Weekend Round Up #11

Does it make me sound old if I say something along the lines of 'gees, this year is going really fast?' I really think it is. The weeks are flying by or that could be a teacher thing...and now I have 'Seasons of Love' from Rent stuck in my head. Feel free to judge...

This week had some exciting (I use this term loosely) and interesting stuff happen in the world of the geeky. (Well, in my own opinion anyway.)

First up is another trip down nostalgia lane with news that there is a Jem and the Holograms live action movie under way. Now, the inner eighties child in me is super excited about this. Seriously, I used to have the dolls and everything. It's more than likely that I still have a copy of the tape (pre CD for those too young) that came with my exclusive Kimber doll.

Check out the announcement. Now, I am so nervous about this because it could go terribly. In fact, I almost don't want to see it because the cartoon is very ... ah... nostalgic to me. Plus, how can they make a reboot when it was so enriched in the eighties... Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you think.

Next up we have a random bit of stuff that I stumbled across - Dresser Crabs! These dudes are seriously interesting and just a little bit fancy. They basically have a unique camouflage system where they stick stuff to their shells which are covered in an almost velcro like substance. Then they blend in with the sea floor.

Images from Animal Planet/Discovery Blog

Watch the above clip from BBC Earth on Youtube. They're just so fancy. 

Now for the more fashion conscious amongst us. These brooches from House of Ismay are going onto my want list. They take pages from great works of literature and design appropriate brooches. 

It combines fashion and literature. (I'm not so big on the fashion side of things but these are adorable.)

Then here is our musical interlude:

This is pretty awesome. I hadn't really heard this song before. I seem to be out of the loop when it comes to pop music, unless one of my students mentions something...or begs to show a clip during interval or lunch...

It's the first video on his channel which is called Ten Second Songs. Hopefully there are more to come. 

And, finally, Kevin Bacon...

I didn't watch Footloose until I was in my early teens. (I was born in the eighties but didn't get to watch all the good films until I was older) This segment on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon just makes me smile. Plus, it proves how awesome Kevin Bacon is. 

Also...here's a bonus clip just because:

Thanks to Mashable. Enjoy. 

Have a lovely weekend everyone. 

Peace and pancakes,

Jaime

Weekend Roundup 6

Things that I liked this week vary. It's been a strange week, let me tell you that much.

1. First up is this guy who took a Polaroid of himself everyday from 1979 until his died. It's a beautiful piece and a wonderful idea.

Mental Floss article
Here's the actual website. http://photooftheday.hughcrawford.com

It's a little bit heartbreaking but well worth a look, especially for nostalgia's sake.

2. Next it's an indie game that I found called Fish Listening to Radio. It's a simple game where you just have to move a fish around and make it eat the worms of the hooks as they are going down and avoid hooks going up. The graphics are simple and hand drawn but it's a lot of fun. Go, play, have fun. You're welcome.

3. Next it's a video from one of my favourite YouTube channels CDZA. They always create these great and educational music videos such as 'the history of whistling' or 'misheard lyrics'. Anyway, they are brilliant and talented and, for Valentine's Day, they created two videos. I'll link you to the first one but you must go and subscribe to their channel to see all the awesomeness.

4. Then there is this cover by Christina Bianco. It's Let It Go from Disney's Frozen.  She does impressions - check out her divas.

I love anyone who can do impressions and can sing really well. I admit that I am a little bit jealous.

5. And then there is this artist who has stitched a Star Wars 'Bayeux' tapestry. Seriously, I'd love this to be in my house...unfortunately, I don't have the space nor the money for such extravagence.

Read more and see more at themarysue.com Click me!

Hope some of these bring a smile to your face this weekend, or what's left of it.

Peace and pancakes,
Jaime

P.S. I'm going to do a proper blog post hopefully before next weekend. :)

In which I talk about some things...

I'm drinking diet coke from a mug emblazoned with the word 'coffee' over and over again while listening to Songbird being sung by Naya Rivera. Yeah, I'm a bit of a Gleek but it's the music. Prior to this song I have been listening to the Warblers. There is something about the rawness in their voices that makes the music good. I'm a huge Fleetwood Mac fan and a Stevie Nicks fan as well so I was thrilled to hear their amazing music being introduced to a new generation of fans.

None of this is dreadfully important though. I just thought I would mention it because I find it funny when I drink liquids other than coffee from the mug emblazoned with coffee.

