Dragon Con is near.. Are you ready?!

*****BLOGGER IS STILL NOT LETTING ME UPLOAD PHOTOS     ARGH *****

According to the Dragon Con website we have just under 11 days until Dragon Con officially kicks off. The Ap has been updated. The schedules are set (kind of), I mean they often change at a moment’s notice throughout the Con. I have once again set up my profile on the ap and sent Golden a friend request so we can see each other’s schedule (seriously can’t they get some nerd to figure out how to roll that from one year to the next?). I have made my appointment to give blood. I’ve checked the status of our hotel about 349,730,967,304,967,340,967 times and we are still good to go …. Now all that’s left is …. Well all the things.

There’s packing, and laundry (there’s always laundry), then packing up my bathroom stuff, and my electronics, charging all my external charger ports, clearing off my phone to make way for all the awesome I’m about to see. Charged my Switch and made sure it was updated, don’t worry I’m sure the next time I play it there will be another update.. Oh and i have to go get my annual Dragon Con TV subscription. I’m also in the process of clearing my work schedule so I can fully enjoy the time away with my bestie.

This is the first year I’m taking 2 whole weeks off (10 days to be exact). I’m taking the Friday before I leave and the Monday before I leave off then heading to Golden’s on Tuesday, then to Atlanta on Wednesday and will be in Atlanta until Monday where we will make our way back to Golden’s to crash hard before I drive back home, likely that Tuesday. Then I plan to take the rest of that week off to again do laundry, unpack, decompress, and ready myself for the return to work thing. I wish Golden could do the same, but COVID might have messed that up for her. At least she’s clear for the convention. On my to do list this week is getting my latest COVID vaccine just in case. I assume they are still giving them out … guess I’ll find out. The last one I got was before last year’s convention. I don’t know if it helped or not but I didn’t get sick so I can at least say I tried.

A few must do items on the to do list for Dragon Con include:

• Paint and Take -  Honestly one of my favorite things ever … we get to sit and people watch while painting these little miniatures that someone made on a 3D printer. It’s by far the most relaxing part of our trip.
• Vendor Hall - which is like I don’t like 6 floors of just stuff from books to plushies to action figures to t-shirts and everything else you might think of. I usually find something to bring home but also find something but don’t wanna carry it around and so I leave it behind.
• Walk of Fame – which is always interesting cause that’s where the “talent” ends up between their panels and you can talk to them or get an autograph. One year we hung out with the guy who does the Voice for Pinky and the Brain. Another year we met Nathan Fillion. One year we helped a “handler” do a Lego build while waiting on the guy who ended up not showing up cause his panel ran long. We met Felicity Day once who told Golden she loved her hair. Then later tweeted something out to the world and Golden showed me her phone and said she’s now internet famous cause she was in the background. It’s just fun to just walk around and see whose there. It’s only open at odd times tho so it’s hit and miss on if we get there are good times.
• Blood Drive – I participate but Golden cannot. On 9/11 Golden went to give blood and a few weeks later got a letter that her blood had to be destroyed. Thus began her journey to the Medical Marvel that she is today. So it’s a nice “check up” without having to pay a copay. Plus I get a cool shirt.
• Joystick Gamebar – this was new since Covid. Before they would have some prototype games in the Gaming hall that you had no idea how to work cause it was usually in Japanese or some other language and you’d just hit a bunch of buttons until you got frustrated and walked away. Now they have what they call a Gamebar in ATL within walking distance from the host hotels that we can play actual games like donkey Kong and Pacman and Mrs. Packman and racing games and pinball. It’s all free yall and it’s fun!
• Coloring for Charity – each year Dragon Con picks a specific charity and has little events and donation buckets all over the place for people to donate to the charity. A few years ago we stumbled upon this event which allows you to get a coloring book that is created by some of the artist in the Artist Pop Shop (or something like that) and it’s really cool to just sit in a room, chill and color like a small child for a bit before going back into the big mess that is the Con.
• Dragon Con Parade – Tho I admit after the first few years it was more fun to watch from our hotel room on TV or to skip it all together and go to the Vendor hall while everyone else was occupied. I do like looking at all the pictures from it tho. It’s where you get to see a lot of the creativity fly in one central location. There is no other way to describe the feeling of seeing 75-100 Agent Carters walking down a block than just Awesome.
• Dance Parties – I don’t dance but I like watching others do it....Who knows maybe i will let loose this year and go to town with some cute young stud looking to have a good time ...... 

