Becoming She-Hulk

Basking In The Glow of Victory!

2005-09-06T15:31:00.000-07:00

Guess who I got to meet at Dragon Con? Meeting THE Hulk at the Con before I got dressed up as She-Hulk on Sunday night really helped. Lou Ferrigno was SO sweet and helpful with advice about getting even more lean over time. Just look at his arms... and that's not even in contest shape!
Another fun memory of the weekend was being taken out to dinner with Teresa by a warm, witty bunch of stitchers who not only wore “She-Hulk Fan Club” stickers... they even loaned me the sword I wore in this photo for Saturday!

We started painting me up about 4:30 and by 6:20, I was a bit impatient about reaching the Masquerade check-in for 6:30! Stepping out into the hotel hallway was fun because I sauntered/ strutted off in front of my friends. She-Hulk walks with ATTITUDE, don't you know! I reached up to touch the ceiling because it is SO easy for me to reach... and one of my friends caught this great shot with the camera.

Here's a great close-up of me as She-Hulk while my arm was leaning out against the wall waiting for the touch ups to dry. The wig we went with was just perfect! It was a more hip-hop style than the basic curly black one I got in case, was far more comfortable to wear and we just streaked it with the temporary green dye that kids use for Halloween to give it a bit of a whispy green highlight look. Apparently under the bright stage lights it looked fantastic!

Finally, here is a look at the full effect right before stepping into the elevator to head to the Masquerade. The minute I stepped out of the hotel and started walking up the 2 blocks to the con, the fun started. Lots of people wanted me to stop and pose, but I was so worried that I wouldn't get there by the 6:30 deadline, that I just invited them to the Masquerade instead. One determined fellow jogged further ahead of me and got a few shots and I walked towards him!

I checked in just a few minutes late and needn't have worried. Lots of people continued to straggle in after that. I asked to be fairly close to the front because parts of the green paint were rubbing off just a tiny bit, especially if someone pushed past me hard. I was given number #14 (of 49 entries) and assigned a "Den Mother", who was a really helpful guy, then we waited for our turn to pose for the basic entry photos, taken of each contestant. After that we had to wait until the Masquerade started at 8:00 pm with the Children's portion of the event (numbered before us separately). I was too afraid to sit down on the upholstered chairs in case I lost some of my rump green, so I just stood in place, leaned against a wall or did deep knee bends. I did have to touch up my armpits and elbow creases a bit just before 9pm when they started the grown-ups category.

I was SO nervous and yet exhilarated as I waited on the ramp before my turn. Then, the moment came, I heard the Bonnie Tyler "Holding Out For A Hero" music start, they started to read the bio introduction and the stage manager hissed "Get out there!" so I strutted out on stage. The minute I walked behind the judges and the crowd realized that I towered over Robin Curtis and her fellow announcers, the cheers erupted and screaming started. It was SO cool! I growled, I flexed and I stepped forward a bit into the shadowed area of the front stage to do the double bicep pose... just in case any pink was visible under my arms. I then sauntered over to the muscular host and leaned on his shoulder to stare down at him, pat him on the head and then kiss down onto his bald spot before leaving the stage with a strut and a kiss over the shoulder.

Suddenly, it was all over and I could breathe again. Part of me was SO disappointed not to be able to live longer in that high, but I was also starting to feel a little spinny and thirsty. My Den Mother got clearance for She-Hulk to have a potty break too, but warned me that there would be more photos at the end of the masquerade. My hands were plain under the gloves, but I still got some strange looks washing them at the sink.

We watched the rest of the contest on the big screen TV backstage with all the highs, lows and surprises. Then it came time for the judges to deliberate while they played a cartoon of Duck Dodgers. When the judges and hosts went back out to start the awards portion, my Den Mother suddenly appeared at my elbow and asked me to follow him quietly. He walked towards the end of the room near the entrance to the stage and then grinned at me when he said. "You'll need to be close by!" Suddenly, the announcers were calling out the winner of the Best Comic Book Category and saying my name! What a THRILL!!! I don't remember most of that presentation on stage... it was a blurr of disbelief and rejoicing in what it feels like to not only chase a dream but win!

There was another photo shoot of the winners with their certificates afterwards, some footage shot by some Cable TV guys (which I hope to snag a copy of!) then we waited in line to "run the gauntlet"... a short posing session of each character for fans at the masquerade to take themselves. After that, hunted for Teresa and when we finally found each other and headed back to the hotel, it was almost midnight. We ordered some food and champagne from room service and talked for 2 hours, then grabbed a quick nap before heading to the airport for 4:30 am.

So there is the SAGA of She-Hulk. Thank you to everyone who followed this blog and lived my dream along with me as I counted it down. I won't be doing daily entries here anymore, but will still leave it up, just in case. With all those photos of me floating around from the Con, you never know if Marvel might see one. I'd LOVE to do character appearances for them or something similar. Besides... If I decide to take in Comic Con some year, I may have a new countdown. I can turn 40 next weekend with a big grin on my face. Chasing this dream was AWESOME!

I WON Best Comic Book Character Category!!

2005-09-05T22:56:00.000-07:00

I've had less than 4 hours sleep in the last 48 hours, and for some strange reason, I can't FTP into my website ISP tonight, so the fabulous pictures from DragonCon are going to have to wait until I hear back from their tech support tomorrow. I really wanted to show off how I looked green and the super photo of me meeting Lou Ferrigno when I was in my warrior garb! Hulk meets She-Hulk to be!!

I am sure that after a bit more sleep, I'll be able to write a coherent entry about what a blast it was to walk out of the hotel to the Masquerade in full She-Hulk costume and just watch everyone's jaws drop. Being on stage was fun and a great relief after waiting without being able to sit down for over 3 hours in my white 3 inch heeled go-go boots (I was afraid the make-up would rub off). That alone would have been worth it, but then to win for that category at my very first Con, may just have been the beginning of something!

I'm off to bed... more tomorrow!

2 Days... I'm HERE!!!

2005-09-02T15:36:00.000-07:00

I slept a bit but was wide awake at 3:45 when the alarm went off briefly. I caught a cab to the airport which wasn't too bad since the hadn't completely closed off access to the highway. I got to the airport at 4:30 am, cleared security and took the 6 am flight to Toronto.

