When the initial reboot happened, I was pretty leery. I enjoyed the first franchise a lot, and pretended that the third of that series didn’t exist. I’m not the only one. I went in expecting something not quite up to par with what Marvel Studios was doing and was pleasantly surprised. This was a more character driven film with phenomenal acting. The best part is that we had a real Spider-Man this time. He was a smart ass that joked and laughed and didn’t know when to shutup, something Tobey MaGuire’s Spider-Man didn’t exactly fully grasp. I still love the first movies, and separate them as I do with the original Batman movies from the recent reboot.
I was pretty excited to see The Amazing Spider-Man 2, because I enjoyed the first one so much. I was a bit nervous when the previews started to come out and they revealed that not only would Spider-Man be up against the villain Electro, but two of his other big foes as well. I got nervous at this, because as much as we all try to forget Spider-Man 3, we all remember why it didn’t work. There was too much going on. I feared that the new Spider-Man movie would fall to the same fate, and for something that started out so well, that would have been a travesty.
I am happy to say that even with the proposed villain adventure we were getting from the previews, it was still a great movie. It was fun. It had the character drive that I loved from the first film, but it did have some issues, pacing being the major one. They was a lot going on in this movie, and they tended to present some aspects of the story as much bigger issues than they actually turned out to be, and the flip side of the coin is some big issues didn’t get enough focus. Being a comic book fan and knowing Spider-Man’s history, I saw a major part of the ending coming in the first ten minutes. That is to be expected. My problem with that is this plot aspect became repeatedly thrown at the audience throughout the entire movie through common and obvious foreshadowing tropes, that anyone coming in new to the Spider-Man world could have figured out in 20 minutes if they were quick or an hour if they needed more time to process.
There were other issues that I had that were probably small. Some dialogue, especially where poor Paul Giamatti was concerned was atrocious, so bad in comparison to the rest of the dialogue that it actually pulled me out of the moment of the movie. That is never a good thing. There were a few technical aspects that I really had to swallow down my pills of suspension of disbelief in order to move on. One dramatic scene was really hard. I think it had to do with the fact that my father is a retired airplane mechanic, so planes have always been in my life. I think they were going for dramatic effect, but my brother and I had to take a moment to look at each other and ask “Why the hell didn’t one just pull up and the other go down?” I guess they wanted that dramatic moment of to be memorable, and I know I’m being picky.
The other slight issue I had came from my comic book fandom, and it was with Electro. Yes, he has the ability to manipulate electricity and acts as a walking conductor himself, but the film version has Electro materializing and dematerializing at a whim as well as being able to turn himself into an a electrical current and being able to travel through anything that has one. I don’t remember those new abilities from the comics. I remember those abilities from a DC Comics character named Livewire, but definitely not from Electro. I know, I know. I’m being picky.
So what did I like. I like how they paced out the villains. That was blessing as well as a relief. The interactions of the proposed villains made sense. The focus was Electro and how he was sadly and easily manipulated. Maybe easy is not the best word. The character was on the cliff of crazy as it was, but sadly that was society’s influence. It didn’t take a whole lot for him and his misguided anger to put him in the situation that he ended up in. The other villains were used as a set up for a future movies and a constant thorn in Spider-Man’s side whether or not another film makes it out there, which I hear there will be.
I also just truly enjoyed Peter Parker’s character. His constant internal struggles of doing what is right for everyone as opposed to doing what is right by himself is a character quality that I love about him. He can joke and be funny, but he is also intelligent and loving and caring. He has had to go through so much at such a young age that people forget this. Other heroes make jabs and get annoyed by his constant blabbing and joking in the comic books, but they always forget what he’s been through. The fact that he can joke is remarkable and shows what a truly amazing character he is. It is no wonder why he is Stan Lee’s favorite.
I wholeheartedly recommend this movie, even with all of the trash I just talked about it. In the end, Spider-Man fans have seen worse and know what bad looks like. There are always bad parts of the best movies and in this case, it is easy enough to overlook. I think knowing them ahead of time will make it a little easier to look beyond.
Almost through its third season, New Girl has easily become one of my all-time favorite shows on television. The humor is smart, random, and crude at times, but most importantly it is fantastic. It is one of those shows you don’t have to watch everything episode in order to understand the series. You can literally jump in at any time and have just as much fun.
I have heard it compared with the television show Friends, which I can see similarities with, but I feel that Friends was a much more structure show. While New Girl does have an ensemble of characters that have their own quirks, the show can easily focus on just one character and take them out of the group. Friends relied on the fact that these people were friends. I think the only storylines on that show that broke away were always concerning Ross, who was kind of the lone wolf due to him not living in one of the two featured apartments in the beginning seasons when the show was establishing.
The tile of New Girl can be a bit misleading to what the show actually is, and honestly the only thing that I have a problem with. When the show was originally advertised, it looked like it was going to be this quirky comedy about this girl named Jess played by Zooey Deschanel. It frankly looked girly. I was going to check it out because I am a big fan of Zooey Deschanel, and honestly that was the only reason I did. What the show turned out to be was about the everyday lives and shenanigans of the people that live in this one apartment that the Jess character just moved into. Jess moves in with three guys, Nick, Schmidt, Coach, at the time, and Winston. The guys get as much focus as Jess does, and all of their personalities vary. This is one of my brother’s favorite shows as well, because of the focus they put on the other characters.
Jess, played by Zooey Deschanel, brings in this naïve and sweet quality to the group. While she can think of things that seem juvenile, she brings in this heart and love to the group that the boys clearly needed. She does bring some mother aspects in as well, but she is not these men’s mother. She has truly been accepted by the boys and is officially one of their roommates, but now one of their close friends as well.