I don’t really have costumes planned this year, much like last year it just seemed like a lot of trouble. I am taking my Care Bear onesie for Onsie Wednesday but it may or may not make it out of the back that it is in. I like walking around … looking at all the creativity that bursts out of people this time of year and I know I’ll never be as creative as they are. I always forget that for Dragon Con anything goes until I get there and see literally everything on display. Then my anxiety kicks in about will people get it ? Is it cute or stupid? What if I am a half fan and then suddenly these people start talking to me about said topic I’m dressed like and I don’t know enough to talk to them about it. I mean I’m nerd adjacent but not full on nerd. Plus there’s not a lot of cosplay for a full figured gal AKA fat girl and that’s not something I can change in 11 days. So I will pack all the nerdy shirts and proceed as planned and spend 6 amazing days with my bestie in a nice pair of blue jeans and comfortable shoes, preferably with a rum bucket in my lap, you know … once I’ve given blood of course.

 If you are heading to Dragon Con next week hit us up …. @theonlygolden   @beaslma

Happy travels and make it home safely!

Marcy

 

 

Dragon Con Love Note

You guys know that on Holiday’s I tend to Blog more. Not really sure why if it’s the unscheduled time that I have on my hands, if it’s the ability to think about something other than work, or if it’s just cause I’m reminded that the blog while neglected still exists and a holiday is a good time to post cause people are on their devices. It might also be that subconsciously knowing that if I blog on holidays that will give me some decent content on this thing scattered throughout the year if nothing else. 

However today is more than just a holiday post, I know you guys know it’s Independence Day which is way more than just a movie starring Will Smith and some Aliens. I know fireworks and BBQs are in the air literally and so I’m not going to bore you with that since everyone else will be. I will say if you go out, if you are in a group, please be careful, wear a mask even if others are not. Be vigilant. But nope today’s not about that. Today is a post to Dragon Con specifically, I mean the rest of you feel free to read on. 

Dragon Con incase you don’t know is a Geeky little convention, founded in 1987, that features science fiction, fantasy, gaming, comics, TV/Movies, literature, Cosplay, art, music, and for some weird reason wrestling that starts the Thursday (Wed for some) before Labor Day every year in Atlanta, Georgia. Loyal readersof this blog know that Golden and I have been attending Dragon Con with various crew members in tow since 2014. Dragon Con brings in over 80 thousand people to an already packed Atlanta on a holiday weekend and takes over 5 “host” hotels as well as other “overflow” hotels throughout downtown Atlanta. It’s owned and operated by a private for profit corporation and wouldn’t be able to do any of it without a huge staff of volunteers who deserve way more credit than they get. Also … it’s in trouble. Damn Covid-19 and damn people not doing what they should have done back in March/April/May and now July/August/September are in jeopardy. 

This year’s guest list so far features voice actors from Steven Universe, actors from Resident Evil and Star Trek Enterprise, as well as a host of comic book artist, writers, animators, and vendors from all over the US and sometimes across the pond as well. With I’m sure more to come as we get closer to the convention. Much like the ap the guest list isn’t fully announced until about a week or two out from the convention. I’ve always been fascinated by the people that Dragon Con can bring to the table since most of the actors/actresses/writers etc., are back at work on their various projects by that time of the year. However the convention being in ATL which is a stones throw from one of the busiest airports in the country might help with that. 

If you follow Dragon Con on Facebook or any of their other social media, Twitter, Instagram etc., they have recently announced the ability to roll over your 2020 membership (that’s right it’s not a ticket it’s a membership) to 2021 if you are concerned about your health and safety. There has been an increase of people saying they are taking Dragon Con up on that. Several of the hotels are also offering this as an option, tho I’m not sure I trust that cause the Dragon Con Hunger Games to get a hotel are fascinating and a huge money maker for these establishments. Then again everything is different this year, so why not this too. I want Dragon Con to know that many are also holding out hope that this years convention will move forward as anticipated. Not to mention that all of this fun is surrounded by a lot of good, there's a Dragon Con Blood Drive and they choose a charity that each panel takes up money for and at the end of the convention give money to that charity. My fear is that the people not going are louder than those that are and Dragon Con might see that and think no one is willing to show up. those of being quiet and waiting for the decision by the powers that be before making decisions are silently saying we aren't coming. That's not the case at least for me and my crew. 

I really want Dragon Con to happen this year. I NEED it to happen this year. I travel with an already comprised partner in crime Golden who has an auto immune disorder so I better than anyone else on the planet know in my brain the struggle a convention like this, right now, has to be for the powers that be at Dragon Con to make. I know what’s at stake likely more than most. That said we are both still willing to jump into the fire. If they hold the convention we’ll wear masks take the extra precautions and show up with our geek flag waving high. 

