A Vato for all Seasons

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First time I ever laid eyes on Anthony Guajardo he was covered in tattoos and calling everybody “puto.” Little did I know at the time that beneath The Walking Dead grime of a character named Miguel dwelt a young actor with a heart of gold.

 

As many of my regular readers know, Anthony has since come onboard as a co-captain of the Zombie Survival Crew, issuing video dispatches from the ZSC Command Center for the brigades.

The truth is there’s a lot more to this intelligent, engaged teenage actor from San Antonio, TX than zombies and temporary tattoos. I asked Anthony to make an appearance here to talk about something besides walkers and share his hopes for 2011.

Somehow I convinced Anthony to take me on essay style in a battle to the death of his fingers …. He gets points for bravery, especially after what happened to IronE “T-Dog” Singleton when he decided to take on the crew!

Continue reading A Vato for all Seasons

BUAHahaha HUMBUG

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Anybody who follows me as @jterzieff on twitter (and really? If you’re not, what are you waiting for?) or reads this blog on any sort of the regular basis knows that I was overrun by the shambling hordes after I publicly admitted to having a zombie crew pre-arranged to ensure survival during a zombiepocalypse.

To keep the rotting corpses from pulling me under – and because the strategy sessions were off the hook – I decided, with a few trusty co-captains, to make Zombie Survival Crew official.

Just in the last few days we have thrown open the doors to the ZSC Command Center to begin worldwide recruitment.

But amidst all the plotting, planning, weapons practice and survival supply procurement, I discovered there is a price to pay for being ready to survive a global cataclysmic event.  

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Sleep deprivation.

 

We’re talking walking into walls, spill coffee down your shirt, call people by the wrong names, fall asleep standing up in the shower…. sleep deprivation.

Continue reading BUAHahaha HUMBUG

Wishlist for the 12 Days of Christmas

 

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As my regular readers know I have been assaulted by the shambling hordes of The Walking Dead in recent weeks following my blog statement “I’m Not Crazy, but my Zombie Crew may be” …

So I was a little shocked – but delighted — when @kysilka came at me with the idea to host a Twelve Days of Christmas blogathon! It was, I thought, a chance to escape the rotting flesh for a few moments and bring my readers back to the days when my freak flag wasn’t flying full mast.

Ummm, yeah,…. about that.

Like everything else in recent weeks, it didn’t turn out exactly like I planned…because as soon as I sat down to think about what I would want my true love to bring me, welllllll, you’ll see ….

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How it works: Participating bloggers are putting up their personal version of the “Twelve Days of Christmas” on their blogs and leaving their post URLs in the comment section below this post.

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So here it is and try not to cry …. Juliette’s Twelve Days of Christmas dedicated to my TBFF Pauline, a.k.a. @AspiringMama without whom I literally could not have done this …

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On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,

A zombie lurkin’ in a hashtag

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On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,

Two shiny crossbows,

And a zombie lurkin’ in a hashtag.

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On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me,

Three Walking Dead,

Two shiny crossbows,

And a zombie lurkin’ in a hashtag.

Continue reading Wishlist for the 12 Days of Christmas

Betting on a squirrel toss? Whodda thunk?

 Top Moments of The Walking Dead Season 1

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It’s over. (*sobs*) And now fans of The Walking Dead are left to ponder and pine for almost a year before we get to see Rick Grimes and crew decapitate more zombies.

Anyone who was on twitter the night of the finale got to laugh, squeal, shake their head as I bit my finger bloody through the explosive last episode.

I got so thoroughly over-excited that had it not been for faithful #zombiesurvivalcrew members @PatriciaIVicens, @jogden38 and @creativeconduit I would have missed the code to enter for the shamble on role – thank you again ladies!

Our only solace in the immediate aftermath of the finale was the generosity of IronE Singleton – a.k.a. TDog – our #zombiesurvivalcrew co-captain, who came on to the blog and answered all our questions with a depth of sincerity that was astounding.

