Game Night

Tonight I went over to my friend Adam's place for game night. He invited me a few weeks ago and I was happy to join him. It was a small group of friends (not my "regular" group). Joining us for this fun night was Adam (of course), Andrew, Jared, Ariel, Beth and Margret.

We played five games and four were new to me. First up was Castle Panic. Now I've never played this game but did was them play it on Table Top and it looked like loads of fun. In Castle Panic players must work together to defend their castle, in the center of the board, from monsters that attack out of the forest, at the edges of the board. Players trade cards, hit and slay monsters, and plan strategies together to keep their castle towers intact. The players either win or lose together, but only the player with the most victory points is declared the Master Slayer.

Loved this game, it a great cooperative gave. We won and it was glorious!!!

Next we played Cash 'N' Guns, I had never heard of this game. In an abandoned warehouse, a band of gangsters is splitting their latest haul, but they can't come to an agreement on the split. It's time to let the guns do the talking, and soon everyone is aiming at everyone. All you have to do is stay alive and have the most money at the end of the game. Cash and Guns will make you relive the best scenes from gangster movies and other modern detective stories, where the flimsiest excuse serves to let bullets fly. Fun, bluff and negotiations are to be had. Thing is, do you have enough guts to play? This is a game where laughter isn't the only deadly thing.

This was one of the funniest games that I had played in a long time. This is difinatly going on my list of games to buy.

We then played a card game called "We Didn't Playtest This At All" The most aptly named game ever. In this exceptionally silly and awesome game, your objective is to win. Simple enough. Sadly, all of your opponents have the same simple goal and they are trying to make you lose. Between rock paper scissors battles, being eaten by a random dragon or saved by a kitten ambush, there are many hazards to avoid. Games last between 30 seconds and 5 minutes (if you play slow) and specifically engineered to fit in maximum fun. Any number can play, though we recommend between 2 and 15. Rumors of 20 person games swirl around the Internet.

This is like Fluxx and is a very random game. Lots of fun and can be very difficult at times. It was a blast.

The next game was called Telestrations. It's the visual version of the classic "Telephone Game" where you draw what you see, then guess what you saw to reveal hilarious outcomes. It's miscommunication at its best. LOL fun for everyone!

I really enjoyed this game, though I'm a terrible drawer I think it helped to make this game even funnier. This is definitely going on my must buy list.

And the final game of the night was Superfight, this is the only game that I had played previously. This is a card game like Card Against Humanity were you build the perfect superhero to fight the perfect villain.

This game is fun but it requires you to be a good debater and that's not my strong point.

National Coming Out Day - My Story

Today is National Coming Out day, I have shared my coming out story on this blog before but it seemed appropriate to share it again on this special day.

Growing up I knew I liked boys more then girls but being a kid, boys often like boys and hate girls, so this felt "normal".

My first memory of actually liking a boy was when I was in the fourth grade. I can remember falling for this Spanish boy who use to call me his "little Bambino". I really didn't think anything of it as I was still of the age on not liking girls. I was raised in a world where a man married a woman. I had known only one gay man from my childhood who worked at a local liquor store. But I really didn't know or understand what "being gay" really meant. I remember one day a friend of mine told me that this man liked other men and looking back I think I always knew that and it might be the reason why I spent so much time there with him.

In the sixth grade I found myself playing on the gymnastic bars with the girls more then playing football with the boys. Also in sixth grade I had my first crush on a teacher... Mr. Anderson (he was my first male teacher). By the time I entered Junior High School I knew I was different, but I didn't allow myself to feel those feelings or at least express them. I remember looking a bit to long at the other guys in the changing room during P.E.

I was raised in the 70's and 80's and what I saw of "being gay" was very negative stereotypes, promiscuous, feminine, flamboyant and dying from AIDS. So I pushed my feelings deep down and got on with my life, hoping to forget about them... but of course I would never truly forget. I pretended to like girls and went on a few dates in high school but those girls always put me in the "friendzone" and I was fine with that. I remember people often asking me about a "girlfriend" and when I was going to get one, but my standard reply to that was "I'm focusing on schooling right now, but if someone came along..." I used that excuse all through high school and collage.

I fought with depression as most kids do during their teenage years, but mine had this extra layer of loneliness and confusion. I never considered suicide, or hurting myself. From the outside you would think I was just an extremely shy and socially awkward kid (and I was). I had very few friends and even among them I always felt like I was an outsider.

From age 16 on, all I've ever wanted was to be married and with kids. My goal then was to be married by 20 and have my first child by 25 and second by 27 and possibly a third by 30. I remember every year I would tell myself.. this is the year that I will find a girlfriend, I will fall in love and she will be the one. And every year I was disappointed with myself for not finding "the one". But the next year I would make the same goal.. to find the perfect woman for me and again I would fail. This was hard on me, I didn't know what was wrong with me, why I wasn't able to find that "perfect one". I would fall into some really deep depressions of loneliness. Of course I would put on a brave face for the public and my family but inside I was devastated and lost. I remember crying at night, praying to whatever god there was that I would find some one to love, to care for and to be with for the rest of my life.

