BEDA Day 6: On the Road Again

Hello my dearest blog readers! I come to you from another hotel. This one is actually in Tennessee.*

Today while I was sitting in the car, Luke introduced me to a game that he made up. The rules are that you add "Liz" to a word in each text we send. That game resulted in this twitter thread:

We find this to be hilarious. I hope you do, too.

Other things that happened today: Not much. I got my camera back and proceeded to film some stuff on the road. Later, when I am home, I will probably compile that into a video of sorts for your brain.

On Monday I will begin preparations to leave for school. I still have some shopping around to do, and some last minute things to find. I'm racking my brain trying to remember where I put my calculator. All these things must be done before I leave in less than 2 weeks.

I think I will leave today's blog at that.

With many miles to traverse,
Maggie


*I thought the last hotel we stayed in was in Tennessee. But it was in Mississippi.

BEDA Day 5: #nopants

Yesterday, as I sought a topic to discuss, several of my friends suggested that I talk about our collab channel on YouTube. "But guyysssss," I intoned whine-ily (as much over Skype as I could manage). "Most people who read my blog already KNOW about it. And it's just us who cares about what we make. We make it for each other, blah blah blah." Something to that effect, anyway.

But I think that when I eventually did post my blog, several of them were disappointed to see that it was not, in fact, about our beloved channel. Or, perhaps more accurately, they were disappointed not to see something about themselves on my [infamous] blog. Ahem.

So today's blog will be entirely dedicated to the members of HashtagNoPants, the up-and-coming YouTube channel run by 8 of the bestest internet friends (with occasional appearances from other internet friends who are also bestest and whatnot).

In February (the 23rd, to be exact), one Luke Merren was in YourPants, the nerdy social networking site. As he browsed the forums, he saw newly-made Nerdfighting friends talking about making collaborative YouTube channels (more commonly called "collabs").

As a bearded man (all bearded men have secret wisdom), he thought it would be an excellent idea to start a collab of his own. He already had the friends to work with, it was just a matter of asking who was interested. And where do you go for such inquiries as this? Twitter.

Twitter quickly informed him that the pizza-loving, herp-derping Celerine Dijon (or Celine, for short) was VERY much interested in this project. Soon afterward, Maria-- who has exceptional taste in music-- joined in the collab conga line.

But what are three people when there is so much room for love and friendship under one YouTube domain? No, three would not do. After much wrangling and many an @reply on Twitter, Amelia the Lamb, Paige Barrowman, Angela (who is not always a microphone), and myself had joined in the collaborative ruckus.

The following night we arranged a Skype meeting, in order to set some rules and guidelines for the newly founded "hashtagnopants." And also to fight for who got to upload on what day. If you have been paying attention and are proficient in the mathematical art of addition, then you will notice that there were 7 people in this group. This meant that there would be one video each day of the week, an arrangement with which some people were... hesitant. That is a lot of videos.

I do not know whether it was by chance or design, but Nick Bihm, the doctor and penguin-love-enabler, logged onto skype that night. As Luke was heretofore the only male species in the group, Bihm's shy request to join was eagerly accepted, and he became the 8th and last member of Hashtagnopants.

After much yelling and arguing and figuring and refiguring, it was ultimately decided that we would make videos on a biweekly schedule. This afforded all of us twice as much time to work on videos (which would, in theory, mean that they would be more quality), and it also gave an excuse to use the word "fortnight."

As it stands, the cycle works like this:

The last Friday of a cycle has been reserved as a "Challenge Friday." Challenges are set by each of the members of the channel, who are known as Wardrobe Masters. The first challenge was set by Celine (Alpha Monday). The second was set by Luke (Alpha Tuesday), etc.

On Casual Fridays, anybody can post anything they like. It is a free-form day for us to use in whatever way we please. A certain Nicholas Bihmerson and I had planned and scripted a video to post on a Casual Friday MONTHS ago. It is a very good video, and some day I hope to see it. Nick, this is not the only thing you are allowed to comment on in my comment box. You've been warned.

As far as collabs go, I think hashtagnopants is highly successful. I've heard rumors from the other Wardrobe Masters that our subscriber count has gone over 100 now, but I honestly could not care less. When I make a video to post on this channel, I think of 7 people.

... plus Rachel, Nikki, Liz, Whimsy, Dustin... okay, so I think of more than 7 people. But the point it that I think of my friends. I make my videos for them. This channel is not to jump on the collab bandwagon, it's to make videos for and with each other. Because that is what big old YouTube nerds do.

