Category Archives: Geekness

0

What Good Books Have You Been Reading Lately Vol. 10

|

To newcomers of this blog, this is a semi-regular feature on my blog. I have no set date on when these posts will go up. It all depends on how much I read and how good the books are that I read. Lately, I have been picking good books so it’s been good reading times for me. My spreadsheet is getting a workout!

The Lost Crown by Sarah Miller (Atheneum, 2011)

My blurb: So confession, despite the fact that my degrees are focused on American history and my personal interest is in British history, I am also very interested in Russian history. Specifically that of the last czar Nicholas II and his family. This is a book told from the different perspectives of his four daughters and it’s so incredibly sad because they were all so very young when they were killed.

Popular by Maya Van Wagenen (Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2014)

My blurb: I was drawn to this book because of the cover and I never would have expected it to be written by a 15 year old because it’s so very well done. It’s non fiction first of all and Maya writes about her experiences going from not noticed at all in school to becoming one of the friendliest and popular girls in school simply by following rules from a 1950s teen self help book. Each chapter is based on a chapter in that 50s book from skin care to posture to clothing. It’s a great read for any age.

Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2015)

My blog: First off my attempts at reading POC authors this year has gone horrible. I’m not really sure if I’m unconsciously choosing white authors or if that’s just what is really dominating the shelves but this book was only the 4th by a POC author for me this year. That being so it’s absolutely fantastic. A historical YA about two POC characters (an Asian girl and an African-American girl) out in the wild west? Yes please.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (Random House, 2011)

My blurb: I talked a bit about this already on the blog but I had a BLAST reading this book. My “book club” decided to read it and I’m really glad because it’s been recommended me for a while and I kept putting it aside. Basically if you grew up in the 80s and know a lot about pop culture this is the book for you. It was so fun reading it too! Granted some of it seems a bit like name dropping at times and how many references can the author cram in a passage. But overall it’s really fun and I’m looking forward to the movie directed by Spielberg in a few years.

Mist of Midnight by Sandra Byrd (Howard Books, 2015)

My blurb: Here’s a good gothic mystery where I refused to flip to the end to figure out everything. Do you know how hard that was for me? Which served me well because I honestly had no idea how everything was going to work itself out and was pleasantly pleased with how it all did. Byrd’s books are always enjoying to read and this one is no exception.

Recipe for Disaster by Stacey Ballis (Berkely, 2015)

My blurb: I love books about food. Seriously, there is nothing better than eating food and reading a story about food at the same time. And Stacey Ballis’ books always have so much of it in there PLUS a good story to boot. This one even throws in some HGTV home remodeling as well. I learned how to make good roasted chicken thanks to this book. And there are recipes. It’s a winner.

That’s what I’ve been reading. What good books have YOU been reading lately?

Advertisement
0

Go see Avengers: Age of Ultron

|

Really, there’s not much to be said today. I saw the movie last night and I can’t talk to a lot of people about it because pretty much everyone else hasn’t seen it yet. So I’m left in a state of shut down because I can’t spoil things.

But I will say BEST MOVIE OF THE SUMMER?! BETTER THAN FIRST AVENGERS? HAWKEYE! (yes I did cheer for him as soon as he appeared on screen)

It’s glorious. And everything about it is why I love the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

This was basically me.

Need to plan the next time I’ll be seeing it again……

0

I Should Listen to You More Often

|

I have a bad habit of being recommended things by friends and not immediately following up on them only to find out later, they were right. You see, it’s not that I don’t trust my friends. It’s more to do with TIME. There are so many things that I’m discovering on my own that when a friends lends you a book or movie, you’re like….oh thanks, I’ll get to this later. And sometimes later never happens. But then there are times when you just suck it up, make the time and you actually give in to the recommendation. That’s when you find out…HOLY CRAP. YOU WERE SO RIGHT ABOUT THIS. I SHOULD LISTEN TO YOU ALL THE TIME!

The thing with being public about your interests is that your friends who know you well have pretty much figured out what you like and what you don’t. I have gotten the reputation of liking a lot of geek things that most girls I hang around with refuse to touch or if they do, don’t understand it. That being said, a lot of my guy friends have constantly given me tips on things they liked that they think I would enjoy. This ranges from books to TV shows to tabletop games to video games to food and beer. Sometimes I don’t take the advice because I’m a bit wary of it. And then they prove me wrong.

I’ll give three examples of recommendations from friends.

