EPBOT

24-Hour Disney Day Meetup

2013-05-23T12:30:00.000-04:00

John and I have heard from quite a few of you going to the 24-hour Disney day tomorrow, so I'd love to get you all together for a little Epbot pow-wow, if you're up for it! I'm thinking we can meet up at the Sunshine Tree Terrace (aka the little counter-service spot next to the Flying Carpets, across from the Jungle Cruise) at midnight:

via DisneyTouristBlog

We can all get Citrus Swirls, sit for a while, shoot the breeze, quote Princess Bride at each other, you know - the works.

Now, I know a lot of you are exactly like me, meaning you're kind of shy about going up to total strangers and introducing yourself, but I don't expect there will be more than 10 or 20 of us, tops, so please come out if you can! I'll even bring Epbot and Vader-riding-a-pony buttons for ya, because I am SO not above bribery. :)

You can also keep track of me that night on Twitter, in case you're not able to make the meetup but still want to find us to say hi.

See some of you there - and for the rest of you, stay tuned for a photo post! I'm hoping to get more crowd-free shots ala last year's.

Can A Corset Cure Cramps?

2013-05-22T01:29:00.000-04:00

I've debated writing this post for a little while now, but at this point I figure I've discussed everything from my OB-GYN visits to my bra size with you guys, so hey, why not?

[Note: Gentlemen, there is nothing in this post that speaks to your interests, unless of course your interests include a lady friend who suffers from menstrual cramps. You have been warned.]

So here's the deal: back when I last cosplayed as Lady Vadore, I was unfortunately right smack in the midst of my womanly miseries*. I've always struggled with severe cramps and PMS and all the joys that go with them, so you can imagine how I felt that morning when I crawled out of bed and contemplated the Dreaded Corset.

[*If you read that fast it looks like "womanly miniseries." Ha!]

I was already in pain, but I gritted my teeth, swallowed two Tylenol, and had John lace me in. (OOPH.) I did have him loosen it quite a bit, though.

Within minutes I was feeling much better, but of course I attributed that to the pain pills.

"I feeeel happyyyy!"

That day I went about seven hours in costume, and I felt fantastic - no pain at all, even long after the Tylenol should have worn off. I was too distracted to think much of it, though, until we were packing up at the car to go home that evening. Since it's mighty uncomfortable to sit in a car that long laced in a tight corset, I swapped it out for a loose overshirt.

Within approximately three minutes of removing the corset - perhaps sooner - it felt like a sledgehammer hit me right in the gut. I've never had such a sudden onset of menstrual pain in my life, as I literally went from feeling on top of the world to curling into a ball and sobbing in agony.

Needless to say, this raised a few questions. Namely, does a corset stop cramps, and if so, how or why?

My internet research turned up lots of anecdotal evidence: plenty of ladies claiming corsets *do* stop or help cramps, but nothing more "official" or offering a medical explanation as to why. I also found a lot of links to scammy looking sites pimping something called a "premium beautiful corset" (yes, really) for menstrual pain. There was also a slightly less scammy-looking site selling a compression belt contraption for the same purpose, which seemed to support all the anecdotal evidence.

As to WHY a corset would relieve cramps, all I found were some dire-sounding warnings about corsets stopping menstrual bleeding all together, usually listed in articles bashing corsets as dangerous and unhealthy. On the other hand, there are just as many (if not more) sites defending regular corset-wear as perfectly healthy - assuming you wear them correctly, of course.

So, does compressing your uterus trigger it to stop shedding its lining, or does it alleviate the cramping for some other reason - maybe by just supporting the muscles/organs? Beats me. All I know is that it definitely works.

How do I know? Well, for the last couple months I've been wearing a tight compression band on the days I start to cramp - and it really, really works, you guys. Happily you don't have to wear a corset, though, or even anything all that tight. All you need is one of these babies:

Those are underbust shapewear camisoles you can find almost anywhere - assuming you don't already have one in your closet - or you can order one off of Ebay for less than $7 with shipping. (I think I found mine at Ross for ten or twelve bucks.)

The one I had kept cutting into my underarms with those straps, so one day I got out the scissors and hacked 'em off. Now it's just a stretchy tube for my abdomen, and I tuck the top edge under my bra band to keep it in place. They also sell "slim belts," though, which are essentially the same thing:

This one is $9 with shipping on ebay. (Note: I know nothing about these sellers, so of course do your own comparison shopping.)

These shapewear pieces are snug but extremely stretchy, so odds are you'll forget you're even wearing them. And even though the very LAST thing you want to do when you're cramping is put on tight-fitting clothing, believe me when I say this will absolutely alleviate some or all of the pain*.
[*Someone just pointed out I sound a little snake-oil huckster-y here; sorry! I should say I *believe* it will help you, but of course everyone is different and there are no guarantees.]

In fact, I've cut down drastically on the amount of pain pills I need each month - last month I think I even skipped them entirely, if you can believe it - thanks to this compression thingy and one other trick I stumbled across online: Magnesium supplements. I take one 200 mg tablet of magnesium citrate the second I start to feel the pain coming on, and then another with each meal and when/if I take any Tylenol, and I could swear it actually prevents the cramps from getting worse. (It looks like there's plenty of evidence to support this, too; here's one from the University of Maryland, for example, or just google "magnesium menstrual cramps" for more.)

You guys might recall that the last time I mentioned my uterus I was gunning for a hysterectomy - solely due to the pain each month - so believe me when I say this is a HUGE improvement. Fingers crossed it lasts.

Oh, and the only negative side effect to magnesium is that it can be a diuretic/laxative if you take too much of it - but that's actually kind of a good thing for a lot of us around that time, am I right? JUST SAYIN'. (I'm so glad we can have these chats, you guys.) Magnesium is cheap, too, so if nothing else you've got very little to lose by giving it a try!

As with everything concerning your health, though, always do your own research and/or talk to your doctor if you have questions. I can only tell you what's worked for me, and while I don't think either of these suggestions can harm you, again, please do your own research.

Speaking of which, I know there are (at least) several doctors who read Epbot, so if any of you would care to weigh in on this in the comments, I'd love to hear from you! Ditto for any of you regular corset-wearers out there. Let us glory in all our glorious womanhood, my lady friends, and freak out the men-folk with our talk of chocolate-cravings and heavy flows! WOOT WOOT!

Disney's Star Wars Weekends, 2013!

2013-05-19T16:46:00.001-04:00

Star Wars Weekends just started out at Disney Hollywood Studios, so yesterday John and I braved the heat and crowds to go check it out!

Before we even got to the front gate I was chasing down these two sisters to get a photo:

(That's their parents smiling in the background.) I love that you're just as likely to see a girl toting a play sword or blaster as a tiara these days at the parks - or even all three together. ;)

And check out these girls' fabulous fascinators!

They even dressed to match!

We hung out in the gift shops for a while while we waited to meet up with Martha, a long-time reader from Canada. If you follow me on Twitter, then there's your explanation for all my wacky merchandise tweets:

Here's one I didn't post, though:

I actually love these Angry Birds foam balls, but they were like $15 each. YEESH. Ah, Disney pricing...

Once we met up with Martha, we moved on to the day's big attraction:

BABY DUCKS!!!

This momma and her babies were pacing back and forth on a raised planter:

She kept jumping down from the planter and looking up at the ducklings expectantly, but they were all, "What, you crazy?" Then the momma duck looked at ME, but I was too busy taking videos of her with my phone. Eventually a lady walked up, scooped the ducklings up, set them down by the mom, and herded them all across the path to the lake side. I was both mildly horrified and horribly jealous.

What's that? I'm supposed to be looking at Star Wars stuff? Oh. Ok. Here, have a Chipmunk Ewok:

The lines for photos with the characters were pretty crazy, as were the crowds jostling around, so I couldn't get the characters by themselves. Instead, enjoy these photos of random children alongside them. :D

This Darth Maul is the same guy every year, I believe, and he is incredibly intense - spot on perfect, whipping around into different poses like he can't even feel the 90 degree heat. So that girl's finger point and grin cracked. me. up.

(Did I mention it was like surface-of-the-sun hot? Why can't they host these things in February?)

Not long into the day I spotted a tweet from another reader named Jennifer at the park, and convinced her to come say hi. We ended up hanging out with her family and Martha for the next few hours, which was super fun.

Jennifer's daughter Emily was sporting a Jedi robe her dad Jeff had made (go, Dad!) and she was a real (storm?) trooper when it came to facing down the dreaded Tusken Raider photo op:

Whatever you do, don't look beside you.

This backlot area is where the characters definitely have the most fun, playing with the crowds and doing their best to freak people out.

Here's a shot of Emily's dad Jeff playing a game of mirror, mirror with the same Raider, who took it upon himself to stalk our group for a little ways:

Next he went after Jennifer, poor thing, while John looked on:

Such a Casanova.

I'm pretty sure these walk-around characters have been told to get in your face at every opportunity, because that seems to be their go-to tactic. It's either funny or terrifying, depending on your disposition, and I found having a camera in front of my face was both a shield and a target.

Here's Aurra Sing closing in on me:

She locked eyes on the camera and then slowly stalked off to the side:

Next I spotted my perennial favorite, Zam Wessel, walking by:

I caught her mid-stride giving me some serious side-eye.

I chased her down and asked for a photo of just her, which of course is like volunteering to be messed with. She let me snap one quick photo:

And then started closing in:

She got closer, and closer, until:

HI THERE.

This photo isn't cropped, and I didn't use a zoom. In fact, her nose was practically touching my lens, something I didn't realize until I went to move and stumbled into her - and then realized everyone around was laughing. No complaints, though; these shots were my favorite to play with in Photoshop.

We wrapped things up at the Darth Mall, aka a Star Wars fan's shopping heaven. New this year is a 3D printing service that puts your head on a Storm Trooper's body:

It's about a hundred dollars plus shipping, and they ship it to you about two months later.

They also had Roxy the Rancor there for photos, which some of you may remember from MegaCon and Star Wars Celebration:

I guess the fans who created Roxy agreed to lend her to Disney for the event. Nice of them!

Donald seemed to be the stand-out character this year in merchandising, which was great for me; after classic Mickey, Donald is my favorite of the Fab Five:

Talk about the perfect set: Donald's butt frozen in Carbonite, and Donald as Boba Fett!

The art area is filled with fantastic original Star Wars and mash-up art:

The registers are overseen by Darth Donald:

And some fun Jawa set ups:

I managed to resist the siren call of most of the goodies, but I did cave on this deck of 3-D/lenticular playing cards:

Every card has a lenticular face - not just the face cards - and it comes in a metal tin. Not bad for $12! (And how appropriate that Jar Jar is the Joker...)

Here's a close-up of Vader's card:

We ended the day with the Hyperspace Hoopla, which is always a toe-tapping spectacle of goofy fun. People get in place for the show two to three hours ahead of time, though, so unless you're willing to wait that long you're not getting a great spot. I caught glimpses of it through a forest of trees and kids-on-shoulders, but I saw enough to still enjoy it. The show seems to be getting longer each year, too, since this one clocked in at over 35 minutes.

