That could have been the beginning of the end if I wasn't already in the middle...
Recently, two people I follow on Tumblr posted this brilliant quote from John Green:
'Nerd' seems to carry a stigma of being applied to unattractive, socially awkward, super intelligent beings but it's a complete stereotype (that only a fraction of them actually perpetuate) - they're just passionate. It might be one thing, it might be many things but at the end of the day, they just embrace things with far more gusto than society deems appropriate.
I used to associate 'nerd' with all those negative connotations and only recently realised that I was one of them. Not just because I've started actively pursuing said stereotypical nerd-related activities but because "nerd" isn't just relegated to math, science and Star Trek; it encompasses those who are dedicated.
And, if that's the case, I've been nerding it up since I was in high school. I've been dedicated to the entertainment scene, reading, writing and - what I'm most remembered for in those hallowed halls - Human Nature. Yes, I was a nerd long before thinking nerds were cool - without even realising I was one.
Most teenagers have posters and magazine cut-outs adorning their folders and walls, but I was "obsessed" (not my choice of words): my school diary was an homage to Andrew, Mike, Phil and Toby; I purchased multiple copies of magazines they were in; I listened to the radio constantly in case a new song was played or they were interviewed - Rage and Video Hits were my weekend morning ritual for the same reason.
I scoured all prospective television shows and recorded their performances/interviews, enlisting friends with cable to do the same; I collected other fandom merchandise to use as bargaining chips; I bought multiple copies of their CDs and became well acquainted with second hand CD stores for promo/rare/international releases; and they were the first group I ever saw live in concert.
This carried on into other aspects of my life that blur the line between nerdy and anal retentive. Like keeping my multimedia collection in alphabetical order. Or providing each song that's imported into my iTunes with as much information as possible (album cover, year of release, genre, etc.). Or keeping updated spreadsheets of my CD, DVD and book collections.
At the end of the day, I have now embraced my inner nerd. Which is why I relish opportunities like Supanova - it's one big cesspool of dedicated/intelligent/passionate/unapologetic aka "nerdy" love.
Because I'm not clever enough to knit my own, I took the easy way out and (finally!) ordered a Jayne hat online. It was worth it just for the awesome packaging:
We arrived later than last year and paid the price by spending the first two and a half hours waiting in queues - the first to get into the building, the second to purchase our autograph tickets. Neither was very painful as the first meant we could check out a lot of the cosplayers (some of which were amazing - especially loved Kaylee in her ballgown and the angels):
And the second was in the seminar room so we got to listen in on panels (namely Bill Daily and the adorable Amy Acker) whilst chatting with the lovely girls behind us.
Afterwards we grabbed some lunch and headed back into Sci-Fi Seminars for the Falling Skies exclusive viewing (it didn't really tweak my interest but I appreciated the chocolates being handed out) and Larry Hagman panel. While we enjoyed the latter more than we thought we would, we were mostly there to stake out a good position for our Firefly doctor. Objective reached - we were fifth row (the first behind VIP and Whedonverse pass holders).
It wasn't until late afternoon that we really got to soak up the atmosphere by hitting the convention floor. We hung around the tables and caught glimpses of Tom Felton and James Marsters - I don't think I saw the former stop smiling once (he was lovely by all accounts). In retrospect, an autograph would have been fantastic, but I just couldn't bring myself to join any more queues!
We strolled down Artists Alley, checked out the merchandise, stopped by the Melbourne Browncoats booth, giggled at clever tees, watched the "wrestling", and showed great restraint in the face of some very tempting items. My only vice was this Serenity key-ring which I'd been trying to get via Amazon with no luck:
My biggest drawcard for Supanova this year was Sean Maher. Ever since going to the Firefly Convention in LA a couple of years ago, I've been subconsciously aiming for a complete set - a collection of nine photos personally signed by the main cast. So far, I have Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Alan Tudyk and Summer Glau. Sean Maher would be my sexy sixth.
When he took the stage for his panel, I was a little unsure about what to expect and it took him a little time to warm up. He was greatly amused by the MC's knowledge of the musical he'd done recently - Into The Woods - and laughed/guffawed at his comment, "I love a good wooden cow", bringing it up several times during the course of the Q&A.
