Since I seem to be having some vid issues, I wanted to comment on a little tidbit I missed out on before.
When Jared and Jensen were sitting up front waiting to race, there was a brief vid about how to choose the crowd favourite. There was a clip that explained that you had to text your team's number to redbul - one l. :)
Jared whipped out his phone, and texted. I'm going to hope it was for the fan choice, and it wasn't just a coincidental moment.
I heart the puppy.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Stalking the SN boys - Red Bull Soapbox Race
So, the SN boys actually made a public appearance in Vancouver. Considering how much time they spend up here, ya think we would see them out and about more often. Well, *I'd* certainly like to have them out and about more often. A girl can dream, right?
Anyway, I got up bright and early (yes, I had to set my alarm on a SUNDAY) to get there, find parking, and get a good spot. Was able to meet up with a lovely person from TWOP. She had heard my pleas about not wanting to show up sad and alone, so we decided to squee together. Despite being total strangers. I love meeting other fans. We're cool folk. :)
We parked ourselves RIGHT by the starting line. And we kept our eyes peeled. Every time I saw a really tall guy walking through the crowd, I had to sneak a peek. I saw quite a few guys with Jared hair, which kinda threw me for a loop. But I don't know why I bothered. When the boys showed up - there was absolutely NO mistaking them. They are just so... so... *them*. Seriously, those are not faces you can mistake for anybody else. Perfection cannot be duplicated.
Anyway, I think they arrived at about 1:15 or so, as their race was at 2:00. They hung out up at the Judge's booth for a while. One of the hosts asked a question - and I have to say, Jared's Texan accent was out in full force. Yup, I'm pretty sure I just died and went to heaven. Seriously, I could listen to that boy talk all day. And in true Dean style - Jensen was stuffing his face. No idea with what, but they obviously had snacks of some sort up there!
They went down to sit in "the pit" to prepare for their race. Again, I think I just about died when they pulled out Canucks Jerseys. But, then I saw that they were PERSONALIZED. Seriously, for a Vancouverite, the boys in Canucks Jerseys.... *explodes*
Jared was asked who was going to win, and responded by calling Jensen a weiner. Hee. And to note, Jensen was racing for Doctors Without Borders, and Jared was racing for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. The winner got $1000.00 for their charity; the loser, $500.00. So both charities come out ahead.
Anyway, up to this point in time, I'd been standing with two other girls with cameras, trying not to look like a total stalker. All three of us pretty much had our lenses trained on the boys. I'm like, I feel like such a paparazzi! I'm such a stalker! I'm so lame! But then I looked at my pictures, and damn, I'm glad I've got them. Screw looking like a crazy fan girl - it was so worth it!
Back to regularly scheduled programming.
As soon as the boys were off - so were we. We hightailed our asses down to the finish line. Yes, we actually RAN. And it was HOT out dammit! We didn't really see the full part of the race, just caught bits and pieces on the screen as we were hoofing it down there. Jared *totally* kicked Jensen's ass. That's my puppy. :)
So the boys hung out at the bottom for a bit. I got a couple more pictures. Jared was totally being his puppy self. One of the teams wiped out, and he got up to get a closer look. Then he came back to Jensen, and did the whole "dude, did you SEE that" thing. Gawd, that boy is such a puppy! There really isn't a better description. It suits him to a T.
We were down there for all of about 4 minutes, when the boys got carted off to get back up to the top. So off we were again. But this time, it was uphill, so a little less running was involved. Seriously folks, it was HOT out!
But when we got back up to the top, the boys pretty much left. I guess they weren't going to stick around, or sign autographs or anything. Oh well, at least I got to see the pretty.
So yeah, looking at my photos... they are kinda Jared heavy. I used to be such a Jensen girl - but something about seeing Jared in person makes you change your opinion of him. He's just a little kid, stuck in a big kid's body. He's a lot like me. But a dude. And hot.
Anyway, I stopped for Chinese food on the way home (because I'd made it to like 4:00 on one bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios), and ended up burning my tongue.
Bugger.
And to note: If I can successfully upload my clips to youtube, I will post the link here. I am sending all my photos to JRAUnlimited, so look there.
Anyway, I got up bright and early (yes, I had to set my alarm on a SUNDAY) to get there, find parking, and get a good spot. Was able to meet up with a lovely person from TWOP. She had heard my pleas about not wanting to show up sad and alone, so we decided to squee together. Despite being total strangers. I love meeting other fans. We're cool folk. :)
We parked ourselves RIGHT by the starting line. And we kept our eyes peeled. Every time I saw a really tall guy walking through the crowd, I had to sneak a peek. I saw quite a few guys with Jared hair, which kinda threw me for a loop. But I don't know why I bothered. When the boys showed up - there was absolutely NO mistaking them. They are just so... so... *them*. Seriously, those are not faces you can mistake for anybody else. Perfection cannot be duplicated.
Anyway, I think they arrived at about 1:15 or so, as their race was at 2:00. They hung out up at the Judge's booth for a while. One of the hosts asked a question - and I have to say, Jared's Texan accent was out in full force. Yup, I'm pretty sure I just died and went to heaven. Seriously, I could listen to that boy talk all day. And in true Dean style - Jensen was stuffing his face. No idea with what, but they obviously had snacks of some sort up there!
They went down to sit in "the pit" to prepare for their race. Again, I think I just about died when they pulled out Canucks Jerseys. But, then I saw that they were PERSONALIZED. Seriously, for a Vancouverite, the boys in Canucks Jerseys.... *explodes*
Jared was asked who was going to win, and responded by calling Jensen a weiner. Hee. And to note, Jensen was racing for Doctors Without Borders, and Jared was racing for St. Jude's Children's Hospital. The winner got $1000.00 for their charity; the loser, $500.00. So both charities come out ahead.
Anyway, up to this point in time, I'd been standing with two other girls with cameras, trying not to look like a total stalker. All three of us pretty much had our lenses trained on the boys. I'm like, I feel like such a paparazzi! I'm such a stalker! I'm so lame! But then I looked at my pictures, and damn, I'm glad I've got them. Screw looking like a crazy fan girl - it was so worth it!
Back to regularly scheduled programming.
