It's November 7th. Therefore, here is my entry for Mina's blogging contest. The rules were simple: resurrect an old post that you really liked. This is one of my earliest posts, still one of my favorites, and is an absolutely flawless example of what makes me such a raging nerd. May it find favor with those who will decide the fate of the contest. And stuff.
Originally published during the first month or so of the blog's existence, here is "Video Game Lessons: Five Truths and a Lie."
Join me Mondays and Thursdays to laugh, to think, and to maybe change the world a little bit.
Showing posts with label geeks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label geeks. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Pros and Cons
I am currently engaged in a heated battle against a condition which is affectionately known as "con crud."
We were lucky; of the four of us who attended Zenkaikon this past Saturday, only I got sick. Con crud is a common affliction following a convention. When you have that many people in an enclosed area, it's only natural that germs are going to be flying. In shortest form, I have a bad cold; that's really all it is.
In light of that fact, I thought I'd devote today's blog post to some convention advice. I attempted this once in the past and was criticized for my tone, but I'm going to be upbeat and cheerful here.
We were lucky; of the four of us who attended Zenkaikon this past Saturday, only I got sick. Con crud is a common affliction following a convention. When you have that many people in an enclosed area, it's only natural that germs are going to be flying. In shortest form, I have a bad cold; that's really all it is.
In light of that fact, I thought I'd devote today's blog post to some convention advice. I attempted this once in the past and was criticized for my tone, but I'm going to be upbeat and cheerful here.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Return of the Zenkaikonventionists
Once again, hello to those of you who found your way here on account of my recent attendance at Zenkaikon. Either you were accosted by a camera-wielding shrimp in a pink dress who then pushed a business card into your hand, or you noticed my blatherings on Tumblr and came here as a result of that, or you followed the link from my profile on the Zenkaikon forums. Regardless, welcome - I hope you'll stick around.
I don't honestly have a whole lot to say about this year's con. We attended a pair of great panels. The first was about cartoons based on video games, including the so-bad-it's-good Legend of Zelda cartoon that I like to refer to as 'my childhood on DVD.' (I was actually a young teenager when it was on, but let's not split hairs.) I got to enter their video game trivia contest, and I did pretty well on the whole but got smoked out in the very end. I did take second place, though, and from the prize bag I drew a Game Boy copy of Ultimate Fighting Championship...whatever that is. The other panel was "Iron Artist: Zenkaikon," in which people competed at drawing specific things within a seven-minute time frame. That was excellent and I hope they repeat it next year.
From my beloved Fullmetal Alchemist I got to meet Mr. Sonny Strait, the voice of Maes Hughes. He's done other voices in other anime but I'm not familiar with any of them so to me, he's Hughes. He was the first cast member to sign the FMA poster I purchased in the dealer's room, and his inscription was...well, it was rather on the off-color side, and this is a family-friendly blog, so I'm not going to share it here.
Of course, what most of you came here to see are the pictures. If you spot yourself or someone you know, feel free to leave a comment here; or, if you came from Tumblr, find me over there and say hello. Thing is, though, this year there are so many pictures - and I don't know who all is what. So I put everything into my Photobucket, and I'm just going to send you over there. I hope you like what you find! If you have questions, let me know; I might be able to find the answer if I don't know it myself.
I don't honestly have a whole lot to say about this year's con. We attended a pair of great panels. The first was about cartoons based on video games, including the so-bad-it's-good Legend of Zelda cartoon that I like to refer to as 'my childhood on DVD.' (I was actually a young teenager when it was on, but let's not split hairs.) I got to enter their video game trivia contest, and I did pretty well on the whole but got smoked out in the very end. I did take second place, though, and from the prize bag I drew a Game Boy copy of Ultimate Fighting Championship...whatever that is. The other panel was "Iron Artist: Zenkaikon," in which people competed at drawing specific things within a seven-minute time frame. That was excellent and I hope they repeat it next year.
From my beloved Fullmetal Alchemist I got to meet Mr. Sonny Strait, the voice of Maes Hughes. He's done other voices in other anime but I'm not familiar with any of them so to me, he's Hughes. He was the first cast member to sign the FMA poster I purchased in the dealer's room, and his inscription was...well, it was rather on the off-color side, and this is a family-friendly blog, so I'm not going to share it here.
Of course, what most of you came here to see are the pictures. If you spot yourself or someone you know, feel free to leave a comment here; or, if you came from Tumblr, find me over there and say hello. Thing is, though, this year there are so many pictures - and I don't know who all is what. So I put everything into my Photobucket, and I'm just going to send you over there. I hope you like what you find! If you have questions, let me know; I might be able to find the answer if I don't know it myself.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Zenkaikon again
It's that time again - time for me to pack up my camera and wander vaguely southward to the Philadelphia area, where Zenkaikon will be in full swing as of tomorrow. If you read this blog last year, you might recall my post full of pictures of my fellow nerds decked out as their favorite characters from anime, fantasy, and science fiction.
This year I'll be accompanied by my husband and both of my 'partners in crime.' Andrea went with Kevin and me last year, but this is Jess's inaugural convention and we've struggled in vain to prepare her for the wonders that await her. It must be experienced to be understood. Hopefully she'll enjoy it.
As last year, next Monday's blog post will be full of pictures of costumed characters, celebrity guests, and whatever else tickles my fancy. See you then!
This year I'll be accompanied by my husband and both of my 'partners in crime.' Andrea went with Kevin and me last year, but this is Jess's inaugural convention and we've struggled in vain to prepare her for the wonders that await her. It must be experienced to be understood. Hopefully she'll enjoy it.
As last year, next Monday's blog post will be full of pictures of costumed characters, celebrity guests, and whatever else tickles my fancy. See you then!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Fish and Cancer
I love Big Fish Games. If you're a fan of games to play on your computer, you should check them out. They have online games you can play for free, and other games that you can purchase and download. That's awesome enough, but for bonus cool points, you can download a free one-hour trial of any of those games, so you can determine that you really do like it before you shell out the cash. Once you've paid for a game, it remains in your purchase history forever - so if you get a new computer, you can just go into your history and download the game onto your new computer.
BFG also has a membership club. Every month, you pay the equivalent of the cost of one game. In return, you get a virtual 'punch card' and every purchase you make earns you a punch. Six punches fills a card and earns you a coupon for a free game. Plus, every month that you pay your membership dues, you get a free game credit. Lots of free game opportunities! Not to mention the fact that club members get to buy their games at a lower price than non-members.
There's a point here, I promise.
Every day, members of the games club have access to the Daily Deal - one of the site's games that can be purchased and downloaded for only $2.99. Awesome, right?
It gets better.
October, as you have probably heard, is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States. I wish breast cancer was something about which we didn't have to be aware, but that's not a luxury we get to enjoy. Instead, we trot out the pink ribbons and do our part to help raise funds for research. It'd be amazing to see cancer eradicated...hey, we can dream.
So for the month of October 2011, Big Fish Games is offering the Daily Deal to everyone, every day, whether you're part of the games club or not. And for every Daily Deal game that gets purchased, they will donate $1, up to $100,000, to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Pretty sweet, right? You get nifty new games to play, BFG gets new people checking out their site, and the BCRF gets thousands of dollars for their noble cause. Everybody wins!
(And if you feel like you're not winning, you can always ask for help on the game forums.)
BFG also has a membership club. Every month, you pay the equivalent of the cost of one game. In return, you get a virtual 'punch card' and every purchase you make earns you a punch. Six punches fills a card and earns you a coupon for a free game. Plus, every month that you pay your membership dues, you get a free game credit. Lots of free game opportunities! Not to mention the fact that club members get to buy their games at a lower price than non-members.
There's a point here, I promise.
Every day, members of the games club have access to the Daily Deal - one of the site's games that can be purchased and downloaded for only $2.99. Awesome, right?
It gets better.
October, as you have probably heard, is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States. I wish breast cancer was something about which we didn't have to be aware, but that's not a luxury we get to enjoy. Instead, we trot out the pink ribbons and do our part to help raise funds for research. It'd be amazing to see cancer eradicated...hey, we can dream.
So for the month of October 2011, Big Fish Games is offering the Daily Deal to everyone, every day, whether you're part of the games club or not. And for every Daily Deal game that gets purchased, they will donate $1, up to $100,000, to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Pretty sweet, right? You get nifty new games to play, BFG gets new people checking out their site, and the BCRF gets thousands of dollars for their noble cause. Everybody wins!
(And if you feel like you're not winning, you can always ask for help on the game forums.)
Monday, September 12, 2011
Capes, Socks, and T-Shirts
No, I'm not proposing that as a new superhero uniform. That's a scary thought.
Instead, I'm using today's blog post to tell you about three different opportunities to do something good for someone else. In the case of the first story, it's for a specific individual. You might have heard by now about Mike Meyer, a special needs Superman fan in Missouri. Mike, who looks up to the Man of Steel, had amassed a large collection of comics and memorabilia - a large portion of which was recently stolen. The call is presently out on the internet for geeks of all sorts to unite as one (we're so good at doing that, just look at how we rallied behind the adorable Katie last year) and help remind Mike that there are a lot more heroes than villains in our world.
For details, I will redirect you to my article on the subject at AngryWeb, which includes contact information. I do want to stress that you need not be a Superman fan or specifically donate a Superman-related piece of memorabilia. If you can, and you will, that's fantastic. But you can also just send Mike a note, or a card, or a drawing. The important thing is to show him that people really do care, and that not everyone is going to take advantage of him the way his thief did.
Now, about the socks. No Nonsense is a fairly well known brand of undergarments, socks, hosiery, et cetera. They are currently running a very cool promotion on Facebook - every time someone "likes" their page, that person has the option of clicking a button (once per person). Every person who clicks will donate, at no charge to themselves, a pair of socks to a needy family in the United States. If you have a Facebook account, check out this page to like it and donate your socks, and spread the word to your friends. They're hoping to make one million sock donations, and they're not even at a tenth of the way there, so let's warm some feet!
(I know, that sounded a little dorky.)
Finally, I was recently alerted to the existence of Sevenly.org. It's an interesting premise, and a great way to support causes that mean a lot to you. Every week, for seven days, Sevenly (get that? seven days on Sevenly) will showcase a t-shirt - just one shirt. Limited edition, even! When you purchase that shirt, they donate $7 (there's that number again) to the charity of the week. Recent causes benefitting from shirt purchases included Water.org and Soles4Souls. The shirts are designed by artists from around the world.
Okay, so maybe a cape, socks and a t-shirt doesn't make for a good superhero uniform. But at least they can make you feel like a superhero.
Instead, I'm using today's blog post to tell you about three different opportunities to do something good for someone else. In the case of the first story, it's for a specific individual. You might have heard by now about Mike Meyer, a special needs Superman fan in Missouri. Mike, who looks up to the Man of Steel, had amassed a large collection of comics and memorabilia - a large portion of which was recently stolen. The call is presently out on the internet for geeks of all sorts to unite as one (we're so good at doing that, just look at how we rallied behind the adorable Katie last year) and help remind Mike that there are a lot more heroes than villains in our world.
For details, I will redirect you to my article on the subject at AngryWeb, which includes contact information. I do want to stress that you need not be a Superman fan or specifically donate a Superman-related piece of memorabilia. If you can, and you will, that's fantastic. But you can also just send Mike a note, or a card, or a drawing. The important thing is to show him that people really do care, and that not everyone is going to take advantage of him the way his thief did.
Now, about the socks. No Nonsense is a fairly well known brand of undergarments, socks, hosiery, et cetera. They are currently running a very cool promotion on Facebook - every time someone "likes" their page, that person has the option of clicking a button (once per person). Every person who clicks will donate, at no charge to themselves, a pair of socks to a needy family in the United States. If you have a Facebook account, check out this page to like it and donate your socks, and spread the word to your friends. They're hoping to make one million sock donations, and they're not even at a tenth of the way there, so let's warm some feet!
(I know, that sounded a little dorky.)
