Connecticon 2012 Cosplay

Why hello there.
Since I've been going to Connecticon, which was about eight (!!!) years ago, I've been cosplaying. I honestly have no idea why I even decided to start. My first year, I went as Ed Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist. I was sort of an oxymoron version of the character. Ed is like four feet tall in the show (I might be exaggerating) and then there's me, who is close to six feet tall. Everyone kept calling me short or tiny. I just kinda looked at them and was trying to act like Ed would. It's difficult to adjust to the character when you really don't feel like the character. The next year I decided to go as the Toilenator from Codename: Kids Next Door. It was at this point where I realized that I didn't want to cosplay as anime characters. It wasn't that I hated anime (I'm still not a huge fan of it). I just felt that there was nothing that really jumped out at me. Everyone seems to either do the same thing or I'm just not physically fit for the parts I would have some interest in. So I felt the switch was needed.
The following few years I decided to switch over to sci-fi and cosplayed as the Fourth Doctor from Doctor Who. That's where I really fell in love with cosplay more than I have before. It felt right, even if it, at the time, didn't really fit for the convention. The next year it continued to grow to the point where I felt like it was time to retire the cosplay. I was really tired of growing my hair out so big for it since a wig never really looked right. I eventually decided to dive into the huge cosplays and make a cardboard Transformer (Grimlock more specifically). Boy was that hell. Bad part was that it fell apart at the convention. At that point, I was going to completely give up on cosplaying. I felt like such a failure. A years worth of work gone in a few seconds time. It was devistating.

This year will be my first time diving back into cosplays. I plan on going as Batman. Well, more specifically, this Batman:
The Return of Bruce Wayne had some amazing different Batmen and I really loved Cowboy Batman. It will also be the first time I'm using Wonderflex. I'm sure I'll be posting a lot when I start using it. I hope to god that it comes out good. I also hope I can do it in time.

I'm nervous now.

Doctor Who reviews

So in the coming weeks I decided that I'm going to review all my doctor who DVDs, starting with Sarah Jane Smith first appearing, all of Tom Baker's run and Peter Davison's first episode. I hope I can handle it.

Gallifrey One: Part 2

Even though it's a few days late and I'm very tired from the flight back (which is a story for another day), I should probably review day's two and three of Gallifrey One. Unfortunately, I honestly didn't do much that would be like "oh my god!" type moments. A few things were though.

First, FREEMA AGYEMAN!!!! Oh dear lord. She has to be the hottest companion from Tennant's run at the Doctor. I don't think they used her to her full potential. Honestly, she could have been a two full seasons companion if they wanted her to be. On Saturday, I stood in this line that I thought (and I think a few others did too) was starting at 12pm for Freema's autograph. I figured it would be good to just wait for her to come and do her signings since there was no real panel that I wanted to hit up that day. Well, I was apparently wrong and it actually started at 10am. So the 30 minute wait I did went by pretty quick and I finally was standing in front of her. We did the small talk that most people do during conventions to the actors but Freema tried talking more with each one, which was really awesome. I told her how much I liked her in Law & Order: UK and that I wanted to see The Carrie Diaries because of her. She also commented on how my name is spelled weird and I told her to thank my mom, who was right behind me.

Yea, I take my mom to conventions. Deal with it!

That was pretty much Saturday until the late night when I got to get my picture taken with Freema. She is the sweetest person and I was so glad to meet her. Her signature is awesome and I can't wait to hang it up with the others that I got on Friday. On Sunday, I got to take my picture with Mark Sheppard and we bumped fists in it. That made me happy :D I also went to a bunch of panels on Sunday, including Sheppard's Q&A that he did by himself, which was really awesome. After everything was said and done, Gallifrey One ended. We had a year in review video that showed us stuff from 2012 and then had a video of Steven Moffat that he did for the con where he said the 50th anniversary won't be just some 60 minute show. So I'm excited about that. Gallifrey One had to be one of the best run cons I have been to. I didn't see barely any issues that would make my weekend shitty. I'm glad things went the way they did and I definitely want to try and go back next year. I'm at least going to get my tickets for it to just see if I do. Might just go for the weekend.

So if you get a chance, definitely try going. It's worth it for the beautiful weather but also the people. The people make this con what it truly is. They love the show as much as everyone and want the best convention they can possibly give.

Gallifrey One: Part 1

So yesterday began one of the greatest conventions ever. True, NYCC is just fantastic and PAX East is the bees knees. But Gallifrey One, I knew, would beat all of them. And I was right. So right. I'm going to try and do reviews the next day but in this case, I will also be reviewing the day before as well. Why? Lobbycon.

