My Summer Reading Pile

Check out my summer reading pile. I still feel the thrill of adventure when I open up a new book. Where will it take me? What will I learn? What will happen to my fave character in the next chapter? This year's pile has everything from music to business, manga to spirituality and everything in between. Summer is halfway over - I better get cracking!

My First Geek Moot

For some reason or another, I never made it to Geekmoot 1.0 or 2.0. I really didn't want to sit out this year's due to a cold/flu. Thankfully, I recovered enough to go out and play at Geekmoot 3.0. As I walked through to the front of the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre, my eyes bugged out. The gymnasium was filled with tables with people playing tabletop games at each one. The main area had teens playing Dance Dance Revolution, with another group on the side playing games on their laptops. Patrons were watching Lloyd the Conqueror, a locally produced film, in the far room.

After paying my $5 admission, which included food and drink, I stepped into the gym. The energy in the room was just marvellous. There were kids as young as three playing all the way up to people who have retired from their jobs. Good clean fun without any electronics. I felt like I was a kid.

Then, the vendors caught my attention. A couple of my students would have squealed upon spying the Zelda Sage Medallions with Sage Temple Plaque at Chinook Crafts' booth, while one of my friends would have had a BRONY moment at the sight of the excellent renditions of Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle and Apple Jack.

On the other side of the gym, I caught up with a gal I knew from a now defunct anime group. Their amigurumi and buttons were pretty neat (Aerel and shi-oni). And I was good - I looked at the the well-designed hoodies and cosplay caps at Canada Cosplay - and didn't break the bank. I just kept on walking.

It was really great to try out new tabletop games. That day, I tried out Robo Rally, King of Tokyo, The Resistance and Hanabi.

Robo Rally is a neat board game in which you are all robots. You program your robot to move in a certain order, working your way to the numbered flags. However, you don't know what path the other robots have. Their moves could affect your trajectory. Robo Rally is available at your local gaming or toy store. Online, you can purchase it at Amazon.ca or Amazon.com.

I really enjoyed King of Tokyo: Players are kaiju monsters fighting for supremacy in Tokyo. Who can dish the most damage and lose the least amount of health? I, um, er, rolled three to four claws at the beginning. My Cyber Bunny wreaked havoc on the other monsters. It's also available at your local gaming or toy store or online at Amazon.

In The Resistance, resistance fighters and spies team up to complete unexplained missions. Spies try not to identify themselves to the resistance. Little did I know that by not putting myself on the first mission, I didn't show that I trusted the other members. Nay, apparently, I gave away that I was a spy off the bat. I make a bad spy.

This was my least favourite game. I need to know what kind of mission we're on and what obstacles we're up against. I want to know what my special moves are (Yes, I grew up on RPG games and online adventure games).

The last game was unusual. Hanabi is a collaborative card game. Members hold their cards with the faces towards the other players. With clues from the others, you try to figure out which card to play to help the team build fireworks (the numbered cards must go up sequentially). Although I liked it, I think I need to actually write down the clues next time (If you follow any of my other blogs, you know that I am NOT an aural learner).

Another highlight of the evening was the opportunity to hear THWOMP live in concert. I interviewed Brad Stanton and Dave Marshall from the band back in 2010 for a series originally published on Suite101. It now lives on one of my blogs, The Musical Muse.

Oh how apropos! My mp3 player randomly switched to THWOMP's Zelda set. They performed many beloved themes that are on their Hey! Listen album.

All in all, my first Geekmoot was a wonderful experience. I met some new gaming buddies, heard about a few upcoming tabletop gaming events and caught up with anime and gaming friends I haven't seen in a while. Looking forward to Geekmoot 4.0!

A Good Cuppa Tea

The Oxford Dictionary defines "tea" as: "a hot drink made by infusing the dried crushed leaves of the tea plant in boiling water:" Although technically correct, I feel that Oxford's definition leaves so much out. To me, tea means oh so much more.

Tea to Start the Day Right

I normally brew a pot of tea (loose green tea or black tea for the caffeine boost) at the start of my day. Ever since I was introduced to loose tea over five years ago, I tend to drink it most of the time. 

Whenever possible, I sit and watch my Bodum Assam Tea Press as the tea is steeping. I like to watch the hues change. It starts gradually and then WHAM! - it's dark.