With love,
Maggie

BEDA Day 4: Stability?

Today's blog will be short and perhaps a little bit annoying. I am finding it hard to think of something to talk about. This is partially because the television is on, and I am TERRIBLE at doing anything when something is playing. But it is also because I feel stuck.

As you know, I am in Florida at the moment (here is a video I posted yesterday with some of my beach shenanigans). But really, all I want is to be home. In a mere 12 days, I'll be moving to Iowa for the beginning of the school year. I've never lived anywhere besides the house we currently occupy and call home. And I am going to miss it. I'm going to miss my family, and my cat. I'm going to miss my bed, and my privacy.

What I really want right now is to be home, while it is still my home. At the moment I feel like I am in limbo, and I need some sort of stability right before I make a huge leap into the next huge part of my life. The beach is not stable. There are too many waves, I can't stand up in them. Plus, there was totally a dead bird among the seaweed while I was swimming today, and I just don't want to deal with that level of emotional trauma.

With homesickliness,
Maggie

BEDA Day 3: A Story

Hello my dearest blog readers! I am blown to pieces and bits of fluff by your kind (and numerous, my gosh!) response to my half-hearted blog post yesterday. To you I respond: Thank you! But I can be so much weirder. Here is a link to an INCREDIBLY WEIRD questionnaire I did on facebook a year ago. Add me if we aren't already friends (but only if you comment! Otherwise I won't recognize your name).

In today's blog post, I am going to tell you a story. As some of you may remember, last year at the beginning of BEDA I was in Minnesota. Many of you may recall that my posts there were centered on the shenanigans my family got up to. Well, the exact same thing is going to happen today. Please prepare yourself for a story.

Two nights ago my family stayed in a hotel in Mississippi (which I thought was Tennessee until the next morning). My parents had one room, and my sisters and myself had another one down the hall. The three of us were walking to my parents room when we saw a hotel staff person exit my parents' room. When he saw us he laughed and said, "We were just talking about you!" My sisters and I nervously giggled and averted our eyes.

When we knocked on our parents' door, my dad opened it, saw us, and laughed. Then he began to tell us this story:

"Earlier I was expecting you girls to show up at the door, so when I heard a knock I walked over and said in a deep demonic voice, 'Who is it?' Your mom said, in shock, 'Honey... I think that is the manager...' So I opened the door, and this poor guy was standing there with a terrified look on his face. I started laughing and explained that I had been expecting my daughters, not him. Apparently he had never felt that threatened before."

I imagine that the manager, after being scared by my dad, was expecting three LITTLE girls. So when three teenaged ones walked up... well, he just learned sooner than most people that my family is weird.

With a video to make,*
Maggie


*A video for the collab channel I'm in, for those of you in the dark. It's me and 7 of some of my bestest internet friends. We think we are quality, but if you don't, we won't be offended. The videos are for ourselves and our other friends who aren't part of the channel.

BEDA Day 2: Questionnaire

What’s your name? 

I go by a lot of names. It seems that every person who meets me comes up with a new name for me. They include:

Margaret, my given name. It is the name that appears on my birth certificate. It is official and whatnot.

Maggie: my given nickname. It is the only name I went by for many many years of my life. 

Mags: a name that, for many years, I only let my family call me.

Marge: I hated this name passionately, but now I like it.

Magatha: At least 3 of my friends have independently of each other come up with this nickname. 

Margo: A little troll named Luke came up with this name for me. Apparently my own name was not good enough for him, and so he had to replace it with this, and then proceed to get all of my internet friends to call me Margo, as well.

That's enough for now. 

How old are you?

At the moment I am 18, but next month I'll turn 19. I know, I am such a big girl. 

How long have you been blogging? (Or is this your first try?)

I have been blogging since last August, so for a year. Although I was not very consistent during this past year at updating. No excuses, I just wasn't. 

How did you come up with your blog’s name?

It was my youtube username, which I came up with in a moment of woeful lack of creativity. I am not very fond of it. 

What’s your Hogwarts House?

I am a Ravenclaw! But I am also a Hufflepuff. I am about 50/50.

What do you like to read?

Uhhhhhhhh, books? Sometimes. And math problems. Those are delicious. Also, my friends' blogs. And twitter. Just things. I like reading.

What do you like to watch?

