Ira Glass "On Creativity"

Pardon my long absence...please!  I am still clicking coconuts in the Quest for that work-life balance.  More to come, and I'm excited about some creative outlets of my own that I'm exploring.

I love this clip from Ira Glass on creativity.  Enjoy.

What if the Game of Thrones characters had professional wrestling entrace music?

I've always envied professional wrestlers for one truly badass perk of their job...entrance music.  What if the characters in Westeros abandoned the announcement of their title(s) and employed modern musicians instead?  It would sound something like this (spoilers ahead)

Daenarys Targaryen "When a Fire Starts to Burn" by Disclosure

When those Dragons are grown, and they're blowing fire and terrorizing all of Westeros, then you'll know that Daenarys has brought "that attitude home."  We can assume, at least

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish & Lord Varys "Sabotage" by The Beastie Boys

We the readers, and HBO viewers, know just how well Littlefinger and Varys have been pulling the strings all along.  While not exactly a tag team in the source material, both men demonstrate how they can sabotage the plans of the aristocratic houses with words and whispers.

Theon Greyjoy "Creep" by Stone Temple Pilots

"I'm half the man I used to be" just about sums it up right there.  The song has all the melancholy of grunge and post-torture Theon-ness and Creep almost rhymes with Reek...

Stannis Baratheon "Iron Man" by Black Sabbath

"Iron Man's" guitar riffs scream badass.  Stannis is the underappreciated rightful heir to the throne, and too little of the realm respect his claim, nor the prophetic view of the future revealed to him by Melisandre.

Margaery Tyrell "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry

Margaery has proven to be resourceful and capable in her rise to power and has emerged from Dark Horse status. The only question is how long her betrothed holder of the throne will actually be around...not so good of a track record there.

Quentyn Martell "Fire" by Jimi Hendrix...

He gets his wish to stand next to Daenarys' fire, just doesn't take her home to conquer Westeros together.  He also dies tragically young, like Jimi Hendrix.  Never try to steal someone else's dragons.  tsk tsk, Quentyn.

Joffrey "Baratheon" "Hail to the King" by Avenged Sevenfold

Has all the angst  befitting Joffrey and the hook reminds you to Hail the King and kneel the to the crown...because you certainly wouldn't instinctively do so to Joffrey "Baratheon," nor should you bow to Avenged Sevenfold when a band named Metallica exists (but I digress)

Robert Baratheon "Turn Down for What" by Lil Jon & DJ Snake

Turn down for getting gored by a boar, that's "what."  Right?  R.I.P. Party Animal Robert Baratheon

R.I.P. Robin Williams

In memory of...
Mork
Garp
Popeye
Adrian Cronauer
John Keating
Dr. Malcolm Sayer
Parry
Peter Banning
The Genie
Mrs. Doubtfire
Dr. Kosevich
Alan Parrish
Sean Maguire
Patch Adams
Walter Finch
Rainbow Randolph
Fender
Teddy Roosevelt

and the man who brought them to life

R.I.P. Robin Williams

Why "The Killing" Season 4 finale was all wrong, and how it should have ended

Netflix released season 4 of "The Killing" on August 1st.  SPOILERS AHEAD, stop reading if you're not done binge-watching!  Then come back when you do!

If you're watching season 4 of The Killing on Netflix, then you already know that this is not a show laden with happy endings.  You've also already watched the first three seasons, so I won't spend a tremendous amount of time re-hashing plot points. Season 4 continues exploring the theme of second-chances, which is pervasive throughout this series (many examples to cite, probably best explored in a separate essay).  The series, itself, has received two second chances after facing cancellation after seasons two and three, before Netflix afforded the show's creators and viewers 6 episodes to bring the series to a close.

  I didn't share the anger that many fans expressed over needing seasons 1 and 2 to bring the Rose Larsen murder case to a close, but I understand it, when your poster for season 1 asks "Who killed Rose Larsen?" and the question remains unanswered.  But in real life, homicide cases aren't solved because the sands of the hourglass have descended.  They're solved because the art and science that go into the investigation have successfully converged and the detectives have "their man."  My disappointment is with how it all comes to an end in S4:E6, "Eden."