As soon as the boys were off - so were we. We hightailed our asses down to the finish line. Yes, we actually RAN. And it was HOT out dammit! We didn't really see the full part of the race, just caught bits and pieces on the screen as we were hoofing it down there. Jared *totally* kicked Jensen's ass. That's my puppy. :)
So the boys hung out at the bottom for a bit. I got a couple more pictures. Jared was totally being his puppy self. One of the teams wiped out, and he got up to get a closer look. Then he came back to Jensen, and did the whole "dude, did you SEE that" thing. Gawd, that boy is such a puppy! There really isn't a better description. It suits him to a T.
We were down there for all of about 4 minutes, when the boys got carted off to get back up to the top. So off we were again. But this time, it was uphill, so a little less running was involved. Seriously folks, it was HOT out!
But when we got back up to the top, the boys pretty much left. I guess they weren't going to stick around, or sign autographs or anything. Oh well, at least I got to see the pretty.
So yeah, looking at my photos... they are kinda Jared heavy. I used to be such a Jensen girl - but something about seeing Jared in person makes you change your opinion of him. He's just a little kid, stuck in a big kid's body. He's a lot like me. But a dude. And hot.
Anyway, I stopped for Chinese food on the way home (because I'd made it to like 4:00 on one bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios), and ended up burning my tongue.
Bugger.
And to note: If I can successfully upload my clips to youtube, I will post the link here. I am sending all my photos to JRAUnlimited, so look there.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Comic Con - Sunday
Wow, it took me a while to get to this post! :)
Anyway, on to the Sunday. Once again, I got up mighty early to get in line. But I made a mistake this time. I figured that since the room I wanted to be in was in the West part of the Center, I would try entering from that side. Big mistake. When they let people in before the official "opening" time, there is only the one entry door. On the East side. The same one I had used every other day. So I wasted a good 20 minutes getting myself back to the proper door. Bugger.
Now, I was of course planning to line up for the Smallville and Supernatural panels. I figured if the line up for a JOSS panel wasn't too bad at 7:30 in the morning, neither would a panel for two CW shows. Yup, I was wrong. There was QUITE the line by the time I got there! I knew the fan girls would be out in force, but in all honesty, it was not the line I was expecting. Sure, there were some fan girls there (of the "OMG he's so kyoot" variety), but there were also a lot of fan boys. And the age range was astounding. The people I ended up chatting to in line were quite a bit older than me. I saw a lot of people in the 40+ range. CW - if you think you're hitting the male 18-25 year old demographic, I really think you need to look again. :)
It was kinda interesting in regards to the SV panel. Since I have a friend who works on the show, I kinda, erm, know stuff. But I don't really know what parts of that knowledge is actually public. So while people around me were chatting about SV stuff, I kinda kept my mouth quiet. Just in case.
The SV panel was very amusing, and quite informal. I think it would have gone differently if TW or MR were there, since they are considered the big "stars" (but of course MR has no more obligations to SV, so wheeeeee). Jeph Loeb was actually quite amusing. I managed to get a set on the aisle, fairly close to the front, so I had a good view. I wasn't in the aisle where the mic was, but I was in the aisle closest to the entry door - at the end of the table with the little podium box on it. So, essentially right in front of Justin. It was a good view. :)
Now, the SN panel. The one I had been waiting for. Squee! I was actually surprised by the amount of people who got up and left after SV. So, being close to the front, I *rushed* up at the end of the SV panel, and managed to sneak up a few extra aisles. And I was still *right* on the edge. Not bad seats, not bad at all. I think I was 6, maybe 7 rows back? I was pretty happy. I wasn't going to go all the way to Comic Con, just to sit way in the back, far away from the pretty!
Once again, the SN panel has been posted in its entirety all over youtube. This is about my thoughts.
I have to say - I went in a thorough Dean / Jensen girl. And I came out a changed woman. I dunno if it was because he was sitting closer to me, or because I *swear* he looked right at me a few times (okay, I know, they can't see jack shit from up there with a darkened audience, but let me have my little dream, m'kay?), but I left the panel a total Jared girl. He was lookin' GOOD. I love the tall and lanky. And both boys did seem rather tired, so maybe it was because Jared was a little more subdued than usual, and kept the puppy at bay. Well, except for his embarrassment at his "oh, Japanese *horror*" comment. But that just endeared him to me even more.
Prior to the panel, I had of course been pondering questions that I would have loved to have asked the boys if given a chance. But being on the side away from the mic, I didn't think I would get the chance. And then it happened. My apparent mind twin stepped up to the mic, and asked the *exact* question I had been formulating - the one about guest stars. Even down to the mention of Bruce Campbell. Seriously, I don't know who that lady was - but I'm thinking we actually share a cerebrum.
Anyway, after the SN panel, I wandered over to the SoCal Browncoats meeting (yay for finally getting to see Gayle!). I thought it was going to be more of a meet and greet, but it was really very formalized. I didn't stay very long, as being rather geographically distant, the discussion wasn't really relevant to me. So I figured I would wander through the Con floor. Seeing as how Jensen was doing his signing and all - I thought I might be able to get a glimpse. ;)
I did pass him at the booth. The floor was complete and utter pandemonium. There was a huge crush of people everywhere. I did try to get a picture, but it didn't work out so well, since I wasn't exactly given the opportunity to stand still. And for those who are wondering, yes, Danneel was there. She was standing up top on the second floor, talking to another lady. And I'm not one of those blatant Danneel bashers - but in all honesty, she looked rather grumpy up there. Like she could have cared less to be there. I mean, come on, it's COMIC CON! There is so much going on! At least put on a happy face, and *try* and look somewhat enthused. But whatever.
I wandered back over to the Browncoats booth. I don't think anyone had taken any of our autograph cards. Not that I had expected them to. :) But whatever.
Starship Smackdown was where I headed next. I didn't go to this last time, and I wasn't about to miss out on pure geekiness this time! I found some other Canucks to talk to in line, which was pretty cool. The Smackdown started out with I think 16 ships - 10 chosen by the panellists, and 6 by the audience. I don't really remember who all started out. But they changed up the rules this time, and assigned Captains in the last round this time. The "Final Four" were the Protector, Captained by Han Solo, the Millennium Falcon, Captained by Captain Stubbing (LOL), The Captain and Tenille (again, LOL) aboard 3 Cylon Base Stars, and Captain Kirk aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer. Yeah, Kirk took it, no questions asked.
