KC goes to a Supernatural convention

So, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was going to a Supernatural convention to see Jared and Jensen, the two guys who star in the show. Well, I did that and it was...interesting. I was able to get a ticket into the convention, which did a lot to help me enjoy my weekend. And I had a really good time. My friends and I went out Saturday evening and did a little shopping, had a little dinner (where I scored us a couple of free deserts. A big shout out to Jimmy Park.), enjoyed a few drinks at a nice Irish pub, got kicked out of the piano bar we went to after, and ended the evening back at the hotel bar. All in all, a very enjoyable time.

Before I talk about the convention, I feel like I should explain I've never been to a convention for a television show before. I've seen movies and programs about conventions, like the Star Trek conventions and what not, but I've never been to one. At any rate, I expected this Supernatural convention to be something like what I'd seen on TV of other similar gatherings. Yeah, it wasn't like that. First of all, the attendees were largely female. I'm talking, oh, probably 98% of the people present. There where so many women, I had to really wonder why the men who were there, were there. Maybe they were gay. I don't know, and it really doesn't matter, but they had to feel like outsiders. It was seriously wall-to-wall women. On second thought, maybe the few men were there to score chicks. At any rate, this convention was nothing like conventions I've seen on television. There were only about five tables set up with merchandise, and it was all Supernatural stuff, which I guess makes sense, but you'd think they'd have other stuff. Anyway, we had the "cheap" ($50, thank you very much) seats in the very back of the ballroom, so we never got a really good look at the boys because they just looked too small. Now directly behind the guys was a huge screen that I assumed they would use to project the guys on so that the people in the back could see. Wrong. They just showed some fan-made music video, which was actually pretty good, but WTF. I don't pay $50 for anything for myself and I shelled out cold, hard greenback to be in the same room with Sam and Dean Winchester and the convention organizers didn't even have the common sense to project their appearance onto a huge screen that was already there. And forget about trying to get a decent picture. It just wasn't possible from where I sat. So, I decided to sidle along the wall up a little closer to the stage to get a couple of shots. A lot of other people had the same idea and staff eventually made everyone go back to their seats. I understand not letting everyone crowd along the walls for safety reasons, but I think most people were only interested in getting a couple of somewhat decent pictures before sitting back down.

All in all, I'm glad I went. The boys were funny and charming, and I left liking them even more. I can't imagine I'd have had as much grace as they did answering stupid questions like: Um, what's your favorite color? But believe me, I don't ever, ever have to go to something like that again.

What's it all about?

I've been thinking a lot lately about life. It's certainly been prompted somewhat by my uncle's recent suicide, but some things that happened during the course of Dracula (which closed Nov. 2) have got me thinking, too. Added to all this, a woman who was very involved with the theatre and well-loved by many of the other volunteers (I was really only an acquaintance.) passed away recently after having battled cancer for most of the year. She was only 48 and leaves behind a husband and two teenage daughters. At any rate, I find myself thinking a lot about where I've been and where I think I'm going.

For the first time since my daughter was born, I'm starting to feel awake again. Maybe it's because of getting involved with theatre and having that creative outlet. I do know I've started feeling like myself again since I've started up with the acting. Maybe it's because my daughter is getting to an age of more self-sufficiency and I can step back and breathe a bit more and separate myself from her a little. It's probably a combination of those things, really. All I know is that in some ways I feel like I'm standing on a cliff looking over the landscape of my life. Not in a bad way or anything. It's not as if I feel like jumping off the cliff. It's all good. I think I'm at an age where I can see I'm still young enough to experience and accomplish things that I want to, but old enough to know that I better start doing them now because time just goes too quickly and there's no such thing as forever.