Nick, played by Jake Johnson, is the lost man that works in a bar and doesn’t really know what he wants in life. While on one hand he knows he needs to figure it out, he just doesn’t want to do it now. I have come to my own conclusions as to why his character is like this especially after seeing some episodes that focus on his family. His personal quirks usually focus on his lack of motivation, cheapness, or what the group has called his “old man” tendencies.
Schmidt, played by Max Greenfield, is that friend that everyone has that says the most atrocious and completely unacceptable things, because he truly doesn’t fully understand the meaning behind what he is saying. He is just saying it because he thinks it will make him socially acceptable. His whole focus is about what will make him socially acceptable. That is the reason no one hates him. He may have to be educated on why he can’t say things, but he is still a true friend that loves you and will do anything for you. The show has always made it clear as to why the Schmidt character acts the way he does, so you as the audience also will also overlook these faults.
Winston, played by Lamorne Morris, first comes off as the normal and level friend in this apartment, but Winston is the one that will just take something way too far which is his hilarious quirk. His character kind of replaced Coach’s in the second episode. Honestly Coach’s character made such an impression in the first episode that you as the audience were constantly a little weary of Winston when he first showed up, but he makes a good play and becomes just as favorable as everyone else.
Coach, played by Damon Wayans Jr., was originally in the pilot episode, but I believe since another pilot Damon Wayans Jr. worked on got picked up before New Girl, they had to work around the loss of his character by adding Winston. I like that they never replaced his character, because he was very memorable in the first episode. Since Damon Wayans Jr’s other show recently ended, he has come back to New Girl this season and has moved back into the apartment. His return has been a very welcomed edition. He is very sensitive and caring, but doesn’t like to show it, choosing overly masculine routes instead, which brings in the hilarity.
This show has become my weekly cleanser. If I have had a tough or rough week, I know that a half an hour of this show will have me rolling. That is really a precious commodity for me. I want to move into this apartment with these people, because I love this show so much. They remind me of my friends and the random things we do or get into. It is a great show about people my age that don’t really know what they are truly supposed to be doing, but feel the pressure of having some kind of answer and proof to support that answer. Honestly, it would heaven to work on this show, and who knows maybe I will someday. Definitely check this show out if you haven’t. Currently, Netflix users can access the first two seasons.
Since the are really doing a sequel and everyone seems to be on board, I feel that it is only appropriate to make Goonies 'R' Good Enough by Cyndi Lauper. I consider it the second best 80's music video only preceded by Thriller. It was so awesome they made it in two parts. Enjoy both parts below!
Probably due to my older brother and the boys I preferred to hang out with in high school, it has become very difficult for me to become very close to normal girls, because I think and talk like a guy. I am not a big fan of drama, even though I am very aware of the fact that all women are predisposed to some level of it. I think it’s in the makeup of the uterus. There’s no way to completely escape drama, but I strive to keep it in check. While I had friends that were girls, I would usually only let them past a certain point. It was really hard for me to maintain that kind of friendship without either of us getting completely annoyed and frustrated with one another.
Then I met my sisters. They were just like me. They were two girls that also preferred the company of guys over girls for the same reasons. They were crazy and blunt and talked like guys, and I loved them instantly. We are nearing fifteen years in our friendship now, and practically nothing is sacred between us.
I say all of this because while I love Romantic Comedies, I want to see more comedies featuring women that represent my best friends and me. There have been a few featured over the years, and my sisters and I covet these films. I want to see more of these edgier comedies where woman are a lot more open and blunt for a laugh whether it be raunchy or not. We want to see the opposite of “ladylike,” because my friends and I are. I know we are not the only girls of this type out there.
When The Sweetest Thing came out, it was practically sent from high in our opinions. It stars Cameron Diaz as Christina, Christina Applegate as Courtney, and Selma Blair as Jane. It focuses mainly on the character of Christina, following her on an adventure to chase a man down that she just met only to find out he’s getting married. Hilarity and antics ensue along the journey that can usually make most woman blush or just become downright appalled. The three of us treat this movie like gospel, and we identify ourselves with one of the three best friends in the movie. It is also extremely random, which the three of us are immensely entertained by. It is was the closest movie we could compare our friendship to.
Bridesmaids came out, and I immediately purchased a copy for both of my sisters for Christmas. The scene where Kristen Wiig’s character, Annie, and Maya Rudolph’s character, Lilian, are eating in a café after trying to sneak into the fitness class is every damn meal I have ever share with either sister or both. We are not shy, and we don’t take it seriously. These were the female leads that we could identify with.
My girl’s and I are not insensitive. We may joke all of the time, but when one of us is being serious, we back each other up fiercely. This is shown as well through both of these movies. In The Sweetest Thing, Courtney makes Christina get off her ass and drags her on a road trip just based on the loose possibility that Christina and this guy would get together. It didn’t matter to Courtney. She knew that Christina liked him and helped her, because that is what that kind of friendship is. The same thing happened in Bridesmaids. Annie went on the search for Lillian immediately after she found out she was missing from her wedding. It didn’t matter that they were fighting and hadn’t talked to one another. Annie knew the bigger picture. Her best friend needed her. It is okay to have these kinds of scenes in movies like this, because that’s how we truly are in real life, which is what I want in this type of film, a more realistic portrayal of our type of woman.
I want to see more of these kinds of movies that feature these much more open and blunt women. I am hoping with the success of Bridesmaids that more of these movies can be made. Especially, with Melissa McCarthy making the movies she has been. The Heat is another great example. But with this tally, it’s only gotten us to three total. There is a need for this. Maybe I’ll have to write some of my own, but I hope Hollywood at least gives more of these films a chance.