Seasons 1-3 do not move forward with breakneck-paced plot progression nor Law and Order-esque sound effects to skip over the slower bits. The meat of the show is in the masterfully portrayed character development and growing friendship/partnership of Detectives Holder (Joel Kinnaman) and Linden (Mireille Enos).  The homicide investigations are mostly intriguing, but even more interesting and rewarding than solving the case for this viewer, is how well the writers depict how everyone connected with each "Killing" story arc are affected in it's aftermath.  We see the deconstruction of the Larsen family, the nearly-assassinated mayoral candidate and the Seattle political scene, the runaway teenagers and the families who lost them or forgot about them, Adrian, who witnessed things children should never see, the possibly wrongly-convicted yet still executed, Ray Seward, etc. Despite Linden's best efforts to catch the "bad guys," her intuition is often wrong and has led to many of the difficulties our "minor characters" encounter (Stan Larsen attacking Bennett Ahmed, Ray Seward's execution, Richmond's lower-body paralysis, to name a few).

For much of the 4th and final season, the show's strengths continue to carry the viewer's interest.  We see more examples of drawing well-conceived parallels and establishing connections between Holder, Linden and the other players involved. An attitude of "what happens here, stays here" is tested both within the Seattle PD (cover-up of Skinner's murder) and St. George's Academy (Stansbury killings).  Holder is terrified of failing in parenthood as Kallie's mother has.    Linden and Col. Rayne were similarly cast in roles of authority and influence professionally, while they each struggled with their own roles in motherhood.  Col. Rayne embraces an opportunity to connect with Kyle at the same time as Linden's mother attempts a reconciliation.  My gripe is that too many of these parallels are explained to the viewer with little left of nuance.  Additionally, while the teenage runaways of season 3 were very tangible characters, the boys of the Academy in season 4 come across as products of "let's have a bunch of bullies live together" and offer little in depth.

I enjoyed this series as a whole, and as the series finale neared, the show's creators did some things right, but got the ending, horribly, horribly wrong.

It could have ended like this..
 Linden's intuition is a bit off again, and Reddick has made it very clear that he has been underestimated in investigating Linden and Holder's involvement in Skinner's death.  Linden has just confessed her crime and attempted to absolve Holder of any connection to the event. She is resigned to her fate and she has had a sort of goodbye with her son, Jack.  Linden ends up going to prison for murder, ironically becoming one of the "bad guys" she has hunted and giving more power to the message of "there are no bad guys," and the many sides there are to all humans.  She and Kyle would both be guilty of separate murders, both done by characters abandoned by parents, and both done under varying levels of duress.
Mayor Richmond does not come in with a literal "get out of jail free card."  Linden, who could never plant roots anywhere, or be the one who stays, is forced to do so in prison.  Holder and Linden last "see each other" on the show through the two-way mirror...just as they will only have visitors through 2-inch glass after that expected trials as Holder is still held accountable for his role in Skinner's death and doesn't get the chance to find out how good of a father he can be...at least for some time.

After all, the Season 4 posters declare "The Past Can't be Washed Away"

Okay, very somber, but probably the most realistic ending to the narrative of Holder and Linden.

But let's say that Mayor Richmond does come in the interrogation room with yet another second-chance opportunity for our main characters...

Or, it could have ended like this...
Linden leaves the interrogation room, badge on the desk, as she does in the finale.  We last see Holder play out the scene with Kallie's mother at the cemetery and the musical cue of "this episode is wrapping up" plays as it also does in the finale.  We are left with an open-ended path for Holder.  Will he ever be a fully reformed ex-junkie?  Will he be the father that his father did not try to be?
Linden finds the shell casing, leaves her house, feeling remorseful over her final interaction with Holder and accusing him of betrayal, but true to character, leaves town anyway.  Her path would also be open-ended.  Does she follow Jack and take advantage of her new lease on life to be a better mother?

Certainly not a tidy ending, but why does it have to be so?

Or, how about this...?
We see the endearing scene with Holder and his sassy daughter, find out that Holder has redeemed himself and is leading an N.A. group of his own.  Linden does not return to Seattle, but instead is seen with Jack, possibly, both characters reminding viewers that enjoying time with our children and families is the greatest blessing we have.  Certainly both detectives have seen more than their share of families robbed of time by the murders they have investigated.  This fits the narrative path, while still allowing the show to end on a "lighter" note.


