Madrid: I Get the Opportunity to Butcher Another European Language

So once upon a time in high school, I took two years of Spanish. Many of my classmates strongly suspected that our teacher (whose last name was so comical that it would sound fabricated if I were to share it) did not actually speak the language, though; we spent a lot of time listening to cassettes while she dug in her ear with the cap of her pen, so there was very little actual speaking. The ear digging was so gross and distracting that I learned very little, despite managing to get A’s. At university, I gained literacy in the language (though not fluency). Thus, upon moving to Europe and surrounding myself with French speakers (who I may have mentioned are not too open about sharing their language with anyone other than fellow native speakers), I had an immediate desire to put some of my language skills to the test.

Venice: Where I Broke My Promise to Stop Taking So Many F***ing Photos

WARNING: This blog entry contains entirely unnecessary explicit language. This is not the fault of the Venetians, as both they and their city are absolutely lovely. It’s due mainly to my inability–having been born and raised in a landlocked shithole full of nothing but strip malls and Baptist churches–to be able to grasp the beauty of a city like Venice without throwing around the word “fuck” a few times. So if you’re offended by naughty words, please click here.

Now, for everyone who isn’t an elderly schoolmarm:

Dusseldorf and Fedcon

NON-SCIENCE FICTION FAN WARNING: I am really geeking out here and it may be embarrassing for you, so you are welcome to leave now. Or at leas keep the eye-rolls to a minimum.

For three years in a row, my partner and I had been attending a Doctor Who convention in Los Angeles called Gallifrey One. Moving to Europe got in the way of attending this year, so we wanted a consolation prize. FedCon, Europe’s largest science fiction convention held yearly in Dusseldorf, Germany, seemed like an adequate substitute. This con was less specific than the primarily Doctor Who themed Gallifrey One, and promised scads of stars from a variety of shows, including Star Trek (both Deep Space Nine and Voyager), Doctor Who/Torchwood, Battlestar Galactica, etc. Overall, there were some disappointments and guest cancellations, but we made the best of it by getting out and seeing the city when the schedule thinned out. Getting to meet John Barrowman, Eve Myles, and a few Voyager cast members made it worthwhile, but it really made us appreciate and miss the extremely well-run Gallifrey One.