Reading Update

As is now tradition, I received a Barnes and Noble gift card for Christmas. The poor thing only survived for a day, but in its place I have three new ebooks. Once of which I have already written a review for.

Currently, I’m reading City of Bones by Cassandra Claire. I came across this one while browsing ebook titles for free on my nook during one of my many visits to Barnes and Noble. The first chapter intrigued me and I immediately put it on my wish list, where it sat for months until I had the scratch to throw at it. But now that I have it, I’m wondering what about it I found so interesting to begin with. Maybe my reading preferences have changed since last year, but were I to pick this up now, I likely wouldn’t plunk down the cash.

See, the problem I’ve noticed is that everyone in this book speaks in the exact same manner: rigid and waspy. Am I really supposed to believe that these two Brooklyn teenagers talk like NPR hosts and have amazing vocabularies, probably provided by a New York public school? No, sorry, I’m not buying this story.

And what the hell is with the constant bombardment of classic literature, art and, of all things, anime references? Miss Claire seems to want to show off her geeky knowledge of pop culture and books. But the references get irritating, at least for me.

I’m about 40% through with the book, so I’m hoping this will come together and really compel me to read on, if not download the next one. As long as it turns out to be better than Cinda Williams Chima’s piece of tripe The Warrior Heir (which I didn’t even bother to finish), then I’ll be satisfied with the purchase.

Virtual [Pet] Insanity

I’d like to start off by thanking Stevo for his inaugural guest post here on Geekery Converged. That was born from a conversation about his recent resurge of interest in the world of Tamagotchis. In fact, it got me feeling nostalgic, so I dug through my closet and found a few of my old friends.

I was a lonely child.

Yep, that is what is left of my old virtual pet collection. Over the years about 4 or 5 have gone missing, some of which I was very fond of, including the Buzz Lightyear 3-in-1 virtual pet. I’m still hoping might turn up one day. You can see a video of it here.

The green and blue Tamas on the top right are the most recent additions, having been purchased around ’06/’07 when I worked at Toys R Us. They are Tamagotchi Connections v1 and v3, and the two that I decided to put new batteries in. However, the green one only lived for about a day because I realized how crappy the v1 Connections were and yanked the battery. The v3 was a vast improvement, so I decided to raise it exclusively. And today I was made the proud parent of an adult Pyonkotchi.

I know, you’re thinking, “Why the hell did you need so many virtual pets?” Well, I was a generally unhappy kid and my family tended to reward my good behavior and grades with whatever crap I was into at the time. Granted, a number of these were my brother’s, but the majority were mine. Hell, I have 3 versions of the cat, including: original, 2nd gen and KFC (yes, as in chicken) special edition.

But the one I obsessed over most of all was this:

Sabrina was one of my few girl crushes.

Yes, Salem the cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I LIVED for TGIF (unhappy kid, remember?) and Sabrina was not to be missed in my house. So when they turned Salem into a Giga Pet, I couldn’t rest until it was mine. Actually, it’s pretty amazing just how many Sabrina toys I had, none of which were meant for boys.

At some point I’m sure I’ll buy those damn button batteries and resurrect him for a week, but until then I’ll be seeing how long I can keep my Tamagotchi alive.

Random Tamagotchi Update by Guest Blogger Stevo PUNCH! GO!

Let the Tamagotchi Extravaganza BEGIN!

The chances are that if you’re reading this particular blog, you already know what a Tamagotchi is. If, however, you don’t, I’ll give you a little bit of a refresh.

REFRESH-ACTIVATE, GO!!!

Death of a Vibram

Last year I became a Vibram toe shoe convert, thrusting myself into the lifestyle with gusto. I started out with a pair of KomodoSports, one of Vibram’s more sporty styles. I loved them so much that I soon found it impossible to wear anything else, not just because of the amazing comfort they provide, but also because my ankle, knee and back pains virtually disappeared after I made the switch. The only problem was that the salesman wasn’t well versed in the ways of Vibram shoes and sold me a pair one size larger than what I needed. They fit well at the time, but what he and I didn’t know was that Vibrams have a habit of stretching with constant wear.

It wasn’t long before I bought my second pair, this time in the form of the ever-popular KSO. I figured they would be the best for every day use, since they hug the ankle and prevent debris from getting inside, unlike the Komodos. Well, I’ve worn them so much that I’ve put them in an early grave.

