Whovians Unite!

Yesterday, the Doctor Who Tumblr page posted this appeal from Chris Hardwick as a PSA to their campaign, #newtoWHO.

 

I'm taking up the challenge, so here is my #newtoWHO story.

My love affair with the Doctor started sometime around May 13, 2011. I had just started having a bunch of my medical issues, so I was spending a lot of time in bed watching Netflix. I had just finished up the Firefly series and was looking for something else to sink my teeth into. Season 6 (or series 6 depending on where you live) was currently airing on BBC America and a number of my friends were watching it, and therefore talking about it, so I got curious. It also helped that I was currently addicted to the Cheezeburger Network, which features a number of DW memes, and I was a David Tennant fan from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In fact, I started watching the week the episode "The Doctor's Wife" aired. Being a Neil Gaiman fan, the chatter leading up to the episode also stirred my curiosity. There was one issue... my cable company didn't carry BBC America! But Netflix streaming had most of the seasons, so I started at the beginning of the reboot.

At the time I was using the online site Miso to check into my shows, so I went back in my timeline to see what I had to say. Here are my entries for the first two episodes...

It took me a little bit to warm up to the series. My check-in for episode 7 "The Long Game" said:

"There is just something about the relationship between Rose and the Doctor that keeps bringing me back... cause it's not the special effects!”

By the time I hit "Parting of the Ways", I was in tears. I didn't want Christopher Eccleston to leave.. I remember Laura telling me on Twitter not to worry, because Tennant was coming.  And I loved David Tennant and was looking forward to him... but you never forget your first doctor. I did warm up to Tennant about 2 episodes into his first season and from there the addiction was born. By Christmas I was asking for a TARDIS from Santa Claus, started eating up Doctor Who crafts and blogs and memes, and I was trying to get my mom to check out the series. I had it bad! Who am I kidding, I still have it bad!

My cable company did finally add BBC America, without fanfare. One day, I was going through the channels and happened to go one pass my normal routine and there it was. Once I found the channel, I was able to watch Doctor Who a number of times a day without dealing with the connection issues I sometimes got from Netflix. The first episode I was able to watch on its original air date was season 6, episode 8 "Let's Killer Hitler".

As for getting my mom into show, I managed to get her all the way to season 3, episode 11 "Utopia" and I lost her there. Something about not understanding what was being said with the accents and just not being into it anymore. Oh well... can't convert them all! At least my brother and his girlfriend are fans, so it gives us something to talk about at family gatherings.

Currently, I'm watching 3 episodes a day of DW - 10am, 11am, and 4pm. Except on Mondays when for some reason BBCA likes to air Top Gear at 4pm. The 10am & 11am episodes just reset in the airing, so it's all the 9th Doctor. At 4pm it's Matt Smith's first season. Someday I hope to be able to go back and watch the original, original episodes, at least the seasons they managed to save. I have a feeling I'll never be able to enjoy the very first season... but I'll take what I can get!

I wanted to share some of my favorites with you. If I HAVE to pick a doctor, I've got to go with #10 - David Tennant. Favorite companion... hands down Donna Noble. And here are some of my favorite episodes, broken out by doctor and companion, because I can't just pick one:

• Ninth Doctor - "The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances"
• Tenth Doctor & Rose - "Fear Her"
• Tenth Doctor & Martha - "The Shakespeare Code"
• Tenth Doctor & Donna - "Partners in Crime"
• Eleventh Doctor & Amy - "Vincent and the Doctor"

My least favorite episode... "The Doctor's Daughter". Not sure why, I just don't care for it. And I'm not really a Martha fan, because I didn't love the "Why doesn't he look at me/love me/want me like that". I get what it was all about, just could have done without it.

So, that's my #newtoWHO story. From my first viewing to my current day dressing my mascot up like the 11th Doctor. I am a Whovian!

Since I have a number of friends that are fans of Doctor Who, I though I'd turn this into a link-up party. I'm also hoping to meet some new Whovians from the links! Link-up is open until the new season of Doctor Who premiers on BBC America, which is Sept. 1 at 9pm EST!

The BlogHer `12 Aftermath

I am now 4 days post BlogHer `12. The manicure has started to chip, con crud is slowly creeping in, and the stack of business cards & info sheets loom over me begging to be dealt with. My head is swimming with ideas and things I wish I did different and longing for more time. To say I am overwhelmed is an understatement. And I have no idea where to begin. So, I guess I'll start with the easiest thing... telling you how it all went.

