Stuff That Doesn't Suck 16

Things have been pretty hectic as Kentucky Geek Girl HQ has moved to Eastern Kentucky. I'm not sure how long I'll be here, but at some point I do want to get back to Central Kentucky. Things have been busy with the holidays, the end of school term, and a new job. Needless to say, things (for the most part) haven't sucked! And here are a few things from around the web that don't suck either!

My Favorite Things: Many Happy Returns

While raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are splendid in their own right, there is a multitude of awesome things out in the world. As Christmas approaches, I thought I'd take a look at some of these in a series I'm calling My Favorite Things.

Sherlock fans, prepare to meet thy feels once again!



Sherlock Holmes has been one of my favorite literary characters for as long as I can remember. Though I was late to the BBC Sherlock party back in 2012, I feel like I jumped into the fandom and never looked back. (I'm also particularly fond of the Guy Ritchie movies starring RDJ and Jude Law!) We Sherlockians were given a Christmas gift today by the BBC, a prequel minisode titled "Many Happy Returns."

My Favorite Things: Doctor Puppet - A Timelord Christmas

While raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are splendid in their own right, there is a multitude of awesome things out in the world. As Christmas approaches, I thought I'd take a look at some of these in a series I'm calling My Favorite Things.

I've written about The Doctor Puppet before, Leila featured it on The Fandomonium, and we've talked about it on The Eclectic Geek Podcast. It's safe to say that Doctor Puppet is most certainly one of My Favorite Things. Created by Alisa Stern, The Doctor Puppet takes a stop-motion look at Doctor Who and adds an interesting element to the fandom. While there is now an on-going story, I fell in love with How the Doctor Puppet Saved Christmas when it premiered last year in time for The Snowmen.

My Favorite Things: Epic Hiddles vs Cumberbatch Dance-off

While raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are splendid in their own right, there is a multitude of awesome things out in the world. As Christmas approaches, I thought I'd take a look at some of these in a series I'm calling My Favorite Things.

Okay, so this isn't actually Christmas themed, but both Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston rank highly among my favorite people in all of time and space. So, when this video began making its rounds on the Intarwebs, I thought it would be perfect for inclusion in this series. Because let's face it, why wouldn't an epic dance-off mashup video featuring Hiddles and Jinglebell Christmaswreath* be the stuff fangirl dreams are made of?

My Favorite Things: Let it Snow, Make it So

While raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are splendid in their own right, there is a multitude of awesome things out in the world. As Christmas approaches, I thought I'd take a look at some of these in a series I'm calling My Favorite Things.

My Favorite Things: Awesome Etsy Finds

While raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens are splendid in their own right, there is a multitude of awesome things out in the world. As Christmas approaches, I thought I'd take a look at some of these in a series I'm calling My Favorite Things.

Here is a small selection of some amazing deals that you can find on Etsy, the home for handmade goods. I ordered several of my Christmas gifts from crafters on Etsy and I urge you to as well!

Cover Reveal: Burned by Liz Long

You've seen her around the blog before and now Liz is back with the cover reveal for her second YA novel Burned, the second in the Donovan Circus series! I'm so happy to host Liz, who has become a great friend through the blogging community. We fangirl over Indiana Jones and Benedict Cumberbatch quite regularly! Now, take it away, Liz!

Thank you to the amazing authors and bloggers who volunteered to help with today's cover reveal. I am so excited to show off the cover for my new book - I've been dying to show it off! Made by the talented Caroline McKean, I hope you love it as much as I do (plus gets you a little worried about what's to come).

Around the Web: The Doctor Games

When The Master makes all 14(!) faces of The Doctor fight in a battle royale, who will win?

*Warning: If you are waiting until the Christmas episode of Doctor Who to find out who the 12th Doctor is, do not watch this video. While he is not named explicitly, there is a reference to him within.*

In addition to the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who, this weekend marks the release of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the follow-up to last year's YA hit, The Hunger Games. Now, the two have been merged into an amazing homage to 50 years of Doctor Who. There are elements from The Hunger Games and Catching Fire within the parody, but it definitely has more of a focus on Doctor Who. And that's fine, it hits the cultural notes of THG while focusing on the minutia of Doctor Who.

Stuff That Doesn't Suck 15

Stuff That Doesn’t Suck is a meme where I graciously share with you the things that I come across in a week that do not suck. This includes a variety of things from books to music to YouTube and even more. Feel free to join in on the comments or on your own blog.

This week certainly has been a busy one. As I prepare to move, I've been packing like a mad woman, cleaning, and trying not to freak out. So, I'm very happy that I found some things this week that brought me joy and a bit of an escape from the stress of moving. Speaking of bringing joy, Leila and I recorded a nre episode of The Eclectic Geek Podcast this week and we had a lot of fun with it, so be sure to have a listen.

