A tale of two Lincolns

... or really, two tales of one Lincoln: the one and only Abraham Lincoln.

As a history major, I have spent a couple of years of my college career studying the Civil War, but I have a lifetime of interest in it. I find Abraham Lincoln to be a fascinating person. Most have heard the basics of his story in school. He was born in near Hodgenville, Kentucky and his family moved to Indiana when he was a young boy. His mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, died when he was only nine years old. He went on to practice law, serve as a state representative for Illinois, and led the Union through a Civil War before being assassinated on April 14, 1865. Lincoln has been portrayed many times in cinema history, but in 2012 there will be two very different depictions of him, one having a very supernatural twist Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Lincoln.

Game of Thrones RPG on the way

Since I began immersing myself in the Kingdom of Westeros by reading "A Song of Ice and Fire" and watching "Game of Thrones" I began to imagine what it would be like to play a video game based on George R.R. Martin's epic story. Those who have been jonesing for an ASOIAF video game will not have to wait much longer. Cyanide Studios recently released a real-time strategy game based on the series, and are developing an RPG that is slated to come out in quarter one 2012. The game takes the information that we already have about The Seven Kingdoms and weaves in original characters. One of the great things about this game is that the story is being written in conjunction with the man himself, George R. R. Martin.

Around the Web: All The Trekkie Ladies

You good folks know that I am a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Poking around the internet today, I saw a brief mention of this video, but wasn't able to watch it. Now, having feasted my eyes upon its simple brilliance, I can definitely say that this is now one of my favorite things ever. I wish it had been longer. Also, I would like to see Sir Patrick Stewart and the very Honorable Lords Brent Spiner and LeVar Burton act this out in real time. If you're a fan of Robot Chicken, then you'll definitely like this video which features their Star Trek action figure counterparts dancing to Beyonce's Single Ladies.

(via The Mary Sue)

Trailer for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is here - in HD!

We wants it... we wants the precious.... and it's here! The long-awaited trailer for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" the first of two film adaptations of J. R. R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" has been released. Here, we are introduced to a young Bilbo Baggins, as we recall from The Lord of the Rings is Frodo's uncle. We are also reunited (though it feels like the very first time) with our very good friend Gandalf the Grey and get to meet Bilbo's thirteen dwarven traveling companions. Young Bilbo is played by the ever-so talented Martin Freeman, whom you can also hear in 2012's The Pirates! Band of Misfits. Of course, he also plays Arthur Dent in the 2005 adaptation of The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Watch the trailer after the break!

Epic giveaway: Game of Foams - WINNER

Huge congratulations to the winner of the Game of Foams GEEKSOAP! The winner of this giveaway was Konstantin! He will receive the Stark and Lannister soaps courtesy of The Pink Toque.

Check back for more contests soon!

Official Dark Knight Rises trailer released

Some who expected this here in Lexington this weekend got the teaser from July, which is just plain unfortunate. Thankfully though, the official trailer for Christopher Nolan's conclusion to The Dark Knight saga has been released. Huge thanks to GeekTyrant for the tip on comingsoon's embed code.

The film takes place eight years after the events in The Dark Knight. The trailer features a look at Anne Hathaway's portrayal of Catwoman. We also get to see Tom Hardy's Bane. Oh, and that's a glimpse of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's John Blake as well. Michael Caine reprises his role as Bruce Wayne's loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth. The film also stars wonderful actors Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Marion Cotillard, and Matthew Modine.

After the death of Harvey Dent, in order to preserve Dent's reputation, Batman (Christian Bale) assumed the responsiblities for Dent's crimes. This leaves him an enemy of the state, so to speak, hunted by the Gotham City Police Department. He is called out, however, by the villain Bane who wishes to destroy the city and must deal with Selina Kyle (Hathaway).

The Dark Knight releases on July 20, 2012.

What will be the next step in the Batman franchise?

This Day in Geek History: The Fellowship of the Ring is released

Having been dubbed a history maven and all around queen of useless knowledge, I thought I would start discussing some awesome geek history tidbits. Today, I thought I would start with a favorite of mine, the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Buzz is surround the release of Peter Jackson's "Hobbit" adaptation. I've heard that the trailer for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is attached to both Sherlock Holmes and the Adventures of Tintin. I read, however, that here in Lexington the trailer didn't appear. Curses!