Hopefully Nick got back to sleep and neither of the girls woke him too early. I really am lucky to have a husband that has been so supportive of my crazy dream, even if he can't understand why on earth I would want to do this!

Customs was SO busy this morning that I was really glad I had almost 3 hours between flights. The customs officer raised his eyebrows a bit when I explained that I was going to DragonCon for fun... but just wished me a "pleasant trip". Once I got on the plane, I discovered that the woman next to me and the 2 ladies across the aisle were also going to DragonCon! What a hoot!

Atlanta was warm and steamy as we got off the plane and took the long walk/eventually jump on the train ride to the baggage claim area, then 3 of us shared a taxi ride downtown since that was faster and cheaper than the shuttle.

The Hilton is beautiful. We actually pulled into the Marriott and I walked across the street already filling with costumed con goers. The downtown streets of Atlanta are now crawling with Storm Troopers, Goth gypsies, ninja, Jedi and fairies of all kinds. I even passed a crowd of hobbits who did a double take at my height!

I picked up my membership badge and banquet ticket, then found out where they'd moved the Masquerade registration to. I have now officially signed up for Sunday night as She-Hulk, so there's no turning back now. Judging from some of the incredible costumes I've seen in just the past hour, painting myself green is going to be rather on the tame side!

Time to find my partner in crime for the weekend and see if Teresa has arrived yet!

3 days... or is that 2?

2005-09-02T01:09:00.000-07:00

It was right down to the wire! I drove across town tonight, after a tearful bedtime with my youngest, to pick up my finished costume and try the full thing on (minus wig and green paint obviously!). It was AWESOME!!! I cannot wait to wear it on stage Sunday night for the masquerade! If I trusted the green body make-up a bit more, I might actually wear the costume in the hallways too, but I don't want to be leaving an "impression" behind everywhere.

I have my warrior garb to wear in the hallways on Saturday and something fun for the banquet, so that will be enough.

I can't believe that the time has come at last to head for DragonCon! Where did this summer go? The digital camera is packed, so I will take LOTS of pictures, but they won't get posted until I get home. Hopefully the hotel will have computer access so that I can count down right to the end.

Thank you ahead of time to all those who have been reading this adventure and following it along with me. It has been a blast chronicling the countdown, but now it's time to fly!!

4 days... The costume is almost ready!

2005-08-31T23:03:00.000-07:00

I had the van today to run errands with the girls while Nick was at a special meeting for all teachers in the District down in Sackville. He was able to car pool and with the price of gas soaring by almost 17 cents a liter today, that was a good thing!

I managed to find a salon that could squeeze me in for a wax & rip. Tonight, I tried on the costume again after all the alterations that she made to get it to fit just right and things looked AWESOME! I get to pick up the whole kit and caboodle tomorrow night, just in time to throw it in my suitcase and be ready for my early Friday morning flight. The end of our subdivision, where we'd normally cut out to the highway and take the fast route to the airport, will already be cordoned off for security reasons for the Rolling Stones concert! Guess my cab fare to the airport will be a bit higher...

We even got groceries tonight so that I know Nick won't have to go out and about much during the weekend. We had an awesome workout again at the gym tonight and I guess I am about as ready as I will be for Sunday night after our leg workout tomorrow.

I am sure that tomorrow will be full of last minute things, packing and reassuring the kids - Bethany still minds it when I go away.

5 days... who would have thought?

2005-08-31T00:35:00.000-07:00

I can still remember my first con... in Halifax, Nova Scotia during my years at Mount Allison University. A bunch of us who played D&D on the weekends piled into a car and drove 3 hours to be there. As a Fine Arts student, the fact that I could go to a Con and make more than a month's worth of groceries by selling artwork, was thrilling!

I met Marv Wolfman in the hallway of that Con when he stopped me to comment on the fact that he now knew what She-Hulk or Starfire looked like walking down the mall. That comment stuck with me... and in a strange twist of fate, I noticed that he is going to be at Dragon*Con this weekend. Talk about full circle!

I had another costume fitting tonight and we discovered that I've lost another inch through the waist... so even though the scale isn't changing that much, my shape still is. She's still tweaking the fit through the bust, but we practiced a few moves in the costume and the white collar of the Fantastic Four costume doesn't bounce around as much as we worried it might! The muscles looked good in the suit! Tonight I was leaning an arm on the counter and Nick suddenly noticed how defined my tricep was. He even dragged me to the mirror so that I could see! What fun!

I really feel for all the struggles that my costumer has had over the past week and a half. Her son has had more surgery on his hands and luckily it looks as if the leg tendons will repair on their own. I know that somehow the costume will be ready to go with me... we are SO close now.

Gosh... I am getting SO excited about this!! When I first picked this crazy goal over 3 years ago, it was as a way to be sure that I'd keep the weight off for a long haul. How could it suddenly be this weekend? Where has the time gone?

6 days...Will Blond Be More Fun?

2005-08-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

A funny thing happened today at the hairdresser's...I decided that I was tired of the red colour I usually put in my hair before a show to jazz things up a bit and have some fun. I was born blond and got progressively darker as I got into my 20s. After I had kids, my hair lost most of its blond and just went plain brown. For 3 or 4 years, I've toyed with various shades of temporary red rinses... but maybe this approaching 40th birthday is making me bolder than ever.

So here is a look at the blond short hair that I'll be sporting for the next little while. I waited until AFTER the family wedding because I didn't want to show up with any funny dye jobs. Come to think of it, it would have actually worked if my hair had gone a funny green colour!

Erin and Bethany are fascinated, but still mystified. Bethany keeps looking at me and then hugging me to see if I feel the same. By bedtime tonight, she announced that she liked the blond "until it grew back out to normal", so I guess that's about as much approval as I am going to get from my 6 year old.

I also picked up my tickets from the travel agent. They were the only set of e-tickets,receipts and insurance info that I couldn't find in the file from all our travels this summer, but it turns out that I'd booked that trip so long ago, to take advantage of a great price I found, I'd asked them to keep the ticket in the safe so I wouldn't misplace it here in the house!
One more reason to love my new lateral file system. Finding things is MUCH easier.

Am I starting to get excited? You bet! Today's workout was just AWESOME! Now I just need to wrap up a few loose ends before I leave for Atlanta on Friday morning. Hopefully the hotel will have a computer so that I can blog right down to the end!!!