What is important, however, is the fact that I have sent my manuscript off to the publishers as an unsolicited manuscript in the hopes that they might like it. This is something that I have been threatening to do for such a long time but I haven't had the nerve. I've had people cajoling me for the last several months to do this but in my mind it wasn't quite good enough so I poked and prodded it here and there.

I know that people always say that you are your own worst critic but I am a little afraid of how difficult it is to make writing a full time career. I know that it is difficult but isn't everything worth doing difficult? That's the saying, right? Still, writing is one of the few things that I am extremely passionate about. I majored in English and History at uni and even managed to get into a creative writing course while there. But you know what they say about a BA in English... Still, there is something about the way that words can form together to make amazing stories, adventures and magic.

Although I am erring on the side of caution I am treating this as my first foray into the real world of writing. I just can't be one of those who goes on and on about how I want to be an author and not do anything about it. And, even if the publisher chooses not to publish my novel there are hundreds of other publishers out there and I have been looking into getting an agent.

Basically, aside from the amusement of cola in a coffee mug, this post has been about me attempting to be a grown up. Since that has been the case I am not going to watch either ThunderCats, Doug, X Men or some other cartoon to stop the whole growing up process.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

20 Things I Like...

I'm doing things a little different today because I'm feeling a little 'bluesy'* and a little tired. So, in an attempt to perk myself up I thought I'd write a list of 20, count that, 20 things that I like. Feel free to tell me what things you like or what things make you feel better when you're feeling a little down.

1. Finding a new singer/band or song that I really like. For example, the other day I downloaded the free tune from iTunes - Lady Luck - by Jamie Woon and I'm loving it.  
2. My dad's attempts to make the perfect jalapeno bread. We had some when we were last in California and dad had been experimenting every weekend. I don't mind being a taste tester for that. 
3. Playing my guitar. I've come to the conclusion that I'm never going to be anything other than a mediocre player but that doesn't stop me from trying. 
4. Walking around barefoot. I hate shoes and, if I don't have to, I won't wear them. This is something that is easier to do in New Zealand than it is in many other places since we don't have snakes etc.
5. Ordering books online. I love www.bookdepository.co.uk and use it regularly. I have been thinking about getting a kindle but the verdict is still out on that. In case you wanted to know I have just ordered A Game of Thrones, Sister's Red and The Knife of Never Letting Go.
6. Daydreaming. This normally has me staring out a window thinking about nothing or everything.
7. Paint my toenails. I just like doing this with either a really good movie on in the background or some great music playing. Sometimes I like to imagine I'm in one of those silly movie montages...
8. Piling the books that I am currently reading/about to read just to see how high it goes. Sometimes I make little book towers - no idea why...I just do. 
9. The way the trees in autumn become multi-coloured before the leaves fall. 
10. The first fire of the winter season. I often feel the urge to find marshmallows and roast them over the fire. (I have be known to do this over candles...)
11. Browsing www.etsy.com. Especially the geekery section and the witty badges. I collect them and some of the ones on there truly amuse me. 
12. Quirky coffee cups or mugs. I have been trying to get ones from every place I visit just as a keepsake. I know this is a bit silly because, honestly, how many cups does one need? But I keep doing it. 
13. Root Beer floats...I've only had one when I was in Las Vegas last year and it was so yummy. I don't care about the calories etc (mainly because there isn't anywhere I know that does them here.)
14. The sound of rain on the roof on a day when I know I don't have to go outside or be anywhere but at home. I love it when it rains in the middle of the night - the sound is so relaxing to me. 
15. Loving a book series so much that when I talk about it I refer to the characters as if I know them personally. 
16. Imagining what I would do if there was a zombie apocalypse. (I have a rather bit imagination...what can I say!)
17. Burger Rings or Rashuns sandwiches. Burger Rings and Rashuns are staples of the New Zealand chip (crisp or potato chip) range. Yummy. 
18. Second Hand bookstores. I have been known to spend hours wandering around looking for books that I feel deserve a new home with me. 
19. Chocolate - specifically Cadbury's dairy milk or Whittaker's dark chocolate. It is one of my true weaknesses but I have got some control...well...maybe...
20. Hanging with family and friends discussing how we can solve the world's problems over a glass of wine. 

*One of my dear friends coined this word for when she was feeling a little down and I loved it.