Here's a snippet from Inside the Magic that includes one of my favorite bits:

They used to play Robot Rock at our local skating rink when I was a kid, and I've loved it ever since - so that was a fun surprise. (And I love the controller DJ. Ha!) The only other bit that really made me hoot and holler, though, was the surprise finale - because I am just that much of a Dizgeek. :)

Head over to Inside the Magic to watch the entire show, or Ricky's also got it separated into clips if you just want to watch bits and pieces.

If you're in the area, definitely come check out the Weekends if you can! They run for the next three weeks, and there are plenty of shows and events (like the parade!) that we didn't catch this time.

Oh, and this coming Friday is also the 24-hour Disney Day at the Magic Kingdom, so if you're going to that and want to meet up, let me know! I've heard from two or three people already, so it might be fun to have a little Epbot party - maybe we can all grab a Citrus Swirl together!

Mailbag: What Dremel Should I Buy?

2013-05-15T20:00:00.000-04:00

I've been asked this a lot over the past few years, so last night when Kristy H. asked again on the Epbot FB page I figured I'd better get around to posting an official answer!

Dremels are one of those infinitely versatile tools that you'll find yourself using for everything from drilling to sanding to carving, so I definitely recommend buying one if you're the crafty type.

Mine is a Dremel model 4000, but I'm not a stickler for brand names. (I call them all Dremels, but that's actually just the most popular brand of "rotary tools.") Whatever brand you buy, make sure you get a corded model (for more power), and definitely spring for the "flex shaft" attachment - the smaller bit that screws on to the main body:

The Dremel is kind of heavy, so the flex attachment lets you drill and sand with much greater control. I use it at least half of the times I'm using the Dremel, so it's really worth its weight in gold. (This one retails for about $43, and is just under $29 on Amazon.)

If you purchase a kit then it will probably come with most of the accessories you need: cutting disks, drum sanders, drill bits, etc. (I spotted two Dremel kit options on Amazon - one for $80, and one for $135, and both are about half of the list price.)

If you want to try any wood carving, there's a pack of specialty bits for that - but I actually found mine marketed as pumpkin carving bits around Halloween. The tips look like this:

I have three sizes of these, which are what I used to carve my Harry Potter wand display:

You'll probably also want a pack of super tiny drill bits; I use those all the time for jewelry and finer pieces. Get the small bits online, though; we found they're MUCH cheaper that way versus the local hardware store. You should be able to get a whole pack of various sizes for well under $10 with shipping. (Check Ebay for those; I didn't see anything great on Amazon.)

For Christmas John also got me a Dremel workstation, aka a drill press stand, which is great for projects where you're either drilling a lot of holes, need those holes to be at perfect right angles, or both.

(Retails for about $65, about $40 on Amazon.)

The stand was a life saver when I was making my light-up copper cane, and it was also perfect for drilling my resin penny bracelet, since I needed those holes to be at perfect right angles.

Other than those projects, though, I haven't really used the drill press. It's one of those add-ons that's invaluable for the right project, but otherwise won't get used a whole lot, so I'd hold off on buying one until you find you actually need it.

K, I think that's everything, so I hope it helps, guys! And happy crafting!

The Best Non-Violent Video Games For Adults

2013-05-14T13:30:00.000-04:00

After my review a few weeks back of BioShock: Infinite, a reader by the name of ZippyWafflebuns (best name ever? YUP) wrote:

"This was a fun review to read (and would love to see you write more), but are there any games this quality that aren't violent? Like, no killing involved at all? I have a pretty low threshold for this kind of thing in games that I play, and I just can't put myself through it just for the world-building/storyline. But I wish I could, because I feel like I'm stuck playing Lego games and this looks so much cooler."

There aren't many non-violent games out there not aimed at children, but there are some, and some of those are pretty darn amazing. I gave Zippy a few titles to try, and then started amassing a list of my own. I focused on relatively recent, story-driven console games not specifically aimed at kids - and I also left out anything sports-related, because blech. (In fact, you might recognize several of these from my last recommended games post; I'm not generally a fan of violent games, either.)

I realize there are many degrees of violence, but for my purposes here I'm defining any game that doesn't include/require killing other humanoid characters as "non-violent."

So, with those caveats, here's what I've got so far:

Games I've played:

Kingdom Hearts - (2002)(PS2) or Kingdom Hearts Remix (HD remastered collection for the PS3, releases this September, yay!)

A must-play for Dizgeeks with a fun, button-mashing fighting style. Great storyline, gorgeous graphics, and only mild cartoon violence. I love this game. (I also can't believe it's this old - yikes! Can't wait to get the HD remix version and play it again this Fall.)

Mini Ninjas (2009, PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii, and Mac) -

Quite possibly the perfect game; beautiful, a rich story, and you defeat enemies by turning them back into the adorable woodland creatures they used to be.

- Psychonauts (2005) (Xbox, PS2, PC, Mac)

via

This game is almost too old to include, but it's still brilliant. Crazy characters, funny dialogue, great art, and a totally unique concept/story line. As I recall there's some cartoon violence, but no killing. (Please correct me on that if I'm wrong, guys.)

I do have a love/hate relationship with Psychonauts, though, because I've never seen the ending; the last boss fight is just too dang hard. I threw my controller across the room more times than I can remember with this game, but if you're a more skilled player than I (which is likely), do give it a try.

Portal 2 (2011)(PS3, Xbox360, PC, Mac) -

By all means play both Portals, but if you have to choose just one, go with Portal 2. It's a hilarious puzzle-based action game with a fantastic storyline. The only violent aspect are automated turrets that shoot at you, so there's no real killing. Plus there's a 2-player co-op mode that's great fun to play with your SO.

Quantum Conundrum - (2012)(PS3, Xbox360, PC)

If you've already played both Portals and are yearning for a game with puzzles almost exactly like them, play this one. (It was directed by one of the Portal designers, which explains the puzzle similarities.) The story isn't as entertaining, but the colorful, cartoony style is fun - and may fool you into thinking this game is easy. IT'S NOT. (I made it about halfway before giving up in frustration.) No violence whatsoever, and as a bonus for my fellow Trekkers, John DeLancie (aka Q) is the main voice actor.

Journey (2013)(downloadable PS3 exclusive) - I'd never even heard of this one before I started researching games last week, but after watching this trailer I immediately downloaded it and played it that night:

That review says it all, although I'll add that this was the most relaxing game experience I've ever had, and I'll definitely be playing it again. I felt like there were plenty of things I missed the first time, so don't be too put off by the $14.99 price tag for a 2-hour game; odds are you'll get several play-throughs out of it.

Machinarium (2009)(downloadable only, PC or Mac)[Correction: someone just told me you can download this on the PS3, too! Yay!]

It's been years since I played this, but Machinarium is still popular and enjoyable enough that I'm including it despite the fact it's not a console game. Adorable robots and puzzle-solving gameplay. Need I say more? (Hit the link up there to play the demo for free.)

(And if you've already played that one, Unmechanical is another puzzle-based adventure game featuring adorable robots. You can only play that one on a PC, iPhone, or iPad, though.)

Honorable Mentions:
Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009) & Batman: Arkham City - (2011, Xbox 360, PS3, PC) -

While these games are definitely violent, Batman himself (who you play) never kills anyone. So if that distinction is enough for you, then give Asylum a try. Both titles won Game of the Year and have an "easy" level for not-so-great players like me. Again, these games are violent and gritty, though, so even though *you* won't be shooting people (you politely knock them unconscious instead), other people will be. Even so, the violence isn't nearly as graphic as BioShock:Infinite.

Games I haven't played:

Dishonored (2012)(PS3, Xbox 360, PC) -

This is a tricky one, but it IS possible to play the game without killing anyone. It's just a lot harder. John played through the violent way, and from what little I've seen this is the game that most approaches BioShock: Infinite level scenery and detailing. That said, even if you choose not to kill in the game yourself, it's still a gritty, violence-filled world - like Batman - so there are no guarantees you'll find it any less disturbing.

Braid (2008)(Xbox 360, PC) -

This is a side-scrolling platform game that's won rave reviews and all kinds of awards for its unique puzzle-solving game-play. No violence that I know of.

Fez (2012)(Xbox, PC) -

(The PC version just came out this month!) Like Braid, this is an indie game that's garnered lots of praise, awards, and attention. It looks like a standard side-scroller, but you can rotate the world to turn corners and access all the different sides of each structure. Nifty!

[Btw, if you have Netflix Streaming check out Indie Game: The Movie. It's a documentary that features both Braid and Fez, among others.]

Katamari Forever (2009) (PS3) -

Since Katamari Damacy - the first game in this series - is now ten years old, I don't think its graphics will really hold up for new players. Katamari Forever is the most recent installment for a console, though, and from what I've read has the same style of gameplay as the original. It looks... weird. But hey, it's from Japan, and millions of fans can't be wrong, right? The object is to roll objects into one giant ball to form stars, so unless you consider that violent, it's completely violence-free.

Mirror's Edge (2007) (PS3, Xbox, PC) -

This is a parkour-based game, so your object is to scale buildings, run, jump, tumble, etc. to deliver secret messages in a dystopian society. Your character *can* use weapons, but doesn't have to, and like Dishonoured you unlock a special achievement if you navigate the entire game without killing anyone.

You'll note I've neglected to add any of the Mario series games, Lego, Rayman and the like, although those are all fantastic, fun games. I omitted them because they're primarily made for kids, and because I prefer games that are more story-driven. I also left out some titles like Myst, Ico, and Siberia because they're just too old; I tried to go back and play Siberia a few years back and the point-and-click playing style just didn't hold up well. (It's a gorgeous steampunky game, though!)

So, what did I miss, guys? Share your favorite non-violent games in the comments! Bonus points if they're not too old, not too kiddy, and somewhat story-driven (as opposed to arcade-style games.)

******

5/15 UPDATE: Wow, lots of great suggestions coming in! Keep 'em coming, guys! Here are some of the titles you've mentioned the most so far:

- The Professor Layton games (Nintendo DS only, which is why I didn't include it in my original list - but so many of you are raving about it that now I think I need a DS!)

- Ni No Kuni (Also for the DS, or the PS3, released in 2010)

- Okami (Re-released for the PS3 in 2011 [Supports the Move controller, but not required], also available on the Wii)

- World of Goo (PC, Mac, & Wii) - Physics-based puzzle game

- Stacking (Xbox 360 & PS3) I enjoyed the demo of this, but was afraid it'd be too kiddie to recommend. After talking to some of you in the comments, tho, I believe the puzzles get more challenging as the game progresses - so check it out! It's by DoubleFine, the company behind Psychonauts, and the art is fantastic.

- Ico and Shadow of the Colossus - I mentioned that Ico was too old, but someone pointed out it was re-released in 2011, so you can play it and its companion game on PS3! Sweet!