My early 20's were tough, I was embarrassed by the fact that I had never had a girlfriend or been with a woman. I would lie or not bring up the topic when I was asked. I convinced myself that I was bi-sexual, I watched "straight" porn in my later teens and early 20's and enjoyed both sexes. But deep down I didn't know if I was pretending to like girls, because liking women is what I was suppose to be doing, that was normal. It was a very confusing time.

By my mid 20's I was tired of hiding who I really was, honestly I was tired a long time ago but I finally was brave enough to admit it to myself. At 25 I graduated collage and was working in Hollywood in the Entertainment Industry. The entertainment industry tends to draw a large gay community so I was working with and being friends with several gay people, this was the first time I was interacting with other gay people since the gentleman at the liquor store when I was very young. I was starting to get very comfortable with the idea of being gay. But everyday was a struggle, do I finally come out and accept who I am but in turn live a life that will expose me to hatred and prejudices or stay in the closet and be what society sees as "normal"?

My life changed forever at age 27. I spent two years working in Hollywood I was on the verge of finally coming out but what really pushed me over the edge... well are two things. First I saw the movie In and Out with Kevin Kline and it really hit home for me. If you've never seen it, it's about a man in his 40's so deep in the closet and he's about to get married until another man comes into his life and helps him understand who he really is. That was going to be, I knew that if I didn't come out that I would probably marry a woman and have kids, then later in life realize how unhappy I was and either divorce or cheat on my wife with a man. I didn't want that to happen.

The second factor was that I met someone online. Back in the day the internet was just starting up and I use to frequent yahoo chat rooms. They had a Star Trek one that I would visit often. I started up a conversation with this guy named Mat. We hit off, we would chat for hours and soon our online chats moved to phone chats. A few months into our friendship he came out to me and told me he was gay. By this time I already knew this and felt a very strong connection with him. I in turn told him that I was bi and really liked him. He asked if he could come down and visit me, he lived in Canada. I was overjoyed, this was the one, the person I have been waiting for all my entire life. There was just one problem.. I was still deep in the closet. Mat was coming down in a few weeks and was going to be staying with me for a few weeks. This was the time I had to come out, this finally pushed me to the point of no return.

I remember the fear that was building up. All I kept asking myself is what would my friends and family say. Would they accept me or reject me. What would my life be like if I lived the life of a gay man. So many questions but one thing was for certain, the door to my closet was starting to open.

One night talking to Mat I blurted out that I was gay. It was the first time I had ever said it out loud and to someone. Of course he was thrilled which actually gave me a boost of confidence. That was it, one person down.. the ball was rolling. The next day I was talking to my best girl friend at the time Renee, we were making plans to see a movie later that night. I remember telling her that I had some big news but I wanted to tell her in person. I remember getting off the phone and the panic setting in.. this was it.. there was no turning back now. I picked her up and the car ride to the theater was quiet, we chit chatted but I was slowly building up the nerve to tell her. We parked and were walking to the theater when she asked, "So what's this big news" we stopped and for an agonizing few seconds I looked up at her and took a deep breath and said "I'm gay".

It's only two little words but man what an impact they have. She stared at me for a moment and then a huge smile came across her face and she embraced me. I can't describe what I was feeling.. it was a combination of relief, panic, nausea, joy, love and acceptance all rolled into one. She said she was so happy for me. I told her about Mat and how I was in love and showed her a picture of him.

It hard to describe how I felt after coming out, it was a huge weight lifted off my chest. For the first time in my life I felt like I was me. So at the age of 27 on the verge of 28 I was finally out and ready to start living my life.

The next big hurdle was telling my family. That didn't happen until I was 31. I was out now for three years and been in several relationships. But of course now that I was out and living the gay lifestyle my family never asked me how my love life was going or if I meet any nice girls like they did for so many years. I couldn't take that next step and just tell them. I didn't want to come out close to a holiday because if things went bad I didn't want that holiday to be associated with it. Finally one day I was going to have lunch with my mom and like with Renee, I told her over the phone that I had some big news to tell her.

Again like with Renee, we didn't talk much in the car when I picked her up. We got to the restaurant, ordered food and sat down when my mom asked "So what is this big news?" By this time I had been out for years and have had several boyfriends so it wasn't as hard saying the words but in a way it was harder as this was my family. I chose my mom to come out to first as I figured she'd be the one that would be okay with it the most. So I said those "oh so hard to say two words" .. "I'm Gay". She asked if I was sure and that it's not a phase, she then went on saying it must be her fault as she babied me to much. I assured her that it wasn't a phase and that nurturing had nothing to do with it... I was born this way.

She asked if she could tell other family members like her sisters (my aunts) and mom (grand mother) and I told her she could but not to tell dad, that I wanted to tell dad personally. My brother already kind of knew so I didn't see the need to tell him personally. I remember getting a call from my brother not to long after I told my mom and he said.. "so you're gay... cool". And that was about it from him.. he treats me no differently. I told my mom I was going to tell dad the next weekend and my mom said something like.. "oh I don't know how he is going to take it". This actually scared me from telling him for another nine months.