7 days... One week from tonight!

2005-08-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

We arrived home safely and the girls are in bed after a whirlwind weekend in Montebello (between Montreal and Ottawa) for a family wedding. I haven't even unpacked most of our stuff yet and can't believe that one week from tonight I'll be up on stage painted green. Do I remember where I put this set of plane tickets? Will my family survive the Rolling Stones invading Moncton while I am gone? Will the hurricane mess up travel up and down the coast this week?

I had SO much fun meeting new people this weekend who'd never met a woman my height... There were also some friends of the bride who were rather tall yet quite surprised to discover that they were average or short in OUR clan!! We laughed about the different challenges that height, or lack thereof, can pose. We basked in the glowing happiness of the bride and groom. I stocked up on hugs from my brother and sister who both live overseas (London and Lausanne), snuggled my new nephew, tickled my niece and danced past midnight.

It was fun to try the awesome gym equipment and even more satisfying to have people comment on the killer wedding outfit I'd found! The 3 inch heels were a hit too... I can see why She-Hulk refuses to wear flat shoes!

I'm off to bed and hopefully tomorrow's entry will be more coherent!

10 Days... Count Your Blessings!

2005-08-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

I went for my second costume fitting tonight. I was feeling rushed because there was still so much to do before the girls and I get on the plane tomorrow morning for a family wedding in Ottawa. They are so excited, I think their feet barely touch the ground in between leaps and skips.

The minute I walked into my costumer's house, I knew that something was wrong. She looked so pale... As she showed me the costume and explained that she wasn't as far along as she'd hoped, she almost burst into tears. Tuesday night while I'd been there, she was making seafood chowder with her son and his girlfriend when he decided to zip up to Blockbuster to rent a movie. On the way home, someone backed out into the road suddenly, just moments from home, blocking both lanes of traffic. Her son was unable to avoid crashing into the car and flew off his motorbike, smashing his arms and one leg. His hands were also very badly crushed and his right wrist completely dislocated.

I just hugged her and told her how amazed I was that she'd gotten anything done! She then explained that it was good therapy to keep her mind off things between hospital visits.

Her son has had one round of surgery on his right hand and is scheduled for more on his left hand in the next few days, but he is understandably angry at how his life has suddenly been turned upside down. The artist in me just wanted to tuck my hands in my armpits and hide in a corner somewhere. The costume is going to be AWESOME, but how I ache for her son and what she is going through trying to be strong for him.

Life can throw us curve balls when we least expect them. Sometimes when we hear of tragedies, we help however we can. Other times we can only tuck someone in our prayers and say a quick thank you that it didn't happen to us.

We really do have to count our blessings each day instead of list our complaints!

12 days... I Tried On My Costume!

2005-08-24T00:15:00.000-07:00

Here is the image from the John Byrne Graphic Novel that I am basing my She-Hulk Costume on. It's a classic... and not quite as dependent on having killer abs as some of the newer fan art. One of the things that I loved about his version of She-Hulk is that she had muscles, but also hips! She wasn't some skinny mini toothpick... but a 6'7" woman with some oomph to her!

Trying on the rough of my costume today was SO COOL!!! The lady sewing it is a truly talented woman who can invent a pattern from a drawing like this and make it 3-D. We modified it a bit tonight because she discovered I'd lost an inch in the waist area from my original measurements that she had on file. We also checked to make sure that the white yoke part of this costume (easy to draw but more difficult to figure out how to move in) wouldn't move around too much when I flexed.

I go for another fitting on Thursday night before we leave for Ottawa on Friday. I have a wonderful family wedding to look forward to with my 2 girls and she will be able to work on the final details while I am gone before I pick up the completed costume early next week. Yahoo! I guess I don't have to worry about wearing rags!

I did have a slight qualm about that wide white horizontal line when I first tried the costume on. I bet that's why they did away with the classic style costume in the Fantastic Four movie... even Jessica Alba's body would find that wide horizontal line a bit disconcerting! Once I got the boots and gloves on, it looked much better and quite true to this drawing. I can't wait to try it on once all the seams and edges are done. I do have a few pinholes in me tonight from trying to remove pin-adjusted spandex carefully!

Lucky 13??

2005-08-22T23:08:00.000-07:00

13 has always been my lucky number, but today just felt odd. I can't believe there are 13 days to go!

Nick is back at work full time now and today was a full day session for all of the administrators in the school district he works for. By the time he got home at 7:15 pm, neither of us had the energy to go to the gym for a workout. I was busy all day with one large graphics project for a client that needs to get wrapped up ASAP. Instead, we decided to juggle the workouts around so that tomorrow is an all-over one again.

Our garden actually had a wonderful yellow squash ready to enjoy, so I made a huge veggie and shrimp stir-fry for supper with some sushi rice... and then watched the girls pick out all their favourite vegetables.. which certainly did NOT include the yellow squash or the zucchini from the Farmer's Market on Saturday. I used to hate some vegetables as a kid, but I have really learned as an adult that when at least half of my plate is fruit or vegetables, I feel a whole lot better. There are also so many wonderful colours to eat! The kids tease me that sometimes I stare at my plate as if I want to sketch it or photograph it instead of eat it...

That's about it for tonight.

14 days...Out Of The Mouth Of Babes!

2005-08-21T22:41:00.000-07:00

Kids are so incredibly frank and honest...

Yesterday we went up to Shediac to see some friends of ours, Bethany's godparents, who have just bought a cottage and are fixing it up. Their little three year old was totally baffled by both my height and my short hair. She kept saying "You the tallest man!" but then staring in puzzlement at my chest, since I was very obviously had bumps there like her Mommy. We finally explained that women could be both tall and have short hair! What a riot!

Today was my godson's birthday party. He is about 4 months younger than my youngest, Bethany, so she always hits a birthday before him. He celebrated the fact that he will soon be 6 (next weekend while they are away) and invited both our girls to his bowling party. It was fairly quiet when we dropped the girls off. My friend, Karen, insisted that Nick and I have some time to ourselves during the party instead of staying to help, so we took her up on that offer and had some quality couple time.

When we went back to pick them up, it was total bedlam! Again, I was swarmed by a bunch of little kids who looked up at both Nick and I and then over at our girls. "Yup! You're right...they are REALLY tall!" one replied to our girls. There must have been some explaining about why Erin and Bethany are so tall for their age.

