When this pair walked past our table, I completely freaked out. What a fantastic idea for a costume, from a beloved children’s book by Robert Munsch (The Paper Bag Princess. If you haven’t read it, go buy it here.)! And great poses by the cosplayers, too. Loving the expression on Ronald’s face!
Speaking of Robert Munsch (website), he has a new book coming out, called Blackflies, illustrated by the fantastic Jay Odjick (Facebook, Twitter, website). You should go and pre-order the book here!
Hello My Imaginary Friends,
When I told someone I was going to take paternity leave, they jokingly said, “Wow! A nine month vacation. Lucky you.” At least I think they were joking. This isn’t a vacation.
Don’t get me wrong. I love the time I’m getting with Dragon. She makes me smile and ache with love every day, but she’s a lot of work. I have no idea how one parent handles a baby on their own.
It might be easier if Jen and I weren’t both freelancers. Working from home takes twice as long with a baby. All of which to say we’ve been really busy both with work and enjoying the little Dragon.
That means there are a few things that I haven’t told you, so it’s update time! WOO!
I’ve been working hard on research and development for new flavours to join JenEric Coffee’s roster. I’ve settled on one flavour that will be debuted at Geek Market at the end of March.
I have another 4 flavours that I’m asking people to test. If you’re interested, check out our Coffee Testers Page.
I have unfortunately not been writing as much as I should have. Other then the blog, I’ve written half a story and a few thousand words in Copper Tarnish. It’s going to be shorter than my average book, but I’m still only a third of the way through.
I’ve talked to my publisher and they’re considering covers for Parasomnia. I’m really excited to get the next round of edits on this one.
A Study in Aether is eligible for both the Nebulas and the Auroras. Both are fan voted awards. If you feel like nominated it, I’d be very happy.
If you don’t know about TEGG, let me tell you. It’s a new publishing company for games, role playing games, genre novels, and general awesome.
If you’ve played the Forgotten Realms Dungeons & Dragons setting, you’re familiar with the breadth of creativity that Mr. Greenwood has shown over the past thirty years.
What he’s done is bring together many amazing creative types to create new games, settings, and stories.
I have the honour of working with them on the book formatting side of things. I’ve been given the title of Print Production Manager, fancy term for layout artist. It’s a freelance thing and I’m really excited to be working with such amazing people.
And Jen, whom I’ve often referred to as “the weditor”, has been given the title of Lead Editor for the Hellmaw line of novels. She is just as honoured and excited to be working with this awesome group.
I have two other pieces of news, but I don’t have permission to divulge one, and the other will be a surprise. You should know both next week.
Later Days
Éric
Check out Part 1 here.
Travelling with an infant can be complicated. How will they react on the flight? Have you remembered to bring everything? Have you brought too much? I have to admit, I was rather terrified of travelling with Dragon. But it turned out alright! And we didn’t forget anything that we needed, we didn’t have too much of anything (except perhaps diapers and wipes, but that’s a very good thing to have too much of, in my opinion), and her reaction to the flights? Well…
Our first flight was a non-stop one. No connections was definitely the best way to go. Our return flight had to be changed due to our illness, and we had a connection in Toronto, and ended up travelling 14 hours from door to door. I don’t recommend that. We were all exhausted.
But Dragon’s first flight could only be described as exciting. It was recommended that I try nursing her during the take off. (NOTE: You are supposed to hold the infant in an upright position, facing the rear of the plane, during take off and landing.) So I tried nursing during the taxiing, in the hopes that would make her drowsy. She would have none of it. She fussed and fussed until Eric took her and held her in the correct position. Then the plane took off, the g-forces pushed on us, and then we were airborne! Dragon’s cries turned to delighted smiles the instant the plane picked up speed on the ground, and didn’t seem upset at all by the pressure on her ears. And then she fell asleep.
I guess Dragons are meant to fly.
The return flights were a little more complicated. No smiles, but no screams on the first flight home. The second flight, she was sound asleep for the take off, and then cried for the landing. I think she was upset that she missed her favourite part.