Finally, I was recently alerted to the existence of Sevenly.org. It's an interesting premise, and a great way to support causes that mean a lot to you. Every week, for seven days, Sevenly (get that? seven days on Sevenly) will showcase a t-shirt - just one shirt. Limited edition, even! When you purchase that shirt, they donate $7 (there's that number again) to the charity of the week. Recent causes benefitting from shirt purchases included Water.org and Soles4Souls. The shirts are designed by artists from around the world.
Okay, so maybe a cape, socks and a t-shirt doesn't make for a good superhero uniform. But at least they can make you feel like a superhero.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Rain, Reading, and Reviewing
I'm writing this from an extremely soggy Pennsylvania, which - after being lashed by the fury of Hurricane Irene - is currently suffering the additional indignities of the remains of Tropical Storm Lee. This past Tuesday was my birthday (I continue to be thirtysomething), and it was suggested that I had wished for more rain on my candles.
In all truth, the weather around here is a little scary of late. Flooding is happening all over the place; the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is recommending no unnecessary travel through the eastern part of the commonwealth. Rivers in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey are approaching levels they haven't reached since Hurricane Agnes visited us in 1972. I didn't exist yet at that point, so this is the worst it's been in my lifetime. The Weather Channel people are referring to it as "the Historic Northeast Flooding," capitalization theirs.
But despite the delightful squelching noises that the ground now makes when walked upon, we move forward. Today is International Literacy Day! A day when people around the world celebrate the written word! Being able to read is hugely important for adults to make informed decisions and steer this planet toward a better future. Yet almost 800 million adults are still unable to read. Check out what the International Reading Association has to say about this occasion, and find out how you can help to maybe bring that number down some.
On a final note, I recently started a second blog. The Opinionation Station is for reviewing the story quality of video games. I'm finding I have a little less to say on this subject than I originally expected. However, I may end up not needing it anyway. I'm very excited to announce that your intrepid blogger is the newest staff writer for AngryWeb, and will be doing all manner of geeky writing therein. This includes video game reviews. My first article went live a few days ago, and I think I'm going to like this gig.
Besides, hunting for nerdy news will give me something to do while I'm listening to the rain. The Weather Channel just informed me that it's expected to continue all the way through the weekend.
In all truth, the weather around here is a little scary of late. Flooding is happening all over the place; the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is recommending no unnecessary travel through the eastern part of the commonwealth. Rivers in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey are approaching levels they haven't reached since Hurricane Agnes visited us in 1972. I didn't exist yet at that point, so this is the worst it's been in my lifetime. The Weather Channel people are referring to it as "the Historic Northeast Flooding," capitalization theirs.
But despite the delightful squelching noises that the ground now makes when walked upon, we move forward. Today is International Literacy Day! A day when people around the world celebrate the written word! Being able to read is hugely important for adults to make informed decisions and steer this planet toward a better future. Yet almost 800 million adults are still unable to read. Check out what the International Reading Association has to say about this occasion, and find out how you can help to maybe bring that number down some.
On a final note, I recently started a second blog. The Opinionation Station is for reviewing the story quality of video games. I'm finding I have a little less to say on this subject than I originally expected. However, I may end up not needing it anyway. I'm very excited to announce that your intrepid blogger is the newest staff writer for AngryWeb, and will be doing all manner of geeky writing therein. This includes video game reviews. My first article went live a few days ago, and I think I'm going to like this gig.
Besides, hunting for nerdy news will give me something to do while I'm listening to the rain. The Weather Channel just informed me that it's expected to continue all the way through the weekend.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
The Goddaughter Inquiry
As I mentioned in my previous post, my goddaughter Kristie got married last weekend. Kristie and her new husband Alex are regular guests in my house; they come to stay with us at least once a year. They are easily two of my favorite people in the world, and I will sometimes talk about them at great length to anyone who will listen.
It's well known among my friends that I am thirty...something. (Let's leave it at that.) Kristie is in her mid twenties.
Of course, if you do some math, that suggests that I became a godmother when I was around ten or so, since most godparents get the job when the godchild is still a baby. Obviously that wasn't the case here, but while I was sharing wedding details with her, my coworker Sunita asked me to explain how this all came about in the first place.
Well, it's kind of a long and needlessly complicated story, but here goes.
Some six-odd years ago, I met Kristie and a small pack of other geeks who were interested in the same movie I was - The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Specifically, these geeks ran an online roleplaying game where they played as characters from the movie or additional characters they'd created. Through a series of small and generally not noteworthy circumstances, I ended up in the role of Captain Nemo on the board, and unofficial Team Mom off the board. See, as it turned out, these guys were all considerably younger than I was; Claire, the eldest (who was a bridesmaid on Saturday), was a ripe old 20.
Now, what does this have to do with my being a godmother? Well.
As the oldest and only married member of the group, and the only one who didn't still live with his or her parents, I issued a general sort of invitation for "the kids," as my husband and I had started to call them, to visit. I had great fun pointing out that both he and I had been investigated by the FBI, who found nothing, so their parents should have no qualms about our being upstanding citizens. (It's true, too. We were both federal employees for several years, the background checks were required.) The two members of the group who live in England, the aforementioned Claire and Sarah, decided to actually take me up on this and arranged to come over during Sarah's spring break from university. Kristie, who lives in Tennessee, decided to bring her little brother Jonathan and join the festivities.
This turned out to be a Really Good Thing for me, because while Claire and Sarah were here, my grandmother died. I knew it was coming; I even warned them it was a distinct possibility; and Kristie and Jon arrived the day after she went. The four of them were my greatest consolation during the very difficult days that followed, and I cried like a baby when they all left.
I'm getting to the point, honest.
Claire returned that fall for my 30th birthday party, at which Kristie and Jon were also supposed to join us but a hurricane got in the way. A month later, my grandfather - husband to the grandmother I just lost in the spring - also died. Kristie came two weeks later, which was a comfort, and we had a good visit.
Close to Christmas, I got an unexpected phone call. Kristie was on a road trip with her college choir, and they were stopping for supper at a Wendy's not too far from where I live, and would I like to drive over and see her for a bit? Of course I would! But I wasn't really prepared for what I found when I got there.
Kristie explained that trying to tell her friends that she was going to Pennsylvania to visit her 'internet mom' was a little awkward. I guess if you're not used to the concept, it does sound kind of peculiar. She also explained that in her church, the kids pick their own godparents. So as a result of these two facts, she'd decided that if we were willing, she'd like Kevin and me to take on the job.
And that's how I acquired a nineteen-year-old goddaughter in the middle of a Wendy's parking lot.
It's well known among my friends that I am thirty...something. (Let's leave it at that.) Kristie is in her mid twenties.
Of course, if you do some math, that suggests that I became a godmother when I was around ten or so, since most godparents get the job when the godchild is still a baby. Obviously that wasn't the case here, but while I was sharing wedding details with her, my coworker Sunita asked me to explain how this all came about in the first place.
Well, it's kind of a long and needlessly complicated story, but here goes.
Some six-odd years ago, I met Kristie and a small pack of other geeks who were interested in the same movie I was - The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Specifically, these geeks ran an online roleplaying game where they played as characters from the movie or additional characters they'd created. Through a series of small and generally not noteworthy circumstances, I ended up in the role of Captain Nemo on the board, and unofficial Team Mom off the board. See, as it turned out, these guys were all considerably younger than I was; Claire, the eldest (who was a bridesmaid on Saturday), was a ripe old 20.
Now, what does this have to do with my being a godmother? Well.
As the oldest and only married member of the group, and the only one who didn't still live with his or her parents, I issued a general sort of invitation for "the kids," as my husband and I had started to call them, to visit. I had great fun pointing out that both he and I had been investigated by the FBI, who found nothing, so their parents should have no qualms about our being upstanding citizens. (It's true, too. We were both federal employees for several years, the background checks were required.) The two members of the group who live in England, the aforementioned Claire and Sarah, decided to actually take me up on this and arranged to come over during Sarah's spring break from university. Kristie, who lives in Tennessee, decided to bring her little brother Jonathan and join the festivities.
This turned out to be a Really Good Thing for me, because while Claire and Sarah were here, my grandmother died. I knew it was coming; I even warned them it was a distinct possibility; and Kristie and Jon arrived the day after she went. The four of them were my greatest consolation during the very difficult days that followed, and I cried like a baby when they all left.
I'm getting to the point, honest.
Claire returned that fall for my 30th birthday party, at which Kristie and Jon were also supposed to join us but a hurricane got in the way. A month later, my grandfather - husband to the grandmother I just lost in the spring - also died. Kristie came two weeks later, which was a comfort, and we had a good visit.
Close to Christmas, I got an unexpected phone call. Kristie was on a road trip with her college choir, and they were stopping for supper at a Wendy's not too far from where I live, and would I like to drive over and see her for a bit? Of course I would! But I wasn't really prepared for what I found when I got there.
Kristie explained that trying to tell her friends that she was going to Pennsylvania to visit her 'internet mom' was a little awkward. I guess if you're not used to the concept, it does sound kind of peculiar. She also explained that in her church, the kids pick their own godparents. So as a result of these two facts, she'd decided that if we were willing, she'd like Kevin and me to take on the job.
And that's how I acquired a nineteen-year-old goddaughter in the middle of a Wendy's parking lot.
Monday, June 13, 2011
When Geeks Get Married
As I indicated in my last post, I spent this past weekend at the wedding of my beloved goddaughter, Kristie, and my equally beloved godson-in-law (formerly godson-in-law elect) Alex. I am incredibly happy that two such wonderful people were able to find each other.
This was a perfect example of what happens when two geeks get married. The ceremony is full of nerdy references.
To start with, it's worth explaining how these two met. Alex likes to dress up as Harry Potter, and Kristie sometimes dresses up as Ginny Weasley. They met in costume during a Halloween event at their former college. Everyone who knew them were pretty certain it was inevitable that they would fall in love, which they did - just like Harry and Ginny. It's also worth noting that their entire circle of college friends have Potterverse identities; Kristie's former roommate Bailey is Hermione, her husband Matt is Ron, and they have other friends to fill in almost all the other roles. Even I'm in there - my husband and I are known to their friends, even the ones who have never met us, as Molly and Arthur Weasley. (My chicken soup is apparently legendary as being magical in nature and is known by them as "Mama Weasley soup.")
So when the time came for them to get married, it was the nerdiest fairy tale in history.
Kristie's bachelorette party (which I regrettably missed because my husband and I were in transit to the wedding) had a Mad Hatter's Tea Party theme. They all wore funny hats; Kristie's was a tiny sparkling top hat attached to a white veil adorned with blue butterflies, a la Corpse Bride.
I was on hand for the festivities the day before the wedding, however, and got to help with the making of the bridesmaid bouquets. From there we went to the wedding rehearsal, where Kristie's grandfather was the officiating minister. He began by saying, "Welcome, sons of Adam, and welcome, daughters of Eve." Narnia references! Meanwhile, I perused the wedding bulletin, which included a picture of Harry and Ginny on the back cover.
At the rehearsal dinner, Alex presented his groomsmen with Scottish dirks (he and all his attendants wore kilts for the wedding) and dagger-sized Scottish Claymores.
While my husband went to the church to take pictures of the groomsmen, I stayed at the bride's parents house and photographed the getting-ready. Kristie's headpiece was a crown specifically designed to resemble Lucy's crown from the first Narnia film. Her "something borrowed" came from me - a necklace purchased from our favorite vendor at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. Her hairstyle was patterned somewhat after the Disney princesses.
Bagpipe music was provided by Will, Kristie's best friend from high school, who was also in a kilt. The flower girls wore fairy wings on their backs, made by Kristie herself. As noted above, Grandpa Minister welcomed everyone by calling them sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. References throughout the ceremony were made to the Lord of the Rings ring quest, the Harry Potter books, and Beauty and the Beast, among other things.
Being the bride's godmother, I got to be the first person escorted into the church as part of the wedding party, and the last person escorted out as part of it too. The recessional music was the ending theme from How to Train Your Dragon. And as the newlyweds exited the church to be showered in biodegradable confetti, the four groomsmen lifted their new miniature Claymores to form the sabre arch.