Anyway, about LoTR: FotR. The film, the first of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, premiered in the United States on December 19, 2011, nine days after the UK release. The film went on to earn 870 million dollars worldwide and was the second highest grossing film of 2001, behind Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. 2001 was a big year for first in series movies.

A ring which was thought to have been lost for centuries has been found, and the bearer is a young Hobbit named Frodo. It is up to him to destroy the ring so that it may not return to the hands of its master, the evil Sauron. We meet Frodo, Legolas, and their merry band of adventurers, including Merry and Pippin, et al. (Oh and everyone's favorite Lord of Winterfell, I mean Boromir.) Over mountains, through forgotten woods, and by blood sweat and tears, the Fellowship works to complete their epic quest.

Who is your favorite character from the Lord of the Rings series?

Epic Rap: Star Wars The Old Republic

Star Wars: The Old Republic officially releases on Tuesday, December 20. It's the latest game from Bioware and the next chapter in the Star Wars video game franchise, set thousand of years before the rise of Darth Vader. Youtube user Dan Bull, who recently rapped about Skyrim, has just released a new rap based on SWTOR. The video features a lot of footage from the game and is very well made. Kudos to Dan Bull!

Were you granted early access to SWTOR or will you be picking it up on release? Share your thoughts!

Second Day of Christmas: WoW vs SWTOR Holiday Singoff

Apologies, I am certainly behind in my 12 Days of Christmas postings. That just means we get Christmas cheer well past Christmas!

With World of Warcraft's patch 4.3 coming out just in time for the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic, there has been some heavy debate (and friendly banter) and comparison of the two games. Some are calling SWTOR a WoW-killer while others say that TOR will crash and burn.

Mike B aka Fony of Gamebreaker.tv and ZAM.com's BFF Report has created 42 episodes of  the World of Warcraft machinima show Blizz Blues for Gamebreaker including this video "12 Days of Smack Talkin'." It features Darnell, the host of Blizz Blues, singing about his "rogue only legendary" that was released with patch 4.3. However, his holiday fun was interrupted by a visitor from a galaxy far, far away.

I think that Blizz Blues gets better with every episode. I've always been a huge fan of machinima and Mike's doing an awesome job!





Be sure to check out the other episodes of Blizz Blues!
Question: Are you a WoW player? Do you think that the game is on death's door? Leave a comment below!

First Day of Christmas: boogie2988

It's coming on Christmas around here at Kentucky Geek Girl and I wanted to kick off the season with my own special 12 Days of Christmas. It'll be 12 days of awesome things that I love or that are particularly cool this time of year. Today, it's boogie2988. I'm sure most of you have seen his videos on Youtube where he plays a character named Francis. I must admit that I thought that this wasn't just a character at first. Turns out, though, that boogie is really awesome! He has a lot of great things to say about life, gaming, and everything in between. His Francis videos are hilarious. I'm including two special Christmas-themed Francis videos after the break!

Fall asleep the "Star Trek" way

I'm the type of person that needs sound to fall asleep. I used to watch TV or listen to the radio. Netflix has made it super easy as well. I've already fallen asleep on several occassions to "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Murder, She Wrote" (and by golly I'm admitting it too!)

There are countless smart phone apps that allow you to generate white noise or other random sounds such as rain, crickets, or ocean waves. Now, through the engineering of youtube user crysknife007 you can listen to the USS Enterprise-D's engine idling for 24 hours! Yes, I'm quite serious. I'm not going to lie, it's pretty awesome. I had it in the background while I was writing a paper last night (on Star Trek, I might add) and it canceled out the silence of the library perfectly. Check out the video after the break!

"Game of Thrones" Season 2 teaser

The cold winds are rising... what does it mean? Has winter arrived? What about those Whitewalkers? Oh and what's this about Stannis Baratheon? Will Joffrey get the crap kicked out of his stupid face? Oh and what of Arya? SO MANY QUESTIONS. SO MANY MANY QUESTIONS!

Are you a Thronie? What did you think of the trailer? Are you SO FREAKING HYPED for April?!

Epic Giveaway: Game of Foams GEEKSOAP!

Winter is coming, friends. Be sure you smell your very best with this newly released line of Game of Thrones inspired soaps by the lovely Lesley at GEEKSOAP.net. Lesley has been a huge friend and supporter of Kentucky Geek Girl this last year and has graciously donated her Game of Foams soaps for an epic Pre-Christmas giveaway. It's been a great year for fans of George R. R. Martin's epic series "A Song of Ice and Fire" and what better way to celebrate than by lathering up?

