Not your Father's Heroes

    With how mainstream superheroes are becoming, both in television and in the movies, sooner or later there were going to be hot button issues that fans of these characters would be divided upon.  One issue that has surfaced in recent months is a character's sexuality.
    In February, on the CW show Arrow, Sara Lance, the Canary, was shown to be bisexual through a relationship with Nyssa Al Ghul.  This relationship had begun during Sara's time with the League of Assassins.  There was no fanfare from the CW, no announcement, or anything like that.  It was a natural progression  and worked for the character in the storyline. Now, realize that Sara is not the Black Canary from DC Comics, she is a character created for the show which I have truly enjoyed watching grow over the now concluded Season 2 of the Arrow hit.  Her possibilities for the future are nearly limitless, as well as those of the CW show.  The success of Arrow has spawned The Flash as a new series coming to the CW. Already announced as characters coming this season in the CWverse are Ronnie Raymond(Firstorm), Crystal Frost(Killer Frost), Ray Palmer(the Atom), Yoshi Tatsu(Katana), and Paco Ramone(Vibe). The possibilities are indeed limitless in my opinion.
   On the contrary, NBC is releasing a new series in October called Constantine. Constantine has already undergone a character change from the pilot.   If you don't know Constantine, that is okay.  Because, we are getting a brand new TV series about the cigarette smoking occult detective with almost 30 years of history.  Constantine has investigated the forces of darkness and become one of the most popular new characters of the last 3 decades.  Part of that popularity, in my opinion, comes from the unpredictability of the character and the multiple nuances which manifest.  One of those nuances in the comics, is that Constantine is a bisexual.  Not something you see everyday in comics to be sure.  But, fear not...according to NBC and the producers of Constantine will be straight.  It is not something you are going to see on the mainstream network, thus limiting a character's possibilities.  He isn't gonna smoke on the show, you'll see him stubbing a cigarette.  NBC is quick to pull the plug on series(see The Cape), and alienating part of the established fanbase is not a great move to me. There are rumors that Jim Corrigan(Spectre) is slated to appear in episode #5, let's hope the show makes it that long.
   My main hope that comes out of this whole situation is that we as fans of pop culture and heroes and villains send the message that it is 2014, we don't care if a character is straight or bisexual or gay.  Those are not what make a good tv show. The aspects which go into a good show include characters we invest in, characters who can grow through the creativity of the writers being able to evolve those heroes and villains and supporting characters.   This is not a LGBT issue in my opinion, it is an issue of not allowing a creator to flourish.
   

Love

It really is strange.  My life has changed so much in the last year.  I felt torn down.  I felt that life had handed me more crap and I just kept taking it.  I kept telling myself, it will all be worth it, little did I know how right I was.  I met someone, no not someone, THE ONE!  You know the one, that you can't stop thinking about, the one who is your other half.  The person who finally after 42 years proved to me that a soul mate could exist.  It has been difficult at times, it has been complex, but for the last 10 weeks it has breathed life into me as much as oxygen ever has.

And then, I am told..."I love you" but...the but is never a good sign.  In this case, the worst thing it could be.

I love you.  I will wait for you, I appreciate the blessing to keep myself open to meeting someone...I do not want someone, I want the one, and that is you!

Alice's Restaurant

If you are reading this, check out my newest venture at the Alice's Restaurant message board. I want it to be a fun place to hang out, relax, and talk about just about anything you want...

Wizard World New Orleans Loot

Some would say I went overboard, but I'd say it was a labor of love.http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii199/gkelley71/custom%20con/Wizard%20World%20New%20Orleans%20loot/?albumview=slideshow