Finally while visiting him one Sunday we were in the kitchen washing and drying dishes and I was agonizing over telling him for months now and it just came out. "Dad I'm Gay". I held my breath and waited for a sharp reply but nothing happened. He looked at me and said "Okay". I said "Okay?" He said "You're still my son and I love you no matter what." I was shocked and surprised. I had built up this fear of what would happen when I told him and he actually took it better then anyone else that I had told.

So at age 32 I was out of the closet to everyone and having fun. I have had some bad experience and prejudices but living in Southern California and in the Los Angeles area is probably one of the best places to live and be a gay man. It hasn't always been easy but I can honestly say, at age 44 I have never been as happy as I am now. The past 16 years have had there ups and down but I'm living the life that I was meant to live and loving every minute of it. 

 

So if your struggling with coming out... take it from me. It's the best decision you'll ever make.

Gaining Weight :(

Just a heads up on this blog post it's more personal then geeky.

So I made the mistake of weighting myself this morning, I knew I had not been eating right and my workouts have been sporadic and since coming back from my vacation in March/April I have been gaining weight. Well I got on the scale and wasn't really surprised at what I saw but I was extremely disappointed in myself. I am now currently the heaviest I have ever been. It's disgusting and I can blame it on my depression, or medication that I'm taking but truth be told it's me being lazy and eating poorly. It's tough to change 44 years of bad eating. I've never eaten healthy though I have tried from time to time. And as for working out, when I'm on a roll I can workout everyday and it's great, but when my laziness takes over I become lethargic and it's difficult to get out of that mood.

This was a real eye opener for me. I can see the extra weight, especially in my face and I hate it. I need to make some changes or I'm not going to be around to enjoy another 40 years. I hope by admitting this on my blog it will help motivate me to do the right thing. I know my eating habits aren't going to change overnight but through time I hope to eat healthier. As for working out, I just need to get my fat butt off the couch and do it. I'll keep you guys updated on my progress.

Freakshow, Forever, Downton Abbey & Tomorrowland

Watched some TV today and wanted to review some of it.. first up is American Horror Stories: Freakshow. I had not watched any of the previous three seasons but the commercials for this new season intrigued me.

I have to say I enjoyed it, but I don't know if I will continue watching it. I am currently watching alot of TV and when I start my new job next week free time will be even harder to come by. This series might be a just a bit to much for me or at least to watch on a regular bases. I think I'll give it one more episode to really hook me but after that if I'm not hooked I think I'll let it go.

I watched Forever S1 Ep4 "The Art of Murder" Gloria Carlyle, the matriarch of a rich and powerful New York family, was found dead during a celebratory event in the museum that was organized in her honor. Henry was first reluctant to investigate the case as Gloria was pivotal in his life. However, he was determined to complete the investigation after he was being forced off the case by Conrad Carlyle, Gloria's son. Conrad was determined to close the case fast as soon as possible.

Another good episode of Forever. I really enjoyed the story behind this one. Each week these stories are full of heart and this one was no exception. At the end when it's revealed that Gloria wanted to die in front of her long lost loves painting.. it was heart breaking.

So far this series has been consistently good. I'm liking the character developments, I'm liking the relationships and the stories. Yes it's a procedural cop show but with just enough "fantasy" element thrown in. I'm defiantly going to keep watching.

I watched Downton Abbey S5 Ep3 May 1924. The police sergeant reveals that a woman overheard Green talking to another man on the pavement just before the road accident, and had also told his fellow-servants that he had been badly treated at Downton, and had argued with Bates. Violet's butler sees Mary and Gillingham leaving the hotel in Liverpool; he tells Violet, who invents an excuse for them to be staying there together, but later interviews Mary, and makes clear her disapproval; Mary stands up to her. Miss Baxter tells Cora she was forced to steal jewelry from her former employer by an abusive and manipulating male servant, and is allowed to stay at Downton. A group of Russian aristocrats arrives for tea; one of them, Prince Kuragin, turns out to have known the Dowager Countess when she was in Russia, and Isobel teases her by implying a romantic encounter.

So much happens in a 45 minute episode of Downton Abbey... another great episode. We finally find out Baxter's secret and Cora decided to keep her. I loved Violet in this episode, especially when she ran into the Russian Prince (who obviously have a crush on her). Things aren't looking good for Bates with the cops snooping around the Abbey. Poor Edith, I wish she could just take her child back and I think it's going to come to that eventually. And Thomas is such a horrible human being but you can't help but feel bad for him... he's so lonely, but something is up with him as well.

Can't wait to see next weeks and see how the lives of the folks at Downton Abbey play out... I'm sure there will be lots of drama.

And the final thing I want to share is a trailer for a new Disney movie, Tomorrowland. I heard they were making this movie years ago but haven't heard much since until they released this teaser trailer.. and man is it a teaser.. can't wait to see more. 