In honor of my crazy obsession with 80's music, I will be featuring an 80's song every Wednesday. Some of the songs you'll know, and some you will not. I am happy to say that the decade not only created me, but some of the best geekdoms we know today.
Today's song is Dreaming by Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark.
It’s an understatement saying that parenting isn’t easy these days. Sharing the things we loved as a kid with children just isn’t as simple. Sometimes our excitement for sharing these things that we loved when we were younger overshadows our judgment for what the children may and may not be ready for. The littlest kids are always the hardest to share with. While they may not always be able to determine the difference between reality and fiction, they still want to enjoy things like comic book heroes and robots in disguise.
My nephew is creeping closer and closer to the giant age of five and is a big Marvel and Transformers fan. He has been a big fan since he was three. This excited both my brother and I greatly, because we are big fans as well. The problem was that my nephew was not quite ready for the live action motion picture versions then and isn’t quite ready for that now. We did manage to find something for the little guy to enjoy, The Super Hero Squad Show and Transformers: Rescue Bots.
The Super Hero Squad Show
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Super-Hero-Squad-DVD-Plans/13366
Marvel has several animated television shows and films out, but most of them were and still are a little too mature for my nephew. It is usually due to either too violent content he is not ready to be exposed to or complex story lines that he cannot understand or relate too. Then Marvel came out with Super Hero Squad Show in 2009. The show is a toned down version of the Marvel world focused around Super Hero City which houses all of Marvel’s beloved comic book heroes. The heroes come off as silly and simpler versions of themselves while they battle even sillier versions of Marvel’s villains. My nephew just loves it. He gets to root for his favorite heroes like Captain America, the Hulk, and Iron Man. We don’t mind watching the show with him, because Marvel understood that parents would be watching the show along with the kids. There are several jokes littered throughout the entire show that fans of the comics and movies would find entertaining. I personally love watching it with my nephew, because I think it’s hilarious.
The best part of my nephew having a marvel outlet is that we can go out and buy the costumes and some of the toys from the shows and movies and now he understands what they are. The unfortunate thing is that there were only two seasons made of the show. That being said, the entire series is currently on Netflix, and I think it still runs on The Hub from time to time. The show may be gone, but they still make toys and video games for tots to enjoy as well.
Transformers: Rescue Bots
http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Transformers:_Rescue_Bots_(cartoon)
This Transformers show is extremely toned down compared to the rest of the family. It is has no Decepticons. Before you freak out over that, please understand that this show was made for a specific market, and it needed to be comparable to that market. The market is toddlers and they didn’t want bots tearing and blowing one another up. Instead we have a small group of Transformers that have taken the forms of the main public service vehicles in a small town. They were sent to help out the community and learn about humanity by Optimus Prime himself. The city believes that the Transformers are just experimental robots that also turn into rescue vehicles. The fact that they are alien beings is only know to a family that tends to the rescue and public needs of the town. Yes, it does have Optimus Prime and even Bumblebee in a few episodes, but they are not featured. The bots pretty much help out with whatever mystery or shenanigans is going on with the town at that time. It is a specifically toddler focused show. As an adult watching it with my nephew, it is not any more entertaining than the Nick Jr and Disney Jr shows, but the little guy loves it. He adores the theme song as well and sings it all of the time.
Show has one season under its belt, which can be found on Netflix also. It has just started its second season and has no plans as of yet to finish. It currently airs on The Hub as well. The show has spawned several toy lines that are specifically geared to toddlers with simple and easy transformations that won’t discourage the little ones. Because he now has a point of reference, I always joke with my nephew that I see Bumblebee at my work. He gets really excited about why Bumblebee was there, and it can get really fun thinking of stories to explain it. I joke with his parents that the day he gets old enough to watch the live action movies his poor little mind is just going to overload the first time he sees the very real car turn into a giant robot. It will be a fun day.
I really hope other companies and franchises like DC Comics hone in on this niche and add to this market. There is a lot of potential here since honestly these are the only two shows of its kind that I know of. I believe that not only having these types of shows can be entertaining for these age groups and exciting for parents, but it can be quite the lucrative market for these companies to roll into. I really hope that Marvel comes back with something like The Super Hero Show Squad especially in light of all of the recent film adaptation success. Finally, I hope that these two shows help you share some nerdy love to the sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews in your life.
Though it is a few days early. I wanted to spread some birthday love to my partner in crime, Les. I thought a great way to do it was by telling a few stories about our friendship and how we met.
Les and I met back in 2006, and she hated me. I don’t take offense to this now, because when it came to our job at the time, she hated anyone that was new. It also didn’t help that I didn’t show up on the first day I was scheduled to come in. I had a horrible cold and didn’t sleep at all the night before, so I was given the weekend to heal up which was extremely generous. I would be temping at a medical office, and unbeknownst to me, I was not the first temp that the office had received. I apparently was the last of a couple of doozies.
I started that job as I do all of my jobs, really quiet and suspiciously sweet. I like to understand the playing field to know what is acceptable and what is not. I was not aware at the time that Les hated me, because she was really nice to me. The ice began to break over the next month and a half. I remember her rolling into the parking lot on Halloween that year blaring “Thriller,” and thinking I might be able to hang with this girl. There were a few boundaries crossed that day that opened up a lot of possibilities for our impending friendship. Later that same day, we had a coworker who was precious and a bit off that dressed up as a gypsy. I sat between this woman and Les. I remember at one point looking over at Les and seeing her holding a stick of about five highlighters that she had connected together and slowly and strategically moving them around me. Our neighbor got up to do something else allowing me to ask what in the world Les was doing. She replied simply that she was attempting to touch her fake mole, which prompted me to immediately fall out. As icebreaking as that event was, our friendship did not become official until about late November when during a reflective moment on the job I asked, “You know what I really want to hear right now?” Les replied, “The Chipmunks Christmas Album?” My response was “Yes, that’s exactly what I want to hear right now.” We’ve been tight ever since then, fully embracing and rejoicing in the fact that we are both extremely random.
