Denver Comic Con 2013

One view of the line on Friday.

Okay, here I am! I’m gonna get into the swing of things again!

So, Gene and I went to Denver Comic Con a couple of weekends ago. I had only ever been to PAX (once) so I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but I had an idea. 

We got to the Denver Convention Center around 2:30 on Friday and were amazed at how many people were already in line (panels weren’t starting until 3). We ended up waiting for three hours just to get into the building. It was absolutely crazy. There was so little organization that newcomers had no idea where the end of the line was, people in line just kept pointing at where they thought it was. 

Wreck-it-Ralph and Fix-it Felix!!

Once we got into the actual building, we went to line up (yes, another line) to wait for a panel given by Robin and Sandeep, two actors from The Guild. However, we were thwarted because no one was supposed to line up until 15 minutes before the panel. So when told we couldn’t line up, everyone who was already lining up just moved to the other side of the wall and sat down. It was very odd and very funny and also very frustrating because, again, very little organization. We did get into the panel and had a very good time. Robin and Sandeep are such hilarious, awesome people.

I’m not really sure what else we did on Friday other than walk around the exhibition hall.

On Saturday we waited around in more lines and eventually saw The Guild panel, which had Robin and Sandeep and this time Felicia Day as well. OMG I just adore these people. There was a really weird, creepy guy in an ALF costume that asked a weird question in the Q&A portion, but other than that the panel was pretty freaking awesome. Gene and I even made a new friend while in line for the panel. She was really nice and funny. 

My steampunk outfit

Gene and I also went to a panel about how to make cosplay outfits. I’d really like to start making costumes, but I’m not sure which character I’d like to be. I do have a somewhat steampunk outfit, which I wore on Saturday, but it needs a lot of work. So I think I might focus on that for a bit before I venture into actual character cosplay. 

It’s just so cool how many people dressed up for the convention. There were so many wonderful and impressive costumes. I was too shy and nervous and stupid to take a lot of pictures but I did take a few, which you see now. 

Sunday, Gene and I watched the Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day panel. More awesomeness. They are just such wonderful, fantastic people, they turn me into a mushy fan girl. 

We walked the exhibition hall multiple times throughout the weekend and I ended up buying a little steampunk tie clip, which I will use as a decoration on my outfit. 

Steampunk tie clip

So, in conclusion:

• All the actors from The Guild are brilliant people whom I will forever love.
• The organizers of this convention could have done WAY better and I am greatly disappointed. I was probably in lines for at least 8 hours over the entire weekend…not cool. Although granted, there was at least double the amount of people that attended this year than last year.
• There are more comics and artists in the exhibition hall than I’d like. I’d rather have other types of products, like lanyards. I could not find one lanyard. Boo.
• Almost everything in the exhibition hall was overpriced. 
• I did have fun but I don’t think I’ll go to the convention next year. I’ll wait a bit so the organizers can get stuff under control.

The Doctor and a Weeping Angel next to the TARDIS

Gene with his Jayne hat and a Kaylee cosplayer

Avatar the Last Airbender cosplayers!

I am alive, I promise

I know I have been away from my blog for quite some time. Perhaps this is the longest I’ve gone without posting, I’m not sure. I just haven’t felt like writing lately but I think that’s starting to change.

I’m going to Denver’s Comic Con this weekend so I think I’ll have a lot to talk about then! I’m also moving next weekend so things are happening!

I promise I am alive and well and I will post more on here, just give me a bit of time, I’ll pick it back up!

What I like Wednesday: Andres Lozano’s TED Talk

I’m sure I’ve mentioned TED Talks before on my blog, but it never hurts to mention them again and again.

I found this TED Talk this evening and wanted to share. This talk is given by Andres Lozano. It’s about deep brain stimulation and its many benefits. For example, it can help people with Parkinson’s.

It’s only a 15 minute video and it’s quite fascinating. When you have a spare moment, take a bit and watch. It’s wonderful to know that we do have scientists and doctors working on these kinds of problems. And it’s fantastic to know that results are coming in! One day we will look back at all the diseases and disorders humans had and marvel because we will have cured them all. Look how far we’ve come already!

What I like Wednesday: Dyed deviled eggs

For Easter, I made deviled eggs. The cool thing about them? Elisabeth and I dyed the egg whites!

First, I baked the eggs instead of boiling them. I followed Greetings from the Asylum’s blog for that. It was so easy, 325° for 30 minutes. Put eggs in a bowl of cold ice water, peel eggs after 10 minutes. Then I dyed the eggs (after cutting them in half and scooping out the yolk). My dye mixture was water, vinegar, and food coloring (if I remember correctly it was 2 cups water, 1 or 2 teaspoons vinegar and multiple drops of food coloring). Egg whites stayed in for about 2 minutes.

Although I’m not a huge fan of deviled eggs, I LOVED making these and am definitely going to dye boiled eggs again. I’ll just find a different use for them this time! Perhaps in a salad?