Finishing My 4th Tattoo

I got to spend some time with family which is always nice but during the evening I headed over to my friend Moose's place to get my Star Trek tattoo completed. Two and a half weeks ago I got my 4th tattoo which was to be Star Trek. I wasn't able to finish is as it was extremely painful and I could only last the four hours. So I had to wait at least two weeks for it to heal before going back to finish it. Well it's all healed up and I'm back to finish it.

To finish this tattoo he had to make it look like the tubes and claws were going into my skin. I also wanted to change the color of the skin around the tattoo as if the assimilation was spreading. I showed him a picture of the Borg Queen and the veins/make up design on her head. Instead of color my kind a pale/yellowish white (which doesn't work well in a tattoo) I wanted it green, specifically Borg green so it would stand out more.

Well Moose drew on the design and had me take a look. It wasn't what I was thinking but I loved it. He made it so the assimilation starts at the point where the tubes enter my skin. It was a very cool idea.

So we started the tattoo and for the next three hours I was in immense pain. I knew going into it that it was going to be bad as the last session was horrible as well but I did manage to get through the entire thing.

Both Moose's oldest daughter and wife kept looking at it and being grossed out and saying that it looks like I had been infected which was awesome because that's what assimilation is like.

I'm extremely happy with the final product.

I now have completed my initial plans for tattoos.. I wanted one tattoo to represent my four loves... Harry Potter on my left upper arm (1st tattoo), Lord of the Rings on my right upper arm (2nd tattoo), Star Wars on my right calf (3rd tattoo) and now Star Trek on my left calf (4th tattoo). But as they say tattoos are an addiction and I have others planned, but I don't be getting my fifth one any time soon.

Arrow S3 Ep1 - My Review

I spent the last few months watching season one and two of Arrow so I would be ready for when season three started in October... well I did it and I am finally able to watch it live like everybody else. So today I watched season 3 episode 1 "The Calm".

Following Slade's defeat, the Arrow is embraced as a hero by the people of Starling City, and newly-promoted Captain Lance calls off the anti-vigilante task-force. Elsewhere, Werner Zytle, who has claimed the mantle of Vertigo, attempts to kill Arrow in a bid to raise his profile. After losing the first battle, Oliver and Roy are able to stop Zytle, along with some help from Sara who is back in town.

Meanwhile, businessman Dr. Ray Palmer successfully acquires Queen Consolidated under a plan of rebuilding the city and renaming it "Star City". Laurel helps Lance deal with his health issues, and Diggle and Lyla welcome a baby girl, which convinces Diggle to take Oliver's suggestion and retire from field duty.

After visiting with Laurel, Sara is shot in the chest with arrows by an unseen figure and falls from a rooftop to her death in front of Laurel.

I really enjoyed this episode, I like that they dealt with the Oliver and Felicity relationship and also kind of resolved it and didn't drag it out all season. I liked the addition of Brandon Routh's character, I've always liked that actor and I think he'll be a nice addition to Arrow. Don't know what Diggle is going to do now, now that he has decided to not be in the field anymore. And Arrow once again had their OMG shocking final moment with the death of Carny (Sara). I did not see that coming.

I think the only part that I really didn't care for was the flashback to Hong Kong. But then again I really didn't enjoy all the flashbacks from season two either. I loved Roy's new outfit, I wonder what name they will give him. And of course I love Felicity and felt bad that things didn't work out with Oliver and you know she's dying inside. And it was kind of cool to see part of the scene with Arrow and Flash from the pilot of The Flash last night. A great start to what I expect to be a fantastic season.

Changing Your Lifestyle

Today I watched this documentary called Tiny: A Story About Living Small. Here's a synopsis... What is home? And how do we find it? TINY follows one couple's attempt to build a Tiny House from scratch with no building experience, and profiles other families who have downsized their lives into houses smaller than the average parking space. Through homes stripped down to their essentials, the film raises questions about sustainability, good design, and the changing American Dream.

I came across this documentary on Netflix and it peaked my interested so I gave it a watch. It was an interesting watch. I've never heard of this whole Tiny House movement but I guess it's been around for a while now. I couldn't imagine living in a 100 sq foot house but it did get me thinking about all the stuff I do have. When I moved from my almost 2000 sq ft house into this less then 1000 sq ft apartment I had to down size and I got rid of about 1/3 of my things.
 

So after watching this documentary I started to think about all my "things" and would my life be better if I didn't have them. In some way I think it would. I currently can't just pick up my life and move to another state or country (which I have considered the past few years). Also having all these "things" means I have to have a larger apartment (which of course costs more money) to store everything.

This documentary really made me consider cutting back, selling my collections and trying to scale down all of my "things". But could I do it, could I get rid of a collection that I have been collecting since I was 7 (37 years). I don't know, I've lived this way my entire 44 years on this Earth. As I get older though, I'm beginning to like the idea of not being tied down so much. To move to another state or country for a year is really appealing. But until that time I'm going start small... If it's not displayed and packed away in a closet then there is no reason to keep it. I may even go through my toy collections and only keep the items that really mean something to me, it's going to be tough... but baby steps.

