Calgary Expo Musings & Memories Part 2

Some Memories Deserve to Stand Alone

As I sat down to write about my experiences this year at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo I quickly realized I had too much to say for one entry.  This is now part 2 of 3, with the last to follow tomorrow.  I apologize now for the length of this entry.  It has been rewritten and reworked many times since Saturday.  It’s funny how living the moment and experiencing the changes that came, were so much easier than trying to share it and explain it.  Happy reading!

You can check out part one here.  

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I have always felt that if you see goodness in the world that it should be recognized, celebrated and shared.  Our world seems to spend a lot of time sharing and talking about the negative and sometimes you just need to see that there is some light in it.  This is the main reason that I wanted to share this memory and experience by itself.  Meeting Raphael Sbarge at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo this past weekend brought some light into my world. 

I love and look forward to Calgary Expo every year.  Most of the people I work with know that come April they shouldn’t even ask me about it because it will get me babbling away like a goof.  I always know that it is going to be a fun weekend, where I get to meet my some of my long time crushes, actors & actresses I admire, and just get to be surrounded by a lot of really cool people and things.  It is a place where everyone is accepted no matter what.  It is one of the few times I can be in a large group of people and not feel judged.  This year started off a bit different for me though.  For the first time ever I found myself noticing people staring at me and even sadly heard a few whispered comments that I wish I hadn’t.  It put me in a weird head space for Thursday and Friday and once I was in that head space it was hard to ignore the looks that all seemed to be directed at me.  I have no doubt this mood and sensitivity would have continued for the weekend but then I got to witness something that changed my whole mind set and opened me up to what became one of the best weekends I have experienced.

On Friday at my last photo op of the day I got in line.  I was looking forward to the picture but not super excited.  I mean it was following after my Boy Meets World photo which I had been looking forward to for months and it was also the end of the day so I was a little tired.  I was happy to be there but not my usual super-excited-crazy-expo-Jill happy.  Don’t get me wrong, Once Upon a Time is one of my favourite shows and Raphael plays one of my favourite characters on the show (not to mention he has guest starred in a lot of my other favourite shows) but if I’m being completely truthful, had another guest not cancelled I probably wouldn’t have even done the photo op.  It’s funny how things work out though because now I wouldn’t trade the photo and moments that went with it for the world.

I planned to go in smile, pick up my photo and then head home.  What happened though was completely unexpected to me in the very best way.  In front of me was a lady who was in an electric scooter.  She was struggling to try and get up so she could stand for her photo.  I watched as Raphael walked over to her and offered to help.  He then walked with her to the mark for the photo, talking to her the whole time.  I could feel the compassion and warmth in that photo booth.  In a place that is usually so hurried and rushed it was refreshing to see the pace slow down so one fan could have an amazing experience.  After the photo was taken he walked her back and then joined me.  He thanked me for my patience before asking my name.  The photo was taken and I left deeply moved by what I had just seen.  As crazy as this is going to sound I actually felt lighter and happier just by being there to witness that moment.  I can only imagine what it would have felt like for that lady.

To put this into perspective I should explain a little bit about myself because it will totally make more sense why this moved me so deeply.  When I was two years old my mom had a stroke.  This was many years ago and they didn’t have near the knowledge or drugs to help reverse the damage a stroke can cause so my mom was left with mobility issues.  The stroke damage caused my mom's left side to no longer really function.  She has always had to walk with a cane and or use a scooter to get around and she has never in my memory been able to use her left hand.  I don’t know her any other way, although one of my favourite childhood photos is of me as a baby and my mom’s legs.  She was skating and pulling me in a sled around Bowness Park.  Another favourite is of her crouched down and watching me trying to walk.  I don't remember her this way but the photos always make me wonder what if.

Growing up with a mom who is disabled wasn’t always easy.  I often wondered what it would be like if I had a “normal” family but the reality is for all the struggles I wouldn’t change a thing because it sure taught me a lot.  I watched how she was treated, both good and bad, and learned a lot about the world from her experiences.  I learned a lot about how I want to treat people from it as well.  It’s not always easy and as an adult I often have to remind myself to have patience with her, especially when we travel, but I continue to strive to be kind to her.  A huge part of the reason I am the way I am is because of her and I love her for it.  I’m proud of my mom and her strength.  My empathy, compassion and desire to make a difference all come from watching her.

The kindness and compassion Raphael showed to that woman in front of me really struck a chord because of my mom.  I knew that I wanted to be able to say thank you for it.  I was filled with gratitude for him because it’s people like him that have always shown kindness to my mom as well.  I went home Friday night and thought a lot about that moment.  I went back and forth trying to decide if I was actually going to say anything when I went to get my autograph.  The true memory and moment belong to the woman in front of me and should be hers to share but I still felt changed by experiencing it so it left me feeling a little conflicted.  I thought about it and wrote about it that night and when I headed back to the Expo Saturday morning I still didn’t know if I was going to say anything, right up until Raphael smiled at me and asked how the photo turned out.  Well suddenly all the emotion of the night before (and probably also a little amplified due to lack of sleep) came flooding back and I knew sharing my gratitude was the right thing to do.