I ended up having to go back and watch the finale two more times before I was even able to begin processing what I actually saw. Sitting down to think about it after, I began running through my

 top moments of season one

 

Here is where I landed ….

1 – Rick & Glenn take a walk –

Anyone who wasn’t shaking on their couch when walker-goo-covered Rick & Glenn took a horrifying walk through Atlanta’s zombie-infested streets just simply isn’t human. This was the epitome of (fictional) bravery and left many of us watchers wondering – could we do the same?

This was the perfect example of what it would take from each individual to survive a zombie apocalypse, and if you can’t hack it – you’ll be meat.

2 – Dale & Andrea –

A lot of people have asked and here is the answer. The scene near the finale’s end when Dale makes his amazing sacrifice was the moment my finger began to bleed. If the interplay between this loving, wise, generous father figure and the “daughter” he’s devoted to had gotten any more real I probably would have ended up in the hospital.

It’s moments like this that will carry The Walking Dead forward. And, yes, I know that death stalks them all, but I’m hoping Darabont, Kirkman and crew will keep this kind of character interaction very much alive.

3 – Daryl’s Squirrel toss –

Daryl had the best entrance of all the characters (with the exception of maybe Glenn). Three plus weeks later I’m still trying to figure out my favorite part. It’s a hard choice, because everything in that sequence was sublime — from the squirrel toss and the illegal choke hold, to “C’mon people, what the hell?!? It’s gotta be the brain. Dontcha all know nothin’?!?” and tears for his brother.

In the span of just a couple minutes The Walking Dead gave us a multi-dimensional character you just knew you were going to love to hate.  This was refreshing compared to the very one-dimensional introductions we received to most of the other characters. And, of course, it wasn’t much of a surprise that Daryl quickly became a fan favorite.

Continue reading Betting on a squirrel toss? Whodda thunk?

TDog cements his place on ZombieSurvivalCrew

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Mad, mad  love to Robert “IronE” Singleton

 – TDog on AMC’s hit television show The Walking Dead –

for taking on the #zombiesurvivalcrew in this epic battle to the death of his fingers!!

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He took all of the, ummmm, creative questions – including a last minute entry from me (bow, scrape, beg) — and did it up hard core in true #zombiesurvivalcrew style!!! He even added a special message for all the crew at the end!

I had a blast reading through his responses and was truly impressed with the obvious time and thought he put into his answers – and his quirky sense of humor. IronE, you are DEFINITELY #zombiesurvivalcrew material man and we are very, very happy to have you officially on the bus!

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So, without further ado ……

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Juliette/@jterzieff – In my work I constantly urge every individual to stand up and make their voice heard on the issues that matter to them personally whatever they may be — free speech, women’s rights, political repression in Burma, illiteracy, offshore oil drilling, hunger, etc. What issues do you feel particularly strong about? And do you believe it is important for every individual to make a contribution to solving our collective challenges?

IronE: I believe that change starts from within and manifests itself from without. I think that it is necessary for each and every individual to focus on becoming a better person, because we can’t control other peoples actions. …only our own. As we do that, we build credibility, people recognize and respect it, and want to do the same for themselves. In turn, they make more humane decisions and the world becomes a better place. Having said that, I feel strongly about each issue you mentioned and then some. And yes, I feel that each individual has an obligation to make a contribution 1st through how he/she lives, which can then serve as an example for others.   

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@actingnodrama – I love that Mr. Singleton is doing this. What an amazing way to reach out to the fans in a creative way. I’ll have to think long and hard about my question. Don’t want to waste the opportunity

IronE: It’s is my absolute pleasure, Ben.

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@Alta03 – Thanks for being so awesome and coming for a visit! My question: What did you learn about yourself while filming The Walking Dead? Thanks! Alta from the “Z-crew”

IronE: Hi Alta, my pleasure. I would say that in extremely hot temperatures, I would probably pass out. Given my decade plus of football experience… practicing in the most extreme conditions during Georgia summers, I thought I was invincible to heat exhaustion. Boy, was I wrong!!! I almost had a heat stroke when we shot episode 2 on the rooftop. I guess I learned that I’m not as tough as I thought I was…when it pertains to dealing with heat, of course…not zombies. Hahahaha. 

