Tuesday, August 18, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

This blog has moved to http://blog.alexandriawagner.com. No big secret or anything regarding the change. I’ve gone back to my maiden name (you divorced ladies can understand why) and I decided to move everything to new location.

See you there!

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Saturday, August 8, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

Imagine if you will that you have a blog and that you have every intention to write in said blog an overview of the Comic-Con convention in a timely fashion. Then imagine that, as John Lennon once said, life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. I’ve been playing catch-up it seems and just didn’t have a chance to do what I said I was going to do. Please forgive me and keep the wet noodle whipping to a minimum. To satisfy your Comic-Con cravings here are links to videos so you can experience some of the panels yourself:

•  “Psych”
• “Burn Notice”
• “Dexter”
• “True Blood” (split into parts - this link is for part 1)

The wacky weather here in Nevada is making my sinuses freak out. Can you believe that it’s only 90 degrees right now? It’s late afternoon in August for Pete’s sake! What is this world coming to? First the weather the last few days has been spring-like at best, then Twitter and Facebook take a nose dive because of a Denial of Service attack on Thursday.

Oh, the humanity! I was very put out, by the way. I have developed a severe addiction to Twitter–I’m sure that I’m not alone. Hacker, you are very cruel indeed…at least leave me an alternative to Twitter such as Facebook if you’re going to take down the site. Twitter kind of freaked me out at first because it seems a bit like sanctioned cyberstalking. However, you get strangely dependent on these 140-character glimpses into the lives of celebrities and non-celebrities alike. Besides, it can be useful; I learn a lot from Twitter. For instance, I discovered they started construction on the Mafia museum here in Vegas on August 4, Apple alumni Guy Kawasaki always posts informative links from his website Alltop.com and I keep up with the creative geniuses of “Heroes”, “Castle”, “Psych”, and “Supernatural”.

Speaking of “Supernatural”, last but not least of my what’s-this-world-coming-to diatribe is the little kernel of knowledge iGoogle just dropped on me: Paris Hilton will be guest starring in episode 5 of season 5. I know she was in House of Wax with Jared Padelecki but, dude, come on!  Do you have to ruin my favorite show with the Viscountess of Vapidness? Apparently, she’ll be playing a demon that takes on the form of Paris Hilton. Disturbing as that may seem, it could actually be funny. Dean would have soooo much material to work with.

Jumping back a bit…the season 4 premiere of “Psych” last night was great. Cary Elwes guest starred as a international art thief that Shawn and Gus run into on a ski trip to Whistler near Vancouver. At least the production didn’t have pretend they weren’t in British Columbia, a move that is both genious and cost-effective. I applaud you, USA Networks! Nothing like hearing Lassiter whine because he couldn’t bring his gun to the great white north. If you missed the premiere you can check it out online at USA’s web site.

Till next time!

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Monday, July 27, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

Dude, I’m really tired. Comic-Con takes a lot out of you. I got back to Vegas about 2 p.m. today, picked up the dog from the baby-sitter (my sister) and came home. I sat and watched “True Blood” from last night and then hopped on the computer and edited and posted the Sunday photos to the Comic-Con page. You’re welcome!

I’m trying to load the video I took of the “Supernatural” panel but iPhoto is not cooperating. I may have to use a card reader for some reason. So those videos will be posted later this week.

In the meantime I offer two videos I posted to YouTube! from the 30 Years of Battlestar Galactica panel divided into two parts. A fan asks the panel why they decided to have the colonists land on New Caprica. One of the panelists discusses the genesis of the idea came from a previous incarnation of a Battlestar remake. It can get confusing so I thought I’d mention that.

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Sunday, July 26, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

So it is with everything including 4 day nerd fests like Comic-Con San Diego. The show closed today at 5 p.m. shortly after the last event, a screening of “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” musical episode “Once More With Feeling”. This was the second year the event was held for charity and sponsored by my good friends at Whedonopolis and TheWB.com.

I had a great time at this years convention and plan on attending next year.  As Bruce Campbell would say, but I digress.

I posted the photos from Saturday to the Comic-Con page. The captions for the photos have tidbits from the panels so they’re worth checking out for information. Sunday’s photos will follow tomorrow night after I make the trek back to Las Vegas. I also intend to do a wrap up of the event sometime next week so be on the lookout for that.