The Flash: Pilot - My Review

So today I watched the pilot episode of the new series The Flash on CW. This was episode 1 titled "City of Heroes" Nine months after the Star Labs explosion, Barry awakens to find a lot has changed while he was in a coma. With his new friends and powers Barry must try to right the wrongs of his new Mentor and Owner of Star Labs.

Unfortunately this pilot was leaked about three months ago and I did mange to find a copy of it but I'm happy to say that I didn't watch it. Mostly because I wanted to finish Arrow and I knew that Barry (The Flash) was in an episode of Arrow. And when I was done with Arrow it was only a few weeks until the premiere so I waited until then. 

I read some of The Flash comic books when I was a kid and watched the 90's TV version back in the day but don't know alot of the lore so I knew I wouldn't get all the "nods" to the real fans, but I really enjoyed this pilot and I can see this series becoming a favorite of mine. Unlike with Arrow were most of the it's villains and heroes are humans. Flash looks like it will be more about "super" humans with powers and such.. and though I love Arrow, I think Flash will be more up my alley.

I enjoyed the nod to the 90's Flash by casting the actor who played The Flash in the 90's series as the father of the Flash in this series. I love the costume they came up and how it came about. This is only the beginning but I like his "team" and I'm sure will delve more into their background as the series progresses. I liked the scene Arrow and the special effects were well done, especially for a TV series. I look forward to seeing where this series goes.

Twin Peaks Returns & Enjoying Rebels & Scorpion

Today there was an announcement that I didn't think I'd ever hear. Twin Peak is returning to TV in 2016. It's going to be a limited series (some calling it season three) and will be nine episodes. It's going to air on Showtime. There has been rumors floating about for years about them either continuing the story or rebooting the series. And of recent days twitters been a flutter with cryptic tweets from the creators. Showtime released this video as an announcement.

I'm super excited for this news. I loved Twin Peak when it first aired and still love to this day. I collected baseball cards, buttons, Laura Palmer's actual diary and a cassette tape of Dale Coopers audio clips to Diane. I'm so happy that they are continuing the story and not rebooting it. I think a rewatch is in order.

If you remember while in the "Red Room" Laura Palmer said she's see Agent Cooper in 25 years... and guess what it will be 25 years when this airs in 2016... coincidence I think not... I have a feeling they planned this all along.. or at least decided once that they were going to return that they would do it on the 25th anniversary in 2016.

I watched the third episode (as the pilot consisted of the first two episodes) of Star Wars Rebels, though it's not out until Oct 13th they had a free download from itunes. This episode is called "Droids in Distress" The episode features the crew of the Ghost intercepting a shipment of weapons intended for the Galactic Empire. Along the way, they inadvertently pick up C-3PO and R2-D2, who are on a secret mission from Senator Bail Organa to prevent the weapons from falling into Imperial hands. The rebels continue to be chased by Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau, while Garazeb Orrelios deals with grief over the near-extinction of his people. In the end, R2-D2 provides Organa (who will become one of the founders of the Alliance to Restore the Republic) with information about the rebels and their activities.

Another great episode, it was cool to see some familiar faces (R2 and 3PO). I also got a kick out of the pilot droid for the shuttle that was used, it was "Rex" the pilot from the original Star Tour ride. We got to delve more into the past of these "Rebels" especially Garazeb. When Ezra uses the force push for the first time to save Garazeb from Kallus and the original Star Wars music started playing in the background... it gave me chills. This series continue to impress and it's only a few episodes in. I can't wait to see where they go next.

I also watched the third episode of one of my favorite new series "Scorpion" This episode is titled "A Cyclone" After Team Scorpion fails a military training mission, they are determined to prove their worth to Cabe and Homeland Security when a bomber threatens to take out the internet infrastructure of the entire Southwest.

Another fun episode, we get more background of the characters, lots of action and some suspense. I've seen folks complain about "how absurd" the situations can be on this show. But that doesn't really bother me... I don't care if the mathematics workout, or if the situation seems far fetched.. for me it's pure entertainment and I love it. These characters are special and stories are fun.

Marriage Equality Win!!

Woke up to some very big news for marriage equality. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear appeals in all the cases it had been asked to consider from appellate courts in the Fourth, Seventh, and Tenth Circuits, allowing decisions from those courts striking down marriage bans to stand. This means that gay marriage in these states can resume or in some cases begin for the first time.

Of course the news could have been better as the Supreme Court also refused to rule on a constitutional amendment that would allow all gay couples to marry regardless of the state. So it was a win just not the "big" win we were hoping for.

It's unclear on how many states actually allow gay marriage now, as of today, same sex wiki page has it listed at 29 states, but more states are being added every day as bans are being lifted and such. Some say by the time this ruling is put into full effect we will be up to 35 of the 50 states and over 60% of gay couples will be able to legally marry.

It's only a matter of time before it becomes the law of the land, of course just because it's now legal in the majority of the states doesn't mean the fight will be over. We must continue to fight until everyone in the United States can legally marry.

