• Blog,  Blogging,  Events,  Travel

    Look At Me Talk About Things

    Hey all!

    I’ve been a little (a lot) absent from my site (and other places) for the past month and a half for a couple specific reasons: travel, health, and organizing podcast things. I went to Canada, USA, Wellington, Australia, and then came home to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. It’s been an intense few weeks! But more on that stuff later.

    For now, here are the recordings of the talks and panels I did while travelling and some little write-ups about the events I was lucky enough to experience. Travelling for a month and being accepted to speak at multiple events was a huge privilege, and though I’m paying for it now with my health, I wouldn’t have had April any other way.

    Play By Play

  • Blog,  Diversity & Media Criticism,  Gaming,  PAX Aus

    Female Protagonists, Who Cares?

    While at PAX Australia earlier this month I tagged along to a panel called, Who Cares About Female Protagonists? with a friend because, well, I care about female protagonists a hell of a lot.

    There’s a reason the majority of my favourite games are headed by women and girls, or at least give the player the option to pick their gender (props to you, BioWare.) These games make me feel like I can be a hero in a way male-led games do not. They make me feel like I can be something more than I am.

  • Blog,  Events,  International,  Star Wars

    SWCA: Saf Errant

    It was a month ago that I finally stepped foot onto the plane that would bring me, for the first time in over 15 years, to America. I meant to sleep the flight away–I really did–but instead I absentmindedly drank a glass of wine offered to me before remembering my sleeping pills had a “no alcohol” rule. So for around 30 hours, I did not sleep. Oops!

    f
    At least there was free food.

    Why was I going to America? Well, for Star Wars Celebration, the massive convention for Star Wars fans all over the globe to converge and nerd out together. As if anyone needed more proof of how much I love the franchise, this was it. From the 15th to the 19th of April, I was to be surrounded by Star Wars.

  • Blog,  Cosplay & Costuming,  Events,  Gaming,  International,  PAX Aus,  Travel

    PAX to the Future

    I started this year with the goal that I will write, and I will write what I’ve planned—even if it takes me far too long to get to it. I said I would write about PAX Aus, and so:

    PAX. A huge con that spanned the weekend of October 31 to November 1 last year at the Melbourne Convention Centre.

    So many trees in that city! SO MUCH GREEN
    So many trees in that city! SO MUCH GREEN

    I’d been dreaming of visiting Melbourne for years, ever since being told it’s a “cooler Wellington”. Being invited along to PAX—Penny Arcade Expo—by my friends was the perfect opportunity to see the city and finally taste its world-class coffee.

    (In hindsight, I’m not sure I even drank coffee there.)

  • Armageddon Expo,  Blog,  Blogging,  Cosplay & Costuming,  Events

    It’s Not the End of the World

    It’s been well over a month since the fact, but the biggest New Zealand Armageddon, Auckland Armageddon—aka Auckgeddon—has come and gone for the year. I meant to write this the week after the fact, time sure got away from me!

    This year was just as busy as last—if not moreso—filled with truly lovely people and spectacular cosplay. Saturday was absolutely packed, it felt like being stuck in a can filled with sardines (note: I’ve never been stuck in a sardine can, but I imagine it’s smelly.)

    My favourite part of the con, as always, was the cosplay. Every year, and I’m not exaggerating here, I get to the con and I say, “man, the cosplay community has really raised the bar this year.” Every year! And I’m never wrong when I say this.

    IMG_3911
    Actual photograph of the bar being raised
  • Armageddon Expo,  Blog,  Cosplay & Costuming,  Cosplay photography

    Auckgeddon 2014 gallery

  • Armageddon Expo,  Blogging,  Cosplay & Costuming,  Events,  New Zealand Travel,  Personal Posts,  Travel

    Bare Arms-ageddon

    Good news everyone! It’s 4 in the morn’ and I’m listening to a remix of Binary Sunset while a heater blasts my tired feet. I should be asleep, but instead I’m starting this post about the weekend just been.

    Armageddon Expo, the big con of lil’ ol’ New Zealand, has just been. The second-to-last ‘geddon of the year is over, now leaving us with a con-less gap until late October. Boo! But the weekend has been utterly amazing, helped in large part by my wonderful friends, cosplayers and civilians alike.