always great for me, venting-wise. These answers are all well-thought out, but I have to tell you — I LOVE her answer to the Parks and Rec one. It’s maybe one of my favorites of the season. Enjoy!

Tell us a little bit about your non-Earper alter ego.

Once upon a time (in 2014), I was working in the Garden at Lowe’s as a cashier. I was unhappy with where I was with my life and felt like I was on the verge of getting stuck. It was about 2 months after my stepdad’s passing, and his death gave me a new perspective of life being to short not to try and live it the best way possible. So I gave myself an ultimatum of going after something I wanted or to continue being unhappy and miserable. The military had some careers I was interested in, but there was an issue: I was significantly overweight. In a little under a year later, I was down 80 pounds and sworn into the US Navy. Right now I’m a year and a half in as a Petty Officer 3rd class Hull Maintenance Technician. On a ship, an HT performs metal work that is needed to keep the shipboard structure and condition in top shape. This involve things like riveting, caulking, brazing, and welding. I’m currently shore duty at a dry dock, so I help replace, build from scratch, fabricate, and do a little maintenance. I’m also doing some part-time college and trying to earn a degree in Cybersecurity Management & Policy.

How did you find Wynonna Earp and the fandom?

Wynonna Earp premiered two weeks after I finished boot camp, so I had no idea about it until the night it first came on. The series premiere was actually on my stepdad’s birthday. I was homesick and wasn’t handling that day very well, so of course I turn to Twitter for a distraction and see people live tweeting the pilot. I tweeted something about wanting to check it out. I’ve been following Kevin on Twitter since 2013, and he immediately replied and told me how much he loved it. He was a fan of Lost Girl, Buffy, and other shows I loved, so I trusted his judgement. Once I saw that Emily Andras was the showrunner, I was completely on board. I was very busy with school/training  for the Navy, so I didn’t actually watch it until the end of season 1 while home on leave and  was able to live-tweet the finale.

Is this your first fandom?

Nope. I was in the SVU fandom because I shipped Alex and Olivia, but it didn’t last long. After that it was Buffy The Vampire Slayer, which started my love for genre TV.  Believe it or not, when I was a teenager, I thought sci-fi/fantasy was stupid and foolish. I used to see Buffy on TV when I was younger and roll my eyes at its silliness and think, “This is so stupid. Who watches this?” I now own the entire series on DVD.

What is your favorite fandom memory?

Coming together with other fans online who share a mutual love, eventually meeting them, and becoming great friends.

What is your favorite con memory?

I had a pretty emotional conversation with Joanne Kelly once (shout-out to Bering and Wells!!). When I went to DragonCon for the first time in 2014, it was 10 days after my stepdad passed, and his funeral was being held on the same weekend of the event. My mom was the one who urged me to go.  I think it was Joanne Kelly’s first time attending a convention, and Warehouse 13 had just finished, so it was a huge deal. I thanked her for her work as Myka on the show, explained my circumstances that weekend, and how the show got me through the whole month of him being in the hospital until he eventually passed. She just started crying, got up from her seat, gave me the biggest hug, and just held both of my hands while giving me some very encouraging words. I held it together pretty well until I left the ballroom.

What is your favorite Wynonna Earp/Earper activity?

Listening to the “Tales of The Black Badge” podcast. Kevin and Bonnie work so well together to bring us interviews and any kind of Wynonna Earp content they can. I love when, after a stressful day at work, I go on Twitter and see a new episode posted. It really makes my entire day, whether it’s drinking coffee Saturday morning while they break down the episode from the night before or just listening to them right before I go to bed. It’s like an hour of meditation for me.

What has Wynonna Earp come to mean to you?

