August 20, 2010
Nerd Wedding Challenge on ItsGeekTime.com
In which I premiere my new column The Geek's Girl and I challenge you to find the hidden geek-related Easter egg in my wedding photo.
August 19, 2010
As Seen on Twitter...
I follow a lot of geeks on Twitter. I also follow a lot of non-geeks, but most of the most interesting stuff I click on across the InterWebs comes from the nerdy population on Twitter. I am called to serve as a humble conduit through which all that is good and great procrastination fodder passes.
So here's a bunch of stuff I found in the geek Twitterverse today:
So here's a bunch of stuff I found in the geek Twitterverse today:
- A video shot in Moscow 1990, when the first ever McDonald's opened in Russia, via @slate. In case you were wondering, there were 30,000 people in a line that stretched miles down the block.
- Minimalist art covers for Stephen King books, via the hubs, @rickmarshall. Very cool stuff, but you kinda have to have read the books (or seen the movies) to get it. My fave is the one drawn up for The Shining.
- An Ode to Cookies, by Cookie Monster, via @KevinMarshall. A throwback to the olden days (the 1980s), when Cookie Monster was my idol. Wait, he still is...
- Video of a cat jumping out of a box in slow motion, via @amp1976. Who doesn't like to watch cats do insane things? In slow-mo!!!
August 14, 2010
Scott Pilgrim is Rad
I had the pleasure of attending an advanced screening of Scott Pilgrim vs the World as my husband's plus-1 the other night, and jotted down my thoughts on the supremely awesome site ItsGeekTime.com. Check it out!
While I didn't get all the video game references (my parents thought video games were the devil so I was denied the lifetime of exposure that makes these things obvious) nor do I truly understand hipster culture, I tried my darndest to make it sound like I did. Humor me, I'm only a geek by association!
While I didn't get all the video game references (my parents thought video games were the devil so I was denied the lifetime of exposure that makes these things obvious) nor do I truly understand hipster culture, I tried my darndest to make it sound like I did. Humor me, I'm only a geek by association!
Geeking Out the Chicago Way
Ahhh, a weekend trip to the good old Windy City. I'd planned to do nothing but have fun. Because I'm married to a geek, that means part of that fun will inevitably involve geek-related activities. Marriage is all about compromise, after all.
While waiting out a 3-hour flight delay at JFK, I found myself cracking open the first in Brian Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim comic series. I'd intended to play free online tetris til I went cross-eyed, but my Macbook battery ran out and the three-prong outlets in the JetBlue terminal were switched off. (Our flight was so delayed, the airport closed.) So my only options for amusement were either staring off into space, or beseeching my husband to let me borrow one of the 12,000 comics he stuffed into his carry-on for in-flight reading. I finished the first Scott Pilgrim book in about a half hour. Can't say that I fully approve of glorifying lazy hipsters, but the illustrations were fun and the story was definitely one-of-a-kind.
During the flight we caught up on True Blood (so much for worrying about not having enough to read). It was one of those episodes where everyone's running around naked and having sex. Actually, that's all the episodes. But anyway, as the episode played out, RM became increasingly paranoid that everyone on the plane could see what we were watching, and that they would all take offense. I took a break from drooling over Alcide to tell him he was being ridiculous. Then I went back to drooling.
A trip to any city wouldn't be complete without a visit to the best comic shop in town. My brother (our host for the weekend) and I stood awkwardly at the front of Chicago Comics for a half-hour, flipping idly through books like Why is Daddy in a Dress? Asking Awkward Questions with Baby Animals while RM perused. Before we died of boredom and left RM at the store in favor of the nearest beer garden, I skimmed the first few pages of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. Awesome use of exposition and illustration in a way that reminded me of my own awkward childhood.
The whole trip (which also included a Cubs game, some epic bar visits and a gut-busting dinner at Texas de Brazil) was capped off by an unexpected stop at the Robot Store, where they sell, among other things, robots. Unfortunately it was closed, but you can get a sense of the sheer glee of the happening from this photo:
And that's the Chicago way...
While waiting out a 3-hour flight delay at JFK, I found myself cracking open the first in Brian Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim comic series. I'd intended to play free online tetris til I went cross-eyed, but my Macbook battery ran out and the three-prong outlets in the JetBlue terminal were switched off. (Our flight was so delayed, the airport closed.) So my only options for amusement were either staring off into space, or beseeching my husband to let me borrow one of the 12,000 comics he stuffed into his carry-on for in-flight reading. I finished the first Scott Pilgrim book in about a half hour. Can't say that I fully approve of glorifying lazy hipsters, but the illustrations were fun and the story was definitely one-of-a-kind.
During the flight we caught up on True Blood (so much for worrying about not having enough to read). It was one of those episodes where everyone's running around naked and having sex. Actually, that's all the episodes. But anyway, as the episode played out, RM became increasingly paranoid that everyone on the plane could see what we were watching, and that they would all take offense. I took a break from drooling over Alcide to tell him he was being ridiculous. Then I went back to drooling.
A trip to any city wouldn't be complete without a visit to the best comic shop in town. My brother (our host for the weekend) and I stood awkwardly at the front of Chicago Comics for a half-hour, flipping idly through books like Why is Daddy in a Dress? Asking Awkward Questions with Baby Animals while RM perused. Before we died of boredom and left RM at the store in favor of the nearest beer garden, I skimmed the first few pages of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. Awesome use of exposition and illustration in a way that reminded me of my own awkward childhood.