What seemed like months of planning all came down to a very fast 3 days. There was good. There was bad. And there was downright terrible. No amount of planning could prepare me for the event, even though I thought I have every possible detailed covered. Nothing like 5000+ people gathered together to quickly make you reevaluate at your plans. Since my head is so full of thoughts and crud, I'm going to just list it all out.

The Right

• The Buddy System - I cannot stress this enough... Laura was my saving grace. Planning to attack the conference with a buddy was the smartest move I made. From sharing a room, to getting the most out of sessions, and a sounding board when I just needed to talk things out. She was my rock. I knew Laura was a great friend... but this weekend clearly proved I don't get to see her or talk to her enough. I truly love her and value everything about her. And I couldn't have done the whole thing without her!

Don't Blink!

• Staying at the Sheraton - While this was more due to the Hilton being sold out, I am very pleased I ended up staying at the Sheraton. It was a quick walk from the Hilton and after reading the many, many complaints from those that stayed at the convention hotel, I have zero. No issues with the room, the elevator, the bill, or the staff. And it was nice to be able to leave the hub of the conference and to get away from it all. Though I will say I could have done without the Weeping Angel in our room... even if it was a perfect tribute for a couple of Whovians!

• The Sessions - Am I ever glad I attended the sessions that I did. I ended up going to all the ones I planned on and they were fantastic. I learned so much and came away with tons of things to do and think about. The one on Affiliate Marketing alone was worth the cost of the BlogHer ticket!

• The Private Parties - no matter what your feeling is on outboarding, the private parties were worth it! I only went to three, purposely selected for how they fit with my "brand". The connections I made, the info I collected, and the good times... totally worth it. And the swag was amazing! I can't wait to either review it or give it away! I got more out of these events than the expo.
• Free Wi-Fi - I had heard horror stories about convention wi-fi. It worked perfectly for me the whole day. It was great because my phone decided it didn't want to play nice.

Hasbro Party

• The Location - Who doesn't love NYC?! Nothing like a quick train ride to get to and from the action. Being a semi-local made a lot of difference for me because I wasn't also trying to cram in sightseeing as part of the event. If there was something I wanted to see, I can easily go back. It also help save on cost because I only need one night in the hotel and didn't have to deal with flying.

Our View from The Big Toy Book Event

The Wrong

• The Crowds - I just don't think the Hilton was meant to hold 5000+ people. To have to see people eating meals on the floor and having to wait 20-30 minutes for an elevator... well, your venue is overbooked. I hope next year there is a limit on tickets, because I don't know if I could deal with that many people again.

• The Geek Bars - These were a disaster. Disorganized, you couldn't hear sometimes because of the other sessions in the room, and sort of a waste of time. I did a Design Audit and would have rather seen a full session on just basic blog design tips than try to audit 8 people's sites in a 30 minute session... and not get to everyone. I'm hoping there will be some good follow up with the presenter, because she did seem to have a great grasp on the material.

• The Expo - This was so not what I was expecting. The booths I had high hopes were a bust and some I didn't think about visiting ended up being little hidden gems. The swag was fine, not better, not worse than what was predicted. Just different. It made it easy to pick out what was of use. I will tell you I ended up with 20 reusable totes, 35 coupons, and 7 pens... all which made my mom very happy. And the 7 flash drives will come in handy because I'm down to about 1GB of space on my laptop, which will be gone the minute I download the photos from BlogHer. Overall though, the expo was more trade show than here's how we can work together. I don't need a new vacuum or phone, I need to know what we can do for each other as a brand and a blogger. That was sorely missing. I wish I took the time to go to more sessions instead of spending so much time at the expo.

The best "swag" of the convention... business cards and information!

• Relying on Twitter - A bunch of things at BlogHer relied on Twitter. Entering contests, finding other people, catching news. I just didn't want to spend my entire time staring at a phone. Maybe I'm just not a tweeter, but I just didn't get why it was needed so much.

• The Pack Mule Effect - I just packed too much stuff I thought I was going to need. My hands were constantly full and I was seriously weighed down. I really wish I had a better phone or a point & shoot, because bringing the DSLR was a mistake. It was so bulky I barely used it. Between business cards and a phone and a camera and swag and handshakes and even Dalí, my hands were full All.The.Time. It was insane. And I'm never doing that again.

