Oh my God, I have a crush on Charlie McDonnell!

Listen to them NOW! DFTBA records!

For about a year now, I’ve been watching  “Charlieissocoollike”’s videos on YouTube after a recommendation from a friend when she found I had had gotten into Chameleon Circuit (whom totally deserve their own post—multiple post).

After some pestering from this chum of mine, I decided it was high-time to watch this so-called “Charlie” person. I tacked in the name and clicked on a video: this odd-looking British boy with funny rusted hair was staring back at me, talking about some everyday stuff he managed to make pretty interesting, along with some other at times oddball ideas, which again were delivered in an interesting manner.

Although I cannot remember the first video I watched, I can remember greatly enjoying the videos I watched that week, and subscribing a day or two into the discovery of Mr. McDonnell.  And really, what wasn’t there to love? We’re talking about a dude in his room/house making ridiculous videos that are genuine and fun to watch. Every video concerns such normal things, yet since it's written out and delivered to you so smoothly he makes them seem more exciting than when other people do them, much like how the music tab makes your friend’s funny Facebook status better turn into euphoria, and how gifs on tumblr can make buttered toast the best thing on the planet, even if it’s a sarcastic post.

In fact, I remember being genuinely impressed at the amount of camera tinkering that went into his procrastination video (to the right).

Plus I am a huge fan of British humor, and he seems like a great person, too. Very fun, relaxed (mostly), honest and downright fun/funny.

Yeah, this dude had another loyal follower.

It wasn’t until today, while procrastinating on all of the things I said I was going to do today, that I realized something astonishing while watching the Resolute Unicycling Muppet video. It was almost like the skies had open up by decree of the universe so that a revelation could come to pass--I have a crush on Charlie McDonnell!

As overly dramatic as that last sentence made it seem, my secondary reaction (()) was strangely Gryffindorian*:

Every damn time.

I mean, yeah Charlie is great and deserves all the love in the world as decreed by the laws of decent humanity and his legion of loyal fangirls, but why did this legion need me? Why did I like him?

Maybe this is just my thing, but It didn’t initially make sense to me, or maybe, as they say in my parent’s homeland, “Toda via no me caia el 20”^! So I began to really analyze what I define as beautiful:

As a younger version of me, I was often told that beauty lied in the heart of the beholder, and the phrase stuck with me more than other words of wisdom for whatever reason, so I began to make my own definition of beauty. . . .

And this is essentially what I’ve come up with:

Beauty is an emotion. It is not a question of being aesthetically pleasing. There is an entire science behind what is aesthetically pleasing to look at for another human being—what you would naturally be more inclined to look at—all to create a perfect realism for products. And every now and again some blessed individual will be born with that perfect face somewhat naturally.

But this is not the same as being beautiful. To be beautiful, in my opinion, is to spark an emotion within a person—a feeling I can only describe as beauty—to be happy, calm and accepting with an underlying but distinct feeling of fascination towards the person of your affection. It’s the distinct wanting to peel away at every layer of the onion and inspect each and every single line of it—every expression, every flush of color, every movement and shift in tone; to see what makes the person feel happy or sad or frightened or whatever, and to be, during the entire process, fascinated, happy and grateful they exist at all. That’s what I call being enamored.

Though logically I wouldn’t call it that, because I’ve never really met Charlie in reality and probably never will—in fact, I’d be shocked and ecstatic and too embarrassed to respond if he ever even found this post. More so if he bothered to skim through it.

Not to mention I was thinking of my best friends while writing out the definition, because “beautiful” isn’t just a unisex term in my mind, is also isn’t exclusively romantic.

Because the way I see it, why not surround yourself with “beautiful” people. People whom become so much more attractive with their flaws and fallbacks and misgivings, because there’s so much to love about people—certain types of people, I think; I’ve tricked myself into thinking all people are beautiful because I ignore those I don’t think are, so I’m surrounded by my definition of beauty (Does this post even make sense?)

Strangely enough, despite the fact I can see people as aesthetically pleasing and do find myself gawking at exceptionally pleasing people, I don’t ever find them physically attractive until I’ve pegged them with the title of beautiful, and often find myself finding the closest of friends physically attractive because they’re so beautiful.

And I found Charlie to be so beautiful during that video I could not stand it.

Which made me sort of worry what it’d be like when he’d change! Because I automatically connected it back to the “I’m excited” video, and how people will always change and evolve as they grow, and if I now found Charlie beautiful then it would be bound to end at some point in the future when he’d change, right?!