I can honestly say that I’m exhausted and looking forward to some sleep tonight!

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Saturday, July 25, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

I just posted a bunch of photos from the Thursday and Friday panels at Comic-Con 2009 complete with captions and info from the panels! Check out the page at http://blog.alexandriaharper.com/san-diego-comic-con-2009/.

I’ll post the photos from Friday (and possibly Saturday) by tomorrow.  Tomorrow is the last day of the show and I have to say that while I enjoyed the panels thoroughly, I’ll be glad when it’s over. All good things must come to an end. It will be nice to get a full nights sleep, eat a real meal and have cell phone reception again.

Speaking of sleep…that’s where I’m heading off to. I have the CW’s Smallville and Supernatural panels first thing tomorrow morning. Tom Welling is going to be there for Smallville and they said at the Warner Brothers booth that it’s his first time at the convention. I wonder if he knows what he’s getting into?

Talk to you soon!

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Saturday, July 25, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

Happy weekend to you all. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had time to blog. There just aren’t enough hours in the day, or enough towers for AT&T in San Diego, to let me stay connected with my friends in cyber space. I tried to call my sister 7 times yesterday and the call dropped every time. I also couldn’t get a decent wireless signal, which is typical for a convention of this size. So, no Facebook, Twitter or blogging at the show until tomorrow when the crown thins out a bit.

I have just a few minutes before I have to hop on the Trolley for another funfilled day in Ballroom 20 which is my new home apparently.

Comic-Con is like a microcosm of the world. Everyone forages for food, competes for resources and is so busy trying to fulfil their agenda they just barrel their way through everyone and everything to get what they want. I have the bruises to prove it!

So I’ve taken some pictures but I can’t post them all right now there’s just no time. I’ve added a page to my blog called “San Diego Comic-Con 2009” where I’ll put all the photos with captions. I should have more time tomorrow. There’s also no time this morning to write a post about all the panels I’ve been to. I want to do justice to all the information and sneak peeks I’ve been privvy to so stay tuned for that.

Type to you soon!

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Thursday, July 23, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

Good morning, visitors of the interwebs!

I’m proud to say I survived the first day of Comic-Con. It was touch and go for a while, let me tell you. First, the humidity was really messing with me when I got here. I don’t think I’ve ever been so dehydrated in my life. Like it says on my militant Camelbak water bottle, “Hydrate or Die!”

I was greeted by two of my colleagues just after I got in line to get my badge. Having an entourage waiting for you is a very nice thing. Thank you ladies! They got me to my destination, which turned out to be the wrong one. Note to self: must consult itinerary more often when you’re having dehydration issues. It messed with my normally awesome memory. Anyway, that mix up was just he beginning but I did learn that the people camped out at Hall H had been there since 6 a.m. Tuesday morning…for Twilight. Yes that’s right they were waiting for the The Twilight Saga: New Moon panel that’s today at 1:45 pm. Not Star Wars, but Twilight. I like the Twilight series as much as the next girl but I’m not going to camp out in the sun for two days hoping to see Robert Pattinson who most likely can’t attend because of a scheduling conflict. It’s on this side of ridiculous.

Anyway, once I did figure out where I was supposed to be, I couldn’t get back into the building. Learn from my mistake. Do not leave the building once you get your badge unless it’s absolutely necessary! I was bounced back and forth between doors so many times I wanted to strangle someone. I finally snuck in at D Hall, managed to find my way to Ballroom 20 where I met two fellow attendees, a father and son from Ohio. The family that cons together, stays together! I confirmed it was the line for Ballroom 20 with one of the red shirts (not Star Trek red shirts but security, and they are just as clueless and expendable I found out). Well, we ended up getting shuttled down to the show floor at 6 p.m. like cattle with no hope of escaping the corral. Finally, resolved as we were to see the pilots, the three of us trekked back up to Ballroom 20 and managed to get seats. The place was nearly empty, I assume it was because everyone else was sent to the show floor like we were–but we were faster and more wily!

Whew! So I got to see all three previews after all. I was exhausted but it was worth it. Well, it was for two of them anyway.

