Four and counting

Four times to see the film, that is. And new things come to light each and every time. After a very quiet viewing in my own town the other night (I think lighting a fire under some of these people might have been the only means to a reaction), I went with Mya. 

Let me tell you, it's much more fun having someone who gets as excited as you seeing [John] Shiban's name on Mulder's cell phone. 

Even if we did 'bonk' heads. 

This time I saw Frankie, and some things make more sense to me now. I want all of you dog/cat/pet owners to go hug your animals. 

Right now. 

Phil had mentioned feeling deflated or down after the big build up. Yes. She is spot on. After getting up anywhere from 4:00 am to 6:00 am, I am sleeping in. 

I haven't slept in past 7:00 in years. The weather does not help. I am a creature of sun, and we've had a return of the liquid sunshine. 

Ugh! Sometimes I wonder why I chose to live in a rain forest. 

Not even the exotic kind! Unless you count Stellar Jays and Bears as exotic. Actually, it really is beautiful, I just prefer to see it dry and in the light of the bright sunshine. 

But, I digress. 

The film. 

I will forever have Kim Manner's words/voice in my head during the last scene. And it will always make me chuckle. Don't worry -- this blog is SPOILER FREE -- so no details will be shared. 

I am dying to pick up Dori Carter's book now that I've read the editorial reviews. She also has a novel called 'We Are Rich' on pre-order that looks equally enticing. I'm going to have to pick these up before I'm immersed in course work once again. You know, people my age are retiring, not doing new degrees, aren't they? 

So, for those of you who have been waiting to see the film..... what are you waiting for? And for those who've already been, go again! It gets better each time, and I guarantee you will notice thing you hadn't before!

Some questions I have about the film so far: 

• The significance of the art work - who's is it? (and the names of the pieces.) 
  
• Which book of the bible is displayed on Father Joe's dresser?
  
• I want to freeze frame several spots so I can read the names/titles of the articles/papers on the boards.
  
• And which casino did Cassandra's Casino Bus end up at? (lol - that note made me laugh - loudly)
  
• Did Larry like his two seconds of fame? He moved awfully fast. 

And just one more comment showing time has passed for our two agents. Mulder now opts for more coverage; red board shorts in lieu of a red Speedo, even as Scully trades in her usual severe suits for a lovely bikini. 

Gotta love it. 

And Hawaii - scene of the next film rather than one teensy cut? Now that would be a enticing fan trip to search out locations. 

ciao

Honey, I'm home....

What a strange (yet wonderful), feeling it is to wake up one morning in one country, and end the day in another. The entire week seems almost dream like in many ways and I imagine it might be so for a number of other fans. 

How cool was it that fans were able to attend the premiere? I think, from the reactions around me, the fans brought an energy to the whole experience unusual for an occasion such as this. I have no idea if Fox executives were in that audience but I do hope, if they were, that they caught some of the excitement that has been generated by waiting six long years for this film to be made, and the deep appreciation the fan base has for the creators, actors and crew who were involved in bringing it to life. 

Ah, so what next you might be wondering?

Well, life does go on. My family is delighted I am home. (I told you they don't cook, right?)

My dog is finally able to sleep again, and he is the prime suspect in the case of the missing slipper. 

My slipper.

My wonderfully warm sheepskin slipper. 

Apparently he was pilfering anything belonging to me within reach, and the items were being found in odd places all around the house. 

Except my slipper. It is still missing. 

I am mostly unpacked. I hate unpacking. I got halfway done and left it in favour of a walk through the trails. 

As much as I loved LA, my knees and my lungs are thanking me. And it's great to be able to turn on the tap and drink the water. Not that the water in LA was bad; it just had an odd taste. We're a little spoiled  here in BC with our mountain fresh water. 

I've loads of catching up to do, starting with a hunt for an entertainment piece where you can, apparently, see a few of us. 

Ah, I think I'll be reliving this past week for several weeks to come. 

Ciao

WOW!

It has been an incredible few days here in LA. I was number ten. Tenth in line that is.

What line you say?

Why, the X Files Premiere line up. I was up at four am (seems to be a regular thing these days), and went for a run. Actually, I changed my route. I got dressed and decided to start my warm up down Hollywood Blvd.