Five on Friday: A Christmas Carol Favorites

I absolutely love the Holiday season. I love Christmas lights, decorations, music, wrapping presents badly. I love baking cookies and spending time with people I care about. I believe in spreading love and joy all year round, but particularly at Christmas am I moved by the spirit. This year I'm undertaking a pretty ambitious (and secret) Christmas project, but I'm pretty excited.

I'm also the type of person who starts listening to Christmas music well before Thanksgiving. I listened to both Star 93.3 out of Cincinnati and 94.5 MixMas from Lexington on November 1, but as my Spotify playlist will attest, I'd been working on my playlist since last Halloween. As we settle in to the Holiday season, I'll be sharing Christmas-themed posts like holiday shopping guides, favorite Christmas TV episodes, movie moments, etc. This week, for a new feature Five on Friday, I'm looking at five of my favorite adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

The Eclectic Geek Podcast Episode 5 - Timey Wimey Bullshit

We're back with another episode of The Eclectic Geek Podcast. This week is a follow-up to our BlizzCon Preview Warlords of The Dark Below. Now that BlizzCon is over, we share with you some of the biggest news about World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm. We share our apprehensions over the story and excitement over the Warcraft movie as well as gush over the new WoW character models. This week we unveil our new segment In My Backpack where we share some awesome things we picked up over the week. Natasha gives a review of Twelve Years a Slave and Leila is elated over the newly released trailer for Divergent. Click through to listen to the show!

Night Falls for the Doctor in this Prequel from BBC

The Moment is coming. The moment when The Doctor will face his darkest day. The moment when everything changes. The moment when The Doctor returns to the Time War. With Daleks, Zygons, and his own past to face, he must enlist the help of one of his previous regenerations. (Video after the break!)

The Eclectic Geek Podcast Episode 4: Warlords of the Dark Below

In this Pre-Blizzcon episode of The Eclectic Geek Podcast, we take a look at some of the speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding potential announcements that Blizzard Entertainment may make at this year's Blizzcon. We also share some pop culture news and our Fandom Farewells, discuss NaNoWriMo, and the new book Allegiant.

Warlords of Draenor Trademark

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Stuff That Doesn't Suck 14

Stuff That Doesn’t Suck is a meme where I graciously share with you the things that I come across in a week that do not suck. This includes a variety of things from books to music to YouTube and even more. Feel free to join in on the comments or on your own blog.

Things are crazy busy at Kentucky Geek Girl headquarters as I prepare to move to my hometown for awhile. Things aren't certain, but I expect to be back in Lexington at some point Quarter 1 2014. So, while the stress of preparing to move sucks, I looked especially hard for some things that didn't suck this week.

Trailer Tuesday 11/15

Okay, so I've got a bunch of movies that I need to see soon including Twelve Years a Slave, About Time, and Thor: The Dark World. Catching Fire doesn't come out for a couple of weeks, but I'm anxiously awaiting it. And of course The Day of the Doctor, which will be in theaters one night only on Monday, November 25. There are still quite a few movies that are coming out before year's end that I'm eager to see, including Frozen (which I will see because it's Disney then I'll pass judgement), August: Osage County, and Saving Mr. Banks.

In fact, Christmas Day is going to be an all-out grudge match with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, August: Osage County, The Wolf of Wall Street, and American Hustle all opening against each other. I suppose there will be something for everyone.

Locally Geek - Wicked World Scaregrounds

As we begin to wrap up the Halloween season, I thought I'd share some thoughts on a haunted attraction in Lexington in my second installment of Locally Geek. Locally Geek will be a way for me to showcase some awesome geeky places wherever I may be. I'm currently living in the Cincinnati metro, so it might be something up here, or it could be a place I happen to visit while visiting friends in Lexington, or it could be a location in a completely new city. There won't be a hard rule to the criteria other than it's something that contributes to the geek culture of a given place.

If you listened to Episode 3 of The Eclectic Geek Podcast, you'll know that Leila and I were trying to decide where we wanted to go for our haunted expedition when I was in town this weekend. We decided on Wicked World Scaregrounds, which took in Terror on Tates Creek and added the Nightmare Haunted House as a second component.

Trailer Tuesday 10/29

Gravity ruled the box office for several weeks since the last Trailer Tuesday. The Fifth Estate quickly tanked, though its star garnered much acclaim. Honestly, I had no intention of seeing it, even for Benedict Cumberbatch. I am excited, however, to see him in Twelve Years a Slave and August: Osage County, the latter I believe might be my family's Christmas movie now that Monuments Men has been moved to February. And, of course, I'm waiting patiently for The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. This pretty much is the year of Cumberbatch and I'm perfectly okay with that.

Flashback Friday - Are You Afraid of the Dark

As a child of the 1990s, I spent many a weekend watching marathons of Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark. The tales of the Midnight Society both entertained and frightened my childhood self and I have fond memories of the series.

Submitted for your approval, I call this story... Flashback Friday: Are You Afraid of the Dark?

This is a selection of my favorite episodes from the show. I've tried to find a video for all of them. Some are split into pieces, but some of these actually have the full episode online. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what your favorite episode is.