Wrong, actually. I went back to watch some older videos of his and found myself inwardly swooning like a woman from the 1950s. *Awkward*

This is a real person, and I will never know him, and I am swooning like a girl from the 1950s while trying (and failing) to keep a somewhat straight face.

I’ve been told about a million times my face is like a map.

*Sighs!* Regardless of my reaction to the chemicals in my brain, Charlie is now the cutest British man in all the United Kingdom to me, because he has become so beautiful.

So beautiful in fact, it’s now on my bucket list to hug him and maybe have a conversation that doesn’t consist of awkward silence and “How are you?” repeated over and over again.

Charlie, if you do by some odd miracle find this, you should know that you’re lovely to me and to a ton of other people across the globe. And I hope that thought puts a smile on your face. :3

With love
Nikola Strange

In celebration of my feelings, here’s Charlie:

My feelings exactly at the moment, more or less.

UPDATE:
Charlie has a girlfriend by the name of Bryarly Bishop.
Well, that crush lasted less than 24 hrs. :3
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These are my notes:
((by secondary reaction, I mean my feelings towards the feeling of suddenly having a crush. . ..I don’t know if this is the correct term, or a term at all, but it sounded smart and correct, so. . . .))

^”Toda via no me cae el 20”, or “The 20 hasn’t hit me yet” is an allusion to payphones in Mexico, which once upon a time when they were real, would have some difficulty accepting currency (20 cents, or “pesos”) because it would get stuck on the way down. The phone would give you no notions of it receiving your money until you tapped the side of it, much like you’d tap an old TV when the picture would blur. The phrase is used now-a-days to express something that hasn’t QUITE hit you yet. You’re waiting for it to register.

*If you guys have not started following Hogwarts House Traits on tumblr, you should! Check them out! :DD*

I’m going to try something new called propaganda, or friendly reminders, to see what’ll happen so:
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Or bookmark this page and check up on it repeatedly.
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Carry on, Comic con

        The only things that make the holiday season a serious contender for the second most wonderful time of the year are the sometimes brilliant (but mostly disappointing), presents received Christmas day, the temporary excuse to inhale your Thanksgiving Dinner like a proper gentlehobbit, and the times I get to spend with family (the latest being my favorite with the middle reason as a close contender).

Yet the most wonderful time, despite its lack of Frank Sinatra tunes, has to be summer here in Southern California. One glorious week of every year, the beautiful yet sort of sleepy city of San Diego is awakened and welcomes with open arms the geeks of the world for the greatest spectacle known to pop-culture: Comic Con International!

This being said, I feel as though I should explain that I am aware it is still February as I clack away these words on my phone: Yes, I know it's nowhere near July to the normal folks out there.

But as a San Diego native I can say without a doubt nothing quite excites the heart of the teenage nerddom here like Comic Con (lovingly anagrammed to CC in text messages and blogs, for your information). Already we've begun the yearly ritual of dividing the haves from the have-nots, as those whom desperately wish to interact in the festivities gawk and shoot bits of envy towards those regulars whom fight ever unforgiving time for their status.

As a regular Con-goer myself, I can readily tell you Comic Con ages like fine wine (or at the very least for me). Sure, it's crowded and you can't really go two steps without bumping into someone, but the event itself is grand! Isles upon isles of comic books and memorabilia, the movie props just inches away from your fingertips (and in the perfect angle for your camera), the dedicated fans of a series whom cosplay so well you could question it being cosplay at all! It is definitely worth the sores on your feet once the week is over. Nothing has ever made me feel more important in a community before like the words "Ladies and gentleman welcome to San Diego Comic Con." being spoken over the intercom on preview night. The fuzzy feels at that moment are only rivaled by watching the Doctor Who Christmas Special: It doesn't feel like it's the special day is there until you hear it/see it.

Despite the vast wonders of the event, Comic Con does have its drawbacks: the expenses come to mind quickly--bring $200 and you come back -$40!

Not to mention there will always be areas of Comic Con you will never be treated as well in as other areas, or at the very least you won't be as happy with those areas: the Steampunk section (it exists) is filled with only semi-friendly customer service. Or could I be imagining that after a deep depression towards having to be yanked away from a $300 dollar leather Captain America cap during preview night? That would be my greatest advice to con-goers young and old: Certain things will always be over your budget. That and don't go to the fancy restaurants unless you're only getting sliders and a small coke. There's a Subway near the Convention Center--Five dollars well-spent, friends.