So I could go past where they were going to be setting up and check out what was going on. There I found three sleepy gals who'd been there since midnight, and two others. After the lovely *E* said she'd hold my spot (there were a couple of spots already being held), I ran back to the hotel to change out of my gear.

No way was i going to be taking two hours to run when there was waiting in line to do.

And so we waited.

And waited.

There was singing. Laughing. Cheers when the X Line Starts Here sign went up. (pictures will come when i get home)

Cheers for the security guard who shook his head at us from time to time when he wandered over to check on things.

Lots of shameless promotion of the film when people stopped to ask what we were all doing in line.

It was an incredible experience to be amongst so many dedicated fans.

And the film?

Loved it. Hey - we can talk about it now! It was creepy, visually stunning, hopeful, smart ..... you get the picture.

Oh, and Mark Snow's music - INCREDIBLE. I can't wait to own it.

And the last little scene - too funny, but a lovely touch.

Someone pinch me, because it still feels like it was a dream!

Ciao


Random Stuff Section:

• The lack of recycling containers surprised me - I feel sinful throwing my plastic bottles in the trash.
• The number of big vehicles people seem to drive seems odd. I always thought LA,with their stricter gas emissions and push to save energy, was big on compact/gas conserving/alternate vehicles.
• MacDonalds has a sauce policy wherein one is limited in the number of sauce packets allowed per nuggets ordered. Saw the poster myself. Huh? A sauce policy? What is that about? And then there will be those of you who will be saying, 'What? You were in a Macdonalds? They have salads, you know.

And so it begins..........

• Wait for the shuttle to pick me up: 20 minutes
• Wait at the border: 3 hours and counting
• Switching buses to get ahead: 10 minutes if we included getting hell from the border agent
• Interrogation time: 7 minutes
• Having a border agent who'd been abducted: priceless

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Where do I start? This might be a long post, hope you're along for the ride!

We missed our plane. The border line up - insane. We sat for over three hours. And wondered if we should have flown out of Vancouver instead of Seattle. If it weren't for a thoughtful driver, who came back and placed me on the bus closer to the front of the line, and with my traveling companion (yes, we were on separate shuttles), we would have been even later. Thankfully, we were able to grab another flight and we ended up only an hour out.

We had a funny border guard too. Well, he thought he was funny. We told him what we were going down to LA for. He gave us the strangest look.

"The X Files?"

"Yes, best television ever. And now a second movie."

"Isn't that about aliens?"

"Well, yes. But it's so much more than that." I was preparing to launch into a synopsis of 9 years of the best television ever when he got this funny little smirk on his face.

"Ever been beamed up before?"

My traveling companion piped up, "it's a common misconception that everyone who watches the show believes in that stuff. I certainly don't."

"Neither do I." I added.

Now, David Duchovny has a wonderful explanation about why aliens are always drilling our teeth and probing our anal regions, and it was almost out of my mouth when I realized this was a USA border guard.

And he probably was packing. The last thing I needed to do was piss him off.

I clamped my mouth shut.

"Well, I've been beamed up. Lots of times."

Now I was really glad I kept my anal probing comment to myself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Which brings me to today.

I don't sleep very well when I'm not in my own bed. I drift in and out of sleep, always conscious of sleeping, if that makes sense to anyone.

And I dream. Weird stuff.

Last night my dreams were filled with a hotel that had dirt floors, a shrinking room with mustard yellow walls, some old guys roasting a pig (which totally grosses me out -- I don't eat dead things), and a big, burly guy with a Harley and a bandanna made from tearing apart a cloth napkin.

Seriously.

At five am I finally decided to get up. And then i waited. Nothing is open that early.

Finally, at six am someone kind soul had pity on me and drove me to a Starbucks. She had been up all night. And when she referred to her very young traveling companion as one of 'her girls' --
let's just say, I work with marginalized/at risk youth and I must have been tired because I was slow to pick up on what the situation might have been. I could still be wrong, but .... I'll leave that right there. It was lovely of her to drive me there and back.

Now I had my coffee. And soon as that was in me, I could go for a run.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Those hotel maps they give you?

Not to scale.

