Morning After The First Snow

Hello Universe!

I bet you've been wondering where I've been these past few months. No? Well, I've certainly been wondering where I have been. Life has been pretty good lately, so I can't complain but in general I've felt rather lost. Work has changed rather drastically since the summer, with changes in hours, duties, and the people I work with day-to-day. There are aspects that are frustrating as hell, but other aspects that are a great improvement. I'm torn as to what sort of direction I want to go with my life (in terms of career and education) and right now I feel like I've reached an impasse. I have no idea where I want to go and what I want to do.


September was a fairly quiet month (besides work related chaos). Josh and I went to the Zoo one fall afternoon with some friends and we had a nice time wandering around. It's a little bit sad that the Zoo hasn't changed much at all since I worked there. It's also horrifying to think that I started working at the Zoo over a decade ago now. Holy shit! My summer job at the Zoo was my first real job and while it was certainly a good summer job (who can complain about being outside all day during the summer?), I definitely would not want to go back to that. I've certainly come a long way in ten years.


Last month was my 26th birthday. (Happy belated birthday to me!). I mostly took it easy and didn't worry about it to much. I had some friends over and took it easy. Josh and Michelle piled my desk with tonnes of t-shirts, books and candy for my birthday which was totally awesome. They were more anxious to have me unwrap my gifts then I was (so much so that they had me open them a day early!). I also went out to dinner with co-workers to celebrate the birthdays of three of us (all born within 3 weeks of each other). Overall I had a great time and was certainly glad for something a little low key.

My parent's gift for my birthday was getting Josh and I tickets for Mamma Mio! which is currently playing at Celebrations. We sort of picked what day to go at the last minute but we went and had a great time. The last show we had gone to was almost a year ago (for Josh's birthday) and we were pleasantly surprised to recognize a few of the cast from that last performance. We both got pulled up on stage to dance at one point to some great ABBA music and overall had an awesome time. :-)

Halloween this year was a lot of fun. Last year Josh and I didn't really get into the Halloween spirit and we only ended up having four kids come to our door. This year with both Michelle and Josh around the enthusiasm was much greater. We went all out, and I mean ALL out. Josh and I decorated the front steps, we packed goodie bags (including ones that were peanut free) and Josh carved some amazing pumpkins. I tried to help with the pumpkin carving, but I was so exhausted (and creeped out by the texture) that I was pretty much useless. We had two pumpkins out front, Boo from Super Mario Bros, and an awesome looking dragon. I wore my new Boo shirt that I got from Teefury.com and we were set!

Matt came over, we tossed in The Nightmare Before Christmas (Josh's favourite) and awaited the arrival of the cute children. The weather was perfect considering we live in Winnipeg, and we got a fair number of children (approx 40). Michelle even jumped out at one girl and made her scream! :D We got a lot of great ideas of what we can do next year and I'm already looking forward to next Halloween!

You can check out a bunch of the Halloween photos Here.

After the high from Halloween was over and I got passed the massive sugar rush, Josh and I tried to sit down and once again do NaNoWriMo. For the past few years I've been trying to match and surpass the success of my first attempt and so far I'm failing miserably. I have a lot of great ideas, but as soon as I sit down to type my brain shuts down. I have ideas and know what I want to write, but the grand descriptions and my excessive usage of various forms of "darkness" just isn't coming to me. I'm not sure if it's a side effect of work related stress, a variety of other distractions (Heroes, Bones, Warcraft) or if I'm just completely out of practice. Whatever it is, it's frustrating as hell! I know that it'll come to me eventually, but I'm resigning myself to the fact that I'm not going to reach my goal of fifty-thousand words by the end of our month. I'm glad Josh has tried to push me to write again though and that he's offered to write with me in order to encourage me. I think I just need to lock myself into a room in the basement, disconnect the internet and tune out the world for a month or two...maybe then I'll be able to write more than a page. Maybe?

In other news, Cataclysm is released in sixteen (16!) days and I can't tell you how excited I am. I've been on a sort of WoW fast for a few weeks now and it's almost time to get back into it. I'll freely admit that I've been addicted to just about every one of Blizzard's games, and I expect that this one won't be any different. All of the new content looks like it's going to kick ass, and keep me bound to my computer for the new few months. (I promise to continue trying to write during that time, I really do. Promise.) At this point I am still torn as to whether I want to pre-order and wait in line at midnight, buy a copy the next morning or just give in a get the digital copy so I can start playing right at midnight. I guess the real question is, how hardcore am I? Votes?