The whole trip (which also included a Cubs game, some epic bar visits and a gut-busting dinner at Texas de Brazil) was capped off by an unexpected stop at the Robot Store, where they sell, among other things, robots. Unfortunately it was closed, but you can get a sense of the sheer glee of the happening from this photo:
And that's the Chicago way...
June 24, 2010
Whoever said your wedding was supposed to be one of the greatest days of your life was probably smoking "the crack." Or trying to get money out of you. But that person (or people) was also right.
Just look at this photo and tell me that can't be true.
I wouldn't say that weddings are an event horizon for all brides and grooms. I wouldn't dare even entertain that expectation, if I had it to do all over again. It's only really something you can assign after the fact.
I would say however, that it is an occasion when you learn who your true friends are, who really cares about you, and who you will make part of your future. Being able to say that is the greatest.
Just look at this photo and tell me that can't be true.
I wouldn't say that weddings are an event horizon for all brides and grooms. I wouldn't dare even entertain that expectation, if I had it to do all over again. It's only really something you can assign after the fact.
I would say however, that it is an occasion when you learn who your true friends are, who really cares about you, and who you will make part of your future. Being able to say that is the greatest.
May 18, 2010
A Barrel of Laughs
Between today and yesterday, while trying to keep the weddingmania nerves at bay, I happened upon some truly hilarious things on the interwebs. Thought I needed to share in some way other than clogging your FB and Twitter feeds with links!
First up, a blast from the past. Weren't you just itching to know where the cast of Nickelodeon's early 90s classic "Hey Dude" are today? Well your burning desire to know can now be satisfied. For someone out there has had the free time to track them all down. Here.
In the same vein, remember those awesome 80s and early 90s board games? You know, like "Hungry Hungry Hippos", "Connect Four", "Guess Who" and "Operation"? Did you also remember the commercials? Well they're a little less wholesome than you may have remembered, oh children born of the 1980s...Note, pay specific attention to the "Mr. Bucket" commercial. How Milton Bradley let such salacious implications slide is a mystery that may never be solved.
Now for something completely different...are you interested in learning about the most effective and least expensive form of birth control out there? Try looking at photos of "Shit My Kids Ruined" at the HuffPost. Once you see what these little f#(*$#ers are capable of, you might want to stay home instead of attending the pants party tonight.
And finally, who you gonna call? An improv group here in NYC did a little impromptu live performance at the New York Public Library that pays homage to the original scene from 1984's classic "Ghostbusters." All I can say is I wish I had been there to witness it live. Be sure to scroll down after the video ends to read about some of the behind-the-scenes stuff. Priceless!
And now I will fall back into pre-wedding hysteria. GEM out.
First up, a blast from the past. Weren't you just itching to know where the cast of Nickelodeon's early 90s classic "Hey Dude" are today? Well your burning desire to know can now be satisfied. For someone out there has had the free time to track them all down. Here.
In the same vein, remember those awesome 80s and early 90s board games? You know, like "Hungry Hungry Hippos", "Connect Four", "Guess Who" and "Operation"? Did you also remember the commercials? Well they're a little less wholesome than you may have remembered, oh children born of the 1980s...Note, pay specific attention to the "Mr. Bucket" commercial. How Milton Bradley let such salacious implications slide is a mystery that may never be solved.
Now for something completely different...are you interested in learning about the most effective and least expensive form of birth control out there? Try looking at photos of "Shit My Kids Ruined" at the HuffPost. Once you see what these little f#(*$#ers are capable of, you might want to stay home instead of attending the pants party tonight.
And finally, who you gonna call? An improv group here in NYC did a little impromptu live performance at the New York Public Library that pays homage to the original scene from 1984's classic "Ghostbusters." All I can say is I wish I had been there to witness it live. Be sure to scroll down after the video ends to read about some of the behind-the-scenes stuff. Priceless!
And now I will fall back into pre-wedding hysteria. GEM out.
April 29, 2010
TFFed
This past week, I've been neck-deep in covering the goings-on of the Tribeca Film Festival. And by neck-deep, I mean I was that person in the press holding pen at the red carpet event, dangling over the edge of the divider, balanced only by the heel of one 3.5-inch stiletto, the clip of my press badge and the negligible weight of the microphone in my hand, screaming at Harvey Keitel to turn around and tell me why he thought movies and film have the power to inspire.
I put myself in that ridiculous situation because I was on the hunt for films that would fit the bill for my nifty little labor of love, Reel Inspiration, on Guideposts.com. Despite being largely ignored, stepped on, pushed and tripped, I emerged from the week with some good interviews, good b-roll, and an unscathed face. I think I will end up recommending four films--two docs and two narrative features. I was wowed by the docs and entertained by the features. Stay tuned for my verdict. I'm still putting together my reviews!
I put myself in that ridiculous situation because I was on the hunt for films that would fit the bill for my nifty little labor of love, Reel Inspiration, on Guideposts.com. Despite being largely ignored, stepped on, pushed and tripped, I emerged from the week with some good interviews, good b-roll, and an unscathed face. I think I will end up recommending four films--two docs and two narrative features. I was wowed by the docs and entertained by the features. Stay tuned for my verdict. I'm still putting together my reviews!
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