I think it was my birthday party that December that she really became comfortable with me. She loved me, yes, but I don’t think she was ready to let everything out. I had invited a few friends over and made baked spaghetti for everyone. We all enjoyed the She-Ra ice cream cake I had made for myself, furthering Les’s impression of my nerdyness. After food we played the DVD Scene It game, where Les ended up beating the hell out of my little brother Eddie with a pillow as she screamed “Eat the cake, Anna Mae!” In all fairness she was answering a question. She was just very exuberant about it. She felt bad about it later, but I told her Eddie was used to it being around his pseudo sisters and me. It was good times.
Our friendship grew and grew from there. We introduced each other to our nerdy favorites. Les created actual race cards for us to throw down. Me being white, I didn’t have to throw mine down as much, but I am half Swedish. Anytime I would tell people I’m an ABBA fan, I got to throw it down so no one would question me. Les got a lot more use out of hers. I am happy to tell you, Les, that I still have it. It is in my important papers file right next to my social security card.
We were both voracious readers and shared books all of the time. That is definitely one of the biggest things I miss about being in close proximity with Les. I remember when the seventh Harry Potter book came out. We both had preordered it at the local book store. They had a midnight release party to which we were drafted into houses and spent most of the time playing Uno in one of the isles with the Disney Princess deck I just purchased while the book store randomly engaged the patrons with shouts of “Gryffindors say Hey!” or whatever house they were trying to rouse. Thank god it was a Friday and neither of us had to work the next day. We went home and got what sleep we could manage. Les drove out the next day where we alternated between outside and inside to read with no interruptions.
Les was going to school in these days and I would often let her come over to do her school work and steal our Wi-Fi. I think a part of her loved it just as much to see my mother, who she adored. I will never forget the first time she came over and met my mother. Les and I were working at my dining room table, she doing schoolwork and I uploading CD’s. My mom comes out with a traditional Swedish snack of buttered hard bread and cheese on a tray with plastic food gloves on. See, my mother, who is the sweetest person in the world, is a retired lunch lady. One thing she took from her lunchin’ days is sanitation. She takes that seriously, regardless how I take every opportunity to make fun of her for it. When me mum came in with the offering, I could see Les’s eyes fall onto the food, then the gloves, and then to my mother. She took the food and my mom left. As soon as my mom was gone, Les looked at me and stated very seriously, “I love your, Mom.” The Lady has that effect.
We would continue this friendship with long serious talks, mutual introductions to Doctor Who and Twilight, and just flat out fun. There were plenty of shopping runs to other bigger cities, movie runs, and quite a few near death experiences. Our weekend trip to Chicago nearly encompasses all of that. There was the time my windshield wipers decided to stop working in the middle of a torrential downpour on the interstate. I didn’t think we were going to make it out of that one. Thanks to some healthy application of Rain-X we were able to make it back home, ignoring the fact that we had to take an alternate route back home that led us through Elwood, and I made Les lay down in the back seat until we were well out of city limits. Elwood isn’t exactly known for its love of the African American race. I can laugh about it now, but I was scared to death for her at the time. I realize I overacted, but I loved her and didn’t want her to get hurt.
We have definitely had some good times. Crazy office Christmas parties, crushes on boys, and slight stalker tendencies towards some of the boys. Sorry, Jeff, it was before you. We will always have those crazy work stories that I can’t even tell here. Even though I know I wouldn’t be giving any specific patient information away, the HIPAA laws scare the crap out of me. I remember the time you got stuck in that ditch on the way to my house. I remember the time you flipped off this jerk driver on our way to see Hot Fuzz and the jackass behind him thought you were flipping him off and chased us down for like four and a half miles in the country. I absolutely and fondly remember you randomly busting out of in “No One” by Alicia Keys. I still can’t help, but think about you when that song comes on. Remember those times we would get into trouble for singing “White Lines” at the checkout desk? Good times. I guess I should take the opportunity to thank you for introducing me to Fubar, it’s changed my life.
I was honored to be there for your graduation. I was honored to be there at your wedding. But most of all, I am honored to be your friend. I hope this post made you smile, Les. I wish you the Happiest of Birthdays this Wednesday. To my fellow Geeky Girl readers and family show this awesome lady some love this Wednesday and know that just as Les and I embraced each other for our geeky tendencies with love and open arms we are here to do the same for you. Happy Birthday, Les!
I had the pleasure of returning to the Salute to Supernatural convention here in Las Vegas again this year. Last year was my virgin run, and well, I guess I came back for more. Cleary I wouldn’t be going if I wasn’t a Supernatural fan, and yes I am a fangirl when it comes to this show. This was the best way to let my fangirl side out for a free run.
I didn’t go for the full four day package this year. I had to at least attempt to be responsible for some priorities in my life, no matter how tempted I was. I opted for the Saturday event, mainly because that was the day that the lead actors Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki would be appearing. Hopefully next year, and I do plan on going again, I can swing all four days and watch and listen to the other panels of actors and crew.