One of the things that I'm really determined to do is have more fun. I'm someone who has spent a good portion of my life putting off fun because it didn't seem like the rational or practical thing to do, either because of low funds, or bad timing, or having to get up early, or whatever. I know now I'd rather have the memories. To that end, some friends of mine and I are heading into Chicago tomorrow for a girls weekend. The impetus behind the trip is the Supernatural convention that's being held there. The two stars are appearing on Sunday, so I suggested to that we go in Saturday so that we could go out for the evening and then hit the convention the next day before heading home. However, I foolishly underestimated how many other people would want to see Jared and Jensen and according to the convention website, all general admission tickets are sold out. Rather, they've stopped internet sales and there might be tickets available at the door on a first come, first served basis, but I obviously can't count on being able to get in now. This wouldn't really be a problem in the whole scheme of things if one of our group hadn't had the good sense to order her ticket online some time ago. So she can get in, but I feel bad about her having to go in by herself because what kind of fun is that going to be. So I've contrived to try and figure out where the boys are staying in Chicago so we can accidentally "bump" into them and get a picture.

I've been trying to tap everyone I know in an attempt to orchestrate this encounter. I've got a hotel name, which may or may not be true. I'm about to call up the Chicago Tribune to see if I can get any information out of their entertainment reporter. I'm hoping they'll find the idea of five thirty-something, soccer mom types chasing celebrities through the bars of Chicago amusing enough to throw me a bone. No matter what, I think this hunt adds an extra element of fun to the evening that will hopefully push it into the category of legend. So if you've got any helpful information, please share.

I LOVE the stuff people are willing to put up on the internet.

I think this clip speaks for itself.

Wow, a night at home.

K, so check it. It's Friday night and I'm home because there was no rehearsal tonight. It actually feels weird. I was off last Friday, too, and that felt just as weird. Anyway, I'm sitting here drinking a glass of wine (actually, I'm on my second), and I just got off Facebook. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm pretty much hooked on Facebook, mainly because of Scramble, which is like Boggle. I am soooooo addicted to that game. I can't stop playing it. What's been really cool is that over the last week or so a few of my fraternity brothers (I was a little sister in a fraternity) from college have friended me. Talk about a blast from the past. Seriously, a couple of these guys I've had no contact with in close to 20 years. That's one thing about modern technology that I just love, the ability to just reconnect like that. Anyway, reconnecting with some of these guys has got me reminiscing a lot lately. College was hella fun and that's all there is to it. The shame is that you just don't realize at the time how much fun it's going to be in comparison to the rest of your life. I'm not saying my life now isn't fun, it's just that it's not the same kind of free fun that you have in college when you can just let loose and not really worry too much about what happens after that. What I wonder a lot now when I look back on those days is why I thought I had to have so much of life figured out. I should have let myself have more fun back then, not tempered myself so much. I mean, I had fun, but I didn't have, like, crazy, stuff of legends fun, if you know what I mean. The one thing I know is that the older I get, I feel like I really don't want to miss out on a good time if there's a good time to be had. Maybe it's because I realize there are precious few times you can just forget about life for a couple of hours. I don't know. It's probably one of the reasons why I'm so happy to be back doing theatre again. I can be a completely different person where the rules of my life just don't apply anymore. It's a liberating experience in a lot of ways. It's a socially acceptable way to kind of try on new skins and live someone else's life for a little while, but with the safety and security of being able to go back to my own life. Beyond that, I've just met some really cool people in the last couple of years. People I can't imagine at this point not knowing. If you're not a "theatre" person, you won't understand what I'm talking about, but theatre people are just special. They're the only people, outside of my family, among whom I can be completely idiotic around and it's all taken in stride for what it is--just fun. Most people, I think, are too threatened by people not sticking to the status quo. Theatre people, I think, live for the odd, which is awesome.

Dang, it's been awhile.

I just realized it was the middle of September last time I posted and I can't even say where half a month has gone. It's because I'm doing a play, which always makes time travel at warp speed. In fact, today is the first day in a couple of weeks that I've gotten to just stick around home and I feel like I've been thrown off balance because of it. You know, like when someone presses on the brake when you're not expecting it. I'm a vampire vixen in Dracula, which is turning out to be good fun. I pretty much get my slut on. There are three vixens altogether, and our main job is to sex up Jonathan Harker, which is harder work than one might imagine. But, hey, someone's gotta do the tough jobs.

I told a guy I work with that he should come watch the play, but when I told him what I'm doing in it, he said he doesn't think he'll be able to watch because he'd laugh the entire time. I don't know if I should be offended or not. I mean, seriously, I can do slutty, unholy bride of Dracula. Weirder things have happened.

