What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 08/01/14

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Geek-and-proudHey there!

Welcome to another week in my life of perpetual geek outs. Check out what I've been into lately:

I'm surprised I haven't highlighted Songza here before, but I wanted to give it a shoutout since I have been jamming to various playlists a lot lately due to my new job. I enjoy some soft, easy listening music on in background while I plug into a project. For those who are unaware, Songza is a free music streaming service whose cool, unique feature is having a "concierge" service that serves up music contoured to your current context. Having a lazy Sunday morning? Songza gives you a few different choice playlists for that particular occasion. It is so spot on and awesome that I have been utilizing Songza pretty exclusively as of late. I also discover some great stuff through them too. Definitely give it a try whenever you need something to listen to next.

I just got turned onto this podcast by a friend of mine and I've listened to a few choice episodes from their library so far. I love their casual, fun feel (which is what I always enjoy in podcasts) as well as their classic informative, engaging, NPR sort of vibe. They have a solid slate of episodes so far that should connect with anyone's specific geekdoms, be it space, technology, science, or film. I particularly enjoyed their episode with Richard Linklater about his recent movie, "Boyhood". I'm always about sharing great podcasts with the world so here is one more for you all!

The other day, I had two very diverse things I wanted to get; a new business card holder for my desk and an anniversary gift for my partner. I was able to get these two things in original, awesome forms that I know I couldn't have found anywhere else. I don't explore Etsy nearly enough for stuff and this experience furthered my commitment to change that. Etsy is great since it is a storefront for anyone to post up a shop with their handcrafted goods to sell online. There is everything from jewelry to clothing, trinkets to art. I highly recommend it, especially for the next time you are having difficulty find a gift for someone. You'll find something really cool on Etsy, I guarantee it!

Thanks for stopping by!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 07/25/14

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Geek-and-proudHello fellow geeks and nerds!

Happy San Diego Comic-Con! Here is what I'm geeking out about lately:

I have shared my love of this movie before but I am getting more and more excited for it. I've heard a lot of good, positive buzz ahead of the release and all the footage from the movie looks great. It's an ambitious move for Marvel but I think it's going to pay off, and open up the entire intergalactic aspect of the Marvel Universe. Now all we have to do is get that Doctor Strange movie rolling, with its magical elements and we'll have most of the rich Marvel Comics tapestry covered in the Cinematic Universe. Click above for an awesome recent trailer for GotG. Be on the lookout for my thoughts on the movie in the near future!

I've been living in Maine, and more specifically Bangor, for almost a month now and it has been fun to explore a new place. I liken the area to when I lived in Delaware for most of my life, so it feels familiar and new at the same time. I look forward to continuing to explore, network, and settle in here. I feel like I can get used to this place since I'd like to stay for at least two years. Stay tuned for more tales of my adventures in Maine!

This weekend is the geek mecca of San Diego Comic-Con. There has been some neat nuggets from the convention already but the meat of the awesome news is yet to come. I always enjoy what comes out of this amazing event, and having checked out New York Comic-Con last year before I moved, I feel like I know first-hand the magic of these conventions. I look forward to going to more Comic-Cons in the future!

Thanks for stopping by and keep on geeking on!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 07/18/14

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Geek-and-proudHey there!

Hope all is well with you! Here's what I'm geeking out about lately:

I just started watching this acclaimed HBO series since it is now all streaming on Amazon Prime (click above). The series is a cop drama based in Baltimore and I've heard about how great it is for years so I'm really happy I am able to dig into it now and see what the hype is all about. I will say, so far, that the characters on the show are portrayed really well and for it having debuted in 2002, I think this show was really ahead of its time and modern "golden age" of television we've been experiencing of late.

A friend of mine on Twitter recommended this podcast to me, and as an avid podcast listener, I wanted to check it out since I knew one of the hosts, Jason SurfrApp, from another podcast episode I recently listened to and enjoyed. The premise of this is that it is a show for those of us that don't have set offices and/or office hours, create things, and are essentially just creatively minded professionals. The show is casual, fun, engaging, and informative so it is the perfect style for me. Hopefully you enjoy it if you're into it and check it out, They just started posting episodes and have a few on some great topics so I definitely highly recommend it.

I worked with a member of this new indie alternative folk band when I was back in New Jersey at Rutgers. I am a fan of their unique sound and support my friend so I wanted to give them a shout-out here as they work to put their work out into the world. Here is a quick link to all their music on Soundcloud. They're all over social media so you can connect and follow them there and if you're in the greater New Jersey area, they're playing live shows around there. I wish them the very best of luck!

Thanks for stopping by as always! Have a great weekend.

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 07/11/14

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Geek-and-proudHey there!

Thanks for coming by! Here is what I'm geeking out about this busy week:

If you follow my blog, you know I'm excited for this movie. I've posