Geek Week
Last week was eventful and mostly devoted to the arts of nerdhood and geekdom. Not entirely though. Tuesday started off with a rather badass interview for a manager position in Boulder. I don't really think I'll get it (and those of you who know details of this, remember this is an open post!), but it did go really well, in the sense that the panel of six managers liked me. A tiny tribute to nerdhood can be made when I had them laughing at a Harry Potter pun and some shooter game puns during the interview. I don't have any manager experience however, so, while I may make it to round two of these tribunals (and it sounded like I could), I doubt that I will make the final pick. Not in these competitive days. (oh, and while I wore dress pants, I sneaked my way around wearing a dress jacket, by a sly type of top. Rebel score!)
Anyway, later, we went to a book signing by the author Ernest Cline, a huge geek (who looked kinda like a shorter Kevin Smith), who last year came out with the novel "Ready Player One". It's a scifi story and near-future dystopia filled with pop cultural references, mainly from the 80's and 90's but also in general. I recommend it for the entertainment and nerdgasm levels alone. Ernest Cline was funny and talking like he was on speed. Apparently he is nowadays when he has money, the proud owner of a DeLorean with a copy of a time machine in it. Ready Player one is about to be film, so we'll see how Hollywood slaughters this one.
By the book signing he asked people of their particular geek angle, and as you can see from the picture, he was insider enough to honor one of mine!
So then, this past weekend was Denver's first Comic Con, which was huge fun and seems to have become a yearly installment. Wil Wheaton was supposed to be there, but cancelled late in the game due to other obligations. So instead he sent a film, and two friends of his showed up in a panel talking smack about him. Kinda funny but still a disappointment. He'd better shape up next year.
We watched a panel with (the very cute) Jasika Nicole who plays Astrid on Fringe. She was mostly used to sitting in panels with John Noble (a steady on Fringe, and also Denethor in LotR), so she was a bit intimidated by being on her own, but we all appreciated her stories of John Noble's sleepwalking and how she's constantly intimidated by Leonard Nimoy.
One of the biggest attractions of the Con was undoubtedly James Marsters, who came in and talked about playing spike for 7 years and about his more recent roles in Torchwood, Dragon Ball and Supernatural. A very entertaining man in very tight pants. He looks good for his age too, not a grandpa bone in that body!
Here is a short video I shot of him, talking about Joss Whedon's original plan for the character of Spike, and how that didn't really happen as planned:
We also saw Colin Ferguson (Sheriff Carter from Eureka), an easy going fellow who was hilarious and really a lot like his character on the show, except smarter.
Colin, mingling with us
We also saw a panel with Kristin Bauer who plays Pam on True Blood. She was the only guest who was more of a "normal" guest and not part of the nerd community, but she sure had a foul mouth and she could serve up some funny anecdotes.
The rest of the event we devoted to making it up to our little 7 year old fellow nerd, Maddie, for having her suffer all the panels. We watched some great costumes and had her pose with some nice stuff and people, and ate some junk food. All in all, good times.
One of many princess Leias, this one, amazingly enough, not in a slave girl costume!
A very nice young bloke as the eleventh doctor Who, complete with a sonic screwdriver!
Jay and Silent Bob
One of many Loki interpretations, Loki totally won over Thor on the convention.
E and Maddie checking if the Tardis was really bigger on the inside..
Cutest costume prize went to this tiny weeping angel, for the true Dr Who aficionados.\
Dancing Avenger team in Iron man Costumes
Captain Mal was represented, along with several other Brown Coats
This cute girl not only channeled Kaylee perfectly, but also managed to copy *that* dress, from the Shindig episode. (for the true Firefly aficionados)
Some stuff I lusted for but didn't buy...
Anyway, later, we went to a book signing by the author Ernest Cline, a huge geek (who looked kinda like a shorter Kevin Smith), who last year came out with the novel "Ready Player One". It's a scifi story and near-future dystopia filled with pop cultural references, mainly from the 80's and 90's but also in general. I recommend it for the entertainment and nerdgasm levels alone. Ernest Cline was funny and talking like he was on speed. Apparently he is nowadays when he has money, the proud owner of a DeLorean with a copy of a time machine in it. Ready Player one is about to be film, so we'll see how Hollywood slaughters this one.
By the book signing he asked people of their particular geek angle, and as you can see from the picture, he was insider enough to honor one of mine!
So then, this past weekend was Denver's first Comic Con, which was huge fun and seems to have become a yearly installment. Wil Wheaton was supposed to be there, but cancelled late in the game due to other obligations. So instead he sent a film, and two friends of his showed up in a panel talking smack about him. Kinda funny but still a disappointment. He'd better shape up next year.
We watched a panel with (the very cute) Jasika Nicole who plays Astrid on Fringe. She was mostly used to sitting in panels with John Noble (a steady on Fringe, and also Denethor in LotR), so she was a bit intimidated by being on her own, but we all appreciated her stories of John Noble's sleepwalking and how she's constantly intimidated by Leonard Nimoy.
One of the biggest attractions of the Con was undoubtedly James Marsters, who came in and talked about playing spike for 7 years and about his more recent roles in Torchwood, Dragon Ball and Supernatural. A very entertaining man in very tight pants. He looks good for his age too, not a grandpa bone in that body!
Here is a short video I shot of him, talking about Joss Whedon's original plan for the character of Spike, and how that didn't really happen as planned:
We also saw Colin Ferguson (Sheriff Carter from Eureka), an easy going fellow who was hilarious and really a lot like his character on the show, except smarter.
Colin, mingling with us
We also saw a panel with Kristin Bauer who plays Pam on True Blood. She was the only guest who was more of a "normal" guest and not part of the nerd community, but she sure had a foul mouth and she could serve up some funny anecdotes.
The rest of the event we devoted to making it up to our little 7 year old fellow nerd, Maddie, for having her suffer all the panels. We watched some great costumes and had her pose with some nice stuff and people, and ate some junk food. All in all, good times.
One of many princess Leias, this one, amazingly enough, not in a slave girl costume!
A very nice young bloke as the eleventh doctor Who, complete with a sonic screwdriver!
Jay and Silent Bob
One of many Loki interpretations, Loki totally won over Thor on the convention.
E and Maddie checking if the Tardis was really bigger on the inside..
Cutest costume prize went to this tiny weeping angel, for the true Dr Who aficionados.\
Dancing Avenger team in Iron man Costumes
Captain Mal was represented, along with several other Brown Coats
This cute girl not only channeled Kaylee perfectly, but also managed to copy *that* dress, from the Shindig episode. (for the true Firefly aficionados)
Some stuff I lusted for but didn't buy...
