Taming Comic-Con's Pocket D Party

I know my title doesn't make much sense, but that is more or less everything I did the last 4 days.

It all began Thursday night when Erik and I made our 3rd annual trip to see Shakespeare in the park at the Palos Verde South Coast Botanical Gardens. This years production was "Taming of the Shrew." They placed it at an upscale resort. It was a lot of fun and the actors looked to be having a lot of fun performing it. The only issue for the night was the dew level. We were sitting on a blanket and it was pretty wet by the end of the production. We had a nice picnic dinner that I had put together with a bunch of stuff from Trader Joes.

Friday though. Saturday was already sold out when we decided we could make it Friday and Saturday. Erik dressed up as Vash the Stampede. I don't have a full body pic of Erik.. I'm hoping to find one that someone took of him at the con, but I do have a half one I'll post later from home, but the picture is what the character looks like.


Erik does a good job resembling him. Of course a lot of people had him stop so they could get his picture. We ended up parking at Qualcom Stadium because we knew parking near the Convention Center would be a mad house and cost a lot. San Diego's Trolley train system is great and picks up right at Qualcomm.Friday, we get up at 6:30 to begin our trek to Comic-Con is San Diego. This event it huge. It emcompasses comic books, tv, movies, video games, books.. really anything to do with popculture and entertainment. It start with Comic books though. It's a 4 day event. We only got tickets for Parking was free and the ride only cost 4.5o round trip.

theThe first stop is at Qualcomm so by the time we get to the last stop before the convention center train was packed.

We didn't get into the con till about 10:30, but immediately hit up the NCSoft booth so we could get our VIP passes to the party we were going to on Saturday night. If any of you don't know, Erik and I play an MMO (online video game) and have for the last 4 years. We like to go to events hosted by the community reps and developers of the game. They end up being a lot of fun. So after we got our passes, we walked the floor and boy is it packed there.

Lou Ferigno talking to a fan. Some Steampunks
Richard Hatch from BSG taking a pic with The Iron Giant from Ironman
Who Wants to be a Superhero winner.

I found Nightmare before Christmas Sally doll (I collect memorablia from that movie and it's really hard to find non Jack stuff, so I was excited about the Sally Doll). I also ended up finding a dress I'm going to wear to Bats Day this year which will be in November and not blistering hot August. If you don't know what Bats Day is, it's Goth day at Disneyland and it's a blast to dress up for. I don't consider myself Goth, but I have a lot of friends that associate themselves with the culture. We sat down and had a Pretzel Dog snack and looked at the panel event schedule. I noticed they were hosting a panel for Joss Whedon's "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along blog" starting Neil Patrick Harris. I got to watch it in its entirity at my birthday party the Saturday before and I've been a huge Joss fan due to Buffy the Vampire Slayer (my favorite tv show), so we head up to see if we can get in. The line is huge, but after much discussion we decide what the hell. We end up not getting in, but the next 2 panels in the same room are for American Dad (erik really likes this show) and Family Guy (which both like).




We manage to get fairly decent seats and stayed through both panels. I have to say I really like Seth McFarland and Seth Green, and I like them more having seen them live in person. It's amazing the stupid questions people will ask them at panels. One girl gets up and asks "This question is for Seth, if you had a terminal illness like I do (Seth Green interrupts to specify which Seth since he and Seth McFarland are sitting next to each other) .. she's asking Seth Green. So she goes back into her question "If you had a terminal illness like I do, how would you continue to stay funny." It's not necessarily a stupid question to ask, but the way she asked it. Seth respond that it was a pretty heavy subject and at first didn't know how to respond then he says "I'd live everyday with Joyfulness, Yes I'D LIVE EVERYDAY WITH JOYFULNESS" Another guy asked Seth McFarland "What's with all the Mexican jokes" Seth's response "I don't know you tell me". He went on to talk about the shows being "Equal opportunity offenders". They really do make fun of everyone.

Well after those panels ended, we didn't really want to hang around for the one for the TV show Bones, so we headed over to the Venture Bros line. The line was fairly long, but we thought for sure that if we didn't get in for Venture Bros, then we'd get into the Robot Chicken one after (I really wanted to see the Robot Chicken one). The problem is, if someone gets into a room, they don't have to leave until they want to. There are room campers that just stay in a room all day and see panel after panel. Erik and I know what to expect for next years and will plan our events better. We got to walk around the exhibition hall one last time where we met up with our friends John and Arielle. Arie got some good pics of Erik so I'll probably post a link to hers. We headed back to Qualcom after that. Thankfully, Erik has a really old friend (he's known him since Junior High) who lives down there. He lives 15 minutes up the freeway right near where The Wild Animal Park is.