Some things we did to make it easier for us to fly with an infant:
Eric packed the diaper bag within an inch of its life. He knew exactly where everything was. 20 diapers, a package of wipes, plastic change mat, an extra pair of leggings, short sleeved onesie, long sleeved onesie, and slippers, a roll of bags to place the used diapers, a burp cloth, and 2 wash cloths were included in this bag. We had the diaper bag packed this way every time we left the hotel room, as it worked so well.
I had her toys in my carry on. These included her favourite rattle, 3 different teething rings, her favourite toy, and her bedtime book. I also had her blanket that we used to get her from the car into the airport.
We changed her across our laps, as it was easier to do that than try to squeeze into the tiny airplane bathroom to change her in there. After waiting in line. With an upset infant. I recommend only doing this if you have someone who is as good at changing diapers as Eric is. We didn’t make a mess even once.
We had a stroller (this one) that we gate-checked for free. You have to get a label at the check-in counter, though, so don’t forget to do that first!
We bought a red airplane bag for the stroller to protect it. I am SO glad we did that, as the bag is smeared with black, and the stroller is perfect. Highly recommended.
Since we stayed on resort at Disney, we were able to take Disney’s Magical Express from the airport. You should have either your magic band or your reservation number ready to check in at the airport. Then we waited in line for our big bus. They can pick up your checked baggage for you, or you can pick it up yourself. We chose the latter, as our checked baggage had all the diapers, and you don’t get your bag until later in the day at the resort.
The bus itself was relatively comfortable, similar to a Greyhound. There is no car seat for babies – you hold them on your lap like on the plane. Your luggage gets put under the bus, and pulled out for you at your resort. Our bus was going to the 3 All-Star Resorts, and was quick and efficient.
The shuttles to the parks and Disney Springs were similar to OC Transpo buses, except that you had to fold up your stroller. It’s a really good thing we had extra adults along, because holding the baby, the diaper bag, Eric’s backpack, and the stroller was manageable, but much easier with the extra hands.
I was very happy with the timing of the shuttles. They are every 20 minutes (approximately), and there’s a screen at the resort that tells you when the next one will arrive. We had very good luck with our shuttles – we only had to wait longer than 5 minutes once, and it was standing-room-only twice. I had to ask a guy to give me his seat because I was holding a baby on the way home from one of the parks. He rolled his eyes and huffed when he got up. That was the only time we had less than stellar interactions with anyone. I guess babies are pretty well liked.
The hardest part of having a baby is trying to stop people from touching her! We didn’t have too much trouble – most people only touched her feet – but then she discovered that her feet could go in her mouth, and I almost flipped out on a garbage collector at the airport on the way home. (You touch garbage with that hand! Why would you touch my baby’s foot!?)
The shuttles were a big difference from driving (and parking) to the parks like we had done in previous years. It was nice to not have to deal with traffic, paying for parking, and the shuttle stop at Magic Kingdom was right outside the entrance, so we didn’t have to take the monorail/ferry back to the parking lot (both a pro and a con, imo).
In order to transfer resorts, we had to go through a third party transportation company. This was a little more complicated than normal, because we decided to not bring our car seat. So we couldn’t use a regular taxi, and we had to make sure that whatever service we did use had a car seat for young infants.
Enter Quick Transportation. Not only did they have a rear-facing car seat (although we had to provide the head support – no problem, as our stroller had a removable one), but they had a large van that was smooth enough for my mother’s motion sickness. And they have a grocery stop service, where they allow for a stop of 30 minutes at a grocery store, and you can get supplies. Since we knew we were going to have a kitchenette at Universal Studios, and no meal plan, we stocked up on breakfast and snack foods. We also grabbed a couple Disney sleepers for Dragon, because our grocery stop was at a Walmart, and we wanted some cheap Disney clothes.
We also used this service to get to the airport from Universal Studios, as it came out to cheaper than using their shuttle service for our family of four adults.
I was very happy with our choice of transportation service, and highly recommend them.
If you are interested in booking a trip to Orlando.Jen has retired from working as a travel agent. Hope you’ve enjoyed Fandom Travel.
Hello My Imaginary Friends,
Intelligence isn’t cool and is actually pretty dumb. That’s what television and movies have been telling me for my entire life. The nerds from Revenge of the Nerds, Screech from Saved by the Bell, Steve Urkel, the characters of Scorpion, most versions of Sherlock Holmes, and the characters from Big Bang Theory. These are just a handful of examples of what I’d call Stupid-Intelligent.
