Leaving my heart in San Diego.

It sucks unprecedented amounts of ass that the closest I'll get to San Diego Comic-Con this year is seeing it recreated in the first reel of Paul. (I'm serious; bad things are imminent if the ticketing situation isn't improved for next year's Con.)

The schedule, as per tradition, has been announced for this year's Con. Having tasted the nectar of the Gods, I'm gonna do something a little different this year. Instead of listing the interesting panels, I'm gonna map out an imaginary trip based on the schedule that's been posted.

First of all, I think that I'd have ended up in a hotel a little closer to the Convention Center (nothing against the place I stayed at last year; I just think that I'd like a fighting chance at running into some celebs on the way to my room). I'd certainly have to leave early, maybe grab a bagel with a shmear of cream cheese and a glass of juice just before hopping the shuttle bus to the Con.

Then I get there. Avoiding the 'Ooooh! Ahhhh!', I'd make my way to Marriott Hall 2 at the Marriott Marquis and Marina for Comic-Con Film School 101: Pre-Production and Screenwriting. The filmmaking thing is still a dream of mine and maybe, I can pick up some pointers on crafting a good story (I have a number of them in the works...perhaps, too many; I have this thing for focusing on too much at one time, ensuring a long time before anything gets done). Though I'd feel bad about it (and remorseful at missing out on a few key tips), I'd skip out early to head for the Convention Center's Room 6A for Oh, You Sexy Geek!. Maybe, just maybe, it'd be a chance to make the acquaintance of some cute girl geeks.

No time to take in the sighs of the Exhibit Hall or grab a bite to eat (yet), for it's off to the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom, for a Focus on Rick Baker. The chance to hear the make-up maestro talk about his career, spanning four decades, most recently his Oscar-winning work on the underrated The Wolfman, is too good to pass up.

Back to the Convention Center and Room 23ABC. The panel? Nickelodeon and Dreamworks Animation: The Penguins of Madagascar: The Return of the Revenge of Dr. Blowhole. Last year's panel was a delight, and it would('ve) be(en) nice to see some new episodes of the show.

Nothing too intriguing for the next hour, so I may as well roam around the booths of Exhibit Hall and grab some lunch. Damn, I forgot just how vast this area was. Better put a timer on so I don't forget where I'd like to go soon.

Damn, damn, damn! Two terrific panels, but which to go to? State of the Art Geek Report: From Avatar to Zardoz or Classic Warner Bros./Hanna-Barbera Cartoons Going Blu-Ray? I flip a coin. Best of three. Heads. Tails. Tails. I go to the Geek Report panel anyway. It's in Room 5AB, so I better haul shell. If nothing else, I imagine there'd be a pretty neat collusion of ideas. (Meanwhile, I stew a little bit at missing out on Daniel Licht at the The Character of Music with BMI and White Bear PR panel and telling him how much I love his Thinner score.)

Geezus H. Whiz. There's nothing piquing my interest for the next few hours. May as well get out and see the city. Of course, I want to get back to the Sails Pavilion and chat up the one and only Patrick Warburton.

Inside the Voice Actors Studio in Room 30CDE. If the filmmaking thing somehow doesn't work out, I think I'd fall back on voice acting. I might even get the chance to do some ADR at this panel. Then it's off to Room 5AB in the hopes of Writing Movies for Fun and Profit (that's the actual title of the book, BTW). The book (and panel) promises to be a sardonic look by Thomas Lennon and Robert Ben Garant at how to break into the business and sell out. I have no problem with selling out. There's integrity and then there's keeping the lights on.

The Con has come up with an interesting gimmick for this year: a summary of the big panels one may have missed out on in the hallowed Hall H and Ballroom 20. Hall H and Ballroom 20 Panel Playback (in Room 25ABC). It might be worth it to check out the USA Network and Robert Rodriguez panels, but I'm not too crazy about the Showtime or Game of Thrones panels. (Yeah. Boo, hiss.)

Then, it's onto the shuttle bus, likely with all kinds of swag on the way to a long night's sleep...unless, I overhear about some cool party being thrown. I don't know.