So I shared my thank you and gratitude for the moment.  I told him a little about my story although probably not very elegantly.  He patiently listened and responded back.  I don’t know that I made a whole lot of sense but he showed me a lot of kindness just by listening.  The whole time he had the warmest smile on his face.  He reached out and touched my hand once or twice which let me feel connected and at ease.  It let me be open, honest and pour my heart out a little.  It was such a sweet moment in which I felt vulnerable and unguarded.  He was charming and friendly.  He made me laugh when he said he had to stop for a second because it was tricky to write and talk.  I had his full attention for a few minutes and I felt like the only person in the world.  It probably helped that there was no one in line so I didn’t feel like I need to rush off.

I had planned to just say my thank you and go but he kept me talking.  I think in a way that was almost the best part.  I got to share my thank you but still got to have a really interesting separate conversation with him so I could have a moment that was all mine.  He asked me about Once Upon a Time and I told him how I loved it because it appealed to the writer in me because it was such a cool concept.  The moment that touched me the most in this part of the conversation though was when he asked me what I wrote.  You wouldn’t think this would be a big deal but it really made me feel important and special.  I’m there to meet him and yet he was taking a little bit of time to ask about me.  Again like in the photo op I could just feel his kindness and spirit (that sounds so fluffy but it’s the only way I can think to explain it). 

After signing my photo and taking a selfie with me he then gave me a hug.  Now I have often gotten hugs at Expo (never because I ask…I’m too shy for that…but because if they offered who is going to say no) and the thing with them is there never feel overly personal or special.  With Raphael this was not the case.  The hug he gave was a good and proper hug.  I have no doubt he could feel me shaking so he might have been terrified I was going to faint or something but it was amazing none the less.  Heheh!  If there was any doubt in my mind what type of guy he was, it was gone after that.  I thanked him again and said it was great to meet him.  I then quickly walked away because I could feel the tears starting.  No one at a convention no matter how excited or how cool the interaction, has ever left me feeling so emotional in such a good way or any way for that matter.  He is also the first to ever make me cry at the Expo (although John Barrowman came close last year for similar reasons).  I walked away feeling like a better person for having been around him.  I suspect from the stories I have been hearing he is always like this and I’m not all that special but it made a huge impression on me.

The reality of my life is that I often don’t get to see the best in people.  I have spent years being treated differently or judged because of how I look.  It has left me guarded in a lot of ways, which I have been working hard to change.  So to come across someone who doesn’t know me but was still so open and genuine with me made my day and weekend.  I felt accepted and valued in that moment.  It was a fantastic feeling.

It doesn’t take much to be nice to people but I believe to truly show kindness the way Raphael did, does take a special person.  I don’t think it is something you can fake.  It made me want to do something to show my gratitude and appreciation back which is why I asked Elisa to draw me the little Jiminy Cricket sketch that I shared yesterday.  I also made a little thank you card and wrote a letter so I could explain in better words what the experience of meeting him meant to me.  Selfishly I knew doing this would also mean that I could go back and talk to him again for a few minutes but mostly I just wanted him to know he made a difference in my world. 

First thing Sunday morning I stopped by his booth again to drop it all off.  I wish I had prepared a bit better what I wanted to say because as incoherent as I was on Saturday it was worse on Sunday.  There were others in line and I had already had my time with him so I sort of rushed through not wanting to take away from the other fans time.  I’m not going to lie I was also terrified I would start to cry in front of him and I didn’t want that to happen.  As awkward as I felt, he was amazing and friendly again.  I didn’t give him much of a chance to say anything this time (babbling Jill had taken over and she is hard to shut up) but he took it in stride.  Before I left he came around the table again gave me another good real hug.  I felt that hug all day.

I have been sharing this story with most of my friends and every time I struggle to try and put it into words what happened and its impact.  Every time I share it I feel the same swell of my heart.  The joy and happiness that was brought in to my world by meeting one person is beyond anything I could have hoped or imagined.  It was such an amazing experience.  I feel honoured and privileged to have gotten to meet Raphael Sbarge.  He left a huge impression on me.  He flipped my whole mood around in a few moments.  When I think of my 2017 Expo experience the memory of meeting him will be the first that pops into my head, even with all the other cool moments I talked about yesterday.  I can promise that if he was to come back I would be the first in line again.  What a classy and lovely man.  It might sound a little (okay a lot) cliché but I think the world is a better place with someone like him in it.  I also think we could do with a whole lot more people like him.  I for one will remember his patience and kindness the next time I’m getting frustrated by a situation or a person.

I learned and relearned many lessons this weekend (see tomorrow’s blog…hehe) and I have to say that at least a few of them are a direct result of meeting and interacting with Raphael.  So from the bottom of my heart, should you ever read this Raphael, I thank you for coming and for being so genuine and real.  It was a privilege to have met you.  You have made a fan for life…well okay I was already a fan for life but now I can appreciate you on a different level.  I will forever be grateful for those few interactions.  Sending you my love and gratitude.