• My Confidence - Leaving BlogHer I feel my confidence in myself and my work a little shattered. I feel like I now need to do complete overhauls of everything I do. Full redesigns, different photography, different topics. In some cases I even feel like I might have to adopt a kid to be able to "compete" for the attention of some brands. Some of this feeling may come from being sick and completely exhausted. In a few days, after some meaningful online conversations, some connections made, and some information better absorbed, I should be okay. Just have to keep telling myself I am good enough, my work is good enough, and if people don't like me or my "brand", oh well.

The So Very Wrong

• The Heat - I hate summer... I always have. The sun is not my friend and if I never have to deal with heat & humidity again it'll be too soon. But it's August, it's NYC, it's expected. It wasn't like there was a massive change in the weather for me... I only live about 45 mins West of New York. But I didn't expect summer to be INSIDE the convention. From the crazy hot expo, to hot session rooms, to lots of bodies pressed together. I don't think there wasn't a time I wasn't hot and sticky. If I had thought about bringing enough clothes, or had the time, I would have showered a million times a day. Add to it that I was wearing jeans and a knee brace... it was not fun. If I didn't hug you, it's not because I didn't want to... it's because I was saving you from the hot mess that I was.

• The Food & Drink -  Ugh... food. My kryptonite. I love some kinds, hate most other. And this food was a bust. And because I relayed on the Hilton and private parties to get my meals... my intake was nowhere near where it needed to be and I paid for it by Saturday. I should have know that I would have food issues, and I even brought snacks... just should have planned for meals on my own. And while I get that BlogHer is trying to go green, those water coolers and little cups were not enough. I'm all for going green, but maybe in the swag bags there could have been refillable bottles, something more portable than a little plastic cup. And plastic cups? That didn't get recycled and no one used more than once. Not sure how "green" that really ended up being. I even had a water bottle I refilled and I just didn't drink enough water. Too many sweets and carbs and soda. Not enough of anything green or protein or of real substance. Not that there wasn't some of those options... it was just nothing I would eat.  

• Sparklecorn - This was wrong not for what it was, but for my expectations vs reality. I expected a lot of drinking and dancing and even some shenanigans, but it was so much worse. It was super loud, dark as night, and some of the behavior was shameful. But I really can't put that on the party goers. It is just not my scene, and while I'm not the most classy chick on the block... there was so crass behavior that caused my jaw to drop. I think I managed to stay 30 minutes. And even that was too long. I will say the cake was yummy... even if there is some disagreement on what the filling was.

• Blogger Time - While there seemed like there was enough time for everything, there just wasn't time to network with OTHER bloggers. Other than breakfast and maybe waiting in a line, there was no time to connect. You almost need to preplan to meet people. Lunch was paired with keynotes, so no speaking to each other there. And there was just no real place to sit. Only one or two seats in the lobby and none anywhere else. There were times when it would have been nice to grab a seat with someone and chat... other than the floor. 

Overall, I got a lot out of my experience. BlogHer 2013 is being held in Chicago and while I think I'd like to go, I really need to see what my return is on BlogHer 2012. I learned a lot of lessons, good & bad, and I'm a lot wiser in the ways of a blogger convention. I just really need to see were I can take it from here before I invest in another event... be it BlogHer or a different convention.

Welcome to The Land of Melted Clocks

Welcome all my new friends from BlogHer `12! I'm so happy you stopped by!

The Land of Melted Clocks has been around almost 1 1/2 years and I outside of a few things, I never really spoke about who I was or what this blog is about. I think it is now time. For starters, the name Land of Melted Clocks was inspired by my favorite painting, Persistence of Memory by the great Salvador Dalí. I picked this painting to represent me and my blog, because most days I feel like the world is melting around me and I'm just standing still. It's also a little out there, sort of like myself.

This is me.

