It is time for a new feature, which I am calling "Spam of the Week." It is where I will post particularly amusing spam e-mails. The "Spam of the Week" feature will probably not appear every week, due to the unpredictable nature of spam. Here is the first entry, in all its unedited glory.
Subject: PLEASE YOU HAVE ADVISED TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION VERY SECRET AND CONFIDENTIAL
Text: TREAT AS URGENT PLEASE !!!!!!!
FROM THE DESK OF DR ALHAJI DANCO
BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER
BANK OF AFRICA (BOA)
OUAGADOUGOU - BURKINA FASO
DEAR FRIEND,
I AM MR.ALHAJI DANCO,THE BILL AND EXCHANGE MANAGER IN THE BANK OF AFRICA (BOA), OUAGADOU-BURKINA FASO,IN WEST AFRICA. WITH DUE RESPECT AND REGARDS,I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU ON A BUSINESS TRANSACTION THAT WILL BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH OF US AT HE END OF THE TRANSACTION.IN THE BANK HERE I DISCOVERD A VERY HUGE SUM OF MONEY BELONGING TO A DECEASED PERSON, A FOREIGNER WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY SOME YEARS BACK HERE AND THE FUND HAS BEEN DORMANT IN HIS ACCOUNT WITH THE BANK HERE,WITHOUT ANYBODY TO CLAIM THE FUND EITHER A MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY OR HIS RELATIVE.
I KEPT THIS INFORMATION SECRET WITHIN MYSELF TO ENABLE THE WHOLE PLAN AND IDEA I HAVE BEEN NURSING OVER THIS FUND IN THE BANK HERE TO BE PROFITABLE AND SUCCESSFUL DURING THE TIME OF EXECUTION OF THIS TRANSACTION.THE AMOUNT INVOLVED IN THIS DEAL IS TEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS($10,000,000).MEANWHILE,ALL THE WHOLE ARRANGEMENTS AND STRATEGIES NEEDED TO HELP YOU PUT CLAIM OVER THIS FUND AS THE BONA-FIDE NEXT OF KIN OR BENEFICIARY TO THE DECEASED, WILL BEFORWARD TO YOU UPON YOUR ACCEPTANCE TO EXECUTE THIS BUSINESS WITH ME.I WILL SEND YOU ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP YOU MAKE SUCCESSFUL CLAIM OF THIS FUND AS SOON AS YOU INDICATE YOUR INTEREST AND WILLINGNESS TO ASSIST ME AND ALSO SHARE THE GREAT BENEFIT TOGETHER WITH ME.
IN FACT,I COULD HAVE DONE THIS DEAL ALONE BUT BECAUSE OF MY POSITION HERE AS A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRU AND AS A CIVIL SERVANT(BANK WORKER), WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO OPERATE A FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT.THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY RAISE AN EYE BROWN ON MY SIDE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFER IF I WANT TO CLAIM THE FUND MYSELF ALONE BECAUSE I WORK IN THIS BANK.THIS IS THE ACTUAL REASON WHY IT WILL REQUIRE A FOREIGNER AS A SECOND PARTY,WHO WILL FORWARD CLAIMS AS THE NEXT OF KIN WITH AFFIDAVIT OF TRUST OF OATH TO THE BANK AND ALSO PRESENT A FORIEGN ACCOUNT WHERE THE SAID AMOUNT OF MONEY ($10,MILLION UNTED STATE DOLLARS) WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO AFTER DUE VERIFICATIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS IN THE BANK HERE.
I
WILL NOT FAIL TO INFORM YOU THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS 100% RISK FREE, ON SMOOTH CONCLUSION OF THIS TRANSACTION, YOU WILL BE ENTITLED TO 35% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS GRATIFICATION, WHILE 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE TO TAKE CARE OF EXPENSES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE TIME OF TRANSFERRING THE FUND WICH WILL INCLUDE,TELEPHONE BILLS, INTERNET COST,TRANSPORTATION COST, ETC, WHILE 60% WILL BE FOR ME AS THE INITIATOR OF THE DEAL.PLEASE YOU HAVE BEEN ADVICED TO KEEP THIS TRANSACTION VERY CONFIDENTIAL A TOP SECRET AS I AM STILL IN SERVICE AND INTEND TO RETIRE HONOURABLY FROM SERVICE AFTER WE MIGHT HAVE CONCLUDED THIS DEAL WITH EXCELLENT SUCCESS.
I WILL BE MONITORING THE WHOLE SITUATION HERE IN THE BANK UNTIL YOU CONFIRM THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT AND ASK ME AND MY ENTIRE FAMILY TO COME DOWN TO YOUR COUNTRY FOR SUBSEQUENT SHARING OF THE FUND ACCORDING TO PERCENTAGES WHICH I HAVE CLEARLY INDICATED AND FURTHER INVESTMENT,EITHER IN YOUR COUNTRY OR ANY OTHER COUNTRY YOU MAY ADVICE US TO JOINTLY INVEST.
ALL OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION WILL BE SENT TO YOU WHEN I HEAR FROM YOU.
PLEASE I SUGGEST THAT YOU GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,STATING YOUR INTEREST CLEARLY ABOUT THIS TRANSACTION.
THANKS AND BEST REGARDS.
YOURS FAITHFULLY,
DR ALHAJI DANCO
MY FULL PARTICULARS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Full Name:______________
Address:______________
Occupation:______________
Country:______________
Telephone:______________
Sex:______________
Age:______________
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
All Hail Svengoolie! 21-Chicken Salute!
I just found out over the weekend that Chicago's local horror host is going national. His name is Svengoolie, and he is played by Rich Koz. Sven has been a staple of the Chicago airwaves for over 30 years. His show currently airs on WCIU, which is a local Chicago station. But that station is owned by the same guy who owns Me-TV, which became an independent national station this past December. It took a bit longer to work out how to switch Svengoolie over, probably because they needed to work out the movie rights. It sounds like some exciting stuff is coming our way.
Here are ten things you should know about Svengoolie.
1. At the beginning and ending of each show, he is pelted with rubber chickens.
2. He makes lots of jokes about Chicago suburb Berwyn (BERRRRWYNNN!) because the name sounds funny, and because of the annual Berwyn mushroom parade.
3. He does not live, nor has he lived, in Berwyn.
4. He writes all of his own material and does all of the voices in his skits.
5. He pre-dates MST3K.
6. Rich Koz is not the original Svengoolie. That was Jerry G. Bishop, from 1970 to 1973, on WFLD.
7. Koz took over as "Son of Svengoolie" from 1979 to 1986 on the same station.
8. When WCIU started in 1995, Koz was brought back. He got permission from Bishop to become Svengoolie (rather than "Son of").