If you have never been to a convention before, it is pretty much a jammed packed all day event of scheduled panels and activities down to the minute. All you are required to do is strap in for the ride. The panels for Saturday started with our host for the four days, Richard Speight Jr, coming out to open up the day, and sadly for that day, he had to fill in for a sick panelist. Mr. Speight Jr. is better known to the Supernatural fan as the trickster or the angel, Gabriel. The man has only been in four episodes over the now nine seasons of the show, but he is as beloved as the boys.
I should also mention that the convention had its very own house band. I can’t speak for the other conventions, but last year we had the honor of the same band. The band is called the Elastic Waste Band, and their alter ego is the real band, Louden Swain, led by Rob Benedict who is another actor from the show who played the beloved character, Chuck. When they represent The Elastic Waste Band, the band gets into crazy character donning 70s leisure suits and tuxes. They don wigs and accents and completely different names as the play covers and time in with jokes and moments made by the panelists. They know how to get the audience pumped up, make them laugh, or entertain them in general. I believe that they are a great asset and hope they return next year.
The next panelist was Chad Lindberg who is known to the fans as Ash. His panel mostly focused on his passion of the paranormal and ghost hunting. Thursday night of the convention, Mr. Lindberg led a group of fans on a ghost hunting venture out to the local haunted hot spot of Bonnie Springs. He is very into the paranormal and has been on the reality series, Ghost Adventures, a few times. Even Aaron Goodwin from Ghost Adventures was hanging out at the convention during Lindberg’s panel. He talked a lot about his personal paranormal experiences and how his fascination with it usually drove what roles he chose as an actor. He brought a few gadgets known to the ghost hunting world up with him just to see if they would go off. They did so maybe we it just wasn’t him and us fans present. It was a very interesting panel hearing about his experiences and advising some fans how to handle their own.
Richard Speight Jr returned for his panel with partner in crime, Matt Cohen, and brought along Rob Benedict. It was a treat for the Saturday only guests, because Benedict didn’t have a panel scheduled for that day. I should also mention that Rob Benedict had been recovering from a stroke since October. This was the first con he’s fully been back for since the incident. He was fully recovered and energetic as always, which was fantastic to see. I even heard there was a special welcome back video made by the fans for his Friday panel. We supernatural fans are nothing but love. The group mostly answered questions from fans and promoted their newest work. Special mention for Richard Speight Jr and his short film that he wrote and directed called, America 101.
The next guest was Misha Collins, who plays the beloved Castiel. Mr. Collins is always a delight and just a fascinating individual all around. His energy and wit is always top notch even though his can be very easily distracted. I don’t mind that so much, because those distractions are always entertaining. He spoke a lot about his creative projects that he has partnered on with his wife whether they be in the entertainment business or not. She seems just as creative as he is, which should make for a very powerful couple. This man is definitely someone I would invite to my fantasy dinner table for the interesting conversation alone. Misha Collins was as big of a joy as last year, and I was glad that I got see him, since his panel for Saturday was a recent addition.
My friends and I decided to take a lunch run after Misha’s panel, and since you have to make a life decision on who to miss in the full packed day, we had to choose to miss out on the Osric Chau panel. I had a time constraint with my upcoming photo op and my phone was in desperate need of a charge. As unlucky as it was to miss out on his panel. I did have a slight run in with him later in the day. Nothing fancy or extreme fangirlish, but I did give a smile and a nod as I stood beside him waiting on my friends while they were making a Starbucks run. I personally have this weird thing about celebrities private vs. public time. I just don’t want to bug them on their own time. Yes, they were here for the fans at a convention, so that is what they are there for. I just have my own issues with that kind of thing. I am not the person that will chase down someone for an autograph. I remember meeting Jane Espenson, writer and producer currently for Once Upon A Time and then Buffy the Vampire Slayer, after a lecture she gave at my university during my freshman year. I got a weird look from my friend when I told him that I didn’t want to go up and get an autograph from her. He had to talk me into it. I still have it, but I feel weird about having it. Everyone has the right to want those things, and there is nothing wrong with it. I am just not that person. A point that is even further made when it came to my photo op with Jensen and Jared.
I was nervous at first. I actually have never been in the presence of a celebrity before in my life. My run in with Osric happened after this, so I was walking blind as far as my reaction. While I love both the actors, Jensen is my current celebrity crush and has been for some time now. I kept going down the check list of 1. He’s a stranger. 2. He’s a person. and 3. He’s married. I believe I am a sensible person and this should have been enough to keep me calm. Then I kept having horrible flashbacks of my awkward teen years and my love for my Backstreet Boys and Devon Sawa, and the wallpaper their posters created in my room. I have convinced myself that I grew out of that crazy, but what if I was wrong and Mr. Ackles will forever remember me as that Las Vegas Con girl? Thankfully as I was ushered into the room with the other patiently waiting fans and saw them for the first time in close proximity, my first thought was, “They’re not that tall.” Both Jared and Jenson are tall, especially Jared, but for some reason I expected bigger than life giants. That right there was the moment that I could relax and knew I could handle it. When I actually got up to them for my picture, which was very assembly line, I told them both thank you for coming to the convention and doing the show. This was happening as they both ushered me in place for the photo. Jensen smiled and said thanks, but it was Jared that would cause me panic until I actually saw my photo printed later that evening.
