Book Review: American Nerd

The 2009 book, American Nerd: The Story of My People, written by Benjamin Nugent, is an exploration of the history behind the word "nerd" intermixed with stories from Nugent's past. It reads like a long blog post or magazine article on the subject, covering the wide breadth of the issue of bias toward nerds. I just finished reading it and I found it to be a light, engaging read on the subject, a tad different from my previous review of Nerds by David Anderegg. Anderegg is an academic and Ph.D, while Nugent is a writer, which definitely benefits the latter in the feel of the book. They cover very similar territory but where American Nerd differs is in the personal stories and a more thorough delving into the history, where Nerds goes more into why the bias against nerds is bad by extrapolating about what it means for our future.

I found Nugent's anecdotal stories from his past to be spot on of my own experience with fellow young nerds back in the day. The reasons why people are "nerdy" are highly complex and diverse. It might be an escape or it might be a bonding mechanism, both of which can take varying shapes. Nugent also gives a nice overview of different aspects of nerd culture for those who may be unaware, which I appreciate since it allows for this book to lean towards a wider audience.

This book is great for simply existing and expanding the conversation of the issues facing the geek/nerd community. I'm excited to keep engaging in the literature behind the debate so that I can be the best informed I can be. I definitely recommend this book as a great place to start for anyone interested.

Check back soon for another review! Thanks for stopping by!

Movie Review Monday: Much Ado About Nothing

This week's movie is the 2012 adaptation of the classic Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Joss Whedon and starring Amy Acker and Alexis Denisof. First off, this movie took a little catching up for me since it is literally adapted from the Shakespearean text. It is simply in a modern setting. All the characters speak the play as it was written so I was taken aback at first but I eventually caught up. The movie is also shot in black & white, which adds a nice artistic flair to the film (why, I don't know, it just does). Pretty much all the actors are from some sort of "Whedonverse" property or at least something Whedon has been associated with in the past. It has a very simple elegance to it, where the focus is on the timeless story of Benedick and Beatrice's will they or won't they romance.

I will admit, since I'm not a huge theater buff or reader, I hadn't been exposed to the story before so I came in fresh and it was a very fun ride. The bickering between Benedick and Beatrice as well as the scheming by the other characters to get them together was brilliant. All the actors really bought into the dialogue and gave great performances.

For any fans of Shakespeare, romance, Joss Whedon, or just well crafted film, check out Much Ado About Nothing, streaming now on Netflix!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 06/05/14

Salutations! Here's what I'm geeking out this (busy) week!

• Drunk Ron Swanson

If you love Parks & Recreation (which you all should, it's great), you'll love this forever looping GIF. I wasted a solid few minutes on it. You're welcome.

• How Did This Get Made

I've been binged on a few episodes of this great podcast lately during my string of travels. It has comedians Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas (all of whom you may know from the many things they have done, much of it together) chatting about movies that are so bad they're good. I've listening to episodes ranging from Green Lantern to Battlefield Earth, Fast Five to Superman III, and of course, the competitive arm-wrestling classic, Over the Top. It's a lot of fun and they have some great guests on to help with the hilarity, so definitely check it out if you're looking for a new podcast and love movies.

• Screen Junkies

So this is another movie centric thing I'm into (obviously I love movies). This YouTube channel has been around for several years but it has really hit its stride with all of its great, original segments, and their beloved Honest Trailers. I always find myself engaged with their content so I wanted to give them a shout out and encourage you to check out their channel.

Thanks for stopping by! Have an awesome weekend!

Movie Review Monthly: May 2014

Greetings movie fans! In an ongoing effort to serve up my delicious content to you, here is a monthly wrap-up of my reviews from the past month, all available to stream on Netflix! Enjoy!

• Don Jon
• Done the Impossible
• Trek Nation
• Olympus Has Fallen

If you have any recommendations for movies I should watch that are available on Netflix, please let me know, just leave a comment here or tweet me! Thanks!

What I Was Geeking Out About: May 2014

Hello fellow geeks and nerds! In an ongoing effort to better serve up my delicious content to you, here is a monthly wrap-up of all my recent geek outs! Enjoy!

• May 02, 2014
• May 09, 2014
• May 16, 2014
• May 23, 2014
• May 30, 2014

Have an awesome week!

Movie Review Monday: Stuck in Love

This week's movie is Stuck in Love (2012), starring Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, and Lily Collins. And, pardoning the pun, I just have to say I loved this movie. Stuck in Love is essentially Crazy, Stupid, Love with more drama and heart. I enjoyed CSL very much as well (and own it) but I enjoyed this movie for totally different reasons. The story revolves around different members of a family dealing with the complex nuances of love. Where CSL succeeded with comedic moments, I feel like it lost when it came to connecting more with the characters and story on a deep, personal level. I can admit I got emotional when watching Stuck in Love at times. I didn't know what to expect from this movie, so I was very pleasantly surprised.