Patreon & Once Upon A Time Goodness

First I want to thank my friend Michael Roach for becoming a patron of mine on Patreon. This makes nine patron and I appreciate each and everyone of them. Regardless if you're helping with $1 to $20 a month it all helps with my Geekyfanboy Productions. If you enjoy my online content then please consider becoming a patron of mine. You can check out my Patreon page HERE.

Tonight I watched the second episode of Once Upon a Time. S4 Ep2 "White Out" When Emma finds Elsa in an ice cave she triggered, her life is in danger when Elsa traps her in with her. Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest of the past, Anna helps teach a younger David to fight a warlord named Bo Peep.

Another enjoyable episode, I liked that they are not turning Elsa into the big bad this first half of the season. They actually introduced the Snow Queen (played by the wonderful Elizabeth Mitchell) at the end of this episode, and she looks to be the big bad. We also were introduced to Bo Peep who's a warlord in the Enchanted forest but a butcher in Storybrooke. I like that Snow is now the "mayor" of Storybrooke I'm sure they'll be more on that front. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes.

Clara Vs The Doctor

This morning I watched seven episodes of MASH for my Sunday recording of MASH 4077 Podcast. We're finishing up the fourth of this eleven seasons series. Luckily the podcast is still going strong as we still have seven more seasons to review.

I also watched the latest Doctor Who episode with my buddy Doug. Tonight was season eight, episode seven titled "Kill the Moon". In the near future, the Doctor and Clara find themselves on a space shuttle making a suicide mission to the Moon. Crash-landing on the lunar surface they find the most terrible things.

I have a love hate relationship with this episode. I enjoyed the story and Clara who's been amazing in the past seven episodes (this entire season). I especially like her "speech" at the end of the episode towards the Doctor, she had the best line this season so far "I'll slap you so hard you'll regenerate". But when it comes to the Doctor, it's a hit and miss for me this season and today's episode was a miss.. not only a miss but a huge miss, I hated the Doctor.

I enjoy Capaldi's portrayal of The Doctor. I guess my issue is more with the writing and how drastically his character has changed with this new incarnation. His crass treatment of a loyal companion is my biggest complaint. He no longer treats Clara like a friend and it sickens me. But after her blow up at the Doctor in this episode, it will be interesting to see if he treats her the same or changes his approach.

Star Wars Rebels - My Review

I watched the new Star Wars Rebels cartoon today. Though this new series is airing on Disney XD which I don't have they decided to air this Star Wars Rebel movie "Spark of the Rebellion" on all Disney channels so I was able to watch is on the Disney Channel.

Here's brief description of the new series. Set five years before the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, they introduces the crew of the Ghost, a band of rebels who fight against the Galactic Empire and who will one day help spark the rise of the Rebel Alliance.

As I mentioned it premiered as a 44 minute movie (2 episodes), Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion and the actually TV series will start October 13.

The movie primarily centers around fourteen year old orphan Ezra Bridger as he joins the crew of the Ghost and learns he can use the powers of the Force. Ezra and the crew - Order 66 survivor and former Padawan Kanan Jarrus, pilot Hera Syndulla, Mandalorian warrior Sabine Wren, Lasat warrior Zeb Orrelios, and astromech droid Chopper - learn that Wookiee slaves are being taken by the Empire to the spice mines of Kessel and launch a mission to rescue them, all while being pursued by Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau. 

Now if you know me you know I was a HUGE Star Wars Clone Wars fan and was disappointed when Disney cancelled Clone Wars for this new series. Though I am a big Star Wars fan I didn't delve much into this new series, as I was kind of bitter because of the cancellation. I had a rough idea of what it was about and the characters but went into this new series not really knowing anything. 

Well if I said that I LOVED this movie/episodes 1&2 that would be an understatement, I watched the 44 minute movie four times today... in a row. When I watched it for the first time I was blown away, the storyline, the characters and the universe, all were AMAZING!!! Now I had some issues with the animation, especially the hair of the characters but I know that's just going to take some getting use to and to be honest after watching it several times it's not bothering me as much. I know that these characters and animation are influenced by the work of original Star Wars concept artist Ralph McQuarrie... which is pretty awesome. Clone Wars animation took some getting use to as well.

I didn't expect to like all the characters so quickly, Hera is my favorite of the group, there seems to be something going on between her and Kanan. She also feels like the "mother" figure of the group. Ezra is also a cool character and I look forward to seeing where his characters goes with the help of Jedi Kanan. Speaking of Kanan, he was part of my favorite scene of the episode. It's when Kanan reveals himself as a Jedi. As he stands and activates his lightsaber the original Star Wars theme starts to play... every time I see that scene it gives me chills and makes me smile from ear to ear like when I was seven and watching Stars Wars on the big screen.

I'm sure I'll be watching this episode a few more times before the next episode is released. I didn't expect to like Rebels as quickly as I did but I really am excited and can't wait to see more of this extremely exciting series.

