What a bunch of nerds April 19, 2012
Posted by That girl in 2012.Tags: comics, makes me happy
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If you’ve read N&B before, you know our history with Comic Con. It’s a major love/hate. We love the convention, we hate the fight to get tickets. We love the comics, we hate the movie freebies. We love the people there for the convention, hate the macho guys hanging around the convention center area for no reason except to be seen – usually in the bars, drinking and making fun of us.
This is the time of year when we complain about the price of the hotel, the price of the plane tickets, the time off we have to take … but in July you’ll find us wondering why we ever doubted the power of the Con.
Jelly and drama August 8, 2011
Posted by That girl in 2011.Tags: comics, personal, television, walking dead, zombies
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I sat down to write and suddenly noticed there was black raspberry jam all over my hand, my book and (don’t tell S), the couch.
So instead of talking about the drama at AMC, I spent far too long cleaning up my mess.
You’ve probably heard the rumors by now, right? Many, many sources are saying that AMC put so much money into their flagship show, Mad Men, that they can’t spend big bucks on Walking Dead or Breaking Bad. Apparently this meant they couldn’t afford to pay Darabont what he’s worth. And now Breaking Bad is rumored to be shopping around for another home. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Walking Dead returns October 16th on AMC.
Things I Learned at Comic-Con: Day Four August 3, 2011
Posted by That girl in 2011, Review.Tags: comics, personal, trips
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Aww. Is it the last day of Comic-Con already? Well, that’s depressing. Here’s a little shocker: I didn’t spend much time at the Con at all on Sunday. I know, I know. But …
1. There are things outside the Con
We spent the morning with our new friends, chatting and playing video games (okay, failing at video games … who plays Spider-Man anyway?)
2. New friends can be secret stalkers
Seriously. They don’t even have to tell you. The new friends we met Saturday and spent Sunday morning with turned out to be a little stalkery when it came to famous people. We said goodbye, they claimed to be heading to the Con … only to find out they actually spent hours on a little stake-out, trying to meet one specific celebrity. Then they got mad at us when we happened to catch them in the act. Weeeird.
Let’s get back to the important stuff:
3. Don’t look at anything on the street too closely.
I honestly thought there was be a policeman on a horse patrolling downtown SD. But no, that pile o’ poop wasn’t from an animal. Enough said.
4. If you have 30 minutes left on the last day of the convention, go shopping!
We literally dashed in at 6:30, grabbed a few posters (they were out of the one I wanted originally, but I suppose that’s what I get for waiting), snagged a Mocking Jay pin (the books are amazing), made a few comic book purchases and made it out alive before 7am. BAM!
5. Don’t forget to redeem your freebie coupons!
If you get a coupon during a panel, haul your butt over to the Marriott to redeem it. I now have two copies of the same book, a True Blood bag-o-swag and a set of Oz trading cards. No, it’s not always awesome (last year I picked up a stupid paper fan – what a waste of time that was), but it’s something that only a few thousand select people have access to. That’s just cool.
6. It’s so haaaard … to saaaay goodbyyyye … to Comic-Connnnn
You’d better have sung that to the tune of that Boyz II Men song or else I’ll be pretty disappointed
Yes, Comic-Con is a busy, ridiculous mass of lines and bullies and people in skin-tight clothes that really shouldn’t be in skin-tight clothes, but it’s still so much fun. I always miss it when it’s over. I swear, 30 minutes after the Con officially closed, I was already reminiscing.
7. San Diego washes the geek off fast.
Stickers come off, stores disappear, the crowds dissipate, all within a few short hours. The Coco MOCA was being packed up when we walked by at 8, NerdHQ was just an empty bar and wadded up stickers on the ground. It’s depressing.
The next morning, after seeing countless buses with the “Showtime Saves” ads, I was shocked to see that there was NO trace of them. I was awake at 6am, packing, when I noticed that the buses were just normal buses again. So while I try to cling to the last bits of SDCC, San Diego is trying to get rid of it.
Bye Comic-Con, I'll see you next year
8. What happens at Comic-Con stays at Comic-Con
I saw a bunch of fellow Con-goers at the airport; I thought we’d give one another a knowing nod, maybe a little wink or at least a smile, but I didn’t get anything! It’s as if they were too cool to acknowledge their own geekery. Oh, well. We carried Thor’s hammer (I hated the packaging, Hasbro!) and Lost bobbleheads home with no shame.