Snow started falling this week in Winnipeg. We were lucky that we had a relatively extended fall this year. Typically our spring and fall are extremely truncated which leaves us with only two significant seasons (awesome and frozen wasteland). So far it hasn't been too horrific, but it's almost time to go and shovel the driveway (for the 3rd time!!!!). We had a brief reprise last night and I took the opportunity to go out with some co-workers and do some karaoke.

I'm by default not naturally inclined towards karaoke and as such was initially hesitant about going. By the end of the night however I had loosened up a fair bit and sang a bunch of duets with Christine: Bust A Move (Young MC), Baby One More Time (Britney), I Love Rock'n'Roll (Joan Jett), All That She Wants (Ace of Base) to name a few. I totally butchered Bust A Move and probably got less then a third of the worlds...and I think Simon got video of that...

A bunch of my co-workers really impressed me. Maridel and Marielle both have really amazing voices (though Maridel couldn't focus on a song long enough to finish it). Marielle stuck to ballads, which were all very impressive. Simon is apparently very southern when he rocks out and does his country music. It was weird hearing him sing instead of mumble softly. Impressive, but still a little weird. Dana had a very soothing voice and was totally not what I was expecting. It'll probably be a few more years before I do karaoke again, but I can admit that I had a blast. :-)

I'm going to end my rambling now and leave you with the video for a song I'm completely addicted to right now. I totally blame Josh, but it's really just because I <3 Katy Perry. :)




Hubble Image Credit: NASA
Cataclysm Image Credit: Blizzard Entertainment

Question of the Week: Freaky Images

This past weekend I started playing through the original BioShock on Josh's XBox 360. BioShock is an awesome game, with a very unique concept and amazing visuals. On top of that, it is creepy as hell. The idea of being trapped under water in the dark and facing sadistic gene splicing psychotics is truly horrifying. It makes for a pretty memorable game.

What game, movie or book has made it's most terrifying impact on you? Perhaps it was the alien bursting out of Kane's chest in Alien, the zombies from Resident Evil or that freaky Clown in Steve King's It.

Question of the Week: Karaoke

What song are you going to sign for The Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt? It can be a power ballad, rock'n'roll or something with a swing. I look forward to seeing your submissions and hearing your songs!

Let The Scavenger Hunt Begin!

Hello Universe!

On Saturday Morning, I launched 10 videos on YouTube for The Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt. Contestants have seven days to complete a series of 10 challenges using their digital cameras or camcorders, uploading their work onto Google Buzz.

The contest began at midnight on Saturday, August 14th and ends at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on Friday, August 20th. Your challenges, if you chose to accept them, are as follows:

Challenge #1: Location! Location! Location!

Pick yourself a mascot and find a location in your city or town that represents where you are. Take a picture or video with you and your mascot at your chosen location and then tell the Google Buzz community all about it. Let us know where you are, and why you're there. Does your site have a history? Is it famous in some way? Maybe it just has special meaning to you...whatever it is, let us know!

Challenge #2: Celebrity Look-A-Like

Do you, or somebody your know looks like someone famous? No? Well, go out and find someone! Find yourself a celebrity look-a-like, interview them and get their signature. If you can, try to get their life story, or the made-up life story of who they look like. Be creative!

Challenge #3: Happiness Is Abstract

What is the one thing in the world that can make you smile, even in the worst of times? Maybe its your family pet, or a setting sun. Whatever it is, whether its a specific object or just an abstract idea - film or photograph it and share it with the world! Then, let Google Buzz know what makes you happier then anything else.

Challenge #4: Halloween In August

It's time to get our your vampire costume! No, this isn't Twilight. It's Halloween! Dress up in a Halloween costume of your choice and go out into the public. Go door to door asking for candy, go to the grocery store, or go out to a club. Document your adventures and people's reactions to your scary (or sexy) outfit.

Challenge #5: The Pink Cellphone

Did you think you could go through a whole scavenger hunt without trying to find something obscure? Think again! Go out and find someone (a friend or maybe a complete stranger) who owns a pink cellphone. Get a photo or video of you, the phone and it's owner. Then, share your story with the world. Happy searching!

Challenge #6: Monkey Brains Anyone?

Everyone has tried monkey brains before, right? Don't worry, this isn't Indiana Jones. In this challenge, I'll be asking you to go out for dinner, or be prepared to make a meal at home. Pick a style of food (Cantonese, Mexican, French) that you have never experienced before. Go out and try it, or try making a meal from scratch. Take your mascot with you and then report back on what you and your mascot thought of your meal.