Wizard Convention Loot

Tales of an Aquafan: The 40 Year Old Wizard World Virgin. Part One

Part One: 2011 A Comic Geek Odyssey

On Friday afternoon I set off from Houston for New Orleans with a couple of friends for the Wizard World convention set in New Orleans Lousiana. For those unaware Wizard World is a comic book/sci fi/fantasy convention held in various cities across the U.S. and Toronto. They pretty much have at least one a month. I was originally going to try to attend the Austin version in November, but Kim had some training to do and my kids really don't share my love of sci fi. My plan was scrapped. So about a month before this convention, I let a couple of friends from school know that the show was going to be in New Orleans, I didn't want to go alone and would they be interested in the trip. Matt Hoffpauir and Bill Robinson both wanted to head that way and our Band of Geeky Travelers was set. Matt has been a Star Wars fanatic since we were kids, Bill may be the biggest Bat-Fan I know and writes for an online publication called the Examiner, based in Houston. So with his media affiliation, he was a reporter this weekend. By the way, Bill is my inspiration for writing about the trip, so thank him for my long windedness. I, as you can tell from the title, am an Aquaman fanatic.
On Friday the 27th, I was planning on working a few hours and going to pick up Bill so we could set off on our journey. I had planned everything, got the mapquest route, the hotel reserved, my comic wants list, you name it. I got to work, spent an hour and half at the store and realized that I would not be able to concentrate, I was taking a vacation day anyway so it was time to go. I got to Pasadena, and realized that as much as I thought I had planned everything, my printed ticket was in my desk at home, no problem I was going back through Baytown anyway. As soon as I had picked up Bill, the trek officially began. We started talking about what we had been up to in our lives, our families and how excited we were. It was an hour to pick Matt up after I stopped by the house to get my ticket and that hour flew by. We stopped to pick up our third stooge and were treated to see his Matt-Cave. Very impressed with what I will refer to as his cave by the way, he and Kim,his wife, and Elizabeth, his daughter, are converting the cave into his collectibles room and he has a very nice start(though he added to his swag this weekend). Upon reaching Orange, we met his wife for lunch and finally got on our way to New Orleans about 1230. While most people would consider a 320 mile trip to be long and unending, to me it flew by. We continued to talk about the old days, listen to cds, crack jokes, goof off, and laugh. By about 5:15 we were in New Orleans during rush hour and got to the hotel about 530.
To be continued:

Stuffed Chicken Breast

Okay, for the stuffed chicken breast recipe, You are gonna need:
Chicken breasts
Garlic-2 cloves minced
Olive Oil tablespoon
Jalapeno Jack Cheese or Spinach and Goat Cheese
Turkey Bacon
salt and pepper for taste


Slice the chicken down the middle to create kind of a pocket. Utilize whichever you prefer (jalapeno or spinach mix,my kids eat the spinach w/o complaints) to stuff the breasts and tooth pick the sides down.
Crisp the bacon a bit and wrap breasts inside if you are doing the jalapeno mix(2 to 3 per breast)
Pre Heat oven to 400 degrees
Heat Oil, salt and pepper and garlic in a skillet for a cuple of minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Place chicken on skillet to brown each side(about 4 minutes per side).

For the jalapeno mix, brush with your favorite BBQ sauce and top w/ a bit more of your cheese.
Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes depending on thickness of chicken.
Hopefully this works for ya.

On Stage

Tonight, I went to a try-out for Comedy Sportz. If you have never been to a Comedy Sportz event it is an improv comedy troupe that is totally kid friendly. My kids love it, and so do Kim and I. If you are in a city which offers it, give it a try. There were about 50 hopefuls in attendance and we each participated in a couple of improv exercises in groups of 4 which were really designed to see how we interacted with others and thought on our feet. I kind of bombed on the first one, I guess from a combination of nerves and hesitance. The second exercise went much better as I got a pretty big laugh from one of my lines. The problem was I really couldn't play off of the others and knew that I had kind of screwed up.
After the improvs there was a break so the monitors could decided who they wanted to see more of. Needless to say, I was not asked to stay. Let me say that there were a lot of VERY talented people in attendance tonight and I hope to see some of them on stage someday soon.
Now, here is the important message that I want to convey. While some may be reading this with a bit of sympathy or disappointment on my behalf, there is no need for such thoughts. I went there tonight to try something new(I succeeded), I went to get out of my box and try to be creative in some way(success) , I wanted to make people laugh(success).

I didn't get picked for the team. Big deal...I tried out. That is the most important thing. To try. It is better to try and fail than succeed at doing nothing. I am proud of me tonight and I feel a sense of accomplishment that I hasn't been there in a Looonnnggg time.

