Jump to content

Zatth

Premier Forum Assistants
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    821

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    4

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Zatth

  1. Zatth

    Rare Disease Day

    By Zatth,

    Hey friends!
    Today is Rare Disease Day. For those of you who don't know, Rare Diseases are those that (in the U.S) affect less than 200,000 people. Nonetheless, there's over 6,000 Rare Diseases, and this is an important issue for me because I suffer from Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome Type 1. Yes, it's the reason why I seem to spend half my time in a hospital.
    These diseases are called rare, however, because we don't understand them. Because we don't get as much funding as other better known diseases. Because there's such lack of knowledge doctors don't know about them. Because so little people know about them we can be called liars, or hypochondriacs, and all because of an illness that's not well understood. And for every Pablo that that survived to this day and can live a relatively comfortable lifestyle, there are ten of me who have never been diagnosed correctly. Who have never had the financial access to support them. Who, like me, may have started in a third-wield country, but unlike me, didn't live past three due to the lack of awareness.
     
    I write this all today because I recognize how lucky I am. I know it sounds horrible to say, but I don't deserve it. So I use the little time I have to speak out about these issues; so that twenty years time a child with a rare disease can know, so their families don't treat them like a shameful secret that must never be discussed, so they can have one specialist that knows what they have and treats them. John F. Kennedy, Pope John Paul II, Stephen Hawking, all suffer(ed) from rare diseases. And look at what they did. How many have we lost because of our lack of awareness?
    If anything, I hope you read this and do a bit more investigation on rare diseases. As long as you know we exist, as long as you know that we are present, as long as you know that we suffer but push through, then I feel like my advocacy will have educated a bit more on this issue.
  2. Zatth
    I convinced Black Six and ChocolateFrogs to record a video while we were at Scouting 4 Bricks. I had footage. I edited.
     
    Now there's Elmo yelling fire, a new BZP t-shirt emblazoned with Black Six's words, and an uncomfortable zoom into a horrifying LEGO walking figure.
     
    Please. For your sake,
    . And certainly don't stay long enough to see the two times Elmo appears.
  5. Zatth
    Hey all.
    So, first things first, the bad news: I've known for about a month now and hadn't yet made a Blag post because I didn't want to have to say it, but I won't make it to the Faire of Bricks this year :/ Four months back I agreed to go on an all-expense paid trip to South Korea with the university's Forensics Team to do some lectures and judge an international competition. As luck would have it, I found out three months after the fact that the dates would be exactly the dates of BrickFair VA. It looks like I might be back in the States by post-BrickFair Monday shenanigans, so I might be able to make that if jet lag allows.
     
    But yeah. Sorry y'all As much as that trip is fun, honestly nothing can be better than hanging out with awesome humans for a week, geeking out about LEGO and Galidor ('kay, maybe the latter is only a few of us).
     
    On the year-long absence from the site: Similar deal as above. Senior year hit me harder than Makuta's sleeping curse on Mata Nui, and from graduation to Senior year with the Forensics team to an... interesting tenure in Student Government to starting a Masters and getting hired at the LEGO Store at Tysons Corner, life has been far too life-y and eventful. But now that things are falling more manageably into place, I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things here and revive a few projects on hold since last year's BrickFair.
     
    Anywho, thus Zatth rose from the Shadow Realm to once again prowl BZP. Or something like that!
  6. Zatth
    At first I was gonna try and write comedic, but the blag title takes care of that. Rather, I'll just be thankful again for something like BrickFair.
     
    After so many years of BrickFair-ing, facilitated by a site like this, you realize just how lucky it all is. Being able to see friends once a year yet feel like you only said goodbye last month, being able to meet individuals who have at times been moderators and deity-like heroes, or members and usernames, and be reminded again that they are first and foremost real and wonderful and silly people. Being able to host panels and film Vines and geek out over the same toy and laugh through tears at obvious jokes and hug through tears at saying goodbye... and somehow be certain that come a year you'll be reliving much of this?
     
    Seriously, BrickFair is so special to me and many others I can keep saying why I love it. I'd much rather thank BZP, the Staff, the members, the lurkers, the MOCing people, the writers, the creators, the audience, and honestly anyone who has done something for BZP to keep existing and therefore the Staff and members to have reason to return and therefore BrickFair to keep happening and therefore creating smiles and memories for so many of us.
     