9. He writes all of the lyrics for the song parodies that appear in every show. The music is arranged by Doug Scharf, also known as "Doug Graves."
10. His show goes national this Saturday, April second! Thank goodness it runs on Saturday. If it was Friday night I would be worried it was an elaborate April Fool's prank.
I have actually gotten to meet Sven no less than three times, including once when I actually got to go on the set! Our next-door neighbor is a musician and long-time friend of Doug Scharf. So Doug took my brother and me to a taping of the show. It was incredibly cool. Rich is such a nice guy, and just as funny in person as he is on-screen (and yes, I mean that as a compliment!). He was at C2E2, only two tables away from the line for Eliza Dushku. Here he is in the background:
That's him with the top hat and eye makeup.
Jason and I met him last year at Cyphan. Here he is with the two of us (and the rubber chicken we had him sign).
Congratulations again to Svengoolie! May he rule the airwaves for many years to come.
Here are ten things you should know about Svengoolie.
1. At the beginning and ending of each show, he is pelted with rubber chickens.
2. He makes lots of jokes about Chicago suburb Berwyn (BERRRRWYNNN!) because the name sounds funny, and because of the annual Berwyn mushroom parade.
3. He does not live, nor has he lived, in Berwyn.
4. He writes all of his own material and does all of the voices in his skits.
5. He pre-dates MST3K.
6. Rich Koz is not the original Svengoolie. That was Jerry G. Bishop, from 1970 to 1973, on WFLD.
7. Koz took over as "Son of Svengoolie" from 1979 to 1986 on the same station.
8. When WCIU started in 1995, Koz was brought back. He got permission from Bishop to become Svengoolie (rather than "Son of").
9. He writes all of the lyrics for the song parodies that appear in every show. The music is arranged by Doug Scharf, also known as "Doug Graves."
10. His show goes national this Saturday, April second! Thank goodness it runs on Saturday. If it was Friday night I would be worried it was an elaborate April Fool's prank.
I have actually gotten to meet Sven no less than three times, including once when I actually got to go on the set! Our next-door neighbor is a musician and long-time friend of Doug Scharf. So Doug took my brother and me to a taping of the show. It was incredibly cool. Rich is such a nice guy, and just as funny in person as he is on-screen (and yes, I mean that as a compliment!). He was at C2E2, only two tables away from the line for Eliza Dushku. Here he is in the background:
That's him with the top hat and eye makeup.
Jason and I met him last year at Cyphan. Here he is with the two of us (and the rubber chicken we had him sign).
Congratulations again to Svengoolie! May he rule the airwaves for many years to come.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Great Scott!
I cannot WAIT for Wizard World. Yes, I know that I just went to a convention last weekend. But WW is going to be EPIC. There is no other word for it. I was already excited when Jason told me Patrick Stewart was going to be there. I thought there was no way to top Captain Picard. But just the other day, they announced that none other than Christopher Lloyd was going to be there! I started geeking out. He is quite possibly my favorite actor of all time. He is fantastic in all of his roles, from Doc Brown to Reverend Jim to the Klingon commander from Star Trek 3. Jason wants to have him sign his Genesis device:
But yeah, I will watch anything with Christopher Lloyd in it. Including several movies I rented specifically because his name showed up on the cast list. I remember him as Al the angel from Angels in the Outfield...Uncle Martin from the movie remake of My Favorite Martian...the "counselor" from Camp Nowhere...The Hacker in Cyberchase.
I used to tell people I watched this show because my little brother liked it. Which he did, but I liked it too. Because I am, unapologetically, a huge dork. Oh, and if the voice of the robot bird sounds familiar, that is because he is voiced by Gilbert Gottfried.
As if Christopher Lloyd and Patrick Stewart weren't enough, there are a ton of other people I am excited about. From Buffy/Angel, we have James Marsters (Spike. HELL yes!), Julie Benz (Darla), Nicholas Brendon (Xander!), and Mercedes McNab (Harmony). Incidentally, I found out that one of her early roles was as Amanda from the Addams Family movies.
And Christopher Lloyd was in that movie too! Ooh, maybe I can get both of them to sign it.
We also have LeVar Burton (Geordi from Star Trek Next Gen), Morena Baccarin (Inara from Firefly), and Felicia Day (Penny from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog). And you can find the complete list (and not just the people who worked with Joss Whedon) here. Well, based on my experience at C2E2, I will need to prioritize who I want to meet. It is a very good thing I will be going to Wizard more than one day. And if everyone is charging $30 or $40 for an autograph, I should probably start saving up now. I do love conventions. Next on my schedule is Cyphan at the end of July.
But yeah, I will watch anything with Christopher Lloyd in it. Including several movies I rented specifically because his name showed up on the cast list. I remember him as Al the angel from Angels in the Outfield...Uncle Martin from the movie remake of My Favorite Martian...the "counselor" from Camp Nowhere...The Hacker in Cyberchase.
I used to tell people I watched this show because my little brother liked it. Which he did, but I liked it too. Because I am, unapologetically, a huge dork. Oh, and if the voice of the robot bird sounds familiar, that is because he is voiced by Gilbert Gottfried.
As if Christopher Lloyd and Patrick Stewart weren't enough, there are a ton of other people I am excited about. From Buffy/Angel, we have James Marsters (Spike. HELL yes!), Julie Benz (Darla), Nicholas Brendon (Xander!), and Mercedes McNab (Harmony). Incidentally, I found out that one of her early roles was as Amanda from the Addams Family movies.
And Christopher Lloyd was in that movie too! Ooh, maybe I can get both of them to sign it.
We also have LeVar Burton (Geordi from Star Trek Next Gen), Morena Baccarin (Inara from Firefly), and Felicia Day (Penny from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog). And you can find the complete list (and not just the people who worked with Joss Whedon) here. Well, based on my experience at C2E2, I will need to prioritize who I want to meet. It is a very good thing I will be going to Wizard more than one day. And if everyone is charging $30 or $40 for an autograph, I should probably start saving up now. I do love conventions. Next on my schedule is Cyphan at the end of July.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
C2E2 Wrap-Up
Well, C2E2 was pretty awesome. My costume was a huge success. I got a ton of people asking to take my picture. A few were pretty surprised when I held up the BFNG (Big Frickin' Nerf Gun). One guy asked for my picture because he runs a Nerf blog. Here's the photo from his Twitter.