Friend #1 recommended me to read the book Ready Player One insisting that I would enjoy it very much.

Well, have you seen my TBR pile? Plus I work in a library! There are so many books I’m trying to read already that to add another book that I wasn’t intentionally going to read and that I didn’t discover myself seems a bit daunting. I’m ashamed to say that I accepted the book, kept it for a few weeks (months?) and returned it without reading it. I just didn’t have the time or interest at the moment. I felt like a horrible friend but….so many books so little time? But then several months later, I heard news that Steven Spielberg would be directing the movie. And my “book club” decided to read it. So I finally gave in. And guess what? I loved it. One of the most fun books ever. Seriously it was so awesome I didn’t want to stop reading.

I should have listened to Friend #1. Their next recommendation I should take: to read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.

Friend #2 told me I needed to watch Pacific Rim.

I was told that I would enjoy this movie a lot and it was not like Transformers meets Battleship at all which is what the trailers made it look to be. They had claimed it to be one of their favorite movies ever and I needed to go see it. I was like….um no? It looks stupid. Plus no one in the cast I’m a fan of and I’ve never seen any of the director’s other movies. *Yawn*. But then I kept getting ragged on so I finally gave in.

This is the post on Facebook I wrote the day after I saw it.

So to everyone who said to me “Deborah, why aren’t you seeing Pacific Rim? It has everything you like in a movie! And you just lost your awesome, geek and Asian cards with your lame excuses!”, I am officially eating a big fat crow right now. Pacific Rim was quite awesome.

Reasons why it was awesome

10) There was an Asian girl with blue hair! And the young version of herself looked like me growing up.
9) Lack of a romance was a major plus. And no forced kissing that comes out of nowhere. WOOT.
8) While the trailers didn’t do anything for me, I bought the storyline. And got quite invested in the actual story.
7) Humor from scientists. Very welcome. The scene where they shake hands (you know the one) brought well written comic relief.
6) Idris Elba is the mother effin man.
5) Awesome special effects and sound. Much better than Man of Steel.
4) Fight scenes were quite good. Again better than Man of Steel. Heck everything about this movie was better than Man of Steel.
3) There’s a dog!
2) Nothing to do with the movie, but the Alamo Drafthouse in Ashburn is effing awesome. BEST place to see a movie. Best popcorn ever. Unless I absolutely have to, I am never seeing going to another movie theater again.

And the top reason for why I liked this movie?

1) When Gipsy is falling from a fight in space, they pull out a sword!!!!!!!!! I literally turned to (Friend #2) with a huge grin of glee on my face. That was the turning point for me. (It’s because I like swords) The rest of the movie, I was on the edge of my seat.

Well done del Toro. Well done. I would like to see more of the story fleshed out. Prequels would be most appreciated.

I now reclaim back all my cards. And if you want to talk about it with me in person or online, I will gladly share in fanboy/fangirl appreciation.

Yep I should have listened to Friend #2. Their next recommendation for me: to read Slaughterhouse Five.

Now Friend #3, I’ve actually been pretty good about taking their recommendations. And I’ve actually talked about some of them on this blog like Lizzie Bennet Diaries or (500) Days of Summer. However the one recommendation I was slowest to take was to watch Doctor Who.

Why would I want to watch a silly show about a guy played by different actors that travels through time and space? It looks dumb. And cheesy. And confusing. There are too many episodes. I can’t get invested in this right now.

Hah. hahahahahaa. Yeah these were all my lame excuses. We all know how much I love the show now. Like freakishly addicted to the show and the universe and everything. I binged watched all the episodes that were on Netflix and Amazon Prime in a few months like WHOA.

Yep, I should have listened to Friend #3 right from the beginning. Their next recommendation: to watch What If.

The moral of this long story is that my friends obviously know my tastes. And I should listen to them more.

Feel smug my friends. Know that you were right.

1

Geeking About The Beatles: Beatles for Sale

|

If you’ve known me for any extended amount of time, then you know that my all time favorite band is The Beatles. One of my blogging goals for 2015 is to have a regular feature and because I’m completely random, I will be featuring a Beatles album monthly. This is exciting because it gives me a chance to relisten to these albums again. I’m not exactly reviewing it (as I am not a music reviewer) but instead enjoying it as a fan.

