Yvette's Inner Geek Blog

I really want to go to the San Diego Comic Con this year, and have nearly convinced Ben to take the time off from work to go with me. But he’s asked me what is turning into an existential question:

Why do I want to go to Comic-Con?

The easy answer is that “I just do, and please please please, I’ll do anything to make it happen…” But that’s not buying me the free pass I was hoping for.

Ben and I are both fair and reasonable people who like to agree with each other (or at least give consent) before making most medium-to-large decisions, and if I feel strongly about something I can often come up with a compelling argument to sway him in my direction. (Unless it’s about buying organizational storage or gadgets–he’s on to my weakness and I have to fight really hard for those.)

Though Ben is a geek in his own right, he doesn’t really care about going to the Comic Con and is having trouble seeing past the number of dollars that we’ll have to spend to make the trip happen (especially since I was just laid off, but I know we can make it work out okay financially). The thing is, if/when I go, I want him to be there with me and to share the experience. So I’m not going to up and go without him or storm off without his consent (though I did get huffy at one point early on and mentioned that was a possibility).

Ben and I have attended a couple Wizard World conventions (when we lived within driving distance of Chicago and Philadelphia) and he doesn’t think that Comic-Con will be much different. To be fair, I definitely enjoyed attending them more than he did. He likened it to taking me to a museum, which he generally dislikes because I have to study everything that catches my interest which means that we’re usually there much longer than he wants to be.

But my friend Liz and her husband will also be there to hang out with, and I’ve sweetened the deal and suggested that we also attend a San Diego Padres game. I’ve added a layer of complexity to this vacation and figured out how to spend a fun day at Sea World. I’ve tempted him with lots of delicious suggestions for dining.  Informed him that Mexico is just a trolley ride away. Mentioned that there was a Zombie movie marathon last year, which definitely piqued his interest. I’ve offered… a list of other things that might also pique his interest.

Then last night, after several weeks of serious attempts to acquire the green light on this geeky little vacation, Ben looked at me and said in a tone that I know means he’s about to break: “Why exactly do you want to go to Comic-Con so badly?”

And I faltered. I couldn’t pinpoint a reason when put on the spot.

I was imagining the swirl of people with their own motivations for being at the con: to buy exclusive comics and toys that would always remain in mint condition, to sell products, to hawk memorabilia, to be discovered as an artistic genius, to be the first to learn about all the new geeky stuff that will be released in the next year, to meet geeky celebrities, to attend panels and learn the answers to all the geekiest questions, to report on all things geeky, and to get some serious swag.

To be, for a short period of time, with a huge community of like-obsessed people in the same place at the same time and not understand until later the full extent of the experience.

To be a part of it all as a people-watching fangirl.

It’s hard to explain the giddy delight that swells up inside me when I think of this new adventure; when I imagine seeing San Diego for the first time and then entering that great convention hall full of the unknown-but-certain-to-satisfy geeky pleasures. Maybe it’s similar to the way a gambling addict feels when they enter a casino (but, you know, less destructive in the long run).

I know I’m not the biggest geek out there, but I’m partial to many geeky pursuits and there’s just something about the whole geek culture that keeps me wanting more. Wanting to know more, wanting to see more, wanting to be more. How else can I summarize my need to experience the Comic-Con? And how I feel a sense of urgency because I shrugged off my desire to go in previous years and this year just feels like the year to me?

Is just wanting to be a part of it a good enough reason to go?

My desire to attend Comic-Con is definitely more articulated here than what I could muster in conversation, but I’m still having a hard time determining how to answer to Ben’s question. Maybe Ben will understand more if he reads this post.

I’d appreciate any comments that might help me explain why I want to go to Comic-Con so badly.

What better way to celebrate the independence of our nation than with Muppets? (With illegal fireworks and homebrew, you say? Well, to each his own…)

Here’s a new clip with a Sam the Eagle who, despite sounding weird because he’s not being voiced by Frank Oz, is still a bumbling ball of blue Muppet joy with his Declaration of Independence: “We the people, in order to form a more perfect unton, establish justice, and keep the world safe from weirdos…”

And here’s an oldie but goodie: a 4th of July/Christmas Medly with Hal Linden from The Muppet Show Season 5.

I don’t really have any plans for this weekend, except for trying to pry Ben away from working on the house for long enough to barbeque some large slabs of meat and fresh pineapple. Have you ever tried grilling fresh pineapple slices? Seriously, even if you’re the most serious meat-eater, there is something delicious about sweet, juicy pineapple with grill marks on it and the heady flavor of charcoal. It probably wouldn’t taste the same on a gas grill, but I’ve not tried that so I don’t know.

Now if I could build myself a Sam the Eagle muppet, he might not have the same opinion about grilled pineapple. He might be inclined to say that it’s un-American (in what would definitely NOT sound like Frank Oz’s Sam the Eagle voice) because it doesn’t sound like traditional American fare.

But pineapples are from Hawaii, right? Which became the 50th state in 1959. So pineapples are, therefore, QUITE American.

In conclusion: Grilled Fresh Pineapple = Magically Delicious, and possibly Patriotic.

