Around the Web: Hayley Reports

I love people who make content for the web. I feel like the internet is a place where you can be a lot more free to do what you want. One of my favorite web creators is Candis Phlegm, who I first saw in the web series Awkward Embraces. Her latest project is called Hayley Reports in which Hayley gives a report on the TV movie Mary, Mother of Jesus starring Christian Bale. In true middle-schooler fashion, we get to learn a lot more about Hayley herself than the movie.

I loved this video! Huge props to Candis for capturing the personality of a middle-schooler. I have taught fifth graders who have acted quite similar to this, not even joking. I hope this could become a series where Hayley reports on different things. That would be awesome. Can't wait to see what Candis comes up with next! Check out her actress page on Facebook and follow her on The Tweeters. She's absolutely hilarious, y'all.

Awkward Embraces Rolls A Nat 20 in Awesome

Let's face it, dating isn't easy. It can be difficult, uncomfortable, but most of all, it can be awkward especially if you're a geek girl. Not only can asking someone out or being asked out be an absolute chore, but then there's the date itself! It's so hard to find someone who truly appreciates all of your interests and who won't run screaming from a conversation about Star Trek. Come on, nerdy girls need love too! Finally, there is a series which shows the difficulties that your typical lady geek goes through to find her Number One. Awkward Embraces is a web series from Project A Productions which encapsulates perfectly what it's like to be both awesome and socially awkward at the same time. Show of hands, how many of us can relate to that?

Jessica Mills, creator of Awkward Embraces, stars alongside Candis Phlegm and Lyndsey Doolen as they create the Three Musketeers of Geekdom. Jessica, who Candis describes as a “geek boy's dreamgirl,” loves Star Trek, video games, and all things geeky. She wears Star Wars t-shirts proudly and loves throwing in obscure pop culture references into everyday lingo. Her friends love her, but don't always get what she's talking about. (Such is the plague of a geek girl, unless all of your friends are geeks too!) The show, now in its second season, is honest and cleverly written and if you've ever had a bad date, you can totally relate to girls' dating highs-and-lows.

One such low is recounted by Jessica in Season 1's Fourth episode titled “The Morning After.” After meeting a guy at a mutual friend's party, she goes back to his place and “accidentally has sex with him.” Also in season one, Candis is set up on a blind date by her mom. In season 2, Lyndsey reconnects with an old friend who has less than savory intentions for their reunion. The situations that the girls go through in Awkward Embraces aren't too far-fetched to not be something that might happen to one of us. Candis, Lyndsey, and Jessica seem just like any set of friends. They're totally there for eachother, but not afraid to tell it like is is. When Jessica asks if she's a dirty slut, Lyndsey says, “Yes, you are, and it's awesome, right?”



Awkward Embraces is an independent web series. The show is considerably successful to have such a small financial backing; funds for Season 2 were raised on IndieGogo. And while it looks as if the show was filmed in the girls' own living rooms, that actually contributes to the personality of the show. Jessica is a sort of “everywoman” who lives out our own trials and tribulations. In fact, a neat feature of the show's website is viewer submitted dating horror stories. Maybe I should submit the story about the guy I went on a date with who was the self-proclaimed best healer on his realm in World of Warcraft?

The show is currently on hiatus, but that gives you plenty of time to go back and watch all of the episodes from Season 1 and the beginning of season 2. You will literally laugh out loud at some of the awkwardly realistic moments. Meanwhile, check out updates on the show's website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. You can also follow Jessica, Candis and Lyndsey on twitter! Oh, and Candis is totally awesome! (She didn't tell me to say that.. I promise!)

Stuff That Doesn't Suck (1)

I'll be doing a new (and hopefully weekly) feature here on KGG where I take a look at some of my favorite things from the week: Stuff That Doesn't Suck. I was recently turned on to this idea by my best friend Leila and I've decided to adapt it to fit the style of my blog here at Kentucky Geek Girl. Stuff That Doesn't Suck, or STDs for short, was created by Pam at Bookalicious. She does hers on Saturday, but I'm not sure that I'll nail it down to one day in particular. Anyhoo, I'm addicted to random internet browsing and finding awesome new things so I am really looking forward to this series!

Without further adieu...

Book That Doesn't Suck
At the behest of a good friend, I started reading A Game of Thrones from the series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. I happened to begin reading it just before the HBO series premiere (It premieres tomorrow!!) and just before a scathing review was published in the New York Times by Ginia Bellafante. I whole-heartedly disagree with Ms. Bellafante's opinion that women do not enjoy fantasy fiction and that romance and sex was only inserted into the book (and subsequently the television show) to entice female readers/viewers. (P.S. There was such reader outcry against the review that the NYT had to disable comments on their site.) I'm only around 130 pages in, but I must say that I love this freaking book already. I think that Martin is creating a fantastic world. I don't have HBO, and I have decided to finish the book first, so I won't be watching the show right away, but I did want to post a little something about the TV series. I can't give a fair review yet, that will come later, but the only thing I can say without a doubt is: Winter is coming.

Web Series That Doesn't Suck
I absolutely love "Awkward Embraces" and I feel as if this show was made for me. I'm going to write about it in more depth in another post soon, but I did want to include it in my first STDs post. I'm a geek girl. I love Star Trek: The Next Generation, making obscure references, and playing video games and so does Jessica, the star of Awkward Embraces. The show, now in its second season, also follows her friends Candis and Lyndsey as the three friends experience dating highs and lows. Like I said, I'm going to write about the show in more depth later, but I definitely wanted to include it here! You can read more about the show here and follow the show on Twitter @AwkwardEmbraces. Watch episode 1 from Season 1 here.

What didn't suck for you this week? Let me know in the comments below!