Amazing one woman a capella Disney medley

Image courtesy of Heather Traska

I've made it no secret that I am a Disney fanatic. Growing up in the 90s, we had awesome movies like The Little Mermaid (which came out in 1989, but I digress), Hercules, The Lion King, Pocahontas, and the list of wonderful animated features which goes on and on. Something that is just as amazing as experiencing a Disney film is having the soundtrack to sing along to. I'm completely guilty of belting out refrains from my favorite songs (and usually singing the accompaniment in true a capella fashion.)

Movie Review: The Muppets

I'm 24 years old and programming from The Jim Henson Company has been a part of my entire life. I remember when Henson died in 1990, ten days before my third birthday. I watched "Fraggle Rock" and "Muppet Babies" and had Muppet sheets, which I still sleep on, by the way. "Dinosaurs" was required weekly viewing. I watched "The Dark Crystal" in elementary school, though I've still not seen Labyrinth. The Muppets, and all that comes with them, are a part of my identity. So, when I heard that a new Muppet movie was in development, I was apprehensive. I was afraid that this "reboot" would sully the good name of Kermit and Gonzo. Granted, I know that things weren't quite as good after Jim Henson died, but I loved everything that his legacy produced. (Also, my mind was blown when I learned Frank Oz did the voice for both Miss Piggy AND Yoda.) More muppety goodness after the break!

Chuck Norris is a... melee hunter?

Really, Blizz? Pretty sure that since your next expansion is introducing the Monk class, that you should have gone with Chuck Norris as a Monk. Also, having Chuck Norris as a spokesman would have been relevant about 6 years ago, but right now I'm just not feeling it. While I do like the "Hi, I'm X and I'm a X" commercials, this is probably my least favorite of those released.

Crafty Geeks: Christmas Shopping Guide

With Thanksgiving less than one week away, the Christmas shopping season is most certainly upon us. Instead of purchasing gifts from a Big Box store, why not consider browsing through Etsy or purchasing a locally made item? Geeky crafters take time and put their heart and soul into their products. To ensure Christmas delivery, you'll want to place your orders as soon as possible. Here are some of my favorite Crafty Geeks. Check out their inventory and place an order for your favorite nerds!

New trailer for The Hunger Games is released

I have not read this series by Suzanne Collins, but it's definitely on my to-read list! The film adaptation of the first book, The Hunger Games, will be released this March and stars Louisville, Kentucky native Jennifer Lawrence (X-Men: First Class, Winters Bone - for which she won an Academy Award)  and Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are Alright, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant), who is from Union, Kentucky. Check out the trailer after the break!

Steam has been hacked

Valve is the latest in a string of companies to have their information accessed by outside means. On Sunday, November 6, the Steam's forums were attacked, which lead to an in-depth search by investigators. They concluded that a database containing personal informal such as user names and passwords was accessed. Valve founder Gabe Newell released a statement regarding the attack. While there is no evidence of credit card number violations. it is probably wise that everyone with a Steam account go ahead and change their password. I, for one, even changed the associated email address.

I am truly sorry this happened, and I apologize for the inconvenience.

Gabe.

Stay tuned for more information as it develops.

Epic Skyrim Rap

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim releases this Friday, 11-11-11. To get you through the next few days Youtube user Dan Bull has released an Epic Skyrim Rap. It's got mad flow, dog. For shizzle, my nizzle. In all seriousness, it's a very cleverly constructed rhyme and incorporates a lot of aspects of the game, e.g. the ability to use magic in one hand and wield a weapon in the other. Pretty sweet. Check out the video after the break!

"Transylvania Mania" hits Rupp Arena

Photo courtesy of The Ramber

Most folks I know are huge fans of Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein." How could you not be? It's amazing! The touring production of the Broadway musical is at the Lexington Opera House this weekend. One of the songs from the production is called "Transylvania Mania." Conveniently enough, Transylvania University, where I am a history major, played the University of Kentucky Wildcats in basketball on Wednesday evening. Shortly before tip-off, faculty, staff and students from Transy joined with dancers from the Town and Village School of Dance of Paris, Ky. to perform "Transylvania Mania" flash mob style. Video after the break!

Code for discount on products from DriveThruRPG.com!

