Advent Calendar 2024 What’s Inside (with Photo)

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I like surprises, but I realized that I don’t always get the item that’s a mystery. In fact, I usually only get a mystery item if I trust the business or person enough to believe I’m going to get value. Rarely, do I pick up a surprise because I want to be surprised; it usually involves my birthday or Christmas. Sometimes, it’s about value; can I risk the amount something costs? So, I decided to publish a sample list of items you might find in an Advent Calendar I put together.

Then, I realized that some people are visual and would much prefer a picture. So, that’s what I am putting here. A photo of a sample Advent Calendar. Please note: if you were to get an Advent Calendar from me, it will likely contain different items. The stock is constantly evolving and some items may not be available for a calendar.

If you want an Advent Calendar, leave me a message or a comment on my Patreon. Once I’ve worked out shipping, I’ll let you know the cost.

Holiday Shopping with a Personal Impact

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If you are going to be using Amazon for your holiday shopping, you can help our website out by using one of our Amazon links. When you shop through Penguinate.com, Amazon pays us a commission, The best part is that you don’t pay any more than you normally would for what you order.

Etsy Penguinate

If Amazon isn’t your thing, consider checking out our Etsy shop for plushies. Jenya has knit a bear with a sweater. The bear is super cute. We also have a selection of penguins available, including our popular Roly-Poly penguins.

Books Available

If plushies aren’t your thing (and I’m not sure that’s a possibility), I have written several books. All of them are available on Amazon in one form or another. I also have a few hard copies available that I could autograph and send.

If you’re looking for an archery book or something from an independent author, I still have several authors available, including Drue M. Scott, Darren Lamb, and Shannen Crane Camp. I’m going to read Sugar-Coated again, so I can see how the trilogy ends. Also, I have the Colorworld series.

Advent Calendar

If you would like an Advent Calendar, I am creating some. They will have stickers, projects, and other goodies. I’ll be posting on Patreon for the month of December. You could also get the 2023 Advent Calendar, which is electronic and already published.

Holiday Shopping for Impact

Of course, if none of this excites you, I urge you to find an artist, writer, non-profit, or small business to support this year. Don’t let the big businesses consolidate more cash into useless, leaden “wealth.”

Thank you for visiting our website through out the year. We appreciate you being here whether holiday shopping or not.

Saturday FanX 2024 Panel Schedule First Look

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Dick Van Dyke’s move to Saturday makes it easier for me to get in to see him. (He was originally schedule for the hour before my panel on Friday.) However, now that he’s scheduled for the first hour of the busiest day, it’s going to be important to get in line early. He is the panel to see on Saturday.

The noon hour features the Terminator celebrity panel. At 12:30 there is Deafinitely Cinema, a discussion of how the deaf are portrayed in the movies. The 1pm hour has the Behind the Magic: The Secrets of Disneyland panel and a discussion on the Twilight Zone. Mel Gibson is scheduled to 1:15pm.

The next panel to get to is at 2pm. Singer/songwriter Paul Williams and his Rainbow Connection of Muppet’s fame is legendary. This panel will end soon enough for us to get to the Little House celebrity panel at 3:30pm. At 4:30pm, Harry Potter fans will be treated to a celebrity panel, but my choice would be to hit up the Six Million Dollar Man/Bionic Woman celebrity panel. Both panels will run into the Hope for the Trope panel at 5pm, but I’m willing to miss it. At 5:30, the Provost Park Passs will reveal more secrets to park travel.

So, our schedule will look something like this:

  • 11am – Dick van Dyke
  • Noon – Terminator celebrity panel
  • 2pm – Paul Williams
  • 3:30pm – Little House on the Prairie celebrity panel
  • 4:30pm – Six Million Dollar Man/Bionic Woman panel
  • End the con with a trip through the vendor floor

This plan was made on Sept. 15. Conventions change their schedules. Be flexible and go with the flow for the best comic convention experience at FanX 2024.

