Dang. I missed all the fun with "Lilith." I was going to point out that "she" sounded like Sheldon, just with more vitriol, over your missing the con. You should've used your small rock to kill "her" enchanted bunny. :>)

Loved the story, Wil! I got a giggle that the Scalzorc's name was "Scalzi" spelled backwards, and that his battle cry was the name of John's cat [which I can't spell from memory] and BACONNNNNNNNN!! :>) And of course, "You can't haz." Good stuff. I hope your hotel room was well-insulated; otherwise, your fellow guests got to hear quite a performance. ;>D

Bubbette, I was just thinking that! "My name is Ted. One day, I'll be dead, yo yo yo..." :>) Wil, hopefully you'll remember to pack CLOTHES this time? Let's not have another incident with stolen pants.

Everyone who's met Wil should get a T-shirt made that says "OMG I MET WIL WHEATON" and then all meet at a convention sometime, wearing the shirt. :>) Or create their own convention. I have a feeling it wouldn't be difficult to construct an entire weekend of Wheatony awesomeness.

I'm not gonna lie to you, Marge - I'VE got something in my eye now too. And, unlike Moe, it isn't a piece of glass. I'm not a gamer, but I understand the feeling of isolation and freakishness when you're rabid about something that's on the fringe of acceptability. There is a warmth in coming to know you're actually part of a community. Thanks for helping people come to that knowing, Wil. You are made of awesome.

What your friend [SWSNBN] and others might not realize, Cathy, is that what happens in the world as a whole will eventually affect us. I'm sure some folks might wonder why we should care about China's or Japan's or Thailand's environmental policies - but that feeling might change if they learned that about 75 percent of the air pollution floating above some cities in the Western US originates in China. Sheds a different light on things, doesn't it? The same holds true for giving aid to underdeveloped and impoverished nations. When people are solely focused on living for one more day, they aren't all that concerned with environmental sustainability - they'll burn polluting fuel, they'll cut down old growth forests, they won't practice good stewardship of the planet because that goes up against the whole "not wanting to die" thing. And their inability to be environmentally sound DOES impact us at some point. Make no mistake about that. And I'm with you. I think it's criminal that people in developed countries take for granted that they can turn a faucet and have access to clean water. Contrary to popular belief, clean water is NOT an inexhaustible resource. But when you can just walk over to your sink and get water - that makes it a lot easier to waste water. I bet our habits would change if we had to walk five miles in one direction to get water and only had access to whatever we could carry back home. I don't think you should feel that you have to defend your choice of charities. You found a cause you felt strongly about and you took up its standard and blew the trumpet. Some people might complain that there are tons of charities in the US that you could've chosen to support; however, as I just described, helping folks in Africa or wherever will eventually help people in our country. It's all interconnected. On behalf of all those folks who are going to have fresh water due in part to your efforts, I'll say thank you.

I can't remember exactly how that scene went [I don't have one of those new-fangled DVR or TiVO devices so I couldn't replay it] but for whatever reason, I just heard Chaos/you in my head saying, "All your laser are belong to us." Anywho, I enjoyed your performance, Wil. It made me a little sad to see you, considering the events of the past week, but it was nice to smile on your behalf because I know you had fun filming the show. I'm just glad for your sake that the airing of the episode fell so that the media junket was done LAST week, instead of being scheduled for THIS week. I think you probably would've gone through with all the interviews because you're a professional, but obviously, your heart wouldn't have been in it. Small mercies, I suppose, are better than none.

Wil, I don't think you should hide your grief from Nolan. If this is his first major loss, he may not know exactly how to feel, what's "okay" to feel. If he sees you grieving, it might help him to grieve as well. He loves you, and I think he can bear more of your "burden" than you realize. Pain shared is pain divided. I totally understand your wanting to shield him from your naked humanity but truthfully, I think it would help him with his own grief if he experienced and shared your pain. Extra treats to Riley for being such a pillar for you! As others have said, you ARE NOT projecting. She knows you're sad and need comforting - that's why she brought all of her favorite toys to you and rested with you. She's sad too, and being near you probably brings her comfort as well. Glad to hear that Anne will be home to enfold you in comfort and that you'll be able to hold each other and cry. Emails and such can be lifesavers [it's really what pulled me through when I was experiencing my loss] but there's nothing like being able to cling to someone and sob. This whole thing is a process of surviving minute by minute. Thank you for sharing yourself and all your minutes with all of us.

