Oh, this D*C was quite magnificently kewl 🙂 I got a few pictures–not as many as I figured I would. They really were anal about pictures in the Hyatt for some reason. It really sucks, because that’s one of the better parts of D*C; taking pictures of costumes.

Anyhoo, the pictures I did get were quite kewl in themselves; they were characters, for the most part, that I didn’t get pictures of previous years. The Willy Wonka character was really kewl; they were in the food court, of all places.

Next year, I may do the Sith thing. I’ll have to get a red blade for the saber, and I’ll have to either get ahold of some black material. I think I could get away with using the same pattern that the Jedi outfit was.

The panels were pretty kewl today. The more popular panels were in the Hyatt in the Courtland room. The panels in those smaller rooms are really frustrating because, even if you get there early, that’s just not early enough. There was a line going all the way down the hall for an SG panel. We didn’t stick around, but went to another.

Tricia Helfer (Number Six) was on a Galactica panel today–she substituted for some others, I don’t know who, and did really well. I knew I had to see at least one Galactica character at this D*C.

The Klingon Beauty Pageant was kind of lame this year. It was extremely disorganized and the performances from the participants were trite, at best. It also lasted 30 minutes longer than it should have. The girl who won this year was one that I really liked last year, but didn’t win.

Alas, it came to an end too early. If D*C lasted a week, I would be one happy camper 🙂 I should find some cons closer to home so that I can have an excuse to put on the Jedi garb.

So, the first day of D*C was really quite awesome. Nah, awesome doesn’t even describe it. It really is an addiction, coming here year after year–and it’s only my 3rd. I hope I keep this enthusiasm through the decades.. Because, of course D*C will never end. lol.

I put a couple of pictures up on the site today–I’ll probably get some more this evening if we happen to wander around the Hyatt. I saw pictures saying “No Photographs”, but it seems that people are taking them anyway. It doesn’t look like the bouncers are giving anyone crap about it, either, so I think I’ll snap a few.. Quite a few.. Alright, a whole slew.

In the morning, the first panel we saw was Kevin Sorbo. I haven’t watched much Andromeda or Hercules, but he was a pretty kewl guy to listen to. Next, we saw Robert Jordan. I have never read “Wheel of Time” but I think that after hearing him and everything all my friends have had to say about him, I think it’s about time I got on the ball and got to reading 🙂 The last panel we saw was this “Whose Line is it, Anyway” panel. It was pretty frickin hillarious.

I got a lightsaber with a blue blade to go with my Jedi outfit. I’ll probably be wearing that again this evening at the Hyatt.

I saw Val in the Dealer Room. We happened to bump into each other just after I got my Jedi toy. It was kewl to see a familiar face 🙂

Anyhoo, off to geek the night away..

So, D*C is today & this weekend. w00t!

For the past couple of days, I’ve been debating whether or not to go. It all came to a head last night when I totally had to make a final decision–so that I could cancel the room (or not).

Gas has been really funny this week; it’s gone up $0.50 in the past two days–it’s holding steady at $2.99/gal. The really odd part is that it’s $2.99 all over town, with no variation. Even Wal-Mart, which is usually the least expensive, is set at that price. It’s very ominous–a combination of that, warnings from the folks, and calls for conservation made me second-guess going.

But, I think I’m gonna risk it. My main concern was getting stranded. Gas prices are still generally tolerable. I don’t drive much as it is and, when I do, it’s usually to go across town or to carpool to work with my dad. Shortages would definitely be an uber bad thing, and getting stranded because of it would be extremely lousy.

Anyhoo, after totally deciding not to go, I changed my mind–for the last time. I don’t think things are necessarily so dire to miss out on such an awesome event (especially since it’s all paid for).

I’m going to fill the gas tank after using 1/4 of it, just so I have a big just-in-case buffer. Then, I think I might fill at the state line (since I think I can make it from the state line to Atlanta on around that same amount of gas).

Anyway, I’ll probably post a little from D*C–I don’t think internet is all that expensive (it may be free *shrugs*). But, if I don’t, a few postings will follow after I get back.

So, I’m sitting here watching the Cubs smear the snot out of the Marlins.. And they couldn’t have played this way the rest of the season? 😉 It’s a pretty awesome game going on; it began with Ryne Sandberg’s number being retired–it now has a home on the foul pole at Wrigley. Cubbies are beating the heck out of the Marlins 6-3 in the Bot 7th. Zambrano gave up the 3, but the offense has been supercharged today. It all began with a homer from Derek Lee. He be da man.

The Jedi costume is really coming along. Ruthie has finished the shoulder armor, and I think she said she was going to start on the tunic today. It’s definitely going to be very Anakin-like. The only thing I’m really missing is some boots, which I eBayed on Friday. I hope they get here by Thursday.