Instead, we got this slap in the face...
Linden suddenly wears a colored-scarf and smiles a lot...so, she's happy?  Not to wish ill will for Linden, but the only explanation for this evolution is "I've been on the road a lot," and "there is no bad guy, only life."  It's a sudden leap to accept Linden as in charge of her emotions after seeing nothing but the contrary for four seasons.  This may be the ending which the writers hoped to build towards if given more time to tell the story, say, season 6 or 7...? Or is this an ending to appease some amount of "shippers" amongst the Killing's fan base (hard to believe they'd still be along for the ride, though).  Is it simply a way to not be seen as that dark and depressing show with the dark and depressing ending?  Regardless of the reason, it betrays what made the show enjoyable in the first place and gave us a cliched send-off.

4 Comic Con learnings from a Local Convention

It's safe to say that I've got the "bug" for attending Comic Conventions now.  Mostly due to our children's envy of our SDCC trip, my wife and I decided to bring them, and a friend of our daughter, along to Tampa Bay Comic Con last week, and even encouraged them to try their hand at cosplay.  It was a vastly different experience and I came away with some learnings.

1.  The crowd size made it much easier to "do everything..." obviously.  Although we only attended one of the three days, we feel comfortable with how much of the event we were able to explore and it was relatively stress-free with less of the claustrophobia and "herd of sheep" pace to the exhibit hall.  It wasn't quite the finely-tuned machine that is SDCC, but it would be foolish to expect as much.  The line to enter the event for pre-sale tickets was over a 30 minute wait and all outdoors, while those paying cash walked right in the door on day one.  I believed they rectified this for day two and I even got a response from the @TampaComicCon Twitter account while standing in line about how they would work the kinks out.  I am actually impressed with the level of interactivity and quick response time I received from them throughout the day and even in the days following the event.  I commend their effort to connect with the Con-goers and community.

Look at all the leg-room on that Exhibit Hall floor!!

2. I planned my autograph opportunities better this time...taking a bit of my own advice.  After reviewing the expected guest list, I found some old comics which were already in my collection ahead of time, and I was able to meet those three artists within 20 minutes of entering the event.  I rolled my eyes at the guy in front of me who had 20+ comics for Paul Pelletier to sign and didn't seem to be buying anything that the illustrator was selling from his table.  Don't be "that guy."  One to two items seems to be the most acceptable numbers of items to bring with you per creative talent.

Paul Pelletier and Bob McLeod...Mr. McLeod made sure the ink was drying on his signature.

From there, we were able to let our "little Daleks" lead the way through the exhibit hall and towards whatever grabbed their attention.

My daughter (Blue Dalek) and her friend loved dressing up as home-made Daleks!

3.  Most people had the decency to ask us before taking a photo of our children, but I was surprised at how many did not, and just snapped away.  Maybe my opinion isn't universally shared, but candid photos of strangers' children crosses some lines of what is socially acceptable.  Regardless, my kids loved dressing up, and were happy to receive the attention and pose with other cosplayers.

4.  The lines for the celebrity panels were no more than an hour's wait, and even that may not have been necessary.  I believe the turnout was a bit higher for the two weekend days of the Con, but on Friday, we were easily able to get from one panel to another and didn't miss anything of great importance to us.  I fully expect to return with the family next year and make a point to visit other local conventions.  At least for my household, "we are all infected."

Pedro Pascal fields questions from "George RR Martin" during a panel at Tampa Bay Comic Con.

 He does not demand a confession for killing Oberyn Martell.  When "George" asks him if he could choose any character for "him" to kill, who it would be, Pedro replies, "no one...enough already" with a look of exasperation and a laugh from the crowd.  

Pedro Pascal is doing this celebrity-status thing "right."  He shares the fans' enthusiasm for the show and his character, and graciously gave honest answers to their questions as if he was hearing them for the first time.  He made a point to notice the cosplayers and compliment their handiwork as well.  He earned some groans when he asked if Emma Frost was "from Frozen..." but was only "joking."  hmm.  

I didn't get any quality video footage worth sharing, but...

Here's a clip of footage from YouTube poster "Yoshi Toob" of the discussion

12 Comic-Con survival tips from a SDCC first-timer

If you're ever thought of going to San Diego Comic Con but have not made it happen, allow me to be the next to tell you that the hype is real and it is the Mecca of Geekdom. The city has a ton of charm and the weather was astonishingly pleasant, given that it's the middle of summer.  Throughout the city, you feel like a very welcomed visitor in a city appreciative of the tourism Comic Con brings and enthusiastic to host the event.
Now, admittedly, I was the extremely fortunate winner of this year's HBO Game of Thrones #TaketheThrone sweepstakes and nearly all of my accommodations were arranged on my behalf by the amazing folks involved in doing so (Thank you again!)  However, despite feeling like Charlie in the Comic Factory, there are some universal truths and best practices I realized over the course of my wife and I's 4 supremely memorable days in San Diego from July 24-27, 2014.