So there you have it. A sort of “What I learned on my summer vacation,” but way cooler.
Things I Learned at Comic-Con: Day Three August 2, 2011
Posted by That girl in 2011, Review.Tags: chuck, comics, trips
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Ugh, Saturday.
1. You have to get up early to beat the rest of the Chuck-le heads.
Is that a thing? Did I totally just make that horrible name up? Let’s forget about that for now. Seriously, though, I was up at 4am and in line shortly after that so I could get a good(ish) seat at the Chuck panel … SIX HOURS LATER. And after all my planning and getting up before the sun, I still was only in the second row of the second section of seats. Hmph. I was aiming for at least row 5 of the first section.
2. Listen to the words of wisdom from drunken comic geeks.
On the way to the Con we passed three or four obviously tipsy comic book peeps. The lone girl tells us to be careful because “someone’s about to get shot up there.” True to her words, there was a homeless man screaming at two cops and another guy. It was tense. We crossed the street and hauled ass.
3. Be nice!
The guy in front of me asked if it’d be okay if his two friends joined him later. He was so nice, how could I say no? A few hours later he made a trip to Starbucks and brought me back something to thank me. It was the nicest thing ever and totally unexpected!
4. Zachary Levi = the most gracious guy ever.
Seriously. The panel was so sweet and Levi almost brought me to tears with his gratitude.
5. Don’t count on other people to have your mad skills
I moved like the wind, dragging another set of new friends (the line, I tell you, it’s a wonderful thing!) with me around the slower-moving early morning risers so we all could get good Chuck seats. They were such cool people, they even said they were the West-Coast versions of us. Well, we hung with the new friends for a bit … until they needed a nap. Which they did until after 8pm. That’s not a nap, that’s a coma!
6. Put the sunscreen on before you feel the burn
Waiting in line for Community at the Indigo Ballroom was lovely. The day was gorgeous, the company good, the guy in charge of the line was entertaining … and the sun was secretly burning my neck. See, I didn’t realize it was eating away at my flesh sooner because of the breeze off the water. By the time I put in my sunscreen it must have been too late. When we got back to the hotel, I had a baby sunburn on the left side of my neck. Now I’m going to get wrinkles there.
Part of the messy line at the Indigo - it literally snaked around itself 5 times that I could tell
7. Accidental panels can be fun!
We got into Hall H to watch Kevin Smith a little early and ended up watching this Oz thing. It was cute. But it did make me wonder why it was in Hall H when True Blood and Dexter (which draw MASSIVE crowds) were in Ballroom 20. Hmm.
8. Kevin Smith says Comic-Con funny
It’s sort of “com-ee-con.” And boy does he love to talk. I already knew that, but I thought I’d say it anyway.
9. Find out where the fun is before you head to the wrong spot
At the Tweet-Up, we ended up upstairs when apparently the coolness was downstairs. But we did make some interesting “friends” who took us to some interesting places.
10. Don’t touch the Doctor’s coat lining
Speaking of the Tweet-Up, I accidentally flirted with a Doctor Who-alike. I honestly was just asking him a question, but I could see that he thought it was more. He even opened his coat and had me feel the lining. Awkward.
Of course, I totally did. I wasn’t going to upset the Doctor.
Things I Learned Comic-Con: Day Two August 1, 2011
Posted by That girl in 2011, Review.Tags: comics, trips, walking dead, zombies
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As I listen to the creepy sounds coming from the ice in my glass (seriously, it sounds like the tar pits or something), I’m trying to think of the second day at the Con. It’s been a week, man, can you believe that?!
1. Look cute.
Seriously, there’s someone taking a picture at all times. Don’t be the person they make fun of when they show their friends. And think of all the SDCC pictures online … you could show up anywhere! Don’t go crazy, just make sure your teeth are brushed and your clothes are clean.
2. Lines are for making friends!
This is the first year I’ve made friends with people in line, and it was nice. Hi Aubry!
3. When in doubt, stand in a line.
You’ll end up somewhere. Maybe even somewhere cool.
4. Get to Ballroom 20 early.
I wanted to see Walking Dead (which had a pretty small room last year) and True Blood (third time’s the charm!), so we lined up at 7, which was late, actually. If you happen to get in before your panel, who cares? I got to see Torchwood: Miracle Day, which was awesome. Then we sat through an entire day of shows I never ever watch. It was pretty cool to see shows I never watch (except for Eureka and Warehouse 13 – snooze).