Wil, you should write a book about Ferris [and about your other beloved pets as well]. I know you probably have enough anecdotes about her and your other critters to fill a good-sized book and, given the outpouring of affection and comfort you're receiving upon Ferris' passing, it would probably be pretty popular. It might be cathartic...when you're ready for cartharsis, of course. I know when I lost Tommy, I was a little selfish or protective about his memories - sounds weird, but I guess I just wanted to keep him for myself for a while longer or something. If you cleared a profit on the book, you could donate the proceeds to a rescue organization or animal shelter. I think that would be a nice tribute to Ferris. Anyway, just a thought....

Wil, I understand about the explosive grief. After I lost Tommy, I cried almost constantly. I couldn't understand how one person could produce so many tears; I never seemed to run dry. I had to put Tommy down on a Friday evening and I thought after crying all weekend, I'd be ready to return to work. That didn't happen. I was actually out of work for four days because I just could NOT stop weeping. [When I returned to work on Friday, my boss gave me a disciplinary notice for "excessive absenteeism" - and I worked for a CHURCH. Some compassion there, huh?] After burying Tommy on that Friday evening, I went out to sit by his grave at sunrise on Saturday morning. I couldn't understand why the sun was rising, why the world was still turning. I was broken, and it didn't make sense to me that everything else wasn't broken as well. For weeks, I looked for him, had to stop myself from calling for him. The tears would start all over again when I'd look at the place where his food bowl had been, remembered his favorite napping spots. He's been gone nearly four years now, but still, I'm weeping as I write this. I lost my father about a year before Tommy died. I cried more for Tommy than I did for my own father. I thought I was insane or cold but, really, it makes some sense. I had Tommy for 13 years, and I cared for him as you would a child - made sure he was healthy, fed, safe. Too, my father had cancer and his end was expected, something for which I could prepare. Tommy had been ill, but we thought it was simply a parasite - not a tumor that filled nearly his entire stomach. That news was a huge shock. I remember very vividly being at the vet's office, sitting numbly in the exam room, having just been told Tommy had that huge tumor and there really wasn't anything that could be done. The exam room was near the waiting area; even with the door closed, I could hear what was happening in the lobby. I heard a young boy happily exclaim, "Buddy! Buddy can come home now!" And it was such a jarring sensation, feeling such devastation while hearing such joy. Besides the grief, I also felt a lot of regret. Wishing I'd spent more time with Tommy, wishing I'd hugged him more, petted him more. Wishing I'd had one more day. Eventually, you will start to feel better, Wil. Your world will still have cracks in it, but it will be mostly whole again. You will still cry from time to time, even after years have passed and you think you should be "over" it. You will still look for her in her favorite spots, and it will still surprise you when she isn't there. You will still see her from the corner of your eye, only to have her vanish when you turn to look. And at some point, there will come a time when you can remember something amusing about her and have it bring a smile rather than tears. Peace to you during this wrenching time, Wil. You'll be in my thoughts.

Awww, Wil, I'm so sorry. I know right now it's not bringing you comfort that you were with her at the end, but eventually, you will be glad to have spent those last moments together. It just doesn't feel like it when your world is crashing around your ears. When I lost my beloved cat Tommy, I couldn't understand why the sun came up the morning after his death - how could it, when my heart was so broken? I have a feeling you may've felt the same way today. As I was reading your post, the Beatles' "In My Life" started playing on the TV. I think the lyrics are a bit appropo for the situation: "Though I know I'll never lose affection/For people and things that went before/I know I'll often stop and think about them/In my life I love you more." Blessings of comfort to you and your family, Wil. And blessings to Ferris as well.

My best to you, Wil. [As I write that, I can hear Bender in the back of my mind yelling, "Your best is an idiot!"] You are a young pup, much the same as my hubby who was also born in 1972. I myself am coming up on my "Life, the Universe, and Everything" birthday: 42. Hope you have a great day!

Farewell, Freddy. Fly free among the stars, little one, and know that you brought joy to "your people." Wil, please thank Jeremy for his compassion in giving Freddy peace. It's SOOO hard to euthanize a beloved friend but sometimes, it's the kindest and most loving thing a person can do. I hope it's of some comfort to know Freddy's no longer suffering. It's just hard to be left behind to mourn the loss. I had to do this back in 2005, and I still grieve for my Tommy. I'm glad I gave him wings, but it hurt like hell at the time, and I still miss him madly. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again, Freddy.