“A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are things that renew humanity.” - Buddha

Dwarves and Elves and Hobbits Oh My…My Top 5 Memories from the 2014 Calgary Expo

In case you didn’t figure it out from my last post Lessons Learned fromCalgary Expo, this year’s Calgary Expo was amazing.  When I compare my notes to the things I had written in my journal last year or the year before I have to say that this year blew the others out of the water.  The funny thing is my expectations going into this Expo were that it was going to be a much quieter journey.  As with past years I was excited that I was going to get to meet a long time crush (Bill Paxton) and thrilled to be getting to meet an author who greatly inspired the first short fiction stories I ever wrote but other than that as cool as all the guests were I wasn’t fangirling over the list.  That all changed the minute I walked into my first photo op and for the rest of the weekend I was just as excited and thrilled to be there as any other year and by the end of the first full day there Friday I had already decided that this was the best Expo yet. 

All ready for a weekend of crazy!

Over the four days I managed to squeeze in 8 photo ops, 10 autographs, 2 Exposed events and 9 panels (thank god for my VIP ticket).  It was busy and at times overwhelming but each night I fell asleep with a smile on my face.  Of all the things I did and saw I picked the top 5 memories that even a week later are still running through my mind and figured that I would share them.  As I get ready to create my scrapbook these are also the memories that will end up highlighted in the pages of this year’s book and the ones that will keep me in anticipation for what will unfold in 2015.

 

5. Meeting Bill Paxton 

              In the midst of my boy-crazy teen years I remember watching Apollo 13 for the first time (because a boy I liked at the time loved the movie) and deciding that Bill Paxton was kind of cute.  I had seen him in other movies before Apollo 13 but this was the first time I started to develop a crush on him.  The crush was cemented when Twister came out.  I have no clue what it was about that role but I was done.  Well after years and years of having a crush on him since then I knew that I couldn’t pass up the chance to meet him this year.  Unlike past years meeting the guys I had crushes on though I was determined that I would come up with something interesting to ask or talk about when I got his autograph.  I hoped that in planning maybe I could come off calm and collected rather than like a crazy fangirl.  I decided that it was a good idea to play to my strengths and fascinations so I figured it was a great chance to say something or ask something about the Titanic.  Knowing that he has actually gone down to the shipwreck amazes me because it is something I would love to do and after watching his panel I knew it was something he had good memories and associations with.  So first thing Saturday morning I waited patiently in line for my moment to meet him and get his autograph.  My stomach was in knots from excitement/nerves and probably a little because I didn’t really sleep very well Friday night.  When it was my turn I walked up trying to remain cool but Bill threw me for a loop.  Rather than asking for my name he asked what I wanted on my picture and I went silent (I also probably had the deer in the headlight look as I tried to process what he had said).  It was like he had asked the question in another language and at that moment my brain was just not willing to actually figure out what he had asked.  In true Jill fashion I felt my face grow hot from blushing and I started to giggle and panic a little (I really do struggle with trying to remain cool).  He then asked me what my name was and my response was “ummm” followed by a minute of silence (okay it was probably only enough time to breath but as I tried to remember my name it felt like hours of my brain spinning and panic rising).  Finally however I gave him my name and told my brain to shut up and calm down.  After that rocky start I was able to talk to him about the Titanic a little bit.  I left his autograph to him asking me “Are you reading to go back to Titanic” which when I watch the movie always gives me chills but in that moment it almost made me break out laughing again.  It was a great moment and I left all giddy and excited but I certainly know I probably could have done so much better.  I guess the lesson is that next year when I plan on what to say to whichever star is coming I will also have to practice my name.

4. Getting to Listen to the R L Stine  Panel (& meeting him after)

My hero and inspiration - R L Stine

                I wrote a little about R L Stine when I found out he was coming to the Expo in my blog entry EekTime to Find My Inner Cool so I can Impress.  When I first started really trying to write fiction it was R L Stine’s Fear Street books that I used to create my own short fiction.  (Looking back now I’m sure some of the appeal probably came from the fact that I probably wanted to find horrific deaths for various teenagers I encountered.)  As much as I had hoped that I would be able to impress him once again I was struck down with a loss of brain power.  He was a very nice man though and I enjoyed the brief chat I had with him although for the life of me I can’t remember what was said other than me telling him I used to copy his work and that he inspired me to be a writer.  The memory that I will carry with me though came from listening to the spotlight panel on him.  It was really interesting to hear him talk about his writing and to tell us his ghost story.  I have always loved being read to and he has one of those voices that I could listen to for hours.  I have to admit though it was when he was talking about how he writes that I found myself drawn in completely and found the memory I want to keep.  He talked about how he outlines his whole books before he starts writing and how he often has several books on the go at the same time set up on different desks.  Hearing about his process gave me a sort of validation of my own process.  I have been reading some books lately that suggest trying to just go where the writing takes you but having tried and failed that during the month of April I have to say I like my planning way better.  I know when it comes to creative pursuits that everyone has their own process but it is still nice to have my process validated.  It make me feel like maybe there is some hope that I am doing something right and that it might lead me down a path that ends with me getting published.

3. Middle-Earth Exposed
                I have gone to a bunch of these extra events Calgary Expo puts on and I have to say hands down Middle-Earth Exposed was the best.  It was a night to celebrate Richard Taylor the co-founder of Weta.  We got to watch as he transformed one lucky contest winner from a normal person into an orc.  I have to say it was pretty amazing to watch the transformation happen.  You can see the talent and care that goes into creating the creatures we watch on the big screen.   