Be sure to check the comments for lots more; plenty of non-console games being mentioned, and also older titles. (You've all convinced me to finally try Zelda, too. Most of those are pretty old, though, so I just have to figure out where to start!)

Steampunk Disney Princesses

2013-05-11T10:00:00.000-04:00

Leah F. used that Mega Steampunk Dress-Up Game I featured a few weeks back to 'punkify all the Disney princesses and heroines, and let me tell you: her results are sooo coooool.

Here, see if you can name them all:

(If you get stuck, note that two of the princesses are repeated.)

These are perfect for anyone looking for cosplay inspiration! In fact, now I'm tempted to go back and try creating some Disney Villain-inspired looks. Dang it, Leah, how am I supposed to get anything done today now?

PS - Just realized there's no Merida in there - and considering the kerfuffle going on over her official Disney makeover, I'm thinking someone should remedy that. (Show 'em how it's done, girls!) Plus I'm sure there are plenty more characters out there that would be fun to try. Be sure to share your versions over on the Epbot FB page if you do, though, so I can see!

Birthday Goodies!

2013-05-09T18:31:00.001-04:00

My birthday is this Sunday (yep, on Mother's day!), but I've already gotten so many awesome geeky goodies that I just HAVE to share - especially since so much is from you readers!

First, remember when I featured Sean Boyd's steampunk rayguns and such last month? Well, Sean was so chuffed by my post that he took my playful birthday hint seriously, and immediately asked if he could send me a gift. (Like I was going to say no to that!)

I expected just a little pin or something, so I imagine my delight when I found he'd made me an entire assemblage Epbot 'bot:

How cool is this?? It's about 8 inches tall, and Sean even hand-engraved all the little rivets and details.

I would have posted this last week, but our postal system showed its characteristic gentleness and snapped the antenna neck en route. Happily John was able to perform some robot surgery with a bit of JB Weld, though, and now my 'bot's head can reach sky-high again:

Hee!

Next up, Mike and Michelle M. have been kind enough to offer a few leather-working tips for me and John via e-mail the past few weeks, and then surprised me with THE most EPIC Harry Potter gift... EVER.

Was that enough build-up, do you think? Probably not, because LOOK!

It's a Mini Monster Book of Monsters, complete with its own mini hanging cage!

Michelle tells me this is the first one they've ever made, and I can't believe they gave it to ME. The detail is just incredible. See that snippet of newspaper the book is resting on? It's a copy of the Daily Prophet!

The paper even unfolds, with articles about the Azkaban breakout and even a super tiny crossword puzzle. AMAZING.

Plus you can unsnap the book's binding, and it will spring open like this:

THIS IS SO FREAKING COOL.

(John saw me uploading this photo just now and asked, "Did you stroke its spine to get it to close again?" Ha! It's official, my friends: he really IS a geek.)

Oh, and Mike & Michelle also gave me this hand-tooled keychain:

I can only hope that John's and my own attempts at leather work will someday come close to this. Thanks, guys! (And stay tuned for another glimpse of our ongoing efforts, by the way. We're still trying!) [Oh, and be sure to check out Mike & Michelle's etsy shop for other leather goodies; I hear they may even post some of the mini Monster Books soon!]

I sort of picked my own gifts from John this year, since I stumbled across two things I just HAD to have. First, this painting:

ADORABLE SEAHORSE UNICORN THINGY! AAAIEEE!!

I've been following PinkyToast's work for years, but have somehow never managed to buy anything from her. The second I saw this hit her store, though, I marched my laptop into John's man cave, plopped it in his lap, and said, "THIS. I WANT THIS." (The benefits of nearly 15 years of marriage: you get to be more direct. Ha!)

The second thing I may have even ordered before telling John he was getting it for me, but in my defense, it's a super limited edition art book, and I had to snag one before the pre-orders sold out!

The Clockwork Couture pre-order version comes with brass book corners and will be signed by the artist. It ships this month, so I can't wait to see it!

Btw, if you haven't seen Brian Kesinger's Otto & Victoria series, you are seriously missing out:

Brian has prints of a bunch of these over at Clockwork Couture, or I see that you can still pre-order the regular version of his book (the signed version has sold out) for only $17.02 over at Amazon, which is a steal. (Looks like it won't ship 'til July, though.)

And finally, Eve e-mailed me the most achingly beautiful scratch-art I've ever seen, and I am positively over the moon for it:

Best of all, she's mailing me the original!
(Hit the link up there to see more of her work!)

At this rate, I'm going to have a whole WALL of Epbot art in my office. Can't wait. ;)

I am so spoiled by you guys, seriously. Not just with gifts and art, but with so many amazing e-mails and notes that continually lift me up when I'm struggling. I can't answer them all anymore, but I do read them, and I'm humbled, and I just want you all to know how much your words matter.

So, on that excessively sappy note, thanks for making my 35th (GULP) birthday extra EXTRA awesome.

PS - That reminds me: did you see? Allie of Hyperbole and a Half is back! Celebrate ALL the good things!

The World's Most Ironic Mother's Day Card

2013-05-08T21:29:00.000-04:00

Over the years I've noticed that my mother-in-law, Donna, never really reads the front of any store-bought cards we give her. She'll smile and give the card a millisecond's inspection before eagerly turning to the inside to see what WE wrote - which is super cute, but also makes shopping for a Mother's Day card feel kind of pointless.

So when I read this article over on Mental Floss about Anna Jarvis, the woman who first created Mother's Day and then spent the last half of her life decrying its rampant over-commercialization, I discovered the perfect solution:

How badly do I want to print a bunch of these up and sneak them into the Mother's Day section at Hallmark? Really, really badly.

So... will my mother-in-law notice? Place your bets in the comments now!
(And no, she doesn't read Epbot! Ha!)

******

Oh, and in case any of you have moms twisted enough to find this funny, here's the front graphic so you can print your own:

I made this using my own photo, and I intentionally made it kind of busy and scripty, so you have to put a little effort in to read it. (I'm also obviously not a graphic designer, but hey, the cheesier-looking the better, right?)

TIP: Since double-sided printing is a pain and a half, I printed the graphic on glossy photo paper, cut it out, and then used spray adhesive to attach it to a card stock base. That was WAY easier than trying to line everything up properly in Illustrator.

Enjoy, and if you DO print your own, I want to hear all the details after Sunday!

Hooray Time Wasters! Design Your Own Custom 3D Robot

2013-05-07T01:14:00.000-04:00

If you liked that Pony generator I linked to a while back, and then the fun Steampunk Dress-Up Game, then you're going to LOVE what Keren Y. found: My Robot Nation lets you design, decorate, and color your own custom robot in a 3D generator, and then - THEN! - you can have your robot 3D printed!

Here are some examples I grabbed off their site. The virtual designs are on the right, and the final printed 'bots are on the left:

Cool, right? To be honest, before this I didn't know it was even possible to do 3D printing in multiple colors, much less intricate patterns!

Get ready to lose at least an hour or two on this, because the options for robot-building are almost endless. It's actually kind of dizzying. The virtual designer is free to play with, so there's no obligation to buy anything; you could just grab a screen shot as a souvenir. If you DO want to order your finished robot, though, prices start at around $18 for the two-inch size, which isn't too bad for such a highly customized figure. (It gets pretty expensive after the 3-inch size, though.) In fact, I could see this being a fantastic gift for kids.

[My Robot Nation stresses that these are NOT toys, though, so if you do order one treat it like a collectible - and try not to drop it. Heh.]

Of course, there's no way I could recommend such a service without testing it myself, right? Right. So, as a supreme act of sacrifice, [smirk] I decided to design and order a 'bot of my own.

I should probably mention here that I am in no way affiliated with My Robot Nation, and they most certainly aren't paying me. More's the pity.

So, a couple of hours later (PRODUCTIVITY!!), I'd constructed Firey here:

His horned helmet reminds me of the goblin armor from Labyrinth, and I went with orange because, well, c'mon. As you can see, I went a little nuts with the rust and bullet holes, painstakingly covering his entire body with them. (I couldn't find many examples of that texture on the website, so I was curious to see how it would translate in real life.)

[Also notice how I put his horns on crooked. OOPS. How did I miss that?]

I ordered the 2-inch size just over three weeks ago, which was long enough for me to be completely surprised when I opened up the box that arrived today:

The amount of padding was a little ridiculous; I unrolled a soccer-ball's worth of paper to get to him. Ha!

I immediately took him outside to take some detail shots for you guys:

As you can see, Firey is pretty much bang-on to my design. Considering how tiny he is, I'm amazed at the level of detail. You can even see the flames on his shoulders!

He's a tiny bit heavier than I expected, so he has a decent heft for plastic. His surface texture feels a bit gritty, like sandstone. He's a fixed statue, of course, and not pose-able, but in the design phase you can choose any pose you like, with every point of articulation you can think of.

Those fingerprint-like whorls are a result of the 3D printing, and are just barely visible to the naked eye.

Having fun with some higher contrast shots:

Again, this is just the two inch version, so I imagine that the larger sizes are even more impressive. (The largest size is a six-inch figure.)

Considering how much fun I had just designing Firey, coupled with the quality of the figure itself, I think the little guy was worth the $23.98 (with shipping). Especially when you consider that one's desk can never have too many robots:

I have more than this on my desk, of course, but these three make for a fun color combo. :)

Have fun building your own, guys, and be sure to share screen-grabs of 'em over on the Epbot Facebook page, so I can see!

Orlando Steampunks Step Out

2013-05-03T22:09:00.000-04:00

Being the shy hermit blogger that I am, I never seem to get out to the smaller geek gatherings here in Orlando; just the big conventions like MegaCon, where it's harder to mingle. So when a few of you told me our local art museum was hosting a steampunk event last night, I figured it was just the thing for meeting some local geeks!

Yesterday dumped rain on us in nearly biblical proportions, but luckily John and I arrived just before the doors opened. Parking was a bit of a mess, and many attendees arrived late because they had to park blocks away and slog through the rain and muddy fields just to get there. I heard a few folks even gave up all together on finding parking and just went home! :(

But enough of the bad news, since that's really all there is: we had a fantastic time, and we met SO MANY cool people!

My first shot of the night. These two were picture perfect!

I figured people would arrive in costume, but I wasn't completely sure, so I dressed "Steampunk Lite." Meaning I blended in, but I left the ray guns and corsets at home. It was just as well, since I was more interested in taking pictures anyway.

Since we were some of the first ones through the door, we got to check out the art before the crowds arrived. Everything for the steampunk event was mostly held in the lobby and this one large gallery, although the rest of the museum was also open for us to walk through.

There was a small gathering of steampunk art displayed, from sculptures to photographs to paintings:

These pieces by Heather Younger were my favorite. Here's another:

The main attraction was our fellow attendees, though, so even though there were plenty of awkward moments when I remembered why I dislike large parties ("Ok, we'll hug this wall for another five minutes, and then move over to THAT wall,") we eventually got to chatting with folks.