At the reception, the first dance was to the theme song from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, partly because Kristie once played Belle in a stage production. The wedding cake also featured a Lenox cake topper of Belle and Prince Adam. The groom's cake, meanwhile, was in the shape of Hogwarts Castle. All the music, for a gorgeously personal touch, was provided by Kristie's dad's jazz band.
The final nerdy touch is a honeymoon in Florida...where they're currently in Disney World, and will soon be on their way to visit - what else? Harry Potter World at Universal Studios.
The sad part is that I'm pretty sure there were a ton of other references in there, and I just can't remember what they all are. But it was a beautiful, gloriously geeky wedding - and a perfect fairy tale from start to finish.
Just one photo.
This was a perfect example of what happens when two geeks get married. The ceremony is full of nerdy references.
To start with, it's worth explaining how these two met. Alex likes to dress up as Harry Potter, and Kristie sometimes dresses up as Ginny Weasley. They met in costume during a Halloween event at their former college. Everyone who knew them were pretty certain it was inevitable that they would fall in love, which they did - just like Harry and Ginny. It's also worth noting that their entire circle of college friends have Potterverse identities; Kristie's former roommate Bailey is Hermione, her husband Matt is Ron, and they have other friends to fill in almost all the other roles. Even I'm in there - my husband and I are known to their friends, even the ones who have never met us, as Molly and Arthur Weasley. (My chicken soup is apparently legendary as being magical in nature and is known by them as "Mama Weasley soup.")
So when the time came for them to get married, it was the nerdiest fairy tale in history.
Kristie's bachelorette party (which I regrettably missed because my husband and I were in transit to the wedding) had a Mad Hatter's Tea Party theme. They all wore funny hats; Kristie's was a tiny sparkling top hat attached to a white veil adorned with blue butterflies, a la Corpse Bride.
I was on hand for the festivities the day before the wedding, however, and got to help with the making of the bridesmaid bouquets. From there we went to the wedding rehearsal, where Kristie's grandfather was the officiating minister. He began by saying, "Welcome, sons of Adam, and welcome, daughters of Eve." Narnia references! Meanwhile, I perused the wedding bulletin, which included a picture of Harry and Ginny on the back cover.
At the rehearsal dinner, Alex presented his groomsmen with Scottish dirks (he and all his attendants wore kilts for the wedding) and dagger-sized Scottish Claymores.
While my husband went to the church to take pictures of the groomsmen, I stayed at the bride's parents house and photographed the getting-ready. Kristie's headpiece was a crown specifically designed to resemble Lucy's crown from the first Narnia film. Her "something borrowed" came from me - a necklace purchased from our favorite vendor at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. Her hairstyle was patterned somewhat after the Disney princesses.
Bagpipe music was provided by Will, Kristie's best friend from high school, who was also in a kilt. The flower girls wore fairy wings on their backs, made by Kristie herself. As noted above, Grandpa Minister welcomed everyone by calling them sons of Adam and daughters of Eve. References throughout the ceremony were made to the Lord of the Rings ring quest, the Harry Potter books, and Beauty and the Beast, among other things.
Being the bride's godmother, I got to be the first person escorted into the church as part of the wedding party, and the last person escorted out as part of it too. The recessional music was the ending theme from How to Train Your Dragon. And as the newlyweds exited the church to be showered in biodegradable confetti, the four groomsmen lifted their new miniature Claymores to form the sabre arch.
At the reception, the first dance was to the theme song from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, partly because Kristie once played Belle in a stage production. The wedding cake also featured a Lenox cake topper of Belle and Prince Adam. The groom's cake, meanwhile, was in the shape of Hogwarts Castle. All the music, for a gorgeously personal touch, was provided by Kristie's dad's jazz band.
The final nerdy touch is a honeymoon in Florida...where they're currently in Disney World, and will soon be on their way to visit - what else? Harry Potter World at Universal Studios.
The sad part is that I'm pretty sure there were a ton of other references in there, and I just can't remember what they all are. But it was a beautiful, gloriously geeky wedding - and a perfect fairy tale from start to finish.
Just one photo.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Internet Celebrity: She's Doing It Right
So it might have caught the attention of my regular readers that I didn't update this blog at all last week. Sorry for any inconvenience that might have caused, although I have a hard time imagining any that might have resulted. I got some very distressing news on Monday and then had to go to work, so there was neither time nor energy to devote to a Monday post, and on Thursday I was assailed by a massive case of the I-don't-wannas, partially pain-induced. So I gave it up for Easter and decided to make a fresh start today.
First things first: According to several sources of variable reliability, today is Batman's 79th birthday. I'm not sure how one marks such an occasion but I thought I should at least mention it.
Moving on. It's a running mostly-joke on this blog that one of my aims in life is to become an internet celebrity. Today I'd like to tell you about my friend Lynn, who has actually accomplished it recently. I'm all finished being consumed by envy and hatred and can talk about it dispassionately. (That's a joke. She knows it, but I thought I should clarify for anyone who wondered if I'm really that petty.)
Lynn and I have known each other for a few years now, around six or seven I believe. She's one of my many internet friends with whom I became acquainted on account of our being mutually fluent in a language I like to call Incoherent Fangirl. It's a dialect of Geek. We only have a few fandoms in common, and her celebrity status is linked to one we don't share. It's perhaps a disgrace to my geek status that I'm just not a fan of Doctor Who; my husband is, and has been for a good twenty years or more, but it's honestly not my thing.
It's Lynn's thing, though. So earlier this month, when BBC America held a Who premiere mini-con in New York, she did what she always does when they do that: she packed up her collection of Who action figures, hopped a bus to New York, and spent several hours sitting in line.
In the process, she became an inadvertent media darling.
First it was the New York Times, which did a nice little write-up about the fandom's camaraderie. Lynn's figurines are in the picture at the very bottom of the article, although Lynn herself is not in evidence.
She can be seen (she's the cute bespectacled pixie) in this picture, which turned up in someone's Flickr collection of pictures from the event.
The action figures are at 1:03 in this video featured on Doctor Who Online. Lynn is then interviewed by Robyn Schneider at 3:44 about her previous adventures with the collection.
To quote the redoubtable Ferb of Disney's Phineas and Ferb, "Fame is fleeting, but the internet is forever." So I wanted to celebrate my friend's fame, however fleeting, in a blog post.
None of this is what makes Lynn cool. Lynn was already cool. She is one of the most internet famous people I personally know; multiple times I have acquired a new friend online only to discover that we both know her already. This most recently happened with our mutual friend Caroline, whose comment upon the discovery was "Is there anyone she doesn't know?"
Probably there are. But there are an awful lot of people who know her - the girl with the Doctor Who dolls.
First things first: According to several sources of variable reliability, today is Batman's 79th birthday. I'm not sure how one marks such an occasion but I thought I should at least mention it.
Moving on. It's a running mostly-joke on this blog that one of my aims in life is to become an internet celebrity. Today I'd like to tell you about my friend Lynn, who has actually accomplished it recently. I'm all finished being consumed by envy and hatred and can talk about it dispassionately. (That's a joke. She knows it, but I thought I should clarify for anyone who wondered if I'm really that petty.)
Lynn and I have known each other for a few years now, around six or seven I believe. She's one of my many internet friends with whom I became acquainted on account of our being mutually fluent in a language I like to call Incoherent Fangirl. It's a dialect of Geek. We only have a few fandoms in common, and her celebrity status is linked to one we don't share. It's perhaps a disgrace to my geek status that I'm just not a fan of Doctor Who; my husband is, and has been for a good twenty years or more, but it's honestly not my thing.
It's Lynn's thing, though. So earlier this month, when BBC America held a Who premiere mini-con in New York, she did what she always does when they do that: she packed up her collection of Who action figures, hopped a bus to New York, and spent several hours sitting in line.
In the process, she became an inadvertent media darling.
First it was the New York Times, which did a nice little write-up about the fandom's camaraderie. Lynn's figurines are in the picture at the very bottom of the article, although Lynn herself is not in evidence.
She can be seen (she's the cute bespectacled pixie) in this picture, which turned up in someone's Flickr collection of pictures from the event.
The action figures are at 1:03 in this video featured on Doctor Who Online. Lynn is then interviewed by Robyn Schneider at 3:44 about her previous adventures with the collection.
To quote the redoubtable Ferb of Disney's Phineas and Ferb, "Fame is fleeting, but the internet is forever." So I wanted to celebrate my friend's fame, however fleeting, in a blog post.
None of this is what makes Lynn cool. Lynn was already cool. She is one of the most internet famous people I personally know; multiple times I have acquired a new friend online only to discover that we both know her already. This most recently happened with our mutual friend Caroline, whose comment upon the discovery was "Is there anyone she doesn't know?"
Probably there are. But there are an awful lot of people who know her - the girl with the Doctor Who dolls.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Interview with the Blog Alchemist
I had no subject for today's blog post. I went completely blank. Even a perusal of my list of emergency backup subjects didn't give me anything I thought would work. So I did the most intelligent thing I could think of (insert your own smart remark here) and summoned my friend Naomi. If her name sounds familiar, it should; she's been mentioned in previous blog posts, as the Australian college student who stayed with me a few times during her study abroad session here in America, most notably for Thanksgiving.
Naomi is going to make up questions and I am going to answer them. This will constitute my first-ever vaguely interactive blog post, because I am writing it while the interview takes place over instant messenger. (Just to clarify that subject line, "the Blog Alchemist" is my unofficial rank in the Risembool Rangers.)
Naomi: So I will just fire questions randomly as they occur to me, then!
Laura: Exactly!
Naomi: What's your favorite thing about your hometown?
Laura: Well, I've lived here all my life, so I know where everything is. Oh, and my husband is here. But probably the coolest thing is that it's really close to everything without actually being in the middle of anything - it's a little town, but I have access to big cities and mountains and farms and all that.
Naomi: What are your top three video games, and why?
Laura: *thinking that this is slightly non-sequitir* My favorite game of all time is 'The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past,' mostly for nostalgia reasons; I played it when I was sixteen, solved every puzzle by myself, and it was long and challenging and I fell in love with the story. Every other Zelda game ever made would probably be tied for second place, because I love them all. And I don't know what would go in the third spot, because my addictions tend to revolve.
Naomi: Would you rather go without reading or writing?
Laura: No, not if I can help it.
Naomi: That's not what I meant.
Laura: I know, but it's my blog.
Naomi: The desert island question de riguer - you're stuck on a desert island for a year. Assuming you have a regular supply of food and a way of making a shelter, what book would you bring, what non-essential food item would you bring, and what other item would you bring?
Laura: Let's see. My book of choice would probably be my Jane Austen anthology, because I can read Pride and Prejudice at least once a week and not get sick of it. My non-essential food item would be chocolate chip cookies. And my other item - does Kevin count as an item? If not, it would have to be a supply of pens and notebooks.
Naomi: Congratulations, you just won a major prize! Your choices: have all of your bare essentials paid off for the rest of your life, or get something big, splashy, and luxurious that you'd probably never able to afford short of being the CEO of a major company. What do you choose?
Laura: The...first one.
Naomi: What were your three biggest influences growing up?
Laura: Positive or negative?
Naomi: Any.
Laura: Let's stick with the positive ones. That'd be my grandfather, my mother, and my high school journalism teacher, Mr. Stehman.
Naomi: Congratulations, you've just found yourself in Hyrule. What do you do now? Follow Link on his adventures, hang out in Castle Town, get harassed by cuccos...?
Laura: And this is why I ask a fellow nerd to interview me. Let me think. Which era of Hyrule am I in? Because that will radically influence my answer. If it's Twilight Princess Hyrule, I'll be in the library with Shad learning about the Oocca. But if it's the original game, then I want to borrow Link's raft and ride it over the waterfall. And if it's Link to the Past, I want to go into the Dark World and see what it would change me into. And...
Naomi: I get it. Moving on.
Laura: What?
Naomi: You've had a lot of interesting jobs in your life. Which has been your favourite, and what made it stand out?
Laura: Well, I've really enjoyed most of the jobs I've had, actually. Probably my favorite was the ten years I spent working for the Internal Revenue Service - no, I'm not kidding. It was a great job. It paid well, my coworkers were generally pleasant, I got to listen to audiobooks while I worked, and the benefits were terrific.
