Thursday, September 03, 2009

Dragon*Con Day 0

So, it's anyone's best guess how much 'free' time I'm going to have while at the convention to write, so I figure to help pass the over 3 hours that I'm early to the airport for my flight to Atlanta I might as well start now! My phrase for the day in reagards to how I'm feeling has been that "my excitement bubbleth over" and that certainly applies! Starting with getting here to the airport waaaaaay early and now just sitting here nearly bouncing waiting to go (though part of the bounce I'm sure is the 3 cups of coffee I had at the resturant for breakfast). I'm also of the oppinion that the best waitress/waiter people are in airport resturants. So nice and attentive and actually stop to have a conversation about where you're headed and what's on the itinerary! Pancakes, bacon, potatos, and coffee for $10... that's about all it takes to satisfy me in the morning(free airport wi-fi is just like an added dessert)!


Plane is not here yet, but it takes off around 1pm so I'm not too concerned. I took the time to e-mail the realtor I've been working with looking for a condo and let her know that I'm just not going to be able to swing it right now. I can make the mortgage payments and even the down payment, but after really really detailing out what my budget would look like it turns out I'd have $21 extra unallocated money per month. That's so not going to cut it. Any hickup in the status quo and I'd be underwater faster than a mob informant with a cinderblock chained to his feet. So, I'm back to considering other options, apartment with roomate, staying at home with a bit more strict of a budget/plan, or anything else that might come up. While it wasn't exactly what I'd have liked to have happened, it does work out, and in fact might speed up my overall life plans. In a few short years I can have both my timeshare and movie prop and costume collection entirely paid off which would put me very much ahead, and even have some more saved up so I can get a bigger place sooner. Instead of having the intermedieary condo now, I can pay off my future stuff and then get the bigger more permanent condow before 30 instead of after. Kind of exciting when I look more at the future than my wants in the present.

That would then give me 10 years to find the perfect property on a lake in PA to buy when my life insurance intrest matures enough to where I can pull out a few hundred thousand and possibly have my cabin built and livable before 50! That would totally be awesome. Now, obviously this is just the outline/rough draft as you can imagine. Things like, injury, spouse, WWIII, etc might play a part in how it all goes... but I've got a dream and a plan!

Now, I know this hasn't really been about Dragon*Con yet, but whatever. I'm not there yet, and really haven't really looked at the schedule too well so I should probably get on that while I still have the wi-fi. My main purpose there is really to promote Browncoats:Redemption, overflow our pannel venue (which is Sunday morning, September 6th at 11:30am at the Marriot in rooms L401-403 on the first floor, tell all your friends), and ideally having all the major news outlets covering the convention a buzz with our film!!! And ya know, if I happen to meet Patrick Stewart or someone, well, that's ok too ;-)

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Browncoats: Redemption

So, one of the most prominent activities that has been taking up more time than I've actually ever sat down and counted is the independent film I've been working on called Browncoats:Redemption. Well, since May 4th, which was basically the last real post, I've gone down to MD in excess of twenty times to help build, promote, and show off our set. We had an 8,000 sq ft warehouse in which we built the set for the ship. It probably was the most physically and mentally challenging experience I've been involved with ever. Whether it was the mental intensity required to plan and figure out just how we're going to build the cargo bay, or frame the cockpit window of the ship, or the physical endurance of raising a 12ft wide by 16ft high wall and holding it in place while it was secured to the wall, building these sets took everyone's abilities and forced us to operate as sharp as we ever have to get the job accomplished.

I've helped build the sets for high school musicals, even worked with a friend's construction company for a while, but the amount of confidence and new found ability I've taken away from this project is unparalleled. To quote Firefly, we literally "did the impossible, and that made us mighty." According to Facebook I've made 47 new and close friends from this project. Wonderful, amazing people that possess a dedication and loyalty that is all too rare nowadays. We all truly bonded over Redemption to the level that a score of us get together monthly for our "Shindig's" to keep the spirit and friendship we've formed intact until (and hopefully after too) the movie's official release at Dragon*Con 2010.

I could go on and on, but I'll leave it at that. Over the course of the next year I'll be periodically posting behind the scenes pictures, explanations of how we did what we did, stories, anecdotes, and memories from filming. I've no doubt that over the course of just building the set I've spent hundreds of hours driving to, from or working on this project, and as such is probably the biggest chunk of time that took me away from sitting at a computer typing. I suppose that's the trade off of living life, instead of letting it live you... or something like that.

