Back from Adventure

Whenever I go overseas I am always initially irritated by the people who moan about things. Things are so easy overseas compared to South Africa and these people take it for granted. They don’t know what it is like to really have reason to moan about something. Then I start thinking to myself that South Africans are so tough because our country is so rough. We’re so used to the way we live our lives in this crime ridden, distrustful, corrupt place, that we see it as normal and think our behaviour is just fine. My overseas trip, half way across the world to Vancouver, and back again via Paris and London, was an absolute pleasure. I loved it. The sense of freedom in overseas cities is amazing. It frees my soul. Not once during the month I was away, did I feel any sort of anxiety over anything. Nor was I harassed by anyone. Everything was so easy. I get back to my own country and I am harassed and victimised in the airport! I feel like swearing. It is unacceptable. It makes me so angry and yet so sad. I wonder how many tourists will be harassed when they visit this country. The shacks everywhere, beggars on the side of the road, taxi wars, etc. are not charming. It is a problem that this country as a collective should fix. Spending the last few days constantly harassed when I stop my car at robots (traffic lights) and being searched in a disrespectful manner every time you take your bag with you into a shop, just makes me think that the greater problem in this country is the mentality that is bread. It’s revolting. It’s disgusting and people should be ashamed.

I’m sad to start my blog entry this way but I didn’t plan to come home from a wonderful trip and be victimized in my own country, and so I needed to say what I feel.

Now, back to the trip. I will get to everything I want to say about my trip (sometime this year still!) and I am especially keen to talk about the wonderful Stargate convention.

The Stargate franchise is worrying me and Rob Cooper’s lack of wanting to address the issues doesn’t put me at ease. Obviously he has the right to do so, but it makes me believe that things are not going down well behind the scenes. I am a huge Atlantis fan so I’d like to stick to Atlantis things for the most part. I know that the “discharge” of Corin Nemec on SG-1 turned out to not be a pleasant experience. The same has turned out to be true for Rainbow Sun Francks’ exit from Atlantis. Now we have Paul McGillion’s character Dr Carson Beckett “dead” with no apparent good reason, and Torri Higginson reduced to recurring status. We also have Amanda Tapping joining the Atlantis cast full time. Nothing against Amanda, but I don’t think the character belongs there. How about Jewel Staite replacing Paul McGillion’s character? To use a quote from a Canadian show: “People are not interchangeable like snow mobile parts.” The show runners wouldn’t dare change the cast in SG-1’s youth but they think it is OK to do so for Atlantis? I missed the screening of the Atlantis episode Sunday that sees the demise of Carson Beckett but from what I have heard and read it was not well received. Killing off the most loved characters normally isn’t a good thing. Then to have Elizabeth violently thrown across the gate room in the last episode of the season was actually just bordering on cruel and shocking. It’s not “dark” or necessary, it is just cruel. Seeing that and also Paul’s thank you and good-bye video for the Save Carson Beckett rally, made me cry. Having met Torri, I can tell you she is wonderful. I am going to be exceptionally pissed off if David Hewlett’s screen time is reduced. I have seen the last episode of SG-1 and it is interesting that the story is what it was but I wonder if the movies are going to do it justice and if continuity will be maintained. Also, the details of the third series of the Stargate franchise are worrying. I hope they know what they are doing. I hope this isn’t one of those things that carry on when they should have just ended on a high. So far I’m getting annoyed and unimpressed. Things sound a mess behind the scenes and they’re starting to look a mess on screen. Martin Gero seems to have penned most of these horrid episodes. Who is wondering if this is his fault?

I do want to thank the people at Creation for the wonderful convention. All the guests were wonderful and the fans were great too. This is the first convention I have ever been too, and aside from being very exhausting, everything went well and I would gladly go to another convention. So, I will be saving up for 2009, and hopefully the franchise will prove it is a legend. I am grateful to the Stargate people at Bridge Studios for the set tours. The sets were amazing and I loved the experience and it shows me how much magic goes into the shows and what a great job everyone does. Watching some videos at the con covering 10 years of SG-1 makes you realize what a phenomenon this franchise is and what a privilege it is to be involved with it.

I would also like to thank David Hewlett and Co for coming to the con and especially for organising the Vancouver screenings of A Dog’s Breakfast. The movie was very good. Make more David! I hope Jane and David’s wedding plans go well. They’re lovely. And happy birthday to David for Wednesday 18 April! Have some cake! And bring on Starcrossed the TV series!

I need to ask the fans for some details:
• Does anyone know the official way to contact Torri Higginson and Paul McGillion?
• Anyone have their own sites with photos from the Vancouver Stargate Convention?
• How can I get more information on the episode Sunday (I will only be able to see it when I buy the DVD)?

I need to put up some photos and change the links, so I’ll get to all of that in time. I’ll put on some new links and take off those that have expired or are no longer useful. The photo of me is from the SGC and the expression on my face says it all!
Check out www.savecarsonbeckett.com

Of all the shows I watched overseas that this country doesn’t have yet, I was most impressed with Jeff Goldblum in Raines. Get it SA television!

There are adverts on the TV in Canada that promote tourism in their own country. There is a song that is sung for the Ontario adverts but it says what I feel about Vancouver: “There’s no other place like this / There is no other place like this for me”. I’ve left my heart in Vancouver.

Later…