Category: Geeky Sunday

SGS: It’s all fun and games today!

Sunday, FUNday! Another fun prompt for Seriously Geeky Sundays by the awesome Heather!

4th October – Celebration Time

Smiles, tears, drama; celebration in fandom can run the gauntlet of emotion as characters celebrate the small and big moments in life. As fans, we celebrate our love for those characters and the worlds they inhabit through anniversaries and milestones. This week looks at the idea of celebration from both sides of the fourth wall.

What is your favourite celebration scene from a fandom?

High Castle – When Juliana, Frank, and Ed are reunited in Season Three

Star Trek DS9 – The celebration at the  end of the war in Vic Fontane’s club. I loved it, and I loved how Weyoun and Damar got to be included (as humans 😉 ). 

Game of Thrones – Sansa’s coronation. It was beautifully done; she deserved to be queen, and can we just talk about her gorgeous gown?

This next one is going to sound horrible, but when the Skeksis drink the essence of the guards in The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance and are drunk off of it. It was so messed up that it was hilarious (as much as I disliked them!). I wish it wasn’t cancelled. It was so good.

It won an Emmy for goodness sake!

Which character’s birthday was the most memorable?

Does Picard-Day count? Star Trek: TNG was full of fun scenes like that! I’ll always love how Picard begrudgingly accepts that Picard-Day is A Thing. 

What does celebration mean to you as fan?

Enjoying things with like minded friends who share the same love and devotion to a book/show/movie. I love seeing the things they come up with and feeling that same appreciation when I share my art. I am so thankful I got to experience that with High Castle. 

What was the last fandom related achievement or milestone you celebrated?

Art – Since discovering the best show ever created in 2015, The Man in the High Castle (I mean, what other show would I call the best? Ha ha!), my skills as an artist have skyrocketed. I never thought in a million years I could do realism or paint beautiful sea scapes,and it is all thanks to my obsession with High Castle.

The pandemic has thrown a wrench into my ability to come up with things to draw, and for that I am truly sorry. 

2016
2020 – Right before the Pandemic

Club High Castle – It all started with painting peg dolls of the characters. Since there were no posters, action figures, or memorabilia to buy, I created my own, and it has sense grown into a full fledged room! 

Have you ever had/been to a fandom themed celebration?

Does football count? Ha ha! I need to think of something I haven’t talked about before, so football it is!

At the beginning of the year yes, there was a normal beginning in the Before Times of 2020, I was thrilled that the 49ers were in the playoffs.

They’d play on a Saturday during a work trip, and my fellow football fanatic coworker’s team also had a game when we’d be gone (her team is an AFC team, so they didn’t play each other). We coordinated our jerseys (and nails!) to wear the final day of the work conference. 

And oh the adventure we had trying to get glimpses of the 49ers game later that night after we had closed and packed up. I feel like we stumbled upon an alternate universe, where the wacky adventures, strangeness and hilarity of Paddy’s Pub (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) reigned supreme-supremely crazy! I’ll just leave it at that, ha ha.

I FORGOT about this picture! I couldn’t decide on which color to wear and sent it to her. We then brought our jerseys and nail strips to work and decided on what colors to wear. Football is SRS BSNS

Do you celebrate any important pop culture dates such as movie or video game release anniversaries?

Not really because I often forget. Shame on me, I know! I will make a note to do something for the anniversary of the final season of High Castle though on November 15th.

SGS: A Trip Through Europe

I missed the last two Seriously Geeky Sundays. Let’s just say those two weeks were chaotic, and I suppose that is the norm because it’s 2020. For starters, this was my Internet for one of the weekends:

Fiber cable snapped in half by a large truck

You know what I miss? Traveling. Hell, I miss everything. I keep thinking that there has got to be a better way to handle a pandemic than this. We’re twenty years into the new millennium for Pete’s sake! Even I am starting to fray at the seams, but you better believe I am fighting it. 😉

Before I derail this week’s post into a vent session about 2020, I’ll just jump right into today’s prompt, which is the first in a series!

27th September – Around the World in 8 Sundays – Western Europe

It’s World Tourism day and today I’m launching SGS’s first multi-part theme! With 21st Century tech we don’t need to take 80 days like Jules Verne to go around the world. Instead for the next 8 months, one Sunday will be dedicated to a continent (with Europe divided into two to give us our total of 8). That week will explore fandoms set only in countries in that continent. For the first week, I’ve started with what’s home base for me; Western Europe.

Who is your favourite British character?

I have to go with my current writing project’s protagonist and namesake, Alice from Alice in Wonderland. I have always been fascinated by her. She’s thrown into this strange world where normal physics and rules don’t apply. She is a character of discovery. 

My character Alice about to step into another world.
Who is your favourite character from the Western European mainland?

Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is a calm leader, but he isn’t without a certain level of strength and cunning. For starters, In the episode, The Ensigns of Command, he uses the bureaucratic Sheliak’s treaty against them. He out smarted them by using their own words. 