I wandered to the Buffy sing along at the end of the day. Loved getting my little "Grrr, argh" monster! I wasn't able to stay until the end though, as I had a plane to catch.
Went back to the hotel, picked up my stuff, and hoofed it to the airport. Only to find my flight had been bumped up by like an hour and a half! Major panic. I scrambled to get my luggage dropped off, and through security. Only to discover that though I had been bumped up to an earlier *scheduled* flight, it was in actuality leaving about the same time as the one I was supposed to be on. Apparently, there were quite a lot of delays. Which I discovered when I landed in San Francisco (where I was flying on from to Seattle). We got put in a holding pattern, and delayed landing even. And my flight to Seattle was a good THREE HOURS delayed from when I was supposed to arrive. I knew I was going to be pushing it, even arriving on schedule at midnight, and then driving home. But I didn't get into Seattle until like 3 A.M. It was 6:30 A.M. by the time I got my butt home and into bed (how I managed to stay awake during the drive, I am not entirely sure). So yeah, got maybe a couple of hours of sleep, then hoofed it into work, because I had to BE IN COURT that afternoon. Yeah, was I ever not thrilled.
I slept well that night, but I was totally ruined for that whole week. Sleep is awesome. I don't like missing out.
And to add - Chris Judge was totally on my flight from SAN to SFO. It was kinda cool and totally unexpected!
Anyway, on to the Sunday. Once again, I got up mighty early to get in line. But I made a mistake this time. I figured that since the room I wanted to be in was in the West part of the Center, I would try entering from that side. Big mistake. When they let people in before the official "opening" time, there is only the one entry door. On the East side. The same one I had used every other day. So I wasted a good 20 minutes getting myself back to the proper door. Bugger.
Now, I was of course planning to line up for the Smallville and Supernatural panels. I figured if the line up for a JOSS panel wasn't too bad at 7:30 in the morning, neither would a panel for two CW shows. Yup, I was wrong. There was QUITE the line by the time I got there! I knew the fan girls would be out in force, but in all honesty, it was not the line I was expecting. Sure, there were some fan girls there (of the "OMG he's so kyoot" variety), but there were also a lot of fan boys. And the age range was astounding. The people I ended up chatting to in line were quite a bit older than me. I saw a lot of people in the 40+ range. CW - if you think you're hitting the male 18-25 year old demographic, I really think you need to look again. :)
It was kinda interesting in regards to the SV panel. Since I have a friend who works on the show, I kinda, erm, know stuff. But I don't really know what parts of that knowledge is actually public. So while people around me were chatting about SV stuff, I kinda kept my mouth quiet. Just in case.
The SV panel was very amusing, and quite informal. I think it would have gone differently if TW or MR were there, since they are considered the big "stars" (but of course MR has no more obligations to SV, so wheeeeee). Jeph Loeb was actually quite amusing. I managed to get a set on the aisle, fairly close to the front, so I had a good view. I wasn't in the aisle where the mic was, but I was in the aisle closest to the entry door - at the end of the table with the little podium box on it. So, essentially right in front of Justin. It was a good view. :)
Now, the SN panel. The one I had been waiting for. Squee! I was actually surprised by the amount of people who got up and left after SV. So, being close to the front, I *rushed* up at the end of the SV panel, and managed to sneak up a few extra aisles. And I was still *right* on the edge. Not bad seats, not bad at all. I think I was 6, maybe 7 rows back? I was pretty happy. I wasn't going to go all the way to Comic Con, just to sit way in the back, far away from the pretty!
Once again, the SN panel has been posted in its entirety all over youtube. This is about my thoughts.
I have to say - I went in a thorough Dean / Jensen girl. And I came out a changed woman. I dunno if it was because he was sitting closer to me, or because I *swear* he looked right at me a few times (okay, I know, they can't see jack shit from up there with a darkened audience, but let me have my little dream, m'kay?), but I left the panel a total Jared girl. He was lookin' GOOD. I love the tall and lanky. And both boys did seem rather tired, so maybe it was because Jared was a little more subdued than usual, and kept the puppy at bay. Well, except for his embarrassment at his "oh, Japanese *horror*" comment. But that just endeared him to me even more.
Prior to the panel, I had of course been pondering questions that I would have loved to have asked the boys if given a chance. But being on the side away from the mic, I didn't think I would get the chance. And then it happened. My apparent mind twin stepped up to the mic, and asked the *exact* question I had been formulating - the one about guest stars. Even down to the mention of Bruce Campbell. Seriously, I don't know who that lady was - but I'm thinking we actually share a cerebrum.
Anyway, after the SN panel, I wandered over to the SoCal Browncoats meeting (yay for finally getting to see Gayle!). I thought it was going to be more of a meet and greet, but it was really very formalized. I didn't stay very long, as being rather geographically distant, the discussion wasn't really relevant to me. So I figured I would wander through the Con floor. Seeing as how Jensen was doing his signing and all - I thought I might be able to get a glimpse. ;)
I did pass him at the booth. The floor was complete and utter pandemonium. There was a huge crush of people everywhere. I did try to get a picture, but it didn't work out so well, since I wasn't exactly given the opportunity to stand still. And for those who are wondering, yes, Danneel was there. She was standing up top on the second floor, talking to another lady. And I'm not one of those blatant Danneel bashers - but in all honesty, she looked rather grumpy up there. Like she could have cared less to be there. I mean, come on, it's COMIC CON! There is so much going on! At least put on a happy face, and *try* and look somewhat enthused. But whatever.
I wandered back over to the Browncoats booth. I don't think anyone had taken any of our autograph cards. Not that I had expected them to. :) But whatever.