5. If at first you don’t succeed …
I saw the True Blood panel this year. Fina-freakin-ly.
6. Don’t skip a party so you can get some sleep.
I totally missed out on a party I wanted to go to on Friday night. Why? because I needed to sleep. What a wiener.
7. Toms > flip-flops
I wore my Toms the entire weekend. I wore a hole in the toe of one. That’s how hardcore I am when it comes to the Con.
8. The best costumes are the ones that make me laugh
Seriously, watching the Flash ride by on a Segway was hilarious and awesome.
Zoooom!
9. Don’t expect people to get your t-shirt, even though it’s the coolest shirt in the world
Basically, the people in the Walking Dead panel proved that they’ve never read the comics. Depressing. One guy yelled that he liked my shirt and then said “ooooh, spoilers!” but nobody else even recognized the name “Michonne.” Lame.
Oh, it feels so wrong to end on an odd number. OCD tells me I need another something up there.
10. Some moderators are a little too into themselves
Not naming any names, I’m just saying.
BAM! Even number.
Things I Learned at Comic-Con: Day One July 31, 2011
Posted by That girl in 2011, Review.Tags: chuck, comics, Lost, personal, television, trips, vegan
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So you probably know by now that I was in California last weekend for the entertainment mecca that is San Diego Comic-Con.
Every news outlet seems to have covered the Con this year, so I’m gonna break it down into what I learned this year. We’re going to go one day at a time, easy as pie. Ready?
1. You gotta fight for your right … to your place in line. Seriously, when the line just to pick up a prepaid badge takes nearly two hours and wraps clean around the building (did you know there was water back there? I didn’t!), you better not cut in front of anyone. I am calm and cool most of the time, but when two people jumped in front of me after I’d been waiting in line for more than an hour and then made calls to a friend to join them because it was better than said friends having to go to the back of the line, I was about to cut someone.
Don’t be a dick when it comes to lines. One or two people is usually okay, any more than that is so very not okay.
I didn't take many pictures. I was too busy getting lost in crowds of people much taller than I am.
2. People love free crap.
Not that I didn’t learn this long ago, but it still amazes me how big guys will elbow little ol’ me right in face to get a free shoelace.
3. Make sure you know what’s going on up there.
I stood in line for 45 minutes waiting to buy the Dharma polar bear bobblehead before I had to give up. And in 45 minutes, I think I might have moved 20 feet. Later that day I walked right up to the booth and bought it with no wait. What was the difference? The brilliant Todd McFarlane was signing and the booth hadn’t bothered to create two lines: one for buying, one for signing. So I wasted nearly an hour. Just. Standing.
4. The coolest things about SDCC aren’t always within SDCC.
I’m looking at you, Wilfred and Archer people, walking around with signs asking me to take your picture. (I didn’t)
5. Vegan in San Diego is a cinch. Vegan at the convention center? Not so much.
Bring your snacks, people.
6. People will buy anything to fit in.
Even the cool kids who pick on you at school will put on a D&D shirt so they’ll feel like part of the crowd. Does that mean they play D&D? Does it mean that you have something in common? That they won’t pick on you anymore? Hells no. They do what they have to do in order to fit it. But you rock out with your broadsword out, geek dudes. You belong more than those guys ever will.
7. Check your hotel for events.
Ours had a giant party in the lobby that we didn’t expect. Makes it quite hard to get to the one set of elevators when you’re elbow-to-elbow with people who know you don’t belong at their party.
8. SD’s homeless do not like pennies.
I watched a woman pick through the change in her pocket and literally throw the pennies in the trash, bitching the whole time. And even though this is strictly about Day One, I saw a homeless man do the same thing on Sunday. Don’t they realize that pennies are money too?
9. Chris is a cool dude.
I don’t know his last name, but I do know he lived in NY for a few years, he takes pictures, he wears hats and he his way awesome. Chris, you totally rock!
10. Zachary Levi is a sweetheart.
You’ve heard about my ZL thing, right? Well, it’s been taken care of. Eeeee!! Don’t worry, we’ll talk about that later. 
Dear Cleanse, July 17, 2011
Posted by That girl in 2011.Tags: chuck, comics, food, zombies
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You’re stupid and I hate you.
