Ephemera 2024

Ephemera 2024

Convention Work

ECCC 2/29-3/2 SCC

C2E2 4/26-28 McCormick Place

PAX West 8/30-9/2 SCC (Leaf) (PTI Room sessions 8/31 & 9/1)

Child's Play Charity Auction 11/22 SCC

PAX Unplugged 12/6-8 PCC (Mothman 12/6-7/LFG 12/8) (PTI Room session 12/7)

Live Events, Concerts, Lectures, & Theatre

1/18 Fact & Fiction: The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring - National Nordic Museum

(Landscapes and Land-spirits in The Fellowship of the Ring - Dr. Lauren Poyer)

2/22 Fact & Fiction: The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers - National Nordic Museum

(Helmets and Halls in The Two Towers - Dr. Colin Connors)

3/14 Fact & Fiction: The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King - National Nordic Museum

(Skalds and Songs in The Return of the King - Dr. Lauren Poyer and Dr. Colin Connors)

4/3 Beetlejuice: The Musical - Paramount Theatre

4/25 Judgement Day - The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare

4/28 MacBeth - Drunk Shakespeare Society - The Lion's Theatre

5/15 The Rolling Stones w/ Joe Bonamassa - Lumen Field

5/25 Merrily We Roll Along - Hudson Theatre

5/25 Tommy - Nederlander Theatre

5/26 Hell's Kitchen - Shubert Theatre

5/26 Dungeons & Dragons: The Twenty-Sided Tavern - Stage 42

7/13 OGoA: Unhallowed Grounds - Neptune Theatre

9/7 Taylor Tomlinson: Tries Out New Ideas - Here/After

10/5 Taste of Iceland: Iceland’s Crime Fiction Royalty - National Nordic Museum

(Yrsa Sigurðardóttir and Ragnar Jónasson)

11/23 Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Lost Christmas Eve - Climate Pledge Arena

12/13 Back To The Future: The Musical - Paramount Theatre

Movies in the Theatre

Poor Things

Argylle 

Lisa Frankenstein

Madame Web

Dune: Part Two

Tha Phantom Menace - Star Wars Day - 25th Anniversary screening 5/4

Deadpool & Wolverine

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Megalopolis

Wicked: Part 1

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew Fandango Screening 12/2

Sports & Soccer (media work & fan)

(+ ongoing virtual work with SRFC)

ProstAmerika / ProstInternational / Goalkeeper Guys

1/12 NWSL Draft Party - Rough & Tumble

2/15 89th Annual Seattle Sports Star of the Year Awards - The Westin Hotel

2/29 Ozzie Alsonso retirement press conference & training - Lumen Field

3/12 SRFC training & new international signings - Lumen Field

3/20 Ballard FC 0-1 Spokane Velocity - Memorial - USOC Round 1

10/19 SSFC 1-1 PTFC - Lumen - MLS Regular Season

11/7 SRFC EoY - Providence Swedish Performance Center & Clubhouse

3/6 SRFC 2-1 UW - Husky Soccer Field - Preseason (W)

3/17 SRFC 1-0 WASH - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (W)

4/21 SRFC 1-2 CHI - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (L)

5/3 SRFC 2-1 SDWFC - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (W)

5/8 SRFC 0-0 KCC - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (D)

5/11 SRFC 0-4 PTFC - Providence Park - NWSL Regular Season (L)

5/19 SRFC 2-3 ORL - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (L)

6/16 SRFC 0-0 PTFC - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (D)

6/23 SRFC 1-1 LOU - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (D)

7/7 SRFC 1-1 UTAH - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (D)

7/19 SRFC 2-1 UTAH - Lumen - NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup (W)

7/28 SRFC 2-3 Club Tijuana - Lumen - NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup (L)

8/25 SRFC 1-0 NCC - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (W)

9/16 SRFC 0-2 GOTH - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (L)

9/29 SRFC 0-1 BAYFC - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (L)

10/4 SRFC 0-1 ACFC - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (L)

10/18 SRFC 2-1 HOU - Lumen - NWSL Regular Season (W)