It always helps to have a camera, of course, since asking to take a photo is the ultimate ice-breaker. I'm really disappointed with the way my pics turned out - that's what I get for never using a flash - but trust me when I say everyone looked way better in person.

This chap's shoulder squirrel was one of the night's biggest hits. The squirrel's head turned and bobbed quite realistically by way of an air bladder the gent held in his hand. Super cool!

For entertainment we had music by The Cog is Dead, and I was pleasantly surprised by how great it was:

There was also an artist working on a small scale sculpture nearby, and a troupe of tribal belly dancers - but we missed their show since theirs was the ONLY thing not held in this one gallery. Drat. (Can you tell I'm still bummed? Ha!)

Btw, tribal dancers always have the best hair:

Sometimes I watch tribal hair tutorials on Youtube just for fun. I have determined that someday I WILL wear enormous flowers in my hair.

I like that tribal belly dancing is so inclusive, too; all ages, all shapes and sizes. It's refreshing, and you can tell the women are all having a blast.

Ok, back to the other guests:

This girl had delicate hand-painted gears and scrolls on both sides of her face, and her updo was gorgeous. Plus, check out the boots! I've been drooling over that style ever since I saw a gal ringmaster rockin' the red-and-gold version at D*C a few years back.

Here's the couple we talked with the most last night, Olivia and Michael:

John first stopped Michael to tell him how much he liked his costume - those high-waisted pants are perfect, and it's fun to see more of an everyman worker type versus the usual multi-layered steampunk gentleman - and after that these two basically couldn't get rid of us. :D Check out this kick-ass leather cuff Olivia made for Michael:

John and I are still learning and experimenting with some leather crafts, but now I want to try tooling some cuffs like this! It's going on the list. (The never-ending list...)

Now that we've been going to the bigger area conventions for a few years, I've started to recognize a few people, like Laura here:

She always has THE most exquisite Victorian gowns - I wish I'd gotten a shot of the back bustle for you guys, and of her hair. GORGEOUS.

I actually took a picture with Jus here as Lady Vadore at the last MegaCon, though of course he doesn't know that. :D (Well, unless he finds this post, in which case, HI JUS!)

Check it out: that's his camera, which he wrapped in leather and then attached to his arm bracer with a hinge, so it flips up to take photos. BRILLIANT. (He has an Etsy shop and also does commissions, if you're in the market.)

At the end of the night they corralled all of the costumed folk into one area for a group photo. This accounted for maybe one third or a quarter of the total crowd, so you can see it was a pretty decent turn-out!

I couldn't quite fit everyone in; I should have brought the wide-angle lens! Here's another attempt:

And here's one with the guy who I believe organized the whole event (I didn't catch his name):

Before we left John and I also met up with a small group of readers, which was a fun surprise! John tells me I need to stop latching on to one person at a time when I talk to people, though, since he had to almost physically remove me from one conversation. Heh. Sorry, guys; I'M NEEDY. And an introvert. BUT MOSTLY NEEDY.

(Oh, and John wants me to say hi to ~~Janelle~~ Janet, Katrina, Christie, Spencer, and Anna - I suspect mostly to show off his new post-Diet-Mountain-Dew name retention. ;)) [Well, he was CLOSE, Janet, right? ;)]

I hope the rest of you enjoyed our local field trip! Now, go have a fantastic weekend. GO! (Saturday is Free Comic Book Day *and* May the Fourth [Be With You], so that shouldn't be too hard!)

"Is This What Respect Feels Like?" A Real Wonder Woman Speaks Out

2013-05-01T16:14:00.000-04:00

Modena M. just shared this on the Epbot FB page, and it's so powerful, relevant, and yes, painful, that I had to immediately track down the source to share with you guys. Check it out:

As I struggled with my grief over the reality this comic portrays, I was further outraged by the fact that the source was one of those thieving photo-dump sites which plastered their watermark on it not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES, with no credit or link to the artist. Adding further insult to injury, the site named the file "cool-comic-geek-woman-fat-costume.jpg"

Allow me a moment to scream in inarticulate rage.

AAAAAAARRRRGHHH!!!

However, there is hope in the world. The artist is Paige Hall, and when I finally tracked down her Tumblr blog this was her most recent update, posted less than an hour ago:

Teachers are awesome, you guys. Mega kudos to that one.

(Paige also has an art Tumblr where she did a painting of the PonPonPon girl. Ha! Love it.)

Paige, if you read this, know that we love you, we feel you, and we bet you looked freaking FIERCE in your Wonder Woman costume.

The jerks out there will always try to spoil our community, but they are in the minority. True geeks are the most accepting and lovable bunch out there, and I hope - I dearly hope - that you'll be so overwhelmed with positive responses and support and stories of amazing con experiences that you will not only cosplay again, but do so proudly.

Epbot readers, what say you? Let's show Paige some love today.

***

[NOTE: it looks like Paige has turned off all the messaging/comment options on her blogs, so just leave your notes here, guys, and we'll make sure she finds them!]

[Update: Just heard from Paige in the comments! Yay! So keep the comments coming, guys; she IS reading them!]

Week's Best 4/30/13

2013-04-30T16:57:00.004-04:00

I skipped last week, so this is more like "week-and-a-half's best." Still, here are my favorite internet finds of late:

This Paperman cosplay Linden V. found is so fantastic I just can't stand it:

That's Chris and Wendy, and the photos are by Flickr member crimsonyte.

Chris' action shots are hilarious:

And this is my absolute favorite:

Hee!

(Go see the rest of the photo shoot here.)

Amy Mebberson posted this beyond-brilliant MST3K cosplay from Chicago's Comic Con (C2E2) over the weekend:

LOVE LOVE LOVE.

And just one more cosplay shot, also from C2E2 and posted by Kevin on Twitter, because how could I not post this?

BEST FAMILY PORTRAIT EVER.

Seriously, have you ever seen Gozer cosplay before? Because I haven't! Mega props to all three of these guys!

It's been ages since I shared any good urban decay photos, so here's a huge post of fabulous shots by Frits Vrielink of the Chateau Miranda, an abandoned castle in Belgium. [Warning: first link contains NSFW thumbnail images/ads for other posts. Sorry, guys; they didn't show up in Firefox, so I didn't realize they were there!]

These shots are especially tragic in their beauty; let's hope someone saves this castle from total destruction sometime soon:

Check Vrielink's site for more; he has a massive portfolio of urban decay photography just like this.

This link has been going around the past few days: 66 Behind-the-Scenes photos from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. You've probably seen most of these before, but c'mon, these just never get old:

Pretty sure I've never seen this shot ( pun intended) of Ford, though:

DAT FACE.

On a completely random note, this purse looks like a giant binder clip:

Awesome.

(Made by Peter Bristol, found via SuperPunch)

For my fellow Dizgeeks, you must - MUST - see the new Mystic Manor ride-through video from Hong Kong DL! It's amazing! People are calling it Hong Kong's version of the Haunted Mansion, but really, it's so different and non-ghost-related that I'd call it an entirely original creation. Check it out:

Doesn't the main guy remind you of the explorer dude from the Fraggles? Anyone? Anyone? And that monkey is TOTALLY Abu, only cuter. Love him.

(I also trust you Dizgeeks have heard about the next 24-hour-Disney day? You can bet I'll be there in the wee hours, taking more pictures!)

And finally, last weekend Jennifer Black asked Wil Wheaton to explain to her newborn baby girl why it's awesome to be a nerd/geek, and then she recorded his answer to play for her daughter later. Happily Jennifer posted that vid for the rest of us to see, too, though. It's super-duper awesome - and all the more so when you consider Wil answered this completely off-the-cuff. I can only aspire to be this eloquent IRL! Grab a tissue and watch:

Which dovetails perfectly with this library poster featuring Simon Pegg:

I found that via Emma Watson, by the way - aka Hermione Granger. How fitting. :D

***

Oh, and I nearly forgot: time to announce April's Art Give-Away Winner!

So, the randomly selected winner is.... Justy! Congrats, Justy, and please e-mail me your mailing address & choice of art from my Pinterest give-away board. And for everyone else: remember, there's always next month!

Epbot Exemplars 4/29/13

2013-04-29T11:30:00.000-04:00

It has been waaay too long since I featured some new Exemplars, you guys. How could you let me get away with that? Yell at me or something next time, will you?

For those who don't remember, this is where I feature mostly younger geek girls proudly just being themselves - and of course I always reserve the right to showcase older geek girls or guys, too. Because we don't have "rules" here - more like "guidelines." ARRR.

Julie B. writes, "My almost 4 year old daughter's Halloween costume arrived in the mail today from a friend (we had the tutu and leggings already), and she is so excited. Is it October yet?"

YES! And I love that she chose red instead of the usual R2 blue, Julie! So great!

(I'm suddenly struck with the need to see a whole troupe of little girl droids in every color of the rainbow. MAKE THIS HAPPEN, INTERNET.)

Next we have Abi, who writes:

"Dear Jen,

I am 12 years old, and a major geek girl and artist. About a year ago, I started to read your blog, and to be honest, it was a major thing. I used to hide my geekiness at school, and I was not happy a lot of the time. As I read your blog more, I became more comfortable with my geekiness, and stopped hiding it. My life is SO much better now, and I am so much happier. I really wanted to thank you for that, and for introducing me to steampunk. It is now one of the loves of my life, and I'm working on next year's Halloween costume already. (It's going to be a steampunk girl-version of the Phantom of the Opera. *squeal* I can't wait!!) This year's was a steampunk air worker, from Scott Westerfeld's 'Leviathan.'"

This gal has fantastic taste in blogs, books, AND costumes, you guys. She's totally going places.

Here's five-year-old Allison cosplaying as Pixie from the X-men at Chicago Comic-Con:

LOVE.

That was two years ago. Here she is now at age seven rocking her favorite hat - which her mom Leigh tells me she wears pretty much every day:

A-HA! I spy a Whovian!

Allison's four-year-old sister Lizzie is also on the proper path to geekdom; when her school had a "pirates and princesses" day, she decided to be the Amazon princess, Wonder Woman:

AWWWW YEEEEEAH.

Seriously, this makes me so happy I could bust.

Their mom Leigh writes,

"I love that my girls have no qualms about liking what they like. I love Epbot for being a resource to show them that they are not alone. I'm not naive enough to think that they will always feel as free to be themselves as they do now. I just hope that knowing there are other girls out there who like the things they like will help them find a community they might not have in real life. But I am also holding out hope that by sharing their love of superheroes, science, and other 'geeky' things, maybe they're influencing other kids to be themselves too!"

I have no doubt they are, Leigh, and good on you for being such an awesome mom!

Sandy R. posted this on the Epbot Facebook page, saying, "Just felt like trying to make your day, Jen. Yes, that is a Darth Vader clipped to my 3YO daughter's backpack. :)"

Day = MADE.