1.  Your first day goal should simply be getting familiar with the grounds

Navigating the crowds and the convention center will be overwhelming on Day One.  When you check in, you'll receive your bag, your souvenir guide (which autograph-signing-booked celebs are obligated to sign at no charge, FYI) and the Event planning guide.  Your goal should be to know how to, for example, find the route from the Exhibit Hall to the Sails Pavillion, where you'll find event planning information.  Determine where the lines for events you will want to participate in will begin. The best answers to your questions will be given to you by staff members wearing the SDCC/CCI badges on their polos.  Although other Comic Con vets will also provide valuable answers and I found them to be honest and very willing to help.   By your third and fourth day at the Convention Center, you'll be directing the weekend-only attendees on the ins and outs.

Across the street from the Convention Center

2. Skip the Hall H line

If it's your first time at the granddaddy of all Comic Cons, I strongly suggest that you skip the Hall H line.  At least as long as it runs as efficiently, or rather inefficiently, as it currently does.  There is so much to see throughout the convention center, so much to see in the world "Outside the Con" that the thought of spending an entire day waiting in line to hopefully get into Hall H to view a Panel you're interested in (which will be posted online for viewing later that same day anyway) is just a wasteful way to spend your weekend.  In 2014, The CCI introduced a wristband system for organizing the line queue, but it seemed to have mixed results, whatever the reason(s).  Now, I expect that the CCI will continue to tweak and/or enhance the Hall H experience, and it would be certainly worth planning to spend a few hours of your time to a panel of your favorite show/movie/creative talent, but I feel no loss of joy in having avoided the lines this year.
However, if you like camping in parking lots with some number of 150,000 of your new closest friends, then Hall H would be the place to do so.

3. Be ready to start your day as early as possible

The convention center opens at 8 AM, but other attendees anxious to get a jump on the Ballroom 20 Line or lines for limited autograph signings will somehow arrive long before that time.  The Con also closes at 7 PM, so plan your longer, multi-course dining for the evening hours, allowing yourself to spend more time at the event during "business hours."

4.  Try as many local restaurants as possible...

The Gaslamp District is FULL of great restaurants.  There are multiple cafeterias in the convention center, but your money will be better spent and your trip will be more fulfilling if you venture outside for your food needs.  I can say that I enjoyed Lucky's Lunch Counter across from PetCo Park for a couple of meals.  Toscana was close to the convention center and good for an Italian lunch.  TinFish seems to be a favorite of the locals and the Convention regulars and it's just across the street from the convention center, although it was one of the more difficult restaurants to get seated in quickly.  Stop in Rockin' Baja Lobster if you need to rest your legs and eat some Mexican food.  The list would go on much longer.  Just pull up your Trip Advisor or Yelp app and start walking.

5....But also bring snacks and a backpack

Even if you avoid the epic lines of Hall H, you will still encounter lines everywhere.  Just think "theme park" and you'll be mentally prepared.  Beef Jerky, protein bars, chips, fruit, bottled water, etc. are all necessities of surviving the Con.  There are multiple Starbucks inside the convention center, but they also carry long lines, so if you are like me and are used to coffee as fuel, enjoy a cup in your room before you head out, or pick up a cup of coffee before you arrive at the convention center.

6. Be prepared to meet more of the creative minds in the comic book world than you expect

One big oversight on my part was not bringing more of the comic books, books, art, etc. by my favorite artists and writers to ask them to sign.  For example, I purchased a Hellboy graphic novel for Mike Mignola to sign, and another copy of Savage Dragon #1 when I realized Erik Larsen was at the convention as well.  Both of which I had unfortunately left safely at home.  Both were very accessible within the exhibit hall and it was rewarding to meet the creative minds behind the worlds I like to escape to.  I wasn't the only one who failed in this account, as people around us during a George R.R. Martin signing even realized that they hadn't brought their Song of Ice and Fire books.  Thankfully, he was selling nearly every book he had played a part in writing or editing.