We stayed at his condo all Saturday, recouping from Friday and watching movies. About 7:15, we head back to downtown for our club outing. Mick drove down from Fullerton to join us. We get there and there's just a bunch of gamers standing around talking, but after a few drinks. We talk, dance, drink, and talk some more. I got to meet a guy I've been talking to for a couple of years on the game and I danced a lot. there will probably be some embarrasing pictures of me on the interent today. I was one of the only woman dancing all night. Met the cutest couple who play on a different server. it was just a lot of fun watching a bunch of geeks party hehee. I'll post pictures of the party in a separate blog.. the pictures are hard to load on here.


Ok enough about the weekend. For some reason, my back has just been killing me the last 2 days. I don't know if it's from the crappy twin bed Erik and I squeezed ourselfs in or dancing too much on Saturday night. I almost didn't go to work today because of it.

Being Thirty-Two

I've been 32 for 2.5 days now. Admittedly, I am women who doesn't like to see my number go up. Especially, when I feel like I'm only half a family (since I haven't started having kids yet). The older you are the harder a pregnancy is supposed to be. I'm not in the at risk range yet thankfully. But that age isn't too far away. Erik and I have decided next year. We will finally start trying. Lets hope, I'm like the rest of my family and have no issues with getting or staying pregnant.

On to what's been up with me the past week. Ok I just looked at my blog and my job is now blocking Photobucket... I've very annoyed!!

Friday, I went to work for a day of boredom and meetings. One of the ladies in our Special Education department is working on her Doctorate so we're going to help her with her study. It just makes more work for me and the study is just testing the students on what they feel about themselves. How honest will our students be, I have no idea. Thankfully on meeting days I get off work work. I drive up to Victorville to see my friend Emily in a play at my old Junior College, VVC. I hadn't been on campus since 2004 or seen a show there since 2003. It was where I discovered my love for theatre. It was for the show Harvey about the alcoholic who has a large imaginary rabbit or is he. My friend played the the alcoholic's niece. It's a pretty funny show and I got to see some old friends and acquaintances. My best friend Fred, his girlfriend Judy, and his Mom came with me. Erik stayed home to do some birthday shopping for me and since he didn't get off work till 5:30. He wouldn't have made the show. I had a nice visit with my parents as well, and my mom gave me my birthday gift of cash and a remote control helicopter LOL.

Saturday, I spent the morning and afternoon getting caught up around the apartment and playing video games. Fred and Judy drive down and we head out to Glendale for my birthday party at a friend's apartment. It was a nice casual get together. Lots of cupcakes, snacks, and alcohol. I didn't drink much, but due to all the junk food, I had that whole day. I ended up being nausous. We watch Neil Patrick Harris in Josh Whedon's "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along". The first 2 parts were hysterical but the 3 was ok. We ended up leaving early then I would have liked due to my stomach.

Sunday, was a nice relaxing day at home playing video games. Mick had been gone the weekend in Peoria, so it was nice to have the apartment to our selves. Fred and Judy headed home around noon. We also discovered our roomie and cousin hadn't been cleaning his toliet much if at all. I went in to use it while Erik was in the shower after Mick left and it wws absolutely disgusting. Erik ended up cleaning it and talking to Mick about his bathroom after he picked him up from the airport (it's the one that guests tend to use when they're over).

Last night, we went to see The Dark Knight on IMAX at 10:20pm with Judy (who had to come down to get Freddy's phone because he'd left it at my place on Sunday), Justin, Micah, My hunny buny of course ERik, Peter and peter decided to surprise us all and bring his exgirlfriend who none of us likes without warning us. The show ended up being awesome!! I so want to see it again, but it will probably have to wait till DVD.

I finally have 2 nights off in a row and then Thursday, Erik and I are going to Shakespeare in the park in Palos Verde. We've gone the last 2 summers and its just a lot of fun. Friday, we'll be heading to a day at Comic-Con in San Diego. Erik is actually dressing up for the occasion. We're staying at his friend Baker's house down there and then going to a VIP get together for the Video Game we play on Saturday night. I have a feeling Sunday we will be vegging infront of our computers or TV.

Swiss Miss Vs. Nestle Rich

At work, we used to use Office Depot where I could order Nestle Rich Hot Chocolate, but we recently switched to California Office Systems, and I can only order Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate with them. So why do I care about the Hot Chocolate packets, my work gives me for free?

A "poor man's" mocha is my favorite mid morning snack. Not too much in calories, and surprisingly, there is a little bit of nutrition in Hot Chocolate (better then the rice crispy treats my work also provides for free). What's a "poor man's" mocha you ask? Erik calls them that. It's when you take a hot chocolate packet and put it in a cup of coffee. I usually only fill it with half a cup of coffee, just enough to make it mocha flavored.

Today, I decided to taste test both Swiss Miss & Nestle Rich at the same time, but with out any coffee it them. Just the chocolate.