1. We are now affiliates of DriveThruRPG.com and will be part of their blog program. What this means for you, oh gentle readers, is that we can hook you all up with reviews of hot games as well as some codes for free and discounted products! Who doesn't love free stuff?!

Uncharted 3 launch trailer released (Plus bonus video of Harrison Ford playing the game!)

We're about two weeks away from the launch of the third game in the Uncharted series. This time, Nathan Drake is searching for a 16th century artifact, only to be pitted against a "shadowy clandestine organization." There are elements of the occult, secrets and treachery. In short, it. looks. awesome.

Sony has just released the official launch trailer for the game, which comes out November 1. Watching it, you totally get a sense of what the game is all about. There are a few minor spoilers, but I think playing the game you'll get so immersed in all of the action, you won't even realize.

Check out the trailer and an extra special video after the break.

Felicia Day is a bad*** elf

Dragon Age: Redemption, a webseries tie-in to the Dragon Age series of video games, premiered online last week. Episode 2 was released today as we follow Felicia Day's character Tallis, an elf assassin, on her quest to track down a mage. I think that the suspense with the last two episodes has been great and I look forward to seeing them each week!

In a recent interview, Day talked about the how she prefers the filming for the web to a TV pilot or movie script. She said that when you work on the web, there is minimal interference with corporations. There's a bright future for web content, so I'm excited to see what's next for Felicia Day and my other favorite web stars.

Watch the trailer here and the first two episodes after the break!

Gamebreaker to team with WoWInsider and Wowhead for epic Blizzcon party

Okay, I'm not going to Blizzcon. That would be pretty sweet, but it doesn't make much sense because I'm not playing WoW right now. To satisfy my need for all things World of Warcraft, I follow posts from WoWInsider, WoWhead/Zam and of course watch Legendary on Gamebreaker.tv. Those three entities of awesomeness are teaming up to host a reader meetup at Blizzcon that sounds like it's going to be pretty sweet.

You do not need to have a ticket to Blizzcon to attend the party, which will be held at the Anabella Hotel on October 20. There will be awesome swag, a chance to meet your favorite personalities from Gamebreaker, WoWInsider, and sites like Tankspot and Zam. It sounds like it is going to be a ton of fun and if you're not in California, like me, you can watch a live stream of the party on Gamebreaker.tv! 

There's even a Facebook event page for the party. So, if you'll be in the Anaheim area on October 20, even if you're not going to Blizzcon, check out the party, starting at 5pm PDT.

Disney meets the Lantern Corps

This is one mashup that I wouldn't have predicted, but that totally makes sense. SilverwingFox posted this rendering of the Lantern Corps on his DeviantArt account. He provided explanation for why he chose a particular character and they totally fit. Even though my favorite Disney Princess is Ariel, I totally get why he chose her for the Orange Lantern. Hope you all enjoy this!

Red Lantern Stitch-Based off his initial behavior
Orange Lantern Ariel-She's a horder, and incredibly selfish within the context of her own movie
Yellow Lantern Jack Skellington-He likes to inspire fear
Green Lantern Mulan-Most Disney characters fall under Will, so I just picked Mulan and gave her a Jedi ish outfit
Blue Lantern Beast-He has a lot of hope. And don't ask for what smartass
Indigo Lantern Aladdin - he's very compassionate, even more so in the series, so he fits
Star Sapphire Jessica Rabbit-She has great love for her husband
Black Lantern Flynn/Eugene Ryder-Fitzherbert-He died and came back to life, it's a no brainer
and White Lantern Rapunzel-She brought Flynn back to life, also DUH

Around the Web: I Tried to Play Alliance

I love World of Warcraft machinima. It's a thing. And I love when WoWInsider posts new videos to check out. This video by Palette-Swap Ninja isn't technically a machinima, but it's a wonderful parody of Thomas Dolby's 80's hit "She Blinded Me With Science." It sounds so much like the real thing it's creepily cool. The visuals aren't stunning like many machinima out there, this is simply a lyric video. I would love if they could create a video to go along with this. Even a live action video like "Arcade Gaming Shrine."

Not only is the song aurally pleasing, it also voices real opinions that someone playing Alliance for the first time might have. "Everyone made fun of me for playing a gnome..." "That worgen looks like it should be Horde..."

Enjoy the delightful goodness!