From Human to Orc Part 1

From Human to Orc Part 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the make-over was going on we were introduced to all the Middle-Earth gang, starting first with the crew from Lord of the Rings.  It was interesting to hear Billy Boyd, Sean Astin, Craig Parker, Sadwyn Brophy and Mark Ferguson talk about their experiences.  Most interesting to me was listening to Sadwyn.  He was only 5 when he was on the set.  He joked about how he was Liv Tyler’s hot water bottle.  I can only imagine how cool it would have been to be in the middle of such a huge film at that age.   

Sadwyn Brophy, Craig Parker, Billy Boyd, Sean Astin, Mark Ferguson

As much as I loved listening to the Lord of the Rings crew talk it was when the Hobbit gang came out that things got a lot of fun.  Watching Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy and Dean O’Gorman banter with each other was so much fun.   

Jed Brophy, Mark Hadlow, Dean O'Gorman

As much fun as all of it was including watching the dwarves sing, and Jed and Sadwyn Brophy sword fighting it was when they started to do some improv that things got really good.  I have never laughed as hard as I did that night as I watched Mark Ferguson and Craig Parker tell a story about Harry Potter and Hermione using Billy Boyd, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy and Dean O’Gorman as the props.  I was laughing so hard a lot of my pictures didn’t even turn out.  The images of Billy flying around with Mark and Craig attached, or of Jed doing one armed push-ups as Harry’s “wand” or of Craig and Mark going to kiss but with protection are just a few of the pictures that will be ingrained in my mind forever.  It was one of those nights you just don’t want to end.  I would be the first in line to sign up again if Calgary Expo decided to do it again.

Is that your wand or are you just happy to see me?

Billy Boyd as an Owl

Kissing with protection

2.  Meeting all the Middle-Earth Gang 


                Not only are all the men from Middle-Earth hilarious, as they proved at their exposed event, but they are all some of the nicest guests I have ever met.  I had only planned on getting Bill’s autograph this year but after watching them all on stage at the exposed event I decided I wanted a chance to actually meet them and say hi.  (Well okay I had decided I wanted to meet one of them before the evening event but I will talk about that in my number 1 moment.)  I talked about this a little bit in my last blog but because I didn’t have crushes on these guys before the Expo (I totally do now though) I was able to go up to them and just be cool and relaxed.  I was able to be normal…well normal for me anyway.    I was able to have decent conversations with each of them.  I talked about how talented and skilled they all were with Mark Ferguson who seemed really pleased with how Exposed had turned out and happy to talk about the work that went into it.  I joked with Craig Parker about being a VIP and not having to wait in line, followed by him calling me beautiful which made me swoon.  When I went to meet Jed and his son Sadwyn (who totally has the coolest name), Jed remembered me from two days earlier and the photo op I had done which made it easy to chat with him.  Probably the surprise for me though was meeting Sadwyn.  I got to chatting with him and actually had to end the conversation myself so I wasn’t holding up the line.  Of all the stars I have met over the last three years at Expo these guys were the greatest.  Each interaction left me feeling wonderful and special and with a huge smile on my face.  I hope I get the chance to meet them all again sometime.  They were charming, genuine and wonderful.  They of course also are good looking and have amazing accents that I love.  hehehe

Billy Boyd and Sean Astin

Dean O'Gorman, Mark Hadlow, Jed Brophy

Craig Parker, Mark Ferguson

1.   Best Moment for me of the 2014 Expo Meeting was Mark Hadlow (which took me by surprise)
                Of all the moments I enjoyed at this year’s Expo it was my interactions with Mark Hadlow that stands out as my favourite.  Mark Hadlow plays the dwarf Dori in the Hobbit movies and he is totally my favourite now.  He is not the youngest or the best looking but he was so nice to me.  The dwarf team up photo was the very first thing I did at the Expo this year.  When I walked into the picture area Mark gave me a huge smile, welcomed me and asked my name.  The photo ops only last for a few seconds but in those few I felt my whole mood shift from happy to be at expo to being truly excited to be there.  That night when I went home I made the decision that I wanted to go and say hi to Mark again so Friday morning after getting Billy Boyd’s autograph I walked up to his nearly empty line.  As I approached he smiled and said “You were at out photo op yesterday weren’t you Jill.”  I’m sure the smile on my face stretched from ear to ear.  It’s pretty cool to be remembered.  I joked that he looked at my name badge which is how he remembered me.  He countered with he only looked at the badge to confirm what he remembered.  It was the start of a fun chat.  When he signed my autograph he asked “is it ok that I signed it saying you are such a doll”.  I said of course that was fine (as if I was going to say no please start over…heheh).  We chatted a little bit more and he told me that he loved how bubbly and smiley I was.  I walked away standing a little taller and feeling special.  It is not something I experience very often (strangers paying me compliments) but it made a huge impression.  I think meeting Mark set my mood for the whole Expo which in part is why this year was so epic.  I’m sure he and all of them are probably nice to everyone they meet but in those few minutes chatting with him I felt like I was the only person in the room.  It is a pretty special feeling to have and not all of the guests I have met have been able to pull it off as well as Mark Hadlow did.

my favourite autograph ever

 

As exhausted as I was come Monday morning I have no regrets for all that I did or any of the things I had to miss.  When I look back on this year’s Expo I feel as though it changed me.  The memories of this year have followed me this week as have the ideas and lessons I wrote about previously.  The experiences I had this year are going to be hard to top but if I have learned one thing from the last two years is that I’m sure Expo will find a way to beat it next year.  I will look forward with anticipation as the following months pass slowly by until Apr 16, 2015.