And I have complete and total empathy for all those runners/dog walkers who travel to use the trails that are just down the street from me.

Running on pavement bites. Seriously.

I had to walk a lot of it as I'm just coming off an achilles tendon pull and i certainly didn't want to blow out my knee again. I eventually found myself at Fernwood and some kind soul directed me to the treed path.

Much better.

So, now for some random stuff:

Number of X Files posters we saw driving in: 8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a thrill!
Number of X Files posters I saw on my run: 2 - but one was HUGE! At the corner of Franklin and ??? Darn, I forget the cross street.
Biggest thrill? walking past Grauman's ChineseTheatre and thinking, in three days we'll be here!
ciao for now!

Bus Tour

Okay, so I haven't taken public transit in a long time. Years. Rather than rent a car we decided to brave the LA transit system.

And we decided to go to Malibu. Or as far down as transit would take us.

A quick WOW! regarding our interactions with the locals. Those of you from this area should be proud of yourselves. Everyone we encountered was helpful, and courteous. Really helpful. Considering we asked every single bus driver if we were headed the right way.

We took a lot of buses, but only boarded the wrong bus once, and other than that, it was awesome.

What a gorgeous coastline. It just might be worth renting a car to do the whole thing all over again. Malibu was quaint, and we had fun poking around in the shops, including Juicy. We
resisted the 'Rolls Royce of Chocolate.'

We, did! Really.

We've decided that the beach at Santa Monica will suffice for our beach day, though it looks to be much more crowded that we'd like. I'm not fond of the amusement machinery, but Marci is salivating at the thought of that Ferris wheel.

I'll be firmly planted on Terra Firma when she does that. I don't do spinning things or heights. I leave that sort of thing to my kids. I am the designated purse watcher, cell phone guardian and keeper of all things that might fall out.

Random bits:

Poster sightings: 14 (I don't need to keep reminding you which poster, do I?)
Longest wait for a bus: over an hour - thankfully Marci stuck with me - she was ready to bail
Score of the day: Marci's Juicy jeans, which look fab on her
Score of the day2: Cherries - haven't had any yet and they were delicious


Today finds us about to tackle transit again as we head to Melrose Ave to have a look around.

Oh, and count posters.

Ciao!

All my bags are packed.....

Word! 

I am going to LA. Today.

Three hours. 

I am packed. Finally. At 7:30 last night I realized i didn't have a black sweater and so i rushed out in the hopes of finding one. I mean, what self respecting fangirl doesn't have a basic black sweater to throw on when the evenings get chilly. 

This one. 

Couldn't find one anywhere. Then i recalled my vintage boucle sweater with the great beading detail. 

Turned the place upside down before i remembered i had taken it to school to show my students how to fix something with beading. 

It's sitting in a bag by my desk. Oh well.

But, my sister would be proud of me. I took things out of the suitcase, though i did go slightly over the '5 tops limit.'

Three things I am looking forward to:

Face to face meeting with friends i've made in this fandom over the past fifteen years. 

Meeting new friends. 

Um, the movie, of course. And all the fixings that go with an event like this.

Jimmy Kimmel and Jay Leno. 

And the Premiere. What are the chances I'll be one of the 500 lucky ones?

And California itself. I love geography, seeing new landscapes always gives me a thrill and a sense of wonder at how big our world is, despite our interconnectedness through technology. There are so many parts of it i haven't explored yet. 

I will miss my dog.

  

I'm not sure how he's going to take a whole week without me as we're pretty attached. We run together every morning. 

Speaking of running ..... i'll have just enough time to get one last run in before it's time to zip the suitcase closed and head on down to Seattle for the flight out. 

This doesn't feel real.

Someone pinch me, please. 

and one quick note: my updates will be coming from my blackberry which, for this die hard mac user, is a bit of a puzzle at the best of times, and something i'm ready to throw into the Pacific at the worst of times. I will attempt to correct punctuation and spelling, but the text is so small i need a magnifying glass to read it half the time. 

And i don't have room for one. 

Plus, my sister would say i don't need it. Deal.

Ciao

 

All I want for Christmas......

Not Christmas, you say? Sure feels like it to me. And no chance that the unwrapped package will contain another pair of socks, or a flashlight, or a can of soup (i know someone who got a can of soup from an aunt for Christmas once -weird).  