Starship Smackdown was where I headed next. I didn't go to this last time, and I wasn't about to miss out on pure geekiness this time! I found some other Canucks to talk to in line, which was pretty cool. The Smackdown started out with I think 16 ships - 10 chosen by the panellists, and 6 by the audience. I don't really remember who all started out. But they changed up the rules this time, and assigned Captains in the last round this time. The "Final Four" were the Protector, Captained by Han Solo, the Millennium Falcon, Captained by Captain Stubbing (LOL), The Captain and Tenille (again, LOL) aboard 3 Cylon Base Stars, and Captain Kirk aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer. Yeah, Kirk took it, no questions asked.
I wandered to the Buffy sing along at the end of the day. Loved getting my little "Grrr, argh" monster! I wasn't able to stay until the end though, as I had a plane to catch.
Went back to the hotel, picked up my stuff, and hoofed it to the airport. Only to find my flight had been bumped up by like an hour and a half! Major panic. I scrambled to get my luggage dropped off, and through security. Only to discover that though I had been bumped up to an earlier *scheduled* flight, it was in actuality leaving about the same time as the one I was supposed to be on. Apparently, there were quite a lot of delays. Which I discovered when I landed in San Francisco (where I was flying on from to Seattle). We got put in a holding pattern, and delayed landing even. And my flight to Seattle was a good THREE HOURS delayed from when I was supposed to arrive. I knew I was going to be pushing it, even arriving on schedule at midnight, and then driving home. But I didn't get into Seattle until like 3 A.M. It was 6:30 A.M. by the time I got my butt home and into bed (how I managed to stay awake during the drive, I am not entirely sure). So yeah, got maybe a couple of hours of sleep, then hoofed it into work, because I had to BE IN COURT that afternoon. Yeah, was I ever not thrilled.
I slept well that night, but I was totally ruined for that whole week. Sleep is awesome. I don't like missing out.
And to add - Chris Judge was totally on my flight from SAN to SFO. It was kinda cool and totally unexpected!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Comic Con - Saturday
So if I thought the weekdays were busy - they ain't got nothin' on the weekends. It was a virtual sea of people. It was scary. If a fire alarm had sounded, no one would have burned to death in any fire - they would have been trampled / smushed to death instead. I know it sounds morbid to think about, but every now and then, when you are being pushed along by a sea of people, unable to turn and walk in the other direction - it gets a little frightening. And you start thinking about these things. Anyway, on to the good stuff.
Made the good call of getting up really, REALLY early to get to the Con. Got in line about 7:30 (and for those who know me, I'm usually still in bed at that time of the morning, never mind up, dressed, and in line anywhere). Plopped right down in line for Ballroom 20, and was actually in the first portion of the line. So no waiting outside. But the line did get very long, very fast. It was fun seeing people turn the corner and see our part of the line (probably a couple of hundred in front of me). And then they turned the *next* corner, and saw the *rest*. Their faces went from "oh dear, the line is this long already", to "oh my god, all hope is gone". It was awesome. Met some nice folks in line, and had a good chat. Comic Con is all about chatting up the people around you, because chances are, you're going to be hanging with them for quite some time. Beats boredom.
Anyway, the panels I wanted to see were later in the day, but dammit, I was getting a good seat, and not moving my ass out of it! The Futurama / Simpsons panel was first. Now, I don't watch either show, so I couldn't really care about anything. But at least the panellists were amusing, and I found myself entertained. The next panel though - was Dean Koontz. I understand that he is a best selling author (not that I read his books). But the man should NOT be given a room full of 4500 people for an hour. Let alone a room of 4500 people, the majority of whom were simply waiting for Joss. I literally fell asleep. I kept catching my head as it fell backwards. At least I managed not to drool. And Dean? Who do you think you're kidding with that hair? Seriously. Dude.
The Dollhouse panel followed. And once again with the awesomeness. Again, all of this is covered on YouTube, so you don't need my summary here. You can view all the wonderful goodness for yourself. And damn, Tahmoh is one purty, purty man. Having been in his presence before (yay for getting to be in a scene with him during my one all to brief day on BSG), I can safely say he's just as purty up close. But he still looked great on the panel. And damn, Eliza is a little on the flirty side! I don't know if the videos show just *quite* what she was doing to the mic. But I'm sure some of the fanboys in the audience had some *very* happy moments. :) Hee hee.
The BSG panel. This should have been the panel that made my entire trip worthwhile. BSG is the shits. Best show, IMO, to *ever* air on television. I think 2nd place would have to go to M*A*S*H. But please, PLEASE do not let Kevin Smith moderate when there is only a finite amount of time to be had. The man is funny. I get it. But he's TOO funny. If the actors are too busy laughing to answer a question - time is wasted. It ain't the Kevin Smith show. Move along.
The Chuck panel was the last panel of the day that I was interested in. I really love that show - it is totally cutesy, but in a good way. And I would totally scromp Zach in a heartbeat. The cast had some good laughs about how everyone was just there to see Adam (Browncoat powers - activate!), and they were just excess baggage. Sad, but also kinda true. Anything or anyone remotely connected to Firefly seems to have that power. New season looks to be total hotness though. Whee!
After the panels, I wandered around the Convention floor. I knew the SN boys were supposed to be doing a signing at 5:00, and I thought I would wander by (didn't find out until that evening that it had been cancelled). So obviously I didn't see the boys at the booth, but I did see Nathan Fillion! Though, not sure why he was at the WB booth, but whatever. He came down the stairs to sign something for a guy (the WB booth had two stories, the "important" people were all sequestered up top). I got his attention, and said something to the effect of "I just wanted to thank you in person for always giving props to Into the Black, so thank you". I got a nod and a smile, so I'm not too sure he really heard me. Understandable, 'cause the Con was wicked busy and noisy. But still, I *tried* to get my point across.
Anyway, I went to the Sci-Fi booth and bought my BSG poster. At least I was coming home with something. Got back to the hotel at 6:30 or so, and just stayed in and packed up, rather than heading back to the Masquerade. But it turned out to be futile, because when Eric got back, it turned out he had GOTTEN ME A TOASTER. Yep, he got to the Con early, and instead of going to a panel, he went in to the Exhibition Hall. He stopped off at the booth to see if there were any left. He got the third last one that day! So yay for Eric. Oh, and he also told me that the wicked ass Hellboy I'd seen wandering around the floor earlier was actually Adam from Mythbusters. Awesome. So yeah, then I repacked everything, 'cause that toaster ain't small.