I met him while we were in line for Eliza Dushku. She was in a panel from 1:15-3:30. We got in line at 2:30, and by the time she showed up (15 minutes late, unfortunately) the line stretched from the middle of the convention floor to the bathrooms in the back. I asked someone if the autograph ticket was also good for a photo, and the woman told me, "She's not doing photos." There must have been a misunderstanding, because I meant that I wanted to take a photo with her. That was fine. But there were no photos of her at the autograph table. So, $40 and an hour and a half later, proof that I met Eliza Dushku. She thought my costume was cool, by the way.
She was the only celebrity I ended up meeting. The whole cast of Middleman was there, but they were charging for autographs too. If I had known that before we got there, I might have decided to spring for another autograph. Oh, well. I did get some great costume photos.
Fourth Doctor, Amy, and Eleventh Doctor! All very cool. Fezes are cool.
TARDIS fez. Cool squared!
We stopped at the 501st table, where I got a photo of a lady Stormtrooper. Jason was in his Trooper gear on Friday, and hopes to have his Palpatine costume ready in time for Wizard World in August.
Hooray for girl geeks! Side note: conventions are one of the few places where the line for the men's restroom is longer than the women's. I found that highly amusing.
The lovely female Mario cast. They wanted a photo with me, too.
I actually got very few photos of myself with my camera. This one was too good to pass up, though.
Jason spotted this lady and her robot buddy.
Speaking of Jason, he and two of his friends went as the nWo. They were also very popular with photographers.
Left to right, we have Macho Man Randy Savage (Jason), Hollywood Hogan, and The Undertaker.
One more. Johnny wanted to snag a picture with this Mario walkabout just as we were leaving.
The only bad part about yesterday was that, even though Jason and I were there together, we were unable to spend much time together. We came with a big group, which kept on getting broken up. Somebody wanted to buy t-shirts. Then someone else wandered off. Johnny needed lunch, I was in the autograph line, people wanted a photo of the nWo, etc, etc, etc. Incidentally, there are no photos from yesterday of Jason and me together. Also, stopping for photos can really wear you out after a while. When we got back from the con, Johnny had more energy than either Jason or me.
Will Action Princess Peach make an appearance at any more cons? Probably. I think I will don the dress and bazooka again for Wizard World. But I also need a day to walk around and relax a bit.
Want more costumey goodness? You can find all of my C2E2 photos here on Flickr.
I met him while we were in line for Eliza Dushku. She was in a panel from 1:15-3:30. We got in line at 2:30, and by the time she showed up (15 minutes late, unfortunately) the line stretched from the middle of the convention floor to the bathrooms in the back. I asked someone if the autograph ticket was also good for a photo, and the woman told me, "She's not doing photos." There must have been a misunderstanding, because I meant that I wanted to take a photo with her. That was fine. But there were no photos of her at the autograph table. So, $40 and an hour and a half later, proof that I met Eliza Dushku. She thought my costume was cool, by the way.
She was the only celebrity I ended up meeting. The whole cast of Middleman was there, but they were charging for autographs too. If I had known that before we got there, I might have decided to spring for another autograph. Oh, well. I did get some great costume photos.
Fourth Doctor, Amy, and Eleventh Doctor! All very cool. Fezes are cool.
TARDIS fez. Cool squared!
We stopped at the 501st table, where I got a photo of a lady Stormtrooper. Jason was in his Trooper gear on Friday, and hopes to have his Palpatine costume ready in time for Wizard World in August.
Hooray for girl geeks! Side note: conventions are one of the few places where the line for the men's restroom is longer than the women's. I found that highly amusing.
The lovely female Mario cast. They wanted a photo with me, too.
I actually got very few photos of myself with my camera. This one was too good to pass up, though.
Jason spotted this lady and her robot buddy.
Speaking of Jason, he and two of his friends went as the nWo. They were also very popular with photographers.
Left to right, we have Macho Man Randy Savage (Jason), Hollywood Hogan, and The Undertaker.
One more. Johnny wanted to snag a picture with this Mario walkabout just as we were leaving.
The only bad part about yesterday was that, even though Jason and I were there together, we were unable to spend much time together. We came with a big group, which kept on getting broken up. Somebody wanted to buy t-shirts. Then someone else wandered off. Johnny needed lunch, I was in the autograph line, people wanted a photo of the nWo, etc, etc, etc. Incidentally, there are no photos from yesterday of Jason and me together. Also, stopping for photos can really wear you out after a while. When we got back from the con, Johnny had more energy than either Jason or me.
Will Action Princess Peach make an appearance at any more cons? Probably. I think I will don the dress and bazooka again for Wizard World. But I also need a day to walk around and relax a bit.
Want more costumey goodness? You can find all of my C2E2 photos here on Flickr.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Book Recap: BSC #32 (part three)
Chapter 7: Kristy has planned on taking Susan over to the Hobarts' to make friends with the boys. She finds out that Susan has been stubborn all day, refusing to come away from the piano or eat lunch. Mrs. Felder assures Kristy, and not for the first time, that Susan does not get violent. Well, if you are leaving her with a thirteen-year-old, I would certainly hope not.
Kristy asks why Susan did not eat lunch; her mother explains that it is a common problem among autistic children. The likely explanation (unknown 20 years ago) is because autistic children frequently have sensory issues. It affects everyone differently, but one of the characteristics of autism is being oversensitive to certain smells or tastes (or other senses, but that has nothing to do with Susan not eating lunch). My own brother, who has Asperger's Syndrome, will gag if he smells pickles. This goes way beyond "I hate the way they smell." It actually can make him physically ill. He definitely has a stubborn streak, too. Not when it comes to food, but when his mind is made up about something, nobody can change it. I foresee that he will get some very good deals on cars one day.
Kristy gets Susan to stop playing the piano by putting her hands on top of Susan's. Fine. Then she gets Susan away from the piano by picking her up. I find this hard to believe. Kristy is thirteen; Susan is eight. I take care of a seven-year-old, and I would not be able to lift him. I can lift his five-year-old brother, but just barely. Kristy carries Susan into the kitchen and opens up the refrigerator for Susan to look inside. Yeah, good luck with that. Predictably, Susan ignores this. Kristy gets her to eat a couple of cookies on their way to the Hobarts'.
The kids are unsure how to react to Susan. They try talking to her, but there is no response. Then they try to teach her to play tag, reasoning that you can play tag without talking. Of course, Susan's real problem is her inability to pay attention rather than her inability to speak. Susan just wanders around the yard. Their game is interrupted by two of the neighborhood bullies, referred to as "Bob-or-Craig" because they both claim, "He's Bob and I'm Craig." Kristy concludes that the teasers were actually really interested in learning about Australia, and they were only teasing because they wanted to feel superior. Well, which is it? Do they think the Hobarts are interesting, or do they think they are better than them? When Bob-and-Craig turn on Susan, James Hobart steps up to protect her and declares that she is his "mate." I know "mate" often means "friend" in Britain, but I am not sure about Australia. This would have been the perfect opportunity for Bob-and-Craig to inform James that "mate" means "girlfriend" in America, but there is no mention of that. Kristy gets Susan to perform her calendar trick, and all of the kids are amazed.