The Tale of Midnight Madness - Season 2, Episode 2
Dr. Vink sells a copy of Nosferatu to a failing theater and strange things begin to happen.



The Tale of the Night Shift - Season 5, Episode 12
A girl starts a volunteering with her local hospital and soon notices that patients and staff are being turned into some sort of vampire-zombie hybrid.

Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8scaAkakC0

The Tale of the Thirteenth Floor - Season 2, Episode 4
A vacant floor in their building suddenly becomes occupied and two kids realize that things aren't exactly as they should be.



The Tale of the Frozen Ghost - Season 2, Episode 9
Three words: I'm so cold. Bonus Melissa Joan Hart (still at the height of Clarissa Explains It All) as the babysitter!


The Tale of Quicksilver - Season 3, Episode 11
Demonic possession, witchcraft, and Tatyana Ali, who was riding the wave of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. This is a great episode!



The Tale of Laughing in the Dark - Season 2, Episode 2
Even for the second episode, I think that this had definite scare factor. I never had much of a problem with clowns when I was a kid, but this episode started changing my opinion, though this is more about the man behind the clown rather than the clown itself.



The Tale of The Lonely Ghost - Season 1, Episode 3
Another very early episode, this remained one of the best ghost stories of the series and even had a happy ending. Super creepy.



The Tale of The Hatching - Season 2, Episode 12
Okay, so this episode made me never want to attend a boarding school. Also, as I recollect, I think what scared me most about this episode was the idea of hiding in plain sight, that a harmless boarding school could be a mask for something much more nefarious. It also makes me think of Human Nature/The Family of Blood from Doctor Who, maybe because I think that Son of Mine would fit right in.



The Tale of the Ghastly Grinner - Season 4, Episode 9
A comic book villain a la The Joker turns his victims into drooling fools. Pretty darn creepy.



The Tale of Dead Man's Float - Season 5, Episode 1
A school is built on top of a graveyard. Nothing bad can happen, right? Spoiler alert: it can.



What's your favorite episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Be sure to like Kentucky Geek Girl on Facebook and follow my daily updates on Twitter! If you have any questions or want to discuss partnership opportunities, be sure to send me an email.

The Eclectic Geek Podcast Episode 3

Leila and I are back for Episode 3 of The Eclectic Geek Podcast! On this week's show we are celebrating all aspects of Halloween. We talk about fun activities in Central KY, costumes, movies, and share our love of Hallow's End in World of Warcraft. Our Fandom Farewell this week has a Doctor Who theme as we squee about the release of a trailer for the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Episode "The Day of the Doctor" and the discovery of several lost episodes from the Classic Who era.

Leila and I in 2010 at Lexington History Museum's Scary Night event

Hallow's End: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/7305445/
Haunt World Kentucky Haunted Houses: http://www.hauntworld.com/kentucky_haunted_houses
Lexington Public Library Events: http://www.lexpublib.org/calendar
Wicked World Scare Grounds: http://www.wickedworldscaregrounds.com/

Fandom Farewell

Lost Doctor Who episodes found: http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/oct/11/doctor-who-lost-episodes-found-download-bbc

Jedi Academy Giveaway at The Fandomonium: http://thefandomonium.blogspot.com/2013/10/an-eclectic-geek-podcast-celebration.html


Be sure to like Kentucky Geek Girl on Facebook and follow my daily updates on Twitter! If you have any questions or want to discuss partnership opportunities, be sure to send me an email.

Locally Geek: Cincinnati Haunts

As I said yesterday in my Flashback Friday post, I love scary stuff. I've always been a huge fan of horror movies, haunted houses, horror literature, et cetera. I absolutely love being scared. Psychological horror is my favorite rather than slasher films, though I am a fan of those too. With less than two weeks until Halloween, I wanted to go ahead and share something in what is the first in a continuing series on the blog called Locally Geek.

Locally Geek will be a way for me to showcase some awesome geeky places wherever I may be. I'm currently living in the Cincinnati metro, so it might be something up here, or it could be a place I happen to visit while visiting friends in Lexington, or it could be a location in a completely new city. There won't be a hard rule to the criteria other than it's something that contributes to the geek culture of a given place.

Flashback Friday - Awesome 80s Horror

With Halloween just 13 days away, I thought I'd use the next couple Flashback Friday posts to delve into the macabre, to excavate the terrifying, to unearth the otherworldly. Today I'm going to talk about some of my favorite horror movies from the 1980s. Having been born in 1987, I'm in this weird place when it comes to being an 80s kid or a 90s kid. I kind of have the best of both worlds. Watching a lot of cable TV as a kid, I got to watch a lot of awesome movies, especially horror films. We also had a couple of really great movie stores in Flatwoods, first Movie House Video then Monster Video, which specialized in scary flicks.

I've put together a few of my favorite horror movies from the 1980s. This is (as are all of my Flashback Friday lists) by no means exhaustive, I just wanted to showcase a few of my favorites, which is also why my posts aren't usually ranked.