Lessons Learned from the Calgary Expo

This year was my third time attending the every wonderful and exciting Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo.  I have to say that this year the word I have been using to describe the weekend has been epic.  As I looked through all my notes (yes I actually took notes so I wouldn’t forget anything and this year I was glad for it) I realized that this year I learned a lot of things about myself.  Some of the things I learned were not really new things or even all that relevant but since I captured these little tidbits in my notes it seems only right that I share some of them, not to mention they are easier to write about currently than an entry to sum it all up.   The lessons are in no particular order.

 

There is nowhere in this world more accepting that a comic convention.

I do not generally like being in big crowds of people because for the most part big crowds means I am more likely to hear people making funny of me.  Negative shouts or calls or other forms of insensitivity that some people think are funny seem to follow me in big groups.  Well the thing with a comic convention is that this doesn’t seem to happen.  I will admit each year I go and expect that it will but each year I am amazed all over again when it doesn’t.  The people that file into the convention for probably a lot of different reasons just don’t seem to pay that much attention to things like my size.  True looking around a convention I’m probably not as out of place as I would be at a different event but it still amazes me not to hear the negativity.  It doesn’t matter what size I am or what things I love people are all just friendly accepting and wonderful.  You can strike up a conversation with anyone and I have never ever felt like I was being judged.  It is truly a refreshing feeling for me.  It lets me relax and just enjoy the good things that come my way while I’m exploring and meeting people I admire.

 

Compliments are the way to change the world. 

This seems a bit silly to put in here because it seems like it should be common knowledge and practice.  There is nothing like a compliment to make you feel good.  I had two experiences at the Expo that left me feeling wonderful about myself and both came from compliments given to me while getting autographs.  The first happened when I went up to meet Mark Hadlow (Dori from the Hobbit movies). I went up and was chatting with him and he called me a doll and said he loved how bubbly and smiley I was.  The second happened when I meet get Craig Parker (Haldir from the Lord of the Rings). We chatted a little bit and after I had my picture taken with him, he asked how it was.  I said that it was beautiful and he replied without blinking an eye no I was beautiful.  I’m sure both of these guys say lovely things to fans all the time but I can tell you I walked away standing taller and feeling better about myself as a person because two strangers took a few seconds to say something nice.  Both of the interactions felt very genuine and made me feel special.  What I realized from these two interactions is that if we all spent as much effort on complimenting each other as we do criticising each other our world would probably be a much happier and more peaceful place.

 

If I relax and be myself people do respond positively to me.

I have always had a hard time meeting new people.  I feel shy and insecure about myself when I am meeting strangers.  I have learned that this is multiplied a lot when it comes to meeting the stars of my favourite movies (especially if they are ones I have had crushes on).  This year though for the first time I really learned that if I just calm down, relax and be myself the reactions I get are amazing.  I found this with each and every one of the actors from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings movies that I met this year.  I like the movies but I have never been all gaga over the stars (well at least not the ones who were here this year anyway).  So when I went up to get autographs I was more relaxed and just myself.  In each case I had these amazing interactions and conversations with them.  It felt genuine and wonderful and surprisingly easy.  There were the two interactions I talked about above but those weren’t the only ones I had.  The other interaction that most sticks out that really made me realize that maybe I’m not so bad was my conversation with Sadwyn Brophy (Eldarion in Return of the King).  We had a fun little conversation that I actually cut short because there were more people in line and I didn’t want to keep him.  I didn’t think anything of it until I was talking to another expo goer who said when she went to get autographs he looked bored so she didn’t ask for his or talk to him.  I assumed it was maybe later in the day or something but found out that she was actually in line only a few minutes after me.  By being my normal self I was able to interact with him and get him smiling and laughing with little effort.  Friends have often told me that they love the way I can draw people in and I always shrugged it off because it is not at all how I see myself and maybe now I’m reading too much into it but if all it takes is for me to be myself I guess I will just have to try and remember that for the future, especially if it means I get the interactions I actually want to have with the talented people that I admire.

 

Boys with accents make me melt especially when using words like love, lovely and beautiful when talking to me.

This is certainly not a new lesson.  Accents are one of the many reasons I love to travel.  Let me tell you though as I walked around the expo and sat in on panels I was reminded time and time again just how sexy accents are.  I also think some of it comes from the fact that in North America we don’t seem to use the same words that they use elsewhere in the world (of course if a guy I met from Calgary called me love I don’t think it would come off as good anyway).  Even though in a lot of cases it is just a generic term I still get all giddy when I hear it.  The main example of this was with Tom Felton.  During his panel he called all the girls either Love or Lovely when he thanked them for their questions.  It is obvious it is just something he says but when he said thank you love to me after his photo op I melted.  It is silly because although I think he is great in the Harry Potter movies I never had a crush on him really or anything (I was too busy think bad thoughts about Snape) but at that moment I was smitten and it was entirely the accent.

