Drowning in Suburbia

Here we go again...

There's just too much to go over. Way too much. Way. Too. Much.
New job, Burning Nerd, "Everything else".
So... quick recaps!

New job: Meh. But it pays. Pays as much as my last job when it was actually full time and THIS one actually gives me benefits and such. I'll take it. Only downside is it has me staring at a computer screen for 8 hours doing pretty much mind-numbing work so when I finally get home the last thing I want to actually do is look at my computer. And the reason THAT is bad is...

Burning Nerd!
The first week of November was amazing. Good food, good drink, good friends, good scenery. There was nothing more I could have asked for. I took tons of photos and even ended up pretty much actually using the facebook profile I made for myself just to keep track of all the other photos and such we had. While this year's "group" photo isn't quite as deviant as last year's...


We still had a total blast. Thanks to my fellow Burning Nerds/Order of the Scorpion. You guys ROCK!

The only bad reason for not wanting to stare at my screen is...

*drum roll*

Yup. It's that time of year again and while last year I had a solid plan, a solid world, solid characters and such that had been roaming about in my head for the better part of 7 or so years, this year I'm totally winging it. That combined with well... only getting 1000 words done in that first week thanks to Burning Nerd 2010... it's well... challenging. But I like challenges, dammit! I've set a goal of 13,000 words for myself for the weekend (Fri, Sat, and Sun). As of this moment I have 10,357 more words to go. I think I can make it...
I hope I can make it...
I should probably start writing THAT instead of THIS.

Away to WriMoLand! *dash!*

This Roller Coaster Isn't So Fun Anymore

You know that feeling you get when you've gone on that roller coaster you think you love about 4 times in a row? The one with all the twists and loops and spins and quick changes in the track that are fun as hell the first time around but that round 4 leaves you kinda queasy and wanting to stop...and then your psychotic friend drags you back on for a 5th time and you just KNOW you're gonna hurl but you can't say no because all sense has left you?

... yeah, I haven't done that either. What a shitty metaphor I was trying to set up there.

Anyway... yeah, my life has felt like a roller coaster ride that isn't that fun but I can't get off for some reason. The last week has just been ...well, insane.

The state of my "work area"/desk/me place almost perfectly fits the overly disheveled feeling I think is just all over right now.

So... fuck the roller coaster, we're going with the desk!

Yes... behold the desk. And it's really a pretty accurate vision of my life, almost. Complete with the grainy blurriness provided by my cell phone.

So let's see what all is there...

Let's go from left to right, shall we?

First up (aside from the random stuff I'll just skip over) is a box of tissues. While not sick sick, my sinuses are still playing tag with seasonal allergies. I feel like hell most days. On top of that box is the newest pair of fingerless mittens that I made, still waiting to be blocked. I'm so proud of these that they need their own glamor shot:

Oh hell yes. I have no idea why I went with pink.
But they are fucking beautiful and I can't wait until it's actually cold enough I can wear them.

MOVING ON...

There's a vase of dead roses. Yep, same roses from the last blog entry where I posted about that sock. These are such an awesome representation of all the shit I need to just hurry up and do already. Them... needing to be thrown away and the vase cleaned out... but I also have a house that needs to be cleaned and dishes that need to be washed. Whee.

It makes perfect sense that right in front of that is my cup of coffee...that is going cold. This is #2 for the day... I shall finish it even if it makes me feel slightly jittery.

Next up is the laptop, the eternal source of putting shit off. I blame the forums...

Below that you can see a glimpse of the horror that is the "shit on the shelf beneath my desk" The topmost being a heating pad. Ha...that will be my best friend in a few days, I can assure you.

Next is my current knitting project. (Cable Rib Socks from THIS BOOK)  For those familiar with Noro yarn... you are already noticing and laughing your ass off at my misfortune. There was a knot...and the color changed...and instead of digging through my ball looking for where I could seamlessly pick up the color and continue with the fabulous soft color shifts of Noro I simply said "fuck it" and went with the blue it gave me. ...This will make the second sock a bitch and a half if I attempt to make them match, I'm sure. But I'm a glutton for punishment.

What you don't see in that photo is my bag containing my second laptop that is at my feet... this laptop is in charge of all my freelance work... and more importantly at the moment: my resume.

BUT we'll get to that.

So with the glimpse of my life done and over with... ON to the rest! (and you thought this was going to be a short simple blog entry. HA. I have a week's worth of shit to make up for here!)

...SO... I guess I'll start now with "a week ago." Actually, a week and a day ago. Which puts me in the full glory that is... San Diego Comic Con 2010.

I have photos.

Not a lot of photos since I'm one of those people who have been to Comic Con for 8 years now and don't really get all giddy about the floor anymore. Forgive how many are SW-themed. I love me some Star Wars.

 
 
Yes...that's me and the Chief. My single "random celebrity" sighting.
He was awesome, I was sober and coherent. I can't really ask for a better moment there...
You know... except if the boyfriend could have actually put us in the center of the photo.

    

I have no idea what's going on with the language in that one photo. they did stuff to the train station in front of the Con. It amused me. The Green Hornet car was awesomely fancy, sitting in full glory outside the convention center in front of a huge screen that played the trailer for the movie.

And that was...pretty much it. I was only there for a day, after all. Give me a break.

So... Friday, Saturday and Sunday were spent at home for the most part. (Ok...so Friday we drove home and the boy took me to this adorable little yarn shop called the Needlecraft Cottage that was by the beach and it was a HOUSE full of KNITTING STUFF. I only bought enough yarn for two socks. But it was awesome.)

Enter... Monday.

Monday I get to work, expecting to pick up a few pieces from morons who didn't realize I was gone for Thurs and Friday and I get to hear that...well...

The company kinda doesn't exist anymore.

I don't need to get into specifics on my blog aside from the fact it meant that... well... I didn't have a job anymore.

... Back from a vacation where I bought tons of graphic novels and booze, spending money that I didn't really have to spend but figured it'd be ok depending on how I handled my next pay check only to realize I won't have a next paycheck.

Awesome.

Ohwait no.

Though I DID get the new couch on Monday. It is awesome... even if I have no way to pay for it at the moment. *cough*

So this week has basically been attempting to adapt to that. I re-upped my unemployment stuff (already got my form to fill out...huzzah.) and I've even applied to two jobs already (in a Collections Agency... not graphic design. Ew.)

But... I can say I've been productive. I finished THESE:

Which I love. And attempted to wear to go see a movie on Wednesday.

I say attempted since when we got to the theater and I was full on excited to see the childish madness that is Despicable Me... we were told that showing only had sold 6 tickets to they sold out the theater that evening to a private screening and I didn't get to see my movie. I was compensated with vouchers for a movie to use whenever I wanted, a full refund, and the (unused, sadly) ability to go to any other movie that was playing that night (...the only thing that started at the same time was Twilight...I said I'd go as long as I got to punch every last person sitting in the theater in the face, that didn't go over so well.) and since it was a Wednesday night and the boy had work the next day, we couldn't exactly sit around and wait for a later showing of anything else. Bummer.

The boy's been having a hellishly shitty week too. At this point I kinda wish the universe would stop seeking balance for the fun I had last Thursday/Friday. But we're a week into this mess now so I think we should be good.

Boyfriend is going away this weekend...leaving me at home. I plan to drink coffee, knit, and generally keep my head down until this all blows over.

The great internet extravaganza.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around it (or maybe that's just the post-con-party-thing cold I've caught), but somehow, someway, the internet crossed over into real life. No, it really did! I have the (now infamous) pictures to prove it!

So sometime last year the forums I have been somewhat a part of/spoken to people from/lurked on/etc.. for the better part of their existence celebrated their 10 year anniversary. To commemorate this event it was decided, hey...let's get together at Dragon*Con. Somewhere in my infinite wisdom I agreed, and even more so, nodded approvingly and planned accordingly to extend my trip to a post-con "Alabama Rave".

I can honestly say I wasn't sure what to expect from the trip. After all, the vast majority I didn't really know, some were people I've talked to for 8+ years (which basically means they dealt with me all through my teenage life...and they still talk to me: bonus!), and some who had recently become among the few that I counted as close "far away" friends. I honestly expected a lot of awkward silence and fidgeting, this was a group of Star Wars nerds, after all.

