Weekly Geek Outs - 07/08/16

Greetings!

Back at it this week after taking last week off for my brother's wedding (which was wonderful!). Here's what is going on in my world this week:

• Parenthood

Jenn and I finally finished this series this week. Wow, such a powerful, emotional show. I really enjoyed watching it, especially with Jenn since we reminisced about our childhoods, what we'd want to as parents together, and just shared in the joy of this modern family drama. All of the show is on Netflix, and it is a good ride with great story beats that really resonated with us. It is a well done show with a lot of stellar characters and actors. If you liked Friday Night Lights, check out this show! If you want a wholesome, heartfelt show to binge watch, check out this show!

• Check I'm Here

I recently signed on to blog with the super cool folks at Check I'm Here, a great higher ed tech company that helps colleges across the country track, assess, and engage their students. My first blog post went up this week, and there will be much more goodness to come on there soon! I appreciate everyone's support there.

• Meetup.com

I found some meetup groups in Maine when I lived there to go out to, but none of them were based out of Meetup.com, so now being near two cities I knew I wanted to search for more cool groups around here. I've found some for me as well as some for me and Jenn. I look forward to meeting new people here as well as reconnecting with friends in the area. It's always rough transitioning and dealing with getting to know new people again, but I feel confident it will be okay.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 06/24/16

Greetings!

With all of my shows wrapped up for the season, and no movies in theaters I need to immediately see, I haven't really been consuming much new entertainment lately, so there isn't as much of that this week (nor has there been the past few weeks). There is so much else going on in my life and in my mind that I want to write about and process.

Here's what is going on in my world this week:

• Transitions

I had a really quick turnaround to move my life hundreds of miles (again). I hope that this is the last time for a while that I have to do this. I know that transitions are hard for me. It upsets my routine, I move away from the people and places I know, and have to go through all the stressful changes to my address, driver's license, etc. I still don't feel like I'm settled yet, after being about two months in, but from past experience, I know I'll get there eventually. It doesn't make the transitioning process any easier to get through, but I know it is all for the best. I'm in an area that is better for me and my partner, closer to my brother, have a great job, and am setting up my own apartment that isn't in a residence hall. Looking back, this part of my life that has been awkward and difficult will be a fraction of the rest; a small footnote to what I know will be a fun ride with my partner by my side.

• Pressure

To put it simply, I put a lot of pressure on myself. I'm humble when it comes to my accomplishments, but I push myself to do well and to do good by my friends, family, and coworkers. I've realized lately that I need to give myself a break sometimes. Being too humble and putting too much pressure on myself is not a good mix. I need to value more of what I achieve and let it be enough. I think I do this on my good days, but with my life being stressful right now (see above) I've fallen into bad mental habits. I look forward to some of the stress slowly starting to fade away as things start to normalize here. That way I can hopefully be less hard on myself.

• Brother's Wedding

My brother is getting married next week in Delaware, and I'm his best man! It's surreal to think we're getting to this point in our lives where we're getting married, working, and starting our families. While it is stressful getting our lives started and not being able to hang out all the time, I'm excited for this next chapter for both of us. The wedding will be a small, intimate ceremony with close family and friends on the beach. It will be a great celebration of my brother and his future wife. Looking forward to heading to back to Delaware soon!

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 06/17/16

Greetings!

Here's what is going on in my world this week:

• Agents of SHIELD

I finally finished watching the last few episodes of this past season this week, and it was a mixed bag for me. This whole series has been uneven, but I still mostly enjoy it, so I'll keep with it. For one, we were told the Secret Warriors would show up on SHIELD, and while they technically did, it was for like one episode. Also, there are some MCU connections, but for the most part, the TV side and the movie side live separately, and it is pretty much that SHIELD and the Netflix shows live beneath the movies. I really hope there are more, deeper, and more prominent connections going forward. It is something that is really holding the show back. Supergirl isn't afraid to bring in a version of Superman, and Flash isn't afraid to go all in on its fun comic book roots. Also, some of the plot points of this season were just goofy (I won't spoil them here). Otherwise, the action and characters are good on SHIELD, and they continue to explore neat little niches of the MCU. I continue to be optimistic about the potential of this show, so here's to season 4 (also RIP Agent Carter).