Out of My Box

I posted on here a while back about my experience in Junior High Drama with a buddy of mine, Bill Robinson. We did Who's on First and the room roared with laughter. Well, tomorrow night, I am going to some tryouts for an improv comedy troupe in Houston. If things go well, it could turn into a nice little hobby and a lot of fun. I like to try different things and this could turn out to be really cool. Even with the blues I have felt this week, this could really be very cool. If you read this in the next 22 hours wish me luck. I just hope I don't have to sing(For everyone's sake.)

Been a While

A Year and three months ago, my dad and I had an argument. Not the typical father-son thing. This one got messy. My wife was brought into it, my kids were brought into it. You name it. During those 15 or so months I have blamed myself for what happened. I blamed myself for not heading off a situation which could have turned bad(and did). I have felt guilt for not caving in to what he wanted. But mostly, I have felt bad because my kids no longer have a relationship with their Papa. Well, my kids have gotten over things quite a bit, Kim has moved on, and gotten a promotion. Me, I haven't. Over the last 15 months I have written no poetry, not done any painting or anything creative. The only thing I have done is add 40 lbs. I have been stagnant as far as expressing myself.
You see, all of my life I have tried to hold things in as much as possible. When I was younger I tried to be mature beyond my years. I wanted to prove to others that I could be someone that they could depend on. I have now been in the workforce for 21 years and held only 2 jobs(Albertson's left me, I didn't leave it). I work with some great people that I consider great friends and I feel like a success because of it. More importantly, I have a wife of almost 14 years that I love more deeply every single day and two beautiful kids who are learning to express themselves in wondrous and exciting ways. So, I guess what I am saying here is I have done pretty well at being someone that others can count on.
I miss my mom and felt like a failure after she passed because I could not keep the peace between my family and dad. At almost 40 years old, I finally realized something. It may only take one to fight a battle, but it takes two to keep the peace. I did my best to do my part. It's time to be okay and accept what has happened. It is time to move on. It is time to be the creative person that I want to be again. Maybe this will get me started at writing again...maybe not.
Talk to you soon...Wayne

just wonderin'

How come friends and colleagues can disagree about almost anything and can look past the differences and move on? But, politics and Religion...disagree on those and people wonder if you've lost your mind. It is our differing views, beliefs an...d opinions which make us each unique. Should we feel apprehensive about discussing our views with those that we consider as friends?

I manage a drug store, every week I see parents with sick children trying to decide which medication is the most important for their child simply because they can't afford all of the scripts. Does it make me a socialist that I feel that a child or a senior citizen should get the meds and healthcare that they need?

It's been two years...

Two years ago I was standing at the front of my store when the phone rang. I picked it up, said the standard greeting...it was my dad. His voice was calm, almost ghostly in the way he spoke. "Wayne, you need to sit down..." I didn't, I knew what had happened. My mom was gone. She passed away at home with my father and brother at her side. From what dad told me, the emt's worked on her for as long as they could. They tried to bring her back, but were unable to. My mom was the most loving, kind and gentle person that I have ever known. She always was the referee between my brothers and I when we were kids and my dad and I later on. She never met a stranger, and always was equipped with a smile. I loved to make my mother laugh, and when I would hear my laugh, it would brighten my day. My dad and her met when she was 20 years old. He was in the Air Force stationed in Shreveport. Her mom worked at the Barksdale base. They married 89 days later. That 89 day courtship turned into over 40 years of marriage. My parents are soulmates in the truest sense of the term. They were, it seems, destined to find one another. They were partners, friends, and basically each other's other half. My father has shown great strength since mom has passed, but I can only imagine what he is enduring. My dad and I are both very private people. Mom was the only one who could get either of us to talk about the emotional stuff. I watched an episode of That 70's Show in reruns a few minutes ago. It's the one where Eric and his mom go see a movie together. It reminds me of the time that mom and I went to see a movie. It was called Dragnet. We laughed and spent time together as the friends that we were. When Dragnet comes on now, I stop and watch it each and every time. It's a link to my mom and as crazy as it may sound, at least for a little while...I can imagine she's sitting there beside me. Laughing and smiling, and being there one last time.
I've told you about the fact that she helped build my love of comics, would play soccer and baseball in the yard so the "teams" would be even. I miss her a great deal and just felt like telling some friends.