7.  Book a hotel as close to the Convention Center as possible

This may require quick decision making as I'm sure they fill up early, but the less need you have for public transportation, the better.  The closer your room is to the heart of the action, the easier it will be to check in and change clothes, if necessary, to drop off some of your purchases, avoid public restrooms...you get the idea.  More importantly, you'll be surrounded by loads of fellow convention-goers and one of the most rewarding parts of the convention is...

8.  Meet as many like-minded people as possible 

...meeting people who like the same stuff you do!  You are going to be surrounded by people who'd rather be driving a Tardis or a Delorean, can identify houses of Westeros by their sigils, and who also know of casting decisions for sci-fi/fantasy/comic book films which are still in pre-production.  Embrace that!  You may even want to make up business cards of a sort with your social media handles on them to keep the conversation going.  You'll also meet many vendors who will want to give you free stuff.  Take whatever is offered, as many of these will be SDCC exclusives.

Thank you George R.R. Martin...waiting in line for the limited signing drawing paid off!

9.  Despite the massive crowds, nearly everyone is just trying to enjoy the moment

I'm from Central Florida and am very accustomed to visiting our various theme parks with throngs of people with varying levels of stress and objectives, and often, a basic lack of manners.  I found that in much of my time in the middle of the "herds of nerds," the other attendees were full of "excuse mes" and niceties and no one was in a huge rush to go nowhere in particular.  You know how your eye is wandering and soaking in all the amazingly cool things around you?  Yeah, that person next to you is doing the same thing.  Slow-moving crowds and lines are simply a recurring theme.

10.  Be prepared to charge your mobile phone

You're going to want to continually check in on Twitter or the Comic Con app to keep up to date with what's going on at the Convention and where you may see some of your favorite stars or talent. This will be advice that you'll see on other "Surviving the Con" themed blogs or articles, but absolutely bring an extra phone battery for your Android device and definitely bring a portable charger for any phone you use.  I had two charged batteries, and a portable charger, and returned to my hotel at night with a "connect your charger" warning on my display.  There are a limited number of electrical outlets available for emergency power-ups if you bring a wall adapter and I also saw a portable power stick vending machine, so while you do have options, I advise that you make it a priority to bring your own power solutions.

11.Thoughts on cosplay and respecting the cosplayers

It was refreshing to see just how much the city of San Diego was a "judgment free" zone and you could let your proverbial "freak flag" fly. There were countless immensely talented cosplayers and at least 9/10 were more than gracious in granting requests for photo ops. For the rest of us civillians, it's important to respect reasonable boundaries of acceptable/unacceptable behavior or ogling the cosplayers so that admiration doesn't quickly digress into perversion. Due to this attention, I saw most of the cosplayers endure/experience an even slower crawl through the event than even the average attendee. However, if you do show up at the Convention Center in costume it seems odd to be surprised at receiving such attention as you may be as close as most will get to their favorite fictional characters.

12. Follow Comic Con veterans and "experts" on Twitter

As I mentioned in #9, Twitter is an important tool in staying connected to the comings and goings of celebrities you're interested in, and key events both inside and outside the convention center.  If you're already on Twitter, then you probably already follow many of the comic book creators, actors, directors, and illustrators/artists whose work you are most enamored with.  Outside of them, I suggest the following accounts which helped me "survive the Con."

@HallHLine   Just what it sounds like, the sights of Hall H Line
@Ballroom20Line   Yup, you guessed it, "the second most demoralizing line at SDCC"
@Comic_Con  official Comic Con account
@The_Con_Fluence contributor to SDCCblog.com and Convention regular
@thenerdmachine   They run "Nerd HQ" at Petco Park.  Admission is Free and a change of pace from the Convention Center
@OutsideComicCon   Keeping you up to date with other events happening outside
@Crazy4ComicCon   Tony B. Kim, a Con veteran and very helpful and informative blogger
@thenerdygirlie     "everyday cosplay" enthusiast and fangirl genuinely interested in sharing her advice and passion for the event
@SDCCsurvival   SDCC Survival guide website
@ComicConGeek  "Anything and everything about Comic-Con"
@SD6ComicCon    Local San Diego News outlet with some coverage of the event


Please add more Comic Con wisdom in the comments section.  It was one of the best vacations of my life and I know that I need to find a way to get back every year!