I didn’t really know what to expect with “Human Target” but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. There was good action, some great one-liners and a terrific guest star in the form of Battlestar Galactica’s Tricia Helfer. Mark Valley was likable as the death defying security consultant with a sense of humor. It was great to see Chi McBride from Pushing Daisies–he’s always great–and to top it off Jackie Earle Haley from Watchmen was awesome. His character was a sort of information gathering genius that was off his meds and a little scary, but that charming, dry humor kind of scary you can respect. Danny Glover had a nice cameo too. The show will be a mid-season replacement so I’ll let you know when it will air.

“V” was great too. They completely reimagined the characters which I think was a good idea. I have a special place in my heart for the characters from the original, which got in the way of my getting on the Battlestar Galactica bandwagon for awhile. The characters were compelling and I thought every actor did a great job. Kudos to Morena Baccarin, Joel Gretsch and Elizabeth Mitchell, and Alan Tudyk for outstanding performances. The pilot left me wanting more, which means it did the job it was meant to do. On top of that, with modern special effects, the show has lost the cheesy feel of the 80s version. You should definitely check it out. I’ll let you know when ABC will start airing the show.

Last and definitely least was ”The Vampire Diaries” which will premiere on the CW this fall. The show started out strong but it went downhill after the opening sequence. I was actually bored. There were vampires and I was bored–make note of that! The only good thing was Ian Somerhalder and he didn’t appear until the last Act. I’ll watch the second episode when it airs for Ian’s sake but I’m not sold on the show. Sorry Warner Bros., but this probably won’t bring in the 18-40 demographic.

I do want to thank Warner Bros. for giving us the opportunity to see their new shows at the convention. It’s nice to get a head start so I can steer my fellow genre watchers in the right direction.

No photos yet except one that I took on my iPhone of a poster to promote True Blood:

Talk to you soon!

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Sunday, July 19, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

This is the first week of the year where I’ve said, “Man, it’s hot!” We were blessed with mild weather in June and now summer has officially arrived. It looks like we’re moving into a monsoon type cycle like the Phoenix area. I was discussing that with my neighbor last night because it rained yesterday. Not just a little itty bitty baby storm like we’re used to here. It freakin’ poured! Then we had lightening storms all night long. I felt like I was back in Phoenix! I wonder if blinding dust storms are just around the corner…

I’ve long blamed the humid, suffocating monsoon season in Phoenix on the artificial lakes. It used to be a dry heat, then they started building all these planned communities with water features and man-made lakes. Pretty soon July and August began to feel more like Atlanta than Phoenix and my make-up used to literally melt off my face in the afternoons. Men didn’t have that issue so much I’m sure, but we ladies did.

Now the same thing is happening in Las Vegas. We’re used to 2-5 percent humidity on average and today, for example, the humidity is 15 percent. That may not seem like much but when you’re used to 3 percent and it’s 115 degrees on top of it all…it’s a might bit uncomfortable.

That’s why I’m looking forward next week to those 80 degree days they’re having in San Diego for Comic-Con. My friend Rani and I have hashed out our panel schedule and I have all of my paperwork in order. Just have to swing by Trader Joe’s to get some more provisions, make a list of things to bring and start packing! If you’re going to the convention, you should check out Matt Goldberg’s 5 Tips for Surviving Comic-Con. Stay tuned for photos and other information for the Comic-Con convention starting next Thursday!

One other purchase I made to prepare for the con, and because they had me at “digital compass” is the new iPhone 3GS. Not that I need a digital compass, but it has a severally high coolness factor and who knows? I may need it sometime while hiking; I’m just sayin’.

I was hesitant to make the switch from my BlackBerry because I liked the convenience of using my fingernails to type. I was worried I would have too severe of a learning curve with the digital keyboard on the iPhone. My fears are allayed because I’ve only had it a few days but I’m getting proficient already.

Actually, like other Apple products I don’t know how I lived without it–I am a Mac Jedi you know =]. I can get all emails for all of my accounts on there if I so choose. I can use Facebook and Twitter using the free apps from the Apple Store. It’s an iPod too, so my little Nano will be used strictly at home to listen to music. Because the iPhone screen isn’t the size of a postage stamp, it’s actually convenient to watch shows and movies on. I can even connect to the university web site and answer discussion questions or read course material. In short, I’m glad I took the plunge and joined the iPhone revolution.