At first he seemed quite reserved with his answers but a few minutes in, he started to relax - and (apologetically) cuss! I was kind of embarrassed by the questions he was being asked. Apart from the ones that came from people rambling on and leaving him confused as to what the actual question was, most just seemed cliched and dull. That said, I couldn't think of anything better - or at all.
He talked about Jewel and Warehouse 13; the massive crowd response when the cast took the stage at his first convention appearance at SDCC (just before Serenity was released) and Morena responding to the stunned look on his face with, "Fucking right?!"; keeping his boots as a memento when the series ended and Adam Baldwin's thuggery at ripping off a part of the ship.
We wrapped up the day by getting his autograph and, I have to admit, I was a little nervous. He is an incredibly good-looking man and I had no idea what to say. He melted away any concerns as soon as I approached - I said, "Hi Sean", to which he replied, "Hi sweetheart." Yes, I'm a ridiculous, squeeing-on-the-inside fangirl. I died.
I thanked him for coming all the way out and that we really appreciated it, commenting on the fact that the show's been out of action for almost nine years. He said he was happy to do it and asked if I wanted my photo personalised - I did and gave him my name. After he signed and was blowing on it, I asked if he had anything planned while he was in Sydney.
He said they'd been to the Sydney Opera House, Manly and The Rocks - which he adored, commenting on what a beautiful, historic part of the city it was. He asked if there was anything else he should see and I recommended Coogee ("C-Coo...Coogee?"). He mentioned Surry Hills, which prompted me to suggest Newtown, recommending their Thai restaurants ("There's a lot of Thai places here - someone recommended a Thai place in Bondy Beach" - yes, he pronounced it 'Bondy' not 'Bondi').
It felt like I was standing there for ages but it couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes. I wished him a good trip and he thanked me for coming. He was just so charming and engaged and friendly and genuine - it was an absolute pleasure and a fantastic way to cap off the day:
ntawalo @Sean_M_Maher: "How do I feel about dumb people that didn't tune in the first time?! They're dumb!" #fuckfox #supanova
18 Jun
ntawalo Had an awesome time at Supanova!! Nerded out for James Marsters, @TomFelton & @AmyAcker, swooned over Sean Maher! http://twitpic.com/5d6kkt
18 Jun
'Nerd' seems to carry a stigma of being applied to unattractive, socially awkward, super intelligent beings but it's a complete stereotype (that only a fraction of them actually perpetuate) - they're just passionate. It might be one thing, it might be many things but at the end of the day, they just embrace things with far more gusto than society deems appropriate.
I used to associate 'nerd' with all those negative connotations and only recently realised that I was one of them. Not just because I've started actively pursuing said stereotypical nerd-related activities but because "nerd" isn't just relegated to math, science and Star Trek; it encompasses those who are dedicated.
And, if that's the case, I've been nerding it up since I was in high school. I've been dedicated to the entertainment scene, reading, writing and - what I'm most remembered for in those hallowed halls - Human Nature. Yes, I was a nerd long before thinking nerds were cool - without even realising I was one.
Most teenagers have posters and magazine cut-outs adorning their folders and walls, but I was "obsessed" (not my choice of words): my school diary was an homage to Andrew, Mike, Phil and Toby; I purchased multiple copies of magazines they were in; I listened to the radio constantly in case a new song was played or they were interviewed - Rage and Video Hits were my weekend morning ritual for the same reason.
I scoured all prospective television shows and recorded their performances/interviews, enlisting friends with cable to do the same; I collected other fandom merchandise to use as bargaining chips; I bought multiple copies of their CDs and became well acquainted with second hand CD stores for promo/rare/international releases; and they were the first group I ever saw live in concert.
This carried on into other aspects of my life that blur the line between nerdy and anal retentive. Like keeping my multimedia collection in alphabetical order. Or providing each song that's imported into my iTunes with as much information as possible (album cover, year of release, genre, etc.). Or keeping updated spreadsheets of my CD, DVD and book collections.
At the end of the day, I have now embraced my inner nerd. Which is why I relish opportunities like Supanova - it's one big cesspool of dedicated/intelligent/passionate/unapologetic aka "nerdy" love.