I've always loved to be scared. I watched Are You Afraid of the Dark and read Goosebumps and Fear Street like it was my job, graduating to Stephen King when I got a bit older. I think it's a sign of a good movie when it stays with you for days, weeks, even months after. Though they both came out in the 1990s, a couple of examples of this is Jurassic Park and Ernest Scared Stupid. The former I didn't actually see until it premiered on NBC, but I watched it in its entirety and continued to have dreams about dinosaurs for weeks after. My mom took me to see the latter and the opening scene with the troll scared me so much I begged her to take me home. Yes, I know I'm a weenie.

But without further ado, here are a few of my favorite 80s horror movies:

The Eclectic Geek Podcast Episode 2 - Hero Hype

We are back for another episode of The Eclectic Geek Podcast, the podcast for the geek who loves everything. On this week's show we are talking comic book movies. We share our favorites, Leila dishes about movies that are almost 10 years old and we both blubber through terrible pronunciations of names and calling people by the wrong name. This episode is full of silly and awesome all at the same time!

Kiss My Assassin Blog Tour: Wine Pairings with Cara

 

I'm honored for Kentucky Geek Girl's stop on the Kiss My Assassin Blog Tour to celebrate the release of Uncontrollably Wasted, the second book of the Wasted series by C. Elizabeth Vescio. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but it looks like it's going to be another fantastic ride. Be sure to check out my review of Elegantly Wasted, which I absolutely loved.

Uncontrollably Wasted by C. Elizabeth Vescio

Amazon | Website | Goodreads | Paperback

"It's like there's a perfect storm brewing and we're going to be stuck in the middle of it..."

It's been a year since Francesca Fairholm met the rest of the Osiris team and the company heads, her two half brothers Nero and Lex. As they groom her for leadership, it's all Frankie can do to keep her cynical sarcasm in check as she starts training two new Strikers, avoids the romantic advances of Spark Dawson, and does her best to pry a little family history from her cold, distant Aunt Alexa. 

With the pressure of her secret dual life building and her mother acting suspiciously, Frankie's sanity is pushed to the brink when she makes a grisly discovery that shakes the young Striker to her core. Despite her cousins' fear that her panic attacks signal a full mental breakdown, Frankie is positive she's not crazy. Finding clarity in her personal investigation into Osiris's origins, she uncovers more about the company than she would rather know.

As her life starts to unravel, things get deadly and, before she knows it, she's facing down an old target's pissed-off widow, an unstoppable mercenary, and the one thing she's most terrified of admitting to herself. 

It's possible the whole situation won't explode in her face. Yeah, like Frankie has that kind of luck.

Now I'll let Cara take it away with some of her favorite book and wine pairings!

The Eclectic Geek Podcast Episode 1 - Fall TV Preview

We're back for another episode of The Eclectic Geek Podcast, the podcast for the geek who loves everything.

The official Episode 1 features Leila and Natasha giving a rundown of the Fall Television Premieres that they're excited for and a couple of shows that they've already checked out. In the First Watch segment, Leila shares her interest in Naruto, while Natasha laments her slow start of Battlestar Galactica. They also take a look at the newest trailer for Disney's Frozen, which will be released on November 27.

If you have questions for us or comments about the show, be sure to send us an email! Check out Leila's blog The Fandomonium, her Facebook page, and follow her on Twitter.

Be sure to like Kentucky Geek Girl on Facebook and follow my daily updates on Twitter! If you have any questions or want to discuss partnership opportunities, be sure to send me an email.

Trailer Tuesday 10/1

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 dominated the competition this weekend with over $35 million in box office earnings. I highly doubt that it will catch this year's animated powerhouse, Despicable Me 2, which has a total gross of over $361 million. Let's get to the trailers.

Stuff That Doesn't Suck 13

Stuff That Doesn’t Suck is a meme where I graciously share with you the things that I come across in a week that do not suck. This includes a variety of things from books to music to YouTube and even more. Feel free to join in on the comments or on your own blog.

IRL, the last couple of weeks have kind of sucked. I got the pseudo-con crud after Cincinnati Comic Expo and I've been trying to catch up on sleep, house work, and home work every since. I'm definitely feeling a lot better now and though I've got a ton of homework, I thought I'd take a minute to share some things I found around the Internet that didn't suck.

Flashback Friday: TV Shows I Miss (Part One)

Flashback Friday is a series where I get in the wayback machine and revisit some of my favorite things from years past. It can be anything really, random stuff from teh intarwebz, books, movies, games, et cetera. 

I love television and I have my entire life. Over the course of my 26 years, I've seen a lot of TV shows that have come and gone. Some ran their course, some were canceled too soon. Some I didn't get to see during their first run. Especially since we're at the beginning of the Fall TV premiere season, I thought I'd take a look at some gems which I particularly miss and would love to see again in some form. In addition, this list isn't ranked. I just happened to go with the first few shows that popped into my brain. I'll definitely be thinking of more.

