ComiCon & more

ComiCon

So, I know I said that I was going to post pics of ComiCon the day or the day after the event but I have been busy. The annual Phoenix ComiCon held at the Mesa Convention Center was a unique convention compared to the Star Trek convention held in Las Vegas, NV. This is mostly because there are a great deal of animae people dressed up and playing Red Rover.

I had a crazy day the Friday of the event, I saw at least four people that I have not seen since high school (4 yrs). Being at the ComiCon with a press pass was pretty sweet as it got me free dinner, all access all weekend, and swag. My girlfriend, Kayla, writes the Science Friday article for TrekMovie.com. She was the one that got me the press pass as I got to be with her as she interviewed Wil Wheaton, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner and Chase Masterson.Since I work at the Mars Space Flight Facility I decided to bring all four of them Mars posters taken by the Themis camera onboard the Mars Odyssey Orbiter.

Marina was probably the most impressed and said that her husband would love it. She then started to ask about the recent topic of methane (CH4) being detected on Mars. Wil also loved the poster and thought about how on Twitter the Phoenix Lander and Mars Exploration Rovers have been personified so much that when the Phoenix Lander fell into a deep cold sleep he became saddened.

That night composed of playing RockBand2 with Wil Wheaton which was amazing! Probably the best time playing that game I have ever had. Supposedly that is going to turn into an annual event.

Sunday, Kayla interviewed Chase Masterson and Brent Spiner and both of them went really well. After the interviews Kayla and I went to see a sneak preview of Yesterday Was A Lie a film noir starring Chase Masterson. The film was great because it was thought provoking and demanded a lot from its audience.

& More

Since then Kayla and I had our first Field Geology field trip at Dreamy Draw. Dreamy Draw lies just north of Piestawa Peak. It is called Dreamy Draw because the area was mined for Mercury early on. The field trip composed of learning how to write good rock descriptions, refreshing how to locate oneself on a topographic map, and mapping rock units by following contacts and drawing them.

I have been busy with work, school and taking care of my triops. Triops are similar to horseshoe crabs.  Triops longicaudatus live up to 90 days and can be 2-3 inches long. They have been on the Earth since the Triassic (200 Ma) and are awesome. They love little pellets of food and carrots!

Here are some pics!

Storm Trooper

Me at the Phx ComiCon

Time is a Companion

It has been too long since my last post. I have been working at the Mars Space Flight Facility and working towards my Earth and Space Exploration degree.

The August Star Trek Convention was bitter sweet with friends and family.

The Fall semester of my first senior year went well.

Winter Break blew by fast with much relaxation and good times.

Using my iPhone to write this post is amazing as I am sitting next to my girlfriend, Kayla as she prepares for her interview with Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher), Brent Spiner (Lt. Cmdr. Data), Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi), and Chase Masterson (Leeta) at the Phoenix ComiCon in Mesa, AZ.

I will accompany her as an assistant and hopefully rock out on Rock Band 2 as Harmonix has hooked Wil Wheaton up with a set.

Tomorrow should consist of some pictures. Stayed Tuned.

Trek Uniforms: Hours before final

Here is what our uniforms looked like just hours before they were done. We are currently taking pictures of all the costumes that Pam Allender has made for placement on her website, CustomCreationsbyPam.

Tomorrow we are off to Las Vegas for the Star Trek Convention and the Roddenberry Revolution Party.

Star Trek Uniforms Day #?

Kayla and I have been working hard along with Pam Allender of Custom Creations By Pam to create Star Trek movie uniforms first seen in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan.

Last night involved figuring out how exactly the sleeves of both jackets work. With all the notches lined up Kayla did not have much mobility. So as a group we said “screw the notches” and have found a better way that includes alignment of a seam, appearance and functionality. Pam mastered the sleeves into submission while Kayla and I created belt loops.

While I was getting tired, things were getting messy due to Kayla busting out the tribble fur and sewing some unique tribbles. I think I remember one looking like an Oreo?!?

Star Trek Uniforms

My girlfirend, Kayla and I have been working hard on having our Star Trek movie uniforms done by the annual Las Vegas Star Trek Convention.

Here are some pics of our work so far:

More to come soon

I have made another switch. I used to use Blogger but have not been lately and am happy to see that there is an iPhone app for WordPress.

Expect more changes within the next two weeks.

Reaching for Interstellar-Hope

Gattaca, a futuristic fable where most people are genetically engineered to be perfect. This movie is well performed and completed. I watched this movie in wonder and as the credits scrolled upward I thought about the future and the many tangents one could discuss relating to this brilliant film. The director, cast, and plot made this movie a sci-fi cinematic masterpiece. This collaboration was sculpted by Andrew Niccol.

As one of the first of Andrew Niccol’s sophisticated movies, Gattaca strengthened his writing and directing abilities. Many of his movies have been futuristic and intelligent. Niccol wrote and directed Simone (2002) and Gattaca (1997). Simone premiered nation-wide in 2002. Andrew Niccol also wrote The Truman Show (1998). The scenes of escape and exposition are artistic throughout the movie.

The formation of the cast portrayed a believable story set in the not too distant future. Ethan Hawke played character Vincent Freeman with a sterile style of a navigator. Ethan Hawke has played diverse roles throughout his career, from the “good cop” in Training Day to the villain in Taking Lives. Actress Uma Thurman plays Irene, another employee of Gattaca. Uma has starred in movies such as Kill Bill, Paycheck, and Batman & Robin. Loren Dean plays Vincent’s superior younger brother, Anton. Loren Dean has similar sized roles in Apollo 13, Enemy of the State, and Space Cowboys. Jude Law takes part in the role of Jerome Morrow. The character Jerome is a crippled ex-swimmer who was born with a perfect combination of genes. Jude law is spreading into numerous roles in films such as Alfie and Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.

Vincent Freeman was conceived by the way of odds and probability. He is a “God-child,” a child not genetically engineered but formed with an inferior combination of genes. His younger brother is a product of a combination genes selected by his parents. Vincent grows up with the dream of becoming a space navigator. To get accepted, he assumes the identity of a crippled ex-swimmer with perfect genes. His ploy is going smoothly until a murder occurs in the Gattaca office. The police and detectives find some DNA of an “in-valid” and start to suspect an inside job. Vincent is supposed to leave for Titan, a moon of Saturn, in a week and must remain a step ahead of the authorities to not get caught before reaching his dream of navigating a ship through space.

This movie stimulates the brain and stirs the heart. The success of this movie can be credited to the dazzling cast, ingenious plot, and superb director. This movie shows with will and determination one can fight the odds with ordinary genes, reach for the stars, and achieve self-actualization. The future is not set in stone and destiny can be changed by the variable known as choice. To what I know, this film is inspiring.