Five tunes - the good kind of earworms

I often get music stuck in my head. Most of the time it is good music and, every so often, it isn't. I've already talked about the songs that annoy me so here goes a list of songs that I find catchy at the moment. These are all ones that are in the charts on iTunes as I have to make sure to limit my choices otherwise I will go on and on. As a disclaimer or a side note all these will come from the New Zealand iTunes store cause...well...that's where I am.

I've also gone to the extra trouble to provide video clips from YouTube incase you wanted to see how amazing these songs are. Warning: there is some bad language; you have been warned. Enjoy. 

F*** You/Forget You - Cee Lo Green
Simon Pegg tweeted about this song last year and I instantly fell in love with it. The lyrics are witty and the beat is catchy plus it is a fun song. It is upbeat even though the subject matter is quite, um, serious...that's not the word I am really looking for but I'm sure you catch my drift. Even the video for it is beautifully done. And, let's face it, I find myself humming it for days on end.

Have You Ever Seen the Rain - CCR
I'm adding this just cause I am thrilled that it is in the charts. I have been a fan of CCR since I was knee high to a grasshopper.* My favourite of theirs was Looking Out My Back Door for a long time or Bad Moon Rising but this song is still amazing and the vocals are such a change from a lot of the music that is coming out at present. (No auto tune makes me happy.)**

Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
I love Kings of Leon and this song is definitely my favourite. It's gritty and juts very raw. Plus some of the covers of this song are amazing. It is a beautifully written song.

Raise Your Glass - P!nk
I love P!nk. I love the sound of her voice, her 'honeybadger don't give a sh*t' attitude and her strong lyrics and this song is no exception. I could listen to this song all day. Then I'd be sick of it but I'd still recognise it for the good song that it is.

Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons
I have to admit that I hadn't heard of them until very recently but this song got stuck in my mind and I love it. It's got an agressive tone but that makes it great to sing along with and the actual music itself is a bit different which makes it stand out in my mind.

Until next time. Enjoy the tunes and let me know what you think or what your favourites are.

*Yes I know this is impossible but I love the saying and for some strange reason I always imagine the grasshopper from an old Disney short...at least I think it is a Disney short.
**I'm not against auto tune but it is over used at the moment. Or so I feel.

In which I accidentally break things...

I am freakishly strong in some respects. This could have something to do with growing up on a farm and chucking the occasional hay bale around and picking up calves, lambs etc. Or it could be attributed to my working in a takeaway shop and having to carry around bags of frozen chips. (Fries for those on the other side of the world) Either way, I have weird bursts of strength and this has sometimes caused me more hassle than I really need. This was most evident yesterday when I decided that I must vacuum the floor of my little house.

I pranced into the bedroom to get the vacuum from my closet and pulled open the door. In most cases, the door would follow along on its tracks like it was designed to do but yesterday my strength decided to kick in and I managed to not only pull the door off its tracks but bend one of the screws that holds it in said tracks. I actually stood there in shock for a moment because it isn't often that I get to marvel at my strength and bad luck* in one go.

Then, once I realised what had happened, I thought that I would try and fix it. Being the daughter of a builder has given me a small amount of insight into fixing the occasional thing around the house. So I was there using the only chair that I have in the house to stand on while I try to manoeuvre this door back onto the railings. The chair, however, was a computer chair on wheels. Thankfully I realised rather quickly that my meagre skills were not going to win against the stubbornness of the door. Plus the images of me flying backwards from the chair, smashing my head on the desk behind me before landing on the ground kept racing through my overly imaginative mind.

So I wedged the door into some semblance of being closed** and toddled off into the lounge where I had You Don't Treat Me No Good No More by Sonia Dada playing at nearly full volume. This song always manages to make me smile because it is just a fun song and I did a silly little dance to it. You know the kind of dance you do when no one is watching and you don't really give a damn. It's the kind of dance you do and think that it looks really smooth and awesome in your head but in reality you probably resemble someone standing on an electric fence.

To cut a long story short I didn't get to do my vacuuming because I felt that the door had defeated me. Is that I good excuse for not cleaning or what?
 
On a different note the writing has stalled while I have family here. I have a few ideas brewing in my head but just haven't been feeling the right urge when I stare at the previously mentioned blank page of doom.



*As far as bad luck goes this wasn't too bad. I didn't end up in hospital for one and I still retain ten functioning digits spread across the normal two hands.
** Because I still harbour the occasional fear that there really is a monster in my closet and by keeping the door closed I can prevent it from getting me...what can I say, I'm still a child at heart!