This gift is perfect. Tailor made for the fans. Our collective inner fan girl/guy. New fans. Old fans. 

By this time next week I (and so many others of the X File world) will have opened the gift Chris, Frank, et al have for us. I realize that many more people aside from fans will watch this film, but this gift, if I read the press and comments from the creators correctly, was in a sense, given to the fans. All the fans. New and old fans alike. 

Where do i send the thank you notes? 

Two More Sleeps ~ and I've got THE list

The packing list that is. 

Yes, my dear sister finally relented (amazing what begging can do), and said, "okay, here you go. But I don't expect you to follow it." 

Oh, sister, ye of little faith! Sometimes siblings only remember you in context of your younger self; I don't think she ever forgot how much stuff i used to haul around with me in my early camping days. 

So, there is now some order to the clothing strewn about my room. 

And I've got all my piles neatly in envelopes, labelled and tucked away, all ready to go. 

I finally have narrowed down what i want to bring with me on the off chance i can get a signature or two.......i mean, besides Alex's well travelled t-shirt. I want to bring this:

Do you think they'll confiscate it if I do? 

Refuge

Thank goodness for Big Light. The forum, that is. I am limiting my net access these days to just a few sites, because ......... you know ......... spoilers.

They’re everywhere.

I do not want to know the story before I see the film. Oh, I don’t mind the tiny little bits that have been ferreted out, little morsels that wet the appetite, fuel speculation and create more delicious anticipation.

But the whole story?

Nope.

So, thank you Frank Spotnitz for creating this little forum for the fans. It’s a really nice place to hang out.

And no spoilers. 

Strange!

It was the strangest, most exciting thing to see my post from Big Light in my feed, nestled next to the post about the same subject. 

Okay, maybe it's only notable to me. 

Did you all see that? The information about the LA Premiere? I am so over the top excited! I had fretted that it would be some sort of a contest and I would panic, screw up, and miss my chance. But lining up? All nighter? This i can do. 

Is there a Starbucks nearby? I'll be a little grouchy by 5 am without my coffee. So, in case someone was inclined to drop by with a cup or two -- just milk please.

So, what does a fangirl wear when she plans on doing an 'all nighter' on the streets of LA to gain one of those seats? 

Yes, I was awoken several times in the night wondering just this thing. You see, i'm still struggling with the whole packing thing. Usually i take a carry-on as I hate to wait for baggage, but those trips are easy to pack for. 

BC is easy. West coast casual. And layers. Always a sweater for the nights as it usually cools down here. Actually, I'm always a little cold and I've been known to sport a turtle neck in the summer. But now I've got to plan for this night on the street thing.

Do I wear a dress? Jeans? Will it be hot all night? And where will i brush my teeth in the morning? Can we spell each other off and still hold our spots? 

Will there be singing? I've been warned about this spontaneous singing thing. I just hope it's something I know the words to. But i should warn you all, I'm a terrible singer. Even my husband says so.

Just no Kumbaya.  

Please.

Frantic

Oh my goodness!!!!! A fangirl stuck at the beach.

Well, stuck isn't exactly the correct word. It was a beautiful day. Sunny, lovely breeze. We took our students kayaking and skim boarding. Everything was glorious until I checked my mail. 

Frank Spotnitz had answered a query about the LA Premiere. 

The X Files premiere. 

And the panic set in. See, my blackberry doesn't seem to want to load some sites. I kept trying to load Biglight and getting Adobe. I was frantic I was going to miss a chance to nab one of those tickets. 

Actually, I'm still anxious. But at least I'm home now. 

Dreaming about packing

Yup. The whole packing thing is making me a little crazy. I've become a better packer, well most of the time. I never used to be. I was the kid who brought two large suitcases and had clothing hung (yes, i brought hangers) throughout the cabin when I went on my first away from home grade 7 bonding trip.  There is a picture somewhere, but that was before digital, uploading and all the new technology that has made my old SLR camera obsolete. 

I'd could scan it; but first, I'd have to find it. 

Trust me, it's true. 