The truth is if they decide to go forward they make a lot of people angry should everyone get sick on the back end of this thing. As if we weren’t all going to get the Dragon Con Crud anyway. If they decide to bail on it they make a lot of people mad who will see it as another thing the “establishment” is taking from them during this insane year. They can’t postpone it and say try again in January. That’s now how it will work. It’s either do it this year or wait until next year. They are in a literal lose lose situation. I pray for them daily as I know the decision, they are going to have to make, will not be an easy one. 

However with all that said I repeat that I still really really really really want to go to Dragon Con this year. I’m also not saying all of this cause for the first time Golden and I are gonna be in a host hotel, and not any host hotel the mega hotel that houses 90% of the fun … the Marriott. I’m a little devastated that trumpets and angels didn’t ascend when I typed that.  It’s the holy grail of Dragon Con staying. It’s the ability to Con all night and get in bed sleep and get back out there without waiting on a buss or getting an uber. It’s the ability to attend more panels and possibly find the all elusive members only room with snacks and fun stuff in it …. We will find you one day and we will partake in your goodness. It’s the ability to be all in on the convention while also providing Golden with the ability to relax and recover when she needs to. We’ve often stayed at Overflow hotels in the past and they were awesome and the shuttles were great (when they run) but guys A HOST HOTEL with Dragon Con TV and just being in the thick of the 24-7 party come on! That’s the dream! I’m also kind of excited about the idea of a pared down con, with fewer members, fewer drunks, awesome Cosplay and to be surrounded by people who really really want to be there. 

The truth is that the convention is second to me. I cherish those 4-5 days hanging out with Golden. There’s no obligations like family dinners, no gotta rush home to let the dog out and pee, no work responsibilities (ok an occasional phone call or text but for the most part no work responsibilities) it’s 4-5 days of her, me, food, laughter, and walking … lots and lots of walking.  We always show up ready to roll and by about day 3 start dwindling down. By the time I’m back in my car heading home I’m exhausted but also elated to have spent 4-5 days with the person whom I love most in this world. That’s what it is all about for me. Sure that time we got to meet and talk with Nathan Fillion was really cool, watching Alton Brown walk by cause for some reason he chose Dragon Con to announce that Good Eats was coming by was fun, and that time we got to party with the cast of Wynona Earp and all their fans was pretty bad ass, oh and giving freaking Big Bird a hug as he walked to his car as grand marshall of the parade was something I’ll always cherish (RIP Caroll Spinney). 

So I hope the convention holds steady but I’m also preparing for it to not. I hope the organizers do what they know is right for the members, the various hotel staff members, the City and for all those that still want this event to happen. I also hope that should it not the disappointed be just that disappointed, but shift focus to 2021. I know this decision won’t be an easy one to make, matters of the wallet rarely are but I know that no matter what decision is made I’ll be back in 2021 lord willing. 


Marcy 

Con Coma is Real - Cosplay Confusion

So as I write this it is Saturday afternoon. Thursday night we people watched and made it to the midnight countdown, barely, I mean around 11:45 we were begging for the clock to move faster. Yesterday (Friday) we spent the day in the gaming area, participating in paint and take a fun tradition, and even got to the Art Show this year for the first time. 

Today was spent browsing the vendor hall, and eating and adult beverages at the Hard Rock. Of course there was people watching and photos of some of our favorite costumes throughout each day. Not to mention the walking so... much....walking. 

I just woke up from a nap, some might call it in the Con Coma but I believe that hit yesterday and hit hard. Upon returning to our hotel on Friday afternoon (around 5pm) we got in comfortable clothes and that was all she wrote. By 7 we were snoring up a storm and by 10 we were settling in for the night. At one point I thought about getting dressed and going to the pool but that seemed like a LOT of effort so I continued to lay there. I think I’d still be asleep if my alarm hadn’t gone off this morning.

I rolled into Atlanta with two costume options. A half ass version of Super Grover just cause I thought it would be funny. It was a last minute pull together which is why I say it’s half assed. My boss texted me Wed to say I had left the print out of the Super Grover logo on the printer so well I already messed that one up. I also have a pretty decent Marvin the Martian. That one I put some effort into. It’s really kind of cute. I haven’t worn either. As you know readers I have a love hate relationship with Cosplay. I look around the convention and want to participate but then I see things like this …..

Or this ….

And this ….. 

