Me at Comic-Con 2015 (Part 1)

San Diego Comic-Con 2015 or SDCC2015 as it's most commonly known on Social Media--we've arrived!

I’m a self-proclaimed geek wife and mom. And nothing says “geek” more than the Comic-Con Convention.  I have to say, it’s been quite an adventurous experience: from the lottery-type system in acquiring the tickets, to the pre-paid parking structures (you snooze, you lose), to the massive crowds, & finally to the epic event itself! I feel honored and privileged to experience this juggernaut phenomenon San Diego puts together every year (and I hope will continue to despite all the rumors I’ve heard to the contrary). But I have to pay a little homage to Comic-Con itself…

Dear Comic-Con, you kicked my butt! I can’t remember a time when I felt like my body had been hit by a mack truck! Not even 18 days in Orlando, Florida (and believe me, that was go, go go!) has made me feel physically fatigued as much as I do today.  After a full day of manuevering crowds and standing in long lines, I’m so exhausted I feel like I can’t move. Hand me a mai tai and a place to put up my feet, put a fork in me…this Mom is done…for now. (I still have another full day of Comic-Con on Sunday, so I best find the will to recover!) Thank goodness for my Skechers sneaks….if you were a person, I’d take you out for a coffee!

Signs are everywhere! You have to know something big is happening today!

Badged up & ready to go!

We arrived in San Diego so unbelievably early I don’t think even the roosters were up. But guess what? We’re late! There were large crowds all lined up & ready to go! We already purchased our tickets so all we needed to do was get our badges.  Great thing though, it’s pretty well organized.  Just simply ask what a line is for & most people know and are willing to share information. The lines are generally long but once they get going, they move rather quickly (at least in geek time).  The badge process was easy and the boys loved the way they looked–talk about being official! Not surprisingly, my guys’ main purpose on this particular day was to take advantage of everything Lego had to offer at the Convention.

Who could pass up a photo op with R2D2? Certainly, not the boys.

This includes standing in line for hours just to possibly get a chance to get a voucher to shop for exclusives (a handy dandy term meaning these toys are found nowhere else but at this event OR at an inflated price at some online auction) and a chance at an exclusive and very highly sought after mini-figure of the weekend.  Luckily for this family, we have 4 chances at everything–so all in all, the guys had a nice loot & stash of pretty much all the products they wanted.

Lots of people come dressed up in their favorite characters from movies, television, video games & any other genre I can’t possibly remember to come up with right now.  Some are just downright creative and I love the fact that they are so willing to take pictures with anyone that asks. So, go ahead, don’t be shy! Find your superhero and/or villain & snap away!

How cute is Baby Groot? Wish I could take him home.

The boys love the show Teen Titans Go!

United in calmness. I adore this kid!

There was a point in time, when my first born & I had to go and stand in line while the husband & my youngest stood in another line trying to complete another transaction (we’re efficient like that).  We roamed around the place & got a little bit (or a lot depending on your perspective) lost trying to find the line we needed to stand in. Thank goodness this kid is so laid back.  We were a couple of clueless, yet fairly calm attendees. And you know? Standing in line is never the most ideal situation, but I make the most of it by honing in & enhancing my eavesdropping skills! The things you learn about human nature by the conversations you overhear!

Look what we won!

So how fun is it, to get to the end of this massive line and have to press a button that lets you know whether or not you win something? Maybe it doesn’t sound good, but it’s actually pretty thrilling! And I’m not one to get too excited about these things because I’m that person that comes home empty handed at raffles that everyone seems to get a prize at, but my luck held out today! All 4 of us were able to get a very rare (and cool) mini-figure exclusive–some would give a right toe for or maybe just pay a ridiculous amount for (I mean, how much are mini-figures worth? 5 dollars at most–well you would think, until someone offers you 80 dollars for them). Trust me, this is a massive acquisition!

4th of July may be over, but we shine out our patriotism. Hello there, Captain America!

