Babbles of a Fangirl - Rereads

Have broken my vow to write an article every week already?  Well, I'm not getting to distressed about it because I have wrote more over the last month than I have all year!  I will save the details of that for my next "Patchwork Thoughts" article so just sit tight!  Now!  Let's talk about some books!

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!

It really shouldn't come as any surprise that I love reading.  It wasn't until very recently, when I started watching some amazing book-tubers, that I realized I never talk about books on this blog.  I will be the first to admit that although I love reading, I have gravitated away from it quite a bit since college.  It was often hard while doing school to justify recreational reading when there were text books to be read.  Then again, I didn't really read my text books out of sheer stubbornness, but let's just skip over that blemish!  Reading takes time and watching youtube is a lot easier.  Oh look!  I'm being lazy again.  Who'da thunk it?

Lately I have have been inthralled in a good old book called "Misery" by Stephan King.  Heard of it?  Although it's been great for learning more about suspense writing, I'd have to say I'm need some major fluff as a pallet cleanser. That got me thinking about new books I need to read, which eventually reminded me of old books I know I will feel warm and fuzzy reading.  So that brings us to our topic today: Rereads!  These are some of the books I'm dying to read again for both nostalgia's sake and mine.

Harry Potter

Did you think this wouldn't make the list?  When I was growing up, everyone was reading Harry Potter  and it didn't take me long to not only jump on that bandwagon, but take the wheel!  I would check Harry Potter websites everyday, determined to gather up as much Harry Potter news and information as humanly possible!  Harry Potter is honestly the book that taught me that being a nerd and a member of fandom is perfectly fine!  Though I also learned the hard way that not everyone wants to hear you babble about a book they haven't read.  I know this will sound crazy, but I have only read each Harry Potter book once!  I never felt the need to go back through the story, I only wanted to wait on pins and needles for the next step in the series.  I was happy and heartbroken when the series ended and I have never read any other books aside from Books 6 & 7 nonstop. I miss this wizard world and I'd love to go back through it with adult eyes.

Inkheart

I was determined not to like this book.  At the time that I gave it my first try, I was skeptical of fantasy set in the real world, but it's beautiful cover, dripping with treasure and mysterious creatures made me determined to bring it home from Barnes and Noble and give it a try.  You know what happened?  Inkheart is still one of my all time, favorite books!  This is one of the few books I have read multiple times.  I can't get enough of it's detailed characters and suspenseful tale of fantasy breaking lose from the confines of a story.  I'm less attached to it's sequels.  In my opinion, this story ends perfectly, but I was happy to say hello to it's fine cast again.  I encourage you to meet all of them.  They will feel so real that they might just step outside of the book and say hello!

Two Princesses of Bamarre

Has anyone else read this book?  I have yet to meet anyone who has.  In short, this is the story of two Princesses, one that is brave and heroic and one that is afraid of her own shadow.  They live in a kingdom where a horrible disease claims the lives of many.   And guess what?  The heroic princess catches it and now her sister must set out on a journey to find a cure, save her sister, and face her own fears!  I think this is the first story where I said to myself "Hey, Princesses can do something interesting!"  Followed by "Hey!  Princesses can kick butt!" It's full of action and adventure.  I'm happy to say I've held on to my copy over many book purges and I can't wait to read it to my children someday!

I forgot how much I enjoy chatting about books!  I certainly have the itch to read now and I hope you do too!  What books from your past do you want to reread?  What books have you read multiple times over the years?  Let me know what keeps you coming back for more!

Until next time, tootles!

Xoxo!!!!

Babbles of a Fangirl - Nerd Rage

Today we are going to talk about a funny little emotion: anger. I am trying to better understand this emotion as of late because I'm exhausted with anger.  If you have seen the movie "Inside Out" than let's just say, I know who is at the helm in my brain.

Can I say that curse word now?

In my brief research it seems that anger is prodominatly caused by triggers. I have been going through a lot of personal reflection to better understand my triggers and what my anger might really be saying beyond "Grrr...I'm mad!"  I will spare you the details of that information (TMI?) but I did realize I could take a fun spin on this personal reflect for you guys!  How about we talk about nerd rage?