Oh, boy. Wynonna Earp means a whole lot me. I’m a childhood sexual assault victim, and let me tell you, regardless of how much time has passed and how old you get, the anxiety, PTSD, and bouts with depression are still going to show up at your doorstep uninvited. In my earlier twenties, I did a lot of self-medicating with alcohol and self-destructive behavior. I ruined a lot of great opportunities and have had to repair and rebuild a lot of friendships. Wynonna Earp has shown you can be flawed and that it’s okay to not be okay, because at the end of the day what matters is how you respond.  Due to my job, I don’t get to see or talk to loved ones as nearly often as I’d like. As cheesy as this sounds, whenever I turn on Wynonna Earp, it feels like I’m visiting old friends who I’m able to laugh and cry with while knowing everything is going to be okay. Emily just said in an interview that with today’s political landscape, there’s definitely no shame in using our favorite shows as an escape, and she’s 100% correct about that.

Are there any pictures you’d like to share of your Wynonna Earp experience?

I don’t have any yet. I will have some after Dragon Con, though!

[ Editor’s note –Shanti was nice enough to send some others! ]

Dolls or Doc?

Like a lot of Earpers, I hate this question because I love them both. I’m gonna have to give a slight edge to Doc. I love Dolls, but Doc is someone who I can see myself hanging out with to have a beer and seek advice because he’s been through life already.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you Fandras?

Infinity because the limit does not exist. Whether Evelyn Andrews likes it or not.

Describe why Fandras is a thing in 7 words or less.

She’s the leader of our shit show!

What is your favorite Earp sisters moment?

There’s a great Earp Sister moment in just about every episode, but my favorite has to be the moment they shared after Wynonna killed Jonas and when Waverly asked what the baby is. “Ours.” [ Editor’s note — despite the ever-changing nature of the answer of this question, this is probably the right answer to this question. ]

How have you Earped your life?

Never have I bought so many shirts for one single show. Fangirl Shirts are basically my wardrobe designers for Dragon Con. [ Editor’s note — same. ] Also, I think a lot of people who follow me for anything else other than Wynonna Earp have me muted on Twitter.

What’s the Earpiest thing you’ve ever done?

Attempt to explain the show to a stranger at a Greyhound bus station who thought I worked in a store that sold Whiskey and Donuts because of the Wynonna Earp Podcast shirt I was wearing.

If Dolls and Doc played two-on-two with Lucas and Nathan (One Tree Hill, for those of you who haven’t experienced the glory), what would the outcome be?   

Dolls and Doc would get obliterated. The Scotts did not play when it came to basketball. I think Dolls would be pretty decent, but Doc would be absolutely clueless. He’d just take off running without dribbling the ball and Dolls would have to teach him the rules as they play.  Dolls would be calling for the ball and Doc would just look at it with confusing eyes, “Who in tarnation is Spalding?!”

If the Wynonna Earp cast (and Emily) were in Parks & Rec, what characters would they be?

• Waverly/Leslie Knope
• Wynonna/April Ludgate
• Emily Andras/Ann Perkins
• Dolls/Ron Swanson
• Doc/Andy Dwyer – Doc is an intelligent man, but if he were to search for something on the internet, he’d definitely type the keywords into the navigation bar
• Nicole Haught/Ben Wyatt
• Rosita/Donna Meagle
• Jeremy/Tom
• Nedley/Jerry
• Lucado/Tammy #2

Here’s where to find Shanti:

@Rashantitty (personal Twitter)

Thanks so much for playing along, Shanti, and thanks so much for reading, Earpers! See you on Thursday!

Well, let me tell you about this shit ticket.

At FanExpo, I awkwardly hung out with a bunch of strangers (and my wife) while we waited in line for the Wynonna Earp panel. Happily, three of those strangers invited us to dinner with them, and I ended up walking and talking with the youngest, Michelle, a millennial from Iowa. I figured that the 10-minute discussion we had on our way to the restaurant would be the longest conversation I’d ever have with her, but…I was so, so wrong.