Chapter 8: Stacey, one of the other club members, is baby-sitting at Kristy's house. Seven-year-old Karen talks the rest of the kids into playing a dress-up game called "Let's All Come In." Apparently this game shows up fairly often in the books, but it is one detail I had forgotten about entirely. It leads to a lot of filler description of the expensive dress-up clothes, because their dad is a millionaire. From my experience, kids are just as happy with their parents' old clothes or cheap costumes. Then again, their dad may not have known that. Kristy comes home early from her job at Susan's and talks with Stacey about how she is still determined to convince Mrs. Felder that Susan can stay at home. Stacey warns her not to go overboard, and Kristy admits that Susan is "one of the most handicapped" children she has ever seen. Again, if Susan is so hard to manage, why are her parents leaving her with an inexperienced middle-schooler?
Chapter 9: Kristy is sitting for Susan again. Susan is wrapped up in her piano playing when half of "Bob-or-Craig" comes to the door. Kristy finds out his real name is Mel. He is astonished when he hears Susan playing the piano. Kristy grandly proclaims that Susan takes requests, so Mel suggests a few songs. Susan knows them all. The odd thing, though, is that Susan responds immediately to his song requests, but needs several prompts to respond to her own name. There is no logical explanation for this, other than it moves the plot along. But in-story, there is no reason why Susan should do this. Anyway, Kristy explains that Susan can memorize songs in one try. Mel says that Susan is even more amazing than the piano-playing chicken he saw at the circus. He finds out when Kristy will be at the Felders' again, and then abruptly leaves.
Shortly afterward, James comes over to play. Kristy pulls Susan away from the piano. James is a bit uncomfortable about this when Susan protests, but Kristy reasons that it is more important for Susan to make friends. They sit and talk in the Felders' backyard. Kristy fails to realize that when James says "pen friends" he means "pen pals." That seems like a pretty easy colloquialism to translate there, but what do I know? James talks about how he wants someone to ride bikes and go to the park with, and someone who can teach him "what American kids say." Yeah, because if they are confused by "pen friends," he might have to have an interpreter. Kristy knows that something is wrong, but cannot quite put her finger on it. Well, Kristy, does Susan fit James' description of what he is looking for in a friend? There you go.
Coming soon: part four (In Which Kids Are Jerks And Kristy Makes a Decision).
Kristy asks why Susan did not eat lunch; her mother explains that it is a common problem among autistic children. The likely explanation (unknown 20 years ago) is because autistic children frequently have sensory issues. It affects everyone differently, but one of the characteristics of autism is being oversensitive to certain smells or tastes (or other senses, but that has nothing to do with Susan not eating lunch). My own brother, who has Asperger's Syndrome, will gag if he smells pickles. This goes way beyond "I hate the way they smell." It actually can make him physically ill. He definitely has a stubborn streak, too. Not when it comes to food, but when his mind is made up about something, nobody can change it. I foresee that he will get some very good deals on cars one day.
Kristy gets Susan to stop playing the piano by putting her hands on top of Susan's. Fine. Then she gets Susan away from the piano by picking her up. I find this hard to believe. Kristy is thirteen; Susan is eight. I take care of a seven-year-old, and I would not be able to lift him. I can lift his five-year-old brother, but just barely. Kristy carries Susan into the kitchen and opens up the refrigerator for Susan to look inside. Yeah, good luck with that. Predictably, Susan ignores this. Kristy gets her to eat a couple of cookies on their way to the Hobarts'.
The kids are unsure how to react to Susan. They try talking to her, but there is no response. Then they try to teach her to play tag, reasoning that you can play tag without talking. Of course, Susan's real problem is her inability to pay attention rather than her inability to speak. Susan just wanders around the yard. Their game is interrupted by two of the neighborhood bullies, referred to as "Bob-or-Craig" because they both claim, "He's Bob and I'm Craig." Kristy concludes that the teasers were actually really interested in learning about Australia, and they were only teasing because they wanted to feel superior. Well, which is it? Do they think the Hobarts are interesting, or do they think they are better than them? When Bob-and-Craig turn on Susan, James Hobart steps up to protect her and declares that she is his "mate." I know "mate" often means "friend" in Britain, but I am not sure about Australia. This would have been the perfect opportunity for Bob-and-Craig to inform James that "mate" means "girlfriend" in America, but there is no mention of that. Kristy gets Susan to perform her calendar trick, and all of the kids are amazed.
Chapter 8: Stacey, one of the other club members, is baby-sitting at Kristy's house. Seven-year-old Karen talks the rest of the kids into playing a dress-up game called "Let's All Come In." Apparently this game shows up fairly often in the books, but it is one detail I had forgotten about entirely. It leads to a lot of filler description of the expensive dress-up clothes, because their dad is a millionaire. From my experience, kids are just as happy with their parents' old clothes or cheap costumes. Then again, their dad may not have known that. Kristy comes home early from her job at Susan's and talks with Stacey about how she is still determined to convince Mrs. Felder that Susan can stay at home. Stacey warns her not to go overboard, and Kristy admits that Susan is "one of the most handicapped" children she has ever seen. Again, if Susan is so hard to manage, why are her parents leaving her with an inexperienced middle-schooler?
Chapter 9: Kristy is sitting for Susan again. Susan is wrapped up in her piano playing when half of "Bob-or-Craig" comes to the door. Kristy finds out his real name is Mel. He is astonished when he hears Susan playing the piano. Kristy grandly proclaims that Susan takes requests, so Mel suggests a few songs. Susan knows them all. The odd thing, though, is that Susan responds immediately to his song requests, but needs several prompts to respond to her own name. There is no logical explanation for this, other than it moves the plot along. But in-story, there is no reason why Susan should do this. Anyway, Kristy explains that Susan can memorize songs in one try. Mel says that Susan is even more amazing than the piano-playing chicken he saw at the circus. He finds out when Kristy will be at the Felders' again, and then abruptly leaves.
Shortly afterward, James comes over to play. Kristy pulls Susan away from the piano. James is a bit uncomfortable about this when Susan protests, but Kristy reasons that it is more important for Susan to make friends. They sit and talk in the Felders' backyard. Kristy fails to realize that when James says "pen friends" he means "pen pals." That seems like a pretty easy colloquialism to translate there, but what do I know? James talks about how he wants someone to ride bikes and go to the park with, and someone who can teach him "what American kids say." Yeah, because if they are confused by "pen friends," he might have to have an interpreter. Kristy knows that something is wrong, but cannot quite put her finger on it. Well, Kristy, does Susan fit James' description of what he is looking for in a friend? There you go.