The diary of the last 6 days...

May 22nd:
I'll admit, even after just the stretching with the trainer and the 30 minutes on the treadmill yesterday, I'm sore. It doesn't matter though, Today was truck day for me at my job. Unloading 6 pallets of merchandise, by hand...piece by piece. It's about an hour and a half of constant movement and lifting and stacking cases of retail merchandise. Then the fun part, putting it on shelves. So, that's my exercise for today. Tomorrow, I work out with my trainer for the first time. Wish me luck.

May 23rd:
Okay, here is today's update...35 minutes on treadmill, walked 2 miles on an incline of 8 and burned 520 calories25 minutes on the bike. Pedaled 6 miles, and burned 225 calories....then I worked out with the trainer for an hour. Who knows what I burned there? But, I was sweating for most of it.

May 24th:
Sunday's update...Mowed the Yard. It may not be time in the gym, but it's already 90 degrees in Texas, so it counts as a workout.

May 25th:
30 minutes of a Power Sculpt Weightlifting class...That was tough.
30 minutes of a Bike Spin class.
So an hour of working out today. The soreness is going away, the pounds aren't. It will take time.

May 26th:
Today, I worked on the treadmill for 35 minutes, walked and ran 2.5 miles and burned 600 calories. My goal is an hour for 1000 calories burned and 5 miles.
Also spent time on a stationary bike for 25 minutes to put in an even hour.

May 27th:
Today, I worked on the treadmill for 40 minutes, then spent an hour with my trainer. He kicked my ass for a little while, and now...now I am sore for the first time in a few days.

May 28th:

I worked a 10 hour day today, and decided that I needed a break from the gym. I was really anxious after a rough day for me and some of the mebers of my family so I decided to take a walk instead of just lay in front of the TV. Our block is .8 miles, so I decided to walk the block once. Well, once I got started I decided to jog the last 1/4 of the block. Well, once became twice, jogging the last 1/4 became jogging the 2nd and last quarter. Finally, twice became three times.

It may not seem like a big deal, but it is to me. I didn't plan to exercise today, but ended up doing almost 2.5 miles in 35 minutes.

Back on the wagon...

I'm a big guy. A very big guy. In January, I tipped the scales at 303 lbs. I hated to workout and ate crap. I hit rock bottom when I stopped by 3 fast food restaurants in a 20 minute time span. You see, I have always been someone who did not want people to see what I eat. I guess I'm embarrassed because I should know better. So, on January 12th, I started dieting again...and in three months, I lost 50 pounds. That's the good news. The bad news is, I have not lost a single pound since April 1st. For the last 6 weeks, I've stopped losing weight. What follows is a kind of diary I have been keeping for myself. I don't know if it'll mean a lot to anyone, but it is helping me to stay focused on the goal.

Well, after being stagnant in the weight loss for about 2 months, I had a choice...A)Say screw it and eat what I wanted or B) Keep plugging away and hope that the weight will eventually begin to come off again.My wife picked C) Buy 8 sessions from a personal trainer and see if that will help me bust through where I am stuck.
Don't know if it will work, I believe it will because even though I have been working out I was sweating before I finished stretching.
Wish me luck guys, I am back on the wagon 100 %.
Currently at 255,
Started at 303 on Jan 12th
Next goal is 245 by June 17th.

The meaning of Christmas

Twas after midnight on Christmas

and all through the land

Parents place gifts

in ways more than grand.

We eat the left cookies

and even drink warm milk

to try to keep the innocence

of our kids and their ilk.

The wonder of children

and the myth that they believe

reminds us of our youth

and our own Christmas Eve's.

Today tell the tale

of what this day is about

they should realize the reason

day in and day out.

For the day is not

about toys and gifts

instead it is special

for the spirits it lifts

A love shared between all

and peace so desired

of tranquility spread

and hope it's inspired.

The Tortoise and the Hare

It is an age old story about patience being more important than unplanned action and overconfidence. But, does the tortoise have the right idea? Is it okay to hide in a shell whenever something new appears? I believe a lot of us subscribe to the turtle's way of thinking. If it is new, it is bad. If we ignore it, it will eventually go away because of our lack of interest. The safety of the shell which we all enjoy is comforting. We are able to just be, much like a rock or a tree. We watch the world and are unaffected by the changes which surround us.