This coming weekend I will be at Dragon*Con promoting the movie, hanging out with many friends, and trying to conquer the overwhelming scope of this convention so that next year, for the movie premier, I'll be like a pro ;-) If any of the handful of you have your interest piqued please head over to the website for Browncoats:Redemption for more information, behind the scenes videos, and the latest information about our project!!! For now, I leave you with the teaser to our Panel and Trailer release at Dragon*Con 2009:

Browncoats: Redemption Dragon*Con 2009 Panel & Trailer Announcement from browncoatsmovie on Vimeo.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Time passes....

I finally sorted through well over 500 blog posts clogged up in my reader from my pasts month's endeavors. I will go through what I've been up to, eventually. However for the moment, this will suffice. Hello again world.

Monday, May 04, 2009

I half wrote this so I don't forget what I'm doing....

So, it's been over a month since I've written here. Somewhere in there I caught a nasty stomach/sinus bug from hell (well before this swine flu BS), spent 4 weekends filming on an independently produces science fiction movie set in the Firefly/Serenity universe (of which I have a production journal from and will be released on here at a later date), got overwhelmed at school (which sucks because I'm not particularly motivated to learn APA format and how to write for a counseling/psychology degree) and had one hell of a busy April at work with my seniors graduating and wanting to know what's the deal with college. So yeah, free time = nonexistent.

As it is, on Wednesday I'm leaving for Los Angeles for the second and final Battlestar Galactica Prop and Costume Auction. I'm not sure what, if anything I'll bid on, because if I'm anything resembling responsible, I've got no money like that to really spend. That being said, I'll be sure to report what I do buy and how much my bank account will be crying about it. Also be seeing a good friend from a summer program we both volunteer at since he lives out there and I'm all about crashing on couches!!

Friday I head to Vegas for 4 days to hang out by the pool and do/think about absolutely nothing except where my next drink is coming from and if I want to jump in the water now or later. I anticipate a lazy, relaxing, awesome good time since our hotel just got upgraded to directly on the Strip down the street from the Bellagio!!! Also meeting up with some friends who will be out there already too.... it's a party in Las Vegas!!!

Then it's a red-eye flight back to work on the Wed after this one and back to the daily grind once again.... at least for two days and then I'm down to Virginia for the weekend when my fellow Browncoats and I invade a Dave and Busters for some good old mischief and mayhem.

Finally to round out the month, our 8th annual camping trip with all my closest friends from HS and starting work on building a spaceship called Redemption. Already purchaced and dumpster dove for items that we'll be using to help make her look awesome. When people ask me what I did after this coming summer... I can't wait to see the look on their face when I say, "Well, I helped build a space ship!"

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

If only I had a spare $35,000,000

I'd be moving to England and be called Lord of the Manor...

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE52F4RX20090316

Too much of a fun fantasy to pass up posting. Real post to follow later tonight.

Monday, March 09, 2009

Home till Thursday

I just can't shake whatever this secondary bug is that I got. I took Tues and Wed off from work because 1. I can, and 2. if I don't I don't see myself getting any better. Here's to 2 days of sleeping, soup, and ..... something else that begins with an "s" that I can't think of right now :-)

Thursday, March 05, 2009

Blech

I'm not happy I'm still sick and unfortunately feeling like I'm getting sicker.

I'm not happy I'm single with 0 current active prospects.

I'm not happy I'm living at home and have to deal with nagging about going to sleep and saving my money.

I'm not happy that I have a stupid midterm test on Monday on information all out of a book that he expected us to just read and 2 power points he whisked through (... just a hint buddy, real life is open book, we can talk to the person next to us, and we don't typically have to answer all the questions in a 45 minute block of time).

I'm not happy my room is messy and things aren't where they belong because I'm still cramming my life into a room in my parents house.

I'm not happy that the highlights of any week consist of driving to Philadelphia and drinking copious amounts of alcohol.

Probably most of all, I'm not happy that if certain things don't pan out, I'm going to have to rent someplace again because I can't live my life where I am or the way I am right now.

But I'm doing fine... how are you?

Monday, March 02, 2009

Unproductivity and the like

I wish I knew why my time spent on the computer revolves around refreshing my Facebook home page. I would really like to be doing more productive things than that....