When you get a character that is brilliant in a television show, movie, or book; they are automatically given some sort of crippling character trait or traits. Normally it’s a complete lack of social graces or empathy, paranoia, uncontrolled phobias, arrogance, etc.
Writers do this for multiple reasons. The first being that the genius easily replaces the wizard in most modern day, or science fiction, stories. With a wave of their thermoscouplers and reversing the polarity, they can save the world. Because of this they need to give the characters flaws or they’ll be more powerful and interesting than the everyman main character, which would be intimidating to the audience.
The second being comedy. Look at the smart guy who doesn’t know how to throw a football…
Both are lazy writing.
These cardboard outlines of characters represent two communities; those with great intelligence and those with disorders. It creates an impression that intelligence is a curse and that disorders only affect those that are special. Both are total bullshit and are harmful to the communities involved.
Big Bang Theory is part of the “Hateful” category of American Sitcoms. That means that the characters are all at some point, for comical effect, going to be ridiculously mean to their friends. Normally the plot will revolve around a misunderstanding, prank, or selfish action. It always ends in the pain of one of the characters.
It doesn’t matter that the show is fact checked, mostly, or that it caters to geeks and nerds; it uses them as the butt of the joke and in the end makes each of the characters come out looking like idiots.
This is an old trope, but one that has become prominent in the past few years. It paints intelligence as an inability to see past your own expertise or to think critically. While trying to humanize the character, they devalue their actual accomplishments.
When you see Sheldon as unable to work with others, function as an adult, or have healthy relationships; it reflects not just on the character but all scientists.
After decades of being told that nerds are broken, unreasonable, undependable, and egotistical ; is it any surprise that people are having a hard time trusting them?
We are seeing a record number of people believing pseudo-science simply because they don’t trust those who are supposed to be the experts.
Here are a few examples of things people believe because they don’t trust science or experts:
This is a small list of things people believe because they’ve lost respect for the authority of scientists.
Is this The Big Bang Theory’s fault? No, it’s just another example of anti-intellectual, lazy, and harmful writing.
Disagree? Let me know in the comments,
Éric
On the way home, in Luxembourg airport. Looks like the TARDIS wants to go somewhere tropical next?
Chihiro doesn’t let anything get her spirits down in Spirited Away. I shall try harder to emulate her.
Great cosplay!
Hello Coffee Lovers,
It’s no secret that I love coffee. So when I go on vacation I look for good coffee. It’s a weird obsession that my wife, thankfully, tolerates.
When I first went to Disney World and Universal at 28, I expected that they would either have their own coffee company or have Starbucks everywhere. I was half right. The coffee at the parks and resorts can be split into three categories: Terrible, Starbucks, and Gourmet.
I’m pretty tolerant of bad coffee, but the stuff they sell in Disney World and Universal Studios is terrible. It varies from booth to restaurant from being weak to sludge and everything in between.
If you’re at any Disney Park, except Magic Kingdom, skip the coffee at the restaurant and get some Joffrey’s.
If you’re at Universal Studios or Magic Kingdom, get Starbucks.
Universal offers coffee in their rooms and it’s passable, but you’re better off waiting for Starbucks.
Both Disney World and Universal have Starbucks in their parks. Disney World has a location in Epcot and a location in Magic Kingdom. Universal has a Starbucks in each of their resorts.
Both have them in their shopping districts (Universal Citywalk and Disney Springs.)
Starbucks is, unfortunately, the best you’ll get at Universal.
Disney World has an arrangement with Joffrey’s coffee. They are a gourmet roaster from Tampa Bay. They supply coffee to Disneyland, Disney World, and Disney’s Hawaiian resort Aulani. The coffee is good. It’s not revolutionary but it’s definitely worth looking for around the parks.
Joffrey’s also supplies the resorts and the rooms with coffee. Staying at a resort that has good coffee is always a treat. They have kiosks in Animal Kingdom, Epcot, Disney Springs, and Hollywood Studios that sell good coffee.
They are also the coffee used for the better sit down restaurants, including Belle’s Castle. Some of the sit down restaurants have pour over or French press that is to die for and certain resorts have unique blends.