Kentucky Art & Comics Expo Debuts Saturday

September is a busy month for local convention-goers. With Baltimore Comic Con, Cincinnati Comic Expo, and Ohio Comic Con, now in the rear view, it's time to look ahead to the debut of a show in the heart of Bluegrass country. Kentucky Art & Comics Expo is a creator-run show with the mission to showcase the best talent that Kentucky has to offer.

The list of talent includes many friends of Kentucky Geek Girl, including Tressa Bowling, Justin Stewart, Jenny Stead, Ray Coffman, and Shawn Pryor. Here's the exhibitor list with a layout of the show floor!

As you can see, there is a wide variety of local talent and there's surely to be something for everyone. In addition to the fantastic art which will be available for purchase, artists will be taking commissions and while you wait, be sure to sample the delicacies of Caramanda's Bakery and King Tut's Catering. Also, be sure to stop by and say hello to Matt and Kerry of Beaucoup Pop!

Kentucky is a state full of extremely talented people and the folks at KACE know exactly what they're doing. Collectively, the artists who will be on display have attended hundreds of conventions. I'm confident that this will be great way for artists to interact with comic and art fans. Plus, admission is free for the public! For more about the show - and to mark "attending" - be sure to visit the Facebook event page!

Kentucky Art & Comics Expo
Smiley Pete Publishing

434 Old Vine St  

Lexington, KY 40507
Facebook | Twitter | Email

Saturday, September 28, 2013
10 AM - 6 PM

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Emmy Nominations + My Picks

My personal picks are **in asterisks.** There are some that I abstained from choosing. I had some doubles, so just deal with it. I'll have a full Emmy Awards wrap-up after the ceremony. Neil Patrick Harris hosts the awards show tonight on CBS.

The Eclectic Geek Podcast: Episode 0

I love podcasting and have had the opportunity to do it a time or two in the last couple of years. So, Leila of The Fandomonium and I decided that we should start our own! On Episode 0 of The Eclectic Geek Podcast we introduce ourselves, share our geeky loves, some things that you might expect from our show, and go off on some random tangents as we are prone to do. We look forward to having guests, our geeky friends, and discussing topics that are relevant to geek culture.

You'll be able to access TEGP through Kentucky Geek Girl, The Fandomonium, and on the show's page on Podomatic.

Be sure to like Kentucky Geek Girl on Facebook and follow my daily updates on Twitter! If you have any questions or want to discuss partnership opportunities, be sure to send me an email.

Debut Authors Bash: Interview with Geek Girl Author Holly Smale

 

I'm pleased as punch to be part of the YA Reads America 2013 Debut Authors Bash! One of my favorite books of this year, which I reviewed here, is Geek Girl by Holly Smale. Earlier this year, I received a message from a representative from HarperChildren's and not long after I received a package from England! This was the first time I received a blog-related package from England and I was SO EXCITED! It included an advanced reader copy of Geek Girl, some cards, and a pair of Geek Glasses! It was amazing! Be sure to check out my review.

It's my esteem pleasure to have been included in this blog tour and to have the opportunity to ask Holly a few questions. Let me say that I can read her answers in a British accent and I really wish that this had been a recorded interview because I love accents so much. In this brief interview, Holly answers questions about what it's like being a writer as well as sheds some insight into the character of Harriet Manners.

Trailer Tuesday: September 17th

I had yet to watch any trailer for Keanu Reeves' new movie 47 Ronin. Having taken a course on Japanese history and studied the legend of the real Forty-seven Ronin through fictionalized accounts called Chūshingura, I was excited for a modern adaptation of these mythic tales.

Here's a very brief history lesson: Samurai was a class of Japanese military nobility that existed from the medieval age through early modern Japanese history. By the 12th century, Samurai was associated with the middle and upper tiers of the warrior class. A Ronin is a Samurai without a master and in the case of the Forty-seven Ronin, they went on a mission to avenge the death of theirs. The story is compelling and I really enjoyed studying about it during my classed called Age of the Samurai. But this movie doesn't even come close. I'm not even including the clip here on Trailer Tuesday, but you're welcome to watch it on your own and comment with your thoughts. I wish I'd recorded a reaction video or at least taken a picture of my face because I was embarrassed for Japan.

Now, on to some decent trailers.

Stuff That Doesn't Suck 12

Stuff That Doesn’t Suck is a meme where I graciously share with you the things that I come across in a week that do not suck. This includes a variety of things from books to music to YouTube and even more. Feel free to join in on the comments or on your own blog.

It's been a busy last couple of weeks for me with starting graduate school. I'm going to try and keep everything running smoothly on Kentucky Geek Girl, but there may be a decrease in my presence over the next few weeks while I'm working on getting into the groove of everything. For now, though, let's take a look at some things that didn't suck this week!