So, i went online. You can find anything you want, and some things you don't want, on the internet. I found numerous sites that offered help with packing. I liked the one that instructed one to 'pick a basic colour, brown or black, and accessorize around it.' 

I can do black. I've loads of black. 

So, I started pulling things from my closet. Black things. And then some white. Then pink. Then a geometric patterned top in pink, orange, green (it had a little black in it).

I strung them around my room, trying to visualize each outfit and how they might go together, how i might change accessories to do the 'day to night' transition. 

I had a problem. 

You see, I grow attached to clothing. I collect clothing and my collection includes things such as an original pair of stirrup pants from the 50's, a classic 60's little black Jackie O number, and various items from the 70's and 80's. My closet is bulging, and the items i was choosing require their own set of shoes, accessories and so forth. They do not transition from day to night. 

Not only was that going to be a problem, but I am an emotional dresser. I have to feel it to wear it. So, some days I feel like putting it all together and presenting myself as a highly polished, finished person, and other times I live in my Lululemon's. I've been told my style is unique, funky. That always makes me chuckle, because it really comes from never throwing anything out. 

And always choosing ten more minutes of sleep over primping.

So, what did I do?

I left it all hanging and went back to finishing my paper. 

Paper is done. 

The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.....

Well, I meant to do my essay. Really. Does it count that I opened the word.docx and looked at it? The temptation to watch the Wonder Con panel and a couple of episodes with the new introductions by Chris and Frank were far too tempting. I was resisting, and then my husband said, 'aren't you going to watch it?'

So, it was his fault.

I watched Bad Blood. Just had too after that lovely Gillian/David exchange. And Post Modern Prometheus - one of my all favourite episodes. I just love it. The imagery is gorgeous, the ending just about perfect. I think it was Chris who said he thought it was one of their best endings. I agree. 

And today I've got to get the first draft of my paper finished. I've asked one of my sons to hide the DVD on me. 

I have very little willpower when it comes to the X Files.

*insert fan-girly squee* here ...... 5 more sleeps till I leave!

Writing and Packing and Watching, Oh My!

I made the mistake of asking my sister, a seasoned traveller, what i should bring with me. Actually, i tried to get her to help me pack. She took one look at the piles of clothing i had started and shook her head.

'You do not want me helping you.'

'But, but --' i sputtered (not California suave at all), you know how to pack so well.'

'No. Way. I'd take half your stuff out. We'll argue. You'll get mad, and then I'll have to remind you that you were the one who asked.'

So, I'm was on my own. And i might have managed to at least get some of it done if it weren't for mobile me. 

Mac users out there? Mobile me trashed/crashed my computer. I was not a happy camper. I spent all of last night and much of today trouble shooting. If you can call trying to reason with an inanimate object trouble shooting. I was a little short on patience, so my better, more patient half took over. Infinitely more patient. 

And he reads manuals. 

I think a lot of my grumpiness has a lot to do with not being able to run for two days due to a pulled achilles tendon. And the essay I'm trying to finish before I leave for California. Ugh. 

You see, there is a new DVD sitting on my table calling my name. My husband slipped it into the shopping basket today in the hopes of surprising me. 

Yup. My Revelations DVD. I am dying to pop it in and plant myself in front of it, though it isn't like I haven't seen the episodes before. At least few times each. But this essay is hanging over my head. That and it's a small feat negotiating the piles of clothing littering my floor. 

I really should pick through them and begin the process of selecting what  need to bring with me.

But you know what?

I think this fan girl needs an XF fix. 

Right now. 

Organized Chaos

I'm preparing for my trip. Actually, I've been preparing for weeks. Months even. And I'm organized - in a chaotic sort of way. That is probably the best description of how i function when it comes to getting things together. Oh, and i'm a pile person. Anyone else? I tend to have everything I'm working on out. If i'm doing research on my computer, my dock is filled with open windows. If i'm using books, they're all spread out, open with stickies marking spots. Sort of like this:

   

Out of site is out of mind for me. And I'm afraid i'll forget something. Or be unable to find it exactly when i need it. 

Plus I like to do ten different things at once. 