Stateside Footy Podcast (guest) 9/24 - 10/20 - 11/10

1/1 Seattle Kraken 3 Vegas Golden Knights 0 - NHL Winter Classic - T-Mobile Park

1/3 MTHS Hawks 65 v Cedar Crest Red Wolves 54 - BBB Wesco 3A - Terraceum

02-17-24 Practice Viewing - Kraken Community Iceplex

Trips

CHI (Plane) 4/25-29

PDX (Plane/Train) 5/11-12 & (1W Train to SEA) 12/25

NYC (Plane) 5/25-28

PHI (Plane) 12/5-9

Ferries

Edmonds/Kingston 3/29 - 10/11

Mukilteo/Clinton 7/27

Interesting Things/Museums & Exhibits

Seattle Saberfit

WPZ 1/20

Heart, Sir Mix-a-Lot 1/1 & NHL Winter Classic Fan Fest

Ravnica Remastered Prerelease Sealed - 1/5 Zulu's 0/3 0-2/1-2/0-2

 National Nordic Museum - Søren Solkær: Sort Sol / La Vaughn Belle: A History of Unruly Returns

Bodacious stage dedication & memorial with JPB 3/24 LRH

Record Store Day 4/20

Free Comic Book Day 5/4

National Donut Day 6/7

APES Reunion 7/27

FSM 8/4

Bob's Corn Maze 9/21

Quest Factor: Mad Scientist 10/25

2024 National Turkey Trot - Remote Runners 11/28

NHL Winter Classic

Heart

MTHS

Ravnica Remastered

NWSL Draft Party

First film of the year

National Nordic Museum LOTR p1

WPZ

89th Sports Star of the Year

2/17 Practice Viewing at KCI

The Two Towers

Ozzie

ECCC

p3

SRFC opener

USOC 

Hen tribute

The Stones

Memorial Day Weekend in NYC

OGoA

Clinton Ferry

APES Reunion

Wedding vibes

R15E

PAX West 24

Live comedy

First ride

Bob is real

Author talk

Podcast guest

Cascadia Cup 

The Great Pumpkin

Escape Room

GRE 

preview screening

The Vodka Fairy on auction night

Turkey Trot

TSO

Unplugged

sights

B2tF

Reading List 2024

 A very different reading list in content and quantity than other years.

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Fiction Books

Bookshops & Bonedust by Travis Baldree

Way of the Bird King by Thomas Dambo

Nursery Crimes by Devon Monk

Reykjavík: A Crime Story by Ragnar Jónasson & Katrín Jakobsdóttir 

A Shining by Jon Fosse - Damion Searls (Translation)

Soviet Milk by Nora Ikstena - Margita Gailitis (Translation)

Wayward Devils: Souls of the Road #4 by Devon Monk

Doom 84 by Janis Jonevs

Short Fiction

Just Out of Jupiter's Reach (The Far Reaches collection) by Nnedi Okorafor

Slow Time Between the Stars (The Far Reaches collection) by John Scalzi

Undercover by Tamsyn Muir

Tiger Chair by Max Brooks

Cut and Thirst by Margaret Atwood

Acquisitions Incorporated: Initiation by Jerry Holkins

Dran. Magic by Jerry Holkins & Cover Illustrated by Mike Krahulik

Ushers by Joe Hill

One Foolish Joy by Devon Monk

Gaming

Magical Kitties Save the Day by Atlas Games

Cairn by Yochai Gal

Daggerheart (Core Rulebook Open Beta) by Critical Role

Dragons of Despair by Tracy Hickman

Zero Level Rulebook for 5E by Weird Works

Yokai Hunters Society by Chema Gonzalez

Warrior Queens by Noah Patterson

Alice is Missing: Rulebook by Spenser Starke

Be Like A Cat by Tim Roberts

PNW: Card Games Inspired by the Pacific Northwest by Thomas Cardwell & Megan Wyreweden

Pizzamas Island by Kathleen De Vere & Melanie Oventhal 

Dungeons & Dragons: 2024 Players Handbook by Wizards of the Coast

Runecairn: Core Rules by Odin's Beard RPG

The Puppy Roll by Anjali Bhimani 

Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game Quick Start Rules

Poetry/Collections/Papers/Essays/Scripts/Children's Books/Cookbooks/Misc

Amelia's Road by Linda J. Altman & Enrique O. Sanchez

Angry Housewives by A.M. Collins & Chad Henry

Hadestown by Anais Mitchell

Plaza Suite by Neil Simon

Merrily We Roll Along by George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart

GRE by Kaplan

Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom by Jennifer Haley

The Last Christmas by Gabe & Tycho

Lexcalibur: Useful Poetry For Adventurers Above And Below The World by Jerry Holkins & Mike Krahulik

Non-Fiction/Biography/History/Science

10 Places to Search for Life by Simon Steel & Ly Ly/SETI Institute
Solar Eclipses: Nature's Cosmic Coincidence by Simon Steel & Jasmoin Arriage Hedges/SETI Institute
American Recordings by Tony Tost