Trailer Tuesday 8/27

I've been a terrible cinephile lately. Having started out the year seeing (at least) a movie a week, I've really slowed down in my film viewing. I did see Pacific Rim last month and then Elysium and The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones in the past couple of weeks. With a slew of highly anticipated movies this Fall and Winter, I know that I'll be back to my regular routine in the coming months. Hit the jump for trailer goodness.

Stuff That Doesn't Suck 11

Stuff That Doesn’t Suck is a meme where I graciously share with you the things that I come across in a week that do not suck. This includes a variety of things from books to music to YouTube and even more. Feel free to join in on the comments or on your own blog.

Portions of this edition of Stuff That Doesn't Suck have been sitting in my draft folder for a month or so, so they've been making their way around the Interwebs. I still wanted to share them because reasons.

Food Network Star Hopeful Chef Damaris Phillips Needs Your Votes!

Damaris Phillips

In addition to being a purveyor of geekery, I'm also an aspiring foodie. I love to cook and I draw a great deal of inspiration from what I watch on the Food Network. Our cable provider picked up the channel when I was probably five years old and for most of my childhood I would pretend to host my own cooking shows. Oh, what am I saying? I still do that sometimes! I'm not going to be getting my own show on the Food Network any time soon, but Louisville chef Damaris Phillips just might. She's in the running to win the Next Food Network Star competition after chopping away at her fellow contestants for the last ten weeks.

In order to be a contender, you must come up with a culinary point of view and judges must be able to see this through weekly challenges. Competitors must exhibit grace under pressure, because even though TV chefs record episodes of their programs, one must be able to go with the flow. There are even live demonstrations in which hopefuls are charged with impressing an audience. Ultimately, those who rise to the top are not only able to carry their "Culinary POV" throughout the competition, but they are able to be themselves while doing so.

Damaris' casting interview

Chef Phillips has a degree in culinary arts and teaches at Jefferson Community and Technical College. From the outset, her POV was Southern cuisine and she's set to show that there's more to the south than fried chicken and grits. This week, as one of the final contestants, she was able to shoot a pilot which would indicate her style. "Eat Date Love" would be a series in which Damaris teaches men how to woo their sweetheart using food. She is also the only female competitor in the finale.

Damaris' pilot "Eat Date Love" impressed coach Alton Brown

If this short pilot is any indication, Damaris Phillips has a long career on the Food Network ahead of her. You can vote for her for the next 24 hours (through 9am Wednesday) with the winner crowned next Sunday night at 9pm. Much like other reality competitions, there are two ways to vote and you can vote up to 10 times daily. Head over to http://star.foodnetwork.com/ or call 855-54-STAR-1 to vote for Damaris.

Best of luck to Damaris Phillips. Let's bring the Next Food Network Star title home to Kentucky!

Be sure to like Kentucky Geek Girl on Facebook and follow my daily updates on Twitter! If you have any questions or want to discuss partnership opportunities, be sure to send me an email.

Who's Next? New Doctor to be Announced Tomorrow + My Picks

The announcement is coming people. I mean, it's tomorrow and in less than twenty four hours we'll know the identity of the next Doctor. The BBC plans a special for Sunday August 4 which will not only be a retrospective of the half-century of Doctor Who, but will also unveil the actor or actress who has been cast in the role of the Twelfth Doctor. At San Diego Comic Con a few weeks ago, Steven Moffat joked that he was currently writing the script for the Christmas Episode, in which the Doctor will regenerate, and that he wasn't on the page in which he killed the Doctor... yet. It's reported that the casting process for Twelve has been underway and was given code-name Whodini.

According to a press release from the BBC, with breaking news on Thursday from Bleeding Cool, the special will air on Sunday, but recent updates included an updated webite. Hopefully there will be no information leaks as to the identity of the new Doctor in the next 23 hours. At SDCC, Moffat threatened to discontinue any Comic Con exclusives if the trailer for the 50th Anniversary special was leaked online. Doctor Who fans for the most part have been pretty great about that sort of thing, considering Season 7.2 shipped early, allowing buyers the ability to see "The Name of the Doctor" before it aired.

But who will be the person to take over for Matt Smith when he makes his departure in December? Since the debut of Doctor Who in 1963, eleven men have officially portrayed The Doctor, with a host of others who have filled the role unofficially and alternatively on television, in audio books, and on stage. I, for one, was shocked to see that they were making this announcement more than four months before the Christmas Special is to air, but I'm super excited for Sunday.

People have asked me my opinion on the subject. I had tweeted previously that I had a post planned with a list and I started out with about twenty potential Doctors. This included Rupert Grint and Simon Pegg, which I have seen show up on the lists of others. I also had initially considered Matthew Lewis and Henry Cavill as well, but I quickly realized that I was going to have to make some decisions and narrow my picks down. There has been a lot of interest in Dame Helen Mirren as well. But here are my top twelve potential Doctors. My thoughts after the break!

