The

Undeniable

Ruth

®

…and the Ruth shall set you free!

  • Bonding with my Fellow Geeks at Phoenix Comicon

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    Ruth Carter

    It’s Phoenix Comicon this weekend! I feel like Geek Christmas is upon us. I love going to geek events because from the moment I walk in, I know I’m surrounded by people who “get it.” We don’t have to explain why we love what we love, we just get to enjoy it with our fellow geeks. This weekend, we’re taking over the Phoenix Convention Center. It’s going to be a fun time.

    Ruth Carter at Phoenix Comicon, Photo by Devon Christopher Adams
    Speaking at Phoenix Comicon 2012 – Photo by Phoenix Comicon and Devon Christopher Adams

    I’m excited that the powers that be at Phoenix Comicon have asked me to be part of two panels this year:

    • The Legalities of Fan Fiction and Fan Art – Saturday, May 25th at 3pm
    • Comic Creator Rights – Sunday, May 26th at 10:30am

    The variety and array of events at Phoenix Comicon this year is huge! I spent a good chunk of last weekend going through the schedule and building out my conquest. Here’s what’s on my docket besides my talks:

    Friday, May 24th

    • Deep Space Nine: 20 Years Later – I’m a huge DS9 fan so I’m super excited for this.
    • From Bullying to Harmony: Understanding and Dealing with Bullying – great panel for this audience.
    • Phoenix Ultimate Geek Smackdown III – this is definitely one of the best events at Phoenix Comicon.
    • Awesome Hour with Wil Wheaton – If I haven’t turned into a pumpkin yet.

    Saturday, May 25th

    • Hit Phoenix Public Market for lunch before going to Phoenix Comicon.
    • Klingon Language for Beginners – I’ve always wanted to learn Klingon. I tried to learn with the tapes, but I only picked up a handful of words.
    • Trek Fandom in the Valley – I’ve been thinking I want to do more with the Trek community.

    Sunday, May 26th

    • Wheaton and Scalzi, Together Again – I’ll go if I’m not conned out by this point. Given that I’m a massive introvert and don’t particularly like large crowds of people, I probably will be.

    There are some sci-fi speed dating events. It might be interesting in doing this, but given that a lot of people go to cons to hook up and that’s not my bag, this might not be for me.

    Of course there is also the vendor room at Phoenix Comicon too. I’m always on the market for a good geeky t-shirt. The challenge is finding ones that aren’t printed on super cheap itchy shirts. Having custom shirts made at Brand X has turned me into a bit of a t-shirt snob. I’d love to get a Star Trek or a Wheaton’s Law t-shirt.

    I’ve lost at least 20 pounds since my bought my Starfleet uniform so now it’s too big for me to wear. Seeing the new Star Trek movie has inspired me to get a new one. I’d love to have Uhura’s dress from the movie for when I’m feeling sassy and a gray-and-black jumpsuit from Deep Space Nine for every day wear. I’m also on the lookout for a morphsuit too – probably in royal blue, though it would be fun to get one in black and pretend to be people’s shadows.

    I’m really looking forward to getting my geek on and bonding with my fellow nerds this weekend. Hopefully I’ll see you there!

  • Undeniable Recap of 2012

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    Ruth Carter

    Ruth Carter, ABA Legal Rebel
    Photo by Don McPhee Photography

    It’s been an incredible year! Looking back, so much has changed and so many wonderful things have happened for me this year – personally and professionally. I never could have predicted so many good things happening. Of course, I didn’t get here alone and I want to thank all the friends, family, and colleagues who helped make this year fan-fucking-tastic. It was hard to pick the top five events from this year, but here you go!

    1.  Carter Law Firm Opened!  I opened my own law practice on January 4, 2012 and I’m happy to report that I’m still in business and haven’t been disbarred. It’s been an amazing year creating and building my own business with all the trials and tribulations that go along with that. I love my work and I’m so lucky that I get to build the professional life I’ve always wanted as the approachable geeky lawyer who wears t-shirts and does awesome work. I love that I’m building my niches in social media and flash mob law and being invited to do things like speak at major conferences.

    ruthcover smaller2.  My First Book  I wrote and self-published The Legal Side of Blogging: How Not to get Sued, Fired, Arrested, or Killed. I’ve always wanted to write a book and all the pieces fell into place to make it happen. The book has been well received so far and appears to be opening the door for more books. Special hat tip to ePublish Unum for teaching me everything I know about self-publishing.

    3.  ABA Legal Rebel  I’ve always looked up to the American Bar Association Legal Rebels, but in my wildest dreams I did not expect to be picked to join this illustrious group only months after becoming a lawyer. I’m tickled that they chose me because of my work in flash mob law.

    Rosie!
    Rosie!

    4.  I Got A Dog!  Adopting Rosie from the Arizona Basset Hound Rescue was probably the biggest life changing event of this year. It had been years since I had a pet and because of her we go walking every day and I’m on a more structured schedule. She can melt my heart with one look and it was so hard to leave her at the kennel for a few days. I love the way she looks when she runs and how she howls at the phone.

    5.  Half Marathon Personal Record  This may seem petty, but it was a big deal to me to finish the race under two hours. I was blown away when I heard I finished the race in 1:52. I’d never run that hard for so long before. It was a great experience to do so well.

     

    Celebrity Encounters in 2012

     

    Firsts in 2012

    • handstand bean1st trip to Chicago where I leave the airport – included my 1st ride on the L Train and my 1st visit to Cloud Gate (The Bean)
    • 1st trip to the Electronic Frontier Foundation
    • Bought my 1st Powerball ticket
    • 1st time using Survey Monkey and Mail Chimp
    • 1st time at Phoenix Comicon
    • 1st time owning a pet that wasn’t formerly a family pet
    • 1st business trip to San Francisco
    • Sent my 1st DMCA Takedown Notice
    • Put up my 1st yarn bomb
    • 1st trip to the ABA TechShow
    • 1st YouTube channel

    In Memorium

    • Peg Grucky
    • David Malcolm

    This has been an incredible year. I’m excited for what’s to come next!