A notable mention for coffee is the Moroccan Pavilion at Epcot that sell a Moroccan coffee that is both yummy and packs a punch.
If you enjoyed Joffrey’s coffee, they have a store in Disney Springs that sells both Tea and Coffee. The selection is limited here though. If you try a coffee from a kiosk or your resort and love it you can normally buy a bag from them. (I regret not buying some Kenyan coffee from Animal Kingdom.) They also have an impressive selection on their website with decent shipping costs to Canada.
Disney itself sells Mickey’s Really Swell Diner Coffee. The regular roast comes in large cans and the flavoured ones come in packs of eight small cans. You can also get a small can with a Disney Coffee Press. The coffee itself is exactly as it says. It’s good diner coffee (I’m drinking some now). Some of the flavours are better than others, but overall the flavoured coffee is good.
You can also bring Starbucks beans home with you, but they’re what you’d buy almost anywhere, with the exception of the light roast beans that vary from country to country.
Overall the coffee at the parks is worth drinking and definitely worth experimenting with.
Enjoy your Coffee,
Éric
Do you know how difficult it is to find good sources for personal lubricants? The amount of junk articles I had to sift through was intimidating, to say the least.
There are three different categories of lubricant: water-based, silicone-based, and oil-based. Each has its pros and cons.
The lube you are most likely to find is water-based. Be careful with the ingredients, though, as some of these include glycerin, which can cause yeast infections. Water-based is arguably the best, as it doesn’t dissolve silicone toys, and it doesn’t make latex condoms permeable. However, it is the most likely to evaporate, causing you to need to add more in the middle of things.
Silicone-based is the most expensive. It is very slippery and won’t dissolve, but if you’re using it with silicone toys, it will cause them to start to break down, making them unsafe to use. You can get around this by putting a condom on the toy, though! It is also more difficult to clean up after use (soap and water works).
Oil-based cannot be used at the same time as latex condoms (I specify latex, because other types are fine). The oil makes the latex membrane become permeable, and will cause breaking of the condom.
Okay…now you know about the different types of lube. Why should you use it at all?
A lot of misinformation goes into this question. People think that lube is only needed if the vagina doesn’t lubricate itself enough, and using lube is a last-ditch effort.
This couldn’t be further from the truth. And it only takes PiV intercourse into account.
The human body’s vaginal lubricant is not enough for intercourse. Period. Full stop. It reduces friction, increases pleasure, and decreases the risk of tearing and pain. You should always use some sort of lubricant, even if it’s only saliva (which is the only natural lubricant that my research has agreed is a good one). And if you are participating in anal intercourse, don’t even attempt it unless you’ve got a lot of lube on hand. Tears/rips in the anus are dangerous, because of the excess of bacteria in the fecal matter that could enter the bloodstream. Please note: saliva is not enough lube for anal intercourse.
If there’s something more that you’d like to know about lubricants, or we didn’t cover, please contact us through our Anonymous Question box!
Nagoski, Emily, PhD. Come as you are: The surprising new science that will transform your sex life. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2015.
Hi Dragon,
Watching the news today, I held you tight and warned you about the monsters. They don’t have bolts in their neck, and they don’t get burned by sunlight. They look like us and walk around in daylight, but they exist.
This will be history for you when you read this, but one of those monsters shot at innocent people in a place of worship yesterday. He killed six innocent people and hurt a lot of others. His actions are inexcusable and monstrous.
That’s the difference, my little Dragon, between fictional monsters and real ones. Fictional monsters do terrible things because it’s in their nature, or they were made that way; real monsters make themselves from their actions.
Of course, there are other factors that help create real monsters. Hate, fear, intolerance, and anger help feed them, but in the end, it’s their actions that make them monsters. This means we are all capable of being monsters.
There are ways to help prevent monsters and they are so simple they seem silly. These ways are simply to keep love in your heart and share it with others. Treat people with respect, even when they don’t deserve it, help your neighbour, and be the kind of person who helps others.
Help, not through grand gestures, but through small acts of kindness. The small acts add up to bigger ones. We are all capable of being monsters, but that means we are also capable of being the opposite; Helpers.
It may be optimistic and it may be naïve, but I believe we can all make the world a better place by helping more.
Be a Helper and, as always, have hope!
I love you so much my little Dragon,
Your Papa