And thus ended the Saturday.
Made the good call of getting up really, REALLY early to get to the Con. Got in line about 7:30 (and for those who know me, I'm usually still in bed at that time of the morning, never mind up, dressed, and in line anywhere). Plopped right down in line for Ballroom 20, and was actually in the first portion of the line. So no waiting outside. But the line did get very long, very fast. It was fun seeing people turn the corner and see our part of the line (probably a couple of hundred in front of me). And then they turned the *next* corner, and saw the *rest*. Their faces went from "oh dear, the line is this long already", to "oh my god, all hope is gone". It was awesome. Met some nice folks in line, and had a good chat. Comic Con is all about chatting up the people around you, because chances are, you're going to be hanging with them for quite some time. Beats boredom.
Anyway, the panels I wanted to see were later in the day, but dammit, I was getting a good seat, and not moving my ass out of it! The Futurama / Simpsons panel was first. Now, I don't watch either show, so I couldn't really care about anything. But at least the panellists were amusing, and I found myself entertained. The next panel though - was Dean Koontz. I understand that he is a best selling author (not that I read his books). But the man should NOT be given a room full of 4500 people for an hour. Let alone a room of 4500 people, the majority of whom were simply waiting for Joss. I literally fell asleep. I kept catching my head as it fell backwards. At least I managed not to drool. And Dean? Who do you think you're kidding with that hair? Seriously. Dude.
The Dollhouse panel followed. And once again with the awesomeness. Again, all of this is covered on YouTube, so you don't need my summary here. You can view all the wonderful goodness for yourself. And damn, Tahmoh is one purty, purty man. Having been in his presence before (yay for getting to be in a scene with him during my one all to brief day on BSG), I can safely say he's just as purty up close. But he still looked great on the panel. And damn, Eliza is a little on the flirty side! I don't know if the videos show just *quite* what she was doing to the mic. But I'm sure some of the fanboys in the audience had some *very* happy moments. :) Hee hee.
The BSG panel. This should have been the panel that made my entire trip worthwhile. BSG is the shits. Best show, IMO, to *ever* air on television. I think 2nd place would have to go to M*A*S*H. But please, PLEASE do not let Kevin Smith moderate when there is only a finite amount of time to be had. The man is funny. I get it. But he's TOO funny. If the actors are too busy laughing to answer a question - time is wasted. It ain't the Kevin Smith show. Move along.
The Chuck panel was the last panel of the day that I was interested in. I really love that show - it is totally cutesy, but in a good way. And I would totally scromp Zach in a heartbeat. The cast had some good laughs about how everyone was just there to see Adam (Browncoat powers - activate!), and they were just excess baggage. Sad, but also kinda true. Anything or anyone remotely connected to Firefly seems to have that power. New season looks to be total hotness though. Whee!
After the panels, I wandered around the Convention floor. I knew the SN boys were supposed to be doing a signing at 5:00, and I thought I would wander by (didn't find out until that evening that it had been cancelled). So obviously I didn't see the boys at the booth, but I did see Nathan Fillion! Though, not sure why he was at the WB booth, but whatever. He came down the stairs to sign something for a guy (the WB booth had two stories, the "important" people were all sequestered up top). I got his attention, and said something to the effect of "I just wanted to thank you in person for always giving props to Into the Black, so thank you". I got a nod and a smile, so I'm not too sure he really heard me. Understandable, 'cause the Con was wicked busy and noisy. But still, I *tried* to get my point across.
Anyway, I went to the Sci-Fi booth and bought my BSG poster. At least I was coming home with something. Got back to the hotel at 6:30 or so, and just stayed in and packed up, rather than heading back to the Masquerade. But it turned out to be futile, because when Eric got back, it turned out he had GOTTEN ME A TOASTER. Yep, he got to the Con early, and instead of going to a panel, he went in to the Exhibition Hall. He stopped off at the booth to see if there were any left. He got the third last one that day! So yay for Eric. Oh, and he also told me that the wicked ass Hellboy I'd seen wandering around the floor earlier was actually Adam from Mythbusters. Awesome. So yeah, then I repacked everything, 'cause that toaster ain't small.
And thus ended the Saturday.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Comic Con - Friday
The day of the Dr. Horrible panel. Got to the Center about 8:45, because I was expecting line ups. Yeah, already about 5-600 people in line in front of me by the time I got there! The line was already outside of the Center! So yeah, I decided I was gonna have to be there even earlier on Sat. and Sun. And I am NOT a morning person. Ah, what I will do for a good seat.
So the Stargate panels were first in Ballroom 20. Now, I haven't watched SG in, like, forever, aside from catching the occasional episode if there is nothing else on. I have nothing against the show - don't get me wrong. I just stopped watching after about season 4 or 5, because it went off the air in my area, and I just never caught up. I fully mean to at one point. But come on, Ben Browder was there. I mean, Ben Browder! Absolute gorgessity. Not only is he physically attractive (and what, he's 46 now? omg....), but he's smart and funny and by all accounts a class act. Yet another reason to lobby pro-cloning. :) Chris told an amusing story about how he had been cast as a baddie on 24 - only to be fired for not being black enough. Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Damn, that is Hollywood for ya.
The SG Worlds panel was next. Since I don't play any online games, I kinda blanked out, but it looked like it could be fun. The Atlantis panel was after. You could tell the large number of Browncoats in the room, simply by the cheers that Jewel received. It was an amusing panel, and Robert Picardo sounds like a riot. Very dry humour, but funny as $&%^.
There must have actually been a fair amount of just SG fans there, because it did take a while to clear / fill the room between panels. I think Ballroom 20 seats somewhere between 4000-4500 people, so it ain't exactly small. There wasn't much movement in the front rows (we die hards always show up early), so most of the leaving / entering was towards the back.