• Outcomes

I've been thinking a lot this week about goals and outcomes. The simple thought I'll impart on you without going into too much detail as to how I got to it, is that we need to know what success looks like in order to be able to achieve it and know if we have done so. Otherwise, our efforts may be in vain. It may seem like an obvious thought, but I had conversations this week that reminded me of its importance.

• Teamwork

Something else that was humbling this week was the reminder that I need to ask for help sometimes. I've been putting a lot of pressure on myself to do well in my new job and prove I can do it on my own. The thing is, is that I don't have to. I have a team of people alongside me that can help and need to be brought in to know what's going on. I love collaborating but when it comes to getting work done, I tend to take it all in myself. I've been stressing myself out a little too much to do a lot of work and do it well while not asking questions when I should have or asking for help. I have a bad habit with that of thinking I'm bothering people or should know better. Especially with being new, I should ask questions and get help. We don't ever have to go it alone, we just need to find those people on our team and bring them in.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 06/10/16

Greetings!

Another week is in the books, and that means there is another set of (random) geek outs for you all!

• Haircuts

Moving is stressful for a bunch of reasons, one of them is starting off new with different grocery stores, restaurants, and (the especially worrisome for me) barber shops. I got my haircut for the first time since I moved this week, and it went well! I always dread getting my haircut since I haven't ever had a good, consistent relationship with a barber. It ends up being a gamble each time and it is hard for me to explain how I like my hair. This time was good, and while it is jarring every time I cut my hair shorter, I look forward to going back to this place (White's Barber Co. to give them a well deserved shout out) and starting to build a better relationship with getting my hair cut.

• Couches

My partner, Jenn, and I have been living pretty lean so far in our new apartment. We don't have a lot of furniture but we're making it work with what we have. One big thing we've been missing is a couch. We went and looked around after doing some initial research online ahead of time. It's tough deciding and purchasing these big items. It's exciting though too to build up our place and make it our own. We're not really fit for guests yet, but I also look forward to hosting folks for the first time soon!

• Driver's Licenses (& Other Stuff)

Last but not least, Jenn and I have to get all of our addresses changed on our various profiles, get new driver's licenses, and register to vote in Maryland. Jenn has been taking care of some of her stuff and I've been lagging a bit with going to the Motor Vehicle Administration (Maryland's DMV). It's just always one of those things that is a pain to do but is obviously necessary. Hopefully it isn't too bad when I go this weekend to take care of my driver's license. All of this stuff is the part of moving that is annoying, but hopefully we don't have to do it again for a while (at the very least we can stay in the same state for more than a couple of years).

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 06/03/16

Greetings!

Here's what is going on in my world this week:

• DC

I've been living in the Greater DC area for almost a month now, and since I've only visited here a few times previously, I'm excited to explore with my partner. We've gone to some places for drinks, visited some museums, and are planning to do much more. We're grateful to live in an area with more going on as well as being closer to friends and family. Stay tuned for more thoughts from our adventures!

• Happy Endings

This show was recently put on Hulu in its entirety, and I enjoyed watching it back in the day when it was on. I've been rewatching it with my partner and we've both really been liking it. It was a fun, clever, unique show with smart and silly humor. It was right up my alley and it is always great to share things I love with my partner. I recommend it to anyone looking for a good comedy to watch through.

• Work

My new job has been picking up lately, which has been both a good and a bad thing. Good because I'm excited to do the work and get more involved helping our students as well as my team. Bad because it has taken up more of my time and energy away from the blog. I haven't been able to write as much as I like, nor have I been able to come up with new ideas to write about even if I had the time and energy. I know I just need some space and I need to make the time after I adjust to all the change that has been going on in my life. This blog means a lot to me so I want to keep it going. I appreciate folks patience with the lack of fresh, new content.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 05/27/16

Greetings!