What actually happened? A week full of amazing memories I will cherish for a VERY long time and about 12 new friends made. Dragon*Con in itself wasn't "amazing", I've been to San Diego Comic Con too many times to be baffled by the whole convention scene anymore...but I must admit it did feel a bit more consumer-friendly/run rather than the corporate giants going "lookit what we have for you!". I even managed to get into a Battlestar Galactica panel by only showing up about a half hour before it started - THAT would never happen at SDCC.

The real fun came with just hanging out, meeting, and getting to know an amazing group of people over the course of a week. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry...couldn't have been more true. Each day was a new experience and each one flew by in a flurry of laughter, alcohol, and good times.

So, rather than trying to post summaries of each day for an entire week...maybe I can just list some highlights. And yes, this will pretty much accurately describe the pure madness that was felt the entire time:

• Hilton room 2447 - The Party Place. Glad I was staying there, it meant less work to crash when the madness ended for an evening. Doctor Horrible Goggles, lazy phone lightsaber fight, watching the masquerade on the TV, Captain Kirk is Climbing a Mountain! (Why is he climbing a mountain?),Chris giving me rum, the infamous photo op, Peter Panning, lampshade on heads, random steam punk people!
  
  
• Aquarium - HOLY SHIT GIANT FISH. Honest. The Georgia Aquarium blew my mind. Manta Rays, "Jedi Juice", 3 effin Whale Sharks!, amazing costumes, fishhhhhiesss!!
  
  
• BSG Party - Boo to Jenny not getting alcohol. Tigh puppet, tons of 6s, pilot costumes, fancy auctions, crazy dancing, cylons!
  
  
• Post-Con Alabama Rave - Charley is an awesome cook and him and Christin were great hosts! SARS #4, Senator Horse, ORDER OF THE SCORPION!, fireflies!, amazing...amazing food: tongue and alligator and constant-bliss. Oh my. No end to drunken shenanigans (don't say shenanigans again), Slutty Half-Zeltrons for all!, FOODGASM at the fancy restaurant with fancy bathrooms, jumping off of decks, Liz dancing, Nerf War 2!

I'm sure I'm forgetting things... but these would be the highlights for me. I can't wait until the next get together which now won't be so much as "meeting people from the internet" as "getting to spend time with my friends again". I like that change, I like it a lot.

Oh...and that infamous picture I keep mentioning?

Right here, buddy.

Comic Con, not just about men in tights!

The very name "Comic Con" I think conjures up a variety of images for people. To those that have been there it can mean a variety of things: Endlessly waiting in a line to get Stan Lee's autograph, endlessly waiting in line to get that exclusive figure, endlessly waiting in line to get into that one panel you really want to see, endlessly waiting in line to get into the restaurant to finally get your food and drink on, etc...etc. To those that haven't been there, well I suspect the images are more of a bunch of freaks in costumes who all have asthma and talk with a slight lisp thanks to their retainers. Okay, so those people aren't quite off the mark either. But with over 100,000 people there on any given day, trust me, it brings out all sorts. The anime geeks, the star wars nerds, the comic elitists, even the film students. So I guess really what my point here is that while it may have started out as a comic convention... Comic Con really has expanded into just a giant gathering of entertainment. Video games, movies, TV shows, comics, graphic novels, even just normal old books, toys, even equipment to create all the above!

Shit, I'm rambling huh? Well I guess that almost can accurately reflect the sheer madness that is Comic Con. So what does SDCC mean to me? It can pretty much be summed up by this: Buying my Living Dead Dolls, stalking a few artists I respect, spotting a few actors, buying whatever books are my fancy at the moment and misc useless figures, making fun of those in horrid costumes while respecting the work put into the good ones, gawking/giddiness over the next big video game or movie or show that I am interested in, and above all else, getting out of LA for a day or two and getting drunk off my ass in San Diego with my boyfriend/friends.

It started out the first year the LDDs did their exclusive there, it was the Blue Eggzorcist and me and the boyfriend decided to just hop on by on Friday one year. Amateurs. We parked almost 3 miles away, I was wearing flip flops and we were by no means prepared for what happened. Little by little over the years we've learned. Get there early, nap in car, drive home later that day (which gave into staying the night, then two nights, and so on). We've added in trips to Sea World and the San Diego Zoo in there too. This last year we went Thursday and Friday, drove home Saturday. Worked out great, didn't overstay my welcome and got home with enough weekend to recuperate before Monday.