Youtube buffering/Bad Internet connection

Everyday I'm buffering

It's no secret I watch a lot of youtube.  I watch some channels as faithfully as some middle age women watched soap operas 80's.  There is something very relaxing about having a consistent watching schedule.  You have something to look forward to after a hard day. A few minutes watching a youtube show for me instantly transports me to a better state of mind. Needless to say, when I can't watch my stories, I flip.  I am desperately trying to get my quiet time but the gosh-darn internet won't let me do it!  I know that it's there, waiting for me, but I can't get at it.  The worst is when a video came manage to play the crappy advertisement before the video with no problem but when it comes time to actually play the video, no dice!  I'm glad to say my internet connect is much better than it was when I was a teenager, trying to watch the Allen and Craig show in my bedroom.  Although that has spoiled me.  Now I am less patient with loading than ever!  "It worked fine yesterday! So WTF is going on today!"  There is nothing worse than waiting all day for a bit of solace only to not be able to get that relax time you need.  Well maybe there are a few things that are worse.  For example....

When beloved characters die

Picture unrelated....

Why do characters have to die in stories?  Can we just change the system so that characters never die.  Instead let's just enact a makeshift video game style system for death.  Characters just go, collect their extra life and come back for another round of play!  I think the world would be a better, less scary place if we did that.  My normal first emotion when a character dies is usually uncontrollable sadness (Yes, I have sobbed when characters have died) quickly followed by passionate anger.  I don't ever really get over when a character I love dies.  I know.  He/she isn't a real person, so I should just get over it.  The problem is that there are too many artists and writers out there that do too good of a job making their characters feel real.  So maybe it just be a lot easier if people tried less when creating their art.  Sound good?  Speaking of creating art....

You forget to hit the save button

Add caption

We have all been that.  That dark moment.  Whether it's during a game or while trying to create the next great American novel, this is the source of so much nerd rage that I'm sure it's collective anger could create a new, fiery sun.  This sun would be the darkest most evil thing in all the galaxy.  Why?  Because losing all of your work after hours and hours of time is so horrible.  You will now have to go back, retread the ground you walked on and hope you can make the same footprints again.  And you know what?  It's impossible to get it just the same.  You will now only have a shadow of what you did to follow and things will change.  I have lost writing before and it hurts so bad to lose something you spent so much trying trying to get right the first time. Maybe it's easier with a video game to go back, but now you are just annoyed that you have to listen to the stuff you just heard and do the same things all over again.  You lose all feeling of progression and tasks just turn tedious.  Long story short, losing your progress sucks.  Take it from me, hit the save button and hit it often.  It might take you out of what you are doing for a few moments but it's better than having to go back and try it all over again.

Honestly, talking about this has helped me feel a little more lighthearted about somethings that would normally make me so mad.  It's been a rough week and it's nice to finally let go of stuff that was weighing my mind.  I hope this will help you too. Do you have anything that leaves you in a nerd rage?  Or is there something that's been bugging you lately that you need to get off your chest?  Let me know!  And remember, you are not alone!

Thanks & tootles!

Xoxo!!!!

Is Being a Nerd a Hobby or Lifestyle?

It's that magical time of the year, E3, where countless video game news becomes known to the general public.  A few years ago, I would have been glued to my computer screen, gleefully watching the announcements in real time.  Now, I have a 9 to 5 job and the best I can manage is to read news articles or (better yet!) watch my Twitter feed for others reactions.  This has left me feeling pretty bummed.  It's no surprise that I kinda, sorta, really hate my job and missing out on E3 is just the icing on the cake.  I know what you're thinking, why am I not catching up or watching coverage after work.  Well, I have run into and interesting situation that I hope to further discuss today.

Picture this, I come home after a long day of being nagged on the phone by people I will probably never meet in real life.  I'm tried.  I kick off my flats, feed my dog, and settle on the couch to check Facebook.  Some nights I then proceed to make dinner.  Other nights I help my husband cook.  We finish making our meal and settle on the couch again to catch up on whatever series we are watching.  We either are sucked into shows to the rest of the night or then try to get things related to our hobbies done, but keep in mind, we are both very tired.  Some nights I need to clean.  Mounds of laundry, begging to be folded are calling to me as I type this very sentence.  There is vacuuming and dishes and scrubbing and sweeping.  There is a pup that needs play time.  There is my tired mind that just wants to sit down, turn off, and watch youtube for a few hours.  I've been musing over why a lot of my nerdy hobbies have fallen to the side.  Am I getting lazy?  Yes, yes I am.  Am I sick of being a nerd? No, never...it's just....

I feel like I don't have the time to be a nerd anymore.