Jean-Luc Picard as a Psi Cop Admiral because he’s badass like that.
Who is your favourite Western European actor?

Ahem. *Drops pictures* 

What is your favourite film set in this region?

I absolutely LOVE WWII documentaries. One of my all time favorites is World War II in Colour on Netflix. If you are a history buff or interested in WWII, it is well worth a watch. 

Western Europe is filled with history; which historical event, era or character to be featured in fandom has been your favourite?

The alternate outcome of WWII featured in Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle. We don’t get to see much of Europe, but what little we saw of it (Berlin) fascinated me. I was hoping they’d show more of Europe and how the alternate outcome would have affected the continent. 

Choose one of your favourite fandoms to go on a trip to Western Europe; where do they go? What do they get up to? Is it business, pleasure or not by choice at all?

Since Smith, Joe, and others from High Castle have done that in the show, I’ll pick Babylon 5...and Alfred Bester of course! 

I can see him chasing a Blip (a telepath who refuses to join the Psi Corps or take the meds that deactivate their telepathic ability ) all across Europe, a game of cat and mouse. He weaves in and out of historical castles, cathedrals, and possibly The Black Forest in Germany on an epic chase that he will remember as his toughest!

SGS: Back to Hogwarts, I Mean School!

I missed last week’s Seriously Geeky Sunday because I was down in the dumps about 2020 and turning 40, but thanks to my friends on FB and Twitter, you guys made the day special, and I am touched by the outpouring of love and kindness you guys showed me! I truly was happy on my birthday. Thank you.

I’m officially over the hill and also a queen 😉

Back to School season is here, and binder queen is thrilled at all the organization supplies at the Dollar Tree!  And…. It’s time for another Seriously Geeky Sunday brought to you by the creative Heather at geeking-by.net!

6th September – Back to School

Every hero and villain needs to learn the tricks of the trade somewhere, right? That means going to school, learning from a mentor or joining a secret society. This week you’re heading back to school; fandom style!

Which fictional school is your first choice to study at and which is your absolute last?

Despite my dislike of a certain author who shall rename nameless, my favorite fictional school has always been Hogwarts. I love the uniforms, the flying broomsticks, the sorting and the camaraderie shared with your house–and just about everything about it! I mean think of the fun adventures the trio had!

In case you are wondering, I am forever a Slytherin. 

Hogwarts

As much as I love Netflix’s Umbrella Academy, I have to go with that one as my last choice because of the harsh way their father forced lessons on them, and the way he isolated Vanya from the rest of the family. 

Next; choose a fictional uniform to wear to your new school (i.e. what’s your favourite?)!

Nothing beats the Psi Cop uniform from Babylon 5! It’s sleek and evokes power. I suppose this comes as no surprise to anyone considering how many times I’ve drawn characters from other shows as Psi Cops. 

Psi Cop men & women’s uniforms
What fictional subject/s are you studying?
  • Advanced Telepathy: deep scanning and self defense
  • Introduction to flying and broomsticks
  • Introduction to household spells
  • Wand Care 101
  • Starfury pilot course: basics of flight
What is your favourite fandom set in a teaching setting?

This is a tough one because there are so many I’ve enjoyed throughout the years. 

First up is A Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes because I’m already thinking about giving it a 3rd read. 

Runner up is A Game of Thrones when Jon Snow joins the Night’s Watch and has to train with the rest of the new recruits. Those scenes rank among my favorites in the series. They were fun and gave so much more depth to the character.  

Which fictional teacher is your favourite, which is the most useless and who do you find the most inspiring?

I can’t think of any favorites or inspirational because I am a cynical brat who sees them as humans with flaws ;). However, I can think of a multitude of useless ones, but one fictional teacher in particular takes the cake on uselessness. Can I get a drum roll please?

Severus Snape from Harry Potter. He’s a verbally abusive bully who should not be anywhere near anything involving students. His emotions and grudges from his childhood get in the way. 

Severus Snape

The runner up goes to Dumbledore. What’s that gasp of shock, I hear? He was a manipulative old bastard who played favorites and relished in his delusions of self importance and godhood. Take a few moments to look back and think about it. You’ll see! I mean, he manipulated Harry for seven long years into doing his bidding to the point where Harry basically worshiped him like a blind fanatic…Not to mention that he let Snape abuse his students year after year (Snape should have been fired long ago!). 

School’s just started; who’s in your school gang? Who’s the bully, the jock, the cheerleaders, popular kids, nerds etc.

Bully: Chief Inspector Kido
Jock: Garibaldi
Cheerleaders: Starlight, Jadzia Dax, and Troi
Popular Kids: Smith, Homelander, and Delenn
Nerds: Spock, Lenier, and Hermione

Cosplay Everyday!

It’s time for another Seriously Geeky Sunday brought to you by the creative Heather at geeking-by.net!