Helping a Friend & Guardians Blu-Ray Details

Today I started editing my next Alien Nation podcast when my buddy Doug gave me a call and asked if I could pick him up from the hospital. He had a minor heart attack a few days ago and was admitted. They did some minor surgery and he's good to go home. So I stopped editing and headed to the hospital, I picked him up and then we went to CVS to grab some meds for him. Once he was home I headed to Frys to get a SD card reader as mine went out this morning while I was trying to upload some raw media for my Alien Nation Podcast.

After Frys I headed home and using my new card reader uploaded the audio to my avid and started editing again. I worked for about two hours before I needed a break from the computer... I never went back to editing today.

In geek news... I was super excited when Marvel announced the release of Guardians of the Galaxy on DVD and Blu-ray this December. Now, they have announced a few more details about the additional content that will be found on the releases as well as the cover art. Set to be included on film's Blu-ray release are:

- Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes
- Making-of Featurettes
- Exclusive Look at "Marvel's The Avengers: Age of Ultron"
- Gag Reel
- Audio Commentary

Officially debuting on Blu-ray and DVD December 9. The film will also be available on Digital HD and Disney Movies on November 18.

Alien Nation & Telekinesis

Today my brother came over and we recorded two episodes of our Alien Nation: The Newcomers Podcast. We watched the 3rd TV movie, Millennium and then recorded our two podcasts. As always it's fun doing the podcast with my brother. It's instant chemistry and I think it comes across in our podcast nicely. Now I just have to edit the first podcast by Oct. 10th.. piece of cake.

I wanted to share a video with you guys. I saw this a while ago floating around Facebook when the new remake of Carrie was coming out... but never watched it. It looks like it's making the rounds again so I gave it a watch. This has to be one best prank videos ever. I don't know how I would react if this happened to me while I was at a coffee shop, but it would have been a freaky experience.

More Babylon 5

My buddy Robert and I continued our Babylon 5 first time viewing. We've been watching since July of 2013 so it's been over a year and a half. I think we got through the seven seasons of Buffy in less then a year but we can't seem to get through the five seasons and several TV Movies of Babylon 5 as quickly. We're defiantly moving at a slower pace and of recent have only been watching two episodes every few weeks. Hopefully will be able to speed up the process and finish this series before the end of the year.

I've talked it over with Robert and I think the next series we do will not be a sci fi or fantasy series but instead one of the best political dramas ever made, The West Wing. I've seen it all but Robert has never seen it.

Anyways back to Babylon 5, we started the night with Season 5 Episode 12 "The Ragged Edge"
Garibaldi travels to the Drazi homeworld to investigate attacks on Alliance shipping lanes. Partly due to his drinking, the assignment does not go smoothly. Londo Mollari and G'Kar return to Babylon 5 from Centauri Prime to discover that G'Kar has become a religious figure to his people, much to G'Kar's dismay.

I enjoyed this episode alot. I'm kind of bummed at what they have done to the once great Garibaldi. He truly screwed up this mission, I hope he seeks help before hitting rock bottom. My favorite part of this episode was the G'Kar storyline. He's definitely one of my favorite characters and to see him deny the roll of religious figure but by the end accept the calling and lead his people a better future... good stuff.

And the second episode of the night was Season 5 Episode 13 "The Corps is Mother, The Corps is Father". A day in the life of Alfred Bester, who starts his day in Psi Corps HQ, where he is well liked and respected. He gets an assignment to track down a rogue telepath, two recruits accompany him. They follow the telepath's trail to Babylon 5, where he isn't as popular. 

This was an interesting episode as it gave us an inside look at the Psi corps and how Bester is seen among his peers. It really felt like a brainwashing cult with all those "Obey" and other signs all over the walls. Just when you start to think Bester has a shred of decently he goes and douches it up big time... what a disappointment. 

MASH Podcast, Red Band Society & Ello

Today I released episode 88 of my MASH 4077 podcast. This is currently my most popular podcast getting over 60,000 downloads/listeners a month and its continuing to grow. If you're a MASH fan then take a listen & let me know what you think. Download and/or listen on itunes tinyurl.com/MASH4077itunes , listen on Stitcher Radio ow.ly/iZJIz or Listen, get direct download from our main website MASH4077Podcast.com

I watched Red Band Society S1 Episode 3 "Liar Liar Pants on Fire" Jory's mother returns from the "dead" and comes back into his life. Leo tries to reignite his feelings for Emma only to be put int he "friends zone". Nurse Jackson loses her patience with Kara and Dash tries to get everyone to hate Jory because he lied about his mother.

I'm still loving this series. I think something is up with Jory's mother, I don't trust her. I hope Leo and Jory can still be friends when Emma chooses Jory over Leo (which she is bound to do). Kara is a bitch and I hope her heart explodes and she dies (yeah that's harsh but she really is a horrible person). 

This series is still doing poorly in the rating, Fox ordered 13 episodes and will be lucky if they finish all 13 and air them. That's the best I can hope for when it comes to Fox ::cough:: Firefly ::cough::.

Thanks to my buddy Jared I was invited to join the beta version of a new social media called Ello. I really don't care to join another social media but I wanted to join to make sure I got my "handle" Geekyfanboy (which I did). Will see if it takes off and if it does then I'm ready to go.