Somehow, despite our age difference and geographical distance (and the fact that she thinks ketchup belongs ONLY on French fries, not hot dogs), we became pretty good imaginary friends. She and Heidi and I all managed to get swept up in ClexaCon FOMO and attended, and if spending several days cramped in a casino fangirling over pretty, intelligent, talented women doesn’t make your bond stronger, I don’t know what does. Despite the fact that she took advantage of our generosity and slept on our couch for two nights (and the fact that we are both extremely socially awkward and much, much better via social media than in person), we still had a good time together. We had this great Carmilla photo op, and I made a bet with her that she’d reach 500 Twitter followers by the end of the convention, a bet which she lost. I’m still waiting for her to fulfill the terms, so at Dragon Con, she’ll be eating…a hot dog with ketchup. I may live-blog it. Or live-tweet it. But not live-stream it, because that’s creepy. 

Do you remember back in the old days when I had time to do recaps? Me too. That was fun. Anyway, they almost didn’t happen. My wife was out of town, and I had written about 3/4 of my first one. I thought it was awful. Garbage. Trash heap. I had been messaging with Michelle that night and told her how I was going to kill it. And she talked me out of it. She’s talked me down from a lot of fandom ledges over these last several months, including one where I was so upset that I contemplated walking away from writing, watching, tweeting, and everything else. She talked me down and convinced me to stay, something that I’m very happy she did, and I’m honored to call her a friend. Mostly. Even if she does call me an asshole at least twice a week.

Tell us a little bit about your non-Earper alter ego.

I have a degree in Engineering Mechanics, AKA Applied Mechanics, but work as a test engineer for drivetrain and hydraulic systems in large agricultural equipment. Basically I break shit for a living. I’m one of those people who loves CrossFit and obstacle-course races despite being one of the most accident-prone people on Earth. [ Editor’s note — this is accurate. I’ve known her for not even a year, and I can’t even tell you how many “I had to go to the hospital” stories I have heard. ] My all-time favorite show is Person of Interest — ask me about it and I won’t shut up for days. I recap Wynonna Earp, Orphan Black, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Pretty Little Liars for StarryMag.com and write random TV-related musing on my website, UntanglingSpaghetti.com. Oh, and I’m always wearing a snapback.

How did you find Wynonna Earp and the fandom?

I first heard about Wynonna Earp a few weeks before the premiere. I had actually forgotten about the premiere until I woke up from a nap and saw my phone had blown up. I ran to the living room and made it just in time to watch and live-tweet the premiere. #HaughtDamn

Is this your first fandom?

No, I’ve been involved in the PLL and Carmillla fandoms prior to Wynonna Earp BUT never to the degree I’m involved in this one.

What is your favorite fandom memory?

One time, Melanie Scrofano held my hand.

What is your favorite con memory?

By far it has to be my experience with Wynonna Earp at FanExpo last year. I was annoyed with work and life in general, so I decided on Wednesday to buy a ticket to FanExpo and drive from Iowa to Toronto on Thursday to go to the Carmilla and Wynonna Earp panels. I met some amazing people who have become some of my best friends, and I got to meet the cast and The Andras for the first time. [ Editor’s note — this is where we met, so obviously it’s the favorite. ]

What is your favorite Wynonna Earp/Earper activity?

Live-tweeting each episode with you all is the best. Aside from Wynonna Earp being an amazing show, the subculture we’ve created for ourselves is the best part of this fandom. I’ve never been with a show from the start, and getting to be a part of this community and help it grow has been one of the best experiences I’ve had.

What has Wynonna Earp come to mean to you?

Well, that’s a loaded question. I believe that storytelling is one of the most important aspects of our culture. It’s how we share knowledge, and it’s where we go to learn things about ourselves. Wynonna Earp tells a story about hunting demons in a town called Purgatory, but the show is about unapologetically being yourself, flaws and all. We live in a ridiculously judgmental world that tells us day in and day out that we need to change ourselves to fit into a mold, but every week for one hour, I get to sit down and hang out with a group of open-minded people watching a show that tells us to embrace our flaws.