I've been busy this week but was able to catch the season finales of some of my favorite shows on the air right now (still need to catch up on SHIELD...) so I wanted to share my (spoiler-free) thoughts on those episodes and their respective seasons here:

• Arrow

I've ordered these bullet points generally in order of my least to most favorite season finales. Arrow has been struggling for a little while now, with weak flashback stories and frustrating plot points. It's a shame since it was the genesis of the DC TV Universe, but the show hasn't really figured out a good path forward. With major characters being killed off or quitting being heroes, lackluster villains, and character moments being rushed or poorly done, Arrow has some structural flaws to address going forward. I would hate to see this show go on life support in terms of quality, but it seems to be trending that way. I have faith it can shape up, but I could also see it becoming a show that gets too comfy and gets lazy. I'll be watching season 5 but might let go of the show if it doesn't keep me engaged since there is plenty of other great TV on right now.

• Legends of Tomorrow

On a more positive note, LoT grew in a positive way over the course of its first year. Struggling with similar flaws like Arrow with its villain, LoT eventually got to a good place by investing better in the great cast of characters they have and keeping the tension at a decent place. Strange that time travel adventures could feel a tad boring at times, but nevertheless, LoT looks to be heading in the right direction with season 2, especially with the teaser that happened at the end of their satisfying season finale.

• The Flash

The Flash is still easily my favorite show of this bunch. It fully embraced its comic book roots early on, has kept a good pace (for the most part), and Barry Allan and the crew are just great fun to watch. While season 2 got a little darker, it was still great TV, and wasn't afraid of going down some different dramatic and intriguing turns, especially with the finale. I loved the inclusion of time travel within this show (for the most part) as well as the acknowledgement of alternate Earths. There still seems to be so much they can explore with all of that, so I'm more optimistic for The Flash than some of its sibling shows.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 05/20/16

Greetings!

I'm back after a short hiatus with an update on what has been going on with my life lately. Check it out:

• My New Job!

I started this new job last Monday (May 9) so it has been two full weeks at this new gig. It is totally different from my past experiences, and I like it. I work at 2U, which is a company that supports online academic programs for higher education institutions across the country. They have offices all over the world and do great work to bridge the gaps in modern higher education. Their main offices here in Maryland are super cool and laid back, with a casual dress code and plenty of snacks. I'm looking forward to not being the "new guy" anymore and getting more involved with my team. Next week is our company retreat in Orlando, where the entire global team will come together to get energized for the year to come. Stay tuned for more thoughts on all of this, and specifically moving out of a traditional campus job in the near future.

• My New Apartment!

I picked up the keys to my first apartment last Wednesday, so a lot of time recently has been spent packing, moving, and unpacking. I also went up to Maine to see my partner graduate last weekend and help her pack her stuff, so that kept me busy. We're finally settling in a bit and while we still have a bit of ways to go to make our apartment really functional, it feels great to have our own space together and already feels like home.

• My Birthday!

I'm turning 27 on Sunday! It is strange to think about my exact age sometimes, since I sure don't feel like I am almost 30 years old but I do feel pretty mature, especially with everything going on in my life right now. I'll be spending some time in Delaware with my brother this weekend, and then spending the long Memorial Day weekend with my partner. It will be great to toast to all the good happening in my life, to relax, and spend quality time with the people I care about.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 05/06/16

Greetings!

Here's what I'm geeking out about this week:

• DC Animated Shows

I recently saved this article that highlights some great Batman & Superman episodes from their own respective animated series as well as the Justice League animated series. I hadn't really watched any of these series growing up. I was more into the Spider-Man and X-Men animated series of the '90s and other random shows of my youth. They now exist on various streaming platforms, and they held up to the test of time, so I figured I'd check out some choice episodes. I haven't watched everything from this list yet, but what I have watched has been good and inspires me to check out more of these series in the future.