Lobbycon is Gallifrey One's way of having the attendees meet and mingle with everyone. We all get our badges and then see people we haven't seen in ages, or in my case, wear a Wampa hat that I had bought from Disneyland a few hours earlier and make a bunch of new friends. The lobby was packed with people all over the world. The fine folks from the United Kingdom even came to enjoy the festivities. It really shows how big this convention really is. And the ribbons! Oh my god the ribbons. People that come to Gally1 make ribbons for people to wear on their badges. Some have ones that wrap around longer than Tom Bakers scarf. Each one says something, like a website for fanfiction or a quote from the show. As of last night, I was up to 10. I think more cons should do this. It makes it so people talk with other people. Ice breaking at its finest.

As day one approached, my mom and I sat in the lobby waiting for the festivities to begin. Suddenly, three actors from Doctor Who's past and present (Ian McNiece, Frazer Hines, and Michael Jayston) as well as author Tony Lee, were chatting it up at my table. A penis joke later had the whole table laughing. This is what the convention is all about. Having fun. And the fact that these actors just hang out with their fans is amazing. Eventually the con started up and we headed to the Gally101 panel to learn about what the con is like.

Like every con I've been to, I never know what I want to actually do. Panels or just walk around. Well, yesterday was decided that I was going to get as many signatures as possible. Boy did I! I bought a David Tennant signed picture and nearly have a friend a heart attack. I then met Frances Barber (Madame Kovarian), Daphne Ashbrook (Dr. Grace Holloway from the TV movie), Dan Starkey and Neve McIntosh (Madame Vastra and General Strax), and the great Mark Sheppard (every show ever). And I got to talk with each one for 5-10 minutes and made an utter fool of myself in front of Mark Sheppard (one of my favorite actors). Not really a fool but he was such an amazing guy.

Eventually we just walked around and enjoyed the sights. At night, I went to Doctor Who live, which was an awesome improv show where they made a 45 minute episode based on suggestions from the show. Apparently the head of Walt Disney wanted to take over the galaxy. It was quite funny. By then, I was ready to pass out. The first day was so great. I can't wait for today. FREEMA AGYEMAN!!!!! I do have to say this: the people who run this con have done such an amazing job. I definitely want to come back.

Well, off to day two!

A bit too late

Welllllll look at that. Time sure has flown since my last post. I can't believe that it's been two weeks since I've written anything. I guess that really shows that I need to focus on this aspect of my life as well. But at the same time, nothing really has been going on that I need to hurry up and write down. I've actually been quite busy. And I'm not just saying that to justify my not writing.

First, work has been taking up a lot of my life on top of running in the morning. By the time I get home, I honestly do not want to do anything but relax before I pass out. I wish that I could write more but I honestly don't really want to write about work! I deal with it four days a week. Talking about it more would just be redundant. Although, I was told the other day by one of my bosses (as a compliment, mind you!) that I intimidate upper management because she thinks I'm too smart for them. It makes a lot of sense as to why I haven't been promoted at any job I've done for the last....nine years? Yea. Nine years sounds about right. She told me that I should have a long time ago. So we'll see. There was a posting the other day that I applied for so who knows. I honestly don't see myself staying there much longer. I really feel like I'll be moving on with the next stage of my life soon.

Currently I am on vacation until I have to go back to work on the 25th! I'll be flying to Los Angeles, California on Tuesday with my mom and friend Kevin. We are going to The 24 Hours of Gallifrey One! It's a huge Doctor Who convention. I'm so excited since Freema Agyeman and Mark Sheppard are going to be there! Two of my favorite actors! I bought my tickets ages ago and it sold out late last year so I can't wait. With the 50th anniversary this year, I felt like I had to go and celebrate the best television show ever! I can't wait. I'll be posting stuff after the convention is over. We are also going to Disneyland and probably some other awesome stuff. It's not very often I get to go to California but when I do, I get uber stoked.

Also, after fundraising is over and the half marathon is ran, I'll be writing a novel in 30 days. I'm going to try and shoot for November during NaNoWriMo. My amazing girlfriend got me a book by the guy who created NaNoWriMo and it's been such an inspiration to read it. I finished the first four chapters since it says that the next four should be done when I'm writing. I now know why I don't ever want to go back and write what I've already started. I have a few ideas just floating in my mind right now but nothing solid that I have to write down and save. I'll probably be doing one line plots in a few weeks to get some ideas for something. Nothing too big but at least give me something I want to definitely write.

Other than that, it's snowing. And I have to pay my bills off today and figure out what I want to bring to Gallifrey One to get signed. Have a great weekend!