What Remains After Shock Stock

Blog No. 233

What are these things?

It turns out that last year, I only got half the Shock Stock experience. That thought is leaving me reeling since the last time I was completely wiped out. The convention is busy, hectic, and a bit wild, and it goes for three days. What I found out this year was that when the day’s events end, the evening’s parties start. Boy, do those Shock Stock people know how to party. Since the convention was in a hotel this year, and nearly everyone was staying in that hotel, as soon as the day was wrapped, the parties started. Official, unofficial, after, after-after, and after-after-after parties went way latter than I could last. The entire hotel was overrun.

Bookapalooza!

Blog No. 209

I love road trips. Even taking a two-hour jaunt to London (Ontario) for a day sounds like a good idea for me. I love driving, I’m cool being a co-pilot, and I’ll even rock the back seat. I just enjoy the trip. Not sure if it’s the movement, or the moving, or what, but it’s a good time. Bookapalooza was my second out-of-town event ever and (it being in Whitby) the furthest one to boot. Needless to say, I was looking forward to the trip (even if I had to share a room with Christian).

Day of Kings

Blog No. 189

Over the last few years (around the same time I’ve been working with Adventure Worlds) I’ve had the rare opportunity to see some of my favourite bands live. Due to my extreme age, many of them have since left whatever spotlight they may have had (some of them even haven broken up). Three of the most notable experiences have been seeing Mystery Machine at the FM lounge (now any empty space), going to Hamilton to see the Killjoys play a reunion show on New Year’s Eve, and  now I get to add going to Toronto to see Limblifter. It’s no coincidence that all three bands are Canadian alternative Rock. It’s also no coincidence that I saw all three shows with my musician brother. (Not to mention how awesome all three concerts were).

Shocking

Blog No. 184

What the heck London Ontario? Seriously. No banks are open on Saturday? Only one, but it’s on the far side of the city? Who does that help? What do business do if they run out of change? What is a person who is running a table at an event supposed to do if he runs out of change? What is this, the 90s? Is it just a London thing, or is it weird that Windsor banks are open Saturdays? I’m blown away. Of all the things that happened last weekend, that one was the most shocking—and I was at an event called Shock Stock.

Last week I did a split post about going to Shock Stock and being in a commercial. I thought it would be good to write about both of the major things happening to me. I figured I could just do this one as s split post too, but now that I’m back, it may be better to just stick with one and leave the other for the next post. Which is what I’m doing, right now. Since I’ve already started with my rant on London banks, I may as well stick with the convention.

Lights, Camera, Sell some Books

Blog No. 183

The fun never ends in the world of Adventure Worlds. This week is no different. This weekend is likely going to be the first high point of the year (after the book launch that is). Christian and I are packing up his car and heading for London Ontario to spend three fabulous (likely rainy) days at Shock Stock. The three day horror convention is the largest event we’ve been a part of. It’s also the longest, furthest, and most expensive. Not only is the table a pretty penny, but we are staying in a hotel to boot (oh la, la). Add on some food, a few drinks, and the money we’re likely to spend on other people’s tables, and we’ll be lucky to break even.

London Nerves

Blog No. 181

One of the banner images at the top of my page (the ones that change when you reload it) is a snow-scape taken from the balcony of my tiny apartment when I was living in London Ontario. It was several years ago now, and I was only there for eight months for school, but it was a very formative time in my life, so it’s really stuck with me. I even talk to people like I know London like the back of my hand, but, while I’m acquainted with the place, I realize I will never know it like someone who was born there or lives there. Still, I have the lay of the land and a few potent memories that stick out above the jumbled mess in my head.

Daylight Saving Time is a Jerk

Blog No. 173

Daylight savings sucks. What the heck world (or at least countries who follow the archaic rule). There has been study after study about how daylight savings is a bad thing. Productivity goes down, accidents go up, people are inevitably late (or early depending on the season) and sleep cycles are put out of whack for weeks if not longer. It costs money and I believe it shortens people’s lives. And for what? An extra hour of sunlight? Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for that sunlight, but at what cost? Besides, it’s already been figured out that we’d get the benefits of the time shift all year. So why only do it in the summer? Let’s make this switch our last and stay at the hour ahead forever.

The Amazements Surround

Blog No. 106

This last weekend I went on a short (but full) trip for my friend’s bachelor party. It was pretty important that I be there. Not only because he is such an amazing friend who I consider to be family, but also, I have the honour of being the best man. (The best man is pretty integral to the bachelor party). I had some ideas for the event and had discussed them with the groom to be, and luckily the group gentlemen going, was made up of good friends with good heads on their shoulders, so we opened the floor to them for planning. With much debate and decisions being made, the event was scheduled. We ended up having a busy and fun time that included many bars, plenty of friends, lots of drinking, the Toronto Raptors, Porter Airline, Montreal, and a Prius. The theme (not that we started with a theme in mind) was Adventure!