    If you ever get the chance, try to come to BrickFair and find the joy that has meant so much for many of us.
     
    (What's that? No, I'm not crying, you're crying.)
  7. Zatth
    GHOSTBUSTERS HQ LIVEBUILD. WHO YOU GONNA CALL? BEN/PABLO
    BRUNDLEFLY CLOVERFIELD IS HE
    MEETING BZPERS. OH, THE DELIGHT!
    TEAM FARM ANIMALS DRAFTED INTO DERBY; 45 MINUTES OF CHILDCAR
    LADY K SELFIES WITH GLORIFIED LIVESTOCK
    XAERAZ ABANDONED FOR FANCY DINNER (also he had a game during the fancy dinner)
    SOAKMIKI
    BENEDRIL CRICKETGAME IS HE
    BOSSMAN BIRTHDAY, LEGO EMPLOYEES, TOA D'S TRUE LIFE IS REVEALED (ft. Zatth)
    PABLO HOSTS GAME. ABANDONED BY REST OF TEAM. PROBABLY FOR THE BEST.
    guacamole, skeletor!, mcrib???????, boblem, tedd wobb, topeka, ks, topikachu, k, john freeman, door doot, bildyorsquid, chungus, brumpotungus, bread poot, glinching, actual santa, spodermen, and steven!
    BOATS, POOTERS, BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH IS HE, OO, IT'S [REDACTED]. IT'S JUST [REDACTED] IN A CAN
    PABLO GETS TOO REAL
     
    (also tune in at 10 am EST on BZP's Facebook for a live tour of BrickFair)

  8. Zatth
    SAYING HI TO FRIENDS
    PEOPLE HELP PABLO CARRY HIS MOCS. JUST LIKE EVERY YEAR.
    TRADITIONAL BREADSTICKS DINCHFAST. TEAM FARM ANIMALS' OPENING CEREMONIES.
    TEAM FARM ANIMALS GETS A HOTEL ROOM. IT IS CALLED THE BARN. TO QUOTE XAERAZ, "Four nerds in a hotel room. I can see no way this will go wrong."
    WORDPLAY-BASED GAME DURING OPENING CEREMONIES. AT, SUMIKI, XAERAZ, AND VALENDALE ALL WIN PRIZES. THEY SHOULD BE 'PUN'ISHED
    heterosexual, chilipaste, supplies, not pablo, hevin kinkle, galidor2017, gremblin, orchard [REDACTED]
    we no longer discuss ghost peppers
    THE ENDLESS WISDOM OF VALENDALE
    FIBBAGE. DON'T CRINKLE THE HINKLE. ALLEGEDLY. SO MANY CATCHPHRASES!
    WATCH TWO EPISODES OF GALIDOR. WAT.
    XAERAZ. LEG IT! (feat. Vine)

  9. Zatth
    So BrickFair VA is coming up soon. And there are important messages for those of you who might be there!
     
    1. There will be a panel between BZP staff, TTV staff, and myself as a BZP/Muro hybrid [insert your Time Lord/Dalek The Hybrid jokes here]. We'll be discussing BIONICLE, our respective sites, and the online community as a whole. Trust that with me as the panel's moderator it will crash and burn gloriously, and you will not want to miss that! (SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED)
     
    2. Hatpile 2016! No set date/time yet, but trust that it will be quite hatty and brilliant. Let's keep contributing to Sumiki's back problems from wearing all those hats year in and year out!
     
    3. Livestreamed BrickFair tour! For the past few years I've done a Skype call with the lovely Brickeens for him to see the State of the BrickFair (and say hi to other BZPers and Staff)! This year I'll be trying to do this on a larger scale, live streamed either through YouTube or Facebook for anyone to enjoy! What date/times would work best for you all to tune in to the tour?
     
    4. Come say hi! If this'll be your first time, don't hesitate to come up and hang out with us. I promise we don't bite. Well, most of us; I can't promise much if we haven't had our breadsticks (SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED).
  10. Zatth

    Fútbol in BIONICLE

    By Zatth,

    (Subscribe for more silliness other networks were too wise to put on the air!)
     
