me: Hi Christie St. Martin, newest blogger on the LA Times!
Christie: O'hai. What's happening? I am currently nursing a rather unfortunate hangover from trying to drink Mead last night. Interesting fact, Mead is not something one should drink in excess. The vikings are clearly much tougher than I am.
me: Mead - the honey wine concoction?
Christie: Ah yes, that very one. I had the bottle for 4 1/2 years. I figured it was time to bust it open and live like a Viking. Or a hobbit. Or an elf.
me: Or a sloppy princess?
Christie: Or that. (probably more the latter. yeah.)
me: I understand your new blog is called Funny Pages 2.0, which can easily be found by typing in the shortcut url of http://latimes.com/lulz can you explain it for those who haven't seen it yet?
Christie: Basically, it's what I have been doing since I graced the intarweb. Collecting random hilarity from crazy you tube videos, to hilarious essays to basically anything I find worth watching or reading and sharing it with others. I started doing this with my old personal site from back in the day, called Allthingschristie. Which honestly, had absolutely nothing to do with me. And everything to do with video games, web memes, insert-geeky-activities-here. Which scored me a job working for Vh1's best week ever, doing basically the same thing but more pop culture and mocking of celebrities. And now, i am back to doing something that's more up my alley for the LA Times.
me: And we're very happy to have you!
Christie: I am very happy to be here. It's always nice to have an outlet that accepts the fact that I am a horrible dork.
me: Let's examine your dorkiness, since you bring it up
Christie: Whattttyaawaaannttoknow?
me: Star Wars or Star Trek?
Christie: Both. I have an entire hard drive dedicated to Star Trek. Every episode from the original series to Enterprise and every film. Star Wars, I own an unhealthy amount of toys and continue to grow on this collection. I just don't want to grow up.
I have an unhealthy obsession (not the creepy kind. OKAY SLIGHTLY CREEPY. I would be totally cool with him adopting me) with Shatner.
But back to star wars, I got a thing for bounty hunters.
me: So if a guy tried to pick you up while speaking Klingon, would that work?
Christie: ...well for starters, I would die of laughter and buy him a drink, and probably wind up in some sort of 3 hour conversation/arguement and then probably decide that we could never be because he enjoyed Voyager. And not in a ironic way. I am pretty sure anyone who honestly thought Janeway was a good captain, is not meant to be my boyfriend.
DON'T GET ME WRONG. I watch Voyager. I just hate myself for it.
me: Lets say you were deeply in love with a man, And you were engaged to be married And he suggested a Star Wars Wedding like how they did the coronation like in the end of Episode 1
Christie: .... go on.
me: or Episode 4, or whatever the kids call it these days... the original
Christie: You are wondering whether I would be on board?
me: yes
Christie: Okay. Now this is the sad thing. Like any girl, of course I have put thought into what my wedding day would be like. I draw the line at dressing up in costume. However, I would so totally have my bridesmaids walk down the aisle to the Imperial motif.
I would however of course, walk down the aisle to the Imperial March. You know, if my groom would be cool with that. Which chances are he wouldn't be. So I would probably just hum it to myself. Admit it would be sort of awesome to see? Even just the humming part.
me: So you would frown upon something along these lines:?
Christie: Hilarious. But I would honestly never be able to live with myself again. No. I would GO to a wedding like that. I would buy them a Darth Vader cookie jar. But, No. To borderline LARP-like for this girl. But if I was allowed, it would be sort of awesome to have the ringbearer be Greedo. (Rodian bounter hunter...... Tatooine.... in the Cantina....killed by Han)
I'll shut up now. Please don't make me put my foot in my mouth. But Greedo was probably the 2nd best part of the Cantina scene. Totally underrated bounty hunter.
me: ok for our wedding i mean your wedding can that cantina band be the band?
Christie: .....that would be pretty freakin awesome. Provided they just kept playing the same song over and over again. Okay, while I totally don't want this to be my wedding, I would freaking pay to go to one like it.
me: ok The Simpsons or Family Guy?