Check out our Thursday and Friday plans, as well as some more tips for enjoying FanX 2024. Pick up my book to be prepared for my panel on Friday at 1pm.

FanX 2024 Friday Panel Schedule First Look

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As I mention in my Thursday First Look, it’s important to remember that conventions change their schedules for a myriad of reasons. These first looks and subsequent schedule proposals are just a way to get some focus for the day while trying to find the one thing I want to do during that day at the convention. The FanX 2024 Friday panel schedule, as of Sept. 12, contains the most important panel of the convention for me; I will be presenting “The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity” at 1pm.

That means I will miss Patrick Warburton because he’s scheduled for 12:30. I will also likely avoid any panels before one, so I can be sure that I am ready to do my panel. (High School the Musical celebrity panel is at noon.) The next big panel is Priscilla Presley at 5:30pm. There’s a high probability that Jenya and I will make that presentation. Everyone knows Elvis, and Jenya’s seen a recent biopic on Priscilla.

However, between my panel and Priscilla’s panel is the Thelma and Louise celebrity panel at 2pm. At 3pm, there’s a presentation on 1950s Scif-Fi: Monsters vs. Aliens and Jason Isaacs of Harry Potter fame. Lou Diamond Phillips is at 3:30pm.

At 4pm, the panel Tolkien: Back and There Again will examine the media adaptations of Tolkien’s fantasy writings. At 4:30, writers might want to attend the panel on the Realities of Being a Full-Time Author; with Halloween around the corner, others might find the Nightmare Before Christmas panel more entertaining. Marissa Tomei is at 5pm and the Once Upon a Time celebrity panel is at 6pm, so we’ll probably miss both of those. At 7pm, Jon Heder will likely try to recreate his dance from Napoleon Dynamite during the movie’s panel. Vote for Pedro!

Likely Schedule:

  • 1pm – The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity; Don’t forget to order your book.
  • 2pm – Thelma and Lousie celebrity panel
  • 3:30pm – Lou Diamond Phillips
  • 4:30pm – This is a toss-up, but I’m leaning towards Nightmare Before Christmas.
  • 5:30pm – Priscilla Presley
  • 7pm – Napoleon Dynamite

FanX 2024 Thursday Panels Schedule Revised

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FanX 2024 Thursday panels have undergone some changes from the first look that I did. So a quick look at the new schedule, as of 9/12/2024, is in order with a reminder that convention schedules are subject to change.

Anthony Daniels is still on the schedule for 6pm, and he’s a must-see. However, he’s not the only heavy hitter panel on Thursday. FanX has scheduled a Lord of the Rings celebrity panel for 2pm. Fortunately, these two panels are far enough apart in time that I think we can make them both. Before two, we can grab some food and take our time exploring the vendor hall and some of the rooms that have displays not requiring a specifically timed visit.

Matthew Lillard is at 3pm, which is also a change that means we might be able to see him. The Ghostbuster celebrity panel is at 4pm. After that, we’ll have some time to get something to eat while we wait for Anthony Daniels. At 7pm, Brandon Sanderson will be presenting. So all told, our schedule will look something like this for Thursday:

  • 2pm – Lord of the Rings celebrity panel
  • 3pm – Matthew Lillard
  • 4pm – Ghostbusters celebrity panel
  • 6pm – Anthony Daniels
  • 7pm – Brandon Sanderson

As always, one of the best ways for me to enjoy a convention is choose one thing I want to do every day, but just one. Then, as long as I accomplish that one thing, the rest of the day is icing on the cake. It’s not always possible to accomplish the one thing though because conventions can change their schedules, so having a back-up plan is a good idea as well.

What’s the one thing you’re looking forward to at FanX 2024 on Thursday? Let me know in the comments.

