Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest

I have belonged to one of the many Toastmasters in San Diego since July 2010. I joined with a friend because she and I were going to take a speech class the following semester. Neither of us were comfortable doing public speaking but both of us waned to keep our grades up (she was transferring to SDSU and I wanted to know I could if I chose to).

What started as going as class prep has turned into something I do every Thursday night. At the beginning of August, one of the members encouraged me to compete in the humorous speech contest and, at first, I refused. Then I though of something I could talk about – action figure collecting.

I competed within my club and won that night. Six weeks later, on Oct 2^nd, I was competing with the winners in my area and won that competition also.

Now, on the 22^nd of this month, with my family and some of the club members in attendance, I compete in the Eastern Division. I’m only a few more competitions away from the International competition. I probably won’t make it that far but I’m still happy with what I’ve done and the super-small trophy that came with it.

Once I’m eliminated from the competition, I’ll post my speech on the blog.

 

My super-small trophy. It's awesome.

Sean Maher Comes Out

I didn’t see it coming which is okay since I have poorly developed ‘gay-dar’ (does anyone else use that anymore?). He says in an interview in Entertainment Weekly online that even his Firefly/Serenity cast-mates didn’t know.

His coming out may have consequences for him personally (all positive hopefully), for me it doesn’t change anything. I’m still a huge Firefly/Serenity fan. I’ve still enjoyed meeting him and getting his autograph a few times.

But I’m glad he came out. As most of us geeks know, it’s hard to act like something you’re not (like acting like you aren’t into comics for example) just because you’re worried about other people’s reaction to it. Of course Sean Maher had his career at stake so I completely understand not coming out before but I think that he’ll continue booking jobs and the fans will keep showing up wherever he goes.

Taped-Up Peace Sign: Adventures in Volleyball

This post is going to be a little different from most of my posts because I’m not going to talk about nerd culture (*gasp*).

I’m taking ‘Introduction to Vollyball at a community college near my apartment (I need it for a GE credit). There’s a girl in my class named Rania. Rania is a tiny girl probably still in her teens. In the first classes we had together, when the ball came near her she was timid and got out of the ball’s way. In the next few weeks she would go after the ball grudgingly, sometimes with success.

But last Tuesday, Rania showed up for class with the fingers you use to give the ‘peace sign’ taped up – just the two fingers on each hand. Rania was a different player – she went after the ball each time it came near her and had a lot of success controlling the ball.

We all noticed. We had to because every time she contributed to getting a point for the team or getting it over the net she would flash the peace sign at us with both hands. It was hilarious. By taping up 4 fingers she had transformed herself into a confident and enthusiastic player.

That made me think of the expression, “You have to fake it until you make it.” All that means is that if you act like a CEO, you will shape your life to gain the confidence and the skills to become one. It also reminds me that the reason you wear a suit to an interview is because how you dress impacts how other people view you but, more importantly, it also impacts how you feel about yourself.

I don’t know what my version of taping fingers up is in life but I know that Rania’s attitude had me going after everything that came near me too.

Thanks for giving me something to think about Rania (not that you’ll ever read this).

My Week With Buffy OR How I Played Hooky From Work To Watch “All My Children”

Wednesday, (Sept 21) I took the day off of work to watch Sarah Michelle Gellar’s return to “All My Children” – a series I’ve never seen before and a series I’m not likely to ever watch again. Why? I don’t know. I guess I thought seeing her on the show that she was once a regular on would be a big deal. She was only in the first 7 minutes of the show for about 2 minutes of screen time – BUT IT WAS COOL. She plays a crazy patient who claims she’s Erica Kane’s daughter (the role she originally played in the 90’s) and that she can see vampires (she left the show to be on Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and there’s a bit of funny dialogue about vampires being trendy.

And watching “All My Children” was only the 1^st of 4 times I spent with Sarah Michelle Gellar this week. I watched the first and second episodes of SMG’s new series, “Ringer” and here is a quick review of the series so far:

RINGER REVIEW

Sarah Michelle Gellar is back as Bridget, an ex-stripper who is a recovering addict and the only witness in a high-profile murder trial.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is back as Siobhan, a spoiled socialite with a troubled marriage who is having an affair with her best friend’s husband.