Kids notice stuff and comment on things without the many layers that we add as adults and I find that more refreshing somehow that adults who just look startled and unsure of what to say other than "Do you play basketball?" Kids delight in something different and share the wonder in it. I can still remember being in line at one of the Harry Potter movies and having a child in line ask me if Hagrid was my Daddy! I just smiled and replied that my daddy WAS very tall, much taller than me, but that he was thinner than Hagrid and not as fuzzy!

I hope I never completely grow up and lose all my sense of wonder... life would be pretty dull. Look how much fun I'm having at the thought of playing dress-up!

15 days...Everything's falling into place!

2005-08-20T22:03:00.000-07:00

It's funny how the pieces always come together in the end. I was able to talk to a good friend who teaches theatre in the USA last night and make a decision about what make-up to use for painting myself green. Someone had warned me that the water based make-up I'd originally chosen might not handle me sweating on stage for any length of time... but in the long run, it's not as if I have to be green for a whole day or under hot studio lights for hours and hours. Being able to blend two basic types of make-up will give me the look I need without spending Hollywood budget prices to get myself there. This is a dream, but it's not an unlimited budget!

This friend was also able to give me great tips on which type of wig to buy. He pointed out that it was more important to get the right style of wig in black than it was to find the green colour. There are ways of giving a black wig green highlights, which can be washed out later, rather than having green filaments that cannot be styled the way you want.

I guess tonight's blog is really a thank you to all the people who have given me the encouragement and advice along this road that I have needed in order to make this dream a reality. I could not have done this alone... so THANK YOU!!

Only 16 days... I lost count...YIKES!!!

2005-08-19T23:56:00.000-07:00

I guess that I lost count somewhere along the way during our travels. Two weeks from tonight I'll be having supper with my friend Teresa and some wonderful stitchers who love our cross stitch designs. (My kids still think that it is hilarious for Mommy to have fans!) 16 days from tonight, I'll be up on stage painted green...Yikes!!

It felt awesome to get back to the gym today and my whole upper body can vouch for the fact that it was a great workout. I truly love weightlifting in a way that I never took to team sports. Perhaps it is the loner in me who remembers what it was like to always be the last kid picked for teams. Perhaps it is because I am Type A enough to love seeing if I can match or improve on what weights I did the last time. Perhaps I am also narcissistic enough to love watching the evidence of my body being sculpted by my own efforts in the mirrors as I work out. For whatever reason, this has been a real adventure and certainly not something I intend to abandon completely once this is done.

I also discovered the hard way that I am allergic to something that is in the protein powder mixes. At first, I thought it was only a reaction to the whey powder in the newer supplements that I'd bought. I had a rather severe reaction in Charlotte to a protein smoothie I bought at a cafe to the point where it became tricky to breathe. (Kind of like Nick does with chocolate!) Thursday morning, I had a protein bar that I bought from the New Balance tent sale which produced a similar but milder reaction, so I was pretty positive that it must be the whey. Today, when it came time for our smoothie snack, I was careful to use the soy powder supplement... but again the same throat tightening that is definitely NOT cool. I wonder if it is actually one of the amino acids that I am allergic to? I shall certainly check it out with my family doctor soon, but it looks as if it will be more protein from natural sources like meat and nuts... Sigh! I can still make the protein shakes with the frozen fruit, yogourt and skim milk, but they are a bit harder to justify without that protein boost.

Isn't it also funny how hard we can be on ourselves. I have been so positive about how things are shaping up for this crazy dream and then tonight, after the workout and a healthy supper, I found myself thinking how much further along I had hoped to be. Being in the USA for 10 days away from a kitchen where I could cook my own meals certainly made it harder to stay on track, and yet I absolutely refuse to do anything weird chemically to lose extra water etc. I can still remember the death of one male bodybuilder about 15 - 18 years ago. He'd taken lots of diarrhetics to try to lean out before a competition and his kidneys shut down completely so that he died very suddenly. I am willing to limit myself on some things for the sake of this dream, but not to put myself at risk. After all, once this is over, I have to start planning for 50!

18 days...Home Again And Back-Up Plans...

2005-08-18T23:28:00.000-07:00

It feels SO good to be home again! This past week of traveling has made me realize so many things about how skewed portion sizes have gotten, how hard it is to eat healthy when things are busy or you are traveling, how strange many people find it to put a goal ahead of momentary pleasure, how much I missed my own home and bed, how much I love watching my kids explore new places, how glad I am to get back home where eating properly is easier...

That sounds like quite the list and it is probably partly the weariness of being on the road to get home for 2 days. The kids slept in the car and have been bouncing off the walls since we got home, while Nick and I have been trying to get suitcases into the house, the hamster cage cleaned, the bare essentials put away for now with the rest to tackle tomorrow etc.

In the midst of this chaos, my costumer called to say that she'd been missing two crucial measurements, so she wasn't going to quite be ready for me to try everything on tomorrow as planned.

My first instinct was to panic... but being a creative type who sometimes pulls off stupid deadlines, I am willing to hope that she will get things done on time.

I also realized that I have the ultimate back-up plan for anything Hulk-related. If worst comes to worst, I can always just shred some regular clothes... right? After all, it worked on the Hulk TV series every week for ages!

I think everything will feel much better after some sleep on our own mattress!

20 days... Green Wig Frustrations

2005-08-16T22:09:00.000-07:00

I couldn't get in touch with a real person today at either of the wig sites. Partly because of how the phone works with the pre-paid cards here and then those endless loops of messages that never let you take to someone who can actually answer questions. I miss those days of dealing with real people all the time.

It is time to head home now... Even though this trip has been both business and family fun. I miss my own computer, I miss the gym and my pre-paid computer minutes are about to run out!

I can't wait for the fitting of my costume when I get home!!!

21 days... My Boots Are Made For Walking!

2005-08-15T23:15:00.000-07:00

Computer problems plagued the hotel all weekend and there were a lot of grumpy people in the hotel when the wireless system went down along with the 2 computers in the lobby!

Today was an awesome day! The show wrapped up last night and this morning was full of goodbyes. We checked out of the room under the reservation with the show and than back into the same room for a 2 night "Stay and Play" package that gave us 4 passes to Carowinds to enjoy today in the hot, muggy Monday weather.