Which reminds me - here's one of my formerly featured Exemplars, Hayden, with her sixth birthday cake:

Yep, she requested the Darth Vader-riding-a-My-Little-Pony design - and just look at that grin! (I like the substitution of Rainbow Dash, btw - good choice, Hayden!) Note how all the ponies around the cake have Star Wars riders, too. Ha! [Cake by Sweet Startt's Bakery]

I'm probably the last person on the 'net to finally post this, but if you haven't seen Little Girls Are Better At Designing Superheroes Than You, you should totally check it out. It's an art project by Alex Law, where he draws superheros based on real costumes little girls have put together:

He only has about half a dozen up so far, but I'm hoping the fact that his project went viral last week will encourage him to do lots more!

Oh, and I've mentioned it before, but Alex got some of those original photos from Girls Love Superheroes, Too, another excellent blog. (LOOK AT THIS TINY HAWK GIRL. AND THIS WEE WONDER WOMAN. AND THIS SASSY BAT GIRL. AND...ok, ok, I'm done. Really.)

And finally, I'm going to wrap up with Sierra T's story, because I love it to pieces and it's super inspiring. She writes:

"I was a closet geek all through high school and college. I desperately wanted to embrace the geeky side of me, but I got enough grief just being the toned down geek version of me. Like so many geek girls, I got teased and picked on and excluded. As much as I wanted to watch Star Trek marathons and read from the sci-fi section of the bookstore, I pushed that down and away in the interest of having some sort of social life. I found Epbot through chance and would literally sneak away to read it so no one could tease me.

"I saw all your pictures of the cons that you went to and the Ah-Mazing costumes that were there and I was so jealous that you could be so open about what you liked. Then it was like a light bulb went off in my brain, and I realized, life is far too short to worry about what everyone else may think.

"It was empowering! I went to my first convention in October and even dressed up. I have a new friend who went with me because there are other geek girls out there (who knew, right?). It was fun and I’m already looking forward to the next one where I will hopefully work up the courage to actually speak to others. These people are my tribe and I don’t have to be ashamed of loving Dr. Who and Star Trek and anything that Stan Lee ever creates. I give you a lot of credit for making me see that and giving me the courage to step out and be awesome!

"P.S. Attached is the worst possible picture of my husband and I as the 11th Doctor and Amy Pond, but quality aside, we were having fun."

Sierra, the courage was all you, my friend, and you ROCKED it. I bet someone reading this right now just decided to go to HER first convention, so thanks for sharing your story and encouraging us all to get out there and live the lives we want to live, not just the ones we think are expected.

Ok, that does it for this installment, Exemplars! I'll try to do this more often, though, so I can chisel away at the small backlog I've accumulated. Which reminds me: If you have an Exemplar story to share, or a fun photo of yourself or your kids showing off your geeky passions, then please send them to me! (Or share them over on the Epbot Facebook page!)

Saturday Steam 4/27/13

2013-04-27T11:30:00.000-04:00

One of the first things to make me fall head-over-heels for steampunk was the house of Bruce & Melanie Rosenbaum, who've since created ModVic design. The house is a three-story Victorian which the couple painstakingly remodeled in all ways steampunk, and every year or so it goes viral again online. Happily, this past week saw the house popping up all over again, so I get an excuse to revisit some of my favorite rooms:

You've probably already seen Bruce's incredible computer desk, since that's their most famous creation:

He made it from an old pipe organ!

See lots more photos of the house here, and thanks to all of you who sent in the link!

And since we're talking about my steampunk first loves, here's an older - but still awesome - video from 2009 spotlighting one of my first-ever Maker heroes, Jake Von Slatt:

I love the fact that Jake not only makes beautiful, re-purposed and handcrafted steampunk items, he also tells you how he does a lot of it on his website, The Steampunk Workshop. (If you haven't seen it yet, check out the microphone he made for the Girl Genius creators. Goooorgeous!)

If you just felt a disturbance in the Force, then I think I may have an explanation:

William Shakespeare's Star Wars

This is a real book.

Yep, it's Star Wars, "reimagined in glorious iambic pentameter." Oh. My. Bard.

(Not exactly Steampunk, I know, but I figure this is still the right audience for it. :D)

It's not out 'til July, but you can pre-order the hardcover at that Amazon link up there for less than $12! Suh-WEET! I think I want it just for the cover art. Is that wrong?

Next up, we're getting a double-dose of amazing steampunk decor today, because Sarah M. spotted a steampunk restaurant that's guaranteed to make you swoon. Me, I'm already on the floor.

HUBBA HUBBA ME WANT.

Look at that door! And the recessed lighting on those walls! With the pipes and the gauges and the dripping-pipe light fixtures! AAAIEEE!

If I ever win the lottery, my entire house is going to look like this. (Well, except maybe my office. It's kinda hard to fit Ninja Turtle and Stay Puft art into this style. :D) Oh, and sadly this little slice of riveted heaven is all the way in India, so I guess I won't get to drool on it in person. Boo. Think it's too much to hope for a franchise?

See more pics over on TecheBlog.

Since I seem to be on an interior design streak today: A few of you have sent me this fantastic roundup of sources for everything you need to make your own caged pendant lights for - get this - less than $11 each! DUDE. We are so doing this. (Just FYI, John, sweetie.)

And finally, I've seen a few different versions of "mounted tentacle" art out there, but this one Rachel C. found is by far the coolest:

"Octopus Tentacle Wall Sculpture" $120 by ArtAkimbo

Not only is the sculpture creepily realistic, the acrylic "water splash" and rusted porthole hanger are fantastic extra touches. These come in three different sizes and a few other colors as well. I particularly like the blue/green:

Or for a slightly more modern and cartoony style (or at least less slimy), there's also this one:

"Squid Tentacle Sculpture," $375

So fun! And that's officially something I never thought I would say about disembodied tentacles, y'all.

Hope you guys are having a great weekend! As always, please share your steamy creations/finds here in the comments or over on the Epbot Facebook page!

Girl Meets BioShock: Infinite - FAQs & Review

2013-04-25T11:30:00.000-04:00

With all the fangirling I've been doing lately about BioShock: Infinite, I've been getting a fair amount of questions about it. Since most of these (along with my answers) are now buried in the comment section or over on Facebook or Twitter, I figured I'd gather them all together along with my "official" review for anyone else thinking about giving the game a try. (And don't worry; this is a spoiler-free zone!)

If you've read this blog for a while, then you already know I'm not much of a gamer. I have below-average skills and little interest in the vast majority of popular games. The few exceptions include titles like Portal and Portal 2 and more kiddie-ish games like Mini Ninjas.

I watched John play BioShock 2 (Infinite is the third in the BioShock series), but my own attempts to play were disastrous at best - albeit funny in retrospect. :)

So what's different about Infinite?

1) It's gorgeous

Even if you're not the art lover I am, this game offers unparalleled eye candy that's guaranteed to make you stop and smell the virtual roses:

via

It's much lighter and more color saturated than the first two BioShocks, with added touches like hummingbirds and candy-colored sunsets. Everything from the clothing to the advertisements to the weaponry is exquisitely detailed, and the longer you take to appreciate it all, the more you're going to enjoy this game.

via

Oh, and yes, it's also kind of steampunky. BONUS.

2) There's an "easy" mode

Without this I never would have made it through the first time. I'm currently playing again on normal mode, and even with all that experience I'm dying a LOT during the big battles. Again, I'm not great at games in general, and first person shooters in particular, so the fact that I managed to complete the whole game on Easy says that you probably can, too.

Also, even when you do die you regenerate very close by, minus a little money and only partially healed. Your enemies are also partially healed, but not completely, so you don't have to repeat much or - worse - start over at your last checkpoint. That helps ease the frustration a LOT when you die 6 or 8 times in a single fire fight. (Not that I would ever... ok yeah that was last night.)

3) It combines a compelling story with fighting that's actually fun

via

I've always preferred games that felt more like interactive story books, and in this, Infinite really shines. The surprising part to me was how immersive even the side stories became - the ones told through the "voxophones," taped recordings you discover hidden throughout the game. I was moved to tears by at least two of these stories, and I've never heard voice acting of this caliber in anything.

It should go without saying that the main storyline with Booker & Elizabeth is also beautiful - so rich and complex that you'll be decompressing and deciphering it all long after the ending credits roll.

I never thought I'd say a shooting game was fun, but here again Infinite surprised me. More on that in a minute, though.

- The music

Yes, really, the music. From an old-timey jazzed-up version of "Tainted Love" to a choral hymn of such haunting beauty that you'll find yourself humming it for days, Infinite has a plethora of musical Easter eggs that I'm still uncovering on my third play-through. (Find the guitar and play it. Trust me.)

via

The music in this scene is some of the most beautiful in the game. Love it.

Ok, let's get to my top FAQs:

FAQS:

- Do you need to have played the first two BioShocks?

No, Infinite stands on its own perfectly well. There's one small nod to the previous games at the end, but even just knowing those games exist will be enough for you to understand what's happening.

- Can someone who's not great at video games manage, or will it be too hard/frustrating?

Again, easy mode is your friend! To give you an idea of my own skill level: I was able to beat Portal 2 but not Psychonauts. I also can't get more than 1/3 of the way through most Rayman and Jak & Daxter type games. So if I can do it, odds are you can, too.

- Is it worth the money?

Alternatively, I've had a few of you mention you can't afford BioShock right now, so this is less an answer and more a suggestion for those of you in the U.S.: Redbox. Find a kiosk at a grocery store or gas station near you, and you can rent Infinite for $2 a day. Rent it on days when you have several hours to play at a time, and if you're mildly obsessive like me, you'll be done in 5 or 6 days! Even if it takes you longer, $20 for 10 days isn't bad at all. Think of it as an installment payment plan!

via

A word of caution: One thing I haven't addressed anywhere yet is Infinite's level of violence, which has been labeled "excessive," "extreme," and "insanely ridiculous."

Look, I can't handle violence or gore. I just can't. Shows like Walking Dead and Game of Thrones are WAY beyond my tolerance, as are most cop shows with forensics-style gore. So I was surprised to see reviews blasting Infinite for excessive violence.

Now, I'll be straight with you: the very first fight of the game is pretty dang disturbing. A guy gets his face ground in, followed by either an in-your-face, blood-spurting decapitation, or a graphic neck-snap. Up to that point you've been in this perfect, idyllic world, so that first fight is designed to be extra jarring, and it is.

However, I can tell you that if you choose to shoot your enemies - as opposed to running up and smashing them in the face with your spinning hand claw of death - then the rest of the game is dramatically less graphic. It's all about how close you are and which weapons or vigors you use. Some are more graphic than others, so if that bothers you, focus on using sniper rifles or other long-range weapons. Either way, though, know that it never gets any worse than that first fight. (Although a certain cut-scene with a bunch of ravens gets kind of close. You have been warned.)

via

SPINNING HAND CLAW OF DEATH

To end on a more positive note, I have to share one of my favorite little discoveries in the game so far. This contains a mild spoiler, but I don't believe it's anything vital that the trailers haven't already given away.

