Just over a year on.

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Wolverina

I’m a little bit cut up to be in Perth, WA (Australia) this year, rather than Seattle, WA (United States). Last year, I had the time of my life at Geek Girl Con ‘12, traveling by myself for the first time away from my home state. This weekend was Geek Girl Con ’13 for those of you that don’t pay attention.

I couldn’t afford to go this year, I went to a friends wedding in Oregon earlier in the year. I don’t regret deciding to go to the wedding in, but I’ve been watching the twitter feed for @geekgirlcon and its associated hashtag, feeling incredibly jealous and admiring the amazing cosplay and atmosphere that the convention seems to produce. Some Australian friends that live overseas and could get to the convention are helping by making me jealous with tweets like these:

Joan Jett representation in the singalong, woo! #geekgirlcon @thewolverina

— Flamebyrd (@flamebyrd) October 21, 2013

Apparently I don’t just get to be jealous of the amazing array of guests (even more people I admire!) and the amazing program, I also get to miss out on people nerding out about my favourite musician.

Fair Warning: The rest of this post is just going to be horrible sentimental drivel, remembering what a great time last year was.

In 2013, I got to meet so many new friends, including the infamous Kyrax2 (the Batgirl of SDCC), Jason Sacks, Day and their families*. These people spoiled me rotten, after realising I knew noone when I took up Kyrax’s open invite for karaoke – not just for GGC but for my entire trip (Jason is particularly to blame for me discovering Fantographics, as well as convincing me I wanted to see New York and more importantly NYCC).

I also got to meet many amazing and creative people: Gail Simone, Jen Van Meter, Bryan Q Miller, Jane Espenson, Renae DeLiz (the brains behind the Womanthology project) and Jill Pantozzi (she writes at The Mary Sue). Again, I everyone was that I met was so lovely and kind, especially Miller who gave me the third Batgirl trade which I had been struggling to get. I still haven’t gotten the first one, sadly.

Star-struckness aside, I genuinely enjoyed everything about the con itself. I went to quite a few panels and workshops, and in all of them, I was impressed by the positivity and constructive attitude of those involved. It wasn’t a bunch of women nerds just bitching out the patriarchy, it was genuinely a huge collection of people giving each other advice and discussing projects and passions in a way that was fantastic.

I’ve been to many conventions (I even helped run one this year in Perth, where I inconveniently came down with a sinus infection) and I have to say, it is easily the most fun and the most freeing convention I have been to, for the creativity, positive vibe, safe environment, fantastic people, projects and options. This is a brilliant achievement that shouldn’t be underrated.

I haven’t blogged that much since Geek Girl Con. I was overwhelmed with three months’ travel and struggled to settle back into normal life when I got home. It took a while to remember why I started this blog and its podcast in the first place. The drive to understand and articulate my thoughts on my reading is only just starting to come back. This weekend, thinking on all this, it really hit me: I’m not near events like these, reviewing and critiquing what I read online. Getting the commentary is the closest I come to that kind of experience otherwise.

Basically I’m holding out for 2014. I guess I know what I’m saving up for.

* Plus many others but I don’t know who is cool with being linked to what.

First Birthday

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Wolverina

A year ago today, I made my first post on Wolverina.net. I created the site because I wanted to get better at reading and reviewing comics, books and other nerdy media. In the past year, I’ve read and learned many things, including podcasting and public speaking – two things I never thought I’d be doing.

For those interested, my goals for the future are to get into the habit of posting more regularly, maybe to finish off the numerous pieces that are sitting in my draft folder. Hopefully also a couple more creative projects.

So happy birthday, Wolverina.net! May your next year be as interesting and exciting. Even if I don’t have an entertaining birthday .gif for you.

Eaten by Steam sale

Posted on November 30, 2011 by Wolverina

I only recently got my own Steam account. I’m thewolverina, if you are interested in friending me.

I have been waiting ever since I got the bloody account for the Super ID pack to go on special. I meant to post when I bought it a few days ago and it was still cheap, but ID games and Half-Life 2 (I forgot I now have my own copy) have taken over my brain. Also headcrabs. Arg, headcrabs.

Screencap of the Steam program on my desktop

I like to think Catwoman approves of my game selection

My mother was very anti-gaming, so all these games have nostalgia as well as the lingering thrill of doing something illicit still attached. Ah, the memories! Half of learning how to use computers for me was finding new ways to install Quake II on my mothers desktop without her noticing.

Bat Manga

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Wolverina

Playing around with goodreads just got me this gem:

Huh? Bat Manga? Really?

It’s been that kind of day. I’ll take whatever I can snigger at.

AFK

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Wolverina

I’m currently on holiday visiting my little sister who lives in Queensland. She has also requested no comics and no laptop, so expect my twitter and this blog to be emptier than usual. Have a picture of my cat being cute about it to make it up to you guys.

Diesel does not approve of things on her pillow.

I’ll post about her dogs and the way the sub-tropics have made my hair go flat when I get back. Also when I finally get a chance my opinions on Arkham City because wow, what a game.

NSFW: My interest in the royal wedding.

Posted on June 1, 2011 by Wolverina

Warning: This post is about royal prophylactics and includes photos of said prophylactics.

This post is also mostly for the benefit of the lovely Alex. Upon hearing that my only interest in the recent royal wedding was the amazing range of souvenir products available in the UK, she decided to help her Australian friend out by sending me a package of one of the more amusing items: the Royal Condoms.

After the cut is not really safe for work, unless you’re the poor bugger that had to process the customs declaration form.

Continue reading →

My Little Wolverina

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Wolverina

A few of my friends have recently become a little obsessed with the new My Little Pony tv show that seems to be incredibly popular with both little girls, 4chan, Something Awful and the rest of the internet. While I think it’s great that this new show has managed to prove that girl-shows DO sell and get ratings, that boys WILL enjoy a well-written show even if it stars and is primarily aimed at girls and that tv for children can also be well written and entertaining… It’s still a bloody show aimed very clearly at children, with simplistic situations, annoying feel-good vibes over everything and fucking irritating black and white moral situations. So, as I do not have children, and have limited interest in watching children’s tv at the best of times, it is not a show for me.

Let me be clear about this though: I’m okay with acknowledging that the show is very good and that I would rather smash up another motorcycle then to have to watch another episode ever again.

In any case one of these friends, penchaft decided to draw quick sketches of people as MLPs on request. People requested me on twitter while I was at the pub.

It's quite punk

I feel like my opinions on the matter, as well as my total awesomeness have been captured perfectly.