Life does not work that way. Our ability to adapt and focus is one our greatest strengths. Our ability to embrace new ideas makes us special. It gives us hope and purpose. It makes the unknown attainable, and it allows what is new to be easily understood. Let the tortoise's in your life know that it is okay to come out of the shell. Let them know that everything beyond our next step is unknown and by facing it, our lives can move forward.

The Funniest Comedy Routine Ever

When I was in 8th grade, a buddy and I were in Drama Class together. One of the things we were not afraid to do was laugh at ourselves...or others. When we were gonna atten a competiton, there was only one bit that we could do. There was only one thing we wanted to try, simply because, we couldn't do a read through without cracking up. Thankfully, there is no video of our performance. So, I guess I'll just have to link up...Abbot and Costello's
Who's on First?

I hope that you enjoy this classic routine as much as I do. Whenever I need a laugh, or to take the edge off, I'll watch this.

Nathan the Activist

As stated previously, my son Nathan is 10 years old. He is a very intelligent young man who has developed theories on the beginnings of the universe, the speed of light and the big bang among others. He was very disappointed to discover that some of his concepts mirrored those of another person who thinks outside of the box...Steven Hawking.
So, my wife and my son who have in depth scientific discussions at the dinner table on a regular basis. He has talked about ways to help the environment, or even asked about why we don't' have cars that run on water. I find the dialogues that they have very interesting, even if they are sometimes out of my and Lauren's realm of knowledge. All that being said, I think it is great that we are able to support our son to be an independent thinker when it comes to things that he is passionate about. If someone has passion about an issue, they are more likely to follow up and try to make a difference. He is passionate about helping the world and making it better.
Yesterday, I got home from work and was told of something else that Nathan has developed a passion about. Nathan is in 5th grade and his class is the last one which eats lunch during the day. Recently, he has become concerned about issues at school lunchtime. He told me that there have been times where the entree choices have been limited for his class because of the cafeteria running out of the popular choices. His group is left with the least popular entree choices. This week, he was a bit upset about not getting Stromboli, and being stuck with Kung Pao chicken. His reasoning was that his class and grade level should have the same choices as everyone else. He also feels that kids who are on the school lunch program should not be penalized for having to eat late in the day. Nathan did say it only happens about twice a week, but that is still not fair in his opinion. Again, please remember he is 10.
After thinking about the issue, and discussing with a couple of adults, he decided that communicating with the cafeteria via a petition would be the best way to get his message out. Yesterday, he was involved in the composition of the document which he was able to get his entire class plus 4 teachers to sign. He tells me he is not done and hopes to get the majority of the 5th grade to support his view. Whether this does any good is immaterial in my opinion. The important part is that Nathan has become passionate about something.
He wants to do something about what he perceives as an issue which affects others. He wants to make people think about others. Even though it may be a small thing or even a nuisance in the minds of some, it is my belief that this is his first step in making a difference in the lives of the people that are around him. Isn't that what we should all do? Shouldn't we all want to at least notice the issues which affect not just ourselves, but those around us as well? He is speaking up, he is not accepting things for what they are.

Nathan, I am very proud of you for wanting to make a difference.

Honoring our Veteran's

From the first steps of freedom

to the giant leaps of this age.

Our heroes protect us

from tyranny and rage

The nameless masses

who defend our shores

they have rescued the suffering

they have fought in our wars

Be it Army or Navy

Marines or Air Force

From the Declaration of Freedom

through all July 4ths.

They are our Veterans

from which we draw strength

They've given beyond measure

No matter the journey's length.

So today and all days

No matter your view

Honor our veterans

For all that they do.

First Steps

Like leaves wafting aimlessly in the breeze

Leaving the security of the familiar trees.

Looking upon sights forever unseen

finally believing in a chance to dream

Not knowing the destiny we each must face

we decide our route and set our pace.

As we each progress through day after day,

the decisions we make will show our way.

How will our options affect our next stop?

Will this be the choice which ascends to the top?

Or should we be patient, take a step at a time...

As the top is in reach of our unending climb.

The path we each choose must be our very own

The first steps are the toughest into unknown.