One side...Save all the geeky heathens from the firepits of hell!

It wouldn’t be an epic adventure without a little protesting now wouldn’t there! Amongst the massive crowd crossing the streets to get to different events throughout the Gaslamp District of San Diego, shouts a religious group calling for the repentance of all the Comic-Con attendees!! “Turn from your evil ways”. My kids…aww, poor kids…especially my first-born…”What? Are they saying I’m going to hell because I like Lego & Skylanders? Well, that’s just wrong”.  All I could respond was, “Well, I’m glad you know that.”

On the other side, we're heathens & proud of it! (And hell might be fun.)

 And to the Satan Worshipers…hey, to each their own beliefs. I may disagree with you (and just a tad bit afraid), but I respect your right to express yourself. Just as long as your members practice free will and don’t hurt anyone, what do I have to do with it? Keep on, keeping on! And again, it’s the perfect opportunity to tell my two boys, see?, everyone has a right to believe what they want & it’s okay to disagree–just don’t disrespect. Who says, Comic-Con isn’t educational??

The boys spent some time at this exhibit. You think they're excited for the release of this video game? Maybe a little.

The boys had such a wonderful time & the husband was on geek cloud 9. And me? As exhausting as it was, loved every minute! People watching galore…so many unique characters in costume, people with varying interests vying for the latest and greatest products and ALL so very different!! No one was weird, yet everyone was weird. If the world was one big Comic-Con, a lot of our problems would cease to exist.

I have a couple of days to recover & we’re back at it on Sunday! Now that I know what to expect, it’ll be a cinch…I hope…fingers crossed!

Random Questionnaire

I found this super long questionnaire post on Tumblr and thought I’d take the time to answer them as honestly as I can. Please click here for more.

Since the link is often not working...here is the questionnaire in full:

1: Name Maria

2: Age: 39

3: 3 Fears: Rodents of any kind, Fear itself, & Losing my loved ones

4: 3 things I love: My Husband & Children (which I count as 1), Nature, Being Entertained

5: 4 turns on: Wisdom, Laughter, Creativity, Humility

6: 4 turns off: Arrogance, Gossip, Snobbiness, Selfishness

7: My best friend: The Husband

8: Sexual orientation: Straight

9: My best first date: Mini-golfing

10: How tall am I: 5 feet even

11: What do I miss? Nothing specific….just moments in time—my kids as babies, silly moments with my small group of friends in high school, traveling memories with my family etc…

12: What time were I born: I don’t know.

13: Favorite color: baby blue

14: Do I have a crush: Aside from my husband, I always have some sort of Celebrity Crush going on.

15: Favorite quote: “Work for a cause, not for applause. Live life to express, not to impress”–Anonymous

16: Favorite place: Home & basically anywhere my family is

17: Favorite food: Shrimp Scampi

18: Do I use sarcasm: It’s one of my languages.

19: What am I listening to right now: Lego Ninjago, a show my kids are watching

20:First thing I notice in a new person: Their smile (or lack thereof)

21: Shoe size: Womens 7

22: Eye color: Brown

23: Hair color: Black (with a few wispy white hairs)
24: Favorite style of clothing: Shorts & a nice blouse
25: Ever done a prank call? No
27: Meaning behind my URL: represents a union between the Husband & I
28: Favorite movie: Return to Me starring David Duchovny and Minnie Driver
29: Favorite song: always changing, but I love Pop Music & hit songs
30: Favorite band: Black Eyed Peas
31:How I feel right now: Relaxed

32: Someone I love: My Husband

33: My current relationship status: Happily married
34: My relationship with my parents: I get along very well with my Mom & Step-Dad. I’m not in contact with my biological Father.
35: Favorite holiday: Christmas
36:Tattoos and piercing: No tattoos, standard ear piercing—one on each ear lobe.
37: Tattoos and piercing i want: I would love a Lego tattoo on my inside wrist. I don’t want any additional piercings.
38: The reason I joined Tumblr: I love the varied posts that cater to my interests.
39: Do I and my last ex hate each other? I don’t really have any exes…I have been with my husband since I was 19 years old.
40: Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts? Yes

41: Have I ever kissed the last person you texted? Yes

42: When did I last hold hands? Like very recently…my husband & I regularly hold hands.