Lots of TV Viewing

Happy National Podcast Day

Here is why it was created “National Podcast Day is dedicated to promoting podcasting worldwide through education and public engagement.”

There is National IPA Day, National Waffle Fries Day, National Pancake Day, and National pretty-much-anything-you-want Day. In the summer of 2013, Steve Lee (founder of NetCast Studio) heard a radio announcement for National Senior Citizens’ Day. Thinking that was pretty cool, it begged the question of why wasn’t there a day of celebration for podcasting. That’s when Steve said to himself “Let’s create National Podcast Day!” So the adventure began and a collective team of podcasters put their heads together to establish methods for podcasters and podcast listeners to raise awareness for this great entertainment and education medium. Let’s Start The Conversation! Got this info from HERE.

Lots of TV today... Scorpion, Downton Abbey, Outlander, Once Upon A Time & Agents of SHIELD.

Started with Scorpion S1 Ep2 "Single Point of Failure" The Scorpion team races to find who used a genetically targeted virus on four children, one of whom is the daughter of the governor. This case strikes close to home for Walter and Agent Gallo.

I'm continuing to enjoy this series, it continues to be fast paced and intense. Still enjoying all the characters and love that we are delving into their backgrounds. I like that each episode has a bit of heart to it. There is always this moment of sweetness, for this episode it was the entire last scene... so good. Still on my "must watch" list. I can't wait for episode three.

Next was Downton Abbey S5 Ep2 - Plans for the war memorial do not go as smoothly as hoped. Rose tries to get a wireless at Downton, while Mary goes to Liverpool for her weekend with Lord Gillingham. Edith wants to get more involved in baby Marigold's life and Baxter still refuses to reveal her whole story. Art historian Simon Bricker is a houseguest who seems to be interested in more than just the paintings at the Abbey.

Season five continues to move along. Nothing mind blowing...yet, but it just continues to be some amazing well written and well acted drama. I'm just loving it. We finally find out about Baxter but we don't know the entire truth. Edith has found a way to see her "daughter" more. And I'm worried about what Lady Mary is about to do, I hope it doesn't backfire in face.

Outlander S1 Ep8 "Both Sides Now" In 1945, Frank is losing hope that he will find Claire, just as she is delighting in her new marriage to Jamie in the past. Frank is finally ready to accept that Claire is lost to him, but finds himself at the standing stones one last time. Claire remembers her mission to return to the stones moments before she sees Craigh na Dun in the distance, and runs for them. She hears Frank calling for her, and for a moment he hears her as well. But Claire is captured by Black Jack Randall's men before she can touch any of the stones, and a despondent Frank leaves. Claire nearly talks her way out of being interrogated by Randall, but he turns the tables on her. Just as he is about to rape her at knifepoint, Jamie appears in the window.

Another enjoyable episode, some of the newness has worn off a bit for me. The story is moving very slowly and at the beginning it really didn't bother me but this past episode I started to feel it. And then of course we have the ending and Claire almost getting rapped and then Jamie to her rescue as the screen goes black. And for people like me I know that this is the mid season finale and the remaining eight episodes of season one won't start airing until April 2015. Yes that's seven months... that's just crazy.

The new season of Once Upon A Time started, S4 Ep1 "A Tale of Two Sisters" Regina questions being "good" and turns to her imprisoned mirror mirror genie for help. Elsa comes to Storybrooke looking for her sister Anna. Belle and Rumple go on their honeymoom.

This is one series that I have been looking forward to seeing. Not because of the the whole "Frozen" storyline but because I really enjoy these characters and world. I enjoyed this episode but sad to see that Regina is slipping back into her evil ways. But then again I can't blame her as she just can't catch a break when it comes to love. I like the idea that she is going to try and go back in time and make the writer of the Fairytale book re-write that villains get happy endings, I have a feeling that will be the storyline for the second half of this season.

I liked the introduction of Elsa and Anna, enjoyed seeing Kristoff, Sven and Grandpappi. Some folks are complaining that ABC is just taking advantage of the success of Frozen and I agree. I think it's a smart move by the writers. I enjoy seeing the continuation of the Frozen story.

And the final show of the night I watched with my buddy Erik (via Skype) was Agents of SHIELD S2 Ep2 "Heavy Is the Head" Hunter gets captured by General Talbot. May goes after Creel and the

Obelisk. 

 

This episode picks up right were episode one left off. Lots of action as the team tries to stop Creel. I wasn't sure what Hunter was going to do. I mean I know he's part of the "regular" class so I assumed that he wouldn't take Talbot's deal and turn on the agents but when he shot May, Skye and Trip I wasn't sure what was going on. Still not sure he's a "good" guy but Coulson needs all able bodies to rebuild SHIELD. It was good to see Fitz helping the team again (though it was a struggle).

 

I'm continuing to enjoy Agent's of SHIELD,  I just wish more people were watching. Don't know if SHIELD will last this season... here's hoping!!