We came back, still soggy from being soaked to the bone on several rides almost 7 hours after we left, to discover that my white boots for my She-Hulk costume had arrived!! Luckily I asked about them at the desk because the lady thought I'd already checked out from the show (which I had) and didn't realize we were still here!

What fun to try them on. These "Nancy Sinatra Go-Go Boots" were indeed made for walking! The 3 inch heel isn't that hard to get used to because I have a new pair of summer shoes with the same height that I have adapted to.

Now if only I could find a 3rd and perfect alternative for the green wig! The one that is the right dark green colour is LONG like CHER hair and the one that is a better cut and length is too light and a bit too Kermit coloured!!!

Hmmmm! Well, at least the boots look fabulous!

24 days... Back to Basics!

2005-08-12T23:00:00.000-07:00

What chaos it is getting ready for a trade show with the girls underfoot!!! This is the first time I have ever had them along and the learning curve is vertical for everyone, but I did know what I was getting into... sort of... almost... ok... maybe not quite!

I don't think I was still for more than 10 minutes today and kept taking the stairs or finding parking spots farther away than we needed to get more exercise. I discovered that the bathtub is the perfect height to do tricep dips from and so every time I thought of it, I went in and did a set if I was between other things.
If only it was as easy to find a good place to do incline pushups! The king size bed is just a bit to high of a slant to plank down for those, so I've been sticking to the traditional push up.

Tomorrow and Sunday will be absolute chaos with the show going on and meals being sporadic between breakfast and supper, so we've planned out some snacks that we can eat while standing, writing orders. It does pay to plan ahead!

I've spoken to quite a few people (including those that e-mailed or left comments) about the sheer idiocy of healthy food being more expensive that junk... If everyone is feeling like this, why don't we speak out more? Why don't we vote with our feet? I include myself in that question too... What will it take for us to take a good hard look at the way we eat as a society and change things for the better?

25 Days...You can find workouts all around you!

2005-08-11T16:14:00.000-07:00

What a fun day! We had a healthy breakfast a the hotel with low-fat yogurt, fruit, a veggie omelet made with egg beaters and spiced chai tea then headed off to take my chart and order form masters to an Office Max for copies. We walk the stairs at the hotel all the time and make a game with the girls about not taking the elevator.

After we left the Office Max, we took the girls downtown to Discovery Place and had a wonderful 5 hours of exploring the hands-on science centre. There were workout opportunities everywhere from hauling our own body weight as we sat in a chair and pulled hand over hand on a rope and pulley system... to peddling bikes to generate sound, power and enough air currents to make things float... to seeing how long you could hold a chin-up pose for (I liked the bar to do a few hanging ab moves).. to racing our kids up a 3 flight spiral staircase on several occasions.

We found a healthy section on the menu at a restaurant later in the day too, so there is hope for keeping on track. Most of the snacks during the Manager's hour here at the hotel are very salty and not very healthy, so I picked up some low-cal popcorn to nibble on tomorrow night so that I don't feel deprived or puffy... what horrible alternatives!

Nick and I are going to spell each other later tonight so that the other can either workout or swim. I think I may just pull out my powerband and try to see if I can do more push-ups etc. than yesterday. What me... Competitive?

26 days...lost a day in transit!

2005-08-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

I've arrived safely at my trade show for the cross stitch side of my life after a day that started at 3 am EST. The Embassy Suites hotel is wonderful except, horror of horrors... NO FREE WEIGHTS!! It's a very good thing that Donna and I planned for this! She showed me all kinds of stuff that I can do from push-ups and dips with the hotel room coffee table (although this one is a glass top!) to leg presses and cross-overs. They excercise room here has treadmills and a bike, but the last thing I want now is too much cardio!! Luckily, I brought my power bands along, so I do have a bit of resistance stuff. IF Nick and I were alone, we'd head to the nearest gym and get a week's membership or something. As it is, I think that diet will play a MUCH bigger role in keeping me on track this week. The airport food was hideous today and we did manage to get a few groceries for a healthy supper... but the first thing we did after we got checked into the hotel was to find a Chick-Fil-A (I hope I spelled that right!) for lunch because the kids and Nick just LOVE that restaurant. Ok... I'll be honest... I love the waffle fries and lemonade that came with my charbroiled chicken wrap! Once is enough for me though.
Trying to figure out the hotel computer and pay for minutes was another treat. I really wanted this to be a daily blog, but if the interface remains this slow, I may go out in search of a faster internet cafe or something!
Isn't it hard when technology hasn't quite caught up to what you envision??? Heaven help me when they finally get holosuite technology!!! I'll write programs and stories so complex for people to wander into that they'll never want to come out!! Heh! Heh!
Ok...I'm not even sure if this blog makes sense after more than 16 hours on the road. I'll check in here tomorrow!

28 days... Why is it so hard to eat healthy??

2005-08-09T00:16:00.000-07:00

I've been eating lean for over 2 weeks now... loading up on healthy food, especially good carbs and lots of lean protein to make sure that I don't lose lean muscle mass as I am training and dieting down to show off my muscles on stage. It has been a VERY eye-opening experience into how expensive or difficult it can be to get healthy food in our mass market, convenience, price and speed above all society!

I was prepared for the fact that our grocery bill would jump and it did by at least forty dollars a week. I knew that I'd have to make careful choices if we ate out, but what I began to notice is how cheaply you can buy food that is so terrible for you! Most places offer a burger, fries and a soft drink for less than four dollars, while healthy meals cost at least six to eight dollars! Healthy food, such as salads, at fast-food restaurants is often wilted, past its freshest, or too easy to hide under heavy calorie dressings and cheese that take it into a high calorie choice.

The final straw hit me tonight when Nick was checking out the airline site to find out the weight restrictions and discovered pictures of the morning and afternoon snacks that are offered on the plane. Both were so hideously bad for you that they almost made me want to gag! Chips, pepperoni sticks, candy, packaged danishes... Yuck!!

If we want to change our society to one where eating healthy is not only for the wealthy, then we need to take a good hard look at the fact that the food we need to eat to stay alive is big business to many companies. WE are the consumers!! We need to speak up and ask for better choices or healthier alternatives... We need to start slowing down to actually prepare meals from basic ingredients and savour eating them instead of gulping them down to get to somewhere else... We need to value the bodies that we have and take pride in how we care for them...