Challenge #7: Activity Does The Body Good

Yoga. Kayaking. Fencing. Jogging. Cricket. There are a million different types of physical activities in the world. Pick one that you have never tried before. It can either be a group sport, or a solo activity, it doesn't matter. Document your experience with photos and videos and make sure to get active!

Challenge #8: Karaoke Night

"Somewhere, over the Rainbow..." It's time to hit the town and go out for a night of karaoke. Bring your mascot with you and get ready to sing a duet. It can be something funny, a heart wrenching ballad, or a rock and roll scream-fest. Just make sure you have fun with it, and be sure to bring back proof of your adventure to Google Buzz.

Challenge #9: A Closet Fashion Show

This next challenge comes in three parts. 1) Pick an outfit that has a story and tell it to us. Why is this outfit important to you? What makes it special? 2) Go through your closet and create your most outlandish and absurd outfit using your wardrobe. 3) Film a fashion show with items out of your closet. Share your style with the internet!

Challenge #10: Lights! Camera! Action!

In this challenge, you get to be the big-shot music video director. Check out YouTube's audio swap feature, pick a song and create yourself a music video. Once you've created your video, upload it to YouTube, go to www.youtube.com/editor and set your video to song. Live action, or animation, it doesn't matter - just have a blast!





For all ten videos, check out the Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt playlist on YouTube.

Meteor Shower

Hello Universe!

The Perseids Meteor Shower, created by the dust trail left by the Swift Turtle Comet, reached its glorious peak last night. The shower, which is typically visible within the constellation Perseus, is an annual event and can be seen for approximately a month each summer.

A photographer friend of mine traveled out to the mountains last night to observe the meteor shower away from the bright lights and craziness of Las Vegas. He was able to to take this beautiful photo while out enjoying the fresh air. You can check out more of his amazing photography on Flickr or his website FourG Photography.

Image Credit: Bryne Hobbs, Copyright 2010, www.fourgphotography.com

The Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt

Hello Universe!

This Saturday, August 14th,  I will be launching The Great Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt. Now you're probably wondering, "What the hell is a Google Buzz Scavenger Hunt?" This is a contest that challenges its participants to go out into the world and photograph (or film) their adventures. Once they've documented each challenge, contestants will be asked to upload their photos/videos onto Google Buzz and get the community buzzing.

The contest will begin on Saturday, August 14th, 2010 @ 12:00am (Pacific Time) and will run until Friday, August 20th, 2010 @ 11:59pm. On August 14th ten (10) challenges will be released on YouTube and Google Buzz which contestants will have seven (7) days to complete.

For this contest you will need three things:

1. A Google Account (with access to Buzz & YouTube)
2. A digital camera / camcorder (or camera phone) with photo and video capabilities.
3. A sense of adventure!

Once each challenge has been completed, upload your photos and videos and share them on Google Buzz. Tell people about your experiences with each challenge (what you did, who you met, what you saw, etc) and get a discussion going. The more creative the better!

Once you have started your discussion on Buzz, e-mail the link to buzzscavengerhunt@gmail.com and it will be reviewed by our volunteer judges. Entries will be judged based on creativity, originality and the entry's general sense of fun. A Grand Prize Winner will be announced on F4st3r Th4n L1ght & Buzz during the week of August 23rd, 2010. The Grand Prize Winner will will one of three prizes, courtesy of DoctorMoo's Etsy Shop:

1. Plush Bo-bomb
2. Plush TARDIS
3. Kirby Scarf (Women's)

A Google Sites page will be created at the end of the contest, compiling all submissions. If you have any questions before or during the contest, please feel free to contact buzzscavengerhunt@gmail.com.

Don't forget to spread the word: Tweet, Buzz, Blog and Tumbl to your <3's content! Grab your camera, get ready to start shooting and prepare for a wild ride!

Question of the Week: Case of the Mondays

Have you ever had a really bad start to your week? I have. Today, in fact. It was just one of those days where nothing seemed to go right and most of the day I left with an aching pain in my stomach. Definitely not the way to start off the work week. I did, however, manage to survive. So now I want to know:

What happened to your on your worst Monday, and do you look back at it with horror or laughter?

NASA: Solar Flares

On August 1st, 2010 solar activity increased dramatically causing intense Northern Lights over much of the northern hemisphere. Unfortunately most of Winnipeg was covered in heavy cloud which prevented me from getting a good view, but luckily NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) was able to capture some breath-taking views of the solar event and the impact it had on the sun's surface.