Speaking of not being able to be productive... I find it a sick joke that the universe decides to give me not only a Sunday free, but a snow day on Monday, while simultaneously providing me with the worst stomach virus I've had in 15+ years. I'll spare everyone the gory details but it's as bad as you could imagine, maybe worse for those of you with weak stomach's. I was incapacitated on Sunday to the point I couldn't even sit at my computer. It was laying on the bed or laying on the couch and that was it. But, on the upside I suppose, here's to loosing 10 pounds in 32 hours! I'm not sure how much of that was simple dehydration, but hopefully not too much.

Another things sapping my productivity are 4 episodes of 24 in my Hulu queue. And of course, it's not just the filler episodes, but the four leading up to what some might term a 'mid season cliffhanger'. This also means that my attention is riveted to my second monitor except for the 30 second Hulu commercial breaks, where I'm typing this post. One comment on the episodes... if FBI and others don't have waterproof and shockproof cell phones in real life it'd be the most absurd thing I've ever heard. Anyway... I'm going to stop near live-blogging my Hulu watching experience and end this post before I take any more characters to say absolutely nothing of substance or value...

Saturday, February 28, 2009

Throwback

I had a spontaneous dinner today with the person whom I'd probably consider my first 'real girlfriend'. I met her Freshman year in our Freshmen English class. I remember seeing her sit across from me in the chair closest to the door. The classroom was set up in 4 long rows. Two with their backs to the window facing the other two rows with their backs to what was the hallway. I was two seats from the board in the first row.

(Anecdotal note: the guy sitting behind me in that class I was friendly with, but I don't know that I'd say we were ever really friends. He did football; I did basketball; We just ran in different circles. Always pleasant, friendly, gave a wave if we saw each other in the hallway or in the development where he lived and where E and I would play ball every summer. I mention this not because it has anything to do with the story, but because I feel I'd be doing a disservice to his memory if I didn't mention him. He died at Virgina Tech.)

Purl, as I'll call her, the two other girls and I always worked together whenever we had a group project of any kind. When we didn't have a group project, we competed to see who would get the better grade on each and ever assignment. We'd write a "B" or a "B-" on a sheet of notebook paper and flash it up at the other person, teasing them about the grade we thought they'd get. Quickly it progressed passed in class banter and we started hanging out outside of school. I'd get my parents to drop me off at her friend J's house where there would be another quartet of us who would spend virtually all of the summer btw Freshman and Sophmore year together. J&J and Purl and I. We went to the movies, hosted parties, walked around the neighborhood, lit sparklers on the fourth of july, spent a day at Dorney Park, or just stayed in, made popcorn, and watched movies, at least until we'd split off and do 'coupple things'.

So many different memories flood back writing this. The Exorcist (first kiss), Titanic (first other things), the Sprite bottle (J(male) and I pissed in it for some reason I can't quite remember, as a joke or to get back at someone's ex or something. We stopped them before they drank it though), the accident... (J (female) fell in the basement and severely hit her head. She had amnesia for days while in the hospital. I remember going to visit her, brought her a letter/poem I had written for her. Also never forget the moment she looked up at me and said my name because she finally remembered who I was.)

Anway, all these flashbacks played on repeat during the lead in time until our dinner. She looked exactly as I had remembered/expected her to. The wonders of Facebook and knowing more about someone's life than you can typically get from an hour conversation I suppose. Suffice it to say, it was like we were just going out for our weekly Friday dinner. Constant, meaningful conversation peppered with laughter, memories, and the insight that comes from knowing someone over a decade. As much as I figured that's how it would go, it was still nice to have it turn out that way. Married life was good, her house was coming along, and her labrador reminds her daily that she does not and can not handle children at the moment. Which, all things considered, I suppose is a good thing... it's strange enough knowing she's married and I'm just still here...

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Not going to lie...

... totally shed a tear when Heath just won.

Too damn soon...

Friday, February 13, 2009

Grace in Small Things 3

1. Living yet another 365.25 days on this planet.

2. Alanis Morissette's voice and poignant songwriting.

3. Birthday wishes on Facebook that I can't keep up with :-)

4. An evening of the music of Simon & Garfunkel by the talented A.J Swearingen and Jonathan Beedle.

5. Meeting some of my closest friends after the concert to celebrate the "Havana's" way!

25.