Ok, so, during the very first tear you see Elizabeth open, if you look closely (and quickly!) to the right, you'll see a movie theater marquee that reads "Revenge of the Jedi" in French. (Apparently that was the original working title of Return of the Jedi - so this shows the tear opens to an alternate world/time.) A moment later, as you're climbing a nearby stairwell, you hear Booker say, "This job is getting worse all the time," in the exact same inflection Lando Calrissian uses to say, "This deal is getting worse all the time," in Empire Strikes Back. Yep. STAR WARS HOMAGE, baby! (You'll see another movie marquee with the same title in English later on in the game, too, so watch for that!)

Again, there are lots of hidden little treasures like that throughout the game, but I believe that's the only one to reference another geek franchise. That said, you should go play it and see if I'm wrong!

Oh, and if you're a non-gamer looking for more titles to try, here are eight that I recommend.

I hope this review was helpful, guys, and feel free to ask any other questions you might have in the comments, since I'm sure I may have missed something!

April Art Roundup!

2013-04-23T18:12:00.001-04:00

It's that time again! Here's some of the best geek art to cross my path this month:

Max Kostenko is a Russian artist who does digital painting caricatures guaranteed to make you smile:

Look at Yoda's downy hair fuzz. Look at it.

Sadly I see no purchasing options (although I could have missed something on his blogs) but Kostenko's portrait of Superman taking a nap is just too perfect:

Ha!

Next up, some amazing 80s pop-culture illustrations by James White:

See the whole set here, although again, I can't find a way to purchase any prints. BOO. Take our money, artists! TAKE IT! (Found via ProtonCharging)

Oh, and White also did this cover:

The Rocketeer! YESSS.

Diane L. found this adorable artwork by J Salvador of Super Emo Friends over at WonderCon a few weeks ago:

"Crossing the Streams" 5X7 print, $15

And THIS one we can buy! YAY! Check Salvador's etsy store for lots more adorably sad geek characters.

Next up, Nicole C. spotted a great Disney/Avengers mash-up: Stitch dressed as Thor and Loki!

By Agnes Garbowska, who does a lot of convention commissions, if you're lucky enough to see her that way, or you can buy a few of her larger prints at her online store. Only $20 for a signed 11X17 like one of these:

Naturally, I had to include something for my new video game obsession this month:

"The Songbird" by Kirsten Sjursen-Lien

I get the feeling Songbird art is going to be my new drug of choice. LOVE HIM SO MUCH. And I like this softer style of watercolor for him; such a great look.

I'm working my way through my second play-through of BioShock: Infinite, (third if you count the time I watched John play) and this time I bumped it up to "normal" difficulty. I'm about halfway through, and I think I died a dozen times last night. :D Still, this game just gets richer and more beautiful with each play-through. It really is a game that rewards exploration and taking your time. The art, design, and music are all just stunning.

K, moving on from my fangirl ravings...

Andrea O. found this next one by Andrew Hickinbottom. He calls it an "homage to comic conventions, and a tribute to those brave attendees who cosplay in skimpy outfits." Heheh.

"Comic Con Curves", prints start at $20 for a 12X16

Not a completely fair representation of geek guys, of course, but still accurate enough (from my experience) to make me wince and smile at the same time. (Smince? Wile?) I get the feeling this piece could spark some valuable discussions about cosplay culture - or at least be used to illustrate some of the excellent articles already out there - so that's partly why I'm including it. (The other part is it's gorgeously done, and I like the eyes peeking out of the droid. :))

Now hold on to your socks, because they're about to be blown off by SHEER CUTENESS:

Viva C. found these fantastic custom art dolls by Santani, another Russian artist with insane skills. I WANT TO HUG IT. And then tickle its feet.

Some of the dolls ride the line between creepy and cute, but usually in a way that's downright hysterical:

Tell me that doesn't make you smile. YOU CAN'T. (And...the little wings! Ack! So cute!)

Head over to Santani's deviantArt to see lots (and LOTS more), or to contact her about purchasing one. She says in the FAQ that her prices range from $94 to $233 US, which doesn't seem bad at all when you look at all that detail and snuggly squishable wonderfulness. (I want to rig up a shoulder perch/harness for that second one and walk around conventions with him.)

And finally, I think my friend Chris C. was the first to pass on this epic Haunted Mansion/Batman villains mash-up:

Isn't Harley with Killer Croc the best? Although they're all fantastic, really.

By Abraham Lopez, who says you can e-mail him to purchase prints. Hit the link to see lots more of his fan art in his deviantArt gallery.

Ok, guys, I think that does it for this month! ~~As always, be sure to leave a comment to enter my monthly art drawing!~~ The randomly selected winner will get to choose any available piece from my Pinterest art board as their prize. (I'll ship anywhere, so no worries if you live somewhere outside the U.S.) The winner will be announced by next week, so stay tuned!

UPDATE: The give-away has ended, and the winner is Justy! Congrats, Justy, and please e-mail me your address & choice of prize!

Steam-Powered AT-AT Enjoys Hunting Rebel Forces, Long Walks On The Beach

2013-04-22T11:00:00.000-04:00

I usually reserve my steampunk finds for Saturdays, but it's rare that I get to debut something this awesome before all the other big sites out there, so you'll have to indulge me:

Behold, Captain Bayley's Infernal Mechano-Perambulator!

[Who else heard that in Dr. Doofenschmirtz's voice? Just me?]

This is Caroline L.'s engagement present from her fiance, Mark, who made it from a vintage AT-AT toy and is CLEARLY a keeper. Just saying, Caroline. But I guess you already knew that. :)

Caroline writes,

"Each one of those rivets was cut out with a punch and applied with tweezers, and we both lost track of the number of coats of spray paint he used to get that gorgeous patina before washing it down and creating the stains and drips. He made the narwhal horn on the front as well. It's hard to see but the legs and feet are covered in seaweed and barnacles - I can just imagine it tramping up and down the coastline, or standing in a harbour next to a crumbling pier."

Wow. I can't get over how great that finish looks! And I especially love the Widow's Walk on top:

Hey Caroline, any chance Mark will post a paint tutorial? Because I have a baby AT-AT here on my desk that's just BEGGING for a steampunk make-over now. :D

Watch Mark's Flickr page this week for more photos of the IMP. They're not up as of this writing, but Caroline assures me they'll be there soon. [Warning: there are mildly gory special-affects makeup pics on that stream, so don't click if you're squeamish.]

[UPDATE: Direct link to those photos here!]

Thanks for sharing the awesomeness, Caroline!

Saturday Steam 4/20/13

2013-04-20T11:00:00.000-04:00

My biggest steampunk news this week is that my Lady Vadore costume is now officially in transit to Wisconsin for the Oshkosh Public Museum's summer exhibit! (YAY!) John and I spent most of Wednesday afternoon carefully packing everything up and doing paperwork, and I could have easily fit myself into the box by the time we were through. o.0 Cross your fingers that everything arrives safely, although with the amount of packing peanuts we used I *think* it should be Ok.

I was excited to hear from reader Beth D. that she'll also have one of her works on display: this beautiful steampunk arm she created for her "Steampunk widow" costume:

Here's a closer look:

Lovely! I especially like that filigree piece on the wrist.

Remember, I'm counting on you locals to send me lots of photos once the exhibit opens up June 8th, k?

Now, tell me the truth: Is it wrong that I kind of want this in my front yard?

On second thought, don't answer that. ;)

This gorgeous steam train sculpture is actually - get this - a four-ton BBQ! There are two compartments for cooking, and the steering wheel inside the cab operates a rotisserie spit:

WOW.
I believe this was made by a group called "Tvoryukami" for a private owner. More pics and info (in Russian) here. (via my friend John, aka Steampunk Boba Fett.)

Heather M. sent in this stellar raygun necklace, and John was so enamored with it he INSISTED I included it in this week's roundup. Heh. (We're all cool here with rayguns mixing with our steampunk, right? Cool.)

So tiny! I do love the shape, though, and it's made of polished bronze, which is pretty sweet. $38 over at Shana Logic.

I recently joined a FB group on steampunk costuming, which is completely out of character for me since it's so, you know, SOCIAL, but I stay true to myself by just lurking creepily in the virtual shadows, only darting out long enough to "like" everyone's amazing projects and pictures and such.

It's only been a few days, of course, but I'm already in awe of all these mega-talented makers. Here are a few of my favorite finds so far:

Brett King spent four months building this jaw-dropping interactive automaton, named "The Aetherologist." Turn up your volume to hear the recording in the vid below:

Admit it: your jaw totally dropped. And, hey, best use of Siri ever? I'm thinking YES.

Believe it or not, this back pack by Frank Thomas Puricelli is still a work in progress:

However, it already has working "steam," LEDs, a drink dispenser, and dual speakers that hook up to Frank's wrist-mounted phone so he can play music. WOWZA. I'm torn between being inspired and just abandoning all of my own projects in despair, because how are they ever going to be this good?!

Ahem.

Now for a dose of pretty:

Sílvia in Portugal makes these fabulous neck corsets, with lots of beautiful designs to choose from:

"Helene Neck Corset," approx. $27 US

Each laces up in the back, and is scalloped on the sides for comfort:

"Isabella Neck Corset," approx. $31 US

Head over to Sílvia's etsy shop, Sky Pirate Creations, to see the rest!

And for something most of us mere mortals can actually attempt: this steampunk finger stylus may look like a million bucks, but it's actually made from a plastic milk jug handle:

Head over to Instructables for Rob's super easy tutorial.

And finally, I think John and I have reached a point on my next costume project that I can give you all a little sneak peek/clue:

Still a work-in-progress, and we're debating starting over from scratch entirely, but let's see if any of you can guess who/what I'm planning from just this. :D

(And no telling, those few of you who already know!)

I hope you all have a great weekend, and get some much needed rest and peace after this crazy week. As always, feel free to share your steamy finds here in the comments or over on the Epbot FB page!

Week's Best 4-18-13

2013-04-18T16:39:00.000-04:00

It's been a rough week here in the U.S., what with the Boston Marathon bombing, poison being mailed to government officials, and now a huge factory explosion in Texas. Times of tragedy and fear can really wear us down, individually and as a whole, but I'm glad the internet is big enough to provide little moments of joy and distraction even in the worst of times. I don't know about you guys, but I found myself cherishing those moments more than ever this week.

For example, this water garden from the 2013 Ellerslie International Flower Show in Christchurch, New Zealand is just the kind of fairy land I'd like to escape to with a good book:

Look at that sunken seating area! My mind, it is blown. And I'm not sure I believe that's real grass; it looks too perfect. And soft. And I want to walk on it barefoot IMMEDIATELY.

This image is an oldie but a goodie, and never fails to restore a little faith in humanity:

These are the window washers at the Pittsburgh Children's Hospital. [sniffle] I'm fine. Really. Pass the tissues.

