Just got back from my second day at Wizard World Philly. My first Wizard World, but I think I'm going to go next year. For the most part - I was pleased with how the whole thing went. I got to see a bunch of stars - but not talk to any. Sat in on a bunch of panels, and wandered the dealers room without spending too much cash.

Yesterday - the Kid and I were able to take in Lou Ferrigno's panel, which was a bit sad - very few people, and hardly any questions. This is what happens when you take steroids, kids. Though I have to say - he looks a lot younger than he is - probably due to botox. He was walking with a cane because he just had a hip replaced.

Then we stayed around for Tom Kane's Voice Acting panel. He voices Yoda in Clone Wars, and does a whole lot of other voices as well, including all the Pixar stuff for the ads, and he's been in every Lucasfilm game ever made. He was really interesting.

Other than that - we wandered the dealers room, where I walked by the interview tables a bunch. Edward James Olmos and Michael Hogan were side by side, and they seemed very approachable. I didn't have enough cash for an autograph, nor Dan's kick ass camera, so I didn't feel right approaching. Emma Caufield was there as well, as well as Nicki Clyne and Luciana so and so from BSG. But the really person I got all fangirly about - Ted Raimi. And I didn't think I would - but there you go. If I go back tomorrow - I just might bring one of my Xena box sets to be signed. I know BIG nerd. Marina Sirts was there today, and what impressed me is that she stayed around to the fan's side of the table every time I saw her.

The highlight of yesterday was Dan going up to Max Brooks to get a copy of World War Z signed, and then getting an interview with him. It was great to watch him put his press creditionals to good use.

Today was mostly panels. You know - hearing stories from this con - people were telling me the panels weren't worth it - that everyone just goes for the dealer room, but those people must not have sat in on the panels. We saw the 501st, Ray Park, Emma Caufield, and the BSG Q&A's. We had kick ass seats for Emma's panel and BSG's. But I thought they more than were worth the price of admission.

The BSG panel was awesome - and surprise surprise - Nicky Clyne - who played Callie - was surprisingly articulate. Olmos at the end did one of his Adama rants at the end, and Michael Hogan kept cracking me up. We recorded it - so you can bet that will be making it's way up on one of our sites.

The dealers room today was populated with more costumes - some good, some scary. Dan got an awesome stormtrooper decal for his EEEPC, and I got three prints of colored pencil sketches of Muppets. We kept the spending to a minimum, but I'm so pleased with my art.

Tomorrow I'll only be there for like an hour to run through the dealers room again - I may actually spring for a picture with someone tomorrow.

So - long time since I posted, I've been writing some other stuff for a podcast project I'm starting.

Yes - today at 3:30pm Eastern time, Dan and I are going to be getting married. Through the wonder of the internet, and one of our groomsmen, we are going to be streaming the wedding live through Justin.TV

The link for the feed will be : http://www.justin.tv/otakugeneration

You will need to register for Justin.tv, but will be able to chat before the feed goes up.

Off to the hotel to go get ready!

Love,
MA

I feel like my job is sucking my soul today. But if you haven't purchased Mur's Playing For Keeps, you will feel the same way.

It's been quite the weekend - we got 'new to us' furniture, and with that, we had to move my old stuff out - it was quite an undertaking. And then we hosted a dinner with our wedding party, and I have to say - we have an awesome group of people standing up with us for the wedding. But of course, doing all of this in one day left me tired. Very tired.

And with a new, comfy couch, I found that taking a nap (or two or three), during the course of the day has left me up at this hour, which I realize for some podcasters is not late, but for little old me, it's the dead middle of the night.

( Cut for length to preserve your friends page )

Poking my head up after taking a bit of a break from online interactions. Not sure if I was burned out or what, but I miss the Tribe.

If anyone has been keeping track, on Wednesday, it will be five weeks since I've posted a podcast. The reasons are a couple - one - the media review that I was using for the next episode has really crappy audio quality because of a recording glitch, and I really don't feel good about putting it out.

But it's also because I don't know what to say when I get behind the mike for my opener and closer. It's not that I don't have things to say - I usually have a list of topics that I could prattle on about, and there are wedding preparations, etc. But then I don't feel like it's current enough, or relavent enough.

I also have really had the chance to do different things with different people out in the real room - and when given the choice of doing something and working on the podcast - I'll choose doing something every time. Even when I'm supposed to have a show out that night.

What struck me this week as I made up the umpteenth page of notes for recording the podcast - I started doing BL8TN on my own last year as a way to get out of my shell - to get out of my room and out into the world. I've done that - with greater success than I ever could have imagined. My life has changed so much in the past year - it's amazing. So - to stay in and do the podcast seems counterintuitive.