Because I just really need some laughs in my life right now.

I don't care what anyone says; Will Ferrell is freaking hysterical.

See more Will Ferrell videos at Funny or Die

Podcast #25

My latest conversation with a new guest. We talk about gymnastics and make-out sessions.

Sigh

Well, we're back from DC. We got back yesterday afternoon. The funeral was nice for as far as something like that can be nice, I mean. We arrived at my parents' house Wednesday evening. My sister and parents weren't there as they were still in Baltimore having dinner after having spent the day finalizing funeral arrangements. When they did get home, it didn't take long until we were all arguing with each other over meaningless shit that always turns into yelling match with us. Basically, my mom thought my sister and I were trying to tell her she was wrong for feeling frustrated with my cousins (my uncle's children) because they didn't take any responsibility for helping with arrangements. My mom and aunt kept asking them for input and they wouldn't tell them anything or give them any help so my mom and aunt made the decisions and then when everything was set, my cousin complained about where they'd chosen to hold the viewing and funeral because he thought it was too far out.

At any rate, my sister and I were just telling our mom that she shouldn't be surprised because neither one of our cousins has ever had to be responsible for anything or assumed responsibility for anything as far as their father was concerned. Why expect it from them now? Not that we were excusing their behavior, but just stating that it's on par with how they've been their entire lives. At any rate, she flew off the handle saying we always treat her like she's stupid, and on and on. It didn't take me long to figure she was just spent from all the running around and felt like taking out her frustrations on someone, but when I told her to stop she just kept screaming at us and then I lost it and told her I was I was tired of it and slammed my hand into the table, and then that really set her off. My reaction wasn't the best, but I am really tired of her always trying to turn an argument around by claiming my siblings and I just think she's stupid and we don't have any respect for her, which isn't the case at all, but she doesn't want to believe us when we tell her it's not true and I don't see the point of wasting energy on the same old shit anymore. You can only bang your head into a wall for so long before you realize nothing's happening other than you end up with a headache. Plus, I couldn't believe we were all sitting around yelling at each other considering why we were all there.

Like I said, I know she was tired and sad and wanted to vent, but I'm a cold-hearted bitch and I'm no one's whipping boy. What are you gonna do? Once that business had exhausted itself, we all went to bed for what amounted to a two-hour nap before we had to wake up to get ready to head to Baltimore for the viewing. We had to get on the road at 5 a.m. to beat rush hour traffic so we could be there by 9:00 a.m. The viewing lasted until 1:00, and then we headed to the church for the funeral mass at 2:00. My sister and I did the readings for that, and an honor guard came at the end to present the flag because my uncle had served in the Army when he was young. Everyone lost it when the played Taps. For me, it was more sad because I realized that's how we'll be ending my father's funeral one day. After mass, we all headed to my aunt's house for food and drink. We didn't get back to parents' house until 8:00 or 9:00 that night. I slept until 11:00 the next morning, which I couldn't believe. I really can't remember the last time I slept that long, but we were all so beat.

There was an open casket at the viewing and seeing my uncle was truly wrenching. He shot himself under the chin, so his face wasn't disfigured or anything, but seeing him lie in his coffin was sad beyond words. Knowing a person and then just seeing the shell of them empty of everything that made them the person they were is just a sad, sad thing. At any rate, we're home now, and I guess more than anything being back in the swing of things just shows how life marches along despite everything and all we can do is march along with it.

It's just another day

It's about 5:00 a.m. and I can't sleep. The clock is set to go off in another hour and then my husband, daughter and I will start getting ready to hit the road to DC to attend my uncle's funeral. My uncle took his life Monday evening. It might be incredibly tacky for me to be writing about this, but I can't help it because I am sadder than I've probably ever been in my life because of this. My Uncle Buck is my father's youngest sibling and for whatever reason, he gave up hope. While I'm heartbroken that he felt he had no other options, I'm mostly torn up by the fact that both my aunt (my father's sister) and my father had to see him lying dead before his body could be taken away.