    Okay, fine. Zatth update: School went well, Forensics stuff is done (FOR NOW), currently summering very summer fully.
  11. Zatth

    BrickFair Funk

    By Zatth,

    Fun fact: Team Farm Animals actually sometimes tries to plan Vines or other shenanigans during every BrickFair. Sometimes they start as a joke or a throwaway line, and end up becoming a project that takes all five days to film and even more to plan/record/edit.
     
    There's still a day left in 2015 so this is not technically late. Anyways, enjoy. Also, stay tuned next week for the Behind The Scenes at our bloopers
     

  13. Zatth
    ChocolateFrogs inquired about the subject in the latest Meet The Staff episode, calling me "the leading face for the Spanish[-speaking BIONICLE] online community" (which is too kind; I am nothing of the sort).
     
    Nonetheless, it is true that over the past year I've been helping out to give back to the Spanish-speaking community. This has taken the form of a YouTube channel I started last year called El Muro De La Historia, or Wall Of History. I mention it now because I wasn't entirely sure I'd continue doing this for too long. A year later, we've got 75 subs and over 5,000 views, and it doesn't seem like people want us to go away
     
    The only video in English we have so far is an interview we did with Kevin Hinkle, which I think all of y'all will enjoy (thanks to Sumiki for being a lovely cameraperson)

     
    I hope this channel can, first and foremost, be a hub of content for the Spanish-speaking BIONICLE and LEGO community. However, I hope the channel expands beyond that main mission. When I return from Oxford I aim to start translating some of our videos in English, in the hopes of also providing to the English-speaking fans (our weekly series where we review the news in the LEGO world is one that I would love to start providing in English). I also hope to continue creating videos that not only share knowledge on conventions, theme parks, and the latest news, but also foster discussion and interest in the toyline we all love.
     
    Feel free to suscribe if you want, though I will warn you that the YouTube subtitle feature will not help with the videos (unless your aim is to get a laugh, in which case I will highly recommend you turn on the subtitles). I can't say where the channel will be in a year, but as long as it allows me to continue helping out the community, I will be glad to welcome whatever comes
  14. Zatth

    Some Quick Updates

    By Zatth,

    Ended up not being able to visit Brickeens as was planned :/
     
    Realized the night before flying that Ireland isn't part of the U.K, and so I needed an Irish visa to visit Ireland (the benefits of being Colombian: you're internationally stigmatized due to your nationality). Had to cancel the trip at the very last minute. But on the bright side, it looks like the office in London should allow me to get an Irish visa quite quickly, so the trip is just postponed, not cancelled!
     
    Started as a student of New College this week. Doing a course on Shakespeare and Metatheatre, and one on the Romantics (Poetry and Prose). Also our college campus is intercut by the old city walls. So that's kind of cool, or something?
     
    Will be doing NaNoWriMo this year! If you're doing it as well, look me up as Zatth! Here's the (tentative) cover so that I feel bad if I don't finish it!
     

     
    AND ONE FINAL VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT WILL BE A BENEFICIAL PSA.
     
    Sumiki has a phrase I have stolen from him: "I can't brain today, I have the dumb." Yesterday I discovered there is a word in the English language that means exactly that.
     
    Zwodder.
  15. Zatth
    (okay, i should provide some context. we have a vacation week starting tomorrow, and my trip will include legoland windsor on the 27th, doctor who experience and cardiff on the 28th and 29th, and then a flight from bristol to visit brickeens. spoiler alert: the trip to visit him was actually the reason for the study abroad program)
  17. Zatth

    Oxford

    By Zatth,

    There's a tower built by William the Conqueror, it's one of the two oldest buildings on campus.
     
    And it's a block away from my flat. I pass it on my way out every morning.
     
    What is this place and can I haz it forever.
     
    (also hi yes i am safe and sound and england is lovely)
  21. Zatth
    Yes, I apologize. I should've planned out in advance that GMIF and BrickFair would take up more of my time
     
    To show that I do know where we're headed (and I've just been a lazy walnut who hasn't been able to sit down and write), here are some glimpses into the next chapter:
     
    MASK OF BOTOX
     
    SUIT OF ARMOUR
     
    MORE TERRIBLE DIALOGUE
     
    (i sorry, i just not have had enuff time to do stuff)
  22. Zatth

    It's Gone. It's Done.