Somehow, I managed to wear a hole in each shoe, in exactly the same spot. I’m not really sure how I did that, unless this is some kind of defect, but I haven’t heard of this happening to anyone else.

I know you must be thinking, “Why would you want shoes that wear out like that?” And my only answer is that, once you try them you’ll understand. The first loss of a pair of Vibrams isn’t aggravating so much as heart breaking. It’s like watching a beloved pet run into traffic. Sure, I’ve still got my Komodos, but I try to reserve those for jogging or exercise. So until I have some income (thanks crappy Tuscaloosa job market), I’ll be bebopping around in them.

However, I have heard that with a bit of something called Shoe Goo, torn Vibrams can be partially restored to their former glory. For more info this method, check out this post over at Naturally Engineered.

So, it may be a sad day knowing that my KSOs will have to be put out to pasture, but at the same time I’m dreaming of what style I’ll buy next. I’m lookin’ at you, TrekSport.

If you’re interested in getting into the Vibram lifestyle, you have to check out Birthday Shoes. It’s the ultimate resource for all things minimal footwear. Happy walking!

Some TV to Look Forward To [Castle, Once Upon a Time and Smash]

*sniff* Smell that? It’s January. A new year has begun and we’re all looking forward to what new adventures it may hold. And some of us are looking forward to watching television.

January is the time most all our favorite shows come back from a winter’s nap, right as we’re growing bored with our new Christmas toys or spending the last fifty cents on our Barnes & Noble gift cards. Here are a few I’m looking forward to:

First up is Castle, which returns Monday, January 9. Castle became my obsession when I happened to catch the first episode of season 2 after watching Dancing with the Stars (I feel your dirty looks). For once being too lazy to walk across the room to find the remote paid off. I was well aware of the show during its first season, but at the time my list of must-watch shows was too big and I wasn’t willing to take on the extra workload (I’ve since parsed down my DVR’s record list). I became so hooked on season 2 that I ran out, got season 1 and watched it over the weekend.

Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic are a dream team and where most shows manage to grow stale around the 3rd or 4th season, Castle has only gotten better, both in terms of story and characters. One of the most amazing things about the show is how it manages to bridge generation gaps. Fillion brings in the post-Firefly crowd, ensuring that us 20-something geeks/nerds and younger are there every week, and the crime drama aspect pulls in older viewers who may have previously been relegated to the confines of CBS’s many, many, many procedurals. I was shocked to find out that both my grandmother and some of my aunts are devout viewers, giving us something to talk about over Sunday lunch.

If you haven’t taken the time yet, then get on it!

Next is Once Upon a Time, returning Sunday, January 8.

This mysterious take on the fairy tale genre became a breakout hit during the 2011 Fall season, and for good reason. The show is written/produced by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, two of the creative minds behind Lost (another show I regretfully never watched). They also happen to be the writers of Tron: Legacy, which was totally enjoyable, if you ask me. While proving that once you’re in the Disney family, you’re in for life, they’ve managed to craft what is easily one of the most compelling series on TV right now that everyone from ages 15 to 50+ can enjoy.

Before the series went on winter break, we were left with an episode that completely blew regular viewers out of the water within the last 3 minutes. It seems someone knows a little more than they’re letting on, but just how much? I am dying to find out just how deep this story goes over the next half of the season and will be keeping my fingers crossed that the hype continues long enough to ensure its return for the fall.

And finally we have a new show that has caught the attention of many, before it has even premiered!

Smash will be an NBC midseason replacement that will first air February 6 (although if you’re a subscriber to Comcast’s Xfinity you can watch the first episode right now). The early buzz is pretty big, as I had hoped since NBC has landed some amazing actors here (Angelica Houston!) as well as having one hell of a list of producers. The network, which has seen some pretty disappointing numbers over the past few years, is obviously banking on this one to bring in all of those current and post-Glee viewers. That is fine by me since I dropped Glee like a bad habit after what amounted to a completely non sequitur and abysmal second season, but that’s a rant for later.

When asked about the show, Brent Hartinger, a YA novelist, tweeted me with this response: It’s like Glee for smart people. Sorry if that offends anyone, but it’s hard to deny that Glee went fairly lowbrow fast and has managed to perpetuate some pretty awful stereotypes for gays, blacks, Latinos and even Asians.