 

Day Trip: Rocky Mountain National Park and Grand Lake

Another day Elisabeth was here, we went up to the Rocky Mountains. We picked Gene up on the way and drove to the mountains via the Idaho Springs/Winter Park/Grand Lake side. Although construction is starting on I-70, when we went, both it and traffic were almost non-existent. The sky was cloudy when we drove up there but that was pretty much the only downfall on the drive. We stopped at Berthoud Pass for a break and to eat lunch. The view was awe-inspiring. As you can see, there was still A LOT of snow in April. I knew there would still be some, but I wasn’t expecting this much. We didn’t let that stop us from exploring and enjoying our surroundings. Gene found a huge icicle while walking around the restroom.
While eating lunch we spotted a snowboarder making his way to the top of the mountain so he could board down. We tried to wait to see him go down but soon we lost him in the trees. Hopefully he was able to make his way back down with no issues.

After the little break we drove the rest of the way to Grand Lake. It was so empty. Most of the stores were closed. I had wanted to get caramel apples for all of us, especially since Elisabeth had never tried one, but the places that had them weren’t open. Sadness. So instead we drove down to the lake and walked on the frozen water for a bit. It was a very pretty view, slightly different from what it looks like in the summer!

We headed up to the Rocky Mountain National Park and drove almost as far as the road would take us. Because there is still a lot of snow, the road is closed after a few miles. It will open back up once the weather gets nicer. We attempted to hike the Timber Lake trail but only hiked for maybe 30 minutes before we decided it was time to head back. The problem? The snow was a couple of feet high and although some of it was packed down, the slightest misstep would land you with your legs at least knee-deep in snow. Elisabeth was having a very difficult time of it and actually fell into the snow completely a couple of times.

Once we got back to the car we all attempted to dry off a bit. Elisabeth took off her shoes and socks and literally rang her socks out. We didn’t want to give up so soon though because we wanted to see more of the mountains so as we were driving back through the park we stopped at the Bowen and Baker trail. There was snow here too but we walked out a bit just to see the gorgeous views.

We drove back to Grand Lake and to the Adams Falls hike. We decided to try one more hike, hoping that since it was closer to town and possibly at a slightly lower elevation, there would be less snow.

And we were right! Previous hikers had packed the snow down so there was barely any chance of sinking. We walked to Adam’s Falls and enjoyed the snow-covered waterfall. By the time we arrived at the car again it was really windy and dark. We headed back home and were greeted with both rain and snow. Thankfully there weren’t any issues getting back.

Although the park is still beautiful during the snow months, I much prefer it during the summer. Elisabeth will just have to come back so she can actually go hiking and see the breathtaking views that surround us.

Day trip: Garden of the Gods and Cave of the Winds

One day when Elisabeth was here, we ventured over to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to check out the Garden of the Gods and the Cave of the Winds.

First we took a tour in the cave. The Discovery Tour, which we took, cost $18 a person (for adults) and lasted about an hour. You get to walk through caverns and fairly cramped passages. The tour guide teaches you about different kinds of stalactites, stalagmites, and other cave formations. There is one type of formation that looks like bacon, it’s very neat! There is another that looks a bit like popcorn kernels. And another kind of cave growth looks like a spidery monster. Just being in a cave is interesting. You learn about the history of the cave and how people explored the cave in the past.

There are lights along the path so no one should have difficulty with sight. The guide does point out certain areas that are prone to people getting bumps so as long as you’re listening you should be just fine. At one point, the guide does turn off all the lights, so if you tend to dislike total darkness or possibly have a tendency to feel claustrophobic, perhaps this tour is not for you.

The area is absolutely beautiful. Before or after your tour you can walk around outside and enjoy the view. They have those big binocular contraptions that you can look through for 25 cents. They also offer an above-ground ropes course and a zip line (you get to sit down on a chair, no hanging) for more money. Elisabeth and I opted to do those another time but they looked like they could be fun.

After the tour we headed down to the Garden of the Gods. This is a free park that is absolutely breathtaking. I’ve been there three times now and I would easily go again. There are a lot of trails, many of them flat, with great views at every turn. The rock formations are so gorgeous. Many of them have names, like the Kissing Camels, which makes the trip even more fun trying to find each rock.

The Garden of the Gods is a must for those living in or visiting Colorado who have a free day. It only takes an hour to get there and it’s free. Pack a picnic, head down around 11 (or earlier), and spend the afternoon walking around. Cars are not allowed to park on the side of the road and there are only a few parking lots throughout the park. I suggest you park at the first parking lot and walk around for a bit, even if you don’t end up stopping there for the whole trip. It’s a big parking lot and it leads to a lot of the trails so it’s a great starting point. There are also restrooms at this spot.

There is a welcome center before you enter the park, on the other side of the road, that you may consider stopping in. Although I have not been to the center, I do know that they have maps. Along the trails there are maps as well, although I’m guessing they are not as detailed as the paper ones would be.

