Advanced Nerdery: Part II

Calgary Comic Expo in a nutshell: it was worth every hour, and every penny to do the World of Warcraft NPC cosplay.

Out of the nutshell: We had a blast.  We went on Sunday and so (I discovered later) missed some of the more noteworthy costumes and panels, and Wil Wheaton giving Calgary Expo attendees another emotional Expo experience when he explained why it's so awesome being a nerd.  However, I regret nothing.  The lines were very long to get into those events - I spoke with one woman when we first got into the building at about 10:45, and she had to rush away to go stand in a line.  That line, she explained, was a line that would let her stand in another line that would let her into a room to see Nathan Fillion - at noon.  That seemed like a silly way to spend a day.

This was on a scroll handed
out to anyone willing to play.

We didn't completely escape the lines, though.  After getting our badges, we were led to a series of zig-zagging lines for about half an hour.  These were fun because they let us get a good look at each other's costumes as we passed each other again, and again, and again.  It also us the chance to make a big yellow sign that said, 'No, seriously: ask us about our quests!'.  Bill thought the enormous yellow exclamation marks wouldn't be enough to get people to actually talk to us.  He was probably right.

Once inside, Collin had to dash (as much as a six-foot man in a long purple robe and wizard hat can dash) off to a panel with the LoadingReadyRun guys, leaving Rebecca, Bill, and I to sort out the last minute details of our quest giving.  Bill knows some fabulous people at the Rothney Astrophysical Observatory and The Sentry Box who were game for holding onto some quest components for us.

Sadly, the boys had already left to go win a board
game tournament by the time I occurred to me
to take a picture, so this is just Rebecca and I.

As soon as we'd given the cocktail swords (for the Sentry Box, of course) and Gummy Bears (the gelatinous interlopers at the Observatory), we taped our exclamation marks to our backs and headed out.  Almost immediately, we had people asking us for quests.  Some people just came up to say, "Right on!  NPCs!  Great costumes!" and then got SUPER excited when we said, "Yes, and would you like a quest?  You look brave," and handed them a scroll.

One of the quest rewards - the epic
Saccharine Sash

One of the best moments was when a group of four or five teenagers came running - running - across the crowded convention floor when they saw our exclamation marks and asked for a scroll. When I suggested they make their "slaying" convincing, they earnestly reassured me that they were in the drama club and would have no problem with that.

 When they returned (running, of course), they crouched down on one knee and presented their trophies - gummy bears skewered on plastic cocktail swords.  It was amazing.

It was really cool doing something that made so many people at the Comic Expo - a gathering with a far higher level of per capita enthusiasm than anywhere else - so excited.  People wanted to have their picture taken with us (although that's pretty standard for comic conventions, I think), and we were even interviewed by a local radio program (none of us could remember which radio station, though).

Aside from the quest-giving, I had a lot of fun looking at the work of incredibly talented artists while there.  Just looking, though.  Neither Collin nor I had remembered to get cash before we got to the Expo.  I also saw Sylvester McCoy  and really wanted an autograph, but those cost $30 - and we had no money.  Boo.  Eventually, Bill and Collin left to play in a board game tournament (coming in 1st and 2nd, respectively.  Collin brought home a $50 prize), and Rebecca and I decided to head home.  We've already planned to do this again, next year, if Collin and I are still here next April.  If not, we may have to make a pilgrimage.  :)

To close out this incredibly nerdy update, here is a pic of graffiti left in our neighborhood last Saturday by an enthusiastic Star Wars fan :

With the awesome weather outside, I've got some interesting trips planned and will try to keep this blog more regularly updated.  Until then: live long, and prosper.

Advanced Nerdery

I'm cautiously optimistic about Spring.  It seems like it may be here, but I've been fooled before.  After the blizzard two weeks ago, one Calgarian remarked that Punxsutawney Phil is clearly defective (actually, that person was much more profane; I'm paraphrasing).  I've obsessively monitored neighborhood trees for incipient budding.  Our community center recently and optimistically presented a talk on "preparing your garden for planting."  I've inspected our bikes to make sure they're roadworthy, and Collin and I purchased new running shoes, ready for Going Outside.

On the upside, surviving a Canadian winter has served to deepen my understanding of why Calgarians lose their minds with festivals over the summer months.  I've spent two Julys in Calgary, and I feel confident that there was at least three major festivals going on each week.  Coming up first, though, is an event which seems to kick-off the season of sunshine: The Calgary Expo.

I cannot overstate how excited I am to be going.  I've never been to a comic convention before, but have heard enthusiastic accounts of the unique spectacles to be found therein.  In addition to sci-fi/fantasy television and movie actors appearing at panels to talk about their work, there are artists and writers, special effects masters (I'm hoping I get to hear Richard Taylor of Weta [the special effects company used in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movies] speak at a panel), and really cool vendors.  And...okay, I'm not going to lie.  I would kindareallytotally like MacGuyver's autograph, too.

It's a unique opportunity to witness a huge rainbow of creativity - and I'm not talking about the professional talent that will be visiting.  I'm talking about the attendees.  Some people work all year on costumes, and they range from easily-identifiable Supermen and Wonder Women, to incredible esoteric geek "in-jokes".  This picture [credit: Lyle Aspinall/Calgary Sun/ QMI Agency] shows a gender-swapped Mario and Luigi, a guy from Tron, Catwoman, one of the Incredibles and, I think, a guy with a home-made Adventure Time t-shirt.

It would be funny to sit in the Expo elevator,
but that would probably get old after an hour
or so.

Collin and I were recently at dinner with some friends, and brought up our idea for couples-costumes.  I spend probably more time than I should thinking up ridiculous costumes (reason #24 why being an elementary school teacher is the only job for me).  While I still think my idea of being Hans Gruber and Dead Elevator Guy from Die Hard is, like, the best ever - wheeling a rolling desk chair around a crowded convention center would be difficult.  Alternatively, we'd been thinking of our mutual aggravated fondness for the grindy-goodness of World of Warcraft.  Personally, I found herbalism soothing.  Wandering around in simulated outdoors, darting off the path after shiny flowers is exactly how I behave in the non-simulated outdoors.  It's comfortably familiar.

Anyway, we thought "Quest giver" and "adventurer" would be great - Collin could have a great, big yellow exclamation mark over his head, and I could look harassed and have an overflowing backpack of junk.  Now, this idea has been done many times before, and pretty impressively.  But, we wondered at dinner, what if we actually had quests for people to do?  Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could encourage strangers to come up and talk to us, go out and find things on a scavenger-type hunt, and give them a t-shirt that said '+4 armor' (or something)  when they returned?

The more we talked, the more fun it sounded.  We're looking into easy-to-make t-shirts, and I'm making some "quest scrolls" to hand out to strangers who play along.  Our friends are talking to a couple of the vendors to see if they're willing to be part of the scavenger hunt.  The biggest challenge may be figuring out how to make the floating exclamation marks stay upright, visible over the crowds, and comfortable to wear.

[source: de.wow.wikia.com]

Collin's decided to cop out and go as a human quest-giver.  Ha!  Go green or go home, I say, which is why I'll be dressed in a close approximation of my orcish hunter, Hattie.  Complete with purple spiky hair and fangs. Bwahahahahahaha!!

The Calgary Expo is April 26-28th.  I will, of course, post pictures and report whether our scheme was successful.