Apparently this is done at kids' hospitals across the country, too; here's another in St. Petersburg, FL:

More pics here at USA Today. (Thanks to Teresa K. for sharing that first pic on FB.)

What better way to turn a geek into a big kid again than with some new Pop! vinyl toys from Funko?

Turtle power! (via NerdApproved)

But my favorite new release is, of COURSE:

The Rocketeer! I love the green highlights in his eyes.

These guys won't hit shelves 'til July, but you can pre-order them here for just under $10 each.

This Dove ad went viral this week, and with good reason. If by some chance you haven't seen it yet, definitely take the three minutes and watch:

And this 6-minute talk by Ze Frank on creativity is concise and rather inspiring - once I got past the fact that he sounds exactly like he does in his True Facts vids, so I kept waiting for him to say "SEA WHORES." Hehehhe. (Here's the link if you missed that one.)

Nerdy aprons are getting pretty common these days, but most are for us girls and are on the frilly side. (NOT complaining, btw.) So this Krang apron for men absolutely cracked. me. up:

Krang Apron, $150

Then of course I had to look at everything else Haute Mess Threads makes - so many goodies! - and found this perfect R2D2 number:

R2D2 Apron, $85

Lots more over at NerdApproved, or hit the link up there to shop.

Really the best part of my week, though, has been moderating all of your comments on my bra post. It's been amazing watching you guys support each other (no pun intended), answer questions, make suggestions, swap stories, and just, you know, be a community. Not to mention all your success stories are making me grin - keep 'em coming, girls! (Btw, I haven't had a strap fall down ONCE in the past three days. THIS IS A MIRACLE.)

I hope you all are safe and well and happy, and here's to a better week next week!

Everything You Never Knew You Needed To Know About Bras

2013-04-16T11:30:00.000-04:00

I'm about to get as girly as this blog has ever been, guys, so fellas? Yes, you - I know you're out there! Yeah, look, unless you're a guy who likes reading about lady boobs and lingerie, you may want to skip this one. Although I promise to throw in some fun geeky bras every now and then, just to keep it interesting:

Handpainted Starfleet Uniform Bra, $35 from SceeneShoes

See?

Ok, so, the other night I was following a rabbit trail of web links - like you do - and I ended up on this fascinating Reddit forum about bras. And when I say "fascinating," I mean I stayed up until 3AM reading, because holy WOW how did I not know this stuff before?

You know how you always hear that something like 90% of women wear the wrong size bra? I'd heard that, too, but never thought much of it. Sure, my bra straps were constantly falling down and the wires were always jabbing me in the sides and I'd been convinced I was just shaped like a mutant for most of my life, but GOSH DARN IT I WAS ONE OF THE 10% GETTING IT RIGHT. Right?

Wrong.

Did you know that a bra's cup size changes with its band size? So a 34D's cup is a fraction of the size of a 40D's cup? This seems blindingly obvious now, but I promise you I HAD NO IDEA. I think I've just been programmed since my Barbie-playing days that D = ginormous boobs, so I never bothered to think beyond that.

"MARVEL-OUS in Black" Bra, $65 from MeganElizabeth31

More stuff I learned:

- There are something called "sister sizes," or bra sizes that hold equal amounts of mass. For example, a 34D is roughly equal to a 36C, in as far as how much boobage mass they will hold. Here's a handy visual guide of sister sizes, plus other band-to-bust ratios:

It took me about five solid minutes of staring at that graphic to make any sense of it, but once you get it, it's great info to have - especially if you're in-between band sizes like me.

- If you bend at the waist to adjust yourself with the "scoop & swoop" method, you can INSTANTLY become at least a full cup size bigger. (Hit that link for some impressive, NSFW before-and-after photos.) I tried this, and I can assure you: it totally works.

- There are generally two kinds of breast shapes: full-on-top and full-on-the-bottom. If you're full-on-the-bottom like me, you may have been fooled into thinking a bra's cup size was too large for you, simply because it gaped at the top like so:

NOT SO. Some bras are simply made to fit full-on-the-top ladies, while others fit full-on-the-bottom or both shapes. Head over to Bras I Hate for the whole post explaining the two shapes, plus plenty of helpful visuals like that one.

This next one is one of my favorite bits:

- A lot of armpit flab and folds are actually breast tissue being smashed upward by an ill-fitting bra. Ditto for back folds. So a properly fitted bra could actually eliminate some or all of your arm flab and back folds. (Great example in the 3rd set of photos here.)

Here's the most important take-away, though:

- The vast majority of women are wearing bras that are too big in the band size, and too small (by far) in the cup size.

So after reading this excellent and easy guide for measuring yourself, I decided to measure myself. (It's just two measurements - easy peasy.) Then I plugged in the numbers to the bra calculator she links to and did a quadruple take. Then I went back and measured myself again because there was NO WAY I was the size it claimed. Then I did the numbers manually, using the graph in the same post. Same results.

After the third measuring & calculating I finally gave up and decided to just go bra shopping. The proof is in the pudding, right? (Or in this case, the padding?)

Ok, so now let's get nitty-gritty, girls. LET'S TALK NUMBERS.

For the past few years I've been bumping up my band size, even though my weight has been the same. I could tell something wasn't fitting, what with the wires jabbing me and the gore* floating off my chest, but since I've never had much in the tracts of land department, I figured the band size was the only thing I could increase. So, I went from a 36B to all 38Bs.

[*Technical term! That's the bridge between cups at the front. See? I told you I learned stuff!]

Today I brought home 4 new bras that fit me just about perfectly. They're way more comfortable than my 38Bs, and they look about a million times better, too. Guess what size they are?

34D.

34 FREAKING D, you guys. And on some of those the cups are a smidge too small, but YOU try finding a 34DD at Ross or Marshall's. (The calculator actually tried to tell me I need a DDD, but since I'd have to order those online I think I'll start with these and reassess in a few months. According to the forum I might need a larger cup size then due to tissue migration, anyway.)

How did I go from a 38B to a 34D? Simple. I put the bra on, bent at the waist, and scooped and adjusted until everything was up front and in place. Then I stood upright and goggled at my new found acreage.

Believe it or not, I really was adjusting each time I suited up in my bras before - but not with the bending-at-the-waist, "scoop & swoop" method. That part is totally key. Turns out gravity is a powerful ally!

You're probably thinking I can't breathe in my new bras, or that they're tight enough to make a Victorian lady gasp. Nope! They're snug, sure, but I can easily fit several fingers under the band. I actually measure exactly 35 inches, so I have to wear the 34s on the last hook - but that's good! See, another thing I learned: you should always buy bras that fit on the *last* hook, so you have room to tighten them as they stretch out over time. Again, that seems so obvious now - so why wasn't I doing it before?!

(Because of the sister-sizes thing, I also picked up two 36C bras. They only fit on the tightest hooks, so they won't last as long as the 34Ds, but they're great for now.)

Another benefit of the smaller bands: there's not as much weight on my shoulder straps. I'm hoping that means the straps won't be falling down as much, although only time will tell.

Rapunzel Bra Top, $48 by ElectricAveCreations

(I'm not usually one for frilly bras, but seriously: How cute is this?)

Ok, ladies, so now it's your turn: Go measure yourself using this post as a guide. DO IT. Do it now!! Then go try on whatever bra size the post's calculator or graph tells you to.

When you first try the new size on, it will feel too tight in the band and too big in the cup. DON'T PANIC. Just bend and scoop, baby! YEAH! (Sorry. Austin Power's moment.) And don't be surprised if your cups runneth over once you straighten up again!

Believe it or not, I've only scratched the surface of bra anatomy, so you should really head over to that forum, A Bra That Fits, to explore and learn more for yourself. Check the sidebar for all the basics and more helpful guides like what I've listed here. Then go learn about tissue migration, shallow breasts, how to spot a proper fit, and all the rest! I'm telling you, there's at LEAST enough there to keep you reading 'til 3AM.

Oh, and if you're curious how John feels about all this, let's just say he's the one who told me I HAVE to write this post, as a service to all mankind. Ha! He was as skeptical as I was initially, but after seeing my new sizes he's allll smiles.

Please share your own experiences/knowledge in the comments, ladies, and let me know if that measurement system works for you! Also, HUGE shout-out to all the lovely contributors and moderators at A Bra That Fits. I'm not a Redditor, so I'll just say it here: You guys rock! Thank you!

Saturday Steam 4/13/13

2013-04-13T12:30:00.000-04:00

I'll be the first to admit I don't fully understand how Polyvore works, but I am loving these Disney Steampunk themed outfits:

Now THIS is some fashion eye candy I can get behind! Go see the rest here. (And it's probably best if you don't explain to me how Polyvore works; I have a feeling I'd get seriously addicted.)

Caged pendant lights are nothing new, but I really love this assortment of styles from blogger Mockabee 7's kitchen makeover:

She doesn't mention where she got them, though, and I've never seen a round one like that before, or the tear drop shaped one. Any of you know?

[Update: A-ha! I knew I could trust you guys to find them! The lights are from Shades of Light, and cost $450 for the set of 5. They also come in polished brass and silver, but those options are $200 more.]

I'm thinking I'd like to hang caged pendants like those kind of like this for our dining room:

By Instructables user jmitch77 (hit the link for instructions)

With at least eight or ten lights, though, and sort of doubled up so they look like a big mass of lights hanging down. John says this is ridiculously easy to do, so it's all about finding those cages - and hoping they don't cost a fortune when I do. (There's GOT to be way to DIY those things, right? Right?)

More proof the internet makes the world a smaller place: I heard from New Zealand "junk artist" Sean Boyd this week, who said one of you readers pointed him toward Epbot. So I went to look at his work, and lo and behold, I've had this ray gun of his on my "Steampunk Inspirations" Pinterest board for ages now!

Isn't it gorgeous?

A few more of my favorites:

Sean does a variety of both steampunk and sci-fi inspired work. I'm particularly smitten with these sleek retro styles:

Sean tells me he just quit his day job this year to pursue his art full time, so go see more of his work at his Flickr gallery, or visit his website for available pieces or to ask him about commissions! (P.S. My birthday is next month. JUST SAYING.)

Next up, Marni J. spotted this stunning USB Heart Necklace by Etsy seller Rob Smith, aka Artype:

(The top section conceals the USB stick.)
This one has already sold, but Smith has a similar style here for $169. I can't get over how gorgeous that detail is!

And finally, in the spirit of that My Little Pony generator we all lost WAY too much time playing with way back when, I give you ... the Mega Steampunk Dress Up Game!

Cut to 30 minutes later, and here's mine:

She started out as a steampunk Tinkerbell, then turned into a potion master. Heh.

Cut to another 15 minutes later, and here's my second go:

What you can't see are that the final graphics are animated, so the eyes blink, gears spin, tools spark, etc. Super fun! And we all have Tessa C. to thank for the massive amounts productivity we're about to lose - or in my case, already have. ;)

I hope you guys are having a fun and steamy weekend! Today is our last day with my parents before they head home from their anniversary trip, so John and I will be out at the Magic Kingdom. Yeppers. CITRUS SWIRL HERE I COME.