Because I'm not clever enough to knit my own, I took the easy way out and (finally!) ordered a Jayne hat online. It was worth it just for the awesome packaging:
We arrived later than last year and paid the price by spending the first two and a half hours waiting in queues - the first to get into the building, the second to purchase our autograph tickets. Neither was very painful as the first meant we could check out a lot of the cosplayers (some of which were amazing - especially loved Kaylee in her ballgown and the angels):
And the second was in the seminar room so we got to listen in on panels (namely Bill Daily and the adorable Amy Acker) whilst chatting with the lovely girls behind us.
Afterwards we grabbed some lunch and headed back into Sci-Fi Seminars for the Falling Skies exclusive viewing (it didn't really tweak my interest but I appreciated the chocolates being handed out) and Larry Hagman panel. While we enjoyed the latter more than we thought we would, we were mostly there to stake out a good position for our Firefly doctor. Objective reached - we were fifth row (the first behind VIP and Whedonverse pass holders).
It wasn't until late afternoon that we really got to soak up the atmosphere by hitting the convention floor. We hung around the tables and caught glimpses of Tom Felton and James Marsters - I don't think I saw the former stop smiling once (he was lovely by all accounts). In retrospect, an autograph would have been fantastic, but I just couldn't bring myself to join any more queues!
We strolled down Artists Alley, checked out the merchandise, stopped by the Melbourne Browncoats booth, giggled at clever tees, watched the "wrestling", and showed great restraint in the face of some very tempting items. My only vice was this Serenity key-ring which I'd been trying to get via Amazon with no luck:
My biggest drawcard for Supanova this year was Sean Maher. Ever since going to the Firefly Convention in LA a couple of years ago, I've been subconsciously aiming for a complete set - a collection of nine photos personally signed by the main cast. So far, I have Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite, Alan Tudyk and Summer Glau. Sean Maher would be my sexy sixth.
When he took the stage for his panel, I was a little unsure about what to expect and it took him a little time to warm up. He was greatly amused by the MC's knowledge of the musical he'd done recently - Into The Woods - and laughed/guffawed at his comment, "I love a good wooden cow", bringing it up several times during the course of the Q&A.
At first he seemed quite reserved with his answers but a few minutes in, he started to relax - and (apologetically) cuss! I was kind of embarrassed by the questions he was being asked. Apart from the ones that came from people rambling on and leaving him confused as to what the actual question was, most just seemed cliched and dull. That said, I couldn't think of anything better - or at all.
He talked about Jewel and Warehouse 13; the massive crowd response when the cast took the stage at his first convention appearance at SDCC (just before Serenity was released) and Morena responding to the stunned look on his face with, "Fucking right?!"; keeping his boots as a memento when the series ended and Adam Baldwin's thuggery at ripping off a part of the ship.
We wrapped up the day by getting his autograph and, I have to admit, I was a little nervous. He is an incredibly good-looking man and I had no idea what to say. He melted away any concerns as soon as I approached - I said, "Hi Sean", to which he replied, "Hi sweetheart." Yes, I'm a ridiculous, squeeing-on-the-inside fangirl. I died.
I thanked him for coming all the way out and that we really appreciated it, commenting on the fact that the show's been out of action for almost nine years. He said he was happy to do it and asked if I wanted my photo personalised - I did and gave him my name. After he signed and was blowing on it, I asked if he had anything planned while he was in Sydney.
He said they'd been to the Sydney Opera House, Manly and The Rocks - which he adored, commenting on what a beautiful, historic part of the city it was. He asked if there was anything else he should see and I recommended Coogee ("C-Coo...Coogee?"). He mentioned Surry Hills, which prompted me to suggest Newtown, recommending their Thai restaurants ("There's a lot of Thai places here - someone recommended a Thai place in Bondy Beach" - yes, he pronounced it 'Bondy' not 'Bondi').
It felt like I was standing there for ages but it couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes. I wished him a good trip and he thanked me for coming. He was just so charming and engaged and friendly and genuine - it was an absolute pleasure and a fantastic way to cap off the day:
ntawalo @Sean_M_Maher: "How do I feel about dumb people that didn't tune in the first time?! They're dumb!" #fuckfox #supanova
18 Jun
ntawalo Had an awesome time at Supanova!! Nerded out for James Marsters, @TomFelton & @AmyAcker, swooned over Sean Maher! http://twitpic.com/5d6kkt
18 Jun