Jared decided to engage with more than a simple thank you. He leans down with his 6’ 4” self and says, “No, thank you, baby. You’re why we do this.” If you are a Sam fan, you would probably be melting into puddles of fangirl goo after hearing this. I was startled and not in a necessarily good way. My inner feminist roared up at the moment he said “baby,” and the dialogue in my head went “Who the hell is he calling baby?” Thankfully this was not said out loud, which would have come off very badly. I couldn’t help the reaction. It is way too natural for me. I would like to tell the Sam and Jared fans that I am not now nor was then mad at Mr. Padalecki. He was being engaging and friendly by using an endearment. He just didn’t know me personally. He doesn’t know that I am fiercely independent and practically a feminist, especially one that believes “baby” is an intimate term and should have permission before using it with me always. It took probably five seconds for reality to hit and to laugh at my own reaction and throw it aside as my own personal crazy towards someone being nice. Unfortunately, it only took two seconds after his statement to have the actual picture taken which turns out was before I got over myself. For those who know me, I don’t always have to speak what is on my mind, because my face is usually quick to portray said thoughts and gets me into trouble quite a lot. Being that thrown off by Jared’s proclamation could only guarantee that my face expressed what my mouth did not. After leaving, I was terrified that my birthday present to myself would have me looking especially sarcastic and indignant. Only I would end up doing something like that to myself. I am happy to announce, that picture did indeed turn out well, and I saved myself from immortalized embarrassment.
There were two major panels left in that day. One was with Jim Michaels, Co-Executive Producer of the show. This one was the most fascinating to me. I always love to hear about the development of a show an inner workings. He hasn’t exactly been around for the entire series, but he has put in quite some time, going on five years now. Audience members asked about the current conflict between the brothers on the show and whether it was going to get resolved. This has been a source of discontent for fans this season, because this particular fight between the brothers seems out of character and drawn out, not to mention down right annoying. He answered vaguely saying that there has to be conflict otherwise the show would be boring, but the point was to resolve that conflict, which would happen. It was just a question of when. He also discussed the new spinoff series. The title has been changed to Supernatural: Bloodlines. I am hoping that they drop the “Supernatural” part, but that’s me. The boys actually just flew in from finishing up the backdoor pilot for the spinoff series that will air later in the season. For those who do not know what a back door pilot is, it is where an already existing show takes an episode to introduce and focus on the new characters and storyline for this supposed new show. Usually, there are no definite plans of production of that proposed show, because they want to see and test audience reaction to the episode and gage whether it is worth actually making. Since Supernatural never does the norm, they have been confident enough to begin filming the new series before this backdoor pilot even airs. We will all just have to wait and see.
The final panel of the day was of the boys themselves, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles. They were, as always, entertaining, busting out on stage donned with a cowbell and a tambourine to join in with the band to sing the con theme song, The Boys Are Back In Town. They were very grateful and playful with the audience and the fans that asked questions. They were asked questions that ranged from story and character progression on the show to what their wrestling tag team name would be as well as finishing move. They could only come up with the finishing move, which they naturally felt needed to be named the Impala. The boys enacted such a finishing move on a fan after he asked why the brothers were currently acting like bitches on the show. It probably made that guys day. They performed and came up with an impromptu haiku at the request of a fan. They seemed pretty proud that they could manage it too. They did state after being asked about the future of the show they were on board for whatever the series had to offer whether it be one or another ten years as long as the story was still good. That was pretty nice to hear, because I don’t want such a good show to keep hanging just because it can and not because it should. Their panel ended with Jensen and Jared doing their best Vanilla Ice, prompted by an earlier joke made by Jared after Jensen used the phrase “to the extreme” in one of his answers. It was a hell of a way to end a day, I tell you.
That was the end of just one day. Can you imagine what all four would be like? As we were leaving, I decided to ask a girl who dressed up as a “Busty Asian Beauties” cover for the costume contest for a picture, because it was a really original costume that I loved. I even asked her if it was okay to share her picture here and she obliged. Thank you, again, to the girl that made my day with that costume. It was fantastic! For those that don’t understand the reference, the beloved character, Dean, apparently has a specific preference for his porn voyeurism with the “Busty Asian Beauties” magazine. It has been an ongoing joke throughout the whole show. So, hat’s off to you, my dear. That was well done.
Funny story to end this long account. As I was waiting to take the above picture, someone suddenly came up to me and yelled “Boo” in my ear. Now since facial expressions are my first go to, I was getting ready to throw my best “what the hell” look at the person who did it. When I turned to look, I am greeted by the smirking face of Mr. Mark Sheppard, loved and known to the fans as Crowley, King of Hell. He just turned and continued on down the hall like the boss he is. I couldn’t even get mad at that. The con was a blast and I recommend all Supernatural fans to attempt to go to one at least once. Also special shout outs to Liz and Hilary! Thanks for taking the time to meet with me at the con. It was truly my honor to meet you both!
http://www.comicvine.com/she-ra/4005-46389/forums/casting-call-she-ra-princess-of-power-535876/
This is probably what started my fascination with powerful female figures. My most vivid childhood memory is from getting a slew of toys from this show. She-Ra was awesome. She may have been timid when she was Princess Adora, but there was none of that when she changed into She-Ra. The twin sister of He-Man had her hands full trying to reclaim Etheria along with her fellow rebels from Hordak and the Horde. If they ever decided to do a Grayskull movie, can we please have our home girl in it? That would be fantastic. Honestly, if they need a story, they need to look no further than the recent comic book series for He-Man at DC. There is your movie story. Make her the villain and let her grow, just like in the comics. It was epic storytelling. Honestly if Hordak is supposed to be as evil and scary, scarier that Skeletor even, as he was portrayed in the cartoon how in the world did Princess Adora remain so sweet after she was kidnapped as a baby and raised by Hordak. The person she becomes in the comics is much more believable. If you love She-Ra definitely check out that story arc. I just hope they bring her back eventually to become She-Ra in that comic series.