And think my costume seems sad and pathetic now and so I don’t wear it. I feel like it cheapens everything else that I see. I’m sure it doesn’t cause I’ve seen things that are way worse than anything I’ve tried to put together and there are some who are testing the limits of spandex. So maybe one day I’ll decide to follow through with the Cosplay but there’s also the possibility that I’ll be the one in a dorky T watching all the awesomeness go by.

Even if I don’t use Marvin here at the Con, we are doing a Trunk or Treat at Church so I can wear him there. So he won’t go entirely to waste, at least that’s what I keep telling myself. I really need to make the eye holes bigger so I’ll actually be able to see.

Thanks, 
Marcy
@beaslma

Random Thoughts

So it’s been a while since I posted and it’s not that I haven’t been thinking of you guys or wanting to post but it’s just …. I have so many things I want to write about that all of it ends up a jumbled mess in my head … this happens on occasion and I have decided it’s time for another random thought’s post so that I can think like a normal human being again.

Adulting

I’ve talked a few times on this blog about being an adult and how I try so very hard to not be an adult however I am one. I went on vacation last week to the beach. On my way home from the office on my last day of work before my trip I stopped at the local liquor store to buy supplies. Upon getting home some 4 days later I was unpacking to realize I NEVER OPENED MY SUPPLIES. However that didn’t bother me as much as it hit me that I didn’t even think about opening my supplies. Like really? That bottle is still in the brown paper sack I took it home from the store in. That’s messed up on so many levels. If that weren’t enough, tomorrow we get a new employee and my boss will be at another office so I get the job of showing her around the office, getting her hooked up with HR, telling her what we do, and showing her where she can find things. Like I’m the 2^nd in command. Which I guess I was aware of but now it seems more official. That sounds like a job for a grown up …. Am I that person?! When did that happen? That sounds so …. Responsible.

DragonCon/Cosplay

So it is July …. You know what that means … it’s time for that all important decision …. To Cosplay or not Cosplay and why is that so hard for me? I always think of these ideas and then decide they are dumb or no one would get them or I’d never be able to do them justice so I decide not to do them. Then I get to DragonCon and boom there’s the costumes that I thought about or I’m reminded that everything is fair game at DragonCon. It is not uncommon to see amazing cosplay, as well as mediocre cosplay and blow your mind cosplay and it’s all ok. Last year I saw several Quail Man costumes, something I thought about then decided no one would remember or get it. This year I’m thinking about Daria from MTV days when you know MTV showed music and only a few other programs. I also thought about something that will allow me to use my new awesome chair Golden got me for my birthday/Christmas. I also thought about Jeanette Miller from the Chipmunks. I can totally pull that off nerdy girl who loves books.  However I know me, I’ll make all these plans, get up there and chicken out. I like to blend into the wall and in costume that’s not really what it’s about. Golden’s better at this Cosplay thing than I am. She’s better at a lot of things than I am but I don’t want to give her a big head. Maybe as DragonCon nears I can get Golden back on this blog … what do you say @theonlygolden ?

Travel and fun with Friends

As part of my New Year’s Resolutions at the end of 2016 I wanted to travel more, and spend more time with friends. So far I’m making good on that promise. Earlier this year with my friend Christina and I made the trip to Auburn for the weekend and traveling with her is always an adventure and fun. Of course I went to Birmingham in May for Golden’s birthday and got to hang with her and Marible. I just returned from a trip to nearby Orange Beach to see Journey with my friend Katie, at the end of Aug/Sep we will be going to DragonCon with Golden, in November I’m also going to Disney with Golden, and today I added to my itinerary with a tip to Nashville in October with my friend Christina to see Ed Sheeran for whom I've gone straight stupid for. I’m super excited about this trip. It’s been a while since I went to a full on concert in an arena and we have awesome seats. I am fighting my fear of the world by going out and about and putting myself into situations that normally make me nervous and scared. I have decided we are all going to die someday, I might as well be happy while I’m here and not have regrets, well not have a lot of regrets anyway. Besides fear of the unknown is no fun ... right. Now I just need to work on the writing thing.

Prayers for this nation and yes even this President

I’ve thought on several occasions about writing an open letter to our current sitting President but know he’d never see it, even if someone could read it to him, so I think it’s a giant waste of my time. However, every time his orange ass is on my TV or in an article I’m reading I am once again reminded of the point of letter. For full disclosure, I didn’t vote for him, I don’t care for him, but he’s what I have ended up with. That being said I need him to succeed and before you all grab the pitch forks and for a riot let me explain. If he can pull this off then the idea that anyone can be president lives on. Granted that person has to have money and there are limitations on who can and can’t be president but if he tanks it, and it looks like he’s going too, then for the rest of our lives anytime someone “outside of the box” runs for office they will point to his big orange ass to explain why that’s a bad idea. It’s not a Republican VS Democrat thing it’s a human vs human thing. Let me also add that I trust Trump far more than Pence and if the powers that be that are trying to impeach Trump win then we end up with Pence and I’m not sure that’s a world I want to live in. So I need everyone to relax and let’s see what this dumbass can accomplish before you know he nukes us all into non-existence.