• Captain America: Civil War

I have been anticipating this movie for a while. In the shadow of Deadpool and Batman V Superman, Civil War looks to be a standout comic book movie that handles a lot of characters as well as important themes well, a unique spot that sets it apart from these two movies. Deadpool was great because it was a smaller scale movie, and BvS had a lot of its own problems to deal with, so it read this post if you want to go there. Anyway, Civil War has been getting awesome early reviews, and I'll be sure to share my full thoughts about it after I see it this weekend with my brother to help celebrate his birthday. #TeamCap

• Moving!

I am moving down to Maryland this weekend for my new job, which I am very excited about! I'll be getting my first apartment, living with my partner, building our life together, and all of this is taking place while I start a new job at an awesome new company and live in a cool area neighboring two great cities. I'm looking forward to getting settled in and exploring my community. I know it is going to be a bit stressful getting to that point, but I know it will be worth it. I'm hoping this move and period of newness won't interrupt the regularly scheduled programming here on the blog and elsewhere. I'm going to do my best to plan ahead and have stuff scheduled to go out ahead of time. Wish me and my partner luck as we make this big move!

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 04/29/16

Greetings!

Here's what is going on in my world this week:

• Final Job Search Update!

As was teased last week and formally announced on social media this week, I have accepted an awesome new job at 2U, which provides services and support to online academic programs for colleges and universities all over the country (and world). I will be a Student Support Adviser starting very soon down in Maryland. I'm very excited for this opportunity as well as for the next step in my life with a great job with a great partner. This also means I will be moving off-campus! Which leads me to my next point...

• Apartment Hunting

My partner, Jenn, and I are searching for an apartment together, which is a first for both of us, so we are definitely getting a little anxious about this process. We have a general budget for rent with my new job but we have never had to pay utilities before so we don't know how much to budget for that. Also, all the places we look at seem nice, but then all the reviews are bad. Which is frustrating because none of the places we look at have good reviews, they just have entirely bad feedback which is hard to believe. It just seems like those are the only people who feel inspired enough to write a review. Obviously this just complicates things further. I know we'll figure it out and it will be okay, but it is just a new, stressful experience that I am learning from. I look forward to more new growth from this and from living in as well as decorating our new place!

• Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

On a lighter note, Jenn and I enjoyed watching the new season of this show on Netflix over the weekend. Continuing as a sort of spiritual successor to 30 Rock in the sense that it sense that it shares much of the same humor, this season was a lot of silly fun. The jokes come at a breakneck pace, so even if one doesn't land, there are more coming quickly. I like the smart humor of this show (very much similar to 30 Rock) and how optimistic it is. This is another strong show in the growing library of equally strong and unique shows Netflix has produced (Love, Master of None, Orange is the New Black, House of Cards, Daredevil, Jessica Jones), not to mention its strong tradition of supporting standup comedy.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 04/22/16

Greetings!

Here's what is on my mind this week:

• Earth Day

Today is the day where we seek to appreciate our big floating rock in space that we all live on and where we keep all of our stuff. I appreciate the long tradition of this holiday, since I seek to be as sustainable as I can in all aspects of my life. I still have improvements to make, but it is something I think about often as I make decisions in my life (using reusable bags, using my reusable coffee mug/water bottle, saving on paper, etc.). May we all honor Mother Earth! She's the only one we got, so let's treat her right!

• Job Search

I've been applying and interviewing for stuff since October, and I am finally circling on something awesome, which I can't wait to tell you all more about. I will just tease this for now. Stay tuned for more next week...

• Dance Floor Theory

I finally got to see my good friend, Tom Krieglstein, speak in person to a group of student leaders this past week. I've known Tom for over two years and know the type of awesome impact he has on campus across the country. This was special for me though, since I got to witness it firsthand to see student leaders click into the message and content. I'm really glad we were able to have Tom speak, and I look forward to what positive change will come from this.

Thanks for stopping by!