Honestly this is probably the weakest of all of the Beatles albums. While there are some stellar contributions on here, some of the songs seem like the band is putting in as little effort as possible. The cover songs chosen seem fluffy and to be honest quite forgetful. It sort of feels like the studio and their manager wanted them to continue to cash in on their popularity (hence the title) and a lot of the songs on here seems like they were chosen as filler material. To be honest, I personally did not realize this album existed until much later in my liking of the band. It’s kind of a forgettable album as there are no lead singles coming off of it.

One song of note is John’s “I’m a Loser” because it’s more autobiographical and not just a silly love song. It’s quite emo. I use that phrase a lot but really there’s no other way to describe this song. “Eight Days a Week” is such a great sing along song. I heard Paul sing it in concert two years ago and it’s just the perfect song to get everyone in a good mood.

  • No Reply (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John w/Paul
  • I’m a Loser (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John w/Paul
  • Baby’s in Black (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – Paul/John
  • Rock and Roll Music (Berry) – Lead Singer – John
  • I’ll Follow the Sun (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – Paul
  • Mr. Moonlight (Johnson) – Lead Singer – John
  • Kansas City/ Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! (Leiber and Stoller/Penniman) – Lead Singer – Paul
  • Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John
  • Words of Love (Holly) – Lead Singer – John/Paul
  • Honey Don’t (Perkins) – Lead Singer – Ringo
  • Every Little Thing (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John/Paul
  • I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John/Paul
  • What You’re Doing (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – Paul
  • Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby – (Perkins) – Lead Singer – George

Standout Songs: Eight Days a Week, I’m a Loser

Personal Favorites: What You’re Doing, I’ll Follow the Sun

Least Memorable: I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party, Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby, Words of Love, Honey Don’t

While I totally love “I’ll Follow the Sun” because it says exactly how I feel when I realize I need to move on from someone, I also really enjoy “What You’re Doing”. The beat is very much on point and the song as a whole feels quite simple. But the lyrics are words I’ve thought or said to and about people so it’s almost as if they wrote that song based on my experiences alone.

I’d also like to mention the cover. The out of focused shot and the non smiling faces make them look less like teen pop idols and more towards the direction of the deep thinking rockers. Granted I can’t say the same thing for a lot of the songs on the album but what’s good on here is very good.

Next month: Help!

0

Fandoms I Just Can’t Get Into: Video Games

|


Most people either love video games or hate video games. This one is actually not the typical reason why I can’t get into this fandom.

Growing up EVERYONE who wanted one (and even those who didn’t) had either a Nintendo or Sega system in their house. Most people were playing it hard core all the time while others just had it because it was the popular thing to have at the time. People who even HATE video games had something. We did not own a single gaming console in our household. It was not because we didn’t want one. It wasn’t because we only girls. It was because my parents did not see video games as a good use of free time. Why play Nintendo when you can read books or study and do more homework? Video games also meant spending money. Why waste money when you can save money for college? Therefore other than the very brief times at friends’ houses, I did not grow up playing any sort of video game.

It’s interesting how I see a lot of significant others and their views on gaming if they DON’T play. They find it to be a waste of time or immature. They will either put up with it or want to ban it all together. Maybe sometimes they’ll play if they find a game they like but most of the time it is usually a very guy thing and they don’t want to have anything to do with it and don’t want to try to understand it. It’s basically seen as a time suck that takes away the person from doing other things. But if you do it right, you accept that it’s an outlet for the other person, to relax and do their own thing because it is what they are interested in as long as you’re not letting it take over your life. Then again, this should probably be something you guys need to talk about BEFORE getting into a long term serious relationship but I digress.

As someone who physically cannot play about 95% of video games, I get super jealous of people who get to. Like I’ve said before, I would play if I could but when you feel nauseous or literally throw up almost every time you start playing or even just watching, it’s really hard to become a participant. And unfortunately, it doesn’t do me much good to study up on how to play because well, if I’m not actually able to put it in to practice, it’s not fun at all.

You can talk about what you play with me and I will genuinely be interested. I think people who work in this industry are some of the most creative folks out there. I wish that I could be a girl gamer (though I am rather relieved I don’t have to put up with all the misogyny, abuse, and ignorance that exists from the extreme male gamers) because there needs to be more of them out there. Plus frankly the whole subculture AGAINST women playing is frankly appalling.

You just can’t really show it to me because it’ll just make me sick. This actually kind of sucks because when you think about it, what you like makes me want to vomit.

But take heart, because actually I’m super jealous of you.

1

What Good Books Have You Been Reading Lately Vol. 9

|

To newcomers of this blog, this is a semi-regular feature on my blog. I have no set date on when these posts will go up. It all depends on how much I read and how good the books are that I read. Lately, I have been picking good books so it’s been good reading times for me. My spreadsheet is getting a workout!