When I first had this thought I then thought I was being ridiculous! I should always have time to be who I am!  I am a nerd!  But then, as my over active mind usually does, I had another thought.  Is being a nerd my hobby or is it my lifestyle?  I can say that right now I am not doing the normal nerdy activities I usually would be doing. Does that make me stop being a nerd?  Have I lost touch with my roots if I'd rather read "Gone Girl" right now instead of the Game of Thrones books?

In my defense I think Flynn and Martin might be cousins

Do I need to cash in my nerd card if I've dedicated the last year of my life to my wedding instead of writing the next great American novel?

I continued this panic for sometime.  Maybe it was time to close up shop, start watching the Bachelorette like so many of my coworkers, and get some highlights.  Luckily, I'm getting better at calming my personal panic.  Yes, the last year of my life I have put many of my normal passions in the backseat.  Writing, reading, my crafts, they are all hobbies, but they are all part of who I am. Being a nerd, just like those activities, isn't something I do just for fun. Well, yes, I do research and learn nerdy things because I think it's fun, but it goes so much deeper than that.  Being a nerd is a culture.  It is being a part of a community of likeminded individuals.  It is a form of express.  It is a passion.  I am a nerd not because it passes the time, I am a nerd because it gives me a place where I belong.  My focus has been elsewhere but I am happy to settle back into my routine.  A year or so of routine change will take a while to adjust.  Also, I have a life beyond being a nerd.  Being a nerd is just one patch that makes up me.  It's a big patch, I am happy to say!

What do you think?  Are you a nerd because it's a hobby?  Do you see it as a lifestyle?  Or is it something more?  Let me know!

It's good to be back!

Tootles!

Babbles of a Fangirl - Why I Might Boycott TMNT

This isn't the first time I've put in my two cent in about Michael Bay's production of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  If you'd like to catch up with my thoughts, visit here

As you might have noticed, I was one of the very few who decided to give Bay a chance after he released the detail that our turtle buddies were going to be, in fact, alien creatures.  And hey, with recent developments, he actually announced there would be NO ALIENS IN HIS MOVIE!  This was a ray of hope amongst so much bad. I called for Bay to give us something encouraging, a spark of hope amongst so much fanboy doubt, but instead he's gave us this.... 

Megan Fox is on track to play April O'Neil in the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie....

Get it out now, kiddies

I've really tried my best to collect my thoughts on this subject.  At first I wanted to scream out at the top of my lungs "BAY YOU'VE FINALLY TAKEN THIS TOO FAR!" I wanted to jump up and down, screaming like a little girl about how my childhood was being stabbed in the face, but I soon realized I needed to step back from this anger and identify why I was so upset.

Was I mad that my choice for April was being overlooked?
In all honestly yes.  Let's be honest, there has never been a casting in a modern take on a nerd franchise that was not met with opposition.  

Case and point

....and again

Despite these qualms (in less extreme cases) we have found bliss with many of the movies with love.  Still, are these jeers valid?  To be honest, sometimes not.  I'm not going to be bitter that April was not played by the actress of my choosing because guess what?  I didn't have anyone in mind.   Which leads me to my next theory for why I'm upset.

Was I mad at the choice of Megan Fox?

After thinking about this I decided, not really.  I'm really not familiar enough with Megan Fox's performances to judge her as an actress.  I remember her being the villain in some Lindsey Lohan movie that no one remembers and of course I remember her as being that half naked chick in Transformers.  I soon decided that it really wasn't much to go off of as far as reasons to place hatred go.  Sure I disagree with girls who jump head first into the sex symbol category, but then again, why shouldn't girls be proud of their bodies either?  I guess that bring me to my next internal question.

Was I mad at what hiring Megan Fox was insinuating for what April will become?

Let's face it kiddies, Megan Fox is known best for one thing.  Not for her talent as an actress (though I'm sure opinions on that vary), not for her work as a speaker-- no Megan Fox is know for this....

[Insert all your dirty thoughts here and NOT my comment section]

Is this really what people want April to be?  There are many variations on what April has been throughout the years.  A reporter, a scientist, a girl with the ability to kick butt.  But a sex symbol?

See the difference?

Am I making myself clear yet?  April is supposed to be the every girl.  She was our link as normal people into this fantastical word.  I could connect with her because she was just an average girl with average looks who managed to become something special.  Hollywood is losing focus on making a real connect between a movies characters and their audience.  By making April look so beyond the norm it is making the movie too far fetch and hard to reach.  Granted I understand that a movie about giant turtles in the adolescents is not exactly easy to make relatable, but we have seen them do it before, haven't we?  