Are there any pictures you’d like to share of your Wynonna Earp experience?

A gaggle of Fandras at C2E2.

At ClexaCon, in which I am channeling fellow Yinzer @VisitPurgatory and closing my eyes. Thanks for picking such a flattering picture, Michelle. You’re the best.

Dolls or Doc?

I’ve got to go with Doc, and it definitely has nothing to do with me being envious of his wardrobe.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you Fandras?

I bought a ticket to C2E2 just to join my fellow Fandras in annoying Emily. I don’t know where that lands on the scale, so I’ll leave ranking to you.

[ Editor’s note — 7. Points deducted for using her correct name. ]

Describe why Fandras is a thing in 7 words or less.

Because I said it is?

What is your favorite Earp sister moment?

Every Earp sister moment is my favorite. If I had to pick one, I guess I the horrible moment when that claw-handed shit ticket chopped off Waverly’s hand. Wynonna’s reaction to seeing her baby sister hurt showed just how much Wynonna loves and cares about Waverly. I think my favorite moment by the end of season two will be when Wynonna finally finds out that Waverly isn’t biologically an Earp. I’m positive that Wynonna will agree with Nicole — Waverly’s the Earpiest Earp, blood or not.

How have you Earped your life?

Wynonna Earp is all about being unapologetically yourself, which is difficult for me living as a queer woman working in a male-dominated field in a relatively conservative, Fox News-watching, Cheeto-loving area. At work, I have to play ridiculous games to get shit done without ruffling too many patriarchal feathers, but when it was time to negotiate a new job offer, I went the full Wynonna and was unapologetically me. Nailed the meeting, got the job, and now have my very own minion.

What’s the Earpiest thing you’ve ever done?

I had a horrible day at work, so I spent my lunch break in my car watching Wynonna Earp on my phone.

How are you most like Randy Nedley?

I, too, am a firm believer in galpalitis

The Machine gives Root and company Willa’s number at the end of season one. What do they do and what happens?

First off, I love that you said, “Root and company” instead of Team Machine. Way to respect my ride-or-die queer character. All right, what would Team Machine do with Willa? Willa would pull a season-one-finale Root, except she’d fail. With Root and Shaw on the team, they’d quickly piece together that Willa is in cahoots with Bobo. Root would tail Willa. Shaw would tail Bobo. Harold and his fucking glasses would sit around uselessly while John snooped around Shorty’s. John would find the basement lab, free Doc, and manage to get shot at least once. Shaw would overhear Bobo’s talk with Waverly, and when John reports on the basement lab, she’d kneecap him. Then after everything’s over, she’d pull Waverly aside and have a Gen moment. Root would get into a firefight with Willa like she was some sort of Martine and kneecap her. They’d deliver Bobo and Willa to Black Badge and head on their merry way to their next number.

[ Editor’s note — I only understood about 64% of this, but…cool! ]

Wynonna pulls Peacemaker on you. What does it do?

Well, I haven’t touched any goo recently, so I don’t think it would glow orange. It might glow blue if Wynonna caught me on a bad day… #Slytherin

Here’s where you can find Michelle:

@micnic1291 (personal Twitter)

http://untanglingspaghetti.com/ (personal blog)

Thanks for reading, my friends. I hope you enjoyed it. Michelle is one of my favorite Earpers, but please don’t tell her. She gets all twitchy when you say nice things.

See you all back here next week!

It’s no secret that one of my favorite things about being an Earper is the community. I have had the fortune of meeting so, so many awesome people, both in person at conventions and just via social media, especially the Twitter. I think I first started interacting with Bailey when I caught up with Supergirl, and we share a lot of similar views about things (like Alex Danvers — yes, please). We have shared a few deep conversations about life stuff…and also less deep conversations about pretty, pretty ladites.

