The Perfect Salad

The secret ingredient to the perfect salad is shave parmesan cheese. It's not only decorative but also tasty and healthy. And if you are searching for the best Caesar salad, check out this recipe from 15 Spatulas: https://www.fifteenspatulas.com/caesar-salad-with-parmesan-peppercorn-croutons/. 

By Adam Ellis @adamtots

RANDOM WEDNESDAY: DC Comics Super Heroes - Wonder Woman (TOY BIZ)

 

May the 4th Be With You

 

Nerdist's #MarvelMadness Bracket

Nerdist apologetically tweeted a #MarvelMadness Bracket. And of course, like many other nerds, I couldn't help myself fill out the bracket.

My final four included Captain America, Doctor Strange, Loki, and Thor. Thor and Captain America would meet in the Finals with Thor winning. 

Congratulations Mighty Thor!

via Ranker

10 Years of Blogging

It's been 10 years since I posted my first blog entry. Well, actually, I've been blogging since 2005, but this was the first time I posted one of my photos publicly.

Planning My Saturday at Austin's Wizard World Comic Con

I can't wait for Saturday. It's Wizard World Comic Con in Austin, and that means I get to geek out to the various TV and movie actors, aisles of exhibitors and vendors, discussion panels and Q&A's, and the tons of cosplayers.

This is a full day event for me, where I arrive at 10 AM and don't leave until about 9 PM. And for the past few hours, I've been planning my day by highlighting the programming and setting priorities.

11:00 AM - 11:30 AM - Austin Acroart (Entertainment Stage)

I have an appreciation for acroyoga, a combination of acrobatics and yoga, so this performance should be entertaining.

11:30 AM - 12:15 PM - Trailer Park (Room 6)

I love watching TV and movie trailers. 

12:30 PM - 1:15 PM - Doctor Who: A Brief History of the Classic Series (Room 4)

I've caught a few episodes of Doctor Who... the Ninth and Eleventh Doctor; however, I'd like to get a little brief history of the series. I might stay for a bit.

12:45 PM - 1:15 PM - Cos-Spray: The Art of Cosplay (Entertainment Stage)

Cosplay... Is An Art. So... I might skip the Doctor Who and watch this performance instead.

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM - Sci-Fi Speed Dating Session  (Room 3)

When I was about 18, I placed an ad on the Star Trek Communicator seeking my Vulcan Princess. So, when I read the description, "Are you tired of lookin' for love in Alderaan places?" I saw it as a sign that I must participate. 

1:00 PM - 1:45 PM - Michael Rooker Vs The Audience (Ballroom A)

I'm a fan of Michael Rooker. So, if I chicken out of the speed dating, I might just sit in and watch Merle Dixon talk.

2:00 PM - 2:45 PM - I Assure You They're Open: A Clerks Conversation With Jason Mewes and Brian O'halloran (Ballroom A)

2:45 PM - Nichelle Nichols

I've been holding on to a trading card of Uhura since 1991. It would be great if I could get it signed by Ms. Nichols. 

4:00 PM - 4:45 PM - Queen of the Nerds: A Conversation with Felicia Day (Ballroom A)

5:00 PM - 5:45 PM - Firefly Cast Reunion With Jewel Staite, Summer Glau and Sean Mahar (Ballroom A)

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM - Wizard World Costume Contest

This is the highlight of the event. I love watching cosplayers present their creativity. 

10:00 PM - 2:00 AM - Wizard World After Party

Depending on how my Saturday goes, I might make my way to The Blind Pig Pub. 

SEE YA'LL AT AUSTIN'S WW COMIC CON.

Oogie Boogie

For the past few years, I have painted various characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

I first start with projecting an image of a character and tracing the image on plywood. After tracing the image, I start layering--first with the background and then with the character. Using a jig saw, I trimmed around the corners and added finishing touches.