I think I also need to market myself differently. I'm not the geeky single mom anymore - I'm not single anymore, and I know there have been some listeners that don't like that - and they've let me know. (and creeped me out in the process)

So I need to change. Something about the podcast - maybe the format - I know I want to dump the music, and get something of better quailty and different. I think I want to change the format as well - the media review format of the old BL8TN seems tired to me now - and it's frustrating to have meetings scheduled with people, and have something turn it upside down - that's caused more delays. Or to have crappy quality ruin it. And I've discovering that I HATE editing. And I'm very bad at directing how the reviews will go. Sigh.

So I'm thinking of a change - I still want to chronicle what's going on in my life - but I need a theme of some sort. As for reviews - I almost want to keep them solo for the time being - and having a theme to them - like picking one of my series on DVDs and talking about each episode in order. Or maybe reviving my minute movie review idea that I had a couple of years ago. Though a reviewer on my favorite movie review podcast is doing that.

But I find myself without direction. Do I want to put the show on hiatus (though I think Dan will not be happy with that - he wants me to keep doing something that's all mine)? Or at least change the release schedule for the time being until things calm down with the wedding? Sigh - I don't know.

Current Mood: pensive

The Quicksilver Kid and I are heading to the Pittsburgh area this weekend. If anyone wants to meet up - let me know.

Is it lunchtime yet?

Interesting fa you'd from work: 75% of homes in the US are 10 miles or less from a Home Depot.

Well hello there.

I've been posting through Ping.fm, but I'm actually going to write a post tonight because as I said in my last entry - I am full of epic fail for missing my friend who was supposed to come over tonight - and she was bringing dinner. I feel horrible, because she was waiting outside and I was up here cleaning and didn't hear a knock on the outside door - and because I was really looking forward to seeing her. Pooh.

But I have been meaning to post - because there has been a lot of geekiness going on. I've gotten back into the videogames in a big way. And here is where I usually talk about them. And I'm all comfy in my new chair Dan and I got from Ikea, so it seems the perfect time to post before I think about what I should have for dinner.

I don't know what sparked the reinterest in video games, except that my living room finally looks like a living room again after Dan has moved in. Finally - we have all the boxes put away, and really the only thing left to do is trade in the duplicate DVD's and hang a couple more pictures. This takes one HUGE thing off of my to do list, and makes me want to hang out in the living room more. And that's where all the video gaming systems are. And given that TV this summer SUCKS - I seem to have more free time, though there is a ton of stuff that I need to watch (but I usually want to wait till Dan's around)

So I'm back to the gaming. I've picked up Final Fantasy X again, and am always wowed by the pretty. The graphics are just stunning, and it reaffirms to me that when it comes to RPG's - turn based is the way to go. The next in line - I need to get back to playing Rock Band - we got it a couple months ago - and we really need to play some more. So that's the PS2.

My DS is still getting the workout - I've been to various special events to get rare Pokemon from Toys R Us and Game Stop, though I still need to climb the mountain and get Dialga. But for a long while I was obsessed with Mario Kart DS - something about kart games gives me a shot of endorphins, and it's almost addicting. Then I got Phantom Hourglass from Gamefly, and I have to say - it's my favorite Zelda yet. Though I do wish I didn't have to use the stylus all the time, the puzzles are fun, and I'm looking forward to see how far in the game I actually can get.

And then there was the hunt for Mario Kart Wii. I'd heard good things about it - and once we decided that we could get it - of course there were no copies to be found anywhere. But I managed to snag one online, and it arrived last week.

OK - now I've been a big fan of Mario Kart since the N64. In fact - I have that game for the virtual console. As with the DS games there is just something about this game which gives me a shot of the adrenaline. So, I've been playing the Wii version a bit and I've come to the conclusion - I don't like the Wii Wheel. Yes - pretending to drive is all well and good, and I'd like that if I had a gas pedal instead of having to hold down the 1 button. So I tried it with the Wiimote and nunchuck. That was it - I'd found my favored way of controlling. Played for two hours straight after I tried that.

So - for the time being, I'm back on the video games. Of course, I need to get the podcast together for this week - so that should take precedence (and my reviews sound quality had issues, but oh well - it will be the easiest thing for me to put together). And of course there are other things pulling my focus - a manga called Deathnote has me enthralled right now, and I'm also reading the kid's summer reading books so I can make sure HE'S actually reading them.

So I'm off - I need to have dinner - a lo cal option now that I'm on my own - since I want to make sure I can FIT into my wedding dress.

Current Mood: disappointed