I think I need one of the Books to the Ceiling posters from Owl Square Press with the illustration of a bearded animal and stacks upon stacks of books, together with the nice little rhyme.  But where would I put it? My front room is where I keep my books, and the walls are already concealed with bookshelves…

(Follow the link to see the enormous number of books that are included in the full illustration)

I recently bought a new copy of Arnold Lobel’s other book, Fables, that I remember fondly from my childhood. I don’t specifically remember reading anything else of his, or at least nothing else was as memorable as that collection of wonderfully illustrated fables retold. I had no idea until I found this link today that he’d created such an awesome illustration that really is a book lover’s wet dream.

Books nom nom nom.

To my Mormon friends: Profanity ahead. You’ll probably want to skip over this one.

For some reason, this past week I started been murmuring a little cheer to myself that I learned in my first (and only) year of university marching band some eleven years ago. The band was large, so each section had its own little cheer with varying levels of obscenity.

In my under-appreciated low brass fellowship of baritone and euphonium players, our quietly charismatic section leader was able to convince even the one girl who otherwise didn’t swear to loudly quote George Carlin after every band practice and before every game:

“Rat shit, bat shit, dirty old twat. Sixty-nine assholes tied in a knot. Hooray, lizard shit, fuck!”

We even had this little logo on the front of our bright-ass neon yellow t-shirts (which doesn’t look nearly as hideous in this photo). Now you know what the initials stand for.

So thank you, George Carlin, for all you’ve contributed to the world of comedy, profanity, and freedom of speech. I’m sorry that I was never able to attend one of your comedy shows in person.

(Fast forward this 1984 “Carlin on Campus” YouTube clip to 1:17 to see his bit that includes his famously profane sports cheer.)

The FDA is still wishy-washy about the safety of emitted radiation levels of today’s cell phones. I would say that it’s safe to err on the side of less-is-better… and CNET has compiled a chart of radiation levels for just about every phone out there that hasn’t yet been discontinued.

The Motorola V3M that I’d been using for 2 years (and recently bequeathed to Ben) has a level of 1.14 and my new LG enV(2) has a level of 1.34.

The range for all tested cell phones is 0.135 to 1.6 so I guess we’re not doing ourselves any favors if it turns out that cell phone radiation really does increase the levels of brain tumors or warts or whatever. I don’t know… I think I’m already fairly boned because I grew up in a town that sported a nuclear power plant.

Green glowing ears, fingers and toes are normal, right?

After reading Lewis Wallace’s review on Wired.com, I’m ready to start playing the 4th edition of D&D right now.

But I don’t have the books or a local group of interested friends, so for now I guess I’ll go spit-shine my 20-sideds and think about putting a sign in the local comic book shop:

“Geeks wanted to play 4th Edition D&D. Ideal candidates score between 20% and 65% on the Geek Test and do not live in mom’s basement. Must own multi-sided dice, be over age 21, and contribute regularly to game night beer and snacks.”

I have one foot planted firmly on each side of the career doorway and am stuck doing repeated side lunges to the point where everything hurts all over… but when I try to stop, I end up teetering over the center until the side lunges start all over again.

I haven’t managed to do everything that I want to do lately even though I’m no longer working a full-time job. Crazy the way that works… but let’s go ahead and blame some of that on the fact that I am actually job hunting and so a fair portion of my days have been spent updating resumes and trolling Monster.com and local job postings and getting distracted by the online freelance writing advice or the pull of my growing You Can Do It And This Is How freelance writing books and becoming cross-motivated to still give the freelance thing a 100% try.

Blogging about this writing/career trauma I’m currently experiencing creates another conundrum: I need to start a second blog about Becoming a Writer so that I don’t turn this one into a play-by-play that will alienate readers who just want the really geeky stuff and don’t necessarily care about my writerly journey. (Which is okay, so don’t feel guilty if that’s you.) More on that when it happens.

For now, a few things geeky:

Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition Gift Set was just released today.

Modofly. Speaking of RPGs, how about a beautiful Moleskine notebook with a laser-etched Cthulu-esque design on the front? Or a highly detailed locomotive? Or two old school joysticks? Or an emu? This artist collaborative offers several incredibly cool laser-etched artists’ designs on the front of Moleskines, which are the most beautiful, expensive notebooks out there. If I treat myself to one, I make sure to use a very nice, archival-safe pen to write in it. They’re also great for drawing in, but I’m not much of an artist so the most I usually have are little doodles for emphasis or detail. (Thanks for the link to the Wired article about this company, Erica!)

Kung Fu Panda opens in the theaters today, which I’ll probably wait to see on DVD. But I’m looking forward to the next few geeky movies that are coming out this summer!

That’s all the geeky links I have for you right now. This evening I’m picking up my friend Liz from the airport (YAY!) and I’m looking forward to hanging out with her for a couple days. My, how plans change… I was going to take Monday off work, but obviously that’s not an issue right now. Ben was supposed to be here this weekend, but unfortunately he’s on his way back to Ohio right now for a funeral. I’ll try to spend a little more time formatting my blog and website this weekend if Liz and I aren’t too busy being as Wild and Crazy as you can be in conservative Utah (which basically means adding some Peach Schnapps to orange juice and watching R-rated movies).

I’ll feel guilty trying to have fun while Ben is grieving with his family, but I sent along some heartfelt sympathy cards and I don’t think there’s much else that I can do at this point. I also can’t help but look forward to Ben’s return because he took a decent-size suitcase that could potentially transport a new-in-the-box Atari 2600 that is reportedly lurking somewhere in a closet at his parents’ house.