Coming soon: part four (In Which Kids Are Jerks And Kristy Makes a Decision).
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
C2E2: Convention Countdown and Extreme Excitement
Clever, no? (No? Oh well.)
Ordered my autograph ticket for Saturday. It cost more than admission to the convention, but I think it is worth every penny. Plus, it must be pretty expensive to book the big-name people like Eliza Dushku.
Submitted for your approval, the following videos in anticipation of this weekend.
A montage of some of Faith's best scenes from BtVS (and its spinoff, Angel).
No less than three of the main actors from this show at the con!
A clip from Leverage. Sterling (the guy getting the snot kicked out of him by Christian Kane) will be there.
As to why he is getting the snot kicked out of him...well, you will just have to watch the show.
And...this guy will be there too.
Rick Bayless is a world-renowned chef. Still have no idea what he has to do with comics.
One more for the road. Just because it is extremely nerdy and fun.
Ear worm! You're welcome.
Ordered my autograph ticket for Saturday. It cost more than admission to the convention, but I think it is worth every penny. Plus, it must be pretty expensive to book the big-name people like Eliza Dushku.
Submitted for your approval, the following videos in anticipation of this weekend.
A montage of some of Faith's best scenes from BtVS (and its spinoff, Angel).
No less than three of the main actors from this show at the con!
A clip from Leverage. Sterling (the guy getting the snot kicked out of him by Christian Kane) will be there.
As to why he is getting the snot kicked out of him...well, you will just have to watch the show.
And...this guy will be there too.
Rick Bayless is a world-renowned chef. Still have no idea what he has to do with comics.
One more for the road. Just because it is extremely nerdy and fun.
Ear worm! You're welcome.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Convention Countdown!
First of all, happy pi day! Yes, pi=3.14 (approximately), so March 14=Pi Day. Thank your math teacher, and go to Baker's Square. Or something.
Side note: Baker's Square raspberry pie? With a scoop of ice cream? Heaven on earth.
In other news, the countdown on the C2E2 website reminds me that there are only 3 days, 18 hours (57 minutes, 3 seconds...) left until the convention! I still need to order my autograph ticket for Eliza Dushku. I think I will have her sign my DVD set for Buffy season 3.
My costume is complete, but I still need to figure out how I will be carrying stuff around. I think what I may do is get a carabiner or something that I can clip onto my Nerf bandolier. This is the one I got:
I need a small bag or something to keep my wallet and camera. That is one problem with my costume: no pockets. In the past I have worn a backpack; that would probably be the safest choice. And I have one with thin straps that will not be too noticeable in the photos. In fact, I will do just that.
That was very helpful. Glad we had this little chat.
Question for the comments: What is your favorite pie?
Side note: Baker's Square raspberry pie? With a scoop of ice cream? Heaven on earth.
In other news, the countdown on the C2E2 website reminds me that there are only 3 days, 18 hours (57 minutes, 3 seconds...) left until the convention! I still need to order my autograph ticket for Eliza Dushku. I think I will have her sign my DVD set for Buffy season 3.
My costume is complete, but I still need to figure out how I will be carrying stuff around. I think what I may do is get a carabiner or something that I can clip onto my Nerf bandolier. This is the one I got:
I need a small bag or something to keep my wallet and camera. That is one problem with my costume: no pockets. In the past I have worn a backpack; that would probably be the safest choice. And I have one with thin straps that will not be too noticeable in the photos. In fact, I will do just that.
That was very helpful. Glad we had this little chat.
Question for the comments: What is your favorite pie?
Friday, March 11, 2011
Book Recap: BSC #32 (part two)
Continuing from Part One. On with the show!
Chapter 4: Kristy goes to the Felders' for their first meeting. Kristy has done her research, such as it was. She looked up "autism" and found a reference to "schizophrenia," which led her to an explanation of schizophrenia as "withdrawal from reality." Then, I guess, she was too confused to look up anything else. Good grief, how did people do research before Google? Anyway, at first glance Susan is a collection of autistic stereotypes. She wrings her hands, clicks her tongue, and does not respond immediately to her mother.
Mrs. Felder gives Kristy a Cliffs Notes explanation of autism. Most of it is still thought to be true today (symptoms vary from person to person; it is more common among boys; symptoms show up by age three), but then Mrs. Felder tells her that the syndrome is rare. The much-touted statistic today is 1 in 150. Of course, this does not necessarily mean that more people have autism, just that more people are diagnosed with autism. And the definition has broadened. People with Asperger's Syndrome (on the mild end of the spectrum) are included in that "1 in 150" statistic, which was actually unheard of in the US until several years after this book was written. There is also no mention of the "caused by vaccines" theory, which was not suggested until 1998. By the way, there is no proven link between autism and vaccinations.
Mrs. Felder goes on to explain that, while Susan may improve if she learns some meaningful language, she will never be "normal." Kristy thinks, "I understood what Mrs. Felder wasn't saying: Susan's future looked bleak." Congratulations, you have established this as one of the most depressing books in the series. We are on page 38. I will not say this is the most depressing book, because I have read Mary Anne and the Memory Garden, AKA "let's retcon a new character as everyone's best friend, only to have her killed by a drunk driver."
Anyway, Mrs. Felder goes on to say that Susan may be autistic, but at least she is a savant. In this case, this means she is a piano prodigy who can play any piece of music after hearing it once. She can also name the day of the week for any date in the past hundred years, a talent which she demonstrates to an astonished Kristy.
Mrs. Felder laments that Susan never initiates conversations and does not communicate. Sigh. There is a difference between "does not speak" and "does not communicate." She may not communicate with her parents as often as they would like, or in the way they prefer, but "communication" is a broad range of actions. And anyway, Susan does speak. We just heard her speak.
Kristy agrees to take the job, secretly resolving to prove to the Felders that Susan does not need to be shipped off to her new boarding school at the end of the month. Mrs. Felder comments, "Don't worry. Susan won't be upset when I leave. She never is. She has no connection to me or to anyone."
I find myself feeling very sorry for Mrs. Felder. Although she is from after the time when autism was thought to be the mother's fault for not showing enough affection (seriously!), in the book it is still considered nearly a death sentence. Today, there are many special education teachers and other professionals who love and even prefer working with autistic children. They would help her see that Susan is not a lost cause, even as different from the "neuro-typicals" as she is.