Point being, Smash looks like it could live up to its name and it’s obvious NBC is banking on it since just watching the trailer is a testament to how expensive this show must be to produce. I’m willing to put money on that being the reason Smash is a midseason and not a lead. They need to gauge audience reaction before pumping in the millions necessary to produce a full 22 episode season. This is almost exactly what FOX did with Glee when they showed the first episode in the spring after American Idol, forcing those of us who instantly fell in love to wait MONTHS before the series started.

So what shows are you looking forward to watching more new episodes of, or is there a new spring series that has caught your eye?

Review: Don’t Let Me Go

Don’t Let Me Go by J.H. Trumble
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I honestly can’t remember where I heard the early buzz for this book. All I do remember is putting it on my wishlist and checking the release date every Tuesday for at least a month before I was finally able to download it to my nook. I gotta say, it was well worth the wait.

Don’t Let Me Go is told from the point of view of Nate, a gay high school senior recounting his relationship with Adam, his first and only boyfriend, and the many events that bind them together. When Adam leaves Texas to work off off-Broadway for a few months, things threaten to fall apart and their love is put through some heavy trials.

Let me just say, I had some worries early on, thinking that this could turn out to be some shallow romance story of young gay love (*cough* Boy Meets Boy *cough*), but the more I read, the more I was hooked. There were more than a few nights that I didn’t get in bed until 3AM because I didn’t want to stop reading. I was just that involved in the story, which is a rarity for me as most books have to fight for my attention. I don’t take the world of fiction very lightly, boys and girls.

What J.H. Trumble managed to do here was capture that teenage passion and emotion so accurately, it was almost unnerving. Multiple times in the book I would catch something all too similar to my own experiences 10 years ago (sometimes less, but let’s not go there), whether it be fights with boyfriends, that dramatically unyielding desire to be with someone or simple interactions between former friends. I could see pieces of myself in Nate, Adam and Luke (a closeted gay boy in Nate’s school) to the point where I actually felt embarrassed realizing my own past actions were mirrored on the page. I know so, so many readers, gay or straight, will see themselves there too and it’s one of the things that make this book such a valuable read regardless of age, gender or orientation.

These characters are so honest and real that their actions can make you sting or your heart melt. I liked these people and enjoyed learning their ins, outs, desires and motivations. Hell, I, the self-professed anti-romance cynic (newly appointed as of Summer 2011) even got misty eyed over moments between Nate and Adam. Granted it didn’t make me want to run out and start dating again, but it did remind me of what it felt like to throw yourself into someone heart and soul (read the book, you’ll get it), regardless of consequence.

If Goodreads allowed half stars, this would be a 4.5, missing the 5 star mark only because I’m stingy with the stars and I have some minor issues with the last 2 chapters. But hey, that’s only due to the fact that I’m a cynical bastard with just a few blocks’ walk to Thirtiesville.

But don’t let my curmudgeony attitude deter you. READ THIS! I absolutely loved it and will be pushing it on my friends startinnnnng…now.

View all my reviews

NaNoWriMo: An Ashamedly Late Update

While it wasn’t a secret to anyone, when it comes to this blog I did keep quiet on the fact that I participated in NaNoWriMo for the second year in a row. I had planned to make this a sounding board for the stress and caffeine-fueled mania that comes with attempting to magic 50,000 words onto a page (or screen, rather), but I didn’t do that. Not because I didn’t have the time or the desire, nor was it due to the fact that last year’s attempt was a miserable bomb, but simply because, should I not make it to the end, I didn’t want my blog to be a testament to my failure. I think it manages to do that well enough on its own, k-thnx-bye.

But guess what, kids…I did it!

That’s right. On my second year trying, I actually crossed that finish line with 24 hours to spare. And none too soon, as motor functions were all my brain was able to manage by November 30th.

I called my story Bound, which is actually an idea I’ve had for years, but never took the time to sit down and write. Trying to explain it usually leaves people confused, so let’s just say it’s a gay sci-fi/horror/mystery. And the most miraculous part is that I don’t absolutely hate the final product. In fact, I’m pretty pleased with it, with a few exceptions. There are definitely some things I want to change or throw out completely, but that’s normal.