Explore history of Westeros in A Game of Thrones: Genesis

Yesterday, George R. R. Martin put up a post on his blog entitled "A Taste of Cyanide." It detailed the new fantasy strategy game being released by Cyanide Studios based on the lore of A Song of Ice and Fire. Game of Thrones: Genesis, which is set to release on September 28, immerses the player in conflicts and intrigue between the Houses of Westeros. The game allows players to take different avenues to claiming power: economic, militaristic, or political, with many choices allowing you to complete your goal. More info and teaser trailer after the break!

Infographic: The Evolution of Star Trek

45 years ago yesterday the original Star Trek series premiered on television and it boldly went where no TV series had gone before. Today, William Shatner has a horse farm in Kentucky where his wife is a member of the local arts scene. We're proud to call The Shat an honorary Kentuckian! Infographic after the break.

Kentucky For Kentucky celebrates kick a** Kentuckians

A few months ago I noticed a Facebook page called Kentucky for Kentucky had been created. The goal: to spotlight the Bluegrass state and the amazing contributions and cultural influences it has made since its entered the Union in 1792. Some notable people include George Clooney, Johnny Depp, Josh Hutcherson, Diane Sawyer, Ashley Judd, Lee Majors, Jeri Ryan... okay the list goes on and on. It's been my mission since I founded KGG to spotlight the awesomeness of Kentucky's geeky side with features on comic book shops and gaming shops as well as other interesting stories. Our site is called Kentucky Geek Girl after all and we're very proud of our state!

Elementary, my dear geek!

Semesters are finally starting at colleges across the country this week and with it comes new classes and fulfilling the wonderful general education requirements. For my history major, I'm taking The Age of Samurai and Europe 1914-1945. For my Anthropology minor, I was able to get into a class on Explorers and Anthropologists where I'm going to be doing a project on representations of explorers and adventurers in popular culture. (Cue *Dun duh dun duhhhhh*) Transylvania University (where I attended college) has a history of offering some pretty awesome classes. There have been Foundations of Liberal Arts (Freshman writing and composition) courses on Appalachian stereotypes, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. I took a course on comedy called Laughing Matters. Some classes have even studied ghost hunting! Pretty awesome stuff. Transy isn't the only university to teach some pretty interesting and geeky classes. Check out a list after the break!

University of Kentucky holds world's largest water balloon fight

Brigham Young University set world record for the world's largest water balloon fight in 2010. The University of Kentucky is nothing if not ambitious, so Christian Student Fellowship sponsored a fight during K-Week (freshman orientation/move-in week) on August 26. Over 175,100 balloons were used in the fight.

Balloons were provided by KAOS, a company that makes water balloon launchers. 8.957 members of the University of Kentucky community participated in the fight which was held at the Johnson Center (athletic center) at UK. 

As Transylvania alumnae, we're super proud of our friends at the University of Kentucky. Good job, guys!

Hugh Jackman to lead Les Miserables cast

In my first Broadway Geek post, I talked about my love for Les Miserables. Due to scheduling conflicts, shooting on Wolverine 2 may be pushed to Spring of 2012, which could allow Les Mis, starring Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, to begin production in February. I. am. stoked. Jackman has a fantastic voice. He won a Tony for The Boy From Oz and has hosted the ceremony several times. He also was Executive Producer of Viva Laughlin, a musical series which appeared briefly on CBS, in which he had a small role and did a number or two. Not only can he sing, but he can dance as well! I would  absolutely love to see him in a movie adaptation of one of my favorite musicals.

Gizmodo blogger threatened by the awesome

Two days ago, I read the Gizmodo article where Alyssa Bereznak blasts Jon Finkel for omitting his gaming habits from his OKCupid profile. As I have talked about before, I'm a gamer, but Magic the Gathering isn't my forte. So, I didn't know who he was, let alone that he was a World Champion MtG player. Was I impressed? I sure as hell was. What didn't impress me was Bereznak's lack of class in writing the article. I was a bit confused as to why her article appeared on Gizmodo, if only because it was about an online dating site, thus making it semi-tech. She didn't just talk about having a bad dating experience, she blamed the bad experience on the fact that Finkel was a world champion Magic the Gathering player.

Teaser for The Hunger Games premieres during VMAs

One of the most anticipated movies of 2012 is The Hunger Games, based on the first of a dystopian trilogy by Suzanne Collins. The story follows a sixteen year old girl named Katniss, played by Kentucky-native Jennifer Lawrence as she survives in the ruins of what once was North America. Another Kentucky-native Josh Hutcherson plays Peeta and Liam Hemsworth was cast as Gale. Check out the video after the break!