No, not the Facebook meme.

That's the age I turn today at 2:08pm. I'm not sure I have any specific feelings on the age. I can now rent a car with no extra fees or questions, which I suppose is the last real milestone. From here on out it's counting every age that ends on a '0'. In brief retrospect it feels like the last 25 years were all entirely foundational making me the person I've become today. I'm not sure the process is quite complete yet, but I fully expect that sometime in the next few years I'll be able to live as me rather than continually looking to define a 'me' to live as.

I raise my proverbial glass... to making it this far. Here's to hoping that, at a minimum, I'm only a quarter done.

Zeke

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Grace in Small Things 2

1. The healthy meals that I tend to cook for myself only when I'm in Philly.

2. My new Asus EeePC, because it's awesome and will perfectly suit me for grad school.

3. Birthday's and birthday parties.

4. A hot cup of green tea with honey and lemon first thing in the morning

5. Microsoft Songsmith, because it's awesome

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Questions and Answers

The lovely and eloquent Hope posted a Q&A meme and invited her readers to be interviewed as she was, and of course... how could I refuse! Here's her questions and my answers.

If you would like to take part, here are the rules.
1. Leave me a comment saying you want to be interviewed.
2. I’ll email you five questions, of my determination not yours!
3. You update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.


Here are my answers.

1. Which line or section from President Obama's speech resonated with you?


"As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake."

I still am not sure I have words to explain the feelings behind the tears that those lines brought to my eyes. Those lines form the ideal that I believe that is/should be in the heart of the American Soul. I'm so overcome by such a varied feeling of emotions my vocabulary is woefully inadequate to explain what I mean. I will work to rectify this...

2. What do you think is the biggest or most important difference between men and women?

I think the most important difference is that men and women don't mature at the same time or at the same rate. Maybe I just see it more with the developmentally delayed students that I work with, but a girl at 15 or 18 can do much more than a (diagnostically) similarly delayed boy of the same age. Maybe it's why I've been noticing women 10+ years older than myself in a way I hadn't previously noticed them.


3. If you could have the job of any character from a TV show which would it be?

I'd want the job of Admiral William Adama from Battlestar Galactica. Not just to be out in space or to command a fleet of ships, but because there was never any question about his role in life. The Cylons, their enemies, destroyed their world, chased them from their solar system, and his only task in life is to find Earth; to find a home for those humans who are left. He doesn't have the luxuary to decide if he really wanted to be a gardner, or who to go on a date with. Circumstances never allowed him to throw in the towel and quit. He has to dig deep inside of himself to find the strength to do whatever it is that he needs to do to because there's no one else to do it; there's nowhere else for him to go. That responsibility and that inevitibility of purpose entice me to no end.

4. Choose one single man made object that represents your personality. What would it be and why does represent you?

I think I'd have to say that I'm a Swiss Army Knife. But, not the ones you can hook on your keychain or give a Boy Scout when he turns 13, but the huge, unwieldy 80 tool in 1. There are so many different things that it can do and is useful for, but there's nothing that it's entirely sufficient for. It doesn't really specialize in one thing or have a singular purpose that it can complete to excellence. It has to rely on doing a lot of things well enough in order to have any value to anyone at all...

5. If you could discover that something you thought was true was actually false, what would you wish it to be? And why?

Maybe this is just a bit of a cop out because it's wildly unrealistic but I'd probably most wish that it turned out that my grandparents were all still alive and just vacationing together somewhere on some resort beach with no telephone access. I want/love a big family, extended family, cousins, grandparents, even crazy aunt's... and I have none of it. Having my grandparents back would fill that void quite a bit and being older as I am now (10 days shy of 25) I'd love nothing more than to sit and talk with them. Ironic, in the Alanis Morrisette definition of the word, since now I have the time and desire to sit, listen, and learn... there's no one left to listen to.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Grace in Small Things

1. A Dirty Chai Tea Latte and Ziti Pizza

2. Starting graduate school

3. Philadelphia 76'ers, my best friend, and any excuse to spend time in Philly!

4. Text messaging, mobile internet, and the many ways to keep in touch with family and friends

5. Science Fiction television shows: Battlestar Galactica tonight at 10pm!!!


I read this on, Notthelifeiordered who got it from, Grace in Small Things