Social Media/Elevation of the current rhetoric  
As some of you may or may not know during Lent this past year I gave up social media in general. No twitter, no facebook, no Instagram, no notifications, all I kept going was e-mail. It was everything I dreamed that it could be. It’s been about 4 months and part of me wants to go back. I purged a lot of my “follow” list when I got back on all my social media platforms and I definitely don’t use it like I did before the “break” but there are days where it’s still too much bullshitting and this person bitching about this and that person bitching about that and these guys over here wanting to bitch about something else and the others complaining that no one gives a shit about what they want to bitch about. Here’s the thing… it’s a giant world out there and we are all allowed to have different opinions the issue is when we completely dismiss the difference of opinion simply because it’s not mine. That being said the way we dismiss one another also upsets me. While in college I took a Rhetoric class and I remember telling the teacher that I thought people were being too sensitive about it, sometimes a writer talking about a dog is just that a dog. I want to go an apologize to that teacher now. I’m witnessing it first hand on a daily basis. it’s not that we have intelligent arguments that could sway the person being talked to, no that might make too much sense. Instead we use juvenile name calling and hastags to belittle and attack one another and then those same people bitch because our President is doing the same thing on a daily basis. Our children are watching people, well not my children cause I don’t have any but my nephews for sure. They see us acting like childish bullies on the internet and then we wonder why they are doing the same. Let’s elevate the conversation or not have it at all. It starts with us and Social Media is key to this change.  

I’m sure there are more but for now this is enough …. Thank you for letting me have my brain back.

Marcy

@beaslma

I don’t know what to say …… so here's random thoughts to get us through

I’ve written several blogs of late, then shit happens and I think we’ll a stupid blog about the Olympics, the Tony’s, music, really anything seems very inappropriate right now, I’ll wait. Then I’ll write something else while I’m killing time get ready to post it and another serious thing happens, looking at you Dallas, looking at you Baton Rouge, looking at you police, looking at you the people police are supposed to protect, looking at you Orlando, looking at you France, looking at you Rio, looking at you politics … just so much going on in the world that seems to deserve these words that I just can’t string together so I don’t post. Then inspiration hits me and yet again something happens that just makes me sit back in my chair and think …. Damn.

I don’t doubt that I possess the power to talk about these events but what can I say that’s different than what anyone else has already said? If I just state the same thoughts that everyone else is saying what’s the point? Especially when they are all saying it so much better than I could. I think part of the problem is that there’s too many people out there giving their opinion on what people should do, could do, and how things could and should be different if things were different. There’s a lot of anxiety and passion on all sides of these stories and I’m not wanting to diminish any of that passion and I’ve already talked about my anxiety of exactly what these event breed and represent. So I won’t go there again, you can click the link and read that again.

So I’m sitting here tonight thinking that my stupid posts about the Olympics, music, and other randomness that might take people’s minds off of the world which is becoming really scary and really stupid and I don’t wanna be a part of it anymore.

So ….. here goes … my random thoughts from the last few months that really are for no other reason than because I wrote them and well here they are. . . .

Olympics

We are heading into the home stretch in the Road to Rio, the trials have wrapped, the teams are set, bags are packed, and plane tickets are in hand as the greatest athlete’s around the world head to Rio to sort out whose the best of the best. I love the Olympics. I love the stories behind it. I love the drive of the athletes who have worked their entire lives for a single moment to change their lives. My favorite events are of course Gymnastics, the Diving competitions, the cycling events, Volleyball, Tennis, and some track and field. I get excited watching an unknown rise above the rest on the world’s largest stage. I also get excited when a veteran has one last shot at glory before riding off into the sunset.  My boss has already been put on alert that my phone will be on and I will be watching during the day, I’ll be tired from watching through the night what all I missed, and it’s going to be rough for a while but I’ll get my job done. It’s what I do. He’s aware and he understands, tho I’m not sure he really gets it. Have I mentioned I LOVE the Olympics.