Along with this accomplishment I gained a new boldness. In the past, I never let anyone read any of my writing until I had slaved over editing it to the point where I felt less ashamed of it (I think I’ll always have a little bit of disgust with whatever craps out the back of my brain). But this time, before I even took the time to go back to dot the i’s and mind my q’s, p’s or any other consonants, I used the magic of Google Docs to upload the file and send sharing requests to some of my more trusted homo buddies. I figure, what better way to gauge the changes I need to make than to get instant feedback from my friends? And so far it’s working fairly well. I’ve targeted a few choice chapters that will soon get hacked to pieces, then reform bigger and better like those magic brooms that gave Mickey Mouse grief.

As a bit of a morale booster, my sexy friend and all-round awesome guy, Donn Kinney, created a cover art to put with my manuscript.

Any time I felt like I was on the verge of insanity, I would look at that and think “Well, if he can go to the trouble of doing that for me, I can at least finish this crappy thing.” Donn is an incredible artist who specializes in doll making. You can check out his work on deviantART and his online store, Bishonen House.

Without his help and the support of friends and my small, but amazing, local group of NaNoWriMo participants, I know I wouldn’t have accomplished it this year. I even bought myself a little memento.

And you know what? Looking back at it, I don’t know what I was so afraid of. Yes, writing 50,000+ words in a month is a strain on the creativity gland (yes, it’s real. It’s slightly uvula-esque. Go ahead, look it up), but the sense of satisfaction you get once it’s all over is worth taking the month of December to recuperate.

I’m actually looking forward to next November, not just because it could be the last NaNoWriMo before the zombie apocalypse, but because I’m hoping to do even better next time. I hope some of you will join me.

Check out NaNoWriMo.org for more information on how to participate and get involved with a local group.

Bring On the New Year

I won’t make a list of BS-y resolutions that will never come to fruition, nor will I yammer on about new beginnings (don’t we get enough of that from Oprah?). But I will wish that everyone has a year better than the last.

Oh, and a gratuitious photo of me last night, pre-Spice Girl zig-a-zig aah dancing (don’t ask).

How Nintendo Made the 3DS Less Useless [Swapnote Review]

So, remember that angry post I made about the 3DS and the fact that I felt cheated? Well Nintendo is finally doing something right.

Last week Nintendo quietly launched a little downloadable app for the 3DS called Swapnote (Nintendo Letter Box for the UK), and since then I haven’t put my 3DS down.

The idea behind Swapnote is to create 3D postcard-like doodles and photos to send to friends registered on your system through the SpotPass feature. You can select a few or all of your friends to send messages to, which will be downloaded to their systems the next time they’re around a wifi connection. Recipients can then respond to messages (either visible to all fellow recipients who are mutual friends, or just the original sender). The end result is community driven fun!

The first day I received about 5 dick drawings (some much better than others), which is to be expected when all but 1 of your 50+ 3DS friends is of the queer persuasion. Unfortunately, no one has taken the initiative to just take a 3D wang shot and blast it out. What’s taking so long, boys?

However, a few very sexy shirtless photos have popped into my inbox, so I guess I shouldn’t look the gift horse in the ass.

There are some drawbacks:

•  Each recipient is only allowed a single response to any message.

• Creators of the original message cannot respond on their own messages.

• Each recipient can only see responses from people who are also registered on their systems (another BS “safety” measure by Nintendo to protect the children).

• Your response to a message does NOT appear in-line with others. For some stupid reason, your response will sit at the top of the list, even if you sent it last.

• There is no keyboard for text, meaning everything must be hand-written. This is a huge drawback if you or one of your friends has crap handwriting. Plus, resistive touch screens such as those used in the DS family can only allow for so much accuracy. This means no matter how perfectly straight you draw a line, it’s still going to look squiggly.

Some of these gripes seem minor, but they put a lot of restrictions on how carry out conversations through the application. This is supposed to be Nintendo’s (long overdue) version of a messaging feature that is prevalent in EVERY OTHER MAJOR CONSOLE. It’s a commendable first effort, but there has to be some changes made, which we all know won’t happen. It just isn’t Nintendo’s style to fix the things they release pre-borked.

Whatever, it’s still a hell of a lot of fun and even though it has a 3,000 message limit, I’m already approaching 1,000.

If anyone out there has a 3DS and wants to do some note swapin’, give me an add: 0301-9783-9629. Just remember to leave a comment with your own code, as adding friends has to be mutual.

Happy swapping!

Current-ly Occupied (Google Currents Review)

A few weeks ago a rumor leaked out of the Google camp over the imminent launch of a news reader that would directly complete with Flipboard. Little did we know that it would launch hardly more than a week later.