Thursday’s FanX 2024 Plan of Activities 1st Look

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As with every comic convention, scheduled panels can be rescheduled and moved in an instant. This happens for several reasons, most of which have to do with a celebrity’s livelihood. If you get a gig, you gotta go do it. As long as fans remember this when planning their comic con visit, they will be able to embrace the change. FanX 2024 will be no different. Somethings may get changed, and we’ll just have to make sure we are prepared to enjoy other aspects of the convention when that happens. That disclaimer out of the way, here’s where I think I will be going with the schedule as it stands on Sept. 7, 2024.

The Pirate Rules for FanX

The first and only rule I follow, which is more of a guideline really, is: Choose one thing every day that I would like to accomplish. When I go with someone else, we make it two things. As long as these two things get accomplished, everything else is gravy. If they don’t get accomplished because something changed, that’s okay, too. We won’t be disappointed because we are ready to face that contingency.

The FanX Multiverse

It looks like FanX 2024 features two timelines: one starts on the hour, and one starts on the half hour. That means you’ll need to be aware of those panels that start in the middle of other great choices. It also may mean waiting longer for a particular panel if you happened to have gone to a panel on the alternate timeline. (Use this time to visit the Vendor floor and seek out some local artists and creators. Support them in their endeavors and you’ll have more than just a treasure to take home for yourself.)

Thursday’s FanX 2024 Schedule

Thursday’s must-see panel is Anthony Daniels, the man who brought C-3PO to life. I’ve met Tony Dyson, who built R2-D2, at a comic on in Malta. I met Peter Mayhew, aka Chewbacca, at one of the earlier FanXes. I’ve seen Carrie Fisher on stage, so Anthony Daniels just seems to fit with what I’ve done so far. His panel is scheduled for 6pm, which means we have most of the day to do whatever else we happen to fall into.

Kicking Off FanX2024

Thursday’s FanX 2024 panels kick off with a tribute to Jack Kirby at 12:30. CelloCat is playing at 1:30pm. It’s between two and three that we have our first conflict. Sam Jones and Will Conrad of Flash Gordon fame will take the stage at 2pm. Paul Williams, who I know from the Muppet Movie and Smokey and the Bandit, as well as some of his amazing songs, and Randy Quaid, from a bunch of movies including Independence Day and the Christmas Vacations, have their respective panels at 2:30pm. For me, it’s Paul Williams. His work with the Muppets is enough for me to want to see him, but his musical contributions put him over the top. You can’t go wrong with any of the three; it’s just a question of who do you feel most connected to.

However, Williams’ panel will bleed into the 3pm hour, which means missing out on Matthew Lillard, aka live-action Shaggy among other characters. Lillard is likely comedy gold. Other panels happening at this time are “Low Observable Technology” about a real-world cloaking device and “Imagine If? Remaking Disney’s Lands.” I’ll have to think about this more, but right now, Paul Williams is still the front runner.

Thursday Afternoon

At 3:30pm, the decision is between Star Wars Villains and a Voice Actor panel, which is sure to be great. However, 4pm has panels dedicated to Little House on the Prairie, a show that still carries relevant themes, and Napoleon Dynamite. Garret Hedlund from Tron: Legacy will also be doing his own panel, but the big draw will likely be the She-Hulk panel with Jameela Jamil and Patty Gugenheim. At 4:30pm, Daniel Logan will be holding court in his own panel, and there is the intriguing “No harm ever came from reading a book” Mummy celebration of 25 years.

Thursday Evening

At 5pm, Analyzing the opening music of Anime seems like the best panel for the hour, but it does compete with the High School the Musical panel of celebrities. Jennifer Blanc will be presenting at 5:30pm. However, since these both lead up to Anthony Daniels, it is questionable as to whether I would risk missing the Star Wars star. The HstM group is in the same room as Daniels, so I may see them by default. (Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen the movies, so I know the people in the panel. It would be a joy to see them.) At 7pm, Brandon Sanderson holds court in the same room, so I may just camp out there for the three panels.