Where else but SDCC?

Now all this was supposed to lead back to how Comic Con isn't just about the comics and relate to the funny story of when I came across the guy younger than me bitching up a storm about how Comic Con wasn't about comics anymore with this over elitist attitude...while he was standing in line for the Dexter panel... but the more I thought about it it the less I want to give that jerk any real recognition (more than I've already done) and the more I want to remember waiting in line for a BAG only to have them run out when we got to the booth, me being overly giddy about the Bioshock 2 and Castle Crashers booths, getting something painted by Ben Templesmith, having my photo taken with Adam Baldwin while wearing my Jayne shirt, and getting so drunk I don't remember most of Friday night. Yep. Comic Con...it's not about comics... it's about pure EFFING MADNESS. And I love it.

Despite looking grumpy as hell, EJO was actually uber nice... As was Ben Templesmith (Thanks again for the painting of Phoebe!) Never made it to that Dexter panel, bailed on it because the line was huge, but did manage to see some props over at the booth!

See ya next year, San Diego!

How's your Aspen?

I'll never forgive myself for making that pun but it'd been repeated in my head for too many days now to not go ahead and use it.

I blame my insane love of all things woodland on the fact that for a good chunk of my life my parents took me to Yosemite all the time. I mean like once a year all the time. They have tons of stories of me being a little munchkin running around in the woods. One in particular of when my parents were camping and apparently I wandered off in the middle of the night giggling much to the first panic then amused annoyance of my mother who then tethered me to the tent or something once I was found.

I have tons of other things that happened in Yosemite that I can remember as well - Spending a Halloween there with a cabin full of family and friends and carving pumpkins in my badass 80s Minnie Mouse costume (complete with crappy plastic mask. Hell yes). Being old enough to go with my father into the heart of Yosemite falls... then being old enough to go up into the freezing cold that was Bridal Veil that first time. The epic tale of me and my grandfather vs the mountain lion, the first time it actually snowed, the list goes on and on. All happy memories, one very sad one (the year my grandfather actually died while we were there and didn't go again until well... last year.), but memories that pretty much highlight my entire childhood nevertheless.

So when my boyfriend asked if I wanted to go with him on a weekend trip to his mother's in Colorado and subsequently bribed me with a trip to the "Maroon Bells", I was won over pretty damn fast. I had no idea what the Maroon Bells were. I had no idea it was in Aspen. But one google search later I was insanely excited and let me get this out of the way right now... it did not disappoint.

Apparently I was the animal whisperer. Also saw a snake, some funny little bird that hopped along the trail ahead of me for about 5 minutes, and we had some sort of blue jay hang out with us at lunch.

I really wish I could come up with the wording to describe my feelings during that Sunday we spent there. Excitement, euphoria, bliss...yeah, those don't really cut it. I sense of "I never want to leave" I think begins to edge upon what I was going through. I love hiking, I'm kinda a sissy and refuse to go on "dull" hikes that take me no where - what can I say? I'm spoiled thanks to... well.. Yosemite. I don't care how hard the trail is (last year's venture up Vernal Falls instantly comes to mind), I don't care how much I whine leading up to it, I don't care how many times I may have to stop and take a breather, I'll go and I'll have a blast.

We started out on the hike around 8:30-something in the morning and instantly we had the option of just doing the "scenic loop" or going and trudging it uphill to Crater Lake. Guess what won? (If you guessed the 4 mile round trip to that lake and back followed by the much easier and shorter scenic loop around the lower lake and river after lunch, you get a cookie.) My legs are still a bit sore, the day after was hell to try and move (the plane ride home in particular was less than fun with a sore leg that started cramping up), but I would go again. And again. And again. There was promise of more lakes further up the trail that apparently quickly became a downright bitch to get to for the novice hiker and yet all I could think of the entire time we were there was "someone get me a bedroll and a backpack, let's go!"

Maybe next year.

Seriously some amazing stuff here.

Oh, and for the record... I tried out that SPF 100+ stuff. AWESOME...you know...if you apply it. Somehow I always seem to forget that the part in my hair shows skin and just happens to be on the top of my head where it's most subjected to the wrath of the sun. Amazingly, I'm surviving. Thank god for Aloe Vera gel.