Stereotypes

So seriously, for just once I’d like to walk into a cleaners and find that it’s not run by Korean people. I just tried a new place out, only to discover that the owner was Korean. She was very pleasant, I’m sure she’ll do a great job, and I have nothing against Korean entrepreneurs, it’s just that it would be nice to see someone of a different ethnicity in that role to help break the stereotype. 😠

My First Broadcast with CiM

So, recently I was asked to join Commentary is Magic as a backup member, or junior woodchuck member, or whatever status they give to people who aren’t one of the founding four. The coolest part about it, aside from the plain and simple honor, is that I get to join in on broadcasts and special events.

This past Sunday, I was part of the crew that reviewed the first batch of spoiled MLP CCG cards from the upcoming Defenders of Equestria set (aka Set 8). It was a lot of fun. I think it went well considering that it was a first outing for me. I’ve done acting, been on stage, and performed improv comedy, so this wasn’t entirely out of my comfort zone. I haven’t listened to the broadcast yet, but apparently there is some talking-over-others issues, something that’s easy to avoid on stage but a lot harder when you are doing a group stream with people’s whose faces you can’t see.

More streams are on the way. As more cards are spoiled, CiM will be discussing thoughts and general reactions.

So ya, come listen to me talk over people and bumble around. I’ll post links to the next broadcasts that I am featured in.

Oh. And here’s the link to the most recent one: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/120085680

My OC design

So, I’ve been drawing again and finally getting. Around to creating the visual for my MLP OC. I’ve had the backstory and general design for a while now, so putting it to paper is both exciting and disappointing at the same time. On the one hoof, I’m finally getting this done, so that’s great. On the other, I now have to face the reality that my OC doesn’t look on paper like he does in my head. Still, I like how he looks so far, and I think things will get even better once I get the colors in. 

Maybe my inspiration for finally creating the visual for this character comes from the finale of Season 6, which I just watched for the first time. Maybe it’s the impending release of Set 8 of the CCG. Or maybe it’s other things. I dunno. Here’s what I have so far. 

I finally saw Rogue One

 And just like I thought, this movie was just a cash grab for Disney. Sure, there were some amazing visuals, and there was great action, but overall there really wasn’t a purpose for the movie. It doesn’t advance or otherwise inform the greater Star Wars saga. There wasn’t a particular message or theme that the movie was trying to say as an independent piece. It doesn’t seem as if the creators had any reason to make this movie other than ‘Disney said make a movie about the team that gets those Death Star plans.’  

Guardians of the Galaxy, for example, was a movie about attachment and the experience of what disruption of those early attachments can mean for future relationships. Starlord is ripped from his parents at an early age, and this theme of how that affects his ability to connect to other people is revisited regularly throughout the movie. He ultimately is able to move past this impairment, ironically, by helping another group to deal with their own problems initiating and maintaining relationships. As Bork g as a film that may sound, we get tons of action and hilarious dialogue to build on that core story she’ll. In Rogue One, we have a protagonist with a similar set up: doesn’t really know her dad, mom dies while she is young. Yet, this whole set up is never explored throughout the movie. No theme is explored throughout the movie that I can tell, other than the straight forward story: “good guys need to get the plans to the Deathstar simply because they’re good guys.” And even the character revelations are weakly plotted; “the guy who designed the Deathstar was really a hero because good guys.” We have no insight into the man’s heroism; we don’t know where is comes from or at what cost it is to him to maintain it. Like his daughter, we just know that he’s a good guy and therefore he does good things. 

That being said, the characters in this movie had a lot of potential, and I would have loved to have seen them explored more. <–SPOILER–>

I actually wish that a few of them would have lived. I personally don’t think it would have taken anything from the film if one or two would have survived to make the events of this film relevant to the greater story. As it is, only the plans survived, and that’s all anyone cared about. Even in the final scene, Vader is gutting rebels left and right, tons of life. Tons of life lost everywhere, yet Leah gets those plans in her hands and she’s all smiles. Fail. Major fail of an ending.

(It was a nice allusion to the title of the next chapter in the story- but the mood was all wrong). 

Lululemon running challenge

I dunno how many comic books fans and Bronies out there run, but there is a Lululemon challenge out there: run either 25 or 50 miles in 2 weeks and you get a prize. I found out about it late, so now I’m going hard core on this thing to meet the deadline: I need to run 50 miles in 6 days, lol. I’m 12 miles in less than 24 hours, and I can’t wait until next two runs (as I have them planned). It’s what I’m thinking about right now instead of getting my work done. I should be working. 😑 

I am getting my real blog back

I barely use this blog anymore, and I think it’s because I know it’s only temporary, and all of the context I post here is going to become irrelevant once my main site is reinstated. 

That being said, it’s time to get my main site back!! I’ve been paying for the domain and webspace since my blog was accidentally deleted, so I think it’s time to get it all back. 

In the meantime, here are some photos from Pacific PonyCon last week. (I drew the Cadence; being around all of those artists inspired me to draw again). 

Depressing me out. 

Know what really depresses me? In this day and age when have yet another election between candidates that no one really wants, financial strain and rising costs of living with no rise I wages, and cultural and racial tensions running high worldwide, it’s the decline of the My Little Pony Collectible Card Game that is really bumming me out. I love this game. It brings me so much happiness. I love competing in competitions, I love building decks, and I love all of the associated art and fandom. But Bronies be tripping on the message boards, predicting the end of the game. Yes, it is going to happen eventually, but the way they talk about it makes me feel like it’s going to happen tomorrow. DON’T LET IT HAPPEN PEOPLE. Buy a starter deck and learn how to play.