Fandom Fail: FandomFest Makes a Stink in the Derby City

Let me preface this by saying that I had no intention on writing about FandomFest this year. For those unaware, FandomFest is a convention in Louisville, Kentucky which grew out of Fright Night Film Fest, a horror show. I attended for the first time in 2011 and returned again in 2012. I'll talk about those experiences and then I want to share some of the general thoughts on the show which have been expressed to me by guests. I have nothing to gain by writing this, but I feel as a representative of geek culture in Kentucky, it is the right thing for me to do. I will not be upset if I lose followers over this blog post. People I know have been affected by this show, so I feel that it is my duty to get the word out.

The Geekie Awards to Showcase Fine Examples of Geekery

At the end of 2012, I saw that an award show for geeks was being developed and that it would showcase a wide variety of creators from many facets of the geek community. Though I didn't enter myself, I have been doing my part as a Geeky Friend and Sponsor to help spread the word of The Geekie Awards to those who come to KentuckyGeekGirl.com. If you stopped by my table at Lexington Comic & Toy Convention, you saw my bookmarks to help promote The Geekie Awards, which will be held on August 18 in Los Angeles, but will also be streamed lived on the internet.

The Geekie Awards are the brainchild of actress and content creator Kristen Nedopak, let me know that Friday July 26 is the last day to save on tickets for the awards show, ranging from $25 to $200 for a full VIP experience, using code TGA2013. If you can't attend in person, there will be a live stream of the event, so don't worry about missing out. Hosts and presenters include Seth Green, Jenna Busch, Grant Imahara, and Bonnie Burton, who have all been excellent advocates for the geek community using the power of their celebrity. I'm proud to be a sponsor for The Geekie Awards and I hope to see it grow into an annual event which will showcase the best in the world of geek.

My full interview with Kristen is after the break!

Interview with Cincinnati Comic Expo's Andrew Satterfield

As part of the 2013 Kentucky Geek Girl Convention-palooza, I'll be appearing at the Cincinnati Comic Expo September 13-15! Now that I live in the Cincinnati metro, I'm excited that this con is so close! I live just across the river from the Duke Energy Convention Center, so I can't wait meet a bunch of new Cincinnati area geeks, but also see a lot of my friends as well. Kentucky Geek Girl is officially a part of the convention as a "Fan Group" along awesome folks the likes of Beaucoup Pop, The Nerdy Bomb, and TheOneRing.net!

Andrew Satterfield, who has been a tremendous friend the Kentucky Geek Girl over the past couple of years, took some time from his busy convention planning schedule to answer a few of my questions, which I suppose I should start filing as "Convention 411." My interview is after the break!

I am a Geek Girl and I Have Nothing to Prove

Image from Think Geek

I read a few weeks ago that female singing duo The Doubleclicks wanted geek girls everywhere to show that they have nothing to prove to bullies and haters who say that they don't belong in geekdom. I didn't end up submitting my video for them to include in the video for their song "Nothing to Prove" but having just watched it, I must say that I am so glad that they wrote that song and involved so many people.

You see, I had hoped that the "fake geek girl" debate was done. I was hoping that no one would feel that they would have to justify themselves to anyone else based on what they like. I, sadly, know that this is not the case. If the women featured in the video for Nothing to Prove are an indication, this has been happening for years. And I know, because I've experienced it too.

Trailer Tuesday: A Hodgepodge of Fall/Winter Releases

Coming this week will be two reviews of movies that I found to be just excellent: Red 2 and Pacific Rim. Pacific Rim was released this past weekend, and the follow-up to the 2010 Bruce Willis movie comes out on the 19th. I was very, very disappointed that Grown Ups 2 and Despicable Me 2 beat out Pacific Rim, especially because the Adam Sandler vehicle was so critically panned. It slightly infuriates me. Trailers after the break!

Trailer Tuesday: YA Fantasy, Horror, and Hugh Jackman, Oh My!

After a few mediocre weeks, the Hollywood box office, Man of Steel kicked it up in June and has now broken the half billion mark. It really needs to continue to do well  in order to get a Justice League movie off the ground. You can check out my review and see if you agree! World War Z is exceeding my expectation and has already grossed $250 million in the last two weeks. I still don't foresee it breaking even, because $700 million is a pretty hefty price tag. I was pleasantly surprised to see that The Heat, the buddy-cop comedy starring Melissa McCarthy and Sandy Bullock, out-grossed White House Down, which is essentially Die Hard with Jamie Foxx impersonating Barack Obama.

Hit the jump for trailers!

The Shoe Project Launches Auctions!

If you stopped by the 501st Legion MidSouth Garrison's booth at Lexington Comic & Toy Convention this year, you probably saw some pretty cool footwear. The Garrison, in conjunction with VANS, is sponsoring The Shoe Project, in which artists design pairs of shoes with a Star Wars theme which are being auctioned on Ebay. Ranging from Han and Chewie on the Millennium Falcon to Boba Fett inspired treads, there are currently eight pairs of shoes on auction right now with proceeds to benefit the University of Kentucky Children's Hospital.