The Olympics can also be really heart breaking. Already it has claimed it’s first victim. I was so excited with John Orozco was training for the Olympics after working his tail off to make the team and tore his ACL. He’s out. He was on the team in London and frankly it didn’t go well. He’s had one heck of a time of late losing his mom, having some other injuries of late but he needed to go back. To say London didn’t go well is just the biggest understatement. See to understand how bad it went he was the Simone Biles of the Men’s Gymnastic team back in London. He choked. The entire team did. It was their worst two days of gymnastics likely for some in their entire lives. Going to Rio was his redemption, was his way of saying that’s not the gymnast that I wanted to show the world. He was fantastic at the trials, he’s been fantastic at his last few meets, and now he has to sit on the sideline and watch his fellow teammates get on the plane. I cry for Orozco, I know there’s a reason this has happened, I know there’s a bigger plan for him, I just … I just can’t see that path right now. The man who is so into social media finally posted today and I cried again for a man that I’ve watched for years try to realize the dream that he’s had since he learned how to tumble and today he wrote that his Olympic dream will never be realized. I can’t imagine I can’t imagine what he’s going through right now, or what he does next. That’s the thing about the Olympics, when you walk away like a Michael Phelps it’s ok, but when the choice is taken from you that has to be brutal.

John Orozco Instagram

So see the Olympics gives and takes away. The drama has already started from Rio not being ready, to the quality of the water the athletes have to swim in, and the athlete’s haven’t even arrived yet. This Olympics is going to rock! August can’t get here fast enough.

DragonCon

It’s almost time for DragonCon, I received my progress report booklet last week and am very excited about the people on the list so far and look forward to more announcements as the 30^th year of DragonCon gets closer. Once again this is the time of the year where I think yeah ok I’ll start looking at or for a costume, then start seeing other Cons and the level of Cosplay out there and I know I can’t compete. For one if you aren’t in a host hotel, and we are not it’s a giant pain in the arse to get back and forth even on a shuttle bus. For another it’s Atlanta, in late August .. and frankly it’s hot enough out there in regular clothing much less all the paraphernalia that comes with cosplay. So I’m going to leave that up to Golden, I’ll just follow her around and make sure she doesn’t walk into traffic cause she can’t see out of her mask. Oh and this year we are staying at the hotel near the aquarium so I’m hoping a trip to the aquarium is in my future. Better yet I’m driving so yes… GOLDEN we are going to the aquarium. Get ready.

Travel

So this summer I had plans, I was going to take a few days off and do something fun with my nephews, I was going to go here…there…and yonder and really enjoy the summer. That hasn’t and didn’t happen. My nephews just got back from an amazing trip with my brother and his wife (basically his entire family went, not sure why I said it the way I did) to the grand canyon and back. It was a pretty epic road trip from the sounds of it, they made stops in Roswell, at the Alamo, hiked up and down the canyon (they arrived the day that lady fell off the ledge and died – turns out some hikers were passing her and she stepped back and just fell off the cliff. Can you imagine how that had to have felt. The earth is under you one second then not. I can’t even …. Shudder. They had a great time. I on the other hand have sat on my duff at work or at home and haven’t traveled…. I’ve had this desire to go to the beach and I’m not sure why. My body is soooo not beach ready, I’ve never really had a draw to have sand in all the areas but suddenly I’m feeling this need to hear the ocean and watch the waves. The sound of it, the look of it rolling … It relaxes me. I thought I had a trip planned to see a friend and do just that but we’ve postponed that to December. So once again the only travel I’ll do this summer is DragonCon. I guess I did take a few days last May for Golden’s Birthday but that feels like it was a million years ago. I used to travel a lot … what happened…. ? How do I get back to that? Where do I want to go? Who knows, I’m not even sure the destination is the goal at this point, but I’m also not sure what the point is if the destination doesn’t matter.

Missing Internet Friends

What do you do when an internet friend that you spend a ton of time talking to about your various interest and become such a part of your day or week that you get so used to them being there that when they suddenly are not it’s hard to handle? I had a friend that I talked to on the internet via twitter, we would DM and tell each other about our days, if I had a crappy day I’d talk to her about it, she’d give advice as an outside person who could be very objective or we’d have conversations about the entertainment industry and I would talk her through or try to explain the crazy that was going on in the United States.