43: How long does it take me to get ready in the morning? 30 minutes

44: Have You shaved your legs in the past three days? Yes

45: Where am I right now? At my desk in front of my computer
46: If I were drunk and can’t stand, who’s taking care of me? My Husband
47: Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level? Reasonable level
48: Do I live with my Mom and Dad? No
49: Am I excited for anything? Yes
50: Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to? Yes
51: How often do I wear a fake smile? Ohhh…interesting question…maybe more than I should?
52:When was the last time I hugged someone? A few minutes ago.
53:What if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else right in front of me? I’d be very upset.

54: Is there anyone I trust even though I should not? No. My trust is sacred.

55: What is something I disliked about today? The hot weather
56: If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? Chris Pratt
57: What do I think about most? My kids

58:What’s my strangest talent? Making meals with the plainest ingredients

59: Do I have any strange phobias? Rodents. I feel like I may have been tortured by them in another life or something, that’s how much I don’t want them anywhere in my vicinity.

60:Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it? Definitely behind.

61:What was the last lie I told?  Not sure.

62:Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online? Texting. I don’t like talking on the phone & I prefer video chatting even less.

63:Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens? Yes to ghosts. Maybe to aliens.

64:Do I believe in magic? Not really

65:Do I believe in luck? Yes

66:What’s the weather like right now? Warm and sunny
67: What was the last book I’ve read? A contemporary romance novel called “Crossing the Line” by Nicola Marsh

68: Do I like the smell of gasoline? No

69: Do I have any nicknames? Inday

70: What was the worst injury I’ve ever had? Nothing worth mentioning
71: Do I spend money or save it? Save

72: Can I touch my nose with a tongue? No

73: Is there anything pink in 10 feet from me? Yes

74: Favorite animal? Manatee

75: What was I doing last night at 12 AM? sleeping

76: What do I think  Satan’s last name is? He’s like Madonna or Cher, he only goes by one name.
77: What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it? Let’s Get It Started by the Black Eyed Peas.
78: How can you win my heart? By being kind to my kids & Husband
79:What would I want to be written on my tombstone? Proud Mom, Happy Wife, Strived to live on the positive side of life.
80:What is my favorite word?  Laugh
 81:My top 5 blogs on tumblr: I don’t have specific blogs but I love the music blogs, celebrity news blogs, positive life blogs, & jokes
82: If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say? When in doubt, try kindness first.
83: Do I have any relatives in jail? Not totally sure. Maybe in-laws?
84:I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power? Flight & Invisibility
85:What would be a question I’d be afraid to tell the truth on? I’m kind of afraid to answer that….but it’s along the lines of how I feel about certain people in my life–not so much my friends, but just people in general. Sometimes, silence is the most diplomatic way to live.
86:What is my current desktop picture? A picture of my family on our most recent trip to Florida at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
87:Had sex? Yes

88: Bought condoms? Yes

89: Gotten pregnant? Yes
90: Failed a class? No
91: Kissed a boy? Yes
92: Kissed a girl? No
93: Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain? Yes
94: Had job? Yes
95: Left the house without my wallet? Yes
96:Bullied someone on the internet? Never
97:Had sex in public? No. (Phew! That’s my story & I’m sticking to it.)
98:Played on a sports team? No

99:Smoked weed? No.