Anyway, on to the Joss (Dr. Horrible) panel. I'm sure it is plastered all over You-Tube, so anyone who wants to see it can listen to all the answers, so I'm not going to go through it all here. But I have to cover one minor point that annoys me. When you have pretty much everyone involved in a project up on stage, together, at one time... it is a good idea to actually ask questions about the project. I know it is Joss. I know you have some burning questions that you just MUST have answered about some random incident in Buffy S3. But really... now is NOT the time. A large chunk of people in the room are actually interested in the CURRENT project, i.e. Dr. Horrible. Some people have good Dr. Horrible questions. And by directing so many other Joss related questions at him - you're wasting everyone's time. Seriously. Suck it up, and move on. I felt bad for the panel, because everyone was up there asking "Joss this, Joss that". The other folks didn't really have much to do. At least ask Joss Dr. Horrible questions, so that the other panellists can at least chime in every now and then. I *get* that Joss has a huge number of fans that just have burning questions about this that and the other thing. But you have to recognize the appropriate time to get questions answered. When the panellists are there for a short period of time, when there are 7 (was it 7?) other people up on stage, and when they are there to promote a specific project, and when most people want to hear about that project - IT IS NOT THE TIME. Gawd.
Anyway, after the panel, there wasn't much that excited me, so I wandered around the other half of the exhibition hall. LOVE some of the costumes, though you can totally tell who is being paid to be there, and who are just the amateurs. Maybe at some point I'll stop being lazy for long enough to make my own costume. Or not. Anyway, got back to the hotel around 4:00 for a break before evening programming.
That evening was the Sci-Fi Eureka / Atlantis premiere, followed by the Dr. Horrible viewing. When I got back to the Center, the line was HUGE, but got in line anyway. We were told then that the line was cut off, as there wouldn't be enough room in 6B for us all (only seats about 1200 I think). Yeah, that line was close to rioting. The Con people told everyone that there would be some Dr. Horrible showings in other rooms - but dammit, I actually wanted to see Eureka. So I said *#$&% it, and stayed in line anyway. Some people left, but a good majority stayed in that line. And when the doors opened - there was more than enough room for *everybody*. There were even some empty seats. I swear, some of the Con staff is on crack. Way to piss off a whole bunch of people.
Anyway, the Eureka premiere was awesome. Man, I love that show. So witty. The Atlantis premiere, while good, totally lost me, because I don't watch the show and as a result, had no idea what was going on. But yay Jewel! Tee hee. Then - the main event. Dr. Horrible. Of course, everyone wandered to to introduce the screening. Joss threatened us with death if anyone sung flat. :) Seeing the whole thing, at one time, on the big screen, was quite a neat experience. Eric loved it - and he hadn't even heard anything about it until I started babbling to him. Joss and Co. sat at the back in empty seats. I envy whoever was back there, and suddenly had NPH plonk himself down beside them. They all left right after, which kinda sucked, as I thought maybe they would have answered a few more questions or something, but whatever.
We walked back to the hotel after that. Yes, again with the walking. But it was kinda fun to walk past all the bars, with everyone enjoying an evening out. You could tell they were mostly locals - looked like very few con-goers in the bunch. We were all headed back to go to sleep to get ready for the next day.
So the Stargate panels were first in Ballroom 20. Now, I haven't watched SG in, like, forever, aside from catching the occasional episode if there is nothing else on. I have nothing against the show - don't get me wrong. I just stopped watching after about season 4 or 5, because it went off the air in my area, and I just never caught up. I fully mean to at one point. But come on, Ben Browder was there. I mean, Ben Browder! Absolute gorgessity. Not only is he physically attractive (and what, he's 46 now? omg....), but he's smart and funny and by all accounts a class act. Yet another reason to lobby pro-cloning. :) Chris told an amusing story about how he had been cast as a baddie on 24 - only to be fired for not being black enough. Seriously? SERIOUSLY? Damn, that is Hollywood for ya.
The SG Worlds panel was next. Since I don't play any online games, I kinda blanked out, but it looked like it could be fun. The Atlantis panel was after. You could tell the large number of Browncoats in the room, simply by the cheers that Jewel received. It was an amusing panel, and Robert Picardo sounds like a riot. Very dry humour, but funny as $&%^.
There must have actually been a fair amount of just SG fans there, because it did take a while to clear / fill the room between panels. I think Ballroom 20 seats somewhere between 4000-4500 people, so it ain't exactly small. There wasn't much movement in the front rows (we die hards always show up early), so most of the leaving / entering was towards the back.
Anyway, on to the Joss (Dr. Horrible) panel. I'm sure it is plastered all over You-Tube, so anyone who wants to see it can listen to all the answers, so I'm not going to go through it all here. But I have to cover one minor point that annoys me. When you have pretty much everyone involved in a project up on stage, together, at one time... it is a good idea to actually ask questions about the project. I know it is Joss. I know you have some burning questions that you just MUST have answered about some random incident in Buffy S3. But really... now is NOT the time. A large chunk of people in the room are actually interested in the CURRENT project, i.e. Dr. Horrible. Some people have good Dr. Horrible questions. And by directing so many other Joss related questions at him - you're wasting everyone's time. Seriously. Suck it up, and move on. I felt bad for the panel, because everyone was up there asking "Joss this, Joss that". The other folks didn't really have much to do. At least ask Joss Dr. Horrible questions, so that the other panellists can at least chime in every now and then. I *get* that Joss has a huge number of fans that just have burning questions about this that and the other thing. But you have to recognize the appropriate time to get questions answered. When the panellists are there for a short period of time, when there are 7 (was it 7?) other people up on stage, and when they are there to promote a specific project, and when most people want to hear about that project - IT IS NOT THE TIME. Gawd.
Anyway, after the panel, there wasn't much that excited me, so I wandered around the other half of the exhibition hall. LOVE some of the costumes, though you can totally tell who is being paid to be there, and who are just the amateurs. Maybe at some point I'll stop being lazy for long enough to make my own costume. Or not. Anyway, got back to the hotel around 4:00 for a break before evening programming.
That evening was the Sci-Fi Eureka / Atlantis premiere, followed by the Dr. Horrible viewing. When I got back to the Center, the line was HUGE, but got in line anyway. We were told then that the line was cut off, as there wouldn't be enough room in 6B for us all (only seats about 1200 I think). Yeah, that line was close to rioting. The Con people told everyone that there would be some Dr. Horrible showings in other rooms - but dammit, I actually wanted to see Eureka. So I said *#$&% it, and stayed in line anyway. Some people left, but a good majority stayed in that line. And when the doors opened - there was more than enough room for *everybody*. There were even some empty seats. I swear, some of the Con staff is on crack. Way to piss off a whole bunch of people.