She and I would have these amazing chats and debates and it would always teach me something and I MISS HER MORE THAN I SHOULD seeing as how I don’t really know her. For as much as she helped me I like to think I did the same with her, but who knows. She was a big fan of the Tour De France and seeing that it’s nearly over and not a single tweet about it has come from her account proves to me that she’s either left social media all together (tho I think she would have told me that, plus none of our mutual “friends” have heard from her either). So I can only assume the worst. I tried to look her up but haven’t found anything about her and it makes me super sad that she has just vanished. Her last post was last Dec. before that she and I both were at loose ends with work and life but would always touch base and say hi …. I’m afraid my friend is gone and I’m sad that I never got to say good bye and thank her for what she taught me and to tell her that her voice and our conversations of the last few months would have been welcoming and allowed me to process what’s going on around me better. She and I would have had a field day with the political environment taking over the US and the Brexit situation. Then again I’m also glad that she’s missing some of that cause I wish I could miss some of it, heck I wish I could miss ALL of it. I miss you so much @ireno9 and if you should ever see this, I hope that wherever you are you are finally at peace and resting well. I also hope someone is watching your two dogs.

So there you go, some random thoughts from Marcy that I felt the need to share they aren’t going to change the world, they might not even change your day but I posted and that’s something cause here of late I didn’t feel that I had anything worthy to say and getting past that was a big step for me. I have more to come, if only because I think we could all use a distraction in today’s crazy world.

Everyone stay safe out there,

HUGS

Marcy (@beaslma)

Dragon Con Coma

Sorry for lack of tweets for this year’s DragonCon there just honestly hasn’t been time, well ok there might have been time but that time was spent sleeping. Like for real I’ve been sleeping most of the afternoon/evening. I’d feel bad about that but my body loved every second of it.

While I have chosen to forgo Cosplay this year, it always amazes me the amount of Cosplay around me, some expected like movie characters (Captain America, Ironman, Spiderman, The Joker, Batman, any and every single character’s from Star Wars, well you get the picture ….), then some refreshing characters that I didn’t expect like Roger and Jessica Rabbit, or Quailman from the TV show Doug, whom I’m sad to report I didn’t get a picture of, from Nickelodeon. . Speaking of Nickelodeon I also saw some contestants from Legends of the Hidden Temple and another group as the contestants from Guts. 90’s Nick for the Win! :D

However it was the truly unexpected that amazed me, like SheRa and Rainbow Brite with a full size Sprite. I really wanted to get a hug from Baymax but he was covered up by everyone so i just watched from afar. I also  didn’t expect to see so many from the Back To the Future franchise. Not because it’s not a great movie trilogy but because I just didn’t expect it to get so much love. Then there was the group of Amish guys whom I still haven’t figured out. I also loved seeing so many Agent Carter characters because I love that the series is getting that much love.

Once again the creativity of the Con has overwhelmed me. The effort and creativity around me fascinates me and until I’m in it I forget that there are really no rules whatever and whomever you want to be is what you should do, unless you can’t decide that’s when the struggle gets real, or you just go with a  costume for all seasons like this young man who may be the smartest of us all.

Tomorrow will be a full day of fun and more costume watching so I’m going back to sleep …. Night night.

-marcy

Cosplay is not my forte

Don’t get me wrong I love Cosplay I really do but it’s like a LOVE/HATE relationship. It’s weird cause I totally LOVE Halloween. I love the idea that for one night I can literally be anything that I want. I mean one year for Halloween I made a Dog costume because my nephew who was going to be SpiderMan that year said SpiderMan needed a dog. So Dave the dog was born. I had a blast doing that, yet can’t seem to get geared up for DragonCon Cosplay. I don’t understand why other than the pressure to do something really good or not at all...

Something like …. Say … this …. I mean whose brain comes up with something like this?

Or this …. I don't even want to know how many hours this took to create

Or this …I wasn't even sure what this was but it was cool!

There are several things wrong with this pressure however….

1. I like to be comfortable and walking around Atlanta at the end of August/early September just sounds HOT right now and I’m talking temperature hot. Like it’s stupid hot outside and a costume with wigs and outfits just sounds suffocating, especially when you start thinking about accessories.
2. Have you ever tried to get in the back of an Uber car in a costume? How about on the bus? When not staying at a host hotel it’s just damn inconvenient. I want to be comfortable, I want to enjoy the Con, I want to look at all the pretty people and be in awe of their talents. These people btw are insanely talented if you've never been to one of these that's the thing that strikes you the most the amount of talent that Hollywood is letting go to waste!
3. Anything over a size XL looks like a queen’s dress or some long velvet dress from the mid-ages, or tries to "make a big girl sexy!" I’m not sexy, never going to be sexy, don't no body want to see this body, and again a long velvet dress of say the Queen of England is not in my mind true Cosplay. Plus as I said before it’s too fucking hot for a velvet dress.
4. I’d much rather be the person at the Con in jeans and a super hero T carrying around my camera taking pictures of all the awesome Cosplayers on the "display floor" of the host hotel. As I’ve said on numerous occasions I don’t like being the center of attention, I HATE having my picture made so to wear some Cosplay that gets attention would be awful. If I’m not wearing it to get attention when what’s the point?
5. Cosplay, when done right, is time consuming. I have run out of time to put some real effort into a costume at this point and to half ass it seems, just well wrong. We won’t even discuss the amount of money people spend on their Cosplay because if I could buy a decent looking costume that wouldn't mean trading in my car, thus not being able to get to the Con, I’d totally do it. That’s not lazy that’s just smart!
6. People can tell when you are phoning it in. Not all costumes have to be elaborate and have electronics involved but if you just put on a hoodie and a mask in my opinion you are just announcing the fact that you didn’t want to put the effort into this but you wanted to participate. I don’t know it just seems disrespectful to the people who have been working on their costumes since they woke up from their Con Coma last year.