Naomi: You come home one day to find a package waiting for you. It contains that one thing you've always wanted. What's inside it?
Laura: My marbles!
Naomi: What does your dream home look like?
Laura: It's clean. And somebody else keeps it that way.
Naomi: That's ten. Should we stop?
Laura: Probably.
Naomi: You should do this once a month - have one of your friends interview you like this. It's fun!
Laura: Maybe I will! Let's see who volunteers.
Naomi: ...so is that it? How do you end a post like this?
Laura: You know, I don't know. Usually when I read interviews, they end with some kind of witty commentary.
Naomi: Can't you be witty?
Laura: If I could be witty at the drop of a hat, I wouldn't have needed you to interview me for the blog.
Naomi is going to make up questions and I am going to answer them. This will constitute my first-ever vaguely interactive blog post, because I am writing it while the interview takes place over instant messenger. (Just to clarify that subject line, "the Blog Alchemist" is my unofficial rank in the Risembool Rangers.)
Naomi: So I will just fire questions randomly as they occur to me, then!
Laura: Exactly!
Naomi: What's your favorite thing about your hometown?
Laura: Well, I've lived here all my life, so I know where everything is. Oh, and my husband is here. But probably the coolest thing is that it's really close to everything without actually being in the middle of anything - it's a little town, but I have access to big cities and mountains and farms and all that.
Naomi: What are your top three video games, and why?
Laura: *thinking that this is slightly non-sequitir* My favorite game of all time is 'The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past,' mostly for nostalgia reasons; I played it when I was sixteen, solved every puzzle by myself, and it was long and challenging and I fell in love with the story. Every other Zelda game ever made would probably be tied for second place, because I love them all. And I don't know what would go in the third spot, because my addictions tend to revolve.
Naomi: Would you rather go without reading or writing?
Laura: No, not if I can help it.
Naomi: That's not what I meant.
Laura: I know, but it's my blog.
Naomi: The desert island question de riguer - you're stuck on a desert island for a year. Assuming you have a regular supply of food and a way of making a shelter, what book would you bring, what non-essential food item would you bring, and what other item would you bring?
Laura: Let's see. My book of choice would probably be my Jane Austen anthology, because I can read Pride and Prejudice at least once a week and not get sick of it. My non-essential food item would be chocolate chip cookies. And my other item - does Kevin count as an item? If not, it would have to be a supply of pens and notebooks.
Naomi: Congratulations, you just won a major prize! Your choices: have all of your bare essentials paid off for the rest of your life, or get something big, splashy, and luxurious that you'd probably never able to afford short of being the CEO of a major company. What do you choose?
Laura: The...first one.
Naomi: What were your three biggest influences growing up?
Laura: Positive or negative?
Naomi: Any.
Laura: Let's stick with the positive ones. That'd be my grandfather, my mother, and my high school journalism teacher, Mr. Stehman.
Naomi: Congratulations, you've just found yourself in Hyrule. What do you do now? Follow Link on his adventures, hang out in Castle Town, get harassed by cuccos...?
Laura: And this is why I ask a fellow nerd to interview me. Let me think. Which era of Hyrule am I in? Because that will radically influence my answer. If it's Twilight Princess Hyrule, I'll be in the library with Shad learning about the Oocca. But if it's the original game, then I want to borrow Link's raft and ride it over the waterfall. And if it's Link to the Past, I want to go into the Dark World and see what it would change me into. And...
Naomi: I get it. Moving on.
Laura: What?
Naomi: You've had a lot of interesting jobs in your life. Which has been your favourite, and what made it stand out?
Laura: Well, I've really enjoyed most of the jobs I've had, actually. Probably my favorite was the ten years I spent working for the Internal Revenue Service - no, I'm not kidding. It was a great job. It paid well, my coworkers were generally pleasant, I got to listen to audiobooks while I worked, and the benefits were terrific.
Naomi: You come home one day to find a package waiting for you. It contains that one thing you've always wanted. What's inside it?
Laura: My marbles!
Naomi: What does your dream home look like?
Laura: It's clean. And somebody else keeps it that way.
Naomi: That's ten. Should we stop?
Laura: Probably.
Naomi: You should do this once a month - have one of your friends interview you like this. It's fun!
Laura: Maybe I will! Let's see who volunteers.
Naomi: ...so is that it? How do you end a post like this?
Laura: You know, I don't know. Usually when I read interviews, they end with some kind of witty commentary.
Naomi: Can't you be witty?
Laura: If I could be witty at the drop of a hat, I wouldn't have needed you to interview me for the blog.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Nerd Girls Unite
So, I'm a nerd.
(In other news, water is wet.)
I'm also a girl (well, woman if we're being technical, I'm a bit old to be a girl) and sometimes it seems like the two terms still aren't as meshed as I might want to think. For instance, over on the Blistered Thumbs community message boards, I'm the only female forum moderator; I can count the actual known female participants in this video game website on both hands. That's maybe 5% of the forum population.
Now, by comparison, the majority of the Risembool Rangers are female, and very nerdy indeed. So it's a bit of a diverse world, and probably the only thing that can be determined for sure is that I spend entirely too much time on the internet. (However, I'm still trying to conquer it, and therefore I think that's to be expected.)
Anyway, the main point of this post is to share two places online where my fellow female nerds have made homes for themselves. I've already talked about the Geek Girls Network, where I've contributed bits and bobs to the collection. These are on the same wavelength.
First up are the Fantastic Fangirls, who have carved out a section of the internet where they can geek out about comic books and culture. I discovered the existence of the FF when I became friendly with one of them, Caroline, owing to our mutual love of Fullmetal Alchemist. Caroline and her compatriots Sigrid, Jennifer, and Anika spread the word about their favorite comics and characters, often in funny and thought-provoking ways. For instance, they recently tried to decide how their favorite comic characters would spend a birthday. My personal comic book knowledge is limited almost exclusively to the old Legend of Zelda comic books and the humorous reviews of the esteemed Linkara, so I find FF to be educational on a point of nerdiness which is outside of my own expertise.
Recently, the Fantastic Fangirls have begun a foray into podcasting, which can be accessed from the same address. They're waiting patiently for their existence to be acknowledged by iTunes.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the internet...
Fangirl Magazine is an online publication whose tagline declares that they are "All geek all the time...with a woman's touch." They are led by the fearless Jessica, and among their number is my beloved and talented friend Ella, who does art pieces for their various posts. Unlike the FF, who focus on comics, FM covers a broad spectrum of nerdosity including movies, cartoons, con reports, and reviews of different media productions. FM is also available in podcast form. If it appeals to the nerdy masses, and if it particularly appeals to the female nerdy masses, they're on it.
Sadly, the "Centerfold of the Month" feature seems to have been discontinued. But the archives remain for future enjoyment.
(In other news, water is wet.)
I'm also a girl (well, woman if we're being technical, I'm a bit old to be a girl) and sometimes it seems like the two terms still aren't as meshed as I might want to think. For instance, over on the Blistered Thumbs community message boards, I'm the only female forum moderator; I can count the actual known female participants in this video game website on both hands. That's maybe 5% of the forum population.
Now, by comparison, the majority of the Risembool Rangers are female, and very nerdy indeed. So it's a bit of a diverse world, and probably the only thing that can be determined for sure is that I spend entirely too much time on the internet. (However, I'm still trying to conquer it, and therefore I think that's to be expected.)
Anyway, the main point of this post is to share two places online where my fellow female nerds have made homes for themselves. I've already talked about the Geek Girls Network, where I've contributed bits and bobs to the collection. These are on the same wavelength.
First up are the Fantastic Fangirls, who have carved out a section of the internet where they can geek out about comic books and culture. I discovered the existence of the FF when I became friendly with one of them, Caroline, owing to our mutual love of Fullmetal Alchemist. Caroline and her compatriots Sigrid, Jennifer, and Anika spread the word about their favorite comics and characters, often in funny and thought-provoking ways. For instance, they recently tried to decide how their favorite comic characters would spend a birthday. My personal comic book knowledge is limited almost exclusively to the old Legend of Zelda comic books and the humorous reviews of the esteemed Linkara, so I find FF to be educational on a point of nerdiness which is outside of my own expertise.
Recently, the Fantastic Fangirls have begun a foray into podcasting, which can be accessed from the same address. They're waiting patiently for their existence to be acknowledged by iTunes.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the internet...
Fangirl Magazine is an online publication whose tagline declares that they are "All geek all the time...with a woman's touch." They are led by the fearless Jessica, and among their number is my beloved and talented friend Ella, who does art pieces for their various posts. Unlike the FF, who focus on comics, FM covers a broad spectrum of nerdosity including movies, cartoons, con reports, and reviews of different media productions. FM is also available in podcast form. If it appeals to the nerdy masses, and if it particularly appeals to the female nerdy masses, they're on it.
Sadly, the "Centerfold of the Month" feature seems to have been discontinued. But the archives remain for future enjoyment.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Zenkaikonventionists
Hello to all of my new friends and readers from Zenkaikon! My husband, Andrea and I were there this past Saturday and we had a lot of fun.
I half want to describe everything we did, but on the other hand, I know that most of the people who came in search of this post are really just here for the pictures. So I'm going to try to do a little of both. My standard photo disclaimer: I took and own the copyright on all of the pictures contained in this post. If you're in any of them and you want to take them for your own private use, feel free. If you want to share them on your Facebook or wherever, that's okay too; all I ask is that you credit me and, if possible, toss up a link back to this blog. That's not asking much, right? Enjoy!
For me, the big draw of Zenkaikon - besides how close it is to where I live - is that Vic Mignogna was going to be there. You might remember I geeked out about meeting him up at Genericon last month, and I was excited at the chance to see him again, especially since I've gotten into some of his anime (specifically, Fullmetal Alchemist) since then and all three of us have joined his official fan club, the Risembool Rangers. In fact, the Rangers had something up our collective sleeves, but I'll get to that in time.
Vic and his pal/FMA costar Todd Haberkorn participated in "Anime Password," which was the first event we went to see once we registered for the con. Along with playing with people from the audience, they had a final round in which they attempted to score 5,000 points; if they did, the host would donate $75 to Japan earthquake relief, and Vic promised to match it. (They did, of course!) They also circulated collection buckets for those of us in the audience.
Our second event was Vic's Q&A, at which he sang for us, answered questions, and showed us the con-viewable-only fan movie Fullmetal Fantasy. He and some of his FMA costars dressed up as the characters they voice and ran around acting crazy, and it was hysterically awesome.
The only other panel we attended was the "Abuse the Author" presentation by C. J. Henderson, which was both funny and - to a writer like me - very informative. Mr. Henderson somehow reminded me of my drama teacher from high school.
For the rest, we chiefly wandered around Artists' Alley and the dealer room, both of which were larger than the ones at Genericon. Andrea gifted me with a Roy Mustang plushie. I took many, many pictures of people in costume, not all of whom I can identify, unfortunately. But here goes.
I wasn't in the line for Vic's autograph because we were scheduled to have dinner with him after the con. That's right; the local Risembool Rangers were all meeting at the Cheesecake Factory in the King of Prussia Mall for dinner with Vic and Todd! Unfortunately, they screwed up with our reservation situation, and then Vic and Todd couldn't stay for the meal anyway - but they did come and spend some time with us before they headed off to do what they needed to do! They are lovely, lovely gentlemen, both of them.
(Also, thanks to everyone who has helped to clear up some of the mystery characters!)
I half want to describe everything we did, but on the other hand, I know that most of the people who came in search of this post are really just here for the pictures. So I'm going to try to do a little of both. My standard photo disclaimer: I took and own the copyright on all of the pictures contained in this post. If you're in any of them and you want to take them for your own private use, feel free. If you want to share them on your Facebook or wherever, that's okay too; all I ask is that you credit me and, if possible, toss up a link back to this blog. That's not asking much, right? Enjoy!