Now on to me. Writing about myself is always pretty hard to do, mostly because it makes me admit to certain things I may be in denial about. But here goes, I'm April Baker, a blogger, an artist, a toy lover, and a geek. I'm 30 something years old and I live in Connecticut about 45 minutes West of New York City. I'm single, kidless, and the owner of the greatest cat in the world. I'm obsessed with toys, Disney, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I adore wearing jeans, tees, Chucks or flip flops, and funky rings & bracelets. I'm pretty average in just about every way... except one. I'm not the most healthiest individual. I suffer from Crohn's, fibromyalgia, an anxiety disorder, and issues with my back. I'm really just a big mess. But I have a great support system that really helps cope with everything. I could tell you more, like I was an Air Force brat, have two associate degrees, and I have a brother... but then what stories would I have to write about in the future? ;)

Most days you can find me blogging, taking pictures, or doing some kind of craft. Or playing video games and watching tv if I'm not feeling all that great. But mostly I'm on the computer. I run four other blogs besides this one, and I'm in the process of creating two more. The Magic Family is a group of three blogs - Scrapping the Magic, Crafting the Magic, and Enjoying the Magic. All are more or less Disney blogs with their only sub-specialties, namely scrapbooking, crafting, and life. Then there is The Toy Box Geek, a newer site that is getting ready to launch in September. Toy Box is all about toys and things related to toys. Little Pink Pumps and One Brick, Two Bricks are Barbie and Lego blogs, respectively. I'm hoping to get those up by the end of the year.

I'm also very active on Facebook, sometimes on Twitter, and participate on all your standard social network sites. And I have a Tumblr blog called April in Progress. That's were I post all my projects in process and things like Doctor Who images, memes, etc. Stuff that I don't want to clog up this site with.

So what will you find on The Land of Melted Clocks?

• Photography - I love photography and I plan to fill this blog with it. Photo projects, challenges, and whatever else photo wise that inspires me.
• Travel - If I ever manage to take a trip, you can expect to read about it here.
• Art - Talk of art, my art, artsy things. Just art type topics.
• Crafts - The occasional craft project will show up here. 
• Geeky Stuff - I love all things geeky and I love talking about them even more!
• Book & Movie Reviews - If I ever find the time to read a book or go to the movies.
• Other Blog Stuff - Updates on all my other blog projects.
• Friends - I love my friends. And I plan on talking about them more.
• Me - My life, my health, my cat, just things I have going on.
• Randomness - Really I tend to write what I feel and what I like at the moment. And since I'm all over the place in my mind, it's only natural that you can expect this to be all over the place.

What you won't find on this site is adult content, swearing, politics, or religion.

Another thing you'll see on this blog is tales of its' mascot, Dalí. Dalí the Amazing BlogFox. He'll be coming with me to BlogHer and having a bunch of adventures of his own, so he'll be a regular feature on the blog. And I really need to thank my friend Kerri of The Maven of Social Media... she coined the term "The Amazing BlogFox".

So to sum everything up, I'm a geek, I have a lot of blogs, and I'm an artist. Oh, and I love toys. That is the nutshell that is me.

If you would like to get in touch with me, friend me on Facebook, message me on Twitter, or email me at abaker413 [at] gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!

BlogHer 2012 Bound Pt. 5 - The Extras

One of the other big features of the BlogHer experience is location! This year it's in good old New York City! While this isn't a big deal to me, since I'm semi-local, it's huge for those that have never been! So many things to see and do. Where does one start? Well, if you do manage to find some time to do some sightseeing while in the city, here are some recommendations:

• Go shopping! 5th Avenue and Time Square have some amazing stores! Some of them are attractions themselves, like the giant ferris wheel in Toys R Us! And the windows along 5th Avenue are so fun to look at! Some of my favorite shopping spots: Lego, FAO Schwatz, M&M, Disney, and of course Toys R Us!
• See a show! New York City is home to the Great White Way! Make time to see a play! Wicked and the Lion King are must dos, and if you are a fan of The Big Bang Theory... Jim Parsons is currently staring in a revival of Harvey!
• See the sights! Rockefeller Center, The Empire State Building, Ground Zero, Central Park... all must dos when you visit the city. I'd tell you to see the Statue of Liberty to, but it's currently closed for repairs.
• Visit a museum! NYC is home to some of my favorite museums. The Natural History Museum, The Met, MOMA, The Guggenheim, Rose Planetarium... all great ways to spend a day!
• Eat! NYC has tons of restaurants to fit every kind of palette. Even the food trucks are highly talked about! 

I'm sure if you were planning on coming to NYC, you've done your research... that is if you can find time to leave the BlogHer world for a little bit. The best tip I can tell you about visiting NYC is a little research and planning can go a long way. Oh, and slow down... just enjoy the fact you are in one of the greatest cities in the world!