It’s been pretty cool around here. Right now it’s 86. Maybe those triple digits are gone for the season. One can only hope. Katrina might be obliterating New Orleans quite soon :\ Who on earth decided to put a city below sea-level? I hope that there aren’t any huge casualties to speak of, and that everyone remains safe and sound.

I tried some of the hottest wings I’ve ever had yesterday; I went to Buffalo Wild Wings here in Huntsville. It took ice cream from TCBY to finally cool me down after 10 “Blazin'” wings. I may have finally found my match in wings. I think that, from now on, I’ll stay on the level of “Wild” below that.

DragonCon starts Friday! w00t!! 🙂

So, I’ve gotten started on gathering materials for a Jedi costume for D*C 🙂 It’s going to so rock. This has become one of my favorite times of the year, for sure. I get to go to a convention which is populated by fellow geeks, and I get to see some old friends that I only get to see once or twice a year. Good times, good times 🙂

The fabric for the outfit was suspiciously easy in getting. I’m looking for some leather or vinyl for the shoulder armor–Michaels might possibly have such things.. I got the fabric at Hancock Fabric, but they didn’t have leather of the right color; they only had red or black and not the dark brown that I wanted. If any of you costume-makers out there have any other suggestions for possible fabric places to try, I’m certainly all-ears 🙂

The only problem might be the boots; where on earth does one get boots like that? I’ve seen on some SW forums that riding boots might do it–perhaps I just need to go into a boots store and ask, “Do you guys carry Jedi boots?” lol.

Anyhoo, this should be the most spiffy Jedi outfit. It’ll slightly resemble that of Anakin’s, only perhaps a couple of shades lighter. I’ll probably get a lightsaber at D*C–and I guess I’ll also need a holster for it. So much still to do.

In other news, today is Friday. Very w00t 🙂 It’s been a long week, but that’s always the case after a kick ass vacation.

Ooooh, this is classic.. Thanks, garibaldicu

Best blonde joke ever

I’m going to the zoo today for the first time in over a decade. Lincoln Park Zoo is pretty awesome, at least from what I remember of it. Not only do they have the monkeys, the pandas and the penguins, but also farm animals. It’s the midwest; you can’t go 10 miles without seeing a farm animal. lol.

Anyhoo, I think that’s about all that’s going on today–although we may stop at the Field Museum or something like that. The Field Museum, to me, isn’t as kewl as the Museum of Science & Industry. Things don’t change there, as much–you have dinosaurs instead of all of that state-of-the-art-geek-paradise stuff 🙂

Yesterday, we went to MSI and also Navy Pier. Navy Pier is always a must to visit; it’s definitely a good place to hang out. MSI had a really kewl exhibit about the human body. Basically, they had human bodies on display in various forms. Most of them were partial skeletons, illustrating the circulatory, nervous and musculature systems. They even had pregnant women on display. Either way, It’s a pretty interesting way to donate your body to science when ya don’t need it anymore.

In the evening, we took a Ghost Tour of Chicago. They told all kinds of stories, from back when Chicago settlers in Ft. Dearborn were massacred to Resurrection Mary. And they took us around to all the places where the people in the stories died.

Cubbies lost 8-3 yesterday. It wasn’t so bad up until the 9th inning. They fell behind 4-3 in the 8th. Then, the pitching totally collapsed and the Reds ran away with it. Bleh *goes off to cry in his beer*

Thunderstorms all over the place this morning. I hope the game won’t get delayed for too long, if at all.

Other than that, it was a night of Superdawg! They have the most kewl hot dogs & burgers I’ve ever had. Their fries are to die for. It’s definitely a place worth stopping at if ever you’re in Chitown.

Anyhoo, today is more of the same.. Cubs/Reds/some dinner-type place. Baseball heaven 😀

So the next couple of days, we’re going to be seeing the Cubbies lose–I mean play. It should be a h00t. They’ve been losing their butts over the last couple of weeks, but no big.. I’ve seen the Cubbies lose before. The life of the Cubs fan is definitely the life of the loser 😉

Today the game is at 1:20 and it’s on WGN. I don’t believe the game is on anything but local Chicago TV tomorrow *kicks stupid local Chicago TV*

Walked around Chicago most of the day yesterday. We tried to go to MSI in the afternoon yesterday–never try to get into MSI in the afternoon. The line to get in is longer than most lines at Disney World. We’re probably going again Thursday morning.

Anyhoo, we definitely got the exercise–it almost felt like we walked from one end of downtown to the other. It was saweet 🙂

The Discovery landed safe & sound at Edwards AFB. w00t!!