Swiss Miss Nutrional:

• Calories 120
• Fat 2 grams both Saturated
• Choleterol 0
• Sodium 160
• Carbs: 23g of which 16 is sugar
• Protein 1
• Calcium 30% of recommended Value

Nestle Rich Nutrional:

• Calories 80
• Fat 3g which 2 are sat. (I just noticed in the ingredients that it contains Partially Hydrogenated Cocnut oil.. it does state 0 trans fats, so there is less then .5 grams of it)
• Cholesterol 0
• Sodium 170
• Carbs 15g with 12 sugar
• only 2% calcium

Taste: I prefer the Nestle Rich Chocolate.

I'd never put the nutritional info side by side like that. I just noticed the calories really.

Rich is lower in Calories, but a touch higher in fat and contains small amounts of trans and is 10mg higher in Sodium. It does have 8 less carbs but only 4 of those are sugar.

I'll probably stick to Nestly rich when I can just because of the calories, but Swiss definitely has it's benefits as well. It has a ton more Calcium.

Seattle Pictures Finally

s352.photobucket.com/albums/r325/RellaD/Seattle/

I finally uploaded all my pics from Seattle. You can see all of them here.

Quick Seattle Update

Erik and I had a blast in Seattle! My nieces are so cute. I haven't figured out how to get the pictures off my new digital, but as soon as I do, they will so be here. We did a lot of site seeing in Downtown Seattle since Benni, lived 10 minutes from it. The weather was beautiful although hot for Seattle. We were hoping to get a reprieve from heat and we brought it with us.

Benni and the twins accompanied us most of the time we were in the city. It was fun maneuvering the big baby stroller everywhere and of course, we couldn't go anywhere without people commenting on the cute identical twin baby girls. Erik thought it would be funny if Benni created little pamphlets she could have on her to hand out to everyone who asked about the twins. They are almost to the giggle stage and are so desperately trying to roll over. They smile up a storm and were fairly none fussy for the many days we were there. Erik and I did a lot of baby sitting and Erik changed his first diaper. He was so cute with his nieces.

We flew in about Wednesday night and drove to his sister's place which was a whole 6 miles from the airport. Thursday, we went to Pike's Place market and I saw them throw fish. The place was huge. We also picked up The City Pass, so we could check out a lot of the museums and the aquarium. We only checked out the market on Thursday though. So many cool shops. Erik and I both love garlic so we bought some whipped garlic and he got some pickled habanero garlic.. they are spicy but good. We picked up so Italian food to take home and cook at this cute Italian deli called De Laurentis. The food was excellent! We even used some of our whipped garlic on the bread and my mouth is watering thinking about it.

Friday, we went to the Science Fiction Museum/Music Experience.. I love Science Fiction and it was a really good display. We headed over to the Pacific Science Center which is more toward kids, but it was still a lot of fun. The bug section was cool. That was the day we went up in the Space Needle as well. The views were breathtaking and it was so clear, I got a great shot of Mount Rainer. Benni was being our tour guide and pointing out all the important areas of Seattle.

Saturday, Benni's husband Joel was off work (he works on the 40th floor of the WaMu building which also house's Seattle's Art Museum which I sadly didn't get to see this trip). He vollunteered to help his friends at this huge art showing in Georgetown called the Artopia, so we stopped and hung out there for a while. Afterwards, we were going to go to the zoo, but ended up back on Alaskan street and had lunch at a Spaghetti Factory and then went to the Aquarium. The seals and sea otters were so cute.

Sunday, Erik and I had made plans to meet some friends we play video games online with (yes we're geeks) at the Pike's Brewery in the Market area. Doug lives in Seattle, and Angela decided to drive up from Olympia to meet us. Erik and I took a cruise of the harbor before we headed up to meet them. Erik was geeky enough to wear a tee shirt from the video game we play City of Heroes. We walked to the restaurants lobby and Doug saw the shirt and started smiling. We hadn't met before. He's a pretty nice guy. Angela was 30 minutes late thanks to Seattle's Gay Pride parade and having difficulties finding parking. She is only 3 months older then me so I was nice meeting another female who plays the game and is my age. We hung out with them for the rest of the afternoon. Doug headed home first and Erik, Angela, and I went for a walk through the Olympic Sculpture garden which had more walking the actually sculptures in it, but it was a beautiful day. We said by to Angela around 6pm and headed back to Benni and Joel's. Benni had called and told us they had gone to a BBQ, but we were pooped so we picked up a frozen pizza and watch Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (I was on a George Carlin kick... he was such an innovator for the comedic world).

We headed up Monday morning and walked into our apartment at 2:30pm. I was so not looking forward to work today and it sucked. I hate missing because no one there can do my job LOL.

Pictures soon to be coming. I took mostly nature shots with lots of pictures of the babies.