This image in particular is an ultraviolet shot of the sun captures a perfect view of a coronal mass ejection in the top left hand corner. The Solar Dynamics Observatory's website contains dozens of up-to-date images of the sun so that you can keep track of all this amazing solar activity.

Did you have a chance to see the Northern Lights where you were this past week?

Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA

Friday Feature: Super Mario RPG

Do you have a video game that you remember playing in childhood that you absolutely love, even to this day?

For me, that game is Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Super Mario RPG was released for the SNES in 1996 and is by far the SNES game I adore more then any other. What game allows you to play Princess Peach and use a Frying Pan as a weapon? None.

The game features a wide mix of playable characters (Mario, Princess Toadstool and Bowser) including two game specific characters Mallow and Geno. Mallow is an adorable cloud healer, who believes himself to be a tadpole, Geno is a lovable spirit animating a little child's toy doll.

Like all Mario games, the storyline is simple but all together enjoyable. The combat system is turn based and easy to pick up, and as mentioned above, you get to wield a kick-ass Frying Pan (amid a host of other weapons). All-in-all, Super Mario RPG is an awesome game and a treat for any casual gamer.

In 2008, Nintendo released Super Mario RPG on the Wii's virtual console, which has allowed me to relive my love for this game. I think I might just play through it this weekend. Wish me luck in my quest for the Seven Stars!

NASA: Antennae Galaxies

Have you ever wondered what two galaxies colliding would look like?

Now you know! This composite image was recently released by NASA and shows two massive galaxies (approx 62 million light years away) that are in the process of merging. The image is composed of various types of images (X-Ray, Infrared and standard Optical) and were captured by three different sources. This beautiful display was captured over the course of five days between 1999 and 2002.

For more on these stellar bodies (NGC 4038 & NGC 4039) check out the Chandra X-Ray Observatory's website.

Image Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/J.DePasquale; IR: NASA/JPL-Caltech; Optical: NASA/STScI

NASA: Spitzer Beauty

Ah, Spitzer, how I love you.

NASA's Image of the Day has released a new image from the Spitzer Space Telescope, this time with a view of the Orion Nebula. This area of the nebula is filled with budding stars and what we can interpret as growing solar systems. Perhaps one of those stars will allow of the creation of a planet similar to ours and a millenia from now they will be looking up into the heavens with their own Spitzer, trying to unravel the mysteries of space.

Isn't it just amazing?

For a hilarious, yet informative, look at the Spitzer Space Telescope check this video starring Felicia Day.




Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Question of the Week: YouTube

YouTube has been called a pioneer in development of online video as a new visual medium.It serves to entertain, inform and is supportive of both the creative process and it's own growing community. Millions of users watch thousands of user creative videos each day ranging from news stories to vlogs and and from how-to videos to musical parodies. When it comes to online video, YouTube is the place to go.

So that begs the question, is online user generated content the way of the future?

PhillyD's online news show has over 1 million subscribers and is now downloadable as a podcast on iTunes, making it one of the largest sources of online news in the world. Other shows such as The Guild and Jake & Amir growing daily, the belief that non-traditional, non-Hollywood programming can succeeed becomes more and more powerful. But then again, it could just be a fad like the internet...

Do you think YouTube is the way of the future?

A Weekend Away

Thank the Powers That Be for Long-Weekends.

Josh and I recently decided to use some of our vacation time this year to make ourselves a bit of a long weekend in July and possibly get away. We realized the last time we had gotten away was back in 2006 when we went to visit Heather in Montreal. We considered flying somewhere, but then recalled that I had not yet got my passport...and so the decision was made to drive up to Gimli for the weekend.

We packed ourselves up and left early Saturday morning. Our route there was a little round-about, taking us through some small towns and on some majorly slow highways. At one point traffic came to a complete stop, and as we wondered why we noticed a turkey standing on the side of the road, staring up at traffic. I was so stunned I completely forgot to grab my camera and snap a picture. After our wildlife encounter we made our way to Winnipeg Beach for their Boardwalk Days. We checked out some of the merchants and little shops and Josh reminisced about the little town where he spent most of his summers as a kid.

We got to Gimli by about noon and decided to wander the town. We grabbed some food and ended up meeting up with Michelle and her family who had come to Gimli for the day. Michelle's uncle has an adorable Jack Russel tarrier named Daisy who we got to spend some time with - she even got Josh to carry her for a bit. She's an awfully cute dog, but damn is she spoiled! Later on we checked in, enjoyed the beach for a little bit and got ourselves some dinner.