From what I know, my uncle called my aunt Monday and told her he was going to kill himself. My aunt only lives about seven minutes away from him, but by the time she got to his apartment, he'd already shot himself. She immediately called my father who got there as quickly as he could. He lives about an hour and a half away from them. So they were both present when the coroner came to take away my uncle's body. My sister flew into DC yesterday. Well, really today, because she only arrived around midnight. The funeral is Thursday. The terrible thing about suicide is no one can really know why a person decides that the love they have for all the people in their life just isn't enough to help them want to see the next day. My uncle has been suffering health and emotional problems for a few years now. Are those the reasons he gave up? I don't know. I can only guess that's part of it. All I know is that right now my heart is heavy with sorrow and I can only hope he's finally free of the demons that tormented him. Sleep well, Uncle Buck. I love you.

And now I wait

Well, auditioned Monday night and I think it went OK. Let's just hope reality matches up. I got to read for both Mina and Lucy, which was good. I also had a good time just seeing some friends who I really only get to see when I'm doing something at the theatre. The director also held auditions last night, so now it's just time to wait, which has never been a strong suit of mine. It's at moments like this that I wish I could read minds. I'm pretty sure one of the qualities that fueled my becoming a journalist is that I just hate not knowing. Seriously, I almost physically cannot stand not knowing whatever it is I want to know. I actually get angry if I can't get information that I want. In fact, I've told my husband that unless he can tell me all the details of any story he starts to tell, don't bother telling me because I'll just get really frustrated if I ask questions and he can't answer because he didn't pay attention closely enough. Anyway, everyone keep their fingers crossed for me. Send out all your positive mental energy. Thanks, peeps.

I vant to suck your blood.

Monday evening I'm auditioning for Dracula. I really, really, really want to do this play. Obviously, I'm hoping to be cast as Mina or Lucy since those are the two juicy (no pun intended) female roles. Now, both those characters are in their early twenties and, well, I'm not. I'm hoping I can channel my inner-innocent well enough to fake it. I've wanted to do Dracula ever since I was in high school and saw a production at the college in town. I was completely sucked in by it from beginning to end. And of course, I wanted to jump Dracula's bones by the time the curtain fell. I thought about that play for weeks after watching it. I've always been fascinated with vampire legend and myth for, probably, the same reasons most people are drawn to it: themes of sensuality, sexuality, good vs. evil, and immortality. Vampires are interesting in the monster world because most people don't view them as monsters, I think. For sure, Dracula is evil and embraces that; but at the end of the day, he wants companionship. He could just kill all his victims, but he turns some of them so he won't be lonely, which at the end of the day is probably one of the most basic fears of humankind. None of us really wants to be alone, even if we're bloodsuckers.

I got a dress

OK, so I didn't get any of the four I already showed you. I ended up ordering this one.



It's not as formal as the other dresses I was looking at, but that's OK. I'm sure I'll be able to get more use out of it anyway. So now all I have to worry about is shoes and accessories. Unfortunately, I believe that will require me going to the mall. Shit.

How hard can it be to find a new dress?

When it comes to me, apparently very hard. I'm reading at a friend's wedding next month, so I've been looking for a new dress. I've been looking on the internet because I find I pretty much hate shopping the older I get. But guess what? It's not any easier on the internet. I've bookmarked a couple of things, but I just can't commit. You'd think with the endless choices available on the internet, it would be relatively easy, but my main problem is that I just can't find a style I'm sold on. I'd like a dress that's modest, yet not a freaking nun's habit. Incredibly, those dresses don't seem to exist. It seems the only dresses being made nowadays are strapless or sleeveless or form-fitting or super-short. None of those things work for me.

These are the four front-runners, but I don't know which one to pick. I think it's really between the third and fourth. I just have to pick one and order it.

Are we just too sensitive?

Let me start by saying I don't know who Michael Savage is. He's apparently a radio talk show host somewhere, but I've never heard of him. Anyway, this guy stirred up controversy by claiming on his show earlier this month:

In 99 percent of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out. That's what autism is. What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don’t have a father around to tell them, `Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don’t sit there crying and screaming, idiot.