If not, then it really is all about what is cheap, fast and easy.

29 days until THAT Sunday Night!

2005-08-08T00:20:00.000-07:00

Gosh! Sunday, September 4th suddenly doesn't feel that far away, even though there are lots of things between now and then... a trade show with my family in the USA, a cousin's wedding near Ottawa and then Dragon*Con. Yikes! There are quite a few plane rides in my near future!

Most of what I need to get done before heading off to the trade show is now under control and it should be interesting trying to train on hotel gym equipment while we're gone. Donna showed me a whole bunch of exercises that get back to the basics even if there aren't a lot of free weights. My own body can act as that with basic push-up variations, tricep dips, squats etc. It will be a big help to have Nick along and hopefully the two of us can encourage each other to stick to the lean diet and keep moving amid the trade show chaos. The girls are very excited about coming along with us and haven't quite figured out that it will be work as well as vacation.

Erin seems a bit nervous about Grade 5 this year and I keep encouraging her to just face the year head on and try to make the best of it. Sometimes we let our fears build things up in our heads until we imagine something far worse that reality would ever be.

What is the true sign of a hero? Someone who faces their fears and does the right thing anyway... even if it is hard or dangerous. Super powers aren't the only things that make someone a hero... I see plenty of heroes around me all the time who have absolutely no powers at all!

30 days... One Month to Dreamtime..

2005-08-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

One month from today...

At the Farmer's Market today, after an AWESOME leg workout that was draining and energizing at the same time, I tried to explain to the lady who made the fajitas why I wanted only the chicken, salsa and peppers on my order... no cheese, no sour creme etc. She is used to people slathering their fajitas with all of these things. I tried to explain that I was in training. She asked if I was competing for something and then when I explained about wanting to dress up as this comic book character called She-Hulk in one month's time, I got the typical blank look. "There was a girl Hulk?" is the usual response.

By the same token, I went into our local comic shop to leave behind my list of what I have in my collection. They've been looking for a few things lately and there are a few things in my collection that I would be willing to part with for cash. Punisher #1 being one of them. I bought it and thought it would be too violent to ever catch on. Hah!! The staff there was asking me how training was going and how many days until She-Hulk etc. How they couldn't wait to see pictures etc. At least they understood this crazy dream of mine. It is rather hard to explain to most people though!

How do you begin to explain that this character tapped into something about what it is to live COMPLETELY outside the norm of most human females? To be able to relate to someone who is so far outside the box that she is completely comfortable with the attention?

Nick and I were in the convenience store today paying the phone bill and one of the ladies there that is always a bit freaked out about my height said "Wow! This is your husband? How tall are your kids??" It made me realize that my daughters will face the same challenges and exhillarations that I did about being outside the norm. I hope and pray that they take to it with as much joy as I have been able to. I love my extra inches, but I also would hate to think what it would be like going through life resenting what genetics and selective breeding ( ie. tall marrying tall) have produced. Inches are something you just can't undo, so you might as well have fun with them!!

31 days... Training Buddies!

2005-08-06T00:14:00.000-07:00

It helps to have people to encourage you! Nick has been wonderful pushing me to do more reps when my wimpy side wants to quit. I really should have trusted him when he told me to switch to lower reps and higher weights now that there is just a month to go... but it is funny how sometimes we don't listed to the people who are closest to us, even when we should.

Donna is the fitness trainer at the gym we go to and a good friend. She's been off competing in the World Masters Swimming competition and today was one of the first days that she could look over the program I have been following thus far. Guess what? She told me exactly the same thing as my husband! More weight, less reps and build those muscles with just a month to go...

So today, we punished our back, biceps and abs until I was ready to squeak. Of course, diet continues to play a major role in being able to define muscle and unbury it. Nick and I are getting a wee bit sick of chicken, tuna and egg whites, but it does cause us to be creative with our meals. It has also been eye opening as to how much junk can actually sneak into your day if you aren't careful. He's discovered that the perks of training and eating with a wife who wants to be She-Hulk means that pants and shorts fit a whole lot better... and he may just have to get some new clothes for back to school!!

I can't imagine trying to keep myself motivated all on my own. It is far more fun to have the encouragement and support of those who are close to you... and someone telling you that you can do just one more rep!

33 days... Nothing tastes as good as this feels!

2005-08-04T00:17:00.000-07:00

A comment by a friend got me thinking today. We were at Subway and I was being careful to stick to my diet leading up to being She-Hulk. I'm actually eating more food than normal as I build muscle, but far less fat, sugar and other junk. Clean eating is definitely not cheap, nor is it always easy to follow at restaurants, but this was actually pretty easy. I got my 6 inch oven-roasted chicken in a whole wheat wrap and loaded it with veggies instead of cheese and sauce. Add a bottle of water and it made a truly healthy choice. My friend was quite surprised that I didn't feel deprived and commented that "Nothing is worth giving up if you really like it!"

She has a point in a way. The whole time I was losing the 42 pounds I took off, I still included chocolate. Today I did indulge in a cookie, but not the pop and chips or the other goodies offered later.

I think there is a difference when you have your eyes set on a goal that means a lot to you. Being careful right now about what I eat isn't so much about dieting (certainly not when I am eating MORE than I usually do) but about wanting to get the results I need in a healthy way that doesn't resort to chemicals or extreme measures. There simply isn't a food out there right now that tastes better than this crazy dream I am aiming for!

I got out The Sensational She-Hulk graphic novel again today after an awesome leg workout at the gym that still has me whimpering a bit as I go up and down stairs. I love the pose that she is striking on the cover because she is sleek and panther-like instead of masculinely muscular. I discovered Richard Avedon's photos of bodybuilder Rachel McGlish around the same time as this comic came out and both of them were defined, cut but still incredibly feminine... She-Hulk was just more on my scale! With arms and legs as long as mine, I doubt I could ever put on the sheer mass that a smaller torso could bulk up with, but I am feeling incredibly proud of how the muscles I have are getting more and more defined during this countdown.

Now that we're in the gym almost every day (3 days on, 1 day off) instead of our usual 2 or 3 times a week, people are starting to notice and ask about why Nick and I are training so hard. When I explain what I am going to be doing on Labour Day weekend, it is fun to watch people's reactions. Most of them are puzzled but supportive. It sure is a lot less risky than taking up skydiving!!