2. Jem and the Holograms
http://www.lowtimespodcast.com/i-choose-fiction-jem-and-the-holograms/
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love 80’s music. Terrible or not I consume all of it, and the music takes me to my happy place. Is it really hard to believe that a show that lives and breathes 80’s music and ran by an awesome chick band would be something I would hold dear? Nope, not really. Jerrica Benton and her friends and sister start a rock bend to fund the needs of a group of orphans. What they ended up having was a hit. With the help of a special computer named Synergy Jerrica was able to create a hologram over herself turning her into Jem. The band not only performs, but constantly foils the devious plans cooked up by rival band, the Misfits, and Eric Raymond. I own the whole series now, and it is always a fun show to revisit with friends and criticize it from an adult perspective. From the girl that wanted to change her name to Kimber this is definitely at the top of my list. I am ecstatic that they announced officially that they are doing a movie. They have opened up a lot of the production facets to the fans, and this girl is going to get in line if they open up the writing. I’m so excited!
3. Sailor Moon
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/sailor-moon-is-the-best/images/32244147/title/sailor-moon-photo
I can’t remember how many times I got into trouble for watching this show. It came on early in the morning at 6:30 am, and instead of getting up earlier to actually make myself presentable for school, I would waste the time away and watch this only to be yelled at for procrastinating. It’s what I did and barely made it to the bus on time. It is the story of Usagi, Serena for the American version, a clumsy, ditzy young fourteen year-old girl that is the complete opposite of every hero ever created. She gets powers and finds out she is the reincarnation of an ancient moon princess. Her friends, and former guardians from once upon a time, help her battle the forces of evil that come and threaten the planet earth. They don’t ever get far with Sailor Moon standing in their way. She may be clumsy and ditzy, but what she has is a heart full of love. That is what ultimately makes her the most powerful guardian in the entire galaxy. This was awesome for me and I was super bummed when my local station just quick showing it midway through season two. I was probably in late high school when they started showing in on the Cartoon Network. Alas, I had no cable. It wouldn’t be until college that I got to finish the series, not only that, but I was introduced to the Japanese version. That my friends is a whole new ballgame. I can’t even watch the American version anymore. It drives me crazy. They announced recently that the creator is bringing it back. Many fans of all ages including myself is eager for this to come out. I can only hope it will still be awesome.
4. X-Men
http://collider.com/dvd/reviews/article.asp/aid/11873/tcid/3
This was bonding time for my brother and I. We watched several stuff that the other liked over the years, but this was the probably one of the few shows we were on the same page for. A group of mutants, humans given special abilities due to a specific gene, ran by the compassionate figure of Charles Xavier, Professor X, were constantly in a battle to make peace between mutants and the humans they scared or were hated by. This was never any easy task, but persistence and morality drove them all to constantly choose the right thing to do. That is pretty awesome considering a seven year difference. This was probably the first most serious cartoon I ever started to watch. There was ton of conflict and ton of characterization. I loved the kick ass ladies as well. It has a lot do with why I am a comic fan.
5. Muppet Babies
http://voltronranger.com/muppet-babies-rocked-our-imaginations/
I was a huge Muppets fan when I was a kid, and when this show started, it was epic times. It was all our favorite Muppet characters as babies making each day go by with their vivid imaginations. I doubt this show will ever be released in the US on any kind of format due to all of the special movie and television scenes borrowed by the show, the above picture being an example. That is what made this show so fun. It is unfortunate, but sorting out the rights in our world after everything being bought, sold, and merged is probably a massive nightmare. My parents took me to a live performance of this when I was a kid, and I was still pretty little. I remember walking with them down a hallway and the actors were coming out dressed up in their giant Muppet Babies costumes. I broke from my parents and sprinted towards Miss Piggy. I latched on to her leg in the biggest hug, because I believed at the time that this was Miss Piggy. Bless the actor’s heart, they were really good to me and played along. It is a memory I shall never forget.
6. Talespin
http://www.digital-polyphony.com/28talespin.htm
Who cares that Disney recycled the characters from the Jungle Book, this was good television. Disney had an exceptional run with cartoons in the 90’s, but if I had to choose from one of the earlier greats it would be this. Baloo is a cargo plane pilot with a courier company that is just hanging in there based in the 1930’s. It was fantastic television and again one of those rare moments where my brother and I clicked. My father was an airplane mechanic and in the Air Force Reserves, so anything that had a plane usually caught both my brother and I’s attention.
7. Batman The Animated Series
http://nerdreactor.com/2013/04/07/5-picks-for-best-batman-the-animated-series-episodes/
It is was a dark, gothic, and probably a little more violent than I was used to, but it was an fantastic Batman series. It was the typical Batman story that we saw in the movies and comics. It laughed in the face of the old campy television show. This show was so powerful that it actually altered the comic universe. Characters and storylines were carried over and kept as canon. Who doesn’t love the crazy, psychopathic hench girl of Joker, Harley Quinn. She came from this cartoon. Just this past week’s episode of Arrow had a quick cameo by the lunatic. The cartoon is a must watch for any Batman fan. It is where I first got most of my knowledge of the Gotham world.
8. Gargoyles
http://lezgetreal.com/2014/02/saturday-toons-disneys-gargoyles/
Man was this a good show from Disney. It is one that I would love to watch again as an adult because a lot of the content was pretty mature and deep. I personally loved all of the Arthurian and Shakespearian ties in the show. My knowledge was pretty limited at that time, so watching it now, could really show some things. It is what made the story line so rich. These Gargoyles that have spent eternity as stone due to a spell were once again awakened in modern day New York and only had the darkness to be alive, because the sun would revert them back to their stony personas. This is one of the cartoons that I would love to see as a movie. It has been rumored, but nothing set in stone. I know, it was a cheap pun. I think our modern computer graphic technology would bring this to life in a way that would blow our minds.