Since then, he's been fired, and parents of autistic children all over the place have been decrying his insensitivity. In response, Savage says he made the statement as a way to shine light on the problem of numerous children being inappropriately and wrongfully diagnosed as autistic.

What I find interesting about this situation and other similar situations where people say stupid things in a public forum (think Don Imus, Jessie Jackson), is how frothing-at-the-mouth crazy people get in response. Is this guy a douche? Probably. Were his comments insensitive? Yeah. Do I care? Not really. Now don't get me wrong. I absolutely think people should voice their opinions and displeasure when something like this happens. But do I really think it's appropriate to see people get fired because they've said something ignorant or unpopular? I'm not so sure. When stuff like this happens, I get nervous because I see it as a chisel that chips away a little bit more at our First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Somewhere in this country, I think we've managed to convince ourselves that if someone says something we don't agree with, then they must be punished and silenced. That's a troubling trend, as far as I'm concerned.

Not as good as I remember

Yesterday my daughter wasn't feeling well, so I stayed home with her. Anyway, it's been awhile since I've done a decent grocery run, so lunchtime rolls around and I realize there's nothing really quick and easy around the house for me to eat, or that I want to eat, I should say. I'm routing around the deep recesses of my pantry when I come across a can of Chef Boyardee mini-shells and meatballs that never made its way into my daughter's lunch bag during the school year, so I think, "Cool, Chef Boyardee."

When I was younger, I used to really like Beefaroni a lot and, generally speaking, I always liked any Chef Boyardee product well enough while I was growing up. I can't tell you the last time I've eaten Chef Boyardee, though, because I normally think of it as kid food. But I used to always save meatballs for last because they were the best part of the meal, that much I remember. So I dump the can of shells and meatballs into a bowl and nuke it. When it's done, I sprinkle a little parmesan on top and grab a spoon to dig in. After my first mouthful, I realize the meal does not live up to my expectations. I mean, it wasn't good. I ate it because I was hungry, but it was bland and generally not good. Granted, it wasn't beefaroni, which might still be as good as I remember. But how different can the shells and meatballs be in taste from the beefaroni? It can't be that big of a difference. It comes from the same company. How different are they going to make their various pasta and meatballs meals taste? There was also a faint metallic aftertaste to it. Truthfully, I only ate until I didn't feel hungry anymore, and then I pitched the rest.

I have to say it's sad when you start realizing you just don't have a taste anymore for childhood favorites. Like I used to LOVE Captain Crunch cereal. As an adult, it's just not as tasty to me. I'd really rather have my All-Bran bran buds. It's the truth. I mix the bran buds with vanilla yogurt and fresh blueberries. It's trés delicious. Sigh.

Good for what [f]ails ya.

Scientists: Watermelon yields Viagra-like effects

By BETSY BLANEY, Associated Press Writer

LUBBOCK, Texas - A slice of cool, fresh watermelon is a juicy way to top off a Fourth of July cookout and one that researchers say has effects similar to Viagra — but don't necessarily expect it to keep the fireworks all night long.
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Watermelons contain an ingredient called citrulline that can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels, similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra, said scientists in Texas, one of the nation's top producers of the seedless variety.

Found in the flesh and rind of watermelons, citrulline reacts with the body's enzymes when consumed in large quantities and is changed into arginine, an amino acid that benefits the heart and the circulatory and immune systems.

"Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it," said Bhimu Patil, a researcher and director of Texas A&M's Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center. "Watermelon may not be as organ-specific as Viagra, but it's a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side effects."

Todd Wehner, who studies watermelon breeding at North Carolina State University, said anyone taking Viagra shouldn't expect the same result from watermelon.

"It sounds like it would be an effect that would be interesting but not a substitute for any medical treatment," Wehner said.

The nitric oxide can also help with angina, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems, according to the study, which was paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

More citrulline — about 60 percent — is found in watermelon rind than in the flesh, Patil said, but that can vary. But scientists may be able to find ways to boost the concentrations in the flesh, he said.

Citrulline is found in all colors of watermelon and is highest in the yellow-fleshed types, said Penelope Perkins-Veazie, a USDA researcher in Lane, Okla.