Williams-Sonoma unveils the Marvel Kitchen Collection

When I saw the Star Wars accessories last year, I was ecstatic. Last week, on their facebook page, Williams-Sonoma posted about superhero cookie decorating classes held at their stores. After a brief moment of sadness for missing such an amazing event, I delved into the Williams-Sonoma website in order to take a look at why they would host superhero decorating classes (okay... why wouldn't they?!) The reason: The Marvel Kitchen Collection! Holy fondant, Batman! These new items look freaking awesome.

Around the Web: Rolling with Mad Deeps (Adele Cover)

I love the song "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele. I've been a huge fan of hers since "Chasing Pavements" a few years ago. I've seen lots of people on the Youtube try to cover her songs, but this is the first World of Warcraft Machinima that I've seen. I have to hand it to Xander and PaddyDCups for this great interpretation. They take real concerns of WoW players (Read: Raiders) and bring it into musical form. The vocalist's talent really shines through in this parody.

(via GeekGirlDiva and WoWInsider)

Around the Web: OK Go covers the Muppet Theme

Okay, folks, show of hands? Who's excited for the new Muppet movie? I'll admit that I didn't see The Smurfs, but I've been hesitant to see many things that have either rebooted, revived or remade things from my childhood. I still to this day haven't seen Alvin and the Chipmunks. But with Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) at the helm of this film, the first Disney-released Muppet movie since Muppet Treasure Island (1996), I think we'll be okay. Amy Adams also stars and I absolutely love her.

Muppets: The Green Album released today. It's the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational Muppet soundtrack ever and it includes 12 new covers of classic Muppet songs. Of course, the Muppet Theme, Mahna Mahna, and It Ain't Easy Being Green are all on there as well as Rainbow Connection. The album features OK Go, Weezer (with Hayley Williams), Rachael Yamagata, The Fray, Alkaline Trio among others. Clearly, there are a lot of great artists on this record! Here is the newly released video for OK Go's cover of The Muppet Theme.

Documentary Review: The Raid

When I heard that a feature-length documentary on World of Warcraft was being produced. I was very intrigued. Last summer, I watched a documentary called “The Dungeon Masters” which chronicled the lives of several Dungeons and Dragons players in a year following Gen Con, one of the largest gaming conventions in the world. In the documentary, we met the players and learned about their lives inside and out including how they started gaming and why, what obstacles they have overcome in their lives related to gaming, and so on. I was very impressed. So, when I set out to watch The Raid, I was expecting something comparable. I feel that while there many positive things about The Raid, there were several points which detracted from the film.

The documentary premiered on Gamebreaker.tv in conjunction with Typefrag and Curse Gaming. Over 19,000 viewers experienced the premiere along with Gary Gannon, Mike B aka Fony and the creator of the film Kevin Michael Johnson. The opening sequence features several people who are leaving their day-to-day lives to come home and get on their computers. From that, the documentary jumps right in to explanation of what World of Warcraft is and why many people participate in it. The viewer is introduced to three figures: Jesse Schell, CEO of Schell Games, Edward Castronova, Professor of Telecommunications, Indiana University, and Bonnie Nardi, Anthropologist and author of "My Life as a Night Elf Priest". Their comments provide context and enhance the discussion.

John Barrowman makes me happy inside

Okay, I will admit that I'm really behind on Doctor Who watching. That doesn't stop me from absolutely adoring John Barrowman, and becoming a tad obsessed after I saw him in the Cole Porter musical biopic De-Lovely. His charm, his style, his voice... what not to love? In "The Doctor and I" he takes a number from the Broadway musical Wicked and adds his own Jack Harness twist. It's totally swoon-worthy!

Broadway Geek

Most wouldn't necessarily associate Broadway musicals with geekdom. However, a new definition of geek is emerging.

Any person who has a deep, borderline obsessive, passion for something.

One passion, for me, is theater. I've always loved Broadway and have spent many a day listening to my Broadway Pandora station and various cast recordings. I was in choir in high school and college and loved getting to perform my favorite selections. A few years ago, for a Broadway showcase, I performed "There's a Fine, Fine Line" from Avenue Q. 