100:Did drugs? No

101:Smoked cigarettes? No

102:Drank alcohol? Yes…but I’ve never been drunk.  Man, I’m such a goody goody. But I’m a proud goody goody. ☺

103:Am I a vegetarian/vegan? No

104:Been overweight? Yes. Constant struggle
105:Been underweight? No. So not familiar  with this problem.
106:Been to a wedding? Many
107:Been on the computer for 5 hours straight? Maybe not straight…but I’m on my computer A LOT!
108:Watched TV for 5 hours straight? Again, not straight…but I can certainly binge watch when the opportunity arises.
109:Been outside my home country? Well I was born in another country, so yes.
110:Gotten my heart broken? No. I married my first-love.

111:Been to a professional sports game? Yes. Free tickets come my way sometimes.

112:Broken a bone? No
113:Cut myself? Yes
114:Been to prom? No. I actually participated in a Non-Prom with my friends. It was weird for some people but I cherish the memory.
115:Been in an airplane? Yes
116:Fly by helicopter? No
117:What concerts have I been to? I went to a Sharon Cuneta concert in grade school. And a Transiberian Orchestra Concert with a group. Other than that, I enjoy free concerts in the park. I love music but don’t enjoy the crowds at concerts.
118:Had a crush on someone of the same sex? No. But I appreciate beauty.
119:Learned another language? Yes. English, since my first language is Tagalog.
120:Wore make up? Yes

121:Lost my virginity before I was 18? No

122:Had oral sex? Yes
123:Dyed my hair? No
124:Voted in a presidential election? Yes!

125:Rode in an ambulance? No

126:Had a surgery? No

127:Met someone famous? Saw Joey McKintyre from NKOTB on Venice Beach & snagged a picture.

128:Stalked someone on a social network? No, but I look at pages sometimes to see what someone’s up to. And I’ve looked at open pages of non-facebook friends. I call it Facebook stalking but in a non-creepy way. ☺

129:Peed outside? Yes

130:Been fishing? Yes, but I don’t enjoy it. I guess it’s hypocritical, but I feel sorry for the fish although I eat fish & buy it at the store.

131:Helped with charity? Yes

132: Been rejected by a crush? Technically no, since I married young & never pursued any childhood crushes.

133: Broken a mirror? Yes

134: What do I want for birthday? Amazon gift card

Father's Day 2015

Happy Father’s day to the father of my kids.  Please click here for more.

The link is often unreliable so here's the rest of the text...

There’s no one better to lead this geeky & crazy brood than the geekiest & craziest of them all!! I hope that you never feel a moment of doubt about how much we appreciate all the qualities that make you an amazing Father–a true Dad (and not to mention the best Husband to me!). We LOVE You!!

Happy Father's Day to my real man! ♥

Eat & Drink Red, Fight AIDS

A "Buying to Give" Edition. Please click here for more.

Red Nose Highlights

There is no doubt of the existence of human suffering all over the world.  What I find hopeful & inspiring is that there are also many people & organizations all over trying their best to offer assistance to those in need.  Below are three highlights of celebrities working through the Red Nose USA Foundation bringing awareness from different parts of the world. Click here for more.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom, my Mom-in-law, my Mom friends & all the Moms out there doing the absolute best they can to protect their children and help them live the best life possible. Sometimes, life is in the trying. Please click here for more.

The above link appears to no longer be working, so here's the text (minus the pictures).

And to my children….thank you for being such great kids! I didn’t say perfect because that would be strange & I don’t even know what that means. But you’re both fabulous, funny, & forever entertaining. You’re both always & forever in my prayers so keep on keeping on….

My Mom, a.k.a. Lola, is the greatest example of unconditional love. We are Blessed to have her.

So Blessed to have my Mom-In-Law....her patience is unbridled.

Thank you to all Mothers!!!!  May you feel the love that you deserve!

Through One's Eyes

So, for me, there is no argument involved in the existence of the gender wage equality gap that currently plagues our society.  Men, more often than not, get paid higher wages than women for the same job/responsibilities. You can either argue that this is wrong or you can maintain that it’s fair because men deserve to be paid higher in any situation. (Frankly, my opinion is so far from that last part that it was even hard for me to type it.)
Please click here for more.