I’ve never been more overfull in my life. It’s rather disgusting, if you want my opinion.
Who drinks that much?!
xx,
Me
Zombies, Chuck, comics and all out dork-revelry in 4 days.
Nerd alert July 13, 2011
Posted by That girl in 2011.Tags: chuck, comics, Harry Potter, zombies
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You see that little picture up there? I grabbed that from the official Comic Con site. What it’s telling us is that there’s only a week until SDCC starts. Are you jazzed yet?! Yeah, me either.
I’ve only got my schedule mapped out, my purchases lined up and my bags packed. No bigs.
In other news, have we talked about Mr. Zachary Levi’s little promise to give me a “big bear hug” if I saw him this year? I have it on tape (yes, cassette tape; don’t judge me) but do I really think I’m gonna see him? Probably not. And that just stinks. Oh well.
Zac, if you see me, get your butt over there and give me a hug! I’m not a creep, I swear.
Also: HARRY POTTER AT MIDNIGHT TOMORROW.
You haven’t lived until you’ve seen me cry at every HP commercial since Deathly Hallows Pt. 1. We were at Transformers a few weeks ago and the trailer came on … and I cried. I’m awesome like that.
Those books were such a huge part of my life, the end just hurts, man. It was rough the first two times I experienced it, watching it isn’t going to be easier. I’m bringin’ my Kleenex, obvs.
I was wrong October 12, 2010
Posted by That girl in Review.Tags: art, comics, trips
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NYCC was not filled with our people. There were entirely too many unhappy and rude dudes. People who push and shove and actually elbow small girls in the chest so hard that she’s still getting chest pains 3 days later. Those types of people.
First impressions? NYCC needs more signs or at least more volunteers yelling out directions. We didn’t see anyone working the Con line, so we decided to join the giant queue outside only to get the bottom of the hill and be told down there that we needed to go all the way back up the hill and inside. Grr.
One thing NYCC and SDCC have in common? Disorganization! Too many people in a small space, crammed together with no idea where to go. Sounds perfect to me.
The crazy, packed (and stinky) nature of the exhibition floor led us to spend most of our time in the Artist Alley, looking at prints. The bad thing about that is that we spent a lot of time buying prints – including two brilliant Lost prints from Brian Kong that I am in love with.
Cool things we saw: Danny McBride (although it was from the floor as he was talking to MTV), Robert Kirkman (although, like SDCC, the ticketing system for autographs completely baffles me), some t-shirts and prints, prints, prints!
We took all of 4 pictures, I think. All in all, I came back with some scratches, a bruise on my chest, a bunch of prints and an unpleasant feeling. I think I’ll stick to San Diego.
Tomorrow I’ll be posting my reaction to the first two episodes of The Walking Dead. Eeeee!
Boston, how I love you September 9, 2010
Posted by That girl in 2010.Tags: comics, food, trips, vegan
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We spent the long weekend eating our way through Boston. Okay, it wasn’t just eating, but it felt that way.
We arrived in Boston and hurried over to Grasshopper, where our super helpful waitress wouldn’t stop trying to order for me. It wasn’t as if the place was busy, but she didn’t seem to want me to think. With all that pressure, I ended up ordering something I didn’t even like. She suggested sweet and sour dumplings. I wasn’t a fan. But S got the No Name (which she was originally pushing on me) and it was a giant plate of fried deliciousness.
Since our baseball game was hurricaned out, what else could we do? Check out some tiny, stinky comic book shops, of course! Our local comic shop has a real issue being open when it’s supposed to be (grr), so I haven’t been able to locate Time Lincoln since I saw it for waaaay too much at Comic Con. But I found it. Woo!!
Thank you tiny shop in the ground!
After that, more vegan food at Peace O’Pie. Hands down, my favorite place to eat around Boston. If you get a chance, you MUST go there. Even if you’re not vegan.
Last time I got the Fresh, this time it was the Classy. Oh, I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! It’s a little pricier than non-vegan pizza, and sometimes the staff isn’t as pleasant as I’d like, but the food is amazing.
We went to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods to stock up on all the vegan eats that I can’t get at home, hit the baseball game, did some last minute shopping and reluctantly headed home.
Bye Boston, until next time.
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Speaking of food, be sure to check out Katie over at CCK – she’s giving away boxes of Larabars!