Christie: Family Guy excluding 5th season. Love the Simpsons. You can't compare but honestly, I would like to say Frisky Dingo is my new favourite cartoon. Pretty much the greatest thing ever. I am also more of a Futurama fan. I will have to burn you Frisky Dingo, and send it to ya. Amazing. Any cartoon willing to make a Sophie's Choice joke, is cool in my books.
me: So is Adult Swim your Playboy Channel?
Christie: I suppose you could say that. But I tend to download all my shows.
me: cough legally
Christie: YES LEGALLY. PIRATING IS WRONG. But I just like having copies of the shows or movies I enjoy. Which is why my dvd collection continues to grow. the legal one. that is.
me: lets move on to video games
Christie: nods. What would you like to know?
me: what has happened to creativity in video games? the 80s gave us all sorts of wacky weird fun games--
Christie: Hey, it's still there. You just have to be picky. I love nostalgic 80's games as much as the next dork, but as much as I enjoy console games, I am far more of a PC gamer. I need a mouse and keyboard if it's a matter of pwning bitches. ...or elves. (Although Elves in my experiences can be bitches) I am still really into MMO's but they destroy my life, so I try to limit my time.
me: MMO?
Christie: Massively multiplayer online role playing games. I mean, when I was in high school, I used to play anarchy online, and ultima, which then lead me to Everquest from the days of beta. Basically destroying my social life. By choice. [wink] However, to break off of Everquest, I used Counter Strike and used to play for money but the best MMO, I have ever played, has been EVE.
Eve Online is a truly brilliant, high end game play that allows for the best PVP experiences I have ever had. I have played EVE for 4 years. And while I have beta tested many games since, or played and finished various of RPGs, etc. I have always gone back to it.
me: PVP? sorry, im an old man
Christie: Player vs Player. no worries. I am horribly competitive. There is something sadly satisfying, to this day, of making a 14 year old cry in his parent's basement. DOES THAT MAKE ME A BAD PERSON? Yes, yes it does.
me: no it makes us love you that much more
Christie: Well, unfortunately I am not going to make a living, playing video games. So I gotta cut back and honestly, I have been doing better with that in the last year. Sort of. On that note, I would just like to say that my currently console obsession, which is rare, is Smash Brothers Brawl. I haven't turned off my Wii in 2 two weeks.
One of my good friends, is named Kirby and she is starting to develop a complex of me using the character Kirby to beat the crap out of Link, Mario, Princess Peach, The Snow Climbers, et.c etc. I think she doesn't enjoy me comparing her to a pink cream puff who swallows people and spits them out.
me: why are the kids so obsessed with this game? isnt it just another in the long line of two characters beating the piss out of each other?
Christie: Smash Brothers Brawl? Because there is something deeply satisifying,even though it often infuriates me, about beating the crap out of your favourite characters of all time. The idea of having Zelda and Princess Peach, decking it out is pretty great.
Or Pitt and Link throwing down.
The beauty of a game like this is, the most adorable characters are usually the ones that kick the most ass. You can have Donkey Kong fight it out with Meta Knight or Sonic the hedgehog run circles around Wolf from Star Fox. It's too adorable to pass up on. No matter how old I am.
me: so you are a beautiful young woman with lots of friends
Christie: d'aww
me: you're intelligent and funny
Christie: I have some pretty great friends. Thank you. [smile]
me: so why arent more young ladies like you into video games and cartoons and star wars things?
Christie: I think it depends on what you're raised on. Or in my case, what you were banned from. If more girls were given spare computer parts instead of dolls back in my day, there would have been a larger percentage of women going into computer related fields. But, that takes time.
It will happen. There is already a drastically large portion of young girls owning up games like Halo or [rolls eyes] WoW.
My parents were fantastic. However, I did temporarily get banned from consoles. They have long since given up trying to "save" me. [wink]
me: wait did you just diss Warcraft?
