Tag: disney

Doors and Corners

The weather may be dismal and chilly, but Seriously Geeky Sundays is hot off the press! I just want to say that I had a lot of fun with this one, and a certain song keeps playing in my head with its accompanying maniacal laughter. You’ll find it right here!

9th  – Moving On

Did you know that May is National Moving month (or that such a thing existed?), nope, neither did I. Moving is a typical plot prompt used in fandoms to start a story, inject new characters or just shake things up a little when they get stale. So this week we’re asking you to think about what happens when characters move in or away in your fandoms.

What was the most recent fandom that started with someone new moving to town?

WandaVision – The show was so much fun, and the premise was such a refreshing, unique take on telling a story within the MCU.  I loved seeing the different costumes, sets, and camera filters (black and white…etc) throughout the episodes.

Tell us about your favourite character who left home to find their fortune.

Nog (Deep Space Nine) – He didn’t find a fortune in the traditional sense of the word, but he embarked on a journey no other Ferengi had done before. He left his family, friends, and home to join Starfleet. He found purpose in uniform and was happy despite the Dominion War and what it did to him.

Sometimes moving to a new place can put a character exactly where they’re supposed to be; who does this make you think of? 

Sansa & Arya (Game of Thrones) – The sisters couldn’t be more opposite. Where Sansa was draped in beauty and grace, longing for a life in the palace as queen, Arya craved action and adventure. They were torn apart after everything unraveled into chaos, forced to survive. Sansa had to play the game while Arya struggled and fought for her next meal. 

There is a scene when the two are reunited and they talk about how they wouldn’t have survived each other’s fate. The line always struck me as being true. I remember how it made me look back and think about their paths.  

Sansa is crowned Queen of the North, as the years have wizened her. Arya sails off into the wild, seeking new worlds.  Their fates couldn’t have been more fitting.

Not all new neighbours are benign, sometimes the devil comes to town (literally). Who was the most interesting villain to come to town?

There is no way I am not mentioning Agatha Harkness! Her snark, her laugh–I mean, how can you not enjoy a villain who comes up with their own, cheesy intro? And by cheesy, I mean awesome.

Not everyone sticks around; no fandom would be complete without the wandering passerby. Which one stuck in your mind?
Miller

Miller (The Expanse) – Doors and Corners, Kid. The private detective is hired to find a billionaire’s prodigal daughter. He follows clue after clue as a bigger mystery starts to unravel, and I can think of no better character to represent the wandering passerby than him. He’s got the dry wit, the hat (yes, the hat!), and appears at will (especially in the later seasons). 

Which character shook things up just a bit too much and made a complete mess of things?

I am going to catch a lot of flack for this, but I have to go with Lyta from Babylon 5. She was fine in the Pilot episode, but after that, she grated my every last nerve. She creates nothing but division, pain, and suffering in her wake. Lyta kills and abuses her powers without a second thought (she destroys an entire planet and commits genocide in the process. Just because the planet was full of villains doesn’t make it any less of a tragedy). She constantly carries a mind-numbing, nauseating self-righteous-always-the-victim attitude. Lyta should not be considered one of the ‘good guys.’ 

She is irredeemable in my eyes. I’ll go so far to say that she is one of my most hated characters.

Babylon 5 - Season 1 Cast
Babylon 5 – Season 1 Cast, guess who is conveniently not present, ha ha ha!

And on that unpopular opinion note, Have a great Sunday! *Laughs maniacally*

San Diego: Part II!

And now for part two of my trip!

I revisited one of my favorite childhood places. I feel as though I appreciate Disneyland a lot more now that I’m an adult. The escapism of the park, its rides, scenery—everything—was fantastic.

Downtown Disney
If you look closely, you can see the Matterhorn near the left!

Every year we’d save up our allowances for our annual adventure down I-5, and of course those adventures included a trip to Disneyland. How could they not? 😉

I remember racing to Thunder Mountain Railroad as soon as it got late, when the crowds started clearing out. We’d zip through the empty line to ride it over and over again until closing time.

Before I jump into the fun, I want to mention my one complaint: the timing. The week after my work event (right after Easter) was Spring Break. Hello, crowd city! I only mention this as a warning. Don’t go during Spring Break if you can help it.

However, I still had loads of fun and STILL daydream about how much enjoyment I got out of the trip! There was a silver lining amidst the swarms of people. I got to see and do things I never did as a kid (kid me was too obsessed with the rides to bother with anything else).

That’s me! I’m riding the raft to Tom Sawyer’s Island.

There were a few things that had changed since the last time I went there. There’s now a second park (California Adventure) and Downtown Disney (a shopping center). Disney has their own version of TSA, and honestly, I’m glad. Times are different.

Disneyland itself is exactly the same except for all the Star Wars stuff in Tomorrow Land. Star Tours has been updated to include scenes and characters from the new movies. Kylo Ren wanted to arrest me! Kid!Me loved that ride, and so does Adult!Me. 

So what did I get to do that Kid!Me couldn’t be bothered with? 

The Enchanted Tiki Room – This now is a forever favorite. I love birds, and the show was so much fun (and not to mention adorable). Next time I go to Disneyland, it is a must!

My Enchanted Tiki Room dress!

Tom Sawyer’s Island – Believe it or not, Kid!Me never went on it because it wasn’t a ride, and anything that wasn’t a ride was boooring. Kid!Me had no idea what she was missing! The island was a beautiful place to explore with gorgeous views. It felt like it was a world away from the crowds.

Scenic views from Tom Sawyer’s Island

The food – Compared to other tourist places, the food is reasonably priced, and it is delicious. People often complain about the price, but it’s honestly cheaper than your standard tourist stuff in major cities.

The décor and architecture – Just walking around and taking in the scenery was amazing (well, minus the crowds—they really were bad). I loved the vintage, 30s music they played in Adventure Land. I loved the costumes the cast members wore for Indiana Jones and the Jungle Cruise. I loved the Jungle Cruise so much that I went to one of those penny machines and had it stamped onto a penny.

Top, left, and center: Scenes from Radiator Springs Racers in California Adventure
Right: Old time Hollywood in California Adventure

For it being shoulder to shoulder bumper cars people, I sure know how to make it look like the parks were deserted! 

I’d love to go again within the next few years. If I play my cards right, I’m going when the crowds aren’t as crazy. Here’s to saving up for it!

I got a chuckle out of the second morning (see the “Hollywood” picture). Our tickets let us get to the parks one hour before they opened to the public. We wolfed down our breakfast and ran to California Adventure so we could go on Guardians of the Galaxy. When we got to the gate, the swarm of people was quickly growing, and I started laughing because it felt like a scene right out of The Walking Dead. *Rattles gate* As soon as they opened the gates, oh my goodness, ha ha! We looked like a pack of wild zombies.

Portfolio

Updated: 3 May 2016!

Click on the images to view their full size!
If you’d like to see the latest Elly and Major Pierson art, head on over to Images Around the Empire!

 

 

***


“Thranduil Confronts Elrond”
LOTR fan art

“Ivanova: Let it Go”
Babylon 5 x Disney fan art

“Thranduil is not amused”
LOTR fan art

#Selfie