Our room was pretty nice. We had a balcony with a view of the beach, a nice little kitchenette and had a separate livingroom. It was a nice area to lounge around in after another walk around town and some swimming that first evening.

Day Two was packed to the brim with activities...and while awesome, was completely exhausting. We started our day with breakfast (there was an amazing bakery in town with everything from breads to cakes, cookies and éclairs. Mmmmmmmm!) and then went out to enjoy the sunshine on the beach. Seagulls had claimed the beach-front early in the morning, but were slowly driven away by tourists coming to enjoy the sand and sun. We lounged in the sun for a while and eventually decided to rent some kayaks and go out onto the lake. Man did I wish my camera was waterproof!

Paddling around the lake was a lot of fun and I think both Josh and I want to do that again. I haven't been canoeing in ages, and this totally reminded me of that. Next time I'll bring a water safe camera, I promise. :-) With our kayaking adventure behind us, we grabbed some lunch and went for a hike.


Disaster. 100%. Before leaving on our trip we had looked up some hiking trails nearby, unfortunately researching did not prepare us for the horrors that we would encounter. Armed with bug spray and sunscreen, we went on our merry way, only to find the trails flooded and filled with mud. Not only that, but most of the hiking trails we came across were overgrown and scary looking. At one point we even reached a dead end...the trail just stopped. WTF?

We tried hiking on two trails around Camp Morton, an old Catholic camp built in the 1920's and 30's. The grounds around the camp were well maintained and we checked out a few of the structures (including a water-tower which Josh attempted to lift and take home with us). While the camp was nice, the trails surrounding it were complete and epic fail.

During our journey into untamed woods, Josh began to hone his tracking skills. He sensed nearby prey and began to lock in on his target. We found some pretty cool looking deer tracks along the trail, in the tiny portion that wasn't completely made out of mud and knee high grass. I definitely was not made for country life.

After some icecream and another refreshing swim we went and grabbed dinner. The rest of the day was spent wandering the town and taking photographs, relaxing in the hotel room and watching some movies. By the time night rolled around we were both exhausted. Despite the fact that I'm still sick and coughing, sleep certainly came easily Sunday night. Zzzzzzzzz....

The next morning saw another delicious pastry filled breakfast, a visit to a tea shop and our journey home. We managed to make it home in about half the time that it took to get to Gimli and came home and basically crashed. Josh, Michelle and I all set up Diablo II on our computers and just vegged out for the evening. All in all I must say I had a pretty awesome and relaxing long weekend. Great weather and great company - who could ask for more? :-)

The Joys of Home Ownership

I've owned my house for 2 years now, and just as I begin to feel reasonably settled the rug gets pulled out from under me once again. Anyone who has sen my place can attest to the fact that when I lived alone the place was much too massive for me alone. For the past 2 years I've been living in a 5 bedroom house, with over half of the house never even being touched. I would generally only ever venture into the basement when I would have to do laundry once a week and even to this day one of the bedrooms is just a storage room...

Luckily all of that began to change once Josh and Michelle moved in a few weeks ago. With Michelle living in the basement I find myself travelling down there more often to visit her in her cave, and just to hang out in the rec room. Last night I was headed down into the laundry room with Josh (to do laundry of course) to find the floor covered in water.

Yep, that's right, my hot water tank has died...

I knew when I got the place that the hot water tank wasn't brand new, but I was hoping it wouldn't go just yet. We were just fortunate that we happened to go downstairs and discover it before any major damage was done. We've booked someone today to come replace the tank, and the water (and gas) have both been shut down. Yay for no water damage!

Unfortunately it ended up making a total mess of my plans for the evening. I'm just grateful nothing was damaged or destroyed by the biblical flooding in the basement. I just feel awful that Michelle and Josh have been here less than a month, and they already get to join in on the joys of home owning. At least now I won't have to worry about replacing the hot water tank for a long time. :)

Question of the Week: Video Games

Yesterday, Josh and I pre-ordered our copies of the much anticipated Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty. I've been a fan of the Starcraft universe for years and while I am still secretly hoping that Blizzard has Starcraft: Ghost hiding somewhere, I know that this will just have to satisfy my needs. (Ghost, sadly will be lost to the void forever). Starcraft comes out July 27th, and unfortunately I don't have any vacation time to take around then, but oh well, I'll make the best out of the time I have. While I can't say that Starcraft is my favourite game of all time it is certainly high on the list.