9. Animaniacs
This is one of those shows that had a whole new meaning as I got older. It had the fart jokes for the kids, and we loved it, but it was one of those few shows that decided to entertain the parents as well. It is one of the best from the cartoon gold that Steven Speilberg presented in the 90’s. It is the story of the wild and crazy Warner brothers, Yakko and Wakko, and their sister, Dot. No one knows what or who they are exactly, but they are the menace that live in the Warner Brother studios water tower. They are the mainly focused characters, but the show is broken up into several shorts with lovable returning characters like the Goodfeathers, Rita and Runt, Slappy the Squirrel, Pinky and the Brain, and Mindy and Buttons. I still call my own mother “Lady” to this day because of Mindy and Buttons. They just don’t make cartoons like this anymore.
10. Histaria!
http://lezgetreal.com/2013/04/saturday-cartoons-hysteria/
It was before it’s time and didn’t get a lot of viewership. I was so in high school when it came out, but this show taught me a lot of history. Most of the history was satire which made it hilarious. My brother also watched this show with me even though he was in college along with my mother. If you knew some history, this show was comedy. Are family especially loved the Viking stories. I still know all of the names of the Tudor family because of this show.
A couple of my friends who are also big girls have been kept in the dark so to speak when it comes to finding plus size fashion. It can be a challenge to find clothes that look fun, are age appropriate, and decently priced. The crass would probably say at this point to just lose weight and alas there would be many options of clothing to buy then. Let me quickly declare that this post is not dictate a certain lifestyle upon someone. If you are happy with what you look like, then that’s all that matters.
Plus size clothing isn’t as readily available if you just wanted to take a Sunday shopping trip to the mall or stores. It isn’t impossible to find clothes but definitely more challenging. The internet offers a lot more leeway, but if you don’t know what you’re looking for, how would you ever find it? Another challenge is finding the styles that you prefer. I tend to lean towards conservative, but trendy. I do enjoy my nerd shirts, but they are too relaxed for my business casual work attire, which can be the most difficult to find when it comes to age appropriate attire. Below are some of my personal favorites, while some, as a whole, may not be completely trendy and lean towards the “old lady” look, there are still fashions that can be found.
Lane Bryant
This store has certainly come a long way with its appeal towards the 40 and under crowd. While regular prices can considered pricey, but not wholly outrageous, great deals can always be found. They tend to cycle through style lines pretty quickly, so newer items can be on sale or thrown to clearance rather quickly. It just takes a little patience. Not all of the physical stores carry everything either, so checking out the online store is a must. Plus the bras from Cacique are definitely worth the price. I always recommend the semi-annual bra sale that usual happens at the end of June and December. Might I also add that even if you do not have a Lane Bryant locally, but have a Catherines. The stores belong to the same family, and you can have items shipped from the Lane Bryant website to any store in the family for free. Even items can be sent for free directly to the Lane Bryant store from the website. They carry sizes 14-28.
Old Navy
Old Navy used to carry their women’s plus line in stores as well as online but quit. Unfortunately a lot of my friends never realized that they still sold plus sizes after they were removed from the store. They have a very active and trendy line that is still very much alive online. The prices are still as affordable as the rest of the clothing they offer. They carry sizes 16-30.
Target
While there is not much in stores, usually a couple of racks can be found and are pretty affordable. I did just recently find a Target store that did not carry any plus sizes, but it was something that they were waiting for shipments to come in for the first time. It was a little shocking, because I could always find something, whether I wanted to buy it or not. While the in store selection is greatly limited, the online store is very vast. Target even has a line of bridesmaid’s dresses for plus sizes that can double for fancier occasions at very decent prices. They carry sizes 14-24.
Torrid
Torrid has been known for its youthful and edgier styles, which were fun but very specific to that genre. They still do have some of these edgier clothes, but they have opened up their styles to add more sophisticated business casual clothing. They have a pretty wide spectrum now. They do have stores in bigger cities, but their online site is just as useful. There prices are pretty comparable to Lane Bryant, not always cheap, but good deals when they have them. They carry sizes 12-32.
Avenue
Avenue can be a lot more conservative, if that makes you feel more comfortable, but if that’s not your thing, don’t rule the store out. It offers many styles that are very appropriate for business casual. The pricing for the store is the same as Torrid and Lane Bryant. They carry sizes 12-32.
Mod Cloth
Mod Cloth offers fantastic and trendy and vintage inspired clothing for plus sizes, most notably in dresses. While pricing is considered above average the clothing and style variety truly make this online store stand out. They carry sizes 12-30.
Forever 21 and H&M
This may not be as widely known but just like Old Navy these stores have plus size options that are exclusive only online. Their fashions follow the same trendy theme as the rest of the stores. Forever 21 carries sizes 12-20, and H&M carries sizes 14-24.
Simply Be
Simply Be is an online store that boasts it’s fashion following the European trends. The pricing is all over the place as is the variety. You can get an evening gown and something to wear to go shopping in. Business attire is also available. It is a fun little site, and I recommend signing up for a catalogue. They carry sizes 10-28.
Fashion to Figure
Fashion to Figure stores are currently located on the east coast, but that won’t stop you from perusing their online store. It is very trendy and cover the major style needs of business and fun. It is also very affordable. They carry sizes 14-32.
All of these stores are great but keep in mind that the sizes could run smaller or larger than what you are used to. If ordering online, take the time to find the sizing chart and check the measurements before you make any permanent decisions. I hope you all find this helpful!