Burma Chronicles by Guy Delisle (Jonathan Cape, 2009)

My blurb: This book is fantastic for so many reasons. 1) I’m half Burmese so WOOT. 2) It’s a graphic novel. 3) The author is French so it’s not from an American POV. 4) It’s like a travelogue and a memoir in one. 5) It’s a very enjoyable read. Once you get started you don’t want to stop. 5) Also parents, especially dads will like it. I borrowed Delisle’s other books about living in China and North Korea because this one was just so darn good.

Bon Appetempt by Amelia Morris (Grand Central Publishing, 2015)

My blurb: The reason why I put this book on hold at the library was because I was drawn to the cover. I mean look at that work of art. Plus there was the promise of recipes. I didn’t know who the author was but I like recipes when I read so this seem like a good gamble. AND IT WAS. Morris’ story about growing up and then going off to Hollywood was engaging and highly readable and the recipes make me want to cook. I even bought some brie to do the pasta recipe. Nom nom nom.

The Accidental Empress by Allison Pataki (Howard Books, 2015)

My blurb: I didn’t know anything about Elisabeth or Sissi, the Austrian empress before this book but after reading it, I’m now like MUST FIND OUT EVERYTHING. This is a wonderfully written historical fiction. It’s lush with detail and I really felt transported into the story. I’m really not sure why this book is published with a Christian publisher as there’s nothing that stands out as being really Christian (which is fine for me but I know problematic for others). Pataki’s last book (The Traitor’s Wife) was outstanding as well and I cannot wait for her next one.

Jay J. Armes, Investigator by Jay J. Armes, Frederick Nolan (Macmillan, 1976)

My Blurb: This book was initially going to be an inside joke read between me and a friend. It’s about a guy with hooks for hands! But then it turned out to be actually pretty good. It’s written in the 70s so it has that campy type of flair about it. And I feel like some things are possibly embellished. But it’s also a really fun story to read and Armes is still around doing his thing to this day. It really is like reading a book about James Bond but also how Armes refused to let his handicap overtake his life. Seriously, why was a movie never made about this guy? On a slightly sadder note, this was my first book of 2014 written by a POC author. I am NOT doing well diversely wise.

Secrets of a Charmed Life by Susan Meissner (NAL, 2015)

My blurb: This book takes place during WWII England. I think that’s enough to say. No? You need more? Well, as Meissner is one of my favorite authors EVER, then you should know this is a very good book. That I couldn’t put down. And it reminded me of Atonement by Ian McEwan. Really, it’s such a lovely book. You should read it.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty (W.W. Norton & Company, 2014)

My blurb: This goes outside my normal reading but I’m really glad that I did. Because now I know what goes on inside a crematory and it’s really quite fascinating. I didn’t know much about what happens after a body is sent to the funeral home and this book explains the entire process. Death is a subject that a lot of people don’t really like talking about or even thinking about what physically happens afterwards. Doughty’s adventures are quite humorous and very eye opening. Lots to think about.

The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel (Gallery Books, 2014)

My blurb: So the funny thing about this book is that it’s really not one of my favorite books from this author. I felt the main character to be a bit whiny and I really wish she would have just TOLD her feelings instead of hiding them or assuming that people would just understand them. But what made this book stand out is that the overall plot is something I’ve always imagined “what if” to myself and it filled out the technical holes I always wondered in that situation. If you got transported into another version of yourself, how would you know everything in that life and still be aware of your real life?

How Star Wars Conquered the Universe by Chris Taylor (Basic Books, 2014)

My blurb: The cover isn’t amazing but if you’re a huge Star Wars fan, then this book is going to be one of the most fun reads you’ll have this year. It gives a history of the franchise but not in a chronological order. Taylor focuses on different aspects of the movie making process as well as reactions and opinions. You can tell he’s a fan but he’s doesn’t shy on criticizing when it needs it. Almost every little thing I personally like that deals with the franchise (both good and bad) gets a shout out. To be honest, it makes me really want to go back and watch all the movies and TV shows and read some of the books to prepare for The Force Awakens in December. I highly recommend this one.

That’s what I’ve been reading. What good books have YOU been reading lately?