This year, is the 25th anniversary of the Tony Award winning Les Miserables, based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It is the longest running musical in the world and one of my all-time favorites. On the cusp of the French Revolution, the musical follows the stories of Jean Valjean, Fantine and Cosette among others. The story is amazing and all of the songs are so powerful. I've not been able to see a performance of Les Mis yet, but because of the 25th anniversary, there will be a touring production so I'm hoping to catch it soon.

Enjoy, Lego Les Miserables!

Blog Swap: Summer Reading Favorites

I, Tasha, have participated in the 20-something Bloggers Summer Blog Swap! Folks with blogs of all types have swapped with a randomly assigned partner to talk about summer.

I didn't have any particularly exciting summer stories, so I shared with her readers a story about my after-school kids who are all returning from summer break. You can check out the post over on Mom and Dem. My swap partner is Meghan, who writes Mom and Dem. You can hear from Meghan after the jump.

EPIC GIVEAWAY: We have a winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered in our contest for A Song of Ice and Fire signed box set. Thanks also to Mr. George R. R. Martin for signing it for us at the event at Joseph-Beth last week! Through the magic of Rafflecopter and Random.org we have a winner!

Congratulations to Jheri! In response to "Who is your favorite sci-fi/fantasy author?" she wrote:

I really like Brian Jacques, JK Rowling, and Rick Riordan. It's too hard to pick just one! haha

We hope you enjoy the series!

Be sure to check the contests page for upcoming giveaways!

Around the Web: Nyan Cap

Nyan Cat is everywhere, for reals. Captain America has been out for a few weeks and it looks like this video was made in anticipation of the film.

Video game news: New WoW expansion, Skyrim CE and more

Will Mists of Pandaria be the next expansion for World of Warcraft?

Last week, Blizzard Entertainment trademarked the name Mists of Pandaria. Speculation has begun about World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria being the next expansion for the nearly seven year old franchise. Lately, player base has been diminishing. It is plausible that Blizzard developers have decided to bring in the Pandaren, a mythical race of beer drinking Kung Fu Pandas, to lure some of the prodigal players back. Everything is purely rumor and speculation now. Don your tinfoil hat and read this excellent post from Anne Stickney at Wow Insider. In this Know Your Lore column, she breaks down the possibility of the Mists of Pandaria actually being the next ex-pac. My personal opinion is that Pandaren should not be a playable race. They're neutral and could kick anyone's butt, why join a faction?! If anything, open Pandaria up for exploration. The Cataclysm rocked the entirety of Azeroth, not just the side of the globe we see when we hit M.

More after the jump.

Around the Web: Gollum the Ring Bearer

I have a part-time job  at a historic house where people have weddings. I've seen dozens of weddings in the last three years, but I have yet to see something like this. This clip is from the British version of the television show Four Weddings. The American version is broadcast on TLC and both feature four women vying to have their dream honeymoon. The women attend each other's weddings and rate them. The bride with the top score wins.

Maybe this is something to think about as Jenna plans her wedding!

Around the Web: 16-Bit Game of Thrones RPG

Disclaimer: This video includes spoilers for Season 1 Game of Thrones and A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. It is also NSFW.

It's Game of Thones week at Kentucky Geek Girl and we found this awesome video on College Humor!



Not going to lie, I wish this was a real game.

Awesome Visual Effects Reel from Game of Thrones Season 1

Disclaimer: If you've not watched the show or read the books, but want to, there might be a bit of spoilerage in here.


This video reel showcases visual effects created by BlueBolt for Season 1 of Game of Thrones, the hit TV series on HBO. The footage is set to the fantastic opening theme composed by Ramin Djawadi. The video shows how the various locations in Westeros were created including The Wall, which is a massive structure. As someone who always likes to watch the making-of featurettes, this is a welcome video.


Season 2 begins April 2012.You can pre-order Season 1 now from Amazon!

George R. R. Martin draws hundreds to Joseph-Beth in Lexington

Last night, author George R. R. Martin drew a crowd of around 900 to Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington. In case you've been living under some sort of rock, Martin is the author of five books in the epic fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire" which has inspired the HBO series "Game of Thrones." The first season of GoT garnered massive attention to both Martin and the books, which I think is absolutely spectacular. The series was nominated for 13 Emmy awards including Best Drama and Best Supporting Actor. Peter Dinklage, who is a total rockstar by the way, totally deserves the award which Martin expressed to the crowd last night.