Christie: I did. I waited 5 years for that game. 5 YEARS I WAS EXCITED FOR WoW. I was a huge fan of anything created by Blizzard. Unforunately for me, In an MMO, I have pretty high standards for long term, high end game play and to this day WoW doesn't have the follow through that it should.
It's a great game, it just needs to go the extra mile and provide something that's more challenging. Leveling is too easy and while everything else is pretty brilliant. If I am going to invest my time into a game, I want to not be capable of seeing the end date.
I will never sell my EVE Online characters. Never. Because I always know, I am going to go back to them.
I could rant for hours and hours about this topic. Best change it up or this nterview will never end.
me: ok theres that classic video of a WoW,i think, group
Christie: Leroy Jenkins
me: who were plotting to take on-- yes
Christie: best.video.ever.
me: fake?
Christie: Anyone who plays MMO's know the amount of time, that is spent preparing for a raid and how long it takes to organize that many people for one single event and the last thing you need is someone charging into a mess without the raid party being prepared.
I refuse to believe it is a fake. I don't want to know.
I love it. It is one of those internet videos that will truly NEVER get old.
me: were you happy or sad to see that nissan commercial using WoW?
Christie: it's a great commercial. I just don't want to see it. I had a hard enough time watching Shatner's Wow commercial and I am convinced that man can do no wrong. Mr. Shatner, if you're out there and reading this, I am open to an adoption agreement. CALL ME.
me: what if we can get him to be the minister for your wedding?
Christie: ....I honestly don't think my dad would be offended if Shatner walked me down the aisle. But I would so prefer him to be the minister. I would also hope he would sing at my wedding. And by sing, I mean Shatner every song.
me: done. ok
Christie: [heart]
me: now lets talk about your fashion style
Christie: ha.
me: you dont dress like a video game nerd
Christie: See that's the thing. I do. But I mix it up. I have an entire closet full of t-shirts. I also have a bunch of girly outfits that I'll whip out when needed. But I think comfort is key.
me: if there was one video game or sci fi character out there whose style most matches yours who would it be?
Christie: Leeloo Dallas, MULTIPASS Kidding. But that would be awesome.
me: I just googled her.
Christie: Yeah that's my Sunday outfit.
I also went through a Angelina Jolie from hackers period in my life.
me: you had short hair?
Christie: I did. unfortunately. NEVER AGAIN. I have naturally curly wavy hair. Short hair is a diaster. *disaster even
me: because you seem to like to sport thigh high socks, i thought your answer would be like Rainbow Brite or someone
Christie: I have an obsession with socks. I have an unhealthy amount of knee high, thigh high socks. Just something I love. They make for good wii-outfits
me: one needs outfits to fully enjoy wii?
Christie: Of course. Plus it allows me to slide on the floor during my tennis matches.
Christie: My best friend is one, yes. She's on there as Tekky. She's drop dead gorgeous, loves video games, enjoys web designing and is one of the funniest women I have ever met. There is also now currently one house inbetween us. Which leads to shenanigans. She is however deeply into WoW. which I forgive her for.
me: so what planet are you women from and when do you plan on invading us, because we welcome our sexy videogame-playing funny techy geeky fembot overlords
Christie: I for one, would love a world of more of those types running around. Feel free to give them my number.
me: ok wait one last question - do you accept tips from fans of Funny Pages 2.0 - in regards to cool videos that you might like, or web sites, etc? and if so, how should they send them to you?
Christie: I would love for people to send me tips. I sort of scout out a hundred or so sites a day, and it's always possible I miss something great. They should feel free to email me and send me whatever they deem amazing and Funny Pages 2.0 worthy. They can email me at cstmartin @ gmail
me: I understand your new blog is called Funny Pages 2.0, which can easily be found by typing in the shortcut url of 
Christie: I suppose you could say that. But I tend to download all my shows.
me: now lets talk about your fashion style