Anyway, the Eureka premiere was awesome. Man, I love that show. So witty. The Atlantis premiere, while good, totally lost me, because I don't watch the show and as a result, had no idea what was going on. But yay Jewel! Tee hee. Then - the main event. Dr. Horrible. Of course, everyone wandered to to introduce the screening. Joss threatened us with death if anyone sung flat. :) Seeing the whole thing, at one time, on the big screen, was quite a neat experience. Eric loved it - and he hadn't even heard anything about it until I started babbling to him. Joss and Co. sat at the back in empty seats. I envy whoever was back there, and suddenly had NPH plonk himself down beside them. They all left right after, which kinda sucked, as I thought maybe they would have answered a few more questions or something, but whatever.
We walked back to the hotel after that. Yes, again with the walking. But it was kinda fun to walk past all the bars, with everyone enjoying an evening out. You could tell they were mostly locals - looked like very few con-goers in the bunch. We were all headed back to go to sleep to get ready for the next day.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Comic Con - Thursday
Walked down to the Con with Eric. Stopped off to get a Jamba Juice for breakfast - waaay better than a hotel breakfast! We didn't get to the Center (yes, I will use the American spelling) until around 9:45, because nothing started until 10:00. Everything was already super busy! And Thursday is supposed to be a quiet day.
Started the day off by going to the Kings panel. It actually looks like a pretty decent show - interesting premise, but I'm not sure how they will be able to carry it out over the seasons. Still, looks like something good to watch. Stayed in the same room for the BSG 30th Anniversary panel, which is what I had really wanted to see anyway. Turns out Richard Hatch is a Browncoat! We're taking over the world! Also got a bit of insight into what Tom DeSanto had had planned for BSG had his version gone ahead. Sounds like it would have been very different. But then again, I think Ron Moore has managed to do just fine, thank you very much. Since Bryan Singer had to go do X2, their BSG got pulled - and Firefly took its spot on Fox. I must say, I'm glad BSG is on SciFi, because if Fox had had it, I don't think it would have lasted past a half a season.
Wandered over to Ballroom 20 afterwards, and caught the last bit of the Doctor Who panel. Stephen Moffat cracks me up! Next series should be a blast. Is it Christmas yet? The Torchwood panel was pretty awesome too - and yes, John Barrowman is genetically perfect. And totally geeky - you could tell he really loves what he does. Ah... Captain Jack. I would scromp you in a heartbeat. It is a sad, sad loss for womankind. And Naoko and John doing the song from Miss Saigon? Brilliance. My fan girl head almost exploded.
I was going to try to get to the Red Sonja panel afterwards, but the line was insane, so I lined up for Wizard's First Rule instead, because I didn't want to miss out. It was an interesting panel, and looks to be a good series (I originally thought it was supposed to be a mini-series, and not a weekly). Suppose I'm going to have to actually read the books now, because it sounds like it could be a good read. Plus, the lead actor totally looks cute (he wasn't there, just a brief clip on screen).
After that panel, I wandered around the exhibition floor for a little while (covered about half of it). I really didn't allow myself to stop at too many booths, because I knew I would just end up spending money, which I totally didn't need to do. Went back to the hotel and rested, because I knew the rest of the weekend would be nuts!
Started the day off by going to the Kings panel. It actually looks like a pretty decent show - interesting premise, but I'm not sure how they will be able to carry it out over the seasons. Still, looks like something good to watch. Stayed in the same room for the BSG 30th Anniversary panel, which is what I had really wanted to see anyway. Turns out Richard Hatch is a Browncoat! We're taking over the world! Also got a bit of insight into what Tom DeSanto had had planned for BSG had his version gone ahead. Sounds like it would have been very different. But then again, I think Ron Moore has managed to do just fine, thank you very much. Since Bryan Singer had to go do X2, their BSG got pulled - and Firefly took its spot on Fox. I must say, I'm glad BSG is on SciFi, because if Fox had had it, I don't think it would have lasted past a half a season.
Wandered over to Ballroom 20 afterwards, and caught the last bit of the Doctor Who panel. Stephen Moffat cracks me up! Next series should be a blast. Is it Christmas yet? The Torchwood panel was pretty awesome too - and yes, John Barrowman is genetically perfect. And totally geeky - you could tell he really loves what he does. Ah... Captain Jack. I would scromp you in a heartbeat. It is a sad, sad loss for womankind. And Naoko and John doing the song from Miss Saigon? Brilliance. My fan girl head almost exploded.
I was going to try to get to the Red Sonja panel afterwards, but the line was insane, so I lined up for Wizard's First Rule instead, because I didn't want to miss out. It was an interesting panel, and looks to be a good series (I originally thought it was supposed to be a mini-series, and not a weekly). Suppose I'm going to have to actually read the books now, because it sounds like it could be a good read. Plus, the lead actor totally looks cute (he wasn't there, just a brief clip on screen).
After that panel, I wandered around the exhibition floor for a little while (covered about half of it). I really didn't allow myself to stop at too many booths, because I knew I would just end up spending money, which I totally didn't need to do. Went back to the hotel and rested, because I knew the rest of the weekend would be nuts!
Comic Con - Wednesday
First day of the Con!
We slept in a little, due to all the travelly goodness the day before. We had breakfast at the hotel that day - the only day I actually did so, despite it being covered in our room rate. Didn't really excite me much - and I'm not much of a breakfast person anyway.
We decided to go to Balboa Park for the morning. And we decided to walk. NOT the best idea. It was about 2 miles to get there - a good portion of which was uphill. Yeah, we were sweaty and tired when we got there! We actually walked by the hotel we stayed at last time on the way there. It is no longer a Travelodge - obviously it is too crappy now to even bear the name any more. I am SOOO glad we're staying where we are.