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@KyleD03 – IronE, great fan of your work. (even more so because of your humble and social personality) I’m wondering if at any time during filming you’ve found yourself so engulfed in the scene that true emotions take over and separation becomes difficult…or if you just get creeped out by the walkers. In such a dramatic production, it seems so very likely. Again, great work! Thanks for your time!

IronE: Hi, Kyle and thank you for your thoughtfulness. Yes, true emotions do take over but separation never becomes difficult. As an actor, my job is to become as emotionally connected to the scene as possible…to believe everything that I’m doing so the audience can believe it, too. If that doesn’t happen, I might want to rethink this acting career of mine. Take care. 

Continue reading TDog cements his place on ZombieSurvivalCrew

Hotties, not Rotties …

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I can’t even begin to count the times I’ve wondered why in the name of all that is good and great in the world The Walking Dead production team makes all these handsome actors look like crap. Not that we don’t like the sweaty look, but they all look like they’ve just survived an apocalypse. Ummmm … yeah, about that.

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Andrew Lincoln? IronE Singleton? Jon Bernthal?

 

(and yes, yes, YES, I hear ya screamin’…)

 

Norman “badass” Reedus?!?!?!

 

Talk about taking the, uhhhh… wind out of our, ummmm, sails ….

But the truth is, they have hit upon an undeniable apocalyptic truth: Even the hottest survivors are going to smell and look like walkers pretty fast.

So that got me thinking, … again.

What kind of men are we going to encounter

in the event of a cataclysmic global zombie outbreak?

And would any of them be worth braving the smell?

 

(I asked #zombiesurvivalcrew co-captain @RCMurphy to help me examine the evidence …. And here is where we landed)

Continue reading Hotties, not Rotties …

The Walking Dead’s T-Dog takes aim at my crew!

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I am super excited and smilin’ like a fool!

Robert “IronE” Singleton – T-Dog on AMC’s new hit The Walking Dead

has graciously agreed to get further involved with the #zombiesurvivalcrew and takes us on in a battle to the death of his fingers!

You have 48 hours to ask IronE any question you like by posting your query in the comment section!

Twitter Retweets and blog shout outs are encouraged!

IronE – from all of us on the #zombiesurvivalcrew – THANK YOU for doing this! Way to love the fans! And if there was ever any doubt you should be on the bus … well, heck, after this, I may even let you drive!

I will close out the “ask” period at 12 noon EST on Wednesday, December 1!!

His answers – barring any last minute scheduling conflicts – will appear just after The Walking Dead finale!!

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A few ground rules:

  • You can ask all you want, but IronE’s a busy guy so let’s keep it concise please!
  • I will have IronE review questions in the order they are posted. (with one caveat, see next item)
  • If we get overrun with questions [20 cap], official #zombiesurvivalcrew peeps get first crack.
  • There are certain things he can’t reveal, so if you ask about Season 2 or future plans he may not be able to give a full answer.
  • I reserve the right to ask a question. (LOL)
  • Keep it clean and respectful! I will toss any questions I find offensive or vulgar.

 

And that’s it!

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So my fellow SURVIVORS … what do you want to know???

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Zombie War of the Sexes

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One of my favorite scenes in AMC’s new hit The Walking Dead involves a group of women sitting by the water, washing laundry and conversing in the easy banter of eternal sisterhood. The scene is timeless. It could be a group of women from any culture, speaking any language. It just rings true.

Their banter is heartwarming …. and, ummmmm, well?

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“I miss my vibrator.”

 

CLASSIC.

… And judging from the types of men likely to be available (more on this in a later post), I’m gonna say your friendly neighborhood vibrator is a packing necessity

*runs to make a quick addition to pre-packed disaster bag*

 

In the subsequent episode two of the survivor group’s women provide a tasty meal – after having gone fishing for the day.