Putting It Together

Coming up with a rough schedule of panels to see would look something like this:

  • Jack Kirby at 12:30
  • Cello Cat at 1:30 with a stop for food at some point
  • Paul Willliams at 2:30
  • 4pm is a toss-up with each panel having its own draw. This might be another good time to pony up for something to eat. Sometimes, you have to go by feel. I’m leaning towards Little House or Hedlund.
  • 5pm again is a toss-up, but since my main goal for Thursday is to see Anthony Daniels, I will likely opt for High School the Musical or food.
  • 6pm Anthony Daniels
  • 7pm Brandon Sanderson or going back to the hotel to post about Thursday’s activities and rest for the next day.

FanX 2024 will be a lot of fun, but it’s important to remember that it is supposed to be fun. As a reporter, I had an entirely different view of the convention because it was my job to cover as many panels as I could. Now, however, I can take it easier, relax a little bit and find those panels that will teach me something or that I will get great joy from. I also have to remember to eat and hydrate. Last, but not least, there is always something great to be found in the vendors areas – like Tank Tolman – I’ll need to make time for that during the convention as well.

What will you being doing at Thursday’s FanX 2024? I’ve prioritized panels, but there are other things to do as well. Leave your preferred schedule, FanX pirate rules, and other tips in the comments.

The next post will look at Friday when my panel “The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity” takes place. I’ll be discussing creativity tips using the Haunted Mansion’s history and structure as a guide. Get your book before FanX on Amazon or contact me at shadexaminer@gmail.com, so I can reserve you one of my copies.

Haunted Mansion Is Creativity at FanX

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It’s official. I’m going to be presenting “The Haunted Mansion Is Creativity” at FanX just in time to celebrate Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion’s 55th anniversary! My panel is scheduled for Sept. 27, 2024 in room 250A. (Dick Van Dyke will be in the Grand Ballroom at noon, so Disney fans will have to rush from his supercalifragilisticexpialidocious panel to mine. I’ll do my best to save you a seat.)

What Can You Expect?

I will take you on a guided tour of the Haunted Mansion, so bring your imagination. Along the way, we’ll meet some of the characters that made the Haunted Mansion what it is. We’ll also look at the history and structure of the attraction to give us examples of the creative process and how it works in real life. Hopefully, you’ll be able to put some of these principles to work in your life every day.

Also, fans of the Haunted Mansion can expect to recite the spiel and sing the song as we go on this tour together. Don’t worry. There will be no spooks around to tell you they want to hear the Ghost Host and not you. Creativity can be a team endeavor.

For those unfamiliar with the Haunted Mansion, it’s important to note that the attraction does deal with themes that some might find triggering. This includes death and suicide.

Books for Sale

Unfortunately, I have been unable to partner with anyone on the convention floor at FanX 2024. So, if you want books, you’ll have to order them through Amazon or contact me directly (shadexaminer@gmail.com), so I can bring them with me. Otherwise, I will have a very small number of books available for purchase directly after the panel. (If you get your books on Amazon, I’ll be happy to sign them when you bring them to FanX.

About FanX and Me

FanX is one of my favorite comic conventions because they gave me my start as a journalist covering conventions. I’ve been lucky enough to meet Lou Ferrigno, Battlestar Galactica’s Richard Hatch, and Micky Dolenz, among others. The convention runs from Sept. 26 to Sept. 28, 2024. Make final arrangements now to see the Haunted Mansion Is Creativity at FanX 2024. We’re dying to have you.

You’re Creativity Doesn’t Need Monetization or Approval

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Creativity is core to being human. Your very humanity comes with the tools to be creative. Back when humans were living in caves, they painted, they told stories, and sometimes they painted and told stories. (That’s not a six-legged animal. It’s an animal on the cave wall that would seem to move as the firelight flickered across it.) Creative expression is just a part of who you are.

Unfortunately, we’ve come to a time when society says that everything we do needs to be productive. All our waking time needs to be monetized. If you aren’t making money from it, it isn’t worth doing. The exceptions to this rule are going to the bathroom, eating, or going someplace to spend the money your making, even if that someplace is your living room couch to watch Netflix, to which you’re paying a monthly fee while also paying the Internet and electricity fees.