I'm sorry, Bay.  I really want to love this movie.  I keep giving you a chance, but can you please make April something real.  We need ground in the real world to help us reach out.  Something familiar to remind us of home.  Thoughts?  Babble is over.

Xoxo

I'm a Princess....FINALLY!

All hail Princess_____?

Well I finally did it.  I became a Princess.  But not just any Princess, one worthy of being kidnapped by the Ice King himself!  My sister shared a link with me not too long ago that allowed me to make the transformation.  Go check it out if you are any sort of fan of paper doll-esqe games!  I certainly was a major fan of these things when I was little and I'm happy to say it is one passion I have yet to grow out of!  (Prepare for link in 3....2....1)

Adventure Time Princess Maker --by spacecoma

I have really been getting into Adventure Time lately, especially now that it's entire first season is up for watching on Netflix.  It's just a blissful way to waste a day while still feeling like your using some shred of imagination.  I will probably make a top 5 list of my favorite episodes from the first season once I watch them all.  In the meantime, I need your help!  What should my new Princess name be?

And yes...I know I promised reviews on the Walking Dead video game....it is underway!

Until then....tootles!

The "Fake Nerd Girl" Debate

Fine...fine....FINE. I am fine-ally going to weigh in on something that has been irking me for sometime now. Yes, I might get rant-y....I might even get preachy, but gosh darn-it something needs to be said about this.

Fake nerd girls.

Now I don't really know where this comes from (or really care for that matter) but I have to say a few things about it. I'm a girl. I'm a girl who identifies herself as being a "nerd". Why? I call myself a nerd because I have often lacked social skills with others because I'm more dedicated to my interests and passions. It wasn't until quite recent that I began coming out of my book fort to discover that there were a lot of like minded people on the internet who I could talk to about this sort of thing without feeling judged. Hence, this blog.

Now there is some talk that there are girls on the internet who are "fake nerds" doing it for attention and what not. Now this strikes a chord with me on two accounts. I don't want any nerd girls out their to feel like they don't belong because they are considered "fake". With that said, I don't like the idea that there are some PEOPLE out their who are using the guise of nerd to either troll or take advantage of a culture that has time and time again gave me a sense of belonging in this world.

I guess what I really take issue with is that anyone would think that I, only any nerdy girl like me would chose to fake being a nerd. Think of it this way. Now a days, it's socially acceptable to be a nerd.  But back when I was younger (I know, it was so long ago) it really wasn't.  I went to a small, private school where I really didn't fit in because I was to busy writing fantasy stories and drawing Lord of the Rings-esque characters in my notebook to bother with Hilary Duff and the like. Still, I kept everything I did very private. I remember when I first really learned about superheroes from a special on the History Channel called Comic Book Superheroes, Unmasked. I suddenly became obsessed with learning everything I could about superheroes, but only within my means because I was too afraid to ask my parents to buy me a comic book. I began watching The Justice League and X-men in secret to learn everything I could about these enchanting characters.  I didn't know the extent of my secrecy until one day in my reading class. My teacher would give us treats for finding vocabulary words used in television shows or books. I had recently heard the word "thwart" on an episode of The Justice League.  I was about to raise my hand to share the word when I realized that by doing so, I would tell the whole class about my love of superheroes.  I kept my hand down, afraid of being even weirder than I already was.  I'm glad to say that I embrace who I was and am now.  That it because the internet is such a free place where someone is bound to judge you, but their are plenty of others (or a faithful few C;) who will be quick to step in and support you.

Now do you think that maybe the sudden influx of nerd girls is coming from the fake that it is now acceptable for girls to declare that they love Star Wars in a world where they once would have automatically ostracized for saying so? I certainly will say that the rise of gamer girls made me want to express my love of video games!  Sure, there will always be people who try to exploit a trend for what ever their reasons, but should we really let a few drops of deception spoil it for all those girls out their who finally have a voice?

I really hope that you will try or will continue to give nerdy girls a chance.  This nerdy girl will surely try to cast a positive impression upon the impressionable being that is the internet.  And I can promise you this, you will NEVER see me posing provocatively with a game controller (sorry if that disappoints a few of you).

Now here's a nerd/gamer girl I aspire to be!

Tootles Darlings!
Xoxo!!!!