Kristy is surprised by the "babyish" toys in the backyard, which include a sandbox, swing set, and tricycle. First, how did they find a tricycle sized for an eight-year-old? Second, since when are eight-year-olds too sophisticated for swing sets? But Susan ignores her toys and decides to gallop around the yard instead. Kristy takes the opportunity to spy on the new neighbors, the Hobarts From Australia. The boys are being teased because they like "fairy floss" and do not know that here in America, we call it "cotton candy." They are also taunted about "Crocodile Dundee stuff." All right, I realize that kids will tease people for just about any reason. But the "prejudice=bad" Aesop gets an awful lot of coverage throughout the series. I always used to wonder if Stoneybrook was particularly bass-ackwards, or if I just grew up in a town where people were more accepting than normal. Not to say that my school was free of bullying, just that the kids chose different reasons to pick on people.
Chapter 5 is a babysitting chapter. Jessi and Mallory, the two club members in 6th grade instead of 8th, are babysitting Mallory's seven younger siblings. After the kids declare there is nothing to do, Mallory suggests going to play with the Hobarts. We find out that their cute new nickname is "Crocs," as in "Crocodile Dundee." Of course, now I immediately think of those trendy rubber shoes. Mallory points out that this name-calling is not very nice, and reminds her siblings about how they used to hate being called the "Spider" kids (because there are eight of them). Jessi, the Token Black Chick, points out that she has been called a lot worse.
Jessi's status as Token Black Chick is brought up in every single book she appears in, just to point out that it does not matter that she is black. Oddly, Claudia's status as Token Asian Chick is not mentioned nearly as often. I guess only the really prejudiced in Stoneybrook have problems with people from Japan...
Anyway, the kids all head over to the Hobarts' as Mal and Jessi point out that people from Australia are not that different after all. They even wear "jeans and stuff." So the kids all start making friends with each other. This includes Mallory, who has a crush on the oldest Hobart boy (also in 6th grade). The Hobart boys are taunted by more neighbors and chased of by Ben, "who is tall." Thank you so much for that helpful bit of information.
Chapter 6: Kristy tells the other club members about Susan. Jessi and Mal compare her to the Hobarts, because they are outcasts too. The other girls tease Mallory for having a crush on Ben. Not much else happens.
Coming soon: Part three (In Which Everyone Babysits And Both Plots Are Advanced).
Chapter 4: Kristy goes to the Felders' for their first meeting. Kristy has done her research, such as it was. She looked up "autism" and found a reference to "schizophrenia," which led her to an explanation of schizophrenia as "withdrawal from reality." Then, I guess, she was too confused to look up anything else. Good grief, how did people do research before Google? Anyway, at first glance Susan is a collection of autistic stereotypes. She wrings her hands, clicks her tongue, and does not respond immediately to her mother.
Mrs. Felder gives Kristy a Cliffs Notes explanation of autism. Most of it is still thought to be true today (symptoms vary from person to person; it is more common among boys; symptoms show up by age three), but then Mrs. Felder tells her that the syndrome is rare. The much-touted statistic today is 1 in 150. Of course, this does not necessarily mean that more people have autism, just that more people are diagnosed with autism. And the definition has broadened. People with Asperger's Syndrome (on the mild end of the spectrum) are included in that "1 in 150" statistic, which was actually unheard of in the US until several years after this book was written. There is also no mention of the "caused by vaccines" theory, which was not suggested until 1998. By the way, there is no proven link between autism and vaccinations.
Mrs. Felder goes on to explain that, while Susan may improve if she learns some meaningful language, she will never be "normal." Kristy thinks, "I understood what Mrs. Felder wasn't saying: Susan's future looked bleak." Congratulations, you have established this as one of the most depressing books in the series. We are on page 38. I will not say this is the most depressing book, because I have read Mary Anne and the Memory Garden, AKA "let's retcon a new character as everyone's best friend, only to have her killed by a drunk driver."
Anyway, Mrs. Felder goes on to say that Susan may be autistic, but at least she is a savant. In this case, this means she is a piano prodigy who can play any piece of music after hearing it once. She can also name the day of the week for any date in the past hundred years, a talent which she demonstrates to an astonished Kristy.
Mrs. Felder laments that Susan never initiates conversations and does not communicate. Sigh. There is a difference between "does not speak" and "does not communicate." She may not communicate with her parents as often as they would like, or in the way they prefer, but "communication" is a broad range of actions. And anyway, Susan does speak. We just heard her speak.
Kristy agrees to take the job, secretly resolving to prove to the Felders that Susan does not need to be shipped off to her new boarding school at the end of the month. Mrs. Felder comments, "Don't worry. Susan won't be upset when I leave. She never is. She has no connection to me or to anyone."
I find myself feeling very sorry for Mrs. Felder. Although she is from after the time when autism was thought to be the mother's fault for not showing enough affection (seriously!), in the book it is still considered nearly a death sentence. Today, there are many special education teachers and other professionals who love and even prefer working with autistic children. They would help her see that Susan is not a lost cause, even as different from the "neuro-typicals" as she is.
Kristy is surprised by the "babyish" toys in the backyard, which include a sandbox, swing set, and tricycle. First, how did they find a tricycle sized for an eight-year-old? Second, since when are eight-year-olds too sophisticated for swing sets? But Susan ignores her toys and decides to gallop around the yard instead. Kristy takes the opportunity to spy on the new neighbors, the Hobarts From Australia. The boys are being teased because they like "fairy floss" and do not know that here in America, we call it "cotton candy." They are also taunted about "Crocodile Dundee stuff." All right, I realize that kids will tease people for just about any reason. But the "prejudice=bad" Aesop gets an awful lot of coverage throughout the series. I always used to wonder if Stoneybrook was particularly bass-ackwards, or if I just grew up in a town where people were more accepting than normal. Not to say that my school was free of bullying, just that the kids chose different reasons to pick on people.
Chapter 5 is a babysitting chapter. Jessi and Mallory, the two club members in 6th grade instead of 8th, are babysitting Mallory's seven younger siblings. After the kids declare there is nothing to do, Mallory suggests going to play with the Hobarts. We find out that their cute new nickname is "Crocs," as in "Crocodile Dundee." Of course, now I immediately think of those trendy rubber shoes. Mallory points out that this name-calling is not very nice, and reminds her siblings about how they used to hate being called the "Spider" kids (because there are eight of them). Jessi, the Token Black Chick, points out that she has been called a lot worse.
Jessi's status as Token Black Chick is brought up in every single book she appears in, just to point out that it does not matter that she is black. Oddly, Claudia's status as Token Asian Chick is not mentioned nearly as often. I guess only the really prejudiced in Stoneybrook have problems with people from Japan...