Right now my table has little piles of paper. My Leno tickets - Yes, i got them. Even without the self addressed, stamped envelope i forgot to include. Must've been the handmade X Files stationary and the magic purple pen i used. At least i think i used the magic purple pen. i'm not sure what they'll do with my second letter in which i sent two Canadian stamps and offered to exchange them for an American one. And i know i used the purple pen for that one. I sent that letter after someone else mentioned  forgetting to include the self addressed, stamped envelope. 

You cannot buy american stamps up here.

 I tried. 

So, back to my piles. Let's see..... there are the Kimmel and Leno print outs, including maps i made. 

Don't want to get lost trying to find the studios. 

There is the print of the comic con ticket - it gets it's own pile. Then there is the motel information. And a map. Airline ticket print out. Shuttle details. The 'to do before i leave list,' a 'things to buy before i leave list,' a 'don't forget to pack list,' and a 'what you can all eat while i'm gone list.' With phone numbers for take out.  

That's important when you live with a bunch of people who do not cook. 

Then there is the undecided pile, a little stack of 'should I take this picture with me in case i can get an autograph?' I've got the Emmy picture of David, the poster from the SFX magazine, my 'I Want To Believe' mouse pad (who uses mouse pads anymore?), my Per Manum script, and a few other group pictures. 

Oh, and the most important thing i have to bring with me? 

Alex's t-shirt. 

Her 'Chris Carter is My God' t-shirt. 

I've been carrying it around with me for a few months now, in the hopes of getting a signature for her. Chris emphatically states that he is not God, but we Philes may have a slightly different opinion on that.

 Hmmm, i think it's time to start the clothing piles. 

About this blog

I have an inner fan girl. She was born back in the early seventies when David Cassidy and Donny Osmond (oh yeah), hit the airwaves. It must have been somewhere around 1970 or '71 (i would have been 12 or 13 at the time), that my father indulged my passion for all things Donny and took me and a couple of friends to a concert at the CNE (Canadian National Exibititon). Now this was against everything my Italian daddy thought he should be doing for his little girl. He listened to Charlie Pride and some obscure Italian music, thinking all this 'rock and roll' was going to lead to trouble, but i love him for putting all that aside and braving the crowds of squealing girls. And there were squealing fan girls. They were everywhere. There are moments from that trip that I can recall with clarity. Chasing the Osmond tour bus and Donny waving to us from his seat by the window. Wearing purple patch pocket jeans and a two-toned purple knit top i had bought for the occasion because, as any good fan girl knew, Donny loved the colour purple. Topping my ensemble off with a red, crushed velvet hat, recently arrived, ordered from the back pages of Tiger Beat magazine. Just like Donny's. I've been trying to hunt down that hat, but it must've gone the way of my old roller skates and magazines when my mom did a cleaning blitz. I still have my albums though. 

So, what does this have to do with the X Files, you ask?

That thirteen-year-old fan girl? She lives within me still. She had stars in her eyes and a dream to one day BE something. She dreamt of strolling down Rodeo Drive, standing in front of Mann's theatre and seeing those golden stars. She dreamt of glitter, lights and all things sparkly. She dreamt of visiting Hollywood and seeing stars. Both kinds, the ones in the sky and the ones walking down the street. 

I grew up. Well, actually, I never got any taller, but I certainly grew a little wiser, a little less gullible, somewhat more mature and a little more realistic about how the world around me ran. 

But that fan girl in me?

She's still thirteen and stubbornly refuses to grow up. She also found a new focus for her passion. In the early 90's, while raising three children, I discovered the X Files. And to be fair, it was my husband who pointed me in that direction, so whenever he complains I gently remind him it was his fault. 

My inner fan girl leaped with joy at this discovery, and somewhere during the show's run, we became one, my inner fan girl and I. One, as in two sides of a coin. Yin and yang. Batman and Robin. Mulder and Scully. The rational part of me is still in control, but once in a while fan girl squeezes out when my guard is down. 

Boy, did she squeeze out this year. In fact, i would be inclined to state that this year, the year of I Want To Believe, that my inner fan girl has busted out, taken over, has demanded to be counted and heard. 

So, that is what you're going to get. This won't be a 'forever' blog; it will be something i do over the next couple of weeks as my fan girl goes on the trip of a lifetime.

She's off to LA. 

Why, you ask?

Well, the X Files, of course.