Paint drying.

What’s the best song you listened to today?

You are lucky that I even listened to music today. I sometimes go days without listening to music. But today the best song I listened to was probably... Addicted to Love by Florence and the Machine.

Have you done anything really fun recently?

WELL SINCE YOU ASKED! I went to VidCon this past weekend! It was amazing, I loved seeing those of my internet friends that I got to see. They are amazing and I miss them greatly. 

In addition to BEDA, are you doing any other awesome things in August?

Yes! I am moving to Iowa for the next 9 months. On the 16th I move into my dorm room and start a grand adventure of learning and such like. 

Anything else you’d like to add?

Only that I apologize for this shoddy blog. I arrived at Florida late this afternoon and spent some time at the beach. I plan on taking it easy the rest of the evening, which is why there was little effort put into this blog. I PROMISE that the rest of my blog will be QUALITY and INTERESTING and BETTER THAN THIS. 

With questionostiy,

Maggie

BEDA Day 1: The VidCon Recount

At the moment, I am sitting in my dad’s minivan on some highway in Missouri. Or perhaps it is Arkansas now… I’m not entirely sure.

At 6:30 this morning, my mom called up to my room and woke me up so I could pile into this vehicle with my family and spend 12 hours driving. We are on the 5^th hour right now, so there is quite a long time left to go. I figured, though, that talking about VidCon would take a long time, and am thus getting an early start. If you will kindly continue reading, you will discover whether or not I was able to collect my thoughts in a coherent and interesting manner.

VidCon: The week before

Before VidCon, Celine came to stay a week at my house. All weekend we kept it a secret, nearly dying when we wanted to share our hysterical exploits on Twitter, and on Sunday night we posted this video. It was strange to have Celine at my house all week, only in that it wasn’t strange at all. If that makes sense. She was really the first internet friend that I had met in person, and it calmed the nerves I’d had that it would be awkward or bad or that my friends wouldn’t like me as much in real life.

VidCon: En Route

On Thursday afternoon, Celine and I finished packing and then blasted music and danced, because I needed to work off some of my antsy energy. Waiting was agonizing, because I knew that there were just a few mere hours between me and some of my best friends.

At 1 in the afternoon, my dad came home to take us to the airport. We got there and snuck through security without hazard, but our flight had been delayed by 40 minutes. So we sat and listened to Celine’s iPod: Ministry of Magic, Starship soundtrack, etc. When we eventually boarded the plane and ascended however many dizzying feet into the air, Celine pulled out her laptop and we watched Anastasia. For the next couple hours I had one line from Rasputin’s song stuck in my head, and at random times I’d burst out singing, “In the dark of the night, the creatures will find you! Ooh-waa-ooh!”

When we landed at LAX, we walked toward baggage claim, which was where the shuttle we were taking also claimed to be (see what I did there?)* Soon we boarded the shuttle, which already had three other adolescents. I entertained the idea that they were VidCon people, but decided not to ask. Within minutes, however, it was completely obvious that they, too, were VidCon bound. They dropped tumblr and twitter terms like it was nobody’s business. They even talked about Vondell Swain. Definitely nerdfighters.

At one point, the conversation in the general shuttle called for everyone to turn and look at something, and as I turned back, I was shocked to see that not only had these people been talking ABOUT Vondell Swain, they were talking TO him. I turned forward again and smiled to myself. So this is what going to an internet conference is, eh? You ride on a shuttle with people who make t-shirts and postcards for notable names in nerdfighteria, and thusly become notable themselves. But then I kind of made an idiot of myself by trying to crack a joke about a smurf, and he just didn’t think it was funny.**

Upon arrival at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Celine and I beelined for the check-in desk (and by beelined, I mean looked around very confused trying to figure out which desk was the FRONT one).

As soon as we checked in and got on the elevator, Hank Green rushed on behind us. He turned to us and the few other people and uttered a deliciously awkward “Hey guysss…” accompanied by a sheepish smile. A moment later, Dave Days walked on, and Hank said, “Oh! I’d just been looking for you!” We went up a couple of floors, they chatted, exited, and were replaced by Dan Brown. I felt like I was in some sort of weird joke. I texted Luke to tell him, and he thought I WAS joking. But I wasn’t. This was all very real. I was at VidCon. After months and months of anticipation, I was finally, actually, physically, and excitedly there.