We share a love for Supergirl, Star Wars, Buffy, Parks and Rec, and, obviously, Wynonna Earp. And little did I know until she did this EarperView that we shared an affinity for one of my all-time favorite shows, Chuck! Like, seriously, we are basically TV show twins. I’m hoping that she follows through with her promise and we get to meet at ClexaCon next year.

Tell us a little bit about your non-Earper alter ego.
I’m a socialist lesbian trans woman living in Texas and debating how quickly I can move to Seattle. I am currently a lawyer waiting to work up the courage to try to find a career I actually care anything about. For non-Wynonna Earp-related funsies, I enjoy going to bars with friends, watching and writing about basketball, and playing video games.

How did you find Wynonna Earp and the fandom?
From basically all of my fellow #QueerEl gay-lady Supergirl fans on Twitter. Probably. I just remember seeing a lot of my mutuals talking about the show on Twitter, watched the first couple, and then immediately bought the whole first season on Amazon Prime and watched it like three times in the course of a couple of months.

Is this your first fandom?
Not even close, but it may be my favorite. Star Wars was my first, but my many fandoms include Harry Potter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, DC TV, LOST, Chuck, and the Magicians Trilogy.

What is your favorite fandom memory?
I’m not great at remembering memories, but my favorite recent memory was livetweeting and sharing experiences with other queer ladies on Twitter and other internet forums when we all saw some version of our own story depicted in Alex Danvers’ coming-out story in Supergirl. Crying together, shouting together, sharing gifs on gifs on gifs… My favorite thing about fandom is the shared emotional experiences, for sure.

What is your favorite con memory?
I regret to confess that I’ve never been to a con. I’m something of a socially anxious introvert, and all of my geek friends live on the internet, rather than in real life. As a result, I’ve never made it out to a con. However, after reading about everyone’s lovely experiences at ClexaCon, I am determined to go to the next one, no matter what.

What is your favorite Wynonna Earp/Earper activity?
Live tweeting. Easily. I’d love to have Earper watch parties, but my couple of local Earper friends are often busy on Friday nights. I love the shared experience of watching the episode together. And then reading everyone’s feelings afterwards!

What has Wynonna Earp come to mean to you?
Earpers are the most positive group of fans on the internet, hands down. So for me, that’s what Wynonna Earp means. It means just pure, unadulterated love and support and enthusiasm for this crazy-awesome show that we all obsess over. That feeling extends from Emily through the entire cast and into all of the fandom. I love it.

Favorite Earp sisters moment?
Basically anytime Wynonna calls Waverly “Baby Girl.” But the exchange in “She Ain’t Right” really got to me, when Waverly just wanted to go “full Wynonna” and Wynonna retorts that she should stick to being Waverly because “she’s pretty great.” Then Waves opens up about something being off with her. The Earp sisters both love and admire each other so much, despite being so very different. I love them.

Are there any pictures you’d like to share of your Wynonna Earp experience?
Alas. No such photos exist…yet.

Dolls or Doc?
I go back and forth on this. But now that Dolls is a dragon, I think I’m firmly in his camp.

How have you Earped your life?

I make everyone I know watch Wynonna Earp. I’m here to convert the masses, and especially my queer lady friends because #WayHaught is the bee’s knees. So far I’ve gotten my ex-wife, my best friend, and my brother into the fandom, and it’s always one of the first questions I ask when I’m on a date haha.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you Fandras?

11 of 10. Would recommend.

Describe why Fandras is a thing in 7 words or less.Here’s
One of us! One of us!

What would Ron Swanson think of Wynonna Earp?
Ron Swanson would refuse to answer this question. Canada is the worst, and not worth considering. He likes that Wynonna girl’s commitment to whiskey, but she should come to the USA.

If Alex Danvers had a special assignment in Purgatory, how would she get along with the Earp crew?
Alex Danvers and Nicole Haught would kick so much ass. Alex would bridge the divide between Black Badge and the Purgatory sheriff’s office, much like she does for the DEO and the National City police. But Alex would connect most with Waverly, who reminds her so much of her own goofy little sister.