For me, the big draw of Zenkaikon - besides how close it is to where I live - is that Vic Mignogna was going to be there. You might remember I geeked out about meeting him up at Genericon last month, and I was excited at the chance to see him again, especially since I've gotten into some of his anime (specifically, Fullmetal Alchemist) since then and all three of us have joined his official fan club, the Risembool Rangers. In fact, the Rangers had something up our collective sleeves, but I'll get to that in time.
Vic and his pal/FMA costar Todd Haberkorn participated in "Anime Password," which was the first event we went to see once we registered for the con. Along with playing with people from the audience, they had a final round in which they attempted to score 5,000 points; if they did, the host would donate $75 to Japan earthquake relief, and Vic promised to match it. (They did, of course!) They also circulated collection buckets for those of us in the audience.
- Password #1
- Password #2
- Can you guess what the password was?
- Todd calls Vic's mother to report on her son's behavior
- Greeting fans after the game
- Todd with Kevin and Andrea
Our second event was Vic's Q&A, at which he sang for us, answered questions, and showed us the con-viewable-only fan movie Fullmetal Fantasy. He and some of his FMA costars dressed up as the characters they voice and ran around acting crazy, and it was hysterically awesome.
The only other panel we attended was the "Abuse the Author" presentation by C. J. Henderson, which was both funny and - to a writer like me - very informative. Mr. Henderson somehow reminded me of my drama teacher from high school.
For the rest, we chiefly wandered around Artists' Alley and the dealer room, both of which were larger than the ones at Genericon. Andrea gifted me with a Roy Mustang plushie. I took many, many pictures of people in costume, not all of whom I can identify, unfortunately. But here goes.
- Legend of Zelda characters
- Twilight Princess Ganondorf
- Red Link
- Imp Midna
- Wind Waker-timeline Princess Zelda
- Link
- Sheik
- Fullmetal Alchemist characters
- Winry (from a distance and regrettably blurry)
- Envy
- Alphonse and Edward Elric
- Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye, with plush Hayate and Envy
- Another Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye
- Fuhrer King Bradley
- Assorted Other Characters
- Members of Organization XIII (Kingdom Hearts)
- Marth and Ike (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
- Squall Leonhart (Final Fantasy)
- Yuna and Sora (Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts)
- Somebody from Princess Tutu
- The Mad Hatter
- Ash and Pikachu (Pokemon)
- Speed Racer
- Altair (Assassin's Creed)
- The Akatsuki (Naruto)
- Somebody I thought was Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen, but apparently not!
- The First Doctor, and my husband (Doctor Who)
- The Eleventh Doctor (Doctor Who)
- Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy)
- Captain Harlock and Pirate Queen Esmereldas (Galaxy Express)
- Two of the vendor room merchants, who like Renaissance faires
I wasn't in the line for Vic's autograph because we were scheduled to have dinner with him after the con. That's right; the local Risembool Rangers were all meeting at the Cheesecake Factory in the King of Prussia Mall for dinner with Vic and Todd! Unfortunately, they screwed up with our reservation situation, and then Vic and Todd couldn't stay for the meal anyway - but they did come and spend some time with us before they headed off to do what they needed to do! They are lovely, lovely gentlemen, both of them.
- A very effective way to make sure everyone found each other
- Our heroes arrive!
- Todd spots Andrea's "Angry Birds" hat and talks to her about the game
- I reunite with Vic, and it feels like reuniting with an old friend
- He opens the gift I brought him from my store
- They sign autographs and tell us they love us before heading out
(Also, thanks to everyone who has helped to clear up some of the mystery characters!)
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Special Edition: More Help for Japan
Well, technically it's past midnight here, so I didn't manage to update this on Friday like I said I would. But hey, it's still Friday in other parts of the United States, so it counts.
Anyway, in Monday's blog post I talked about some different and creative ways you can help the relief effort in Japan following the massive earthquake and resultant tsunami. I'm back with a couple more.
First up, from my redoubtable friend Kate, the news that there is an organization which unites two of my personal great loves in life - Harry Potter and altruism. Why, why did I not know before now about the HP Alliance?? Why has no one told me of this? Well, this weekend (that is to say, March 19th and 20th), they're doing their part to help. They raised more than $100,000 to help with the relief efforts after last year's Haitian earthquake, and now they're hard at work once again. If you live near a Borders - that is to say, a Borders that isn't in the process of closing, as my local branch regrettably is - you can participate. Just go to this website and download and print the document. (You'll need Adobe Reader to do it.) Take it to Borders and a percentage of whatever you spend will be donated to the relief effort. Couldn't be easier!
Meanwhile, from my beloved Geek Girls Network comes the Geeks With Heart Campaign. We of the GGN are urging our nerdy brethren to join us in raising money for Mercy Corps. Our goal is $2,500. Can you help?
Tomorrow I'll be spending the day at Zenkaikon in King of Prussia (near Philadelphia). The con has announced that they'll be collecting money for the relief effort, and several of the vendors in their Artists' Alley will be doing various things to help as well. If you're there or plan to be there, please check the website to see how you can contribute while you're geeking out.
We can do this. I know we can.
Anyway, in Monday's blog post I talked about some different and creative ways you can help the relief effort in Japan following the massive earthquake and resultant tsunami. I'm back with a couple more.
First up, from my redoubtable friend Kate, the news that there is an organization which unites two of my personal great loves in life - Harry Potter and altruism. Why, why did I not know before now about the HP Alliance?? Why has no one told me of this? Well, this weekend (that is to say, March 19th and 20th), they're doing their part to help. They raised more than $100,000 to help with the relief efforts after last year's Haitian earthquake, and now they're hard at work once again. If you live near a Borders - that is to say, a Borders that isn't in the process of closing, as my local branch regrettably is - you can participate. Just go to this website and download and print the document. (You'll need Adobe Reader to do it.) Take it to Borders and a percentage of whatever you spend will be donated to the relief effort. Couldn't be easier!
Meanwhile, from my beloved Geek Girls Network comes the Geeks With Heart Campaign. We of the GGN are urging our nerdy brethren to join us in raising money for Mercy Corps. Our goal is $2,500. Can you help?
Tomorrow I'll be spending the day at Zenkaikon in King of Prussia (near Philadelphia). The con has announced that they'll be collecting money for the relief effort, and several of the vendors in their Artists' Alley will be doing various things to help as well. If you're there or plan to be there, please check the website to see how you can contribute while you're geeking out.
We can do this. I know we can.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Geeks and Grandma
Partly by request, I'm going back to my silly roots for today's post. I have two completely different topics to cover.
The first is the existence of the Geek of the Week trading cards. Behold the deck to end all decks! 52 trading cards, one for each week of the year, featuring geeks of legendary status. Unsurprisingly, this inaugural edition of the cards features such giants of geekdom as John Scalzi, Wil Wheaton, Felicia Day, Weird Al Yankovic, and of course, Neil Gaiman.
As a lifelong dork of horrifying magnitude (at least, it always seemed to horrify certain relatives), I am pleased to see that we are at last collectible. Of course, this also means that I'm going to have to work harder to become famous in my dorkitude, so that I might one day be included in a future edition of these cards. This ties in decently with my existing goal of becoming an internet celebrity, so we'll see what happens.
Relatedly, I wanted to give a shout-out and thanks to The Cosplay/Anime Costuming and Masquerade Links Site (that's a mouthful). They've very kindly provided a link to my post of photos from Genericon, which has apparently been the source of some of my newest traffic. It seems only fair that I provide the return link. If you want to see even more photos of people dressed up as characters at conventions, check out that site. Some of the work people put into their costumes is incredibly detailed and impressive! I admire that kind of dedication to a hobby.
Moving on to the second part of the post, I want to talk about a source of terror in my life outside of the internet. (Yes, I have one.) I don't have links for this; I'm not even sure where it originates. But I'm here to talk to you about a frightening creature that haunts my moviegoing experience.
One of the awesome things about the area where I live, and there are more of those than most people want to admit, is the fact that we have this beautiful old theater called the Roxy. The Roxy is over 75 years old and specializes in second-run movies. Tickets are just three dollars, with concessions being comparitively priced, but the trade-off is that they only show one movie at a time. If you don't mind this, however, it's a great deal. The theater stays true to its roots; the 1920s-era art deco style of decorating is still very much in evidence all over the building. It's just a really neat place.
I love the Roxy. I've been going there since I was a kid. Currently in my adult years, it's a favorite destination for outings with my 'partners in crime,' Jess and Andrea. We were there just yesterday, in fact, because they're currently showing Voyage of the Dawn-Treader (fourth viewing, still crying like a baby every time). We love the theater, the movies, the popcorn, the laughs, the prices. But possibly more than anything else, we love being unified in our undying loathing of a creature we have decided to call "Satan's Grandma."
This is not a real person. This is a character. You see, the Roxy doesn't show trailers before its movies. But what it does show instead is a PSA of sorts, roughly a minute long (though it feels more like ten), talking about good theater-going manners. You know, like turning off your cell phone and not talking and throwing your trash away after the movie. This is perfectly understandable.
Less understandable is the fact that the PSA features...it's hard to describe. It almost has to be experienced to be understood. She's a little troll-like woman, with curly gray hair and blue eyes that have a tendency to bug out unexpectedly, like a serial killer waiting to strike. She sits in her kitchen, making a huge mess out of whatever batter it is that she's mixing, and talks to you as if you're her beloved grandchild.
"You're going to the movies? I'm glad. Movies are good."
Um, okay.
She continues mixing the batter for whatever it is, and continues speaking in that same syrupy tone. "You know those nice comfy seats at the movie theater? Those are other people's furniture."
Suddenly the camera angle shifts, and her eyes bug out of her head, and her tone changes harshly. "So keep your feet on the floor."
Yikes. Yes ma'am. Just as abruptly, she switches back to sweetness and light. The camera weirdly zooms in on her lips, with lipstick crookedly applied, as she explains that "Whispering is talking. It bothers people."
She talks about turning off the pager and cell phone, and puts a hand to her cheek, sighing, "So much noise!" When she pulls her hand away, there's flour on her face. She slaps at the batter with a wooden spoon, sending globs of it surfing over the side of the bowl.
"You'll be eating," she chirps. "Of course you'll be eating!" We shudder as she licks her lips while thinking about the yummy-ness of the food in question. She gestures at us with eggs in her hands, threatening to drop them with every word, admonishing us to put our trash in the trash container. "That's good manners. And I know you have good manners." She cracks the eggs into the bowl, then drops the eggshells in too.
"Now let's see those hands!" she cries, lifting up her own. They're coated in egg, flour, and heaven only knows what else. "Have a nice time at the movies, dear!" And to complete the cringing, she blows us a kiss.
I have never seen this thing anywhere but at the Roxy, and I can't even find it on YouTube. Satan's Grandma seems to exist solely in that vacuum, a local attraction of sorts, something that can't be adequately explained to those who have never had the thrill. I try to avoid her, when I go, but it doesn't seem to work. Even if I'm in the concession line, or the bathroom, I can still hear her (the theater is that small), and I still shudder. The little film just hurts my brain. On TV Tropes, we call it Bile Fascination -- I don't want to stare but I can't look away. It doesn't dampen my enthusiasm or love for the Roxy in any respect; in a way, it's almost an added draw. Every time I go, I manage to convince myself that Satan's Grandma either doesn't exist at all or she's not nearly as bad as I remember. And then I get there, and I see her in all her bizarre glory, and I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Ultimately I do both.
But it's a comfort to have my friends with me when I do. Because they understand. They've experienced her firsthand; they know I'm not exaggerating; they share my pain. We howl together, bury our faces in our hands, laugh and cry and pass the popcorn. It's a bonding ritual, in its own freakish way. We are together in this time, and in this place, and though we are confronted by the horror that is Satan's Grandma, the fact that we are together makes it okay.
Three dollars probably can't buy much these days, but as long as it can still buy that, I'll take it.
The first is the existence of the Geek of the Week trading cards. Behold the deck to end all decks! 52 trading cards, one for each week of the year, featuring geeks of legendary status. Unsurprisingly, this inaugural edition of the cards features such giants of geekdom as John Scalzi, Wil Wheaton, Felicia Day, Weird Al Yankovic, and of course, Neil Gaiman.