34 days... The inches are already built in!

2005-08-03T00:50:00.000-07:00

I've been looking on the internet for answers to make-up questions and discovered that there are entire worlds out there in cyberspace that I never knew existed! There are bulletin boards about She-Hulk, fan fiction etc. and some very helpful people. Some of the discussions about why there should be an animated movie about this character, instead of a live action version were interesting, especially about how hard it would be to add a foot to most body builders or other women!

I had to laugh at this because I have always lived with those extra inches and couldn't just take them away with special effects! I actually met Marv Wolfman, back when he was writing the Teen Titans comic series that I collected at Halcon in Halifax. He stopped me in the hallway with the comment "Oh My! Now I finally know what She-Hulk or Starfire look like at the mall!" Apparently the sight of me walking down the hallway in garb, a head above most of the crowd, brought that home in a whole new way that drawings just didn't quite capture.

If I was an introvert, I would probably be bothered by the extra inches I carry, but as an irrepressible extrovert, I just LOVE them! People who get to know me and spend time with me on a regular basis adapt. Today, I met a few people who were just baffled by the extra inches and wondered how on earth I survived. I guess I've never known anything else. I've always been tall and I am perfectly average in my family, so I just see it as being built on a different scale.

Tonight my oldest daughter started asking about dances that she'll be allowed to go to this fall in Grade 5. That brought back a wave of memories of slow dances where the guys put their heads on MY shoulders instead of vice versa... but that's just something that both my daughters will have to take in stride. These inches aren't going anywhere, so we might as well have fun with them!!

35 Days...These Boots Are Made For Walking!

2005-08-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

The Internet is actually an amazing tool when you need to go hunting for size 12 women's boots with a reasonable heel. I can wear size 11.5 comfortably if they are wide, but only for shoes. Boots and sneakers really need to be that full size 12 or my toes start to hate me and I walk funny. I somehow don't think She-Hulk with a limp would be as impressive...

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across a site that had just what I needed at http://queenfashions.com/knee_high_boots.htm
This afternoon, I was able to talk to one of the salespeople to figure out when I needed to order them so that they would arrive at the hotel in Charlotte while I am there. Trying them on to be sure and being able to return them from within the USA is SO much easier than having them go through customs more than once. Since we're actually going to be in the USA for over a week. I'll also be able to claim them as part of my allowable goods and bring them back with me rather than paying the extra customs and HST on a mail-order.

I looked at some of the thigh high boots for future costumes, but there just isn't anything between a flat 1.5 inch heel (BORING!) and the spike 4 and 5 inch heels! Even if I was shorter, I'm not sure I could walk in those things without killing myself! When I think about some of the odd and uncomfortable things that women have worn and continue to wear in the name of fashion and looking good, sometimes I am glad to be way out of the "norm" and able to decide, as She-Hulk did, to wear what I want!!

36 days... it's not easy being green?

2005-07-31T23:36:00.000-07:00

Kermit may have been right!

One of the peskiest things that remains to solve is exactly what type of green make-up to use to cover most of my skin when I dress up as She-Hulk. A friend of mine who teaches Theater Arts in the USA is looking into some possibilities for me, since this is way out of my field. Searching for information on the Internet doesn’t really help as much as being able to ask questions from someone who works with a product on a regular basis.

After all, I don’t want everything I bump into before and after getting on stage to turn green... I also won’t have an army of make-up artists to help me get ready for this, just a friend to reach the spots I can’t! I’m hoping to find something that won’t turn all runny under bright lights or in warm rooms, so a more professional caliber make-up is pretty much a must. If it can’t stand the brightness of Hollywood...

What is my biggest fear other that having something go wonky and having the colour leach into my skin for a souvenir? Assuming I do find a kind of make-up that can be applied and removed fairly easily, I am hoping it won’t do too much of a number on my complexion. I don’t really want to be a walking mass of pimples for weeks after this, especially pimples or blackheads with green undertones!

37 Days.. and time for a giggle!

2005-07-30T23:28:00.000-07:00

This morning, I figured out why they recommend taking a day off to rest!! We went in to do Day 5 which is a repeat of Day 1’s chest, shoulders and triceps... all of which got a workout last night with deep water running and taking desks apart! I did “train to failure” on most of my sets because I just didn’t ave the full strength to match last time. Since I’d rather laugh than whimper, I figured this entry would aim for funny rather than whiney.

Here are 10 things that She-Hulk would be able to relate to about being REALLY tall...

10) Whamming your head on the exit sign or overhead bins on an airplane as you enter or disembark.

9) Struggling to find shoes in size 12 that DO NOT come with a 4 inch heel. That makes me 6 foot 9 inches and would make her 6 foot 11!!

8) The item you cannot find in the grocery store always turns out to be on the BOTTOM shelf.

7) One-size-fits-all panty hose never does... Even the TALL brand height chart stops at 6 foot 1!!

6) During kitchen parties, where the top of the fridge makes a comfy height on which to lean your elbow, you will invariably find that dust bunny no one has bothered to chase since they cannot see the top of their fridge!

5) You just cannot relate to a “standard” women’s inseam which is 30 inches when yours is at least 36 inches!

4) Your friends always want to walk about 5 paces behind you in the mall, just so they cannot watch other people’s expressions AFTER you walk by.

3) When you are standing up in the bathroom stall to zip up your pants and can look over the top of the door, at least one person waiting in line will peek down to see if you are standing on the toilet. At this point, I usually open the door, smile politely and say “No, this is ALL me!”

2) You finally meet people after your husband (or in She-Hulk’s case, boyfriend) has always referred to you as “The Little Woman” and people realize you ARE NOT!

1) No... I never did play basketball.... yes, the weather is just fine up here... Actually, I’m only 4 foot 29....

38 Days...

2005-07-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today was our “rest day” from weights in the 3 days on/ 1 off routine I am following, but our favourite cardio workout is held every Friday night. It’s called Deep Water Running. Basically, you put a flotation belt around your waist nice and tight to help keep you buoyant, you get into the deep end of the pool and you do running, biking or cross country ski moves. It is almost the same as if you were on land but with cupped hands to help you move forward. We do all kinds or exercises including sprints, accelerations, longer intervals to help develop endurance... all without the wear and tear that you get on land. I love it, but it is the most intense cardio workout I do and could I ever feel the muscles I’d been working out all week!