So, what is your favourite videogame of all time, and why?

Canada Geese

Josh, Michelle and I were on our way home yesterday and ran into a flock of Canadian Geese! At first we thought it was just a few but they just kept coming. In total we saw a group of 3 or 4 dozen geese climb out of a nearby ditch, cross the road and make their way to a nearby median while looking for food. They were quite cute and I couldn't resist snapping a picture.

Click to see the full-sized image.

Question of the Week: Faster-Than-Light

Each science fiction novel/show/film has it's own way of allowing it's characters to get from point A to point B in a reasonable time-frame. We generally call any form of travel such as this Faster Than Light (FTL). Some of the most common forms of FTL transportation include:

1) Warp Drive (Star Trek, Starcraft)
2) Jump Drive (Battlestar Galactica, Wing Commander, Dune)
3) Hyperdrive (Star Wars, Andromeda, Babylon 5, Stargate)
4) Wormholes (Farscape, Stargate, Star Trek)

While we are many decades, if not centuries away from being able to travel at or beyond the speed of light, it is nice to dream. So, which of these forms of FTL space travel to you feel is the most plausible, or what other alternative do you believe man-kind will one day possess?

Question of the Week: Doctor Who

As part of my endeavor to blog about the sci-fi/tech/gaming world I will be posting a question each week here on FTL and to my Buzz and Twitter for discussion (maybe FB too if I'm feeling generous).  I welcome discussion, comments, opinions and random insights. Enjoy!

With Matt Smith's first series as The Doctor complete, I wonder how many people have been won over by his portrayal as the Doctor. So this week I ask:

Doctor Who fans, who is your favourite Doctor, and why?

nCO2 + nH2O -> (CH2O)n + nO2

This image recently appeared on the Abstruse Goose webcomic entitled "World View." I love the little rabbit enjoying his carrot. Enjoy!

"What do you around here to stave off the self-harm?"

Let me begin by first mentioning that The Guild, Season 4 is scheduled to begin airing on July 13th, 2010. Do not, I repeat, do NOT miss it. I'm pretty psyched about it, especially with how Season 3 ended.

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The bulk of this entry, however, will not discuss the amazing-ness of The Guild, but about the beginning of the Series finale of Doctor Who that aired this past Saturday.

Anyone who knows me will be well aware of the fact that I enjoy science-fiction. I grew up watching Star Trek, I absolutely adore Battlestar Galactica and most of my favourite movies would certainly fall in the realm of sci-fi. Recently though, Doctor Who has been the only sci-fi show that I've followed with any sort of regularity.

With Michelle's help, Josh and I have recently watched all of the "NuWho" (Christopher Eccelston and David Tennant) and considering I haven't watched any Who since old Tom Baker reruns, I was pretty impressed. I love how the show has developed into long season long story arcs (the main reason why I love BSG, Buffy, Angel, etc). Between Eccelston and Tennant I have to stay I am definitely a Tennant fan; purely because of his expressions and how passionate he was as The Doctor.

In terms of companions, I absolutely loved Rose, and I think she will be forever my favourite companion. Martha was just, well, pointless, and Donna I hated from the start. Donna Noble eventually grew on me, but I could never really get over the bad taste in my mouth from her first episode, "The Runaway Bride."

With the new series, I found myself apprehensive about Matt Smith taking over the role of The Doctor. He, too, has grown on me however and I will still be a die-hard Tennant fan. As Michelle said, Matt Smith is great because he's a very "alien Doctor." He's insanely brilliant, but really has no idea how our world works. This series companion, Amelia Pond, is by far one of my favourite companions and runs a close second behind Rose. I love her attitude and I am generally invested in her storyline. It is likely the child version of Amy that truly endeared the character in my heart.

Overall, I've enjoyed this series of Doctor Who. There have been so weird episodes (wtf Rainbow Daleks?), but all-in-all I would rate the season as pretty awesome. I've certainly found that the season has gotten better as it's gone along. Part one of the finale aired this past week and I thought it was great how the story involved past characters and events through-out the season. The cliff-hanger was a great way to end the episode...but, I must admit I miss the days of the Trek cliff-hangers.

One season ends...and you have to wait three months to find out what the hell happened. There was none of this "oh, at least we'll find out next week." No, it was three months. Or in the case of Battlestar, over a year...and each cliffhanger was just as much "WTF?!" as the last. That being said, I am looking forward to this Saturday.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to enjoy some Fish-Custard.