Anyway, the kids all head over to the Hobarts' as Mal and Jessi point out that people from Australia are not that different after all. They even wear "jeans and stuff." So the kids all start making friends with each other. This includes Mallory, who has a crush on the oldest Hobart boy (also in 6th grade). The Hobart boys are taunted by more neighbors and chased of by Ben, "who is tall." Thank you so much for that helpful bit of information.
Chapter 6: Kristy tells the other club members about Susan. Jessi and Mal compare her to the Hobarts, because they are outcasts too. The other girls tease Mallory for having a crush on Ben. Not much else happens.
Coming soon: Part three (In Which Everyone Babysits And Both Plots Are Advanced).
Book Recap: BSC #32 (part one)
In the interests of keeping the title of this post a reasonable length, I decided to go with the abbreviated version of the book's title. The full title is "Baby-Sitters Club #32: Kristy and the Secret of Susan."
The Baby-Sitters Club is a long-running series of books first published in the 80s, written by Ann M. Martin (and later ghostwritten by one or more people who sometimes had trouble with continuity). The series follows a group of middle-school babysitters who...well...form a club. I was obsessed with the books growing up; by the time I discovered them they were readily available at discount bookstores, where my parents would let me buy a whole stack of them for a dollar or two each. I had half of a bookshelf crammed full of BSC books by the time I finally donated my collection to the library's book sale. The books were different from what I usually enjoyed reading, even back then, because there are no supernatural elements. I was thinking about why they captured me so much, and realized that the thing I remember best about the books was the way the girls always had each other's backs. No matter what happened, they were there for each other. I was painfully shy in grade school, and the idea of a large group of good friends seemed as improbable to me as the interstellar adventures of A Wrinkle in Time or the Community in The Giver.
These days, the BSC books are mostly forgotten, except by bloggers who write snarky reviews. I do not plan on getting started with that. I wanted to track down this particular book because it is more relevant to me than it was when I first read it...good grief, could it possibly be 15 years ago?? Okay, I feel old. Anyway, Susan's secret is that she has autism (SPOILER!!). I took some classes on teaching special education in college, and I have also known several people with autism. I wanted to see how much this book got right. Of course, a lot more is known about autism now than when it was written in 1990, so I do not know how much of the misinformation was lack of research and how much was Science Marches On. I also remembered how much I disliked the ending...but more on that later.
And now, on with the recap!
Chapter 1 begins with the introduction of one of the title characters. Kristy is the president and founder of the BSC; here she is looking after her brother and sister before heading off to a meeting. One of the other things I enjoyed about the books was the little pieces of babysitting advice, such as this gem from page 3: "it's much more helpful to tell [children] what to do instead of what not to do." It seems obvious, but seriously try it sometime. There are times when it is very hard to state the rules in a positive way.
We get more character introduction as Kristy heads to the meeting. In addition to the usual suspects, there is a new family in town: the Hobarts, who will be the subject of this book's subplot and continue to feature as minor characters. Their main attraction, in addition to having four kids, is that they are from Australia. Kristy also sees Susan Felder and her mother, who are not new, but have never been mentioned before and will never be seen again after this book (SPOILER!!). Claudia mentions that Susan has been away at a special school, which at least explains her absence up until this point.
Chapters 2 and 3 are the standard info-dump section, where Kristy explains who all of the club members are and gives a brief summary of the series up to this point. Every book in the series follows this format. It is a good way for new readers to jump in without having to read books 1-31. On the other hand, those who have read the other books can skim this part or skip it entirely. To be honest, none of the girls' backstories have much to contribute to this book plot-wise, so I will spare you the introductions. The one thing I noted is that all of the girls are described as "beautiful" or "pretty." On the one hand, it seems unlikely that all of the girls could be underwear models. On the other hand, would you call your best friends ugly? Even if other people think they are? Me neither.
The plot starts cooking when Mrs. Felder calls the girls looking for a sitter for Susan. She explains that Susan is autistic, but none of the girls know what this means. Claudia suggests that it means "retarded," a term that is used several times throughout the book. I realize that this is the correct use of the term, but today it has been misused so much that I can not keep from cringing a little when I read it. This shows how things have changed in 20 years; I guess "retard" was not a common insult in the '80s. Side note: I find it interesting that Claudia is the one making this suggestion, because it is heavily implied throughout the series that she has some sort of learning disability. Was this a conscious decision on Martin's part, or is this a throw-away line that could have gone to any of the girls? The world may never know.
The girls look at their schedules. It turns out that Kristy is the only one available for the job, which is supposed to be three days every week for a month. They call Mrs. Felder back to let her know, and she tells Kristy that she wants her to meet Susan before committing to the job. Kristy is, understandably, curious and a bit worried about this.
Well. I think I will leave it there for today. Coming soon: Chapter Four (In Which We Meet Susan And Learn About Autism In One Hundred Words Or Less).
The Baby-Sitters Club is a long-running series of books first published in the 80s, written by Ann M. Martin (and later ghostwritten by one or more people who sometimes had trouble with continuity). The series follows a group of middle-school babysitters who...well...form a club. I was obsessed with the books growing up; by the time I discovered them they were readily available at discount bookstores, where my parents would let me buy a whole stack of them for a dollar or two each. I had half of a bookshelf crammed full of BSC books by the time I finally donated my collection to the library's book sale. The books were different from what I usually enjoyed reading, even back then, because there are no supernatural elements. I was thinking about why they captured me so much, and realized that the thing I remember best about the books was the way the girls always had each other's backs. No matter what happened, they were there for each other. I was painfully shy in grade school, and the idea of a large group of good friends seemed as improbable to me as the interstellar adventures of A Wrinkle in Time or the Community in The Giver.
These days, the BSC books are mostly forgotten, except by bloggers who write snarky reviews. I do not plan on getting started with that. I wanted to track down this particular book because it is more relevant to me than it was when I first read it...good grief, could it possibly be 15 years ago?? Okay, I feel old. Anyway, Susan's secret is that she has autism (SPOILER!!). I took some classes on teaching special education in college, and I have also known several people with autism. I wanted to see how much this book got right. Of course, a lot more is known about autism now than when it was written in 1990, so I do not know how much of the misinformation was lack of research and how much was Science Marches On. I also remembered how much I disliked the ending...but more on that later.
And now, on with the recap!
Chapter 1 begins with the introduction of one of the title characters. Kristy is the president and founder of the BSC; here she is looking after her brother and sister before heading off to a meeting. One of the other things I enjoyed about the books was the little pieces of babysitting advice, such as this gem from page 3: "it's much more helpful to tell [children] what to do instead of what not to do." It seems obvious, but seriously try it sometime. There are times when it is very hard to state the rules in a positive way.