 

Saying thank you with a big smile will always get you a smile back. 

This is another one of those lessons that I already knew but not something I always remember.  This year I made it my goal to make sure no matter what the volunteers said to me I would smile and thank them.  I wear my emotions on my face and if I’m disappointed about something I struggle to not show it.  Last year at least a couple times I found myself frustrated with the volunteers.  I am not the type of person to express that frustration to their face but I know that it was written across my face which the volunteers don’t need to see. They do their best even if they don’t always have the answers I want.  This year I was determined though that no matter what I would smile and say thank you.  It worked wonderfully.  Even the few times the volunteers didn’t know and just suggested I walk further and ask someone else I smiled and thanked them.  Each and every time they smiled back and if they didn’t have answers they always said sorry.  I hope that they never felt any frustration from me and only felt the gratitude I have for them.  The thing I wasn’t expecting though was how good it made me feel.  Positivity begets more positivity.  When someone smiles back at you it is contagious and it makes me feel good and smile a little more.  The funny thing is after one incident with one of the volunteers I turned away from her and continued smiling as one of the golf carts carrying one of the stars (I’m not sure who he was but I know I had seen him in one of the autograph booths) and I caught his eye and suddenly then he smiled back.

 

Sometimes you just have to say F it and do it anyway.

This has been a philosophy I have adopted in the last little while.  It has led me to taking more chances and to pushing me to expand my world.  This philosophy is probably not always the best one to adopt (especially at Expo when money is involved) but I have to say that it has done me good. This philosophy was what I applied when it came to meeting all the Middle-earth gang.  I had no intention of getting any of their autographs except for Billy Boyd and Sean Astin but after Mark Hadlow was so nice to me in my photo op I decided I wanted to meet him and it went from there.  Sure it cost me a small fortune for a chance to talk with each of them but they are some of the memories that I will carry with me from now on.  The responsible side of me knows I could have spent that money on something else but the joy I got from each of those meetings is more than worth it.  I won’t ever regret spending the money I did over the weekend.

 

Having a plan is a good thing but being open to new things can be eye opening.

This one goes with the lesson from above I think.  I am a list maker and each Expo I have a plan with exactly what I want to do.  I learned my very first year that this approach may not be the best one to have the best Expo.  Not accomplishing my list often leaves me feeling sad and disappointed and in a world of line ups and delays it’s pretty likely that things aren’t going to go as planned.  This year I still made a list but I prioritized it better as well as leaving space for me to have other adventures.  As I mentioned above meeting all the Middle-earth gang was not planned and that turned out really well fo  me.  Another unplanned thing that turned out to be completely enjoyable and got me interested in something new was the Aliens Exposed event.  I didn’t buy tickets for this event until two days before.  I wasn’t interested because I have to admit that I have never actually seen more than clips of any of the Alien movies.  When I bought the ticket the only reason I did was because I knew in going to the Exposed event I would get another chance to see and hear more from Bill Paxton.  It is such a hormonal fangirl thing to do but I guess really that is who I am.  LOL.  The funny thing is that after seeing more clips and listening to all the actors talk I can’t help but want to see it.  I may have even ordered the quadriolgy so that I can watch it.  It is not the first time I have discovered something geeky late because of something I have seen or heard at Expo.  Most of these new things come from sitting in panels because I have a blank space in my schedule and I want to sit down.  I owe the expansion of not only my DVD collection but my likes to Calgary Expo.

 

Packing your own food as a way to remember to eat was not as successful as I hoped.

This year as I continue down the path of a healthier lifestyle I was determined more than ever to try and keep things healthy while at Expo.  In the previous two years I have gone and I have often just forgotten to eat.  Whether I was distracted or my feet were just too sore to walk to get food it was far too easy for me to skip eating and just grab fast food on the way home.  So this year I went with the plan that if I brought food and had it with me I would have no excuse.  I picked up healthy snacks (fruit, veggies, cheese, and stuff for sandwiches) and prepared food to take with me.  It did mean that when I did finally realize I was hungry (often way past the point where I should have eaten) that I had something healthy to snack on which is good but sadly it didn`t help me at all to remember to eat.  Saturday and Sunday which were my busiest days I ended up coming home and realizing that I had barely touched the food I brought with me.  Of course the good thing is that I could eat the prepared food instead of fast food when I was uploading the day’s photos.  Apparently when running around being an over excited fangirl my hunger signals just get lost in the shuffle.  Next year I will plan food the same way but I think I’m going to have to actually schedule some breaks for food so that I actually do take the time to eat something.  Come to think of it this would probably help with my end of day mood as well.  Hopefully I will feel less exhausted and just content from whatever the day had brought me.

 

Too much of a good thing can be overwhelming, so I must remember to take breaks.