So of my BlogHer cohorts have also written about things to do while in New York City, so give them a gander! 

New York on less than a penny #BlogHer12
BlogHer `12 - Oh The Places You Should Go!
The ESC's Guide to New York City
NYC Food Experiences - The London NYC Gordon Ramsay
NYC Food Experiences - Peter Luger Steakhouse
NYC Food Experiences - Ippudo

And that's it... that does it for my series on BlogHer. I hope you have a great time and I can't wait to meet you all!

BlogHer 2012 Bound Pt. 4 - The Fashion

With all the BlogHer business and parties, one logically starts to think about fashion. The old "what do I wear" dilemma. Some attendees like to go all, with heels, dresses, fabulous tops. And full on cocktail attire for the parties. Others like to keep in fairly simple, with a nice shirt and pair of pants. Now me, being a jeans and sneakers kind of girl, dressing up is not something I look forward to. Luckily, it's not a requirement. Now I did get caught up in the buying a bunch of new outfits for the conference and I even pulled out my craftiness and made some accessories, but everything was done in my style. I even went as far as to make some outfits for Dali that fit the theme of what I was wearing. I didn't buy dresses or heels or even anything fancy. I went with the "this is me" approach.

When I started planning my wardrobe for the event, I did take into consideration that I would be representing myself and my blogs. I knew I would be meeting brands and pr reps and things needed to be professional. But I decided that I am my brand. If a rep didn't like how I was dressed than maybe they aren't a good fit for my blogs. So keeping that in mind I went with "geek chic" attire. Picked up some cute Doctor Who and Loki themed t-shirts, made sure my jeans were in good shape, and pulled out my favorite flip flops. I'll be neat, clean, and well put together... but in my way, not a high fashionista way. 

Dali's Thursday outfit.
We are going with a superhero theme.

I know there is nothing really special about jeans and tees, but where I think I really shine is my accessories! They are funky, geeky, and all lots of fun! On Thursday, with my Loki tee, I'll be wearing a POW headband that I received as a gift. This one to be exact. I also picked up this Captain America bracelet that perfectly matches the outfit I made for Dali! As for a necklace, I made this heart shaped Lego charm and hung it on a silver chain. I'm finishing off the look with a retro Pop Swatch watch that I've had since the early `90s. 

Dali's Friday and Saturday outfit.
Doctor Who theme.

For the rest of the conference, I'm going with a Doctor Who theme. I have three different shirts I plan on wearing between the 2 days. I created a 11th Doctor inspired bow tie headband and I've got a neat recycled record cuff to wear on my wrist. The cuff really isn't Doctor Who related, I just thought it was cool. Like bow ties are cool. And of course Dali got an outfit to match! An 11th Doctor bow tie and fez! I'll also be wearing the watch and Lego necklace for these two days. 

Both outfits are very me and very much what I am about, so I figured I was making a personal statement with what I was wearing. The reason I decided to wear flips instead of the standard geek foot wear of Chucks, is 1) it's August, it'll be hot, and I hate wearing socks when it's warm out. And 2) I don't find my Chucks great for lots and lots of walking. And if I received one piece of advice about BlogHer, it's wear comfortable shoes! Plus I'll be sporting a very fetching knee brace and my Teva flip flops are very comfy and surprisingly supportive!

I did, however, go a little "crazy" for one of the parties at BH. The Sparklecorn party is all about rainbows, unicorns, and glitter. So much glitter. Since me and glitter don't get along to well, I went with more of a shimmer to add some shine to my outfit. I'll still be wearing jeans and a Doctor Who tee... but I made an aqua and lime tutu to go with it. And I got some matching boas. I'm also thinking about replacing the bow tie headband with a pair of classic 3-D glasses, you know the red & blue ones, since my tee is the 10th Doctor sporting the same glasses. I packed them, I'm thinking about it, not sure if I'm going to go there. I'll decide when I get changed for the party. Dali also has a matching tutu and boa. And he might have a crown. Not sure yet... have to see if I have time to make one. 

So whether you go all out, go geeky, or go simple... make it your own. And remember... the clothes don't make the person... the person makes the clothes. And check out this post from Kate @ The Guavalicious Life... she has some great tips for dressing for BlogHer! BlogHer Boot Camp: Top Ten Fashion Tips

Happy Stylin'!