Beyond this neurotic need to make money, we have to be good at something in order for it to be worthwhile. The good news is that we don’t have to be Olympic or professional level athletes to enjoy sports. However, we can’t be bad at those sports either. If we pick up a tennis racket and can’t hit the ball back over the net, we might find ourselves saying, “I’m not any good at this.” That’s not the truth. What you should say is, “I haven’t had enough practice at this.” Or you can take a cue from Goofy, even if you’ve played for years or you play like a beginner, as long as you have fun, you’re number one.

The same is true for creative works. You don’t have to be good in order to enjoy an activity. If the activity is something that helps you cope with the world, all you have to do is spend the time to do it. You are worth giving up as many hours as you need to do something you like and you don’t have to be good at it.

Abraham Piper reminded me of this in one of his reels. He paints to center himself. The results don’t matter.

Find that creative activity you love, enjoy it for what it is.

If you want more creativity tips, check out my books in the Disneyland Is Creativity series and the Penguinate! series.

Being Kind as a Measure of Success?

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Mister Rogers told a story about a 100-yard dash at the Special Olympics: The starter’s gun went off, and the nine contestants started the race to the finish line. One of the competitors fell early and hurt his knee. He cried out, and when he did, the other runners, all of them, turned around and went back to him. They linked arms and crossed the finish line together. All of them were happy for their success. The crowd went wild. The story was popularized in a TV ad by the Foundation for a Better Life. This is based on an incident that happened in 1976. In that race, one of the runners fell and two others stopped to help him up. They finished the race together.

The implication of the story is that we are better off when we help others win and when everybody can win. In sports, we absolutely know that isn’t possible. There’s a winner and a lot of losers, especially if you believe the adage that second place is first loser. It doesn’t matter how much you train, how much effort you put in, or how much talent you have. If you don’t win, you lose. This is a hard way to live life, but it is also difficult to imagine 16 teams winning the Super Bowl. (Poor Jim Kelly, 4-time Super Bowl loser.)

How do we define success outside of sports? If it’s the cutthroat, second-place-is-first-loser philosophy, aren’t we selling our humanity short? Mister Rogers said that the three keys to success were to be kind, be kind, be kind. What happens when we start trying to outkind each other? What would it look like to be in first place at being kind? Kindness starts with being kind to yourself, and it doesn’t end there.

Sources: Life’s Journeys According to Mister Rogers: Things to Remember Along the Way by Fred Rogers (2005).

Snopes: Special Olympics Linked Arms Race Finish accessed 8/11/2024.

Planning a Disney Vacation? Talk to Lynn Barron

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Every year, I contact Lynn Barron (at Lbarron@conciears.com) to find out what a package to Disneyland costs, and every year, he asks me the appropriate questions to get me the best package price-to-benefit available. Lynn’s expertise comes from more than his extensive travel experience. He is a former custodial cast member, who has parlayed his former work site into two co-authored books on the park and a successful Disney podcast.

Books and Podcast

Along with Ken Pellman, Lynn authored Cleaning the Kingdom and its sequel. These two books expose the dirty underside of the park and how the vaunted custodial crew keeps it clean. Featuring stories from several custodial cast members, Cleaning the Kingdom is a must have for any Disney enthusiast and for those who wonder how they keep the parks so clean.

Lynn and Ken also do The Sweep Spot, a podcast that covers all the Disney topics. It provides updates about the parks and has interviews with former cast members, Disney historians and authors, including me. These two media ventures help Lynn keep his fingers on the pulse of the parks, so that he can plan incredible Disney vacations for his clients.

Honeymoon and More

Lynn has arranged park visits for both my nieces, including one honeymoon and one trip to Walt Disney World. His recommendations and hard work have made these trips easier. More importantly, he has helped make the Disney parks more fun.

Lynn didn’t ask me to write this. I just wanted to give him a shout out for the joy he’s brought to my family. Disneyland is a magical place, and Lynn has increased its magic through his various endeavors. Thanks, Lynn.