This goes along with the lesson above as well.  As much as I really want to see and do everything it is quite exhausting.  Saturday was my busiest day with 5 photo ops, 7 autographs, 2 panels and Aliens Exposed.  When it came to the end of the day I was exhausted but more than that when it came to my last photo op of the day I don`t think I even really acknowledged it was happening.  I live for those moments generally so it`s a little sad to realize I had one that fell a little flat.  It is just becomes a reminder that although I want to do everything if I`m not going to get the excitement and joy out of it maybe it would be better off waiting for another time when I will be able to really enjoy it.  I’m still learning the ins and outs of taking care of my mental wellbeing so this is sort of a big lesson to take with me for next year.  I can do everything I want I just can’t do it all at once.

 

I am blessed to live in a city full of people willing to work hard, volunteer and come together to give me (and everyone else) the chance to fulfill dreams and fantasies.

This last lesson is also not really new to me.  I have thought it each year I have gone to the Expo.  It amazes me that there are so many people willing to volunteer and help out.  I have to admit that I don`t know that I could ever give up my time and volunteer for the Expo even though I often think I should.  I know it makes me sound selfish (which I openly admit to being a lot of the time in other situations) but as much as I think it is a great idea to volunteer I don`t think I could ever do it.  Maybe as I learn to find more balance in the schedule I create this will change but for now I would much rather attend than help.  That being said I do know and value the amount of care and work that goes into this show.  I completely realize that because there are people out there that are less selfish than me, I am able to have the experiences I crave.  I am filled with gratitude for that.  This year I found that my experiences with the volunteers and staff were amazing.  I had volunteers who went out of their way to help me (even one girl who ran after me to give me an answer she had found out after I had walked away).  It was wonderful and I just want each and every one of them to know that I think they are great.  Without the wonderful volunteers I wouldn’t get to spend the next year dreaming about all the cool things I will experience next year.

 

Thank you to everyone who was a part of the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo this year.  Thank you to the guests who came out and were willing to meet all us crazy fans and to the staff who organized everything.  Thank you again to the volunteers who were willing to answer questions and point me in the right way.  Thank you for giving me a weekend of amazing memories and moments.  It is not every day that you get to find a wonderful blend of reality and fantasy that creates an epic adventure full of memories.  Keep up the good work and I can`t wait to see what you have in store for us next year.

2014 Monthly Goal Check-In for March

Where did March go?  I’m not sure if it is just me but this month just disappeared on me.  I was kept busy throughout the whole month but I still feel like I have made some good strides again on my goals – well at least some of them.

If you want to read a bit more about my resolutions feel free to check out my previous posts:

New Year’s Resolutions Past and Present
2014 Monthly Goal Check-In for January/February

1) Move More/Lose More
My hope of hitting an average of 11000 steps each day this month was not to be.  My schedule kept me on my toes but sadly not walking very much.  If I take an average of the steps for the month I was only hitting about 8500 steps this month which was down from last month.  I did end up hitting a new all-time daily high though this month with a total of 16101, which is totally worth celebrating.  This was a huge day for me because it showed that my goal of hitting 15000 a day is not out of reach.

With my daily average of steps being down it doesn’t surprise me to say that my weight also didn’t change this past month.  I’m actually up .6 of a pound with my total lost for 2014 so far being 11 pounds.  In April I am expecting to hit a big milestone for me though.  I am expecting to finally get back to the weight I was before my life derailed a little when I lost a very dear friend.  It has taken me almost two years to lose the weight I put on the year after he passed away but it is very liberating to know that I’m very nearly back where I need was.  It is like I am finally moving past his loss.  I still miss him like crazy but I know that Will is looking down and cheering me on as I get close to this milestone and will celebrate with me as I pass it.

2) One Day a Week Vegetarian
I can claim success on this goal this month.  It does help that I remembered I had made the goal this month.  I found a few new yummy recipes and had a few of my old favourites.  All of which helped me find at least one day a week to devote to being meat free.  I have to admit that I really do enjoy the challenge this goal brings into my meal planning.  It has forced me to be creative and experiment a little bit more with my food choices.  It has me cracking my recipe books once a week so I can pick new dishes, which has also meant I have been picking new meat based recipes as well. 

3) Regular Blog Posts
I have to admit I thought I had done better with this goal in March until I actually looked at my blog.  I discovered that although I had written almost a blog a month I never posted them.  This month my goal will be to actually post the entries I’m writing.  It’s pretty silly to write them up in draft and not do the work to publish them. 

4) 365 Photo-a-Day Project
It was bound to happen but after 445 days I missed my first photo.  :-(  I was a little disappointed when I realized it but when you consider I have done 445 other days perfectly I can’t really get too down on myself.  I’m really excited about the month of April for photos though.  I have a mini vacation coming up to a retreat area I have never been but looks beautiful online and of course the end of the month will bring Calgary Expo.  Both of these things plus a few other events all should help make April a bit easier to keep the photography going and find some cool things to take pictures of. 

5) Read 50 Books
I’m not as far ahead of myself as I was last month on this goal but I am still more or less on track to hit my 50 books read this year.  My total is now up to 11 books done so far.  I was slowed down a little because of picking up Life of Pi.  I completely enjoyed the book but was reading it as much for the story as I was for a way of possibly setting up my historical fiction novel.  This meant I took a little more time and care in reading it.

6) Nanowrimo challenge Complete a Draft of Conor’s Story
This goal may have turned into a little of both the original goal and the revised goal.  I found out the Camp Nanowrimo is going on during April so I signed up originally thinking I would work on Conor’s story.  Last night though I had this incredibly vivid dream and part of me is thinking about giving it a shot for the month of April.  I don’t know if it is a story that has already been done but the dream was quite intriguing.  The timing of the dream also feels a little like fate considering today is the start of Camp Nanowrimo.  This means that this goal may actually become two goals.  I guess we will see how this month progresses.

In terms of Conor’s story it is also moving along quite nicely.  I think I have figured out a few things that were getting in the way.  Of course at the same time I also created a few more things to work out.  I am a planner and am trying to plan this story so that when it comes to write I can just let it flow.  This is a little different than other stories I have done but at the same time I feel like this is the journey I need to take to complete this story.

As crazy as March was I feel like it was a good month.  I made some big life decisions this past month including signing up for a gym again which has me over the moon excited.  I have plans to add a trainer as well before April is done.  It has been a long time since I felt this excited about the way my life was going.  It is a pretty amazing feeling.

2014 Monthly Goal Check-In for January/February

I am lucky enough to have some really smart friends that are willing to put up with me as I steal their ideas to help my own creativity.  One such friend (who has a lovely little book review blog here) and last year she was posting monthly updates on her resolutions for the year.  I think this is a brilliant idea and have decided to high grade it for my own blog.  It is my hope that this monthly check-in will help keep me on track and lead me to a completed check list of goals for in December (especially since even in two months I’ve already managed to ignore a couple of my goals).  Anyone that is looking to check out my original list for the year can read all about it in the entry New Year’sResolutions Past and Present.

1) Move More/Lose More
Of all the goals that I set for myself this year this one is moving along the best and most smoothly.  I’m regularly hitting my 10,000 step goal for the day.  This goal will be changing to 11000 for the months of March and April as I step my way to the year-end goal of 15,000 steps a day.  I’m meeting my goals currently at least in part thanks to a friend/co-worker that not only cheers me on but is willing to walk with me one lunch hour a week at my pace.  She is one of those crazy active people that I aim to be like but haven’t quite gotten there yet.  It is amazing to be finding support for my journey and has proved to be very motivating for me.

When it comes to the lose more part of this goal I have to say I’m incredibly proud of the way the year is going.  I’m currently down about 11.6 pounds for the year.  I am finding my clothes are fitting better.  I’m more comfortable in my skin and just generally feeling really good about the progress I am making.  I can see my future healthy self and I am racing to catch her.

2) One Day a Week Vegetarian
This sadly is one of the goals that I had forgotten I had made for myself.  I am still cooking vegetarian meals and dishes but have not been diligent on planning and creating meat free days.  I shall remedy this for the month of March.

3) Regular Blog Posts
A look at the lists of posts I have done in 2014 shows that I have also not been paying much attention to this goal at least in terms of actually getting results.  I don’t consider this goal completely forgotten though because in the last couple of months I have been working hard offline to move my blog in the right direction.  I have spent time working on a plan and vision for my blog.  Now it is just the time to start to put that plan into action.

4) 365 Photo-a-Day Project
All though this project feels a lot more challenging this year, I’m happy to say it is well underway.  I have yet to miss a day and somehow am finding things to take pictures off.  The challenge this year is an unexpected internal voice that has popped up that keeps saying things like, “you took that photo last year” or “do you really need another picture of your cat?” (this last one sounds a lot like my brother.)  I have to keep reminding myself that the project is meant to capture my everyday life.  My life sadly is not always exciting and interesting – in fact more times it would probably be described as quiet and dull – but that just means I need to work on doing more fun things each day.

5) Read 50 Books
The progress on this goal when compared to this time last year is astounding to me.  I’m making way more headway on this than I did in 2013.  So far in 2014 I have read 8 books, which have me right on target to hit 50.  I think the biggest difference is that I am making reading a priority in my life now.  I try to read at least a little bit each day and it has been wonderful.  Not only is it helping me complete this goal but it has been inspiring my own fiction writing.  
                Favourite books read in Jan/Feb were Ashfall by Mike Mullin and The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level by Chris Hardwick
                Most challenging book that sadly got put down was The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History by Robert Edsel. – I wanted to love this book but couldn’t pull my way through its pages.  I will try again though before the year is done.

6) Nanowrimo challenge Complete a Draft of Conor’s Story
I have decided to change this goal to finishing a draft of my currently historical fiction novel.  I have fallen in love again with my main characters and don’t want to wait to write them until the next nano challenge.  I have spent the last couple months relearning the story, the characters and reviewing all my research.  It has left me feeling very motivated and this goal is moving along at a good pace.

Overall I’m feeling really positive towards 2014.  For the first time that I can remember not only do I have very specific, goal focused plans that I’m starting to put into place but I also have mental pictures of where this year is leading me.  I can see my future as clearly as if I had just taken the photo and I know that nothing is going to stop me this year from getting everything I want.