The signing in Lexington wasn't even supposed to happen. George R. R. Martin specifically requested that Joseph-Beth Booksellers be added at the end of this leg of his tour for the newly released "A Dance With Dragons," the fifth book in "A Song of Ice and Fire." Joe-Beth was particularly sentimental for Martin because he came to Lexington on his initial tour for "A Game of Thrones." That book tour was drawing crowds of less than a dozen, but in Lexington, hundreds came out to support him. Fifteen years later, Lexington showed that it still loves its fantasy and it still loves George R. R. Martin. But Lexingtonians weren't the only attendees of last night's signing. According to the store's Facebook page, people drove down from Columbus, OH and up from Tennessee and South Carolina to see the author.

Epic Giveaway: Paperback box set of "A Song of Ice and Fire" signed by George R.R. Martin

Winter is coming and what better way to be prepared than by reading George R.R. Martin's epic series "A Song of Ice and Fire"? Martin was a special guest at Joseph-Beth Booksellers here in Lexington last night and we were lucky enough to get him to sign this box set! I've read A Game of Thrones and am currently reading A Clash of Kings. We just wanted to share the wonderousness that is this series with all of you! Watch for a post this week where we discuss the awesome book signing, but for now, please enter this contest and help us celebrate a huge milestone for our blog!

Details:
1. One (1) winner chosen by Rafflecopter.
2: PRIZE: Paperback box set of "A Song of Ice and Fire" signed by the author George R.R. Martin
3. You MUST fill out the Rafflecopter form.
4. Comment to win: Who is your favorite science fiction/fantasy author?
5. Giveaway ends 8/10 at 12:01am
6. The BOX is signed, not the individual books.
7. Use RAFFLECOPTER to tally up your entries.

Louisville Convention Round-Up: Derby City Comic Con and Fandom Fest 2011

July has been a busy month for conventions in Louisville. After happening upon two conventions quite randomly, I have to say that I had a wonderful time this month. I'll be outlining my experience at each of these conventions within this post. I can safely say that I am no longer a convention noob, or am less of one as of these experiences.

Are you ready?

Geek Girls Book Club to begin American Gods read on Monday!

The Geek Girls Book Club is about to begin its fourth book in August 1. This month, the feature book is American Gods by author Neil Gaiman in honor of its 10th anniversary. I'm excited to read this because I love his work. I also love to read his tweets! Jenna has become a huge fan of his graphic novel Sandman. She and Jeremy dressed up as Dream and Death for FandomFest 2011! (You can check out our facebook album for pictures!)

Movie Review Captain America: The First Avenger

I've been a Marvel girl most of my life. It all started with reading Spiderman at the soda fountain of a local drug store when I was no older than four. My Saturday mornings were soon filled with the Fox Kids line-up of X-Men, Batman (Yes, I do know it's DC) and Spiderman cartoons. While I've never been a comic book connoisseur, I have always appreciated good cartoons and movies and I'm not alone. Most everyone you talk to say that they include a comic book movie among their favorite flicks, most notably Batman, either Christopher Nolan's version or the Tim Burton/Michael Keaton films. If I was asked to pick a favorite, it would have been the original X-Men movie from 2000. I still haven't seen X-Men: First Class so I cannot compare though I will try and see it soon so I can share my thoughts. That being said, Captain America: The First Avenger may just have taken over as my favorite comic book movie.

Stop sippin' the Hogsmeade Haterade

I have been a fan of Harry Potter since 2000 when I was in the eighth grade.  My grandmother had purchased Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for me because she thought that I would like it. When she presented it to me, I hadn't actually read any of the books. Going with the recommendation of a close friend, I checked books one through three out of my school library and read them quickly. I was drawn into Hogwarts and immersed myself in this fantastic world. The movies began coming out the next year and that was a whole other dimension added to my experience of reading Harry Potter. I anxiously awaited each movie premiere and saw the last five movies at midnight.

3 decades of Indy: It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.

In 1981, the creators of Jaws and Star Wars set out to make their next big movie. Steven Spielberg had said that he always wanted to do a Bond-like film and George Lucas approached him with a character that was "better than James Bond." It's hard to believe that the Indiana Jones franchise is only thirty years old as Indy is one of the most iconic characters in American film. The series has been parodied, referenced, and paid homage to countless times, but was an homage in itself. The film was based on the black and white serials from the 1930s and 40s which Spielberg had grown up with.