As a lifelong dork of horrifying magnitude (at least, it always seemed to horrify certain relatives), I am pleased to see that we are at last collectible. Of course, this also means that I'm going to have to work harder to become famous in my dorkitude, so that I might one day be included in a future edition of these cards. This ties in decently with my existing goal of becoming an internet celebrity, so we'll see what happens.
Relatedly, I wanted to give a shout-out and thanks to The Cosplay/Anime Costuming and Masquerade Links Site (that's a mouthful). They've very kindly provided a link to my post of photos from Genericon, which has apparently been the source of some of my newest traffic. It seems only fair that I provide the return link. If you want to see even more photos of people dressed up as characters at conventions, check out that site. Some of the work people put into their costumes is incredibly detailed and impressive! I admire that kind of dedication to a hobby.
Moving on to the second part of the post, I want to talk about a source of terror in my life outside of the internet. (Yes, I have one.) I don't have links for this; I'm not even sure where it originates. But I'm here to talk to you about a frightening creature that haunts my moviegoing experience.
One of the awesome things about the area where I live, and there are more of those than most people want to admit, is the fact that we have this beautiful old theater called the Roxy. The Roxy is over 75 years old and specializes in second-run movies. Tickets are just three dollars, with concessions being comparitively priced, but the trade-off is that they only show one movie at a time. If you don't mind this, however, it's a great deal. The theater stays true to its roots; the 1920s-era art deco style of decorating is still very much in evidence all over the building. It's just a really neat place.
I love the Roxy. I've been going there since I was a kid. Currently in my adult years, it's a favorite destination for outings with my 'partners in crime,' Jess and Andrea. We were there just yesterday, in fact, because they're currently showing Voyage of the Dawn-Treader (fourth viewing, still crying like a baby every time). We love the theater, the movies, the popcorn, the laughs, the prices. But possibly more than anything else, we love being unified in our undying loathing of a creature we have decided to call "Satan's Grandma."
This is not a real person. This is a character. You see, the Roxy doesn't show trailers before its movies. But what it does show instead is a PSA of sorts, roughly a minute long (though it feels more like ten), talking about good theater-going manners. You know, like turning off your cell phone and not talking and throwing your trash away after the movie. This is perfectly understandable.
Less understandable is the fact that the PSA features...it's hard to describe. It almost has to be experienced to be understood. She's a little troll-like woman, with curly gray hair and blue eyes that have a tendency to bug out unexpectedly, like a serial killer waiting to strike. She sits in her kitchen, making a huge mess out of whatever batter it is that she's mixing, and talks to you as if you're her beloved grandchild.
"You're going to the movies? I'm glad. Movies are good."
Um, okay.
She continues mixing the batter for whatever it is, and continues speaking in that same syrupy tone. "You know those nice comfy seats at the movie theater? Those are other people's furniture."
Suddenly the camera angle shifts, and her eyes bug out of her head, and her tone changes harshly. "So keep your feet on the floor."
Yikes. Yes ma'am. Just as abruptly, she switches back to sweetness and light. The camera weirdly zooms in on her lips, with lipstick crookedly applied, as she explains that "Whispering is talking. It bothers people."
She talks about turning off the pager and cell phone, and puts a hand to her cheek, sighing, "So much noise!" When she pulls her hand away, there's flour on her face. She slaps at the batter with a wooden spoon, sending globs of it surfing over the side of the bowl.
"You'll be eating," she chirps. "Of course you'll be eating!" We shudder as she licks her lips while thinking about the yummy-ness of the food in question. She gestures at us with eggs in her hands, threatening to drop them with every word, admonishing us to put our trash in the trash container. "That's good manners. And I know you have good manners." She cracks the eggs into the bowl, then drops the eggshells in too.
"Now let's see those hands!" she cries, lifting up her own. They're coated in egg, flour, and heaven only knows what else. "Have a nice time at the movies, dear!" And to complete the cringing, she blows us a kiss.
I have never seen this thing anywhere but at the Roxy, and I can't even find it on YouTube. Satan's Grandma seems to exist solely in that vacuum, a local attraction of sorts, something that can't be adequately explained to those who have never had the thrill. I try to avoid her, when I go, but it doesn't seem to work. Even if I'm in the concession line, or the bathroom, I can still hear her (the theater is that small), and I still shudder. The little film just hurts my brain. On TV Tropes, we call it Bile Fascination -- I don't want to stare but I can't look away. It doesn't dampen my enthusiasm or love for the Roxy in any respect; in a way, it's almost an added draw. Every time I go, I manage to convince myself that Satan's Grandma either doesn't exist at all or she's not nearly as bad as I remember. And then I get there, and I see her in all her bizarre glory, and I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Ultimately I do both.
But it's a comfort to have my friends with me when I do. Because they understand. They've experienced her firsthand; they know I'm not exaggerating; they share my pain. We howl together, bury our faces in our hands, laugh and cry and pass the popcorn. It's a bonding ritual, in its own freakish way. We are together in this time, and in this place, and though we are confronted by the horror that is Satan's Grandma, the fact that we are together makes it okay.
Three dollars probably can't buy much these days, but as long as it can still buy that, I'll take it.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Unconventional Conventionists
Continuing in my post-convention reporting trend, this is the picture post I promised on Monday.
People who go to these cons and dress up as characters they enjoy are known as cosplayers. Many of them don't merely dress the part, they adopt the character's persona for the duration of the time they're in the costume. If you're not prepared for the phenomenon, I imagine it can be a little bewildering.
I, as it happens, am perfectly at home with the idea. I've spent enough time wandering around Renaissance faires pretending to be someone from the Elizabethan era (and successfully being mistaken for a faire employee). Putting on a set of odd clothes and at the same time putting on an entirely different personality is not too foreign to me. So I was particularly looking forward to seeing what my fellow weirdos decided to do.
All photographs linked from this post are copyright to myself, Laura Klotz. If you are in any of them, or wish to use them for con scrapbooking purposes or something like that, by all means feel free to copy them to your hard drive. I only ask that they not be reposted someplace else on the internet without credit being given to me, and that if you do take any/all of them, please leave a comment and let me know.
Having said that, here are the characters who found a place on my camera's memory card:
Well, I did say I didn't need to wear a wig. That was part of the reason for choosing that costume. Also, those are real arrows on my back, but they're quite firmly stuck in place; if you attended the con and remember me at all, it's probably because of my bow. It was actually a bow-shaped marshmallow shooter and an awful lot of people requested to be shot with the candy.
As I mentioned in Monday's post, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the impossibly nice and adorably geeky Vic Mignogna at the con. Naturally, I got a few pictures of him as well. Here he is talking to fans after his faith panel, discussing his love of Star Trek, and being friendly and social during his Sunday autograph session.
Let me hear from you if you spot anyone you know in these pictures!
People who go to these cons and dress up as characters they enjoy are known as cosplayers. Many of them don't merely dress the part, they adopt the character's persona for the duration of the time they're in the costume. If you're not prepared for the phenomenon, I imagine it can be a little bewildering.
I, as it happens, am perfectly at home with the idea. I've spent enough time wandering around Renaissance faires pretending to be someone from the Elizabethan era (and successfully being mistaken for a faire employee). Putting on a set of odd clothes and at the same time putting on an entirely different personality is not too foreign to me. So I was particularly looking forward to seeing what my fellow weirdos decided to do.
All photographs linked from this post are copyright to myself, Laura Klotz. If you are in any of them, or wish to use them for con scrapbooking purposes or something like that, by all means feel free to copy them to your hard drive. I only ask that they not be reposted someplace else on the internet without credit being given to me, and that if you do take any/all of them, please leave a comment and let me know.
Having said that, here are the characters who found a place on my camera's memory card:
- Jareth and Sarah, from the movie Labyrinth, with my friend Rachel, who is dressed as Rangiku Matsumoto from the manga Bleach
- An Eevee from the Pokemon games
- The Companion Cube, from the video game Portal
- Darkwing Duck
- Prince Marth of Altea, from the Fire Emblem series of games (or, if you prefer, from Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
- A group of characters from the Hetalia manga; the girl in turquoise is France but I'm really not sure about the others
- Professor Layton, from -- well, Professor Layton and the Greatest Puzzle Games Ever
- The Tenth Doctor, from Doctor Who
- Cloud Strife, from the Final Fantasy game series
- Alice, from the video game American McGee's Alice
- One of the Heartless, from the Kingdom Hearts games
- Myself as Susan Pevensie, from the Narnia films, with Link from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Well, I did say I didn't need to wear a wig. That was part of the reason for choosing that costume. Also, those are real arrows on my back, but they're quite firmly stuck in place; if you attended the con and remember me at all, it's probably because of my bow. It was actually a bow-shaped marshmallow shooter and an awful lot of people requested to be shot with the candy.
As I mentioned in Monday's post, I had the distinct pleasure of meeting the impossibly nice and adorably geeky Vic Mignogna at the con. Naturally, I got a few pictures of him as well. Here he is talking to fans after his faith panel, discussing his love of Star Trek, and being friendly and social during his Sunday autograph session.
Let me hear from you if you spot anyone you know in these pictures!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Pros and Cons, or Just Cons
In my post last Thursday, I remarked that I was up to something relatively interesting over the weekend. That something was Genericon, the very first fan convention I have ever attended. I went in the company of my friend Cat, and while there connected with my friends Rachel, Jack, and Jaclyn.
It was an interesting experience. Having never attended a con before, I could only go by what other congoers told me I could expect...most of which turned out to not be true in the slightest. I ran into a number of difficulties, but like a true philosopher, I'm trying to regard them as learning experiences rather than potholes on the road of life. I'm not saying I didn't have fun, because some of the weekend was awesome, and those are the parts I'll remember in the long run.
As a philosopher is wont to do, I thought I would share some of my newfound wisdom with my readers. Those of you who really don't care about cons (hi Mom) will probably be bored for the next two or three posts because I'll be spreading out my 'post event report' over a course of days. This will allow me to sort through everything I experienced and make sense out of it. So if there's anyone out there preparing to attend their first con, here's what I have found to be true; and for those of you who are seasoned vets, feel free to argue with me in comments. This is based entirely on my own perceptions of the past three days.
1. Stay hydrated. This is a rather serious one, and I've seen it on other people's lists of what to do at cons. However, because it's currently February and the con was in upstate New York, it's very very cold there. We even had a snow squall on Saturday afternoon that scared me into thinking we might be stranded. So hydration didn't really cross my mind. Then when I did remember to take liquid refreshment, I realized just how insanely thirsty I actually was. Seriously, guys, carry a bottle of water or juice at all times. The rooms are cramped and humid and you will thank me later.
2. Stay CLEAN. Again, I've seen this on other people's lists. There's a certain smell called "con funk" which I can't describe. It must be endured to be understood. I'm not even going to try to explain it; if you've been to a con you know exactly what I'm talking about, and if you haven't, enjoy your ignorance. I miss mine. If you're going to a con, the best thing you can do is to at least attempt not to contribute to the funk. Shower.
3. The map sometimes lies. This was perhaps an anomaly rather than something to really concern future congoers, but since I had no warning, I'm trying to leave you in a better position than I was. The school where Genericon takes place put some of the events in a completely separate building. It could not have possibly been more separate from the rest of the con -- it literally required taking an elevated bridge across a main street to the other side of campus. The problem was, this room was not on the official con map, nor was its location explained in the official con guidebook. So before you start exploring a con, make sure that you have a complete map and understanding of where in the world you're supposed to go.
4. Do not go alone. In the words of the original Legend of Zelda video game that I love so very very much, "It's dangerous to go alone." Okay, maybe not dangerous exactly, but trust me when I say you will want numbers. I spent a few hours of the con by myself, because Cat was in an event that didn't interest me and she couldn't leave, and I was bored to tears. There isn't always going to be a panel happening that you'll want to attend, so you're going to want at least one other person with you at all times. This guarantees you someone to play with in the gaming rooms, or to squee with you over something you find in the dealer rooms or the artist's alley. It's lonely to squee by yourself. And the more people you can get to go with you, the better, because then you can break into smaller groups and do different things without anybody feeling left out.