I also try to savour that first sip. It's one thing I discovered while on a silent retreat. When you can't talk for a weekend, what are you going to do? I chose to be present in the moment.

As I cradle the mug, I savour the warmth as it seeps from the mug to my cool fingertips. As the mug nears my lips, I pause and breathe in the symphony of subtle scents. Then, as I take that first sip, I let the flavours dance on my tongue for a few seconds before swallowing. Finally, I relish the warmth as it travels from my mouth down to my tummy.

Then, it's back to the matters at hand. As I drink, I pull out my notebook and make a plan for the day.

I don't always have the time to savour that first cup of the day. However, I do notice that the days that I don't take that extra time don't go as smoothly as the days that I do savour that first cup,

Tea to Soothe the Throat

As a music educator, vocalist and collaborative musician, I use my voice a lot. I often drink tea to prevent my throat from drying up. An added bonus is that the warmth keeps my vocal cords more relaxed.

When I'm feeling run down, my go-to drink is a Hot Toddy (alcoholic or non-alcoholic). I've managed to not lose my voice completely when I'm sick, which has happened in the past.

Tea, Conversation and Camaraderie

Enjoying good conversation over a cup of hot tea with family and friends seems to be commonplace in my circles. This spirit of sharing and bonding has extended worldwide, thanks to Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir.

Virtual Choir 4.0 is comprised of singers from 101 countries. I have really connected with several of them, to the point that we send each other care packages. We call it the Tea and Treat Exchange.

I've had the immense pleasure in trying iced tea from Louisiana, numerous teas from the UK and snacks from Puerto Rico. There is still some British jam left for me to finish, along with the Creole Jambalaya mix. What you don't see are the Cadbury Eggs that were used for the UK/US/CAN Egg Taste Test because, well, they're gone. Eaten in an Google Hangout so I could share my commentary.

Maestro even cashed in on the exchange. He's enjoyed treats from Puerto Rico and the UK. My students know that if you say, "British snackies" that Maestro knows exactly what you mean.

As you can see, tea means oh so much more to me than a mere drink. It's about balance, relationships and experiences. How about you? Do you have a special drink?

Summer Geek-out at G33km00t 3.0

With the Calgary Expo and Otafest behind us, what are Calgary geeks to do while waiting for the next big geek-out (AKA Animethon)? Why, check out Geekmoot 3.0!

Geekmoot (AKA "g33km00t") will take place Saturday, July 27, 2013 from 2:00 - 11:30 pm at the Hillhurst Sunnyside Communty Association. It is an annual one-day gaming convention that is oh so much more. In addition to playing various tabletop games, attendees can check out the Artists' Alley and vendor tables.

Several voice actors will be there, such as Brendan Hunter (Hunter X Hunter Dragon Ball GT,  Cardfight! Vanguard), Lucas Gilbertson (Cardfight!! Vanguard, Mega Man X8, Hunter X Hunter) and Carol-Anne Day (Gregory Horror Show, My-HiME (TV), MegaMan Maverick Hunter X: The Day of Sigma OVA). Other special guests include the 404s imrpov comedy, Anything Goes and THWOMP.

Here's a sampling of music performed by Anything Goes:

And a live performance by THWOMP:

If that's not enough for you, you can check out the movie screening of Brendan Hunter's production Lloyd the Conqueror. Lloyd, Patrick and Oswald - three slacker students who lost their student funding make a pact with a teacher which leads to some LARP of Demons & Dwarves.

Geekmoot tickets are only $5 for adults and kids 12 and up. Kids under 12 are free. Tickets include admission to all events and food. For more information, check out g33km00t's website or Facebook page.

Celebrating the Calgary Stampede - Doggie Style

Earlier today, we attended a pet-friendly Stampede pancake breakfast with some of our friends from Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir. The event was hosted by Oops-a-Dazy Rescue and Sanctuary Society in Calgary. The parking lot was abuzz with dogs, as well as a few cats and potbelly pigs.

Maestro wasn't sure what to think of his doggie pancake at first:

It didn't take long before he was sold!

Maestro was also treated to a mini massage by Pamela Porosky of Ashbury Cottage. She's a Canine massage Practitioner, Aromatherapist and Reiki Master.

He really enjoyed it and it definitely improved his mobility. Definitely a therapy to keep in mind for arthritic dogs.