Confused? Don’t worry about it – Bridget and Siobhan are twin sisters. When Siobhan is presumed dead, Bridget takes her place to get out of testifying because she thinks it will make her life safer. Unfortunately someone is after Siobhan so Bridget has to survive assassins and fit into Siobhan’s life at the same time.

While the first episode was jam-packed with things, the second episode really capitalized on it. If you’ve seen it (and if you haven’t SPOILER ALERT) you know what I’m talking about. Bridget tries to bail Siobhan’s life by emptying out her ‘emergency’ account and skipping town but the pesky dead body in a loft she’s having converted is threatening to be discovered so she has to cancel her plans and keep the body hidden just a little longer.

Good: Sarah Michelle Gellar is back. The writers don’t waste much time trying to convince us Siobhan is really dead – she pops up at the end of each episode where she is talking to someone on a phone and trying to coordinate something. Bridget is an engaging character lost in someone else’s life and in over her head – Sarah Michelle Gellar’s return was worth the wait. The series is thrilling – every 15 minutes I’m thinking, “How is she going to get out of this?” In one of the last scenes of the second episode she’s helping Siobhan’s step-daughter ride out a hangover, holding her tight as she cries and decides that she’s not leaving – that she’s finally in a place where people need her.

Bad: I suspect that it will get canceled without an ending – most of the shows I enjoyed last season were. And when the main villain turns up looking to beat up or kidnap Bridget’s sponsor and gives up because someone runs up to talk to him, he looks about as threatening as a muppet (the writers are really going to have to do something to make us think this dude is a threat).

Watch it/Skip it: I’m going to watch it…obsessively. It’s a good show and I’m in for the long haul.

And I read the 1^st issue of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 and here is a quicker review:

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 9 #1

Buffy and the gang are back. Abandoning the Slayer Army she built, Buffy and the Scoobies have set up in San Francisco. But instead of actively looking for danger, the gang are all leading normal lives. Buffy is a waitress at a deli and has two normal roommates.

Good: Joss Whedon is back and he’s brought all the good dialogue with him. It’s great to see the gang interacting with normal people for a change and it’s great to see the gang in general.

Bad: Let’s see…the story jumps around and isn’t clear at times (what did Buffy and Xander do in her room and when was she walking around with Riley (during the party or after?)).

Read it/Skip it: Not a great start for Season 9. I read a few pages of a preview that had a few slayers come after Buffy and she gives them a beat down – that would have been a great way to start season 9. Oh, and I left a fingerprint on the spine of the book – come on Dark Horse, spring for good ink. But I know the next issue will add to this one and all will be made clear – I’m just impatient. If the book came out every week it wouldn’t be fast enough for me.

So my week with Sarah Michelle Gellar was great and I’m looking forward to the rest of season 9 and a (hopefully) full season of Ringer on TV. Welcome back to television SMG!

Thundercats action figures

I was at Toys ‘R Us looking for “Marvel Universe Super Hero Team Action Figure Packs.” Wave 3 just came out and I’ve never laid eyes on any of the figure packs. It’s like Walmart, Target, and Toys ‘R Us stores in San Diego don’t stock it – or they’re ordering so little of it that it’s rare.

Anyway, I’ve been seeing the new Thundercats commercials and I haven’t seen the new cartoon but I was a fan of the original and I want to see the new one. The racks were stocked with the new 4” figures and I saw Cheetara. I looked a little more and saw that there was only one Cheetara and one Wilykit and there were enough figures to assemble all six Thundercats. So I bought the entire team.

It’s not every day I pick up an entire team of figures. I know they’re 4 inch figures but they’re Thundercats – they should be a little bigger than GI Joe figures.

 All six Thundercats

Justice League #1 review - SPOILERS

Justice League #1 by Geoff Johns, Jim Lee, and Scott Williams

SPOILERS AHEAD: This is the first issue of DC’s new launch and it’s awesome. It starts five years ago where it remains because I imagine this first arc is the formation of the team with Cyborg’s origin. I’m just guessing that this means all the heroes have been around for about 5 years when their books start.