Of course, older con-goers are much better with abiding to these rules than the youngins (myself included). Bumping into teachers in general, usually a painfully awkward experience, becomes a cherished memory when they tell you about the CN panel with the voice actors from Adventure Time, Legend of Korra, and the Regular Show are to join forces for a podcast! Yet the oddest and most brilliant part of this all is bumping into seemingly ridged teachers dressed in costume! Every year we find that teacher everyone thinks is a hardass dressed up as a hero and posing for pictures! It's incredible!

                 And oh are these cosplayers brilliant! You'll have everything from Indiana Jones to Johnny the Homicidal Maniac to Superman, Batman, Canadian Batman, lots and lots of Spidermen, sexy storm troopers, sexy villains, the Avengers, the Justice League, one accurate ass Tony Stark that isn’t Robert Downey Jr! Ichigo Kurosakis, The ever-present Deadpool army! Doctor who and Torchwood, Merlin, Sherlock (both BBC and movie version), cute old couples in electric wheelchairs with matching though bubbles (aww!!), even. . . .A dress made of yugioh cards!

Yes indeed, some people even cosplay without buying tickets! They stand outside all day and get their photogenic selves all over the internet!

Which I feel brings us full-circle: some of these guys do get into the convention, because people that initially bought one-day tickets and ran out of money half way through, so now they can no longer stay without feeling deep pain. What else are you to do but sell your tickets and buy your lunch
(truth be told, one really doesn't simply just get tickets to CC)?

If you do manage to get your tickets online, I'd say to check out who's going to Comic Con well in advanced and to plan out what your battle strategies are as well. In fact, start now. Open up a new tab and start googling!

As a rule, you're not getting into Hall H without camping out in line a day before, or waking up at 2 in the morning. For the former, if you want REALLY close seats, invest heavily in friends--claim your land well beforehand! Tradeoff between your friends every 30 minutes or so to hold the fort (hold down the fort? Idk) while still experiencing Comic Con. The latter’s better for the lone goer: Set the alarm. Set a loud ringer. Get up, get dressed and promptly head over. Just don't skip breakfast. Campers: take snacks! And water! Preferably have more than just two in your buddy system for bathroom breaks! XD

On this note, don't expect to get into two popular panels on the same day: Iron Man 3 or Sherlock. Pick your poison.

Any sane person might point out this is a lot of work, but we have a better Doctor Who panel than Who-Con does. We get all the movies. We yet all the freebies. We get all the celebrities. It's always worth it.

And oh do I mean freebies!  The one to your right comes with the tickets! And it's not the only one they have: last year's comic con saw Fringe, Arrow, Supernatural, and other epic bags. You're able to trade for another the day you get the bag, by the way, if you're lucky to get a nice volunteer handing them out. Even the CC booklet is beautiful! You can guarantee it'll have only the best and most buzzed topics of the year inside. 

Not to mention popular booths will give you free (and at times autographed) posters, buttons, bags themselves, and other goodies. I got a free Talon mask from the DC booth last year!

And this is just the stuff that's supposed to be free! Be kind to those manning the booths, and if you're lucky enough to be there at the right time, you can get "damaged goods" from the booth free! Little known secret: if the merchandise is even slightly damaged (the white of an earring is tinged yellow), they're not allowed to sell it. What else to do but give it away free?

This, I think, brings us to note three: there are comic con exclusives you will have to pay for. CC has this magical ability to attract people from everywhere, and for booths to be competitive they'll have to sell you something special--though it will cost you a few extra bucks, mind you. If you can find it there and nowhere else, buy it. I have the Comic Con exclusive Batman Skullanimal myself. :3

On a personal note: I've already been preparing for Comic Con myself (hence the blog post): A diet for Zatanna Zatarra Cosplay, a savings plan for spending money, and a carefully planned list of things to see and buy (currently consisting of just panels and some comic issues I want to try and find).

 Also, I'm trying to get into the volunteer section: some are paid, some love the experience regardless, but it's always worth it! You're practically guaranteed admition into a panel, and you're closer to the actors than the average conventionist! I have a friend whom gave Chris Hemsworth his water at the Avengers panel (what I would have done for the same opportunity with Chris Evans)!! And after your volunteer shift is over, you're free to explore San Diego's own Scarborough fair, and eventually explore the city herself.

Once the Mascaraed Ball has ended, late into the night when the freebie wells have dried, and the trampled handouts now litter the floor, despite how damn tired you end up, you're not un-enchanted. You're probably in debt to a friend, but not un-enchanted. In fact, you're simply drunk with love. Most con-goers are friendly, and their conversations lively, so don't be shy around them!

I've only two words for every person who has gone or ever will go: Carry on, Comic Con.

With love,

Nikola Strange.

(The comic con official website is here, by the way)