The only museum we went to was the Air and Space - for "Star Trek: The Exhibit". Geeks on a geek vacation must do lots of geeky things. The exhibit was kind of fun. We got our pictures taken on the bridge (replica of TOS Enterprise), but at $25 a pop, we didn't buy them at the end (though they did turn out well). You could also get your picture taken with the Guardian, or on the transporter. I guess they gotta milk people for all they are worth - amateur photography was not permitted at all in the exhibit. I would have loved to have taken my own pictures, but whatever.
After that, we did quickly walk through the park, beside some other museums. Architecture is cool looking, but I didn't feel like shelling out more dough to wander around museums, and we were running short on time anyway. So yes, we *walked* back to the hotel. Man, I did lots of walking on this vacation! So I did have a wee rest once getting back to the hotel.
Headed off to Con registration at about 2:00. Planned to stop and get lunch - but it was hard to find anywhere. A lot of the patios along the way weren't open for lunch that day it seemed, or they were full, or ridiculously overpriced. So we ended up at Subway. But hey, at least they don't skimp on the bacon down there! Yum. Bacon.
Last time, registration took forever. Like an hour or so of waiting in line. This year - it took like 2 seconds. They had SOOO many tables open. Just gave them your piece of paper with your reservation confirmation on it, a piece of photo ID, and VOILA! All done. Eric and I were floored, because now we're like, "now what"? So we decided to wait in line to be first on the exhibition hall floor - because I wanted my toaster dammit!
So a couple of hours of sitting in line on a cement floor is always SOOO much fun. Whee. I swear both legs went numb at some point. I really need to get a Nintendo DS though. It seems as though everyone and their dog has one. Not that there were dogs attending.
So right at 6:00 - the doors opened, and the line started in. My GAWD, the Con floor was packed for preview night. I didn't think that many people had gotten in in front of us, but apparently, a lot had! I made a beeline for the SciFi booth to get my toaster - only to find out they were already all gone in the time it had taken us to get in and get there. Seriously? SERIOUSLY? They were only bringing in a certain amount per day, so I was told I could try back another day. With lines like this, I didn't really see it happening. Oh well. I picked up my Cylon Centurion from Diamond Select, and the variant Serenity cover from the Browncoats booth. So I did get some stuff. If preview night was *this* busy - I was worried about the state of the rest of the Con.
Anyway, when we got back to the hotel, we just decided to get Chinese take out, as we were hungry, and sick of walking (though, being on the shuttle route was a GODSEND at the end of the day). Got a menu from the front desk, and were told it was really quite good, and they usually order it every Sunday. Yeah, not good. I have yet to have good Chinese take out in the States, though I do love the little cardboard boxes it comes in. Seriously, is that the standard of Chinese food down there? Yikes. MALL Chinese food up here tastes better - never mind the *good* restaurants.
Dangit. Now I want tan tan noodles. Yummy.
We slept in a little, due to all the travelly goodness the day before. We had breakfast at the hotel that day - the only day I actually did so, despite it being covered in our room rate. Didn't really excite me much - and I'm not much of a breakfast person anyway.
We decided to go to Balboa Park for the morning. And we decided to walk. NOT the best idea. It was about 2 miles to get there - a good portion of which was uphill. Yeah, we were sweaty and tired when we got there! We actually walked by the hotel we stayed at last time on the way there. It is no longer a Travelodge - obviously it is too crappy now to even bear the name any more. I am SOOO glad we're staying where we are.
The only museum we went to was the Air and Space - for "Star Trek: The Exhibit". Geeks on a geek vacation must do lots of geeky things. The exhibit was kind of fun. We got our pictures taken on the bridge (replica of TOS Enterprise), but at $25 a pop, we didn't buy them at the end (though they did turn out well). You could also get your picture taken with the Guardian, or on the transporter. I guess they gotta milk people for all they are worth - amateur photography was not permitted at all in the exhibit. I would have loved to have taken my own pictures, but whatever.
After that, we did quickly walk through the park, beside some other museums. Architecture is cool looking, but I didn't feel like shelling out more dough to wander around museums, and we were running short on time anyway. So yes, we *walked* back to the hotel. Man, I did lots of walking on this vacation! So I did have a wee rest once getting back to the hotel.
Headed off to Con registration at about 2:00. Planned to stop and get lunch - but it was hard to find anywhere. A lot of the patios along the way weren't open for lunch that day it seemed, or they were full, or ridiculously overpriced. So we ended up at Subway. But hey, at least they don't skimp on the bacon down there! Yum. Bacon.
Last time, registration took forever. Like an hour or so of waiting in line. This year - it took like 2 seconds. They had SOOO many tables open. Just gave them your piece of paper with your reservation confirmation on it, a piece of photo ID, and VOILA! All done. Eric and I were floored, because now we're like, "now what"? So we decided to wait in line to be first on the exhibition hall floor - because I wanted my toaster dammit!
So a couple of hours of sitting in line on a cement floor is always SOOO much fun. Whee. I swear both legs went numb at some point. I really need to get a Nintendo DS though. It seems as though everyone and their dog has one. Not that there were dogs attending.
So right at 6:00 - the doors opened, and the line started in. My GAWD, the Con floor was packed for preview night. I didn't think that many people had gotten in in front of us, but apparently, a lot had! I made a beeline for the SciFi booth to get my toaster - only to find out they were already all gone in the time it had taken us to get in and get there. Seriously? SERIOUSLY? They were only bringing in a certain amount per day, so I was told I could try back another day. With lines like this, I didn't really see it happening. Oh well. I picked up my Cylon Centurion from Diamond Select, and the variant Serenity cover from the Browncoats booth. So I did get some stuff. If preview night was *this* busy - I was worried about the state of the rest of the Con.
Anyway, when we got back to the hotel, we just decided to get Chinese take out, as we were hungry, and sick of walking (though, being on the shuttle route was a GODSEND at the end of the day). Got a menu from the front desk, and were told it was really quite good, and they usually order it every Sunday. Yeah, not good. I have yet to have good Chinese take out in the States, though I do love the little cardboard boxes it comes in. Seriously, is that the standard of Chinese food down there? Yikes. MALL Chinese food up here tastes better - never mind the *good* restaurants.
Dangit. Now I want tan tan noodles. Yummy.
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