I also finally found the rich deep blue spandex that I needed for the Fantastic Four costume that I’ll wear as She-Hulk. They also had the white in the same heavy weight that will hopefully look nicer than the thin stuff the other stores had. It was fairly expensive, but I figure if this is really fun, I have my Halloween costume for the rest of my life until I begin to lose inches from old age!

I also found a reasonably priced soy protein powder for those afternoon protein shakes to keep me from losing lean muscle tissue as I cut down on other calories from fat. Not that I am above the occasional sugar sneak. After the workout tonight I would have loved to stop for a nice big ice cream cone... but instead came home and had an ice milk fudgesicle. Far less calories and nice chocolate taste. I thought this would be a bit harder than it is but the dream of being in good shape up on stage is far stronger than the momentary cravings. It was the same when I stopped biting my nails before I got married. Every time I wanted to gnaw on them, I reminded myself that people would be looking at my hands with the nice new wedding ring on it ... and that chewed up nails would kind of ruin the picture. Same trick here because in the long run, nothing really tastes as good as it feels getting ready to bring a dream to life.

My sister gave me a wonderful book about getting younger in 365 days and today’s entry was all about microscopes or telescopes. As many people get older, they want to look inwards and have some time for themselves. Others decide to look outwards and follow crazy dreams. I think I know which category I fall into!!!

39 Days and Counting...

2005-07-28T22:42:00.000-07:00

Today’s workout was legs... all legs. Exercises to target everything in glutes, hamstrings and quads. Nick and I both made little whimpering noises walking down the stairs after the workout and again at home when we carried the stuff from the grocery order down to the freezer in the basement.

I can really feel the definition in my arms and shoulders from the other 2 days. Tomorrow is rest day. No weights while everything recovers, but we’ll do the deep water running class in the evening for some awesome cardio!

Groceries were quite a bit more expensive this week. Eating “clean” is more expensive than eating junk that’s for sure! I did change some of the things around a bit. Eating 5 slices of cantaloupe in one day when the suckers are over $3.00 each is just not going to happen!

We dropped by to check my measurements with the lady who is making the Fantastic Four costume that I’ll be wearing as She-Hulk. It is featured briefly in the graphic novel and is actually quite modest, though dated compared to the new outfits from the movie. I don’t quite have the Hollywood budget! Finding the right shade of blue spandex is proving to be a bit trickier than we expected. There are lots of shades of Royal Blue out there, but I don’t want to have a Cookie Monster coloured outfit! There are 2 more stores to check in town on Saturday, one of whom carries a lot of fabric for figure skating outfits... so that sounds promising.

Hmmm! I’m supposed to have a handfull of nuts as my evening snack, so I’d better go nibble on a few. Good thing the kids are in bed or they’d try to mooch most of them!

2005-07-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

I can’t believe I looked like that once!!!

So how did this all begin? As I said yesterday, it started with the frustration of beginning to feel frumpy. I’d had two kids and many people were telling me that I’d better get used to having that kind of body...

Even though I love my daughters dearly and rejoice every time they learn something new , start off on a new adventure in life, or chase a new dream, it doesn’t mean that I am ready to give up on my OWN dreams!

This was my reality years ago. Tonight, my upper body is pleasantly sore... not only from this afternoon’s back, biceps and ab workout, but also from yesterday’s chest, shoulders and tricep workout. The new training program that I’ve cobbled together from two excellent sources is really going to give me that last burst of definition and diet that I need to look awesome on stage 40 days from tonight.

Yet, today again was a reminder of how far I am from the norm of most women... and probably why I identify with She-Hulk so strongly. The meal plans for the women training in these two sources are 130 lbs. Having lost 42 pounds since this picture was taken and kept it off for over 3 years, I still maintain my weight between 175 and 180 lbs. The only times in my life that I have been below 170 since reaching adulthood were on the day of my wedding (sheer nerves) and right before gallbladder surgery when I could only eat steamed rice and vegetables without triggering an attack!

The other thing I have found confusing is trying to convert the caloric requirement into Weight Watcher points. After being a Lifetime Member, and leader for over 3 years, I find it hard to count to 2,500 calories compared to counting points. Luckily my Regional Manager knows how to get answers to questions! I had visions of having to learn calories for foods instead of points all over again.

One of the reasons I can relate to She-Hulk is that she truly is built on a different scale. Actually, looking at John Byrne’s magnificent artwork, I certainly wish that portions of my anatomy defied gravity that well!! Having been an average size, she actual prefers to be She-Hulk and by the end of the graphic novel that inspired me can no longer be anything BUT big and green.

I have stood out in a crowd since I hit 6’2” at 13 years of age. My 6’3” grandmother always told me to stand up straight and be PROUD of my height. Boy, can I ever relate to She-Hulk...

It’s going to be a good costume idea for Dragon*Con..... I would have made a rather odd looking hobbit!

It Started With A Crazy Dream...

2005-07-26T23:32:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, when turning 40 still seemed rather nebulous, I had a crazy dream about celebrating it with a BANG! I'd been getting back to the gym after the birth of my second daughter and didn't want turning 40 to be something that I did with a whimper. I also didn't want the word "Frumpy" to become part of my vocabulary.

I remembered how I felt the year I turned 20, when the Sensational She-Hulk graphic novel by John Byrne (Marvel® Graphic Novel No. 18) came out. Suddenly, I had someone that I could relate to! I stand 6'5" in my bare feet and here was this 6'7" bright green powerhouse that not only reveled in her newfound strength and stature, she came up with the line that stuck with me "Besides, I'm six foot seven and bright green! People are gonna stare no matter how I dress!"

Suddenly, I felt like I had permission to stop trying to dress fit into some "one size fits all" mold, since all that really meant was the nylons stopped a good 5 inches south of their proper destination. I could have FUN with my height... I could put on 2 inch heels as long as I remembered to duck a bit more in doorways.

So here I was, at 37, with the crazy idea of taking off all the extra weight I'd put on having 2 children, building up some muscle and then someday, in the year I turned 40, painting myself green and getting up on stage at a major Science-Fiction/Fantasy Convention as She-Hulk.

Tomorrow, there will be just 40 days until the dream becomes reality. Welcome to my adventure!!!