VidCon: Thursday night

It was a long time before I saw any of my friends, much too long. They had arrived a lot earlier than me and Celine, and had gone to the Contour show at a library. But we did see Diana, who scared the bejeezus out of me by sneaking up on us and glomping Celine, which nearly barreled her into me as I was focused on sending a text.

For the next few hours, Celine and I hung out by the pool talking while being mad at the others for going to the Contour and getting stuck there without a bus to take back. But we finally met up with them in the lobby. I cannot say how elated I was to finally see them. After months of being friends with someone, a hug is so long overdue.

There is absolutely no way for me to write down everything that happened this past weekend, nor for me to express how great it was to just BE with these people. I wasn’t at VidCon to follow around my favorite youtubers, to get pictures, or ask for autographs. I was there to be with some of the best friends a silly undeserving girl could ask for, and to experience it all with them. Experience ALL the things.

Love you: those at VidCon, those at noCdiV, and everyone in between.

Maggie <3

*I should just learn to let a joke be.

**The seeming irrelevance of this joke is played up to make myself look like more of an idiot, but also to spare you the time of reading the entire explanation. I promise, it wasn’t terribly irrelevant or weird.

I'm on a Plane

Running on I do not even know how NOT many hours of sleep, my mind starts to do weird things. For example:

On the plane ride home from VidCon, I had dozed off as we soared above the clouds (the view was majestic; the voluminous cumulonimbus clouds were bright and full, like palaces in the sky). I woke up in the nick of time* because the nice man passing out snacks had just given my row their peanuts and pita chips, and he was kind enough to notice I'd woken up and was looking blearily horrified at him, thinking that I had stupidly missed my precious window of snacking opportunity.

After I happily ate my airline snack (and had carefully stowed the smaller peanut wrapper inside the pita chip wrapper), I decided to take in my surroundings. I noticed that drink orders were being taken, but this looked like a laborious process, and I was not too much bothered that it seemed like I would have to wait a long while for my own drink. I turned my gaze to the front of the cabin, where one of the (incredibly nice) flight attendants was standing, almost blocking the entrance to what I assumed was the bathroom, since I'd seen passengers go in there and I KNOW I didn't get on a flight that lets people fly the plane in the cockpit (I asked).

But as she stood there looking around, I found myself theorizing about all of the reasons she could be standing there, almost as a sentry. Maybe the bathroom was out of commission, so she had to stand guard and turn away everyone who tried to go in. Or maybe there was a threat on the plane. After all, her darting glance from passenger to passenger seemed to be rather concerned. Or maybe...

As I was fabricating the next wild scenario, her gaze turned on me. I suddenly felt that she knew I must be onto something. Or maybe she would be offended that I was staring at her, I don't know. The point is that my first instinct when I had been caught was to slink low into my chair so she couldn't see me.

Then-- and this is the part where you know for sure that I hadn't slept more than 60 minutes in the past 26 hours-- I slowly peeked over the top of the chair. Had she still been looking, she would have seen first the top of my messy I-just-danced-all-last-night-and-then-didn't-sleep-or-shower-lol hair, then my forehead an agonizing moment later... then my eyebrows, furrowed in concentration... and finally the top of my glasses and a crazed stare in my eyes.

I started to imagine that I was a creature on the wild Savannah, and I was stalking my prey. I even began an internal monologue, which went something like this:

The fearsome hunter slowly raised its deadly gaze over the blue plastic canvas foliage concealing it from it's prey.

And then I stopped internally narrating (particularly after I had imagined the blue plastic canvas covering of the airline seats a "natural" habitat) and I started thinking about my life and my choices. I'm an 18 year old girl, college-bound, with high hopes for my future. Yet I am bursting to the brim with odd whims and fancies like pretending to stalk my flight attendant. What does it mean?

Well, I'll be damned if it didn't mean I pulled out a pad of paper and wrote all this down while sipping daintily from the apple juice I requested from the flight attendant. My dears, it is time to start BEDA.

Without sleep,
Maggie


*While I was writing this, I found myself wondering where on earth the phrase "in the nick of time" came from. How does it even make sense? Is Bihm a timelord? Well, the answer to that question is obvious, but it doesn't explain the existence of the phrase, which I will explain.... now! The "nick" part of the phrase refers to a small, precise cut; a nick in your arm, finger or other extremity. Since a "nick" is a small, precise thing, something that happens "in the nick of time" happens in a small, precise time period. The more you know. Back to the top.