Round-Up, Recap and Review of Rose City Comic Con

It’s been over a week since Rose City Comic Con (RCCC)*and 3 months since I've blogged, and my family and I have finally recovered from our day trip to Portland, Oregon. It was our second time attending, my husband’s first and it was WonderWomanful.

While we were stationed in San Diego, we jumped into the San Diego Comic Con craziness two years in a row. We loved it both times then, even with the massive crowds, like 150,000 geeks strong. So, when we moved to Washington State, Rose City, although 200 miles south of us was a nice outlet for our geekiness.

Last year, we enjoyed a smooth flowing RCCC. And this year, I observed that the Con grew by about 30%, but I’m not a statistician. We were able to get there by 10AM, get our passes and rush to our first panel. My kids love Adventure Time (I do too, especially after identifying BMO’s Korean accent and falling for the Korean speaking, Lady Rainicorn). Jeremy Shada, the voice talent of Finn spoke of his work. My kids quickly broke out their 3DSs and began recording video. I urged my son to ask a question, but shyness ruled.

We scoped out the Celebrity Area, obvious with the sweeping red carpet, and an RCCC Henchman urged us to approach actors if their lines were short, so we did for a few of them, for us and their egos.

I stared at Sean Astin's busy table,(Goonies, Rudy, Lord of the Rings, The Strain) from afar, and since you get pounced on for taking pictures in this area, I just tried to paint mental pictures of higher profile celebs like Astin and Wil Wheaton.

Dirk Benedict allowed us to take a cellphone pic with him for a mere $10.00. Meeting the man from Battlestar Galactica and “Faceman” from The A Team was a childhood dream come true. He looks well for his 69 years and still has great hair. Long after my kids and I left his table, he carried on a conversation with my husband about how TV shows have changed since his time.

We met Jeremy Shada up close (who reminds me of the late River Phoenix), but of course my kids clammed up, so I did all the talking, especially about his work with Incredible Crew (I described it to him as the SNL type show my kids could watch). He asked what their favorite skit was…silence. I told him Solar System Wolf and the Pancake Genie were cool (which made me realize that I also like IC too much--too bad the show was discontinued, as he described).

I then tentatively approached and shook Michael Biehn’s hand. His dark stare made me feel like a kid again, being scared of the intensity he displayed in Terminator, so, after an awkward moment, we turned our attention to his wife, Jennifer Blanc-Biehn (CSI, Dark Angel)….she asked about my kids and gushed over my daughter’s Minecraft Creeper manicure. She offered a signed picture for free (most celebs charge $30.00 or more for a signed photo) to the kids.

My hubby and I then approached Sasha Roiz, Captain Renard of GRIMM.

He was nice, lovely to look at and thanked my husband for his service in the military. My kids could care less at this point as mom and dad geeked out, and Sasha pointed at my daughter and asked if she was having a good time and laughed when she stared back at him grimly (see what I did there).

I did pay for a photo op with Ernie Hudson. He was described as a Ghostbuster, and that was indeed cool, but for me, his role in The Crow superseded all his other roles. I’m a big Bruce Lee, Brandon Lee fan, and I wore my Crow t-shirt for the photo op. He smiled and gave me a big hug at the sight.

Cosplay was awesome this year. I was impressed by the dedication and artistry overall. Most of my pictures are with Wonder Woman cosplayers and my husband continuously pointed me in the direction of the numerous Wonder Women, but I was a bit snobby about who I posed with. I didn’t much care for the disco version of Wonder Woman, for example (spandex camel toe was not my thing). My favorite WW was Retired Wonder Woman. After a pic together, she told me to follow her on “twatter” in her raspy voice, and now I do. She ended up winning 1st place in the adult cosplay division.

I am very impressed again with the organizers of Rose City Comic Con. It is an annual family event for us and I’ve described going to cons to my non-geek friends as my Superbowl. The event continues to grow, and it may very well get as mammoth as San Diego’s, but until then (and especially when), keep up the great work and we can’t wait for next year.

Sincerely,
Guam Goddess in Training and her Geek family

40 by 40. Happy Birthday to Me.

In this last hour of my 30s, I reflect on the last six months. Changes in my health, aging, realizing things (still) made me reach for the goal of losing 40 pounds by my 40th birthday. I was able to reach half of that goal, and the younger me would have spent the rest of the week beating herself up over this perceived failure and eating fries and chocolate and perhaps fries dipped in chocolate, but the older, wiser me, with rickety knees and a bum right shoulder looks at losing 20 lbs. as a battle half won.

Turning 40 is both an honor and a terror.

I am looking forward to celebrating my birthday with my daughter, who turns 6, 6 days after me. We are celebrating with a Wonder Woman theme, mainly my idea.

So, as I enter into my next decade. I realize that I’m still learning and growing and evolving. This, I know, never ends. My mother, in her 60s, proves this to me everyday. She continues to reach for new goals and achieve new things.

I’m a better version of myself, even if parts of me need to be warmed up and stretched out to prevent injury.

Here’s to 40!

Hip Hop Blog Wants to Interview Me? Time to Pump My Chest!

My friend, blogger, writer and mutual Guam Geek Nerd Herd Member, Michael Powell recently interviewed me for his BloodIsOne blog. It's a great blog that receives five times more views than mine, but its primary focus is Hip Hop music. I love me some Macklemore, but I'm known as a rock and roll enthusiasts among other genres. So, when Michael offered to interview me, I had to put on my big girl Wonder Woman underoos and dive in.

Here's a snippet. "I’m proud to be a geek, nerd, fangirl-- because, I appreciate the need to escape, the need to believe in a hero/heroine who can move mountains, because then it makes us believe that we can do the same. That belief is what fuels my writing. I love creating alternate worlds. I like creating my own heroes. Secret Shopper’s main character is Phoenix Lizama Farmer. Her first name is testament to my geekhood."

Here is the result. Click here.

Thanks for the support everyone! Hope you check out Secret Shopper on Amazon.com, my romantic comedy novel needs some friends.
Tanya

A Smile from Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman)

When you're a Geek Girl and something you post on Lynda Carter's Facebook fan page gets attention, what do you do? You blog about it.

Yes, it could be an assistant responding, but let me relish in the fact that it might have been the Wonder Woman, my childhood (ahem, and adulthood) hero who typed the simple smiley face for a Justice League coloring page I posted.

In September 2012, I posted like a real Geek Girl should, a photo of me in a WW cape. When 'Lynda Carter' liked it...whew, I was excited, only to find out that it was a lovely Latina who looks like her, loves Wonder Woman like me, but not the real deal. It was still nice....

Off my little Wonder Woman podium. Thanks for letting me share.

Here's a link to her fan page. Lynda Carter Facebook
Esta Later!