Coming Home by Brittney Griner

Custer Battlefield: Official National Park Handbook

Historical European Martial Arts: In Its Context by Richard Marsden

Graphic Novels/TPB

HALESTORM: Hyde Manor by Halestorm, Winner Twins, Sara Scalia (Illustrator), Rantz Hoseley (Editor), Lauryn Ipsum (Designed by)

Iron Maiden: Piece of Mind by Various

Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins - Beauregard Lionett by Critical Role et al

Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins - Caduceus Clay by Critical Role et al

The Legend of Vox Machina: The Whitestone Chronicles Volume 1- Ripley by Marieke Nijkamp & Tyler Walpole

Re-reads

The Mouse That Roared Adapted by Christopher Sergel. Based on the book by Leonard Wibberley

Ten Little Indians: A Mystery Play in Three Acts by Agatha Christie

Some more live theatre

 

Back to the Future

December 13, 2024

Because of tech issues

The site I do soccer writing for had some tech issues. I am reposting the text and pic to match the Feb post, since that link may never work.

Catching up with Megan Rapinoe 

By Jeff Lageson on February 25, 2024

From ProstAmerika 

Megan Rapinoe’s soccer playing career came to an abrupt end early in the 2023 NWSL Championship match. Having announced prior to the world cup that she would end her career at the end of the 2023 NWSL season, the Reign run to the NWSL Championship set up what could have been a glorious finish. Instead, her achilles was injured only a few minutes in and her Reign side dropped the final to Gotham FC. The early match injury knocked almost 90 minutes off of a possible story book ending, sending her to surgery and rehab on her achilles.

In the months since, Rapinoe has been rehabbing and healing up, finally returning to Seattle on February 15 to receive the Paul G. Allen Humanitarian Award at the 89th Annual Seattle Sports Star of the Year banquet. Joining her former teammates and coach at the ceremony, Rapinoe was reflective of her place in the history of women’s soccer, the state of the NWSL, injury rehab, and watching the preparations for the upcoming season of her former club and national team.

When last able to interview Megan last fall, she was still Megan Rapinoe the soccer player. How does she see herself now? Is it Megan the entrepreneur? Is it Megan the activist?

“Oh God. I think all of it. I’ve always liked to wear multiple hats and do multiple things. Yeah, I’m getting the question a lot now. What are you going to do next? And I’m like kind of the same thing I’ve been doing. I’m not going to be tied up with training every day. Definitely entrepreneur. Definitely. The activism part is just who I am for sure. But yeah, I kind of want to be in on this next phase of women’s sports. It’s very exciting.”

Now a few months post-op, Rapinoe was no longer in a cast or walking boot. Rehabbing an injury was not in and of itself new and different, but rehabbing without a season to get ready for is. Is she at peace with her retirement?

How is it watching and not participating in preseason or national team camps prepping for a major tournament year for the first time?

“The only thing is I’m not in on the drama and I’m not in on all. I want to be in the know. And I’m missing out on little things. Even saw the national team was together. I don’t want to be there because I know what it takes to be there and I’m way too tired for that still. But I just want to know everything that’s going on. Obviously, stay close to Laura and Lu and Jess. They give me all the tea. But I think it’s more the biggest moments that I’ll miss the most. But no preseason. I never even like to go to preseason anyway.”

The growth of women’s soccer and women’s sports in recent years has been rewarding.

“It’s so many people, so many players, so many people that have been in it for so long. But I know that my fingerprints are in there and that to me is the most impactful and important part of my career is now seeing what’s coming. The media deal for the NWSL was amazing. To see the final was amazing. New franchises, record signings, new stadium opening up. Like all of that is just a really big hat tip. Honestly, I kind of put the first eleven years of the NWSL in one pot and this is the next phase of it. So to be a part of that and just have it grow and have these players get what they deserve and play in the places they deserve and have the types of facilities and salaries and accommodations and all of that that they really deserve is just incredible to see. I can’t wait to see where this sport goes for us in the next five to ten years.”

“I just know what we were able to achieve in the environment that we had to achieve it in. I can’t wait to see what they do next. I mean, it looks like 20,000 at every game. It looks like more championships for the national team. It looks like huge media deals and players making a lot more money and fans having a different option for an experience in american sports. I think WNBA is doing an incredible job of providing that, and I think the NWSL is right on their heels, and I hope to see all the fans and all the supporters really show up in a big way this season.”

Seattle Reign FC begins the 2024 season March 17 against Washington Spirit at Lumen Field in Seattle.

Old cities are new to visit

 First time in Philadelphia for Unplugged.  Did manage to do a little history walk Sunday AM.