0

Geeking About The Beatles: A Hard Day’s Night

|

If you’ve known me for any extended amount of time, then you know that my all time favorite band is The Beatles. One of my blogging goals for 2015 is to have a regular feature and because I’m completely random, I will be featuring a Beatles album monthly. This is exciting because it gives me a chance to relisten to these albums again. I’m not exactly reviewing it (as I am not a music reviewer) but instead enjoying it as a fan.

Lights, camera, action! It’s movie time with The Beatles! A Hard Day’s Night is the soundtrack to the movie they starred in and The Beatles third album. Released in 1964, this album (and the movie) is EVERYTHING about the British Invasion and the early 60s. The songs are upbeat and light but not fluffy. It just still sound so classic and hip over 50 years (!) later.

Every song on this album is an original composition, with John being the lead writer and singer on the majority of them. I believe this is the only album where Ringo does not get to sing a song. George’s one song is kind of a throwaway one.

  • A Hard Day’s Night (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John/Paul
  • I Should Have Known Better (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John
  • If I Fell (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John/Paul
  • I’m Happy Just to Dance With You (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – George
  • And I Love Her (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – Paul
  • Tell Me Why (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John
  • Can’t Buy Me Love (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – Paul
  • Any Time At All (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John
  • I’ll Cry Instead (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John
  • Things We Said Today (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – Paul
  • When I Get Home (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John
  • You Can’t Do That (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John
  • I’ll Be Back (Lennon/McCartney) – Lead Singer – John

Standout Song: A Hard Day’s Night

Personal Favorites: If I Fell, I’ll Be Back

Least Memorable: Tell Me Why, When I Get Home

The first half of songs appear in the movie while the other half were written for but not included in the movie. The songs are still mainly love songs, with “And I Love Her” being an absolute beautiful one from Paul. Most of John’s songs seem a bit angry at either himself or the girl but then John’s the emo one of the group so this is nothing new. I think what’s best about this album is that it sounds like they are really enjoying themselves throughout it. The excitement from the movie spills over into the album when one listens to it. It sounds like it was a lot of fun to record this one.

While almost all the songs on here are favorites, my personal favorite is “If I Fell”. It says everything about how I feel and would probably want to say to a guy one day.

If you haven’t seen the movie, then I HIGHLY recommend it. It’s really fun and unlike other movies of the time period which also starred rock and pop stars, A Hard Day’s Night is not cheesy or gimmicky at all. The film being in black and white makes it more artsy and the writing is so good, you think the Beatles are just acting as themselves. It holds up incredibly well to this day. It’s one of my favorite movies and an all time classic.

Next Month: Beatles for Sale

1

What Has Deborah Been Geeking Over This Week Vol 6

|

This week’s edition of what I got SUPES EXCITED over:

If you have Netflix and you like to laugh, then why haven’t you watched this show yet? It’s super funny, the writing is by Tina Fey and Ellie Kemper is adorable.

Truth, I’ve been slack about eating my vitamins lately. Even bigger truth, I like gummy candies. So gummy vitamins are one of the best things ever invented, no? It’s like eating candy but not so sweet that I want to down the whole bottle. Because you know, I don’t want to die.

As you can imagine, I’m horribly excited for Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron when it hits theaters in about a month and a week. Look at how much Hawkeye is in this clip. And Quicksilver’s accent! And EVERYTHING. WHY ISN’T IT MAY NOW?

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Mumford & Sons (we all know how much “I Will Wait” is my anthem) but I’ve been listening to their albums non stop so I was thrilled to hear they have new music. And listen to the shift away from the banjos! This is glorious and I can’t wait to hear the rest of the album when it comes out.

musketeersrochefort

This weekend is the season 2 finale of The Musketeers, which I cover for Entertainment Weekly. If you watched the last episode, then you know Rochefort has gone bat-shit crazy. I have NO idea how the season is going to end, if someone is going to die, if it ends on a cliffhanger or what. The best part is for some reason, the US is seeing it BEFORE the UK does so NO ONE knows what is going to happen. If you’re on Twitter tomorrow night around 9, I’ll be live tweeting.

Don’t worry, I’m still enjoy drinking beer but I’ve also really started to enjoy craft root beers made from beer breweries. They are non alcoholic but they taste so much better than regular soda. Interestingly I still get carded for these when I buy them.

0

Live! In Concert!

|

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to a concert. Ok, technically I saw Josh Groban twice last year (AND he’s doing another tour this year! *crosses fingers*) but that’s a different type of concert. I’m talking about seeing a band live in person at the kind of show where you don’t want to be that guy who wears the band’s t-shirt to the band’s show.