In which I admit a not so guilty secret...

We all know that that I am a self proclaimed nerd, geek etc but few know that I am secretly a big fan of classic rock. You know; Journey, Zepplin, The Rolling Stones, CCR, Queen and even a little REO Speedwagon when the mood is right. Now, before you start thinking that I also sport a mullet I'll just let you know that I am a part time bogan...besides, my hair is more of an 80s Flashdance puff rather than a business up front, party at the back kinda do.

You have to admit that there is nothing better than singing along at the top of your lungs to I Want to Break Free or Pinball Wizard. I don't know what it is but the lyrics are great, the beat rocks and most of the songs have a story to them.

This leads onto another not so guilty secret and that is my love of the show Supernatural. This show covers three of my favourite things; the supernatural/urban legends, classic rock and awesome classic cars. I mean, that Impala is just plain awesome and you throw in that music. Plus, the actors are kinda easy on the eyes.

If you haven't heard of this show I do recommend it. All seasons as well. The basic plot follows the Winchester brothers, Dean and Sam, as they travel across America hunting things. The first couple of seasons deal with them trying to find the demon that killed their mother and many others then the focus moves to them dealing with changes in their lives and more. I can't summarise it in a way that doesn't bring about some major spoilers but I do recommend it to anyone who enjoyed The X Files, American Gothic, Poltergeist: The Legacy and so on.

In all seriousness though this show is right up my alley and the plot lines, mytharc and so on are really great. Plus, the character development is outstanding. The growth of the characters from the first season to now (season 6) is just amazing. Then there is the fact that they can make fun of themselves, which is somewhat unusual in the world of television. All you have to do is watch the episodes Yellow Fever or The French Mistake or many others.

So I will insert a little comedy moment from this wonderful show with said classic car and rock right here for your enjoyment. Supernatural Eye of the Tiger.

So, what are your not so guilty secrets? What are your favourite shows? Let me know!

Peace and pancakes, y'all.

Edit: I tried to put the video in but blogger was being sucky to me today so I just had to put the link in. 

My musical year...

As I alternate between my attempt at NaNoWriMo and finishing uni I find myself thinking back over the year. In doing this I have realised that the best way that I measure time is via music. Since I have spent a lot of this year in a car I have turned to itunes in an attempt to make my trip less boring. Podcasts have become good friends but they are a lot harder to sing along too. Whereas, songs provide the perfect opportunity for me to embarrass myself almost daily. Those of you who know me understand what I mean...

I better explain what I mean by measuring the year by music. Well, I am somewhat neurotic in that I date and label any Cd's that I burn.* And, as I was attempting to clean my car the other day I came across a series of these Cd's and, just from looking at the dates, I could trace my year back to September of last year...**

Along with dating the Cd's I give them funky, or what I think are funky, little names. Some of my favourites include Bad Day Mix, Geek Mix 2.4 and Tunes for Driving. As you can see, my creativity knows no bounds. Also, on these Cd's I have a mix of current songs and old school songs. So if we go back towards the start of the year there would be some Lady Gaga, followed by Jason Derulo, BEP and so on. I put these ones here because they are a bit more chart noticed. Along with these popular choices I also have some Trock (Time Lord rock - songs about Dr. Who) and some Wrock (Wizard rock - songs about Harry Potter) ***

With all this talk about music I keep thinking about some of brilliant singer/songwriters out there, especially on YouTube. There is so much talent there that I am just plain amazed at how many people go unsigned. Then again, I have no idea about marketing or getting an agent so it could be that there is a lot more that goes into that.

What I am trying to say is that I thought I might list some of my current favourites on YouTube and let you guys decide what you think about these amazing people.

Danna Richards
Tyler Ward and Co
 ALL CAPS
Kurt Hugo Schneider and Sam Tsui

There are many more but, as per usual, I was unprepared for what this was going to be about. Now I must get back to my writing and I'm technically supposed to be working as well...

* After I have bought the tunes from itunes
** I failed at cleaning the car though I did find out why my backseat was smelling a bit funky. My niece had secret squirrelled away her MacDonald's hamburger in the fold of the seat. Sigh...let's just say that it wasn't what I expected to find in my car...most normal people I know find money not bits of hamburger.
*** Thus proving that my geekiness also knows no bounds.

NaNoWriMo wordcount - 5445
Tunes - Airplanes - BoB feat Hayley Williams