So basically dear reader this post is my confession to Golden and our DragonCon crew that this year I will not be wearing any costumes. This is NOT a call to Golden and our crew to CREATE me a costume, PLEASE for the love of all that is holy don’t! I want to enjoy the Con, I want to walk around for a few days in jeans and a t-shirt, comfortable shoes, and just enjoy being with some awesome people. I want to take pictures, I want to share those pictures, and I want to enjoy my vacation stress free (stress less?). I also, if I’m making a want/wish list, want the DragonCon people to give the Windows Phone users an app that we can utilize throughout the Con, I want to stay in a host hotel next year, and lastly I want to watch DragonCon TV in an overflow hotel. I don't believe that I'm asking for too much here!

So until next time friends, I'll be the one in the Coulson/Fury T-shirt standing off to the side holding her camera and smiling at all the pretty!

-marcy

It’s DRAGON CON TIME … almost

Cue the Swedish rock band, Europe's 1986 bitchin anthem, The Final Countdown because DragonCon is almost here! To the young ass kid reading this … you tube Final Countdown by Europe then go to your room, you are grounded for not knowing it before, your parents should be ashamed!

*synthesizer rocks out*

 Dunna dun nun, duna dun dun dun  

 

It's DRAGON CON TIME !!! (I picture you reader... reading that in the same what you'd say it's Adventure Time!) Well at least time to get my butt in gear so I can be ready for DragonCon!

 

 It's less than three weeks away and I have, let's see, if I add up that, with this, carry the two, multiply that by …. Oh no wait that’s right it's FUCKING ZERO! Not a damn thing done! This wouldn’t be a problem except for IT’S LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AWAY!!!!!!!

I have had to focus on my medical treatments so intensely for the past 2 months that DragonCon has just snuck up on my ass! So I am very… very… very far behind! So far behind I'm looking at DragonCon from light years away.

BUT.... I have not yet conceded to give up, like some lame ass people *Marcy* whom I won’t call out on this blog because I’m classy and she *Marcy* knows who the hell I’m talking about. No way! I have 19 days to whoop my ass into con greatness!

 

That's 19 days to brainstorm and execute some rad cosplay that someone will want to take a picture with.

 

 

19 days to arrange a sitter for LuLu, my crack addicted puppy who thinks that she is grown up enough to stay by herself! But I really don't think that she is responsible enough. Did you read her post after last year’s DragonCon, she definitely can’t stay alone for an extended time frame … yet.

 

 

19 days to plan out which events to schedule. 19 days to get my house amazingly clean because can't nobody go on vacation and come home to a dirty ass house. 19 days to get packed. 19 DAYS! OMG!!!! DRAGONCON IS IN LESS THAN THREE WEEKS PEOPLE!!!!!

Breathe Golden …. It’s ok

So I guess it all starts TODAY. Today I shall attack the day with fervor! Today I shall jump up first thing in the noonish and work on some cosplay. Today is the first day of the rest of my life!

...well that's a bit fucking dramatic. Maybe let me bring the focus back down a bit. Today is the beginning of the DragonCon Final Countdown and the beginning of Golden being super hyper drive busy ! (which is always a good time for the outsider looking in) But it will all be worth it come September!

I hope to keep you all informed along the way so keep an eye out for new blog posts. You can also follow along on Twitter, where I will be posting updates leading up to DragonCon, some flashbacks from last years DragonCon (which is really where this Blog hit its stride afterall) and the insanity expected for this year's event. My crew has their memberships, the hotel is booked, now it’s up to us to get our asses in gear so this is a fun vacation, looking at you MARCY! 

 

If you have any suggestions, ideas or con helpfuls just hit me up and share the wealth!

Now let’s get busy … after this marathon of Doctor Who of course.

 -golden (@theonlygolden)