Speaking of Facebook and Twitter you can connect to me on either site to follow me at the convention. Find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/macjedi and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mac_jedi. If you don’t know what either of those things are let me know and I will write a novice guide to social networking. =]

By the way, I saw Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince last night. It was marginallly better than the last but for some reason David Yates has made Harry Potter a yawn inducing experience. There were a few good scenes and some funny parts but on the whole not as much action as the book. I used to go to see Harry Potter on opening day. I even used to take off work early to see it. Now it’s like any other film that I’d like to see but not overly excited about which is sad, really. I’ll watch the next two but I’m not going to rush to theater to see them or buy the DVDs on release day. I can wait.

On another note, the theater was packed with people so clearly the Harry Potter name is still drawing audience. Quite a few very young kids were in the theater in spite of the PG-13 rating and moments that would be scary  for younger children. More than once I heard a screaming kid and kid-size footsteps running up and down the stairs. Seriously, what are people thinking bringing a 4 year old to a movie like this?

I’m stepping off my soap box and bidding you all adieu for the day.

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Saturday, July 11, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

Howdy, everyone! Lately, I’ve been getting over the creeping crud and doing homework like a good little girl. I need to get better because less than two weeks from now sleep will be hard to come by.

I’m preparing to attend my first ever San Diego Comic-Con at the beautiful San Diego Convention Center. So far, my penchant for organization is working in my favor:

Convention Pass: purchased in December, so, check!

Hotel: booked in March and double-checked last week, check!

Trolley Passes: purchased and are on their way to me via snail mail, check!

Panel Schedule: mmm, not so much.

That’s where I hit a snag. I’ve been pouring over the program posted on the web site trying to figure out what I really want to see. There are so many panels that overlap it’s hard to choose. Sunday’s program hasn’t been posted yet and I assume that day’s panel selections will make it really difficult to choose.

I’m really glad I had the forethought of purchasing a 4-day pass. Wednesday night’s preview includes screenings of three new TV shows debuting in the fall: “Human Target” (USA) - based on a DC Comic starring Jackie Earle Haley, Tricia Helfer and Danny Glover; “V“- a re-imagining of one of my favorite 80s sci-fi shows bursting with genre stars such as Morena Baccarin, Joel Gretsch and Elizabeth Mitchell; and “The Vampire Diaries” (CW) - the new lead-in to Supernatural starring Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley. Click here for descriptions from the Comic-Con web site if you’re interested.

I’ll be blogging, FaceBooking and tweeting the Con so if you can’t be there I’ll keep you in the loop. Like I said, I’m not really sure when I’m going sleep, or eat for that matter, what with all the activities, web updates and homework I’ll still need to do. The eating can probably be solved by trip to Trader Joe’s for handy provisions before I leave, and the sleeping…well, as they say, I can sleep when it’s over!

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Saturday, July 4, 2009 by Alexandria Harper.

Today is the day we gather together to celebrate our country’s independence and remember the sacrifices our forefathers made to allow our great country to be possible.

I’ve been sick lately *sniff*, which is no fun at all. To pass the time spent sucking on Ricolas and waiting vigil with a box of Kleenex, I’ve been watching season’s 1-3 of Eureka on DVD in preparation for season 4 premiering July 10 on Sci-Fi. Rather, I guess it’s Sy-Fy now. The reasoning for the name change is mind boggling, but whatever. I’m not in the mood to contemplate the return on investment they expect to receive rebranding in the middle of a recession.  Not my problem to solve. Don’t forget that Sy-Fy has a new show starting Tuesday, July 7 called Warehouse 13. Set your DVRs.

The new season of HBO’s True Blood is underway and I’ve got to say it’s awesome. They’ve gone off the book quite a bit but I don’t even mind that much.  Incidentally, season 1 is selling like hotcakes and well worth the ticket price. If you have HBO, you can watch season 1 and any season 2 episodes you missed on demand. Tomorrow night HBO is replaying the first 3 episodes of season 2 back-to-back starting at 8 p.m. Check it out!

Have fun with your BBQs and fireworks but above all be safe.

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