The book begins with Batman chasing an extraterrestrial monster while the police chase both of them when Green Lantern shows up. This the first meeting between the two heroes and instead of a misunderstanding which leads to a fight before the heroes team up – the two team up to go after the alien. It’s great seeing Batman and Green Lantern get to know each other; Green Lantern is surprised when Batman tells him he doesn’t have any power and Batman swipes Green Lantern’s ring to get a closer look at it.

Before the pair can catch the alien, it screams something about ‘Darkseid’ and sets off a device that tries to incinerate them but thanks to Green Lantern’s construct, they’re safe while the alien is eliminated. Since the thing was alien, that leads the due to Metropolis to see a dangerous man they’ve never met – Superman. Unfortunately for Batman and Green Lantern, their first meeting IS a misunderstanding that leads to a fight.

Good: Geoff Johns does a great job with the characters. I like the scene where Batman steals GL’s ring and then gets a zinger in. This Batman is a little more likeable and not quite as pissy as the Batman who would scowl and say, “Hmmmm.” And the fact that Green Lantern has to tell Batman that there is a GL Corps means that the world hasn’t met them yet – we could get to see the first time each GL meets each member of the Justice League.  And we’re about to get Cyborg’s origin story – I don’t even know what his origin was so I’m excited to see it.

As always, I love Jim Lee’s art. Not just the new costumes or the way the characters move, but I love Green Lantern’s constructs. This Green Lantern doesn’t hit you with a block or make a bubble shield; he hits you with a fire truck and shields you with large riot police holding shields or puts you inside a safe. It’s awesome.

Bad: Because the story happens in the past, there’s no clues as to where we’ll be when the rest of the titles launch – will the authorities still be hunting the heroes or will the world be celebrating them?

Buy/Skip: Buy it. Buy them all if you can. I don’t know if you’ll ever see a comic book line relaunch again.

Angel & Faith #1 review - SPOILERS

Angel & Faith #1 by Christos Gage and Rebekah Isaacs

SPOILERS AHEAD: I didn’t know how I felt about this title. Angel or Faith should have their own title but I didn’t think they’d be great together. I was wrong…as I usually am when I doubt the wisdom of Whedon.

The book starts with Giles trying to help a woman whose daughter is being inhabited by a demon. He’s not powerful enough to get rid of the demon so he seals it inside the girl, promising that he’ll return one day to finish the job. Then we jump to Angel & Faith finishing what he started and freeing the girl from the demon.

As they kill the demon, Giles’ spell unravels and Angel winds up with the memories of the day Giles and Jenny Calendar fell in love – both of whom he killed by snapping their necks while he was someone else (Twilight and Angelus respectively).

Then we meet Nadira. She’s a friend of Faith’s who is a slayer. Nadira tells her about the day all of her slayer squad was killed by a pair of new big bads while Twilight watched and vows to kill Angel and everyone involved.

When Faith confronts Angel with the information he tells her about LA going to Hell and becoming Twilight because he believed it was the only way to keep the entire planet from going to Hell. That’s when Angel tells Faith what he wants to do: bring Giles back to life.

Good: Angel and Faith have taken up residence at Giles’ home where Angel is reading through his journals for things Giles left undone and getting to know the man better. The flashback of Angel killing Jenny and LA going to Hell was a great way to acknowledge that the writer knows the mythology and for the reader to know that the characters are still affected by these events.

The art is fantastic – unlike the hit or miss art of IDW’s Angel, Dark Horse has always had fantastic art on the majority of their Season 8 issues and now they’ve got Rebekah Isaacs onboard.

Bad: I don’t understand Whistler’s part but I imagine that will be revealed in future issues. Bringing Giles back from the dead isn’t something Angel would do if he knows Buffy was pulled out of Heaven. He knows Buffy was dead and knows she came back to life but I don’t know if he knows the circumstances. I’m not sure if Faith even knows. I guess if Angel and Faith don’t know what Buffy went through, that makes this decision very interesting.

Buy/Skip: This isn’t a gateway book. You can’t pick it up cold, have no experience with the characters, and still get the layers of story. If you’re a fan of Buffy and have gotten some or all of Angel’s IDW series, you’ll love this. It continues Buffy Season 8 and Angel’s IDW series perfectly and captures the characters perfectly. Join me in buying it and anxiously waiting for #2.