Meet Mandy...
I discovered Doctor Who quite by accident. In my formative years I spent the balmy summer months in upstate Pennsylvania with my grandparents. I’d run through the woods, catch turtles in creeks (in Penn, bugs, lizards and such won’t kill you), and play in the make shift playhouse out back. I was essentially a happy Tom Boy.
During the evenings, we’d sit down and watch television. Now, our entertainment was your run-of-the-mill odd duck child fair. The Last Unicorn, Legend, Labyrinth, and The Dark Crystal were staples.
One thing my grandmother had to watch was British television. Airing late at night, we regularly watched of Are You Being Served, Monty Python, and, of course, Doctor Who.
I’d sit in my footy pajamas on a giant pillow mesmerized by this odd science fiction consisting of plasticine creatures, funny accents, and a wicked long scarf. I wondered what Jelly Babies tasted like and wanted a tin dog so very badly.
Doctor Who was my introduction to science fiction. It shaped my pliant mind. It made me open to all possibilities. Suspension of disbelief was started early in my life and stayed strong into my adulthood. I never did grow up properly, and I’m not complaining in the least.
As an adult, I enjoy the series so much mainly because of its positive world view. Doctor Who gives us hope in humanity. It opens our minds to the possibility that you can be what you want to be, just as long as it’s 100% you. We’re all weird here, and there’s nothing wrong with the lot of it. (My name's not Joshua, it's Susan. Please respect my life choices.)
Why am I so involved in Krewe Du Who? I enjoy being a KdW member because (as I mentioned above) we’re all weird, but none of us are exactly the same. It's a group where you're accepted for who you are. We’re all understanding, caring, and insanely fun individuals. We get to share our love of the series with each other and the Nola community. All in all, we pay the kindness that Doctor Who has taught us forward in our day to day lives. And that’s freakin' awesome!
Mandy Guerra, Krewe Du Who Member and Doctor Who Enthusiast