    By Zatth,

    This is the sixth year that Summer for me sees its end.
     
    I use the capitalized Summer because, while the period between June and August is technically summer, Summer refers to the period from GMIF to the last day of BrickFair activities.
     
    I can't state how much Summer means to me. I leave physically spent and exhausted, but emotionally fulfilled in ways that shock me months down the line. Seeing people you only get to see once a year kinda does that to you, and especially when every moment with them is fun, or heartfelt, or silly, or just plain lovely.
     
    To other BZPers I met at BrickFair, I'm so glad we got to meet up! I'm terrible with names and usernames, so feel free to keep corresponding with me; drop me a PM, add me as a friend, whatever!
     
    Now I officially start preparing all the final details for my semester abroad, and also must have four events ready for Forensics auditions the day before I leave (August 30th).
     
    The fun part is done. The tough part is just about to begin.
     
    (Also, be on the lookout soon for BrickFair Funk and the BrickFair Omnibus 2015. It's coming.)
  23. Zatth
    Currently waiting to check out from GMIF. Wonderful two and a half weeks, as I previously elaborated.
     
    Tomorrow morning, drive to the Dulles Expo Center for good ol' BerkFer VA.
     
    Expect Xaeraz, Sumiki, and AT to carry my MOCs inside. Expect various vines and hats, maybe a pile of some sort. Expect random shenanigans, a seminar on Thursday that Xaeraz, Sumiki and I will give, and breadsticks. Many, many breadsticks.
     
    Expect the unexpected. Unless you can expect everything that's unexpected. In that case... um... EXPECT THINGS *smokebombs away*
  24. Zatth
    I've often mentioned that, just before BerkFer VA, I spend two and a half weeks cooped up on the GMU campus. For two years, I was a camper. For the past three, a staff member.
     
    I've mentioned that my going to camp in 2011 changed the course of my life: it got me into the activity I do even today, it convinced me to try out for the GMU team and thus attend George Mason, it gave me friends that have lasted to this day, and it changed who I am as a person in a myriad ways.
     
    To say I await for every George Mason Institute of Forensics is an understatement. However, this was a very odd one.
     
    Unlike my first year as a staffer, with no experience or lessons to teach campers, or last year, where I was still recovering from illness and worked as a first-year lab assistant, this year was different. For the first time, I felt confident enough that I had something to teach these kids. I was the most senior member of the Oratory Junior Faculty, and worked with the other Junior Staff to divide responsibilities equally so we could all teach. I was a second-year lab assistant, with an incoming Graduate Student and coach for our team for his first year as a lab leader. I felt more prepared and confident to teach these kids.
     
    It helped that, during one of our nightly Performance Hours, I was able to perform my piece on Jaime Garzon whom I've mentioned previously. Being the last time I'd perform the piece, and with a sense of urgency to spread Jaime's message and story one last time, I amended the piece slightly to reflect this urgency and importance. I cried, for the first time in six years, in a performance, delivering what I think is the performance I am most proud of. Many students later approached me, saying that though they were not Colombian, they had cried and empathized alongside me. And, during the Q&A session after the four performances, the first student to talk, said, in Spanish and in front of staff and students alike, that he was happy that he saw someone else spreading Jaime's story, and, through tears, expressed hope that our country will see the end to 53 years of violence. When I prepared and worked on this piece all year long, I always expected it to be solely for United Statesian audiences. Never would I imagine my last performance would be seen by another compatriot, in what I can honestly describe as one of the most meaningful and magical moments of my life.
     
    As camp drew near and it unofficially ended tonight, I went through a whirlwind of emotions. Seeing students who'd arrived two weeks ago total strangers and with no speeches, to leaving as best friends with prepared performances. Seeing my teachers, now my co-workers, be vulnerable and explain why they did Forensics. To see students, like I had been years ago, have their lives change radically over the course of the two weeks. We laughed, we cried, we were vulnerable, we were powerful.
     
    We were human, and we saw so much humanness over a two-week period.
     
    GMIF is the moment of the year that reminds me who I am, why I do what I do, and what it means to be part of the human experience. And, as every year, I am reinvigorated to go forth until GMIF rolls around again in 365 days. And I will count down the days, waiting to relive these two most human weeks, all over again.
×
×
  • Create New...