We get more character introduction as Kristy heads to the meeting. In addition to the usual suspects, there is a new family in town: the Hobarts, who will be the subject of this book's subplot and continue to feature as minor characters. Their main attraction, in addition to having four kids, is that they are from Australia. Kristy also sees Susan Felder and her mother, who are not new, but have never been mentioned before and will never be seen again after this book (SPOILER!!). Claudia mentions that Susan has been away at a special school, which at least explains her absence up until this point.
Chapters 2 and 3 are the standard info-dump section, where Kristy explains who all of the club members are and gives a brief summary of the series up to this point. Every book in the series follows this format. It is a good way for new readers to jump in without having to read books 1-31. On the other hand, those who have read the other books can skim this part or skip it entirely. To be honest, none of the girls' backstories have much to contribute to this book plot-wise, so I will spare you the introductions. The one thing I noted is that all of the girls are described as "beautiful" or "pretty." On the one hand, it seems unlikely that all of the girls could be underwear models. On the other hand, would you call your best friends ugly? Even if other people think they are? Me neither.
The plot starts cooking when Mrs. Felder calls the girls looking for a sitter for Susan. She explains that Susan is autistic, but none of the girls know what this means. Claudia suggests that it means "retarded," a term that is used several times throughout the book. I realize that this is the correct use of the term, but today it has been misused so much that I can not keep from cringing a little when I read it. This shows how things have changed in 20 years; I guess "retard" was not a common insult in the '80s. Side note: I find it interesting that Claudia is the one making this suggestion, because it is heavily implied throughout the series that she has some sort of learning disability. Was this a conscious decision on Martin's part, or is this a throw-away line that could have gone to any of the girls? The world may never know.
The girls look at their schedules. It turns out that Kristy is the only one available for the job, which is supposed to be three days every week for a month. They call Mrs. Felder back to let her know, and she tells Kristy that she wants her to meet Susan before committing to the job. Kristy is, understandably, curious and a bit worried about this.
Well. I think I will leave it there for today. Coming soon: Chapter Four (In Which We Meet Susan And Learn About Autism In One Hundred Words Or Less).
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
C2E2 Update!
I found myself with some extra time on my hands this morning, so I have been doing some poking around online. I now have an expanded list of celebs to meet at C2E2.
-Eliza Dushku: Faith from Buffy; Echo from Dollhouse. NEED a photo with her.
-Mark Sheppard: Sterling on Leverage, one of the best shows currently on TV. For more on Leverage, see the end of this post.
-Natalie Morales: Wendy Watson from The Middleman, which is exactly the kind of show I love and networks hate. Lasted one season on ABC Family before they decided what the world needs is more dramas about teens having sex.
-Matt Keeslar: Starred in The Middleman and Dollhouse, appeared in an episode of Leverage.
-Rick Bayless: Chicago chef who hosts a cooking show on PBS. No, I have no idea what he is doing at the nerd convention. I will probably get his autograph for my mom.
-ItsJustSomeRandomGuy: probably my favorite YouTuber ever. He may not actually be at the convention, but he was there last year and yesterday he posted a promo for the convention. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
My costume is complete! Went to Toys 'R' Us on Tuesday and got an oversized Nerf gun and matching bandolier. It looks ridiculous, but in a good way. Johnny was impressed. I just hope that Nerf weapons are allowed...their FAQ's had a "Weapons Policy" that did not mention anything about Nerf one way or the other. I hope Nerf guns are not counted as "functional firearms" (cap guns and pellet guns are not allowed). Jason said that people walk around with Airsoft guns, so I should be fine. I will probably leave the clip home just to be on the safe side.
Now, as to why Leverage is one of my favorite shows of all time. The premise is that the members of the Leverage team cheat and steal from the bad guys to bring them down as punishment for crimes they got away with. Robin Hood meets Ocean's Eleven, with a heavy dose of Mission: Impossible? Sold! When watching the previews on TNT I recognized Christian Kane (Lindsey from Angel) as one of the main characters. That, paired with the premise of the show, was enough to make me tune in to the first episode. I was immediately hooked. The writing and acting are simply fantastic. All of the team members have a great dynamic, and the writers do a great job of exploring the various relationships, while still focusing on a tight, exciting story every week. I was certain that this show was too good to last for more than one season, but TNT really surprised me. Coming this year is Season Four. Happy dance!
For more on Leverage, visit their TV Tropes page or their website, where you can watch the a few of the latest full episodes.
-Eliza Dushku: Faith from Buffy; Echo from Dollhouse. NEED a photo with her.
-Mark Sheppard: Sterling on Leverage, one of the best shows currently on TV. For more on Leverage, see the end of this post.
-Natalie Morales: Wendy Watson from The Middleman, which is exactly the kind of show I love and networks hate. Lasted one season on ABC Family before they decided what the world needs is more dramas about teens having sex.
-Matt Keeslar: Starred in The Middleman and Dollhouse, appeared in an episode of Leverage.
-Rick Bayless: Chicago chef who hosts a cooking show on PBS. No, I have no idea what he is doing at the nerd convention. I will probably get his autograph for my mom.
-ItsJustSomeRandomGuy: probably my favorite YouTuber ever. He may not actually be at the convention, but he was there last year and yesterday he posted a promo for the convention. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
My costume is complete! Went to Toys 'R' Us on Tuesday and got an oversized Nerf gun and matching bandolier. It looks ridiculous, but in a good way. Johnny was impressed. I just hope that Nerf weapons are allowed...their FAQ's had a "Weapons Policy" that did not mention anything about Nerf one way or the other. I hope Nerf guns are not counted as "functional firearms" (cap guns and pellet guns are not allowed). Jason said that people walk around with Airsoft guns, so I should be fine. I will probably leave the clip home just to be on the safe side.
Now, as to why Leverage is one of my favorite shows of all time. The premise is that the members of the Leverage team cheat and steal from the bad guys to bring them down as punishment for crimes they got away with. Robin Hood meets Ocean's Eleven, with a heavy dose of Mission: Impossible? Sold! When watching the previews on TNT I recognized Christian Kane (Lindsey from Angel) as one of the main characters. That, paired with the premise of the show, was enough to make me tune in to the first episode. I was immediately hooked. The writing and acting are simply fantastic. All of the team members have a great dynamic, and the writers do a great job of exploring the various relationships, while still focusing on a tight, exciting story every week. I was certain that this show was too good to last for more than one season, but TNT really surprised me. Coming this year is Season Four. Happy dance!
For more on Leverage, visit their TV Tropes page or their website, where you can watch the a few of the latest full episodes.
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