5. Carry cash. Speaking as someone who lives off her debit card as a general rule, this was a personal failing. Some of the vendors only accepted cash or checks, neither of which I had on me. This may have been a good thing, really, since it prevented me from buying things I didn't need, but it would have been nice to have the option. Try to compromise; get a set amount of cash, guard it carefully as you explore (pickpockets go to cons too), and enjoy yourself.
6. Don't fear the people. Congoers are weird folk, no question. But some of them are incredibly friendly. If you see somebody dressed up as one of your favorite characters, don't be shy about asking for a photo -- as a general rule, they will be so flattered that you like their costume that they will go to ridiculous lengths to pose with you.
7. Take a chance with the celebrity guests. I wasn't sure what to expect on this score, but I did get the opportunity to meet and chat with Vic Mignogna, mostly in my quest to get his autograph for my friend Andrea. In a way I was a little scared to talk to him, until I actually saw him. He is, unquestionably, one of the nicest people I've ever met in my life. I'm so glad I took the risk of speaking with him, because even without ever having watched any of his voice-acting work, I became his fan in about five minutes. (If you're not sure who this guy is, incidentally, click on that link to go to his personal website. He's done a lot of anime voices; I daresay he's most famous for voicing Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist. But he also composes and records his own music and does a bunch of other stuff, and he's incredibly sweet and cares a lot about his fans, so definitely do check him out.)
And one more...
8. The alarm function on a cell phone works much, much better when the cell phone is not left on vibrate. I'm just sayin'. *cough* Cat. *cough*
Next time: Some of the photographs I took of the cosplayers (that's the geeks in costumes), including one that was taken of me. Care to guess who I was dressed as? I'll give you a hint: I didn't need a wig because I have hair a lot like hers. And for those of you who know me from certain websites, no, I did not cosplay as Lady Norbert...although I certainly could have, I suppose.
It was an interesting experience. Having never attended a con before, I could only go by what other congoers told me I could expect...most of which turned out to not be true in the slightest. I ran into a number of difficulties, but like a true philosopher, I'm trying to regard them as learning experiences rather than potholes on the road of life. I'm not saying I didn't have fun, because some of the weekend was awesome, and those are the parts I'll remember in the long run.
As a philosopher is wont to do, I thought I would share some of my newfound wisdom with my readers. Those of you who really don't care about cons (hi Mom) will probably be bored for the next two or three posts because I'll be spreading out my 'post event report' over a course of days. This will allow me to sort through everything I experienced and make sense out of it. So if there's anyone out there preparing to attend their first con, here's what I have found to be true; and for those of you who are seasoned vets, feel free to argue with me in comments. This is based entirely on my own perceptions of the past three days.
1. Stay hydrated. This is a rather serious one, and I've seen it on other people's lists of what to do at cons. However, because it's currently February and the con was in upstate New York, it's very very cold there. We even had a snow squall on Saturday afternoon that scared me into thinking we might be stranded. So hydration didn't really cross my mind. Then when I did remember to take liquid refreshment, I realized just how insanely thirsty I actually was. Seriously, guys, carry a bottle of water or juice at all times. The rooms are cramped and humid and you will thank me later.
2. Stay CLEAN. Again, I've seen this on other people's lists. There's a certain smell called "con funk" which I can't describe. It must be endured to be understood. I'm not even going to try to explain it; if you've been to a con you know exactly what I'm talking about, and if you haven't, enjoy your ignorance. I miss mine. If you're going to a con, the best thing you can do is to at least attempt not to contribute to the funk. Shower.
3. The map sometimes lies. This was perhaps an anomaly rather than something to really concern future congoers, but since I had no warning, I'm trying to leave you in a better position than I was. The school where Genericon takes place put some of the events in a completely separate building. It could not have possibly been more separate from the rest of the con -- it literally required taking an elevated bridge across a main street to the other side of campus. The problem was, this room was not on the official con map, nor was its location explained in the official con guidebook. So before you start exploring a con, make sure that you have a complete map and understanding of where in the world you're supposed to go.
4. Do not go alone. In the words of the original Legend of Zelda video game that I love so very very much, "It's dangerous to go alone." Okay, maybe not dangerous exactly, but trust me when I say you will want numbers. I spent a few hours of the con by myself, because Cat was in an event that didn't interest me and she couldn't leave, and I was bored to tears. There isn't always going to be a panel happening that you'll want to attend, so you're going to want at least one other person with you at all times. This guarantees you someone to play with in the gaming rooms, or to squee with you over something you find in the dealer rooms or the artist's alley. It's lonely to squee by yourself. And the more people you can get to go with you, the better, because then you can break into smaller groups and do different things without anybody feeling left out.
5. Carry cash. Speaking as someone who lives off her debit card as a general rule, this was a personal failing. Some of the vendors only accepted cash or checks, neither of which I had on me. This may have been a good thing, really, since it prevented me from buying things I didn't need, but it would have been nice to have the option. Try to compromise; get a set amount of cash, guard it carefully as you explore (pickpockets go to cons too), and enjoy yourself.
6. Don't fear the people. Congoers are weird folk, no question. But some of them are incredibly friendly. If you see somebody dressed up as one of your favorite characters, don't be shy about asking for a photo -- as a general rule, they will be so flattered that you like their costume that they will go to ridiculous lengths to pose with you.
7. Take a chance with the celebrity guests. I wasn't sure what to expect on this score, but I did get the opportunity to meet and chat with Vic Mignogna, mostly in my quest to get his autograph for my friend Andrea. In a way I was a little scared to talk to him, until I actually saw him. He is, unquestionably, one of the nicest people I've ever met in my life. I'm so glad I took the risk of speaking with him, because even without ever having watched any of his voice-acting work, I became his fan in about five minutes. (If you're not sure who this guy is, incidentally, click on that link to go to his personal website. He's done a lot of anime voices; I daresay he's most famous for voicing Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist. But he also composes and records his own music and does a bunch of other stuff, and he's incredibly sweet and cares a lot about his fans, so definitely do check him out.)
And one more...
8. The alarm function on a cell phone works much, much better when the cell phone is not left on vibrate. I'm just sayin'. *cough* Cat. *cough*
Next time: Some of the photographs I took of the cosplayers (that's the geeks in costumes), including one that was taken of me. Care to guess who I was dressed as? I'll give you a hint: I didn't need a wig because I have hair a lot like hers. And for those of you who know me from certain websites, no, I did not cosplay as Lady Norbert...although I certainly could have, I suppose.
Monday, January 3, 2011
January Kickoff
Happy New Year!
For anyone who was curious, the blog did not reach 5,000 hits by the end of 2010. That's really okay, though, because it hit close to 4,500 -- which is way closer than I expected! I was puzzled because suddenly today, my hit count is rising, but I quickly discovered that the culprit is Kate, who posted at the BC in DC website about my recent blog post concerning the convention. Edit: I'm told that it's not the Kate I know who gave me the mention, but her friend who is also named Kate, and helps run the show. Her post is here, just to make reality thoroughly recursive. The blog is also starting to get a little bit noticed by the people wandering around at the Blogger's Choice Awards, and has been receiving votes from complete strangers as opposed to my friends, so thank you to anyone reading this who took the trouble to vote.
As the year begins, another item of note is the fact that Blistered Thumbs is growing by leaps and bounds. BT is a spinoff website from the people who bring us the Nostalgia Critic, and features all the people from the main site who are involved with video games; our CEO and 'spiritual leader' is the exuberant Angry Joe. It's still pretty new -- it's actually younger than this blog -- but it's coming along very well and I enjoy being part of it. I was, as of the first day of 2011, appointed a moderator in the forums, and am eagerly awaiting a final decision as to whether or not I'll be joining the regular staff as one of their editorial contributors. With the holiday season behind us, I'll have more time to write, and I have some work planned for submission at the Geek Girls Network too. Something tells me this is a good year to be a geek.
But enough about me, let's talk about the rest of the world.
As I said, the holiday season is behind us. The presents have been opened, the menorah has been extinguished, the ball has dropped, Dick Clark has come and gone. So now we're stuck with January -- the cold, the drab, the uninspiring -- and the tedious process of un-decorating and cleaning up after our assorted celebrations.
But even while we're cleaning up our own mess, we can do something useful.
Let me guess. Chances are, you have a huge pile of beautiful holiday cards sitting or hanging around the house that you received from friends, neighbors, and relatives. (And if you're anything like me, you may also have a small stack of cards that have been written out and addressed but never made it to the mailbox...but I digress.) The act of exchanging cards with our loved/liked/grudgingly tolerated ones is an old custom, and it's a nice one, but it does leave people wondering what on earth to do with most of the darned things after the fact.
St. Jude's Ranch has a perfect solution. (Note: This is not to be confused with St. Jude Children's Hospital. They're both really good things for kids, and they're both named after the same guy, but they're two completely different organizations.) The ranch is a home for neglected children, and they will take your unwanted Christmas cards -- as well as your unwanted birthday, thank-you, Easter, and all-occasion cards -- and turn them into new greeting cards, which are then sold to help raise money for the cause. It helps the kids, gives them something creative to do, keeps the cards out of the landfill, and gets them out of your house in a completely guilt-free way. Win-win situation indeed. Visit this website for the guidelines and mailing address.
All right, that takes care of the cards. Next, let's look at the gifts. This being the 21st century, I'm sure that at least one of your holiday gifts was of the electronic variety. And it wouldn't surprise me in the least if that gift was an upgrade to something you already owned. So that begs the question of what to do with the one you already have. Please don't just toss it out in the garbage -- there are so many better ways to dispose of your unwanted electronics. To wit:
Of course, unwanted non-electronic items can be taken to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other charity dropoff of your choice.
One last idea, before this post runs on too long. As is so often the case, credit for this info -- as well as for that concerning St. Jude's Ranch -- must go to the lovely Debbie Tenzer of Do One Nice Thing. Did you get any delectable personal items for the holidays? Soap, lotion, bubble bath, and so on? Yeah, me too. Love it. Ever wonder what life would be like if you didn't have soap? Nope, me neither. Turns out, soap is one of those necessities that a lot of people might not think about until they no longer had it.
My guess would be that in your home at this very moment, there's an average of two bars of soap that have shrunk down through usage to the point where they're mere slivers of their former selves. Clean the World wants them. They take those slivers of soap, sterilize them, merge them, and turn them into brand new bars of soap that are then distributed to the needy throughout the world. They also collect shampoo and have worked out arrangements with many hotels to receive used items from hotel rooms. If you'd like to work with friends and neighbors to collect your own used soap to help others, visit this page. You can also donate a fresh package of soap from Amazon.com and have it shipped directly to them; the directions are on that same page.
And so 2011 begins! Let's see what we can accomplish in the next 52 weeks!
For anyone who was curious, the blog did not reach 5,000 hits by the end of 2010. That's really okay, though, because it hit close to 4,500 -- which is way closer than I expected! I was puzzled because suddenly today, my hit count is rising, but I quickly discovered that the culprit is Kate, who posted at the BC in DC website about my recent blog post concerning the convention. Edit: I'm told that it's not the Kate I know who gave me the mention, but her friend who is also named Kate, and helps run the show. Her post is here, just to make reality thoroughly recursive. The blog is also starting to get a little bit noticed by the people wandering around at the Blogger's Choice Awards, and has been receiving votes from complete strangers as opposed to my friends, so thank you to anyone reading this who took the trouble to vote.
As the year begins, another item of note is the fact that Blistered Thumbs is growing by leaps and bounds. BT is a spinoff website from the people who bring us the Nostalgia Critic, and features all the people from the main site who are involved with video games; our CEO and 'spiritual leader' is the exuberant Angry Joe. It's still pretty new -- it's actually younger than this blog -- but it's coming along very well and I enjoy being part of it. I was, as of the first day of 2011, appointed a moderator in the forums, and am eagerly awaiting a final decision as to whether or not I'll be joining the regular staff as one of their editorial contributors. With the holiday season behind us, I'll have more time to write, and I have some work planned for submission at the Geek Girls Network too. Something tells me this is a good year to be a geek.