All of the folks in this film do a great job with their characters. Each of them is going through something unique and everyone has a very real personality that deals with the conflicts in the film. I was engaged throughout the film, wanting to know what happened next to these characters I was invested in.

I highly recommend this film as a solid romantic drama that has a lot of heart. It is streaming now on Netflix!

Enjoy!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 05/30/14

Hello friends! Here is what I'm geeking out about this week!

• Bioshock Infinite: Burial at Sea - Episode II

I (finally) finished this bonus mission the other day, completing my time with this game that I have written much about. To say it simply, I love this game and the Bioshock universe. This final episode ties together the universe beautifully while revamping the gameplay to keep the entire thing feeling fresh. If you haven't played it yet, I recommend getting the core game, and both Burial at Sea episodes. You won't be disappointed, especially if you have played the original Bioshock (if you haven't, shame on you, and just get the PS3 version, which comes with the original game included).

• Community...Renewed?

Community is one of my favorite comedies of all time. It's up there with The Office and Parks & Recreation. I still rewatch old episodes and enjoy them multiple times through. The story above details the latest in the developing story of it coming back on Hulu, since there is a previous relationship there with the entire series streaming exclusively on the site. I'd be really happy to see the show just get to the pinnacle of #SixSeasonsAndAMovie that the show's avid fanbase has galvanized around. I'll be sure to post any new details as they come through.

• Edgar Wright Leaves Ant-Man

I am a big fan of Edgar Wright. I appreciate his originality and creativity when it comes to entertainment, whether it is his early work with the TV show Spaced, his cult favorite film Shaun of the Dead, or one of my favorite movies of all time, Scott Pilgrim VS The World. I looked forward to what unique qualities he would bring to a big Marvel Studios movie, but alas, they did not seem to share that optimism. I'll be interested to see where this project goes and if it turns out to be a success in the end.

Keep on geeking on & have a great weekend!

My Favorite TED Talks

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries?list=PL873C206FEE6DA034] I wanted to curate this YouTube playlist for everyone of some of my favorite TED Talks that I've found so far. I'll keep updating the list and would love to hear more recommendations from folks.

Enjoy!

Reflections on Turning 25 & Getting My Master's

This past week, I hit some pretty big life milestones; I turned 25 years old and I obtained my Master's degree after two years of hard work. It has been a whirlwind few weeks with the end of the semester and I just got back from a very relaxing vacation away with the lovely lady you see above. As I get back to reality, I find myself wanting to reflect on everything and how I feel at this important point in my life. First, the degree (since that happened first). I've been a student for 19 years straight, that's twelve years of school to get my high school diploma, five years of undergraduate study to get my bachelor's, and two years of study to get my master's. This is the first time in a long time I don't have to register for classes, worry about paying tuition, or having the structure of school controlling my life. While I'm still going into higher education and will have the academic year hovering over my life for the foreseeable future, it won't be as a student (not unless I get my doctorate at some point in the far future). I had a brief moment over the week of closing ceremonies and convocations where I felt a sense of relief. It came from knowing that these degrees I've obtained and mainly my master's, something I never would have thought years ago I would achieve, is mine and can never be taken away from me. That accomplishment, after years of hard work was very satisfying. I'm not a boisterous person and this was my own personal celebration that happened in my head as I sat down after walking across the stage at graduation this past week.

A few days after graduation, I turned 25. I had been joking for months that this is perfectly timed to have a big quarter life crisis, with such big life moments happening all at once. Thankfully I feel affirmed in my path and excited for the future, so this is not the case. I tend to be more mature than some of the others my age so this birthday was actually welcomed, as I feel like my actual age is catching up with my beliefs, habits, and perspectives. I'm excited to be older and continuing to learn from life's experiences. I feel like I've learned a lot and grown so much within just the past few years being on-campus at both Delaware and Rutgers, so I can't wait for what is to come.

My life is still taking shape as I look for a job and the next chapter of my life. I know that I don't know everything about anything. There is plenty still that I want to do in this world, and I look forward to the horizon optimistically at what the next 25 years have in store.

EDIT: Check out the story of my job search to read about the recent, epic conclusion!

Thanks for stopping by, and have an amazing day!

Support for #YesAllWomen & The Real Issues Behind Elliot Rodger

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPFcspwbrq8] I felt the urge to share this video* because I feel it is important as a male feminist ally. Laci Green sums up the issues very well behind why someone would do the terrible things Elliot Rodger did and how misogyny is literally killing people.

* Warning: Footage of Elliot Rodger is shown in this video, albeit a brief clip. I know some people may not want to see him/hear him, so I am including this caveat to the above video.

Support #YesAllWomen on Twitter with a retweet, favorite, or even just taking some time to read all of the messages. There is some great learning and catharsis happening on there.