My Old Comic Book Collection

COMIC	NO.	DATE	PRICE	APPROX. VALUE
FLASH	53	Aug-91	$1.00	$9.99
SUPERMAN	82	Oct-93	$2.00	$5.99
WAR OF THE GODS	1	Sep-91	$1.75	$4.99
DAREDEVIL	295	Aug-91	$1.00	$3.00
DAREDEVIL	297	Oct-91	$1.00	$4.00
DEATHLOK VS. DOOM	3	Sep-91	$1.75	$2.00
GHOST RIDER	17	Sep-91	$1.75	$4.00
SLEEPWALKER	3	Aug-91	$1.00	$5.00
SPIDER-MAN	14	Sep-91	$1.75	$5.95
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN	352	Oct-91	$1.00	$2.00
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET	2	Aug-91	$6.00	$8.00
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET	3	Sep-91	$2.50	$4.99
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET	4	Oct-91	$2.50	$6.00
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET	5	Nov-91	$2.50	$20.00
THE INFINITY GAUNTLET	6	Dec-91	$2.50	$5.00
THE INFINITY WAR	3	Aug-92	$2.50	$2.99
THE LETHAL FOES OF SPIDER-MAN	1	Sep-93	$1.75	$2.00
THE SILVER SURFER	60	Dec-91	$1.00	$3.00
THE SILVER SURFER	58	Nov-91	$1.00	$2.00
THE SILVER SURFER	55	Sep-91	$1.00	$10.00
THE SILVER SURFER	57	Oct-91	$1.00	$2.00
WEAPON X	84	Sep-91	$1.25	$5.75
WHAT IF… SPIDERMAN	31	Nov-91	$1.25	$4.50
WOLVERINE	46	Sep-91	$1.75	$5.50
WOLVERINE	45	Sep-91	$1.75	$5.50
X-FORCE	1	Aug-91	$1.50	$4.00
X-MEN	1	Oct-91	$1.50	$15.00
X-MEN ADVETURES	1	Nov-92	$1.25	$19.00

Making Jack Skellington Costume

My son's YMCA held a Costume Contest on Friday.  The rules were basic--no store bought costumes.  Therefore, I decided I would use my "talent" and make something on my own.



When my son informed me of the Costume Contest, the idea flew out of my mouth, "How about Jack from the Nightmare Before Christmas." My son loved the idea.
I started to think of all the things I would need to make his costume. When I got a list of stuff I needed, I visited Hobby Lobby and Wal-Mart and bought all the material I needed.

On Monday, I found myself on the floor of our galley kitchen with glue-paste, a balloon, and strips of newspaper.  I began to work.

I started layering newspaper around the balloon.  The next morning, I started the second coat.  By the following day, I had three coats around the balloon. 

While I waited for the head to dry, I worked on the bat-bowtie.  The bat-bow tie, which can be seen on the left-hand side of the photo above, was the first to complete. 

I thought about how I would make his eyes to give it a three-dimensional appearance rather than a round face.  I scrunched up newspaper, taped it to the head where I wanted the eyes, and began covering the area with paper mache.  I did the same for his mouth.

While I waited for the head to dry, I worked on Jack Skellington's suit.  I bought a long-sleeved t-shirt from Wal-Mart, turned it inside-out and drew what I wanted the suit to look like with chalk. 

I then traced the chalked-markings with a white-paint marker and acrylic paint. 

After Jack's head dried, I cut out his eyes. 

I then paper mached around the cut out areas and painted it with acrylic white paint.

After the second coat of white paint, I painted in his mouth black.

I found black handkerchief at Hobby Lobby and decided to use that for its eyes.  The work was done by early Friday morning. 

My son was excited when he tried on his costume.  He said he felt his costume would definitely win a prize a the Costume Contest.



Sure enough.  When I picked him up from YMCA, he enthusiastically waved his "MOST CREATIVE PRIZE" envelope. 

He said that when he walked into the cafeteria, his friends were yelling his name.  He felt proud.