I have been here in the summer, the winter, and now the spring and every time it’s been a lot of fun and beautiful. I can’t wait to go again!

What I like Wednesday: Fiasco

Gene’s sister got me a game called Fiasco this past Christmas. I had seen the game being played on Geek and Sundry’s Tabletop show last year and it immediately caught my interest. Although it took me a couple months to finally play it, I am so thrilled I have the game!

Fiasco is a role playing game that does not need a game master. You can play it in a few hours (our game took about 3 hours) and all you really need are some six sided dice (the amount depends on how many people are playing), paper and a writing utensil. Three to five people can play.

Each person creates a character with the help of the other players. It’s all in your head so not much needs to be written down. Together, the players come up with locations, needs, relationships, and objects (all found in the rule book) that will help create the setting and atmosphere of the game. Then, the characters that the players made interact with one another and create total chaos and destruction.

Elisabeth, Gene, and I all played together for the first time last week. We chose the Wild West as our setting. My character, Christos, and Elisabeth’s character, Jeremiah, both worked in the mines. Gene’s character,  Janette was my mail order bride (she was French). Their need was to get free and to get away so they all attempted to run off to San Francisco but alas, trouble ensued. Christos got put in jail at one point. Later he shot Jeremiah and Janette. Janette became a prostitute and both Jeremiah and Christos got drunk fairly often.

It was a total blast. Although we were a bit awkward at first (role playing can be frightening), we quickly got into the swing of things and just went with it. We became our characters (with a few breaks for laughs in between). When we needed help or couldn’t think of where to go with the story, we paused and talked it out and then continued on. We probably didn’t follow the rules to the tee, but that’s part of the game, it’s okay to go off course a bit as long as you’re causing mayhem and having a great time doing it.

The cool thing that I like about this game? It is always different. And you can create your own list of relationships, needs, objects, and locations if you have an awesome idea. Elisabeth, Gene, and I have come up with a Dungeons and Dragons setting so next time we’ll use that instead of the Wild West. Other settings that Fiasco has included are: a nice Southern town, a suburban community, and a station on Antarctica.

I highly recommend this game for someone wanting to try out something new. I think it’s a great introduction to what role playing can be like. And it’s a great game for those that don’t have huge amounts of time to dedicate to a role playing game like D&D. So if you ever want to play with me some time, let me know because I’d love to play again!

Afternoon trip: Wild Animal Sanctuary

Monday morning, Elisabeth and I ventured over to the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenseburg, Colorado.

This place is impressive. You can tell that the people who run it genuinely care about the animals. When you arrive, you enter the main building/gift shop where you go over the rules of the sanctuary. There is a mile-long bridge that you walk on to view all of the animals. While walking along, you can read about the animals and how they ended up at this sanctuary. There are a lot of animals: lions, tigers, bears (oh my), wolves, mountain lions, lynx, leopards. With so many animals you are bound to see something.

While we were there, we got to see a male lion roar. We think he was roaring at a tiger but we weren’t positive. The tigers and lions were probably my favorite animals at the sanctuary. They’re just such gorgeous, elegant creatures. There is a snack area at the end of the bridge so you can rest and regain some energy before heading back the same way.

The day we went, there was a lot of wind and it was pretty cold so we didn’t stay out as long as we probably would have on a warmer day. So if you plan on going (which you should), plan ahead and go on a day where there is some sun and low wind speed. It’s very pleasant to just watch the animals, no matter what the weather is like.

I suggest bringing a pair of binoculars when you go. Although there are a few big ones on the bridge, it would be nice to be able to see the animals up close no matter where you are.

Tickets are $15.00 for adults, $7.50 for kids 3 to 12. Although it is a bit pricey, you can stay as long as you want. There are videos you can watch about the animals and the sanctuary. And you can buy a guide book (I believe for $5) which gives you more information on frequently asked questions. I skipped the book this time around but I think it would be a good purchase for families. It’s a fun, and very caring place. You can tell the sanctuary puts a lot of thought and effort into providing these animals with great homes and space. And that’s the most important part of this place. Go check it out!

Week off for fun times

This past week I took off from work to spend time with my friend, Elisabeth, who was visiting. We did a lot of different activities, although in the end it seems like there was still so much more we could have done. Over the next week I will be posting some of the places we went and what we did there.

Point is, I’m back to posting more frequently!

What I like Wednesday: Ruzzle

Ruzzle is a word game for your phone. My coworkers told me about it and it is such a blast. Not only is it fun but it’s educational and probably helpful in preventing issues like Alzheimer’s. It’s very similar to Boggle in that you have a certain amount of letters and you make as many words as you can. The letters have to connect to one another so it is limiting. You only have two minutes to find as many words as possible.

You challenge your friends for three rounds and see who can get the most points. And it’s free.

If you’re looking for something to play then try this out and let me know what you think. It’s okay if you start out not getting many words. My suggestion? Try as many combinations and crazy thoughts as you can. Did you know “es” is a word in English? Well, it is, so try anything and everything. Good luck!