It’s cosplay everyday here in Club High Castle

Cosplay is very near and dear to my heart. You should see the left half of my closet! Hanging there is an assortment of medieval dresses, Star Trek uniforms, and other odes to my favorite fandoms that I’ve collected over the years. The oldest thing I have in there is probably from the 90s. 

23rd August – Cosplay

It’s international Cosplay Day this weekend and we’re joining in the celebrations by chatting about all things cosplay!

Have you cosplayed before? If yes, which character was your favourite? If no, which character would you like to cosplay as?

You have no idea, Grasshopper 😉 You just opened an entire world about me.

I was the QUEEN of cosplay in the early 2000s, and I loved every last second of it. As for my favorite character, that one is a tough one because every time I put on a costume, I’m having the time of my life, ha ha! 

With that being said, I’ll have to go with my Jedi robes.

Back in 2002, a group of coworkers/friends and I decided to go as Jedi and Sith for Halloween. We had our costumes tailor made with professional materials, and when Halloween rolled by, the head Sith and his wife hosted a party where we went full on nerd with light saber battles! 

What does cosplay mean to you?
The 80s never grew out of style

Everything!

Halloween has always been my favorite holiday (any time I get to cosplay is my favorite day if I’m being honest). I love getting into costume, fixing my hair and makeup, and taking on the persona of something else. This is something I know I will never grow out of. Life is too short to not enjoy yourself to the absolute fullest!

Do you have a favourite cosplayer?

I don’t follow any professional cosplayers, so I don’t have an answer for this. However, when I see someone rocking a costume, I always give them a compliment because I *know* how much fun they are having and what it means to them. 

What is the most unique cosplay you have ever seen?

Let’s jump back to 2002, the year of the Jedi Crew. I was stationed in Turkey at the time, and in addition to the party my coworker and his wife threw, there was a base-wide party at the consolidated club (they didn’t have a separate enlisted/officer’s club there). Of course, the Jedi Crew went. How could we not? This backstory is important because wasn’t always easy getting certain things from the States. We had our costumes made at one of the local Turkish tailors we were friends with.

I will never forget the elaborate Mecha robot costume I spotted at the club. It was fantastic and well made. If someone was going to win the costume contest, I wanted it to be him. I talked to the guy, and he said it took months to make. I was shocked to learn that he had fashioned it out of cardboard boxes and duct tape–his paint job and attention to detail was so excellent, that I would have never guessed it was just cardboard.

If I recall correctly, he got 2nd or 3rd place. 1st place was given to a bunch of guys dressed as Roman soldiers, complete with head gear and shields.

Have you ever done a casual cosplay (aka everyday cosplay) or  Disney bounding?
Wearing my Loki vest

Story of my life, ha ha!

Before covid, this was almost every day for me because I dress in my own, unique mix of modern and vintage. Disney bounding falls right into that. I was going to go to Disneyland for my 40th birthday next month and had planned an assortment of Disney bounding outfits, but covid had other plans, and to say that I am torn up/heart broken over this is an understatement. 

Pick a group of characters from a fandom and tell us who they would cosplay as!

The Man in the High Castle

  • Joe & Juliana – Bonnie and Clyde
  • Frank – Indiana Jones
  • Ed – A French chef
  • Billy Turner – Dracula
  • Thomas – a Jedi Knight

Club High Castle Has a Laugh

It’s time for another Seriously Geeky Sunday brought to you by the creative Heather at geeking-by.net!

We all need laughter, especially now. 

16th August – Funny Guys

It’s National Tell a Joke Day today which means we’re asking you to tell us all about what makes you laugh.

What makes you laugh?

I honestly don’t know. Laughter is one of those ‘in the moment’ things for me. Until it happens, I have no idea what will trigger a giant LOL. 

What TV show makes you laugh?
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
  • Space Force
  • The Office
  • Parks and Rec
Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia
What is your favourite comedy movie?

I haven’t seen any comedy movies since Tropic Thunder, so I’m not sure. Nothing beats the comedies of the late 90s and early 2000s, so I’ll pick a few that gave me laughs over the years.

  • Super Troopers
  • Tropic Thunder
  • Dumb and Dumber
What scene always makes you crack up?

So…I’m quickly learning that I have not kept up with this genre ha ha! Can I say I don’t know again? Because I don’t know. I’ll have to go with a show, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia – that one NEVER fails to make me laugh. It’s one of the few comedy shows I’ve watched over and over again. 

Who is your favourite funny guy/girl?

Everyone on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia! I can’t pick just one because they are a team of hilarious shenanigans! 

Who is your favourite comedian?

Stand-up comedy is not my thing. I’m sorry! There’s been one stand-up comedian who made me laugh, and I shall tell the tale. 

Back in 2002, Robin Williams came to the base I was stationed at on a USO tour. He came a few days before his show and went around the base and local town to learn about our daily life and things relevant to us. 

He was an absolute riot during his show! He took time to incorporate all the things he saw, heard, and experienced into his routine. He was such a joy to watch, and I knew that he was a genuinely good person. 

May he rest in peace.