I’m trying to think if I went to see any concerts in high school and I’m pulling a major blank. I know I definitely liked bands and wanted to see them but I don’t remember actually going. Sure, I saw a bunch of local bands playing but was mainly because I was either friends with them or I liked a guy. But with limited funds and still being in high school, I did not have the freedom to see every band that I liked.

College however was a great time for me to go see concerts. I wish I had saved all my tickets stubs so I could remember who I went to go see. If you can recall from previous posts, I was very much into punk and emo back in the day.

Unfortunately despite the fact that I went to a very well-known college, we also were located in a rural part of state thus ensuring that no one really wanted to come see us. Instead I had to go back home in order to go see bands I liked. I saw New Found Glory three times and each time I felt older than the last. I was having a splendid time but seeing the young kids not know any of their older albums made me feel ancient. I remember winning tickets to see Goldfinger and Mest. That was actually quite a glorious show because it was so upbeat. I have absolutely no desire to get into a mosh pit (those things are scary!) so I vaguely remember standing near the back of the show. But it was so energetic.

There was actually a ton of other bands I saw during this time period. I even got to interview Authority Zero for Punknews.org when they toured with Flogging Molly. Although I had no idea what I was doing and I would rather forget that whole incident because they probably thought I was an idiot. Oh geez GO AWAY MEMORIES.

But the one concert that really sticks out to me is actually a festival. It was July 31, 2001 and it was a day that would change my life forever (it actually did. for other reason though). It was Warped Tour and I was pretty much in heaven. I got to see Rancid, Pennywise, New Found Glory (again!), The Ataris, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, The Living End and other bands that I don’t remember. Also my favorite band at the time was Good Charlotte and I nearly died out of happiness. I also remember all the guys I went with left me alone during their set. I also got to meet Joel after the show and he signed my ticket stub (because that was the only piece of paper I had left). I begged him to Blacksburg (psh). It was a very long exhausting day but it was so worth it. That was probably the happiest musical moment of my life. Yes, even more than Josh Groban. Twice.

The most recent concert I saw was Flogging Molly and Weezer in Baltimore about three years ago. While Flogging Molly put on a spectacular show (SUPER energetic!), it was so awesome to FINALLY see Weezer live. I’ve been a fan of them since I was in 6th grade so to hear “Buddy Holly” in person was a dream come true. They played every song of theirs that I loved. It was lovely to sing along.

weezer

No wait. I lied. I saw Paul McCartney in concert. Well boom. There that wins for EVERYTHING. Most recent concert as well as best concert I’ve ever been to. And I’ve talked about that one a lot so you know my giddiness over that.

If concerts weren’t so much money, I’d love to go again. No matter how many times you listen to your favorite album over and over, there’s nothing like hearing it live in concert.

2

Never Ever Have I Ever

|

Because I read a lot and watch a lot of movies, everyone just assumes that I’ve read or watched everything. Obviously, I’m not that awesome so there’s a ton of things that most normal people have experienced that I have not. Some of these are by choice, some of these are just due to circumstances never falling together to make it happen. Whatever the reason, the response I normally will get when I reveal I have not partaken in the following items is “Whaaaaaaaaat?!”

Movies:

Jaws – Didn’t have interest when I was younger, haven’t gotten around to it as an adult

E.T. – Parents didn’t let us see this growing up, still haven’t gotten around to it as an adult

The Terminator series – Didn’t appeal to me growing up, still doesn’t now?

Blade Runner – Obviously I was too young to watch this when it originally came out. I feel like I should watch it as an adult.

Lilo and Stitch – This is one of the very few Disney movies I haven’t watched and I think being in college stopped me from this one.

Books

The Catcher in the Rye – we were never assigned this in school so I just never got around to it

To Kill a Mockingbird – same reason as before. And yes I know you’re judging me.

1984 – Yes same answer as before. You probably think my school system was a failure.

TV

John Adams – Yes I know. I’m a historian and this is one of the best historical miniseries ever. In all fairness, I really DO want to watch this.  I’ve actually watched a good bit of the first episode but the scene where the official gets tarred and feathered is really hard for me to watch and I cannot get past that scene. I can’t skip it or close my eyes because I know it’s happening and it makes me not want to watch anymore. Yes I’m weird.

I’m not even going to attempt music because there’s probably a bunch of bands I should be listening to and I haven’t.

So what pop culture media has everyone else experienced that you have to fess up to not taking part of?