She said Patil's research is valid, but with a caveat: One would need to eat about six cups of watermelon to get enough citrulline to boost the body's arginine level.

"The problem you have when you eat a lot of watermelon is you tend to run to the bathroom more," Perkins-Veazie said.

Watermelon is a diuretic and was a homeopathic treatment for kidney patients before dialysis became widespread.

Another issue is the amount of sugar that much watermelon would spill into the bloodstream — a jolt that could cause cramping, Perkins-Veazie said.

Patil said he would like to do future studies on how to reduce the sugar content in watermelon.

The relationship between citrulline and arginine might also prove helpful to those who are obese or suffer from type-2 diabetes. The beneficial effects — among them the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does — are beginning to be revealed in research.

Citrulline is present in other curcubits, like cucumbers and cantaloupe, at very low levels, and in the milk protein casein. The highest concentrations of citrulline are found in walnut seedlings, Perkins-Veazie said.

"But they're bitter and most people don't want to eat them," she said.

I find this story interesting mainly because I once had a fraternity brother tell me and another little sister about how he and his friends used to screw watermelons in the field when they were boys. He told us how the watermelons made wonderful fuck toys because they'd get nice and warm from baking in the sun. So these inventive kids would bore holes into the melons and then insert their penises for some sexy times. Apparently, it's almost like the real thing. However, not as much as the real thing as the time he screwed a cow. After that story, I pretty much stayed as far away from that dude as possible. After all, what if there's a dick version of mad cow disease. I didn't need to see that shit.

The show is over.

Here's the cast photo from A Flea in Her Ear, which I just finished. I'm the maid...again. I don't know why I keep ending up as the maid. At any rate, it was a really fun show with lots of door slamming and sexual innuendo. Just the way I like it. The cast was a great bunch of people, except for one person who found the need to try and direct everyone. My general thought is if you want to direct, then volunteer to direct a show; otherwise, keep your half-wit pie hole shut tight as a seal's anus. However, even that didn't keep most of the people from enjoying themselves. Next time I'm in a play, I will contrive to kill the maid.

I need my fix. I'm hurting here.

K, so I just finished watching the season three finale for Supernatural, which is the latest show I've discovered on the Internet and have become addicted to watching. See, I don't have a schedule that allows me to watch network television like normal people, and if it weren't for the internet, I wouldn't be able to watch anything other than the kids programming that's usually showing on our boob tube. Anyway, I'll find a show and watch it all the way through until I'm caught up to the current episode. So I spend several days or weeks watching a show and then all of a sudden it's over and then I have to start waiting a week like everyone else. What's funny about watching shows this way is that you get so used to watching these characters, you start feeling like they're people you really know because you end up seeing them practically everyday. Then when there's nothing left to watch, there's just this void. This is where I am with Supernatural. It's the same way I ended up feeling when I watched all of Dexter and Psych, too. Seriously, I think this is what withdrawal must be like because I feel sad, like I've lost something. Of course, I could always go back and rewatch episodes, but it's just not the way I do things. And since it's summer, I've got to wait until the fall to start up with any of these shows. All I can say is, "Aaaarrgh!!!!"

It's good to know these things.

This is a picture of the new dog food I bought for my pooch. I mainly bought it for the name: Hunk of Beef. How can you pass up a can of dog food that proclaims itself to be Hunk of Beef? The only way they could have made it better would have been to name it Hunk o' Beef. At any rate, my dog sucked this stuff down like it was crack cocaine, as I imagined she would. So, I started reading the label to see if it really was hunk of beef in the can and I noticed this interesting bit of information.



Here, let me blow it up for you in case you're missing it.



You see it circled in red there? This dog food is kosher, which is really, really good to know because I would not want my dog offending God with the food she eats. Now, as far as I can see, there are only two logical reasons for this dog food to be kosher, either it really does matter what one's dog eats at Passover or the company is telling Jewish people they can serve up this fine cuisine for Seder. Neither explanation sits very well with me. However, I did also notice that up in the high left-hand corner the label says the food is not intended for human consumption, so I guess it's all about having holy dog, which is God spelled backward. I smell conspiracy.

Loves it.

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Dang, I wish I came up with that prank. More secrets here.