Here’s where you can find Bailey:

@BaileyGrey789 (personal Twitter)

Thanks for reading, Earpers. See you next week with more EarperViews!

At ClexaCon, I had the pleasure of meeting several people I knew from Twitter, and also several people I had never interacted with. Catherine was from the latter category. She was a friend of a friend and ended up being a part of a group who went for dinner and ice cream on our last day of the con. We bonded over our mutual Fandras-ing, share a love of Buffy and Tara, and she enjoyed the perks of my tour-guide wife leading us all around Sin City. If I need to discuss something on TV so nitpicky that I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, Catherine is my go-to because the chances that she’s already thought of it are high.

Tell us a little bit about your non-Earper alter ego.

I have a pretty boring day job that I was only going to spend 6 months at (it’s been 2 years), but I’m working on getting my social work license so I can find a job in that field. I spend more time than I should watching TV, and I also write for a pop-culture site, 4 Your Excitement.

How did you find Wynonna Earp and the fandom?

I saw people talking about it before it premiered and decided to check it out with my Twitter friends. I knew Emily Andras was involved and there was a promise of gay things, and that was enough to get me into it. The fandom kind of came along with that.

Is this your first fandom? 

No, but it’s definitely the best fandom. The first fandom I was really in was the Once Upon a Time fandom (pretty much from the beginning).

What is your favorite fandom memory? 

This isn’t Wynonna Earp, but one of my favorite fandom memories was meeting Amber Benson (Tara on Buffy) a couple years ago and getting to tell her how much her character means to me. It’s hard to choose just one memory, though — so many good ones.

What is your favorite con memory?

Definitely, like, everything at ClexaCon. That’s probably cheating, but it was so great seeing all my Twitter friends in person and meeting a bunch of new people. It was also great actually getting to talk to Emily, Dom, and Kat in person since I interviewed them last year. And, you know, they’re amazing.

What is your favorite Wynonna Earp/Earper activity?

Well, I just started a podcast with another Earper at 4YE, and even though it’s still a baby podcast, it’s a lot of fun and I’m loving it.

What has Wynonna Earp come to mean to you? 

Oh, man. Everything. Is that cheesy? (Yes, but I’ll allow it.) That’s cheesy. I just love it so much. I watch a lot of TV and it’s kind of rare to see a cast that engages this much and everyone is so amazingly generous with their time and the fandom is so wonderful. I’ve also gotten to do some really cool things at 4YE because of Wynonna Earp, so that’s amazing.

Are there any pictures you’d like to share of your Wynonna Earp experience? 

Yeah, they’re on my facebook. Although I guess I could actually send them to you instead of telling you that.

What the hell, Catherine?

Dolls or Doc?

Both.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you Fandras?

12

Favorite Earp sisters moment?

Oh, god, why?! That’s so hard! I Love the relationship between Waverly and Wynonna so much. I’m going to cheat and say every time Wynonna calls her “Baby Girl.”

How have you Earped your life?

I’m pretty sure I’ve used “polite no-chill” on more than one occasion to excuse my insane fangirling.

What’s the Earpiest thing you’ve ever done?

I’m not sure if this counts, but I think it counts for no chill.. The day episode 12 aired last year, I cut a date night short by faking sick so I could make sure I was home for the episode. I had already seen it. No, we are not still together.

How are you most like Randy Nedley?

We both apparently have strong feelings about Uma Thurman in Batman.

What would happen to you if you touched the goo? 

I’d probably fight it hard in the beginning but lose to the goo. Hopefully it wouldn’t make me eat any spiders.

Ugh. Fine, Catherine. 

Here’s where to find Catherine:

@CMeushaw (personal Twitter)

@4YE_MYPPodcast (Twitter account of her Wynonna Earp podcast for 4YE)

www.4ye.co.uk/author/btvsobsessed623/ (Catherine’s writing for 4YE)