Stuff That Doesn't Suck 10: An Unexpected All YouTube Edition

There are a lot of things going on in America that I'd like to be a part of this. First, Derby City Comic Con is happening in Louisville and this is the first year since its inception that I haven't been able to attend. Sucks. UtopYA Con is a literary convention with focus on the Young Adult genre happening in Nashville. There's FitBloggin which is in Portland this year and LeakyCon, which is also in Portland. Dang. So much. But, alas, I am not in Louisville, Nashville, or Portland, but instead I am in the hamlet of Southgate. So, to get past the fact that me not being in fun places really sucks, I thought I'd comb through some things I saw on the web this week to bring you Stuff That Doesn't Suck.

I hadn't started out with a particular theme, but it ended up being an All YouTube Edition!

Derby City Spotlight: Interview with Chuck Moore

I'm very sad to have announced that I will not be appearing at Derby City Comic Con as a media guest as originally planned. That being said, I wish the convention and all of my friends there the best and look forward to seeing everyone next year.

As part of my coverage of DCCC, I reached out to Chuck Moore, who graciously answered some questions for me. Hit the jump for our interview.

Cover Reveal: The Woken Gods by Gwenda Bond

Book covers are awesome things, y'all. They're especially awesome when they come from authors as fantastic as Gwenda Bond. The author of Blackwood, which has been optioned for a TV series from MTV by the way, has just released the cover for her new book The Woken Gods. Gwenda lives in Lexington, KY and graciously donated a book to the LCTC raffle back in March, which she hand delivered to me at the convention center... because she is just that fabulous. Seriously, y'all, she is one of the nicest people I have ever met and not only is she charming in real life, she's charming on Twitter too! Be sure to follow her @Gwenda. (Major props to her with a kick-ass name, too. What I wouldn't give to be @Natasha - or hell @kygeekgirl for that matter.)

I mean, seriously, what a gorgeous cover! The black and gold, the text, the symbolism. Washington D.C.! The capitol! This book is going to be amazing. Check out the book's synopsis (and a link to the prologue and a giveaway) after the break!

"We are the World of Warcraft" Celebrates Life on Azeroth

Jimmy Fallon kicked off the annual Late Night Video Game Week on Monday, but kicked it into overdrive last night when he brought together World of Warcraft players for a ballad to the beloved game. I played WoW for almost five years, and though I quit cold turkey, I've played off and on in the last year or so. I still appreciate the game, but I don't think I'll ever be as hardcore of a player as I was. Video after the break!

Movie Review: Man of Steel

Image courtesy of LA Times

***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD***

I’ve appreciated Superman all of my life, but he was never my favorite superhero. The George Reeves version was really enjoyable and Lois and Clark was my jam. It was a fantastic show. I did like Smallville, but I admit that I didn't watch past the first couple of seasons. I confess that I’ve never actually never seen the 2006 venture. It never actually appealed to me and I’m glad to understand that I’m not missing anything. When they announced that they were doing a new Superman movie, Man of Steel, and it was going to be produced by Christopher Nolan and directed by Zack Snyder I thought it should be good. I’d been following it and Henry Cavill seemed like a good actor. I was excited for the addition of (Kentuckian!) Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, and Diane Lane. I hadn’t planned on seeing it opening weekend. Now, I’ve seen it twice, first on opening night in 2D, and even with all of the action, I felt that it was very flat. It made the CGI look way over done. Seeing it in 3D, the CGI looked very well done, and it did look very realistic, with debris, flying things. I would definitely suggest to go see it in 3D.

Derby City Comic Con Preview

I cannot believe it's almost that time! On June 29, Derby City Comic Con will invade Louisville for a third year. DCCC was my first convention after starting Kentucky Geek Girl and this year I'm absolutely honored to be a Media Guest this year. In the coming days, I'll be highlighting some of the creators, vendors, and exhibitors who will be part of the 2013 show.

Beginning in 2011, Derby City Comic Con was the first convention of its kind in downtown Louisville, Kentucky and over the past three convention seasons it has only grown. I think that Eric did a great job as showrunner in 2011 and 2012 and he was a pleasure to work with. The announcement was made after last year's show that Chuck Moore of Comic Related would be taking the helm and Chuck, who is a friend to Kentucky Geek Girl, has worked tirelessly to help the show grow. I'm excited to be a part of the event again this year.

Pop Culture Graduations

As schools start summer break across the country, some experience the exhilleration of walking across a stage donned in their finest polyester cap and gown to accept their diplomas. High school and college students alike are saying good bye to their friends and to all that they've known in the past four (or more) years in order to start a new chapter in their lives. Last year on May 26, which happened to be my 25th birthday, I walked across the stage in front of Old Morrison at Transylvania University to accept my placeholder, I got my diploma in the mail in January after finishing my BA in History on December 14. So, like most of those who graduated this year, I know what it's like to experience that sense of pride, accomplishment, and a little bit of terror at what is to come.

It's me on Graduation Day!