Oh the Cosplayer Dilemma!

I love cosplay. I love the culture. I love dressing up. Becoming my favorite characters for just a short while! So, I often look for the chances to do just that. The last costume opportunity was dressing as a pirate for the homeschool class I teach. It was great fun! And the next one I have scheduled is to be a Viking at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival. But shortly after this, I was planning to create an evening gown style that was reminiscent of Queen Amidala from Star Wars as we attend a night at the symphony. There, we planned to enjoy music from Star Wars and hear (I was also hoping to meet) our beloved Lando Calrissian, Billy Dee Williams. Sadly, he will not be attending. Music is still being planned to include Star Wars, but will also have music from Titanic. And from Lord of the Rings. See, it is called Sounds of the Cinema. Something I had overlooked when planning the evening. According to the email I woke up to, we are going from outer space to Middle Earth as Sean Astin will be present! I love Sean! He was a crush when I first saw Goonies. Later, I thought he was the better hobbit in Lord of the Rings. I cheered for him in Rudy as he overcame such great odds. And most recently, I about cried when they killed him off in Stranger Things. HOW COULD THEY KILL BOB?!?! The writers at least kept him longer than originally planned and his death was very heroic. Only saving grace for those guys.... But I digress. 

So, what is my dilemma, you ask? Glad you asked. I was in the process of trying to create a Star Wars-esque dress. I was dressing up the Padme look in the black and red battle outfit she had. I thought I would wear my suede black boots with the long black and silver cape. My mother sent me beautiful jewelry to accessorize with. 

But then I get this email that Lando won't be there. Sean Astin will. I would LOVE to be able to meet him. I just want one photo! I promise I wouldn't squeal and go total fan girl on him. I have better control than that. So.... do I wear a Lord of the Rings-like gown instead? My wedding dress was the Elvish style of Arwen. She was, after all, my hero. Beautiful and elf. What I always wanted to be. As much as I love him for Goonies and Stranger Things, I'm not going 80's style. I refuse. Those styles are better left back there. 

The part of this email that caught me the strongest was the Red Carpet. Looking at the picture of what I had started putting together, I'm not feeling like it is Red Carpet level. So do I find another gown to pair up? Or switch to my Elf style?  

What are your thoughts?? I'd love any input on this conundrum of mine. Drop me a comment below and have a great rest of your week!

Stranger Things 2 is rockin' it!

I'm so happy that the world brought us the Duffer Brothers. I don't know who they are, but without them we would have no Stranger Things. And Netflix. Can't be without Netflix. They hosted the creation that so many of us have an addiction to. Stranger Things is now a movement in its own right. Cosplay, Comic Cons, to being a hit at the comic book stores. You don't have to be a nerd to fall in love with it, however. If you like horror and adventure, buckle up! You will be wondering what happens next every scene of the way. 

So what are some things that have me hooked? Let's start with the fact that it is based in the early 80's. America is trying to fight the Soviets in the race of technological advances and mind-controlling warfare. They are conducting secret psychological testing on children who have abilities we normal humans can only dream of having. Moving things with your mind? How about giving illusions that look and sound so real, you are convinced it is? These kids are the "key" for scientists who want to prove something to their government. But you can't play with fire and not get burned...

As is usual for every scientific quest that the government sets out on, they screw up. Crap hits the fan and things go wrong. Strangely wrong. Time to delve in the opposite dimension of our own reality. And your only hope of survival is the 13 year old telekinetic girl that doesn't back down from the fight. 

As I said, it's set in the 80's. How they managed to scrounge up props from that time that make it so incredibly realistic, is beyond me. The ugly couches. The jeans. Oh the cars.... Its all pretty amazing when you think of it! Farah Fawcett Spray?! It is actually real. And they brought it into the show! 

They incorporated another movie I love that came out at that time; Ghostbusters!

You see, the main characters are a group of young, boy, nerds. AV club, D&D players, Star Wars fans (yes, that movie gets mentioned too). They are into it and heavily into all things scientific. Can you see the draw for a nerd like me?! 

Now, there were a couple things that I didn't approve of. I was a  little disappointed. The gun fight between 8's gang and the cops. There is no way that bullets from the cops just ricocheted off that beater van. No way! All the windows would have shattered. Tires would have punctured. They wouldn't have been able to drive away like that! I was expecting it to blow up or spin out of control. Not that I wanted 8 to die. I have a feeling she will play an important role in Stranger Things 3. And yes, I believe there will be a third season. No way can season 2 end like it did and NOT have another season to follow. 

Then you have the death of someone (won't name him for those who haven't completed the series). Though if you haven't finished the 9 episodes yet, what have you been doing?? My husband and I binged watched it. I think we finished it in 4 sittings. Anyhow! Someone dies. A lot of people die, but this was one of the key characters in the season. And having him die... especially how and when he died. Well, let's say it was pulling at my heartstrings. He was awesome. He was helpful. He was a hero. He was a nerd. I had a feeling that would be his fate towards the end, but I had hoped there would be a way he would get free. That he would be saved. WHY?! Why would you do that?! But I digress. 

My favorite character right now would be El (11). She has been closed off from the world. Still learning what normal 13 year olds would know by the age of 8? But she is strong. And determined. And adapting.

If you haven't been hooked by Stranger Things yet, I suggest you check them out. It is strange. It is retro. It is AMAZING! I'm looking forward to Stranger Things 3.