Weekly Favs 4/11/13

2013-04-11T19:42:00.000-04:00

Wow, so many goodies online this week! Let's get right to 'em:

MentalFloss put together an awesome post called The Faces Behind 31 Disney Villains, and it is so. cool:

Trust me, you're going to want to see the rest!

This sketch Katie Cook tweeted made me realize I am in dire need of some Rainbow Brite art:

SO SWEET. Don't you just love Katie's style?

One of my most popular recent Pinterest finds:

Melt pony beads to make fun jewelry and hairclips! BRILLIANT.

Go check out the full tutorial at The 36th Avenue.

I finished my own play-through of BioShock Infinite this week, (YAY EASY MODE) and I'm already resisting the urge to start playing through a third time. (I watched John play the first time.) Can you say "addicted?"

Anyway, so of course I was beside myself to see Anna of Anna The Red has already made a custom Songbird plush!

She then gave it to Ken Levine, the game's lead writer/creator. You can see his reaction (plus tons more pics) over on Anna's blog.

I really want to make my own, even though I can't sew and know nothing about constructing plush dolls. (How hard can it be, right? Uh... right? Guys? Hello?)

I want to make mine out of pleather, though, since the game dolls look (to me) like they're made of leather:

(Anna made her doll before the game was released, and the reference art she had made it look more like gray & brown fabric.)

Soooo, any advice on techniques? Or where I might find a faux leather that looks kind of mottled/aged like that?

My parents are down this week for their big Disney Anniversary & Birthday Celebration, and are living large at the parks as I type this. I love hearing about all their little surprises and cast member interactions each day; wearing a 40th anniversary pin really gets you a lot of attention over there. :)

Anyway, we spent yesterday evening with them at Epcot, where I spotted the one and only lawn flamingo I've ever been tempted to buy:

Oh, and my folks keep calling Epcot Epbot, which is hysterical. MY EVIL PLAN IS WORKING. Mwuah-ha-haaa.

More Disney goodness courtesy of Julie A.: a tiny Jungle Cruise diorama!

This former JC skipper is thoroughly smitten. (I do miss the old striped awnings!)

See the pain-staking process shots over at Imagineering Disney.

And finally, Cheryl U. sent me this poetry performance after my Ren Fest post, and the last 20 seconds really hit me right in the gut. It's a kind of celebration of anxiety sufferers, if that makes any sense. NSFW due to several F bombs, but well worth getting the headphones out for:

"Because you can't be this afraid of losing everything

If you don't love everything first

Because you have to have a soul-crushing hope that things will get better

To be this afraid of missing it."

Wow.
Like I said: right in the gut. Thanks again, Cheryl.

Hope you guys are having a great week! As always, feel free to share your favorite finds and creations here in the comments or over on the Epbot FB page.

Easy DIY Industrial Pipe Shelving

2013-04-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

Since "Industrial Chic" is all the rage in interior design these days, I thought I'd show you guys how easy it is to make and install the pipe shelving John and I used in our Steampunk Laundry Room:

I'll also tell you where I found the materials, since the wrong stuff can be super expensive at your local hardware store.

To give you an idea: John and I purchased all the pieces to make a single bracket from Lowe's, and the total was over $25. FOR A SINGLE BRACKET. And we needed five or six!

I was about to give up on my dream of pipe bracket shelving, but then I took to ebay, and after a lot of digging, I hit gold:

Black Malleable gold, to be exact.

Yep, these pieces are called black malleable fittings and flanges, although you can rest assured they're not in the least bit "malleable." Some stores only carry galvanized iron pipe, which is a bright silver, and - get this - is more than double the price of black malleable.

So while it costs more than $10 for a single flange of galvanized iron, the same thing in black malleable is only about $4. Cha-CHING! (Not to mention I think the black version looks better!)

I couldn't find black malleable pipe at our local stores, but I did find an ebay seller who very nicely put together a custom listing of exactly what I needed for all five brackets, with free shipping, for fifty bucks. Ten bucks a bracket? Now THAT's more like it!

If you'd like to build the same brackets we did, then here's a handy cheat sheet.

For each shelf bracket, you will need:

(2) 3/4 inch flanges
(1) 3/4 inch elbow bracket
(1) 3/4 inch X 2 inch pipe nipple
(1) 3/4 inch X 5 inch pipe nipple

And this is the ebay seller I used, in case you'd like to buy from the same place. (Rest assured I don't get any kick backs or anything; just trying to save you some time, since it took me a while to find a seller who has all the parts I needed!)

Put them all together, and you get this:

Screw the flanges into a wall stud if possible, or use heavy-duty wall anchors. (We still have to paint over the screw heads, since you can see they're waaay too shiny.) Then use any old wood planking for the tops, or buy pre-cut shelves, and you're done!

Oh, and a quick safety tip: you'll probably need to clean your pipe pieces, since ours arrived with a fair amount of grease and a little rust on them, but be careful; the edges and seams are sharp. John sliced a finger while he was scrubbing, so he recommends wearing thick rubber gloves when you clean them.

I hope that was helpful, guys! And feel free to ask any questions in the comments, since I'm sure I may have missed something!

Let's Get Medieval!

2013-04-08T13:53:00.000-04:00

No, this isn't a Game of Thrones post - sorry. ;)

Saturday John and I drove out to the Bay Area Renaissance Festival, a massive outdoor event that opens shop for seven or eight weekends each year in Tampa.

There's live jousting, chess games with human chess pieces, carnival-type games that allow you to throw real throwing knives and axes, the highest per capita of corsets in the southern U.S., and lots and lots and LOTS of alcohol.
I would say it's kind of like a convention, only with more dirt, sweat, and drunken carousing, but that really doesn't come close to capturing it. Ren Fairs are a unique phenomena all to themselves, and you kind of have to experience one for yourself.

Now, as a relatively quiet introvert who is easily embarrassed, I freely admit Ren Fairs are not my element. Everyone's so ... boisterous. There's lots of in-character shouting and challenges to duels and saucy propositions and barkers who'll call out to you and, well, interaction. With strangers. Heh.

That said, everyone's friendly and having a grand old time, and I fully realize I'm a big ol stick-in-the-mud. So even though I'm there strictly to gawk, I still have a good time from the sidelines.

The prettiest girl of the whole fair - and I'm not just saying that because she's wearing my favorite color. :) Isn't she stunning?

I especially like the mix of attendees you get at a Ren Fair. There are equal parts hippies, goths, SCA enthusiasts, whole families, and everyday geeks and gawkers.

Stargate!

My camera failed to capture it, but that corset & skirt combo was STUNNING. The fabrics had this shimmer to them, and it was soooo pretty.

One area where Ren Fairs really shine is in the merchandise. The majority of the100 or so vendor stalls were filled with authentically handmade goods, and you could stop to watch glass blowers, glass forgers, sword smiths, leather workers, and more at their trades.

Heh. ("Honer"?)

Then there's the entertainment. There are something like 13 different stages set up around the grounds, with shows ranging from comedy to music to - I kid you not - mud wrestling. John and I have two favorites that we go to every year. Johnny Phoenix:

Yeah, his show is kind of like that.

And the Washing Women:

These gals specialize in getting somewhat-willing men from the audience to do embarrassing things like this:

They also, well, pretty much molest the men way more than you'd think would be legal. They ripped one guy's shirt off, rubbed their hands all over another's chest and thighs, and licked this guy's bald head. A LOT. The good news (?) is the guys seem to find it hilarious, so s'all good. And when Pearl literally threw herself at this man, he not only played along, he took it further:

This culminated in a hilarious, faux-passionate kiss, followed by Pearl dumping an entire bucket of water over her own head. I honestly can't say if this show is a triumph or a blow to feminism, but DANG is it funny.

There's also plenty of more family-friendly fare, like this sword-fighting class that reminded me of the Pirate and Jedi academies at Disney:

And finally, there are the "street" performers: buskers who set out to amuse or amaze:

This statue guy is there every year. He looks pretty scary, but is surprisingly awesome with kids.

I think this contact juggler might be new:

Oh! And there was a mermaid tank!

For a dollar (I think) she'd dive down and fetch you a glass "gem." There was a huge crowd around, so it was hard to see, but all the little girls were clearly enthralled.

She made a trilling noise instead of speaking - a cute touch.

A few more random shots:

All of the rides - and there were several - required a fair amount of manpower. Literally. :)

(The tattooed guy would just push the "seahorse" back and forth.)

So many amazing, handcrafted costumes. It's a shame the glaring sunlight and dappled shade made a hash of most of my photos!

On our way out we saw the Maypole Dance:

And that's it!

Hope you guys enjoyed your virtual visit with us!

***

Oh, and since I mentioned it last post: my anxiety was fine at the Fair itself, but we had a bad time *getting* there. The whole hour plus drive was fine, but then the line of cars getting into the parking lot was backed up for miles, and for some reason being stuck in traffic is a major trigger for me. It's not rational, of course, but if I don't have the option of movement/escape at all times, I feel trapped. So anyway, I lasted maybe 10 minutes, I think (which of course felt like 30) but eventually my heart rate zoomed, the world spun, I wished for death, etc, etc.

I know I should be grateful car trips mostly don't bother me anymore, but it stinks that the second we hit traffic I start to freak out. It also makes me despair of my life ever being "normal" again, but I know I have to cling to hope and the knowledge that tomorrow will be a better day.

Anyway, John got us out of line and we parked about a mile away so we could walk in. It turned out that was *still* faster than waiting in the car line to park. We'll be remembering that for next year! Plus the walk was good for me to get my breathing and wobbly legs back under control.

We all have our broken bits, I know. I only mention this stuff to remind my fellow anxiety-sufferers out there that you're not alone, and you never will be. If nothing else, we can always be a little bit broken together. :)

A Sweet "Spica" Chair Modeled After Disney's Monorail

2013-04-05T12:30:00.000-04:00

When Epbot reader Katie J.'s little niece Hannah recently had double hip surgery, she needed something called a Spica Chair - a specially designed seat for young children in plaster casts. Since the whole family loves Disney, Hannah's dad got together with a friend to build little Hannah something positively magical:

PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE AWESOME.

POR FAVOR MANTENGASE "THE AWESOME."

Yep, they based the chair on Disney's monorails! More specifically, on a Disney pop-up book that Hannah's mom has had since she was little:

They made it as a surprise for both Hannah and her mom, who I can only imagine was just as thrilled.

Hannah's dad built the chair/desk combo, and his friend Keith handled all the painting. In fact, you can head over to Keith's blog for more photos, including in-process pics!

I just love seeing how fans incorporate their passions into even the most necessary and potentially un-fun things in life. Mega kudos to Hannah's dad and Keith for the gorgeous work, and for making this big beautiful smile possible:

D'awww.

(And hey, a chalkboard desktop? So smart!)