But enough about me, let's talk about the rest of the world.
As I said, the holiday season is behind us. The presents have been opened, the menorah has been extinguished, the ball has dropped, Dick Clark has come and gone. So now we're stuck with January -- the cold, the drab, the uninspiring -- and the tedious process of un-decorating and cleaning up after our assorted celebrations.
But even while we're cleaning up our own mess, we can do something useful.
Let me guess. Chances are, you have a huge pile of beautiful holiday cards sitting or hanging around the house that you received from friends, neighbors, and relatives. (And if you're anything like me, you may also have a small stack of cards that have been written out and addressed but never made it to the mailbox...but I digress.) The act of exchanging cards with our loved/liked/grudgingly tolerated ones is an old custom, and it's a nice one, but it does leave people wondering what on earth to do with most of the darned things after the fact.
St. Jude's Ranch has a perfect solution. (Note: This is not to be confused with St. Jude Children's Hospital. They're both really good things for kids, and they're both named after the same guy, but they're two completely different organizations.) The ranch is a home for neglected children, and they will take your unwanted Christmas cards -- as well as your unwanted birthday, thank-you, Easter, and all-occasion cards -- and turn them into new greeting cards, which are then sold to help raise money for the cause. It helps the kids, gives them something creative to do, keeps the cards out of the landfill, and gets them out of your house in a completely guilt-free way. Win-win situation indeed. Visit this website for the guidelines and mailing address.
All right, that takes care of the cards. Next, let's look at the gifts. This being the 21st century, I'm sure that at least one of your holiday gifts was of the electronic variety. And it wouldn't surprise me in the least if that gift was an upgrade to something you already owned. So that begs the question of what to do with the one you already have. Please don't just toss it out in the garbage -- there are so many better ways to dispose of your unwanted electronics. To wit:
- To get rid of old cell phones: Why not donate them to someone who really needs a cell phone? You're spoiled for choice as to who the recipient could be. Cell Phones for Soldiers will give it to military personnel overseas, providing them with a way to talk to their loved ones at home. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence distributes the phones to domestic violence victims so they have a way to call for help in an emergency. Or there's Phones for Life, which recycles the phones by giving them to senior citizens, thus providing them with a way to contact emergency services if they suffer a fall or accident.
- To get rid of old computers: This one's tricky, because it may be determined by your location and/or your computer's model. Therefore, the easiest thing to do is to visit Computers With Causes and read up on the specifics of what you'd like to donate and how. They'll help you with everything from finding the recipient to acquiring documentation of the donation for a tax write-off.
- To donate other electronics: I'll refer you to the Environmental Protection Agency's information page. Whatever you can't donate should definitely be recycled, but you knew that already.
Used video games can be donated directly to me.Never mind, my husband says no.
Of course, unwanted non-electronic items can be taken to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other charity dropoff of your choice.
One last idea, before this post runs on too long. As is so often the case, credit for this info -- as well as for that concerning St. Jude's Ranch -- must go to the lovely Debbie Tenzer of Do One Nice Thing. Did you get any delectable personal items for the holidays? Soap, lotion, bubble bath, and so on? Yeah, me too. Love it. Ever wonder what life would be like if you didn't have soap? Nope, me neither. Turns out, soap is one of those necessities that a lot of people might not think about until they no longer had it.
My guess would be that in your home at this very moment, there's an average of two bars of soap that have shrunk down through usage to the point where they're mere slivers of their former selves. Clean the World wants them. They take those slivers of soap, sterilize them, merge them, and turn them into brand new bars of soap that are then distributed to the needy throughout the world. They also collect shampoo and have worked out arrangements with many hotels to receive used items from hotel rooms. If you'd like to work with friends and neighbors to collect your own used soap to help others, visit this page. You can also donate a fresh package of soap from Amazon.com and have it shipped directly to them; the directions are on that same page.
And so 2011 begins! Let's see what we can accomplish in the next 52 weeks!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
The Force is strong with us.
Before I get into today's post, I just want to remind my American readers that it's not too late to send cards to recovering soldiers! Go to this post and get the information about what and where to send the holiday cards. Make sure they're postmarked no later than tomorrow. And thanks to everyone who has seen to it that this information was so well publicized! Now, on with the show.
It probably seems like I'm a little late to the party on this one, since the legend of Katie has been going on for some weeks. I was going to post about it sooner, actually, but it seemed like the furor was dying down and then I was diverted by things like my new job and Thanksgiving and Walter Reed Hospital. But I have been following the story almost from the beginning, and I have been invested in the cause for as long as I've known about it.
A little backstory for those of you who are unfamiliar with the saga. Once upon a time, a couple adopted a beautiful little girl named Katie. Katie's mom chronicles the ongoing story of their lives together in her blog, Portrait of an Adoption. Katie, like her father, is a big fan of Star Wars, and was excited to carry a SW water bottle to school...until some of her classmates started teasing her for it, saying that SW is for boys. Katie already felt like an outsider, because she's adopted and Jewish and wears glasses and an eye patch, so this was more than she could stand.
Her mother, naturally distressed, encouraged Katie to continue being herself and turned to the followers of her blog for some support. And you can guess what happened next...as I'm so fond of saying in my posts here, the internet exploded.
Katie's story made national news. Because as fellow blogger Jen Yates put it, Katie's story transcended gender and transcended age. Katie's story was the story of every geek, every person who's ever been shunned or ridiculed for liking something that other people felt they shouldn't. I've been there. Many of us have been there. So Jen put the story out there, and another blogger caught it, and on and on it went.
The outpouring of love and support was phenomenal. See, there's a lot of us geeks on the web, and we don't like to see our geeky brethren being picked on. And when said geeky brethren takes the form of an adorable seven-year-old, well...it can bring out the Mama Bear or Papa Wolf in even the most stoic and surly of geeks. So you might say that we adopted Katie as our own. She represents the geeky child in each of us.
I know bullying happens to teenagers, but I guess I sort of tend to forget that it can happen at the elementary school level too. It's a problem all through the growing-up years. People are in the process of trying to figure out who they are, who they want to be, who they need to be just to survive to adulthood. This is why bullying happens, you know; some people need to believe that they're better than other people just to make it through the day. And when -- to use a bizarre little metaphor I just made up -- you're the only purple fish in a sea full of green ones, it's hard not to wonder if there's something wrong with you.
This is why the internet is so comforting to the geek brigade. Even if you don't know anyone outside of your computer who shares your interest, the odds are good that inside your computer, you'll find someone to geek out with about anime or Sherlock Holmes or Star Trek or ancient Egypt or Ming vases. It helps you to feel not like purple fish should aspire to be green, but rather, like being a purple fish is really okay. And while Katie's a little young for the internet, her mom was able to find great consolation in the literally thousands of supportive comments left by the rest of us for her to read.
Shine on, you beautiful little purple fish.
Today, Katie's story appears on CNN.com, including the mention of all the wonderful Star Wars gifts she's been sent. (I am totally jealous of that lightsaber she got from ThinkGeek.com, by the way. That is too cool.) It's heartening to read that Katie's classmates have been given a much-needed lesson in tolerance, and that her school is working on anti-bullying policies. It's even more heartening to know that Katie's still carrying her SW water bottle with pride.
Tomorrow, December 10th, Katie's school is having what sounds like the best day ever. They're calling it "Proud To Be Me" Day. All the students are being encouraged to wear shirts that display one of their personal interests. More schools should do this. I truly hope the idea catches on.
Meanwhile, the internet will be having its own day, in honor of Katie and also in honor of our geeky unity. Tomorrow is "Support Star Wars and Geek Pride for Katie" Day. We've all been asked to wear Star Wars shirts -- or, if you have no SW shirts, wear a shirt displaying your own geeky pursuit of choice. Katie's parents, responding to the many people who have asked to be allowed to send her even more SW toys, have requested that in addition to wearing the shirts, we donate SW toys to children's charities. (Ties in perfectly with the time of year, don't you think? In fact, my favorite video game store is a drop-off point for Toys for Tots.)
So please consider joining us tomorrow. Let's show the Katies of the world, past and present and future alike, that we're all in this together. And when someone asks why you're wearing that shirt, tell them the truth -- proudly.
It probably seems like I'm a little late to the party on this one, since the legend of Katie has been going on for some weeks. I was going to post about it sooner, actually, but it seemed like the furor was dying down and then I was diverted by things like my new job and Thanksgiving and Walter Reed Hospital. But I have been following the story almost from the beginning, and I have been invested in the cause for as long as I've known about it.
A little backstory for those of you who are unfamiliar with the saga. Once upon a time, a couple adopted a beautiful little girl named Katie. Katie's mom chronicles the ongoing story of their lives together in her blog, Portrait of an Adoption. Katie, like her father, is a big fan of Star Wars, and was excited to carry a SW water bottle to school...until some of her classmates started teasing her for it, saying that SW is for boys. Katie already felt like an outsider, because she's adopted and Jewish and wears glasses and an eye patch, so this was more than she could stand.
Her mother, naturally distressed, encouraged Katie to continue being herself and turned to the followers of her blog for some support. And you can guess what happened next...as I'm so fond of saying in my posts here, the internet exploded.
Katie's story made national news. Because as fellow blogger Jen Yates put it, Katie's story transcended gender and transcended age. Katie's story was the story of every geek, every person who's ever been shunned or ridiculed for liking something that other people felt they shouldn't. I've been there. Many of us have been there. So Jen put the story out there, and another blogger caught it, and on and on it went.
The outpouring of love and support was phenomenal. See, there's a lot of us geeks on the web, and we don't like to see our geeky brethren being picked on. And when said geeky brethren takes the form of an adorable seven-year-old, well...it can bring out the Mama Bear or Papa Wolf in even the most stoic and surly of geeks. So you might say that we adopted Katie as our own. She represents the geeky child in each of us.
I know bullying happens to teenagers, but I guess I sort of tend to forget that it can happen at the elementary school level too. It's a problem all through the growing-up years. People are in the process of trying to figure out who they are, who they want to be, who they need to be just to survive to adulthood. This is why bullying happens, you know; some people need to believe that they're better than other people just to make it through the day. And when -- to use a bizarre little metaphor I just made up -- you're the only purple fish in a sea full of green ones, it's hard not to wonder if there's something wrong with you.
This is why the internet is so comforting to the geek brigade. Even if you don't know anyone outside of your computer who shares your interest, the odds are good that inside your computer, you'll find someone to geek out with about anime or Sherlock Holmes or Star Trek or ancient Egypt or Ming vases. It helps you to feel not like purple fish should aspire to be green, but rather, like being a purple fish is really okay. And while Katie's a little young for the internet, her mom was able to find great consolation in the literally thousands of supportive comments left by the rest of us for her to read.
Shine on, you beautiful little purple fish.
Today, Katie's story appears on CNN.com, including the mention of all the wonderful Star Wars gifts she's been sent. (I am totally jealous of that lightsaber she got from ThinkGeek.com, by the way. That is too cool.) It's heartening to read that Katie's classmates have been given a much-needed lesson in tolerance, and that her school is working on anti-bullying policies. It's even more heartening to know that Katie's still carrying her SW water bottle with pride.
Tomorrow, December 10th, Katie's school is having what sounds like the best day ever. They're calling it "Proud To Be Me" Day. All the students are being encouraged to wear shirts that display one of their personal interests. More schools should do this. I truly hope the idea catches on.
Meanwhile, the internet will be having its own day, in honor of Katie and also in honor of our geeky unity. Tomorrow is "Support Star Wars and Geek Pride for Katie" Day. We've all been asked to wear Star Wars shirts -- or, if you have no SW shirts, wear a shirt displaying your own geeky pursuit of choice. Katie's parents, responding to the many people who have asked to be allowed to send her even more SW toys, have requested that in addition to wearing the shirts, we donate SW toys to children's charities. (Ties in perfectly with the time of year, don't you think? In fact, my favorite video game store is a drop-off point for Toys for Tots.)
So please consider joining us tomorrow. Let's show the Katies of the world, past and present and future alike, that we're all in this together. And when someone asks why you're wearing that shirt, tell them the truth -- proudly.
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