Aki-con 2013: Snapshots

I'm going to admit something here: Sometimes I'm not as strong as I make myself out to be on the internet. Sure, I'm strong, and I have a thick skin, but over the course of Fangasm being on TV and all of the hatred I received there were some moments where I just wanted to hide under my blankets and cry. I had kind of isolated myself from all of my friends because I've been so busy lately, so I was living on the internet and despite myself I was falling prey to some of the cruelty that has been thrown my way for being an outspoken feminist on television.

Aki-con is a small convention here in Seattle, down at a hotel in Seatac. This year they were kind enough to invite me as a guest, so I did a lot of signings and Q&As. I got a hotel room with some of my closest Seattle friends and the entire thing was just so, so good for my soul. I went from feeling lonely and sad to feeling completely fulfilled and happy.

I'm so lucky to be surrounded by strong, outspoken, brilliant women who aren't catty and are a great support network for one another. I feel like sometimes I forget that I have that and start feeling sorry for myself, and this weekend reminded me to suck it up and be super thankful for what I have. It's amazing what good company, good conversation, and an overload of geekiness can do for a girl!

I also made some great new friends, like that brunette babe covered in geeky ink in the above photographs. She's an extremely talented cosplayer known as Feoranna. She and I are getting married, just fyi. And I also spent some time with amazing voice actor David Vincent, who is a truly genuine individual and gave me some really good advice on my career.

Basically, Aki-con was everything I needed... and now I'm super energized and ready for Stan Lee's Comikaze next week where I get to re-unite with all of the Fangasm crew since we filmed our promos back in July! YAY!

NYCC 2013: Snapshots

These are the peeks into my life during my time at New York Comic-con 2013 last week. It was full of booze, friends, love, and singing souls. I cannot express how much I needed this weekend - to explore New York City, to meet amazing people who filled my heart with hopefulness, to surround myself with all that I love and forget the negativity and loneliness that at times pervades my life. I don't really know what I would do without my geeky family.

Adventures: The Ballard Locks and Fish Ladder in Seattle

Those are huge salmon!

What happens when I try to do a self portrait with Gregg -_-

My dress: Urban Outfitters (Similar) // Galaxy Leggings: Romwe (Similar) // Sunglasses: Nasty Gal (Similar) // Boots: Thrifted (Similar) // Denim Jacket: Thrifted (Similar) // Quartz Necklace: Etsy (Similar) // Cat Bag: eBay

One of my favorite things is playing tourist in my own city.  Seattle has no shortage of interesting destinations, and even though I've lived here close to 4 years, there's still a lot of places I haven't visited. On Saturday Gregg and I decided to go to the Ballard Locks and Fish Ladder. The Ballard Locks is a passage from the sea to the boat canal, and it's very interesting to watch the water levels change and the boats come and go. On top of that, the Locks are also home to the Fish Ladder, a man made salmon spawning area. As many of you probably know, salmon swim upstream to spawn. So Seattle made its own upstream rapids for salmon to come lay eggs in! It's REALLY amazing - there's spawning salmon everywhere, and you can go underground and see them through a viewing window!

I was raised in Alaska and I'm VERY familiar with salmon, so I was entirely smitten by the experience. I think I could happily go back and spend hours there, just watching the fish doing their thing.

Oh, I haven't talked about Gregg on the Geeky Peacock yet, have I? We met about a month ago via OkCupid and it quickly became apparent that the two of us needed to be dating, stat. We have a ridiculous amount of things in common (he has a tattoo of my favorite manga on his arm!!), have well aligned life goals/philosophies, etc. Suffice to say... I'm very happy. Oh, and he's in an excellent band that you should check out: Golden Gardens. Isn't he handsome? ;-)

Do you guys have any suggestions of places I should play tourist in Seattle or the surrounding areas (besides the obvious)?

Adventures: Washington State Renn Faire

Becki made these wings HERSELF. She's too talented.

Rat circus!!!

The Geeky Peacock's Royal Counterpart!

This last weekend I went with my friends Celeste, Becki, and Gene to the Washington Renaissance Faire. Somehow, it was my first actual Renn Faire - before this I had only been to LARPing festivals. Let me tell you: I HAD A BLAST.

I walked around in costume (as a Necromancer!), drank some amazing mead, watching jousting (a man in plate maille atop a horse? BE STILL MY HEART), saw a baudy play where the actors ran around stage with giant paper mache penises, acquired some amazing Washington brewed root beer, salivated over leather costumes I couldn't afford... It was amazing. Next year I am DEFINITELY camping out. All night debauchery, please and thank you!