That started me thinking … I know, I know, “uh-oh”

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What is it about women that would make us more likely to survive in a zombie apocalypse?

Continue reading Zombie War of the Sexes

I’m not crazy, but my zombie crew may be …

Advance apologies to any first time readers.

 

If you run away screaming and never come back, I get it, I understand ….

 

That being said?

 

If you decide to do so, please do not expect me to include you when the zombie apocalypse unfolds and my #zombiesurvivalcrew is headed for a pre-planned safe harbor.

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As my regular readers know AMC’s new show The Walking Dead has already caused me some consternation following a truly disturbing reenactment of a recurring nightmare I have.

Now that we’re headed to the back end of a painfully short season, I find the show is forcing me to reevaluate the composition of my Zombie Survival Crew.

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The Background:

I am not crazy. Odd? Maybe. Crazy? No.

I am a former foreign war correspondent with SAS-run combat training, writer of both fiction and nonfiction, and an avid monster freak from birth.  Zombies may not attack tomorrow, but it never hurts to be prepared for an emergency, so yes, *puts hands on hips and glares* I DO have a zombie survival plan.

I am also a great believer in the power each one of us has individually to act humanely towards one another regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or otherwise – and have repeatedly endorsed cooperation and self-sufficiency as keys to surviving a zombie apocalypse (or massive natural disaster or man-made attack).

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The Roster:

  • Me (hey, it’s my crew, so yeah, I get listed first)
  • A former Army medic
  • A colleague who is survivalist that can build a log cabin or grow food in any climate
  • A fellow writer who is quite well trained on using knives and swords
  • A pilot (a cashier at my local Blockbuster who initially, but politely, ran away from me when I told him my plan)
  • An engineer
  • Another writer who excels in double fudge brownie making, who would likely become trip-her-to-escape nominee number one for my third writer friend on the crew

 

That was until The Walking Dead came into play …

Lesson 1: Ya need a redneck, y’all

Now I know I saw an interview somewhere with Norman Reedus – who plays the squirrel tossing Daryl Dixon — where he joked he would likely curl up in a ball and cry if the zombie hordes began shambling down the street.

So, that means I have to go with Michael Rooker – who plays Merle, Daryl’s tough-as-nails brother – as my resident redneck tough guy. Ummm, yeah, Rooker is playing a character, of course, but the man was born in Alabama, has known hardship and has that look in his eyes – so I’m going to run with it.

Now that’s not to say I wouldn’t save a space for Norman on the bus – especially if he brings his crossbow. (Hey all the Boondock Saints weapons work has got to mean something, right?)

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NORMAN IS IN!!!!

He even begged a little, tho he DEFinitely didn’t have to!! or wait, maybe that was the other way round … (see the comment section for his actual post but here it is!!)

From Norman: im in let me in . i got skills . i eat just about anything . ha . oh yeah and im tuff.

Thanks man!!!

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Continue reading I’m not crazy, but my zombie crew may be …

Dead On …. And I am terrified

How The Walking Dead confirmed my worst nightmare

 

Ok, so, my regular readers (all three of you) know that I pride myself (endlessly) on my Horrordentials. I love “le freak” – the gorier, the better.

But this past week, a brand new series about the shambling hordes — The Walking Deadactually really and truly freaked me out.  

And, yes, I am going to tell you why …..

After the premiere of the show last week I jumped on to AMC’s official site to snoop around and decided – for a hoot – to take The Walking Dead Survival Test to see what character I would be in a survive-the-apocalypse situation. We all know who I think I would be, but I wanted to see if I was right.

I thought about my answers (as much as you can in the 30 seconds they give you).

I answered honestly (as honestly as I could knowing the “real” me).

I came up as:

Glenn, the plucky sidekick.

(Who is, of course, also smart, brave, loyal, forever funny – my additions)

 

Little did I know at the time, because I have not (gasp) read the graphic novels that inspired the series, that just one week later Glen would face my worst nightmare. Seriously ….

Continue reading Dead On …. And I am terrified