Wil, I told my husband (who was at work at the time) about this post and he emailed me the following response, asking me to post it to your blog since he couldn't do it from work. (His response) "Gimme 5 bees for a quarter," you'd say. Oh, but Mr. Wheaton (can I call you Mr. Wheaton?), we could pass by the songs we didn't like - if we were lucky enough to be listening to an audio cassette tape, which was the style at the time. All we had to do was press the Fast Forward button, and kinda sorta guess how long it would take to get to the song we wanted. Then press Fast Forward again because you didn't go nearly far enough. Then again. Then Rewind because now you're into the 2nd verse of the song you want. (And you kids... you won't believe this. The button was more like a lever - it stayed in the down position while the fast forwarding was happening, and that function was released by pressing a different button... what's that? How did we 2x, 4x, 8x fast forward? We didn't. There was no such thing. We had x. You could either fast forward, or not fast forward - that was it.)

He had the best hair though. Probably still does, but now with the helmet, we can't see it. I used to be able to pick him out from seeing the hair. Now, he's just another anonymous zebra...until he makes a stupid call.

Wil, my hubby would be in the seat next to you, if you went back to 1974 to a Broad Street Bullies' game and could take him along. He bleeds orange and black. I have no problem with fighting in hockey, as long as it's done "properly." If one guy says, "You wanna go?" and the other guy says, "Sure" and they fight, that's cool. The code of honor is in place during an exchange like that. What I can't abide is the crap that players like Ruutu and Avery and Bertuzzi perpetrate - the stick work and sneak attacks and dirty play. I got no time for that. I think that kind of foolishness causes more injuries than fighting. I'm with you on the third jersey nonsense. The MN Wild have these gods-awful red jerseys that they wear at home (which were the third jersey a year or so ago). Go back to the green jerseys, already! By the by, the Wild are playing the Kings as I type. Go, Wild! :>ppp

Michael, I have two words for you: Willi Plett. Remember him? It sucked big time when stupid Norm moved the Stars to Texas. I tend to root against Dallas when they happen to be a part of the game I'm watching. I have nothing against the players, really, but it just galls me that we had hockey stolen from us. I had a mad crush on Dino when I was young. Even bought the 45 of "Disco Dino." Yikes, was I ever that foolish? I think Curt Giles was probably my favorite player. Either him or Bobby Smith. Good guys.

1. Ooo. This not be cheap. 2. Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease... (To be fair, I thought of the CAT FUD one before I read your LA Daily column, Wil. Always been one of my favorites.) 3. Ahhh, the fuel light is on, we're going to die! Oh wait, that's just the intercom light. 4. You're sick, Jessie. Sick! 5. The coconut-like sound of their heads colliding secretly delighted the bird. 6. Mom said no sitting on the edge, Wayne. Those are just the ones I can reel off from memory. I'll have to dig out my Far Side books and re-experience the fun.

You're welcome, Bill. I totally respect the enjoyment you gain from the prequels, even if I don't happen to share your view. I think if those were stand-alone movies - if Episodes 4-6 had never been made - I wouldn't have as much problem with them. What bugs me is that Lucas crafted a particular universe in Episodes 4-6 and then seemed to completely disregard its mythology, if you will, when he made 1-3. He HAD to have known how discriminating his fanbase was, how passionate it felt about the original three movies, and it seems like he didn't care to reward that passion and loyalty with a decent follow-up product. It was like, "Hey, let's just throw some stuff up there with cool CGs so I can make more money." Maybe that isn't the case at all, but that's the way it seemed to me. And for the record, *I* didn't hate Jar Jar. :>) I found him mildly amusing. And I found it interesting that Jar Jar was actually pretty much responsible for the creation of the Empire - if I'm remembering correctly, he stood in for Padme at a meeting and either brought up or seconded the motion to create the clone army.

Wil, thanks for sharing these photos. It sure does bring back memories...of my SW sheets, SW curtains, SW T*I*E fighter electronic game, C-3PO action figure case, assorted action figures, stuffed Chewbacca, stuffed Ewoks, doll-sized versions of Luke/Leia/Vader/Fett/Chewie, trading cards... I was almost 10 years old when I first saw SW and I really loved Chewie. I saw Empire when I was almost 13 years old and developed a mad crush on Han. Cried as the final scene of Jedi rolled across the screen. I thank Lucas for creating the universe I loved...but I'd like to throw him into the sarlaac pit for screwing it up.

Bill, I think what p*sses me off most about the prequels is that it doesn't seem as though Lucas even paid much attention to Episodes 4-6 while he was writing Episodes 1-3. There were inconsistencies that to me were unforgivable coming from someone as skilled at his craft as Lucas. 1. Ben talks about the Force being an energy field (in SW)...then Ben talks about midichlorians in the blood when discussing the Force (Episode 1). I would think he would've told Luke about midichlorians in SW when explaining the Force. 2. Leia says (in Jedi) her mother died when she was young but that her mother seemed sad. Umm, Padme died a few moments after Leia was born. How would Leia remember her mother? 3. Yoda disappeared after he died (in Jedi). Qui Gon did not. Both were Jedi Masters. Those are just the three things I can think of at the moment - it's been a while since I saw the first three pieces of crap (that would be Episodes 1-3, for those of you keeping score). I'm also p*ssed off at Lucas for screwing with Episodes 4-6. As Wil has said before...HAN SHOOTS FIRST, DAMMIT! Put back the original Ewok song, put back the original Sy Snootles song, get rid of the damned halo effect when the Death Star blows up. Some of Lucas' additions were fine - fleshing out Mos Eisley with womprats and dewbacks was cool - but overall, I'm not happy with him at all. While I realize he's released the original Episodes 4-6 to DVD, I'm torn about buying them because I'm ticked off and really don't want Lucas to have even more of my money than he's already gotten. In an episode of "The Big Bang Theory," Leonard asks Sheldon if he's going to watch the TV series of the Clone Wars. Sheldon says, "I'm not going to watch The Clone Wars TV series until I'v seen The Clone Wars movie. I prefer to let George Lucas disappoint me in the order he intended." Amen.

Go, Flyers! *woo woo woo* I'm actually a Flyers fan by marriage - hubby's a huge Philly sports fan, so I get sucked into rooting for the Eagles/Flyers/Phillies. Not so much for the 76ers since he doesn't really care for basketball. I'd love to play hockey too but I'm so out of shape that I'd pass out just lacing up the skates. Being in Minnesota as I am, you can hardly turn around without bumping into a league of some sort, so I don't think I'd have trouble finding a ladies' team. Ahh, if only I were younger and in better physical condition...

I told my hubby about my post, including the clown sweater piece, and he said, "If Wil gets a mask with a clown, the opposing players will be like, 'Can't shoot...clown will save it. Can't shoot...clown will save it.'" Yeah. I know. He's just as strange as you are. And as I was talking with him, I thought, "Naw, Wil would probably have some sort of D&D thingie as mask art." Give the lady a prize. (Although I admit...I had to go look up what a d20 was....)

Dude, you should SO get back into playing hockey. I realize the cost might be prohibitive, especially for a netminder (goalie equipment is ex.pen.sive). Have you checked out Play It Again Sports? There may be a location near you in CA: http://www.playitagainsports.com/locations.aspx?s=CA Then again, I'm not sure how much fun it would be to try to use pads and such that have already been broken in by someone else. And goalies are weird so it may be bad juju to use pre-owned gear. (I figure I can make a crack about goalies because I used to play goalie with my cousins in our pick-up games. No mask, no helmet, no pads. And yes, I still have all my original teeth and don't have any scars. I was lucky. Stupid, but lucky.) I'm trying to decide what you'd have on your stylin' goalie mask, since most NHL goalies have works of art on their noggins. A galaxy of stars, perhaps? Star Wars characters (go ahead, risk a lawsuit with Lucas, I dare ya)? The ugly clown sweater?

Opinionator, thank you for posting the sources to back up your statement. I appreciate the information. Personally, I believe that voting to curtail people's rights is obscene. Most of us probably wouldn't entertain the idea of going back to a time when women and blacks couldn't vote - but it's okay to deny gay folks certain rights because their lifestyle is "wrong"? That, as I said earlier, is obscene. I know the old, tired argument: The term "marriage" refers to the traditional union of one man and one woman. So come up with a different term for gay marriage! I don't put much stock in tradition anyway, especially when it's archaic and exclusionary. I also know the other old, tired argument: The union of one man and one woman makes for a more stable household. It's for the children, don't you see? [Never mind that some gay couples aren't interested in raising children, just like some hetero couples aren't.] As my husband said, if people are so damned concerned about stable households, when will we see the proposition on the ballot that bans divorce?