We nabbed this picture with the toy soldier right as they were leaving the rest area. They were even in character as they closed the door behind them!
Davros
This was such an AMAZING costume! Davros, the creator of the Daleks! It doesn’t look good for the Doctor….
I’m not going to See Captain Marvel
Hello My Imaginary Friends,
Why am I not going to see Captain Marvel? My in-laws (whom I go to the movies with) are out of town. We’ll go see it, probably, the 19th. I do wish I could go see it opening weekend but it’s time to ramp up for spring (by name only in Ottawa) convention season.
Did you think I was going to talk about the Brie Larson controversy?
The actor said in an interview:
“About a year ago, I started paying attention to what my press days looked like and the critics reviewing movies, and noticed it appeared to be overwhelmingly white male. So, I spoke to Dr. Stacy Smith at the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, who put together a study to confirm that. Moving forward, I decided to make sure my press days were more inclusive. After speaking with you, the film critic Valerie Complex and a few other women of color, it sounded like across the board they weren’t getting the same opportunities as others. When I talked to the facilities that weren’t providing it, they all had different excuses.”
This has led to plenty of insecure men to call her racist and sexist and somehow means she doesn’t want white men to see the movie. I’m not sure they’ve learnt to read critically.
Even after she said:
“What I’m looking for is to bring more seats up to the table. No one is getting their chair taken away. There’s not less seats at the table, there’s just more seats at the table.”
The angry white men are still very angry.
They’ll argue that it’s just about:
- Bad writing – she’s overpowered
- Ethics in Journalism – she shouldn’t get to choose
- Should be a man – they think Mar’vel was a better character
- Ruining science fiction – Because she’s too powerful
- Bad acting – the Oscar winner just wasn’t built to be a superhero
- Too feminist – there are women in the movie who are in the lead roles
I’m sure I missed some sad-puppy, proud boy, kkk, incel, gamergate, bullshit in there.
Long story short, the entire controversy is just another, in a long list, of made up sexist crap.
This movie looks amazing and I can’t wait, even though I will have to, to see it.
Éric
Blush: New game?
On March 4th, Global News* reported on a new interactive game* for mobile, called “Clit-Me”, designed to simulate different “techniques” to “satisfy” the clitoris avatar. Each of the five levels unlocks content and statistics on sexual satisfaction.
*Please note: gendered language is used throughout the article and game.
This game was designed by eight interns at NFB’s Digital Studio in Montreal during their internship through the Université du Québec à Montreal (UQAM). During their research into the statistics on clitoral orgasms, they discovered that only 62% reached climax with a first time partner compared to 85% of those with a penis. So they decided to build a game that might help to close that gap.
I played it. It’s cute. A little clunky at times (especially the multi-touch level), but cute. This game is only available on mobile devices.
If you’re enjoying the Blush blogs, consider learning more with Blush: The Card Game from Renaissance Press.
Top Five Ways to Argue Like a Toddler
Hello my Imaginary Friends,
This could easily be an article about how to argue on the internet but it’s not. I’m here to teach you the valuable skill of arguing like a toddler.
5. Where is…
I was prepared to answer why, what, whom, and even how… but repeated instances of where, I wasn’t ready. Here’s the way it typically goes.
Dragon: Where is Granny?
Me: At home.
Dragon: Where is Granny home?
Me: Same place it always is.
Dragon: Where?
Me: *Says address*
Dragon: Where is that?
Me: If we go down the street and turn left it’s at the end of that street?
Dragon: I can’t see it. Can you show me?
The trick with this is to keep asking the same question no matter how absurd it sounds. Really throws people through a loop.
4. Scream louder
Trying to talk to my wife from another room is now followed by, “Don’t yell at MUM!” the same thing happens if my wife replies; “Don’t yell at PAPA!”
If I say something to her sternly my daughter sometimes counters with, “Don’t yell at me.” Then she yells louder over me, ignoring what I’m saying.
This is advanced, and definitely common online. The goal is to just keep saying what you’re saying while telling people to stop being mean.
3. Walk away and pout
When she knows she’s done something wrong but doesn’t want to admit it, she’ll pout and walk away. Stand in a corner or just glare at us from across the room.
Me: Please pick up your toys before dinner.
Dragon: No.
Me: Please pick up your toys.
Dragon: No.
Me: Now.
Dragon: *Walks away and pouts*
You wouldn’t think this was useful in adult life or online, but suddenly turning around and ignoring someone throws all the power to you for a small amount of time.
2. Ask again… and again and again
She normally does this if she really wants to eat or do something. She’ll say, “I NEED candy!” I’ll reply with, “Not now” or “no.” She then says, “Can I have candy?”, “Candy?”, or she’ll repeat I need. The less attention we pay to her the louder and more repetitive she gets.
This is similar to 4 but more insistent. When using it, make sure everyone knows what you want. Over and over again.
1. Because Yes/No
This is quite possibly the hardest possible thing to argue with.
Me: Why did you throw your teddy bear?
Dragon: Because Yes.
Or
Dragon: I NEED orange!
Me: You just ate 2 oranges. Do you really need another one?
Dragon: Because yes?
Because Yes and Because No, will stop the conversation and make the other person question why they’re arguing with you. It’s a wonderful way to argue when you don’t really care about educating but really want to annoy.
Okay so arguing with a toddler is very similar to arguing online. I think I might start using #1.
Later days,
Éric
X-men
Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Professor Charles Xavier, and Colossus deigned (in the case of NTW) to pose with the TARDIS.
Seren Plentyn and the Secret of Hokulua Station – Chapter 2
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 4.5 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12
Chapter 2: Asteroids and Pirates
Stars filled her view screen and Annie sighed. Space was beautiful. Reluctantly she manoeuvred the little fighter back towards the debris field and her next target.
Hokulua Station had shields that would deflect most debris but with a micro-star at its core, it generated enough gravity to pull stray asteroids and rubble with it. Small fighter ships were used to defend the station against big impacts. There were also occasional pirates or planet-hopping wildlife.
“Hokulua tower, I’m on vector to my next target.”
“Roger that Echo 2. Make it snappy, you have your other job to get to.”
The next target was an asteroid the size of a living quarter. Her scans showed that the asteroid was mostly water which would require a wide beam plasma blast. But it wasn’t moving right.
“Tower. Target is moving slower than expected. Can I get a proper scan from Astrometrics?” Annie wished that her older brother James was at the coms. He’d have listened.
“Echo 2, a second scan isn’t necessary. Blow that thing and come home.” Just as she expected, the old man just wanted to get the job done.
“Negative tower. Scans are indicating water but-”
Tower cut her off with, “No Buts, child. Just do your damn job.”
“I’m sorry tower. Without a second scan I’m going to do a scoop-and-shoot.” That old man would rather risk the station than be a few minutes late. Annie was convinced there was something off with the asteroid.
“Stop showboating and destroy that asteroid or I swear to the Eater-Of-Stars you’ll never fly again.”
A scoop-and-shoot maneuver was exactly what it sounded like. She’d fly by the asteroid and then extend the little ships shields. It would scoop the asteroid and she could move it away from the station. Once it was at a safe distance she’d shoot it.
It was a tricky thing to accomplish. Annie swung back around and started to follow the asteroid, matching its speed and direction. She needed to be right on top of the thing to catch it in her shield. The darned thing was moving really slow and she almost bumped it.
It was made harder by the swearing and insults from the tower.
“Tower, this is hard enough without you berating me. I request radio silence.”
“Echo 3, here. I second Echo 2. Shut up tower.”
“Echo 4 agrees with the other Echos.” The rest of the Echos agreed.
She’d forgotten that she wasn’t alone out here. There were a half dozen other ships. She appreciated their backup.
The asteroid took much less force than it should have to move. She overdid the throttle and went twice as far as she should have.
“Tower. I have completed scoop and I’m moving to a safe distance to shoot.”
The normal safe distance is fifty times the size of the object but in this case she doubled it. She shot a short direct plasma blast at the edge of the asteroid. If it was water filled, like the scanners said, it would chip off a corner and nothing else. If it was what she suspected, it was going to explode.
A piece chipped off and Annie sighed. “Tower. I have-” she was cut off by the shockwave from the exploding asteroid. It tossed her ship towards the station with such power that her vision blurred and she thought she was going to lose consciousness.
Everything was ringing and it took a while before she could hear the station Tower. When she could hear clearly she heard her brother James, “Echo 2, do you copy?” He sounded worried.
“Echo 2 here. Tower I copy.”
“Echo 2 get control of your ship. We have bogies incoming.” The ship was spinning like a grounder in zero-g for the first time. She gently took control and directed it away from a crash course with the station.
“Tower. Did you say bogies?”
“Yes. Echo 2. Form up with the rest of Echo wing and get out there.”
The attacks from pirates were rare and Annie had the seconds it took her to meet up with her squad to wonder at the coincidence of the timing. If she’d been at the regular safe distance for a scoop-and-shoot, there would be a hole in the station. That’s not to mention if she’d listened to tower.
Echos were the only squad out there. They didn’t have a regular patrol or military presence. They were so far out from colonised space that no one expected an attack. If they’d showed up just ten minutes later there would have been no one around.
“Echo squad. This is Echo leader. We don’t have to win this one, we just have to make sure no one dies. We hold them back until Alpha squad can come clean up.”
The battle was a blur of ships, asteroids, blasters, and commands. After it was done, Annie barely remembered any of it. They’d been lucky that the Pirates had only sent a scouting party. A few clean shots to their ships and they turned tail and ran.
If they’d come in a destroyer sized ship, the station wouldn’t have been able to defend itself.
As she peeled off her flight suit, James came up to her his brow furrowed in anger. “What the black-hole were you thinking?” His reddish-purple eyes, exact copies of hers, glowed with frustration.
“Something was off and I asked for a second scan. I followed procedure until that mouthy space-monkey tried to cut corners. I was right, too. If I’d followed orders we’d have lost a ring or worse.”
He pulled her into a hug and said, “You scared me, sis.” After a pause, he added, “I’ll check the logs and talk to the bosses. But until a full review, you’re grounded. Except for space walks.”
She’d forgotten about her second job. She hoped repelling space pirates was a good enough excuse.
While you wait for the next chapter, check out the previous serial stories:
- 2025 – Scarlet Thread Irregulars (Urban Fantasy)
- 2024 – Red Day, Ere the Sun Rises: A Sun Speaker Story (Space Opera)
- 2023 – The Suns of War (Sci-Fi, Epic)
- 2022 – Birth of the Aetherverse (Fantasy)
- 2021 – Diamond Stars and the Galactic Heist (Sci-Fi, Heist, Romance)
- 2020 – Point Zero (Superhero, Sci-Fi)
- 2019 – Seren Plentyn and the Secret of Hokulua Station (Sci-Fi Adventure Mystery)
Golden Girls Cruise
If you’re a fan of the Golden Girls and love to cruise, you should be packing your bags (and buying your tickets) for Celebrity Infinity’s Golden Girls at Sea themed cruise, leaving Miami on February 24th, 2020.
The cruise will have stops in Key West and Cozumel, Mexico on it’s 5-night journey through the Western Caribbean.
Scheduled activities on board include:
- a cheesecake party,
- a bar crawl,
- a fancy dress party and dinner,
- bingo night,
- a karaoke party at Blanche’s usual haunt, the Rusty Anchor
Unlimited drinks are included in the ticket price.
If you are interested in this cruise or airfare round-trip to Miami,
Jen has retired from working as a travel agent. Hope you’ve enjoyed Fandom Travel.
Throwback Tuesday – The Last Horcrux (2014-02-05)
Hello My Imaginary Friends,
I’m frightfully busy at the moment and so you get to revisit one of my favourite short stories. Also some of the only Fan Fiction I’ve written. I don’t like writing Fan Fiction because I worry that I don’t get the voice of the characters or the feel of the world.
This story based off a comic. Here we go.
In the last days before the battle of Hogwarts, Voldemort decided that he must survive. To this end he created a last Horcrux, one that no one could ever find. Unlike his others, he used and ordinary grain of sand.
This last Horcrux was tossed into the deepest ocean. On its way into the deepest parts of the ocean, a deep water fish mistook it for food and chased it down. It swallowed the grain of sand and proceeded to swim into a magical tear between worlds.
The tear led into a lake. Being a deep water fish, the poor fish was completely blinded by the light in this little lake. It was quickly caught by a fisherman, who gutted it and brought it home. The fish’s guts however were left on the beach to decompose.
There the grain stayed for a few years until a jewellers apprentice came looking for sand to temper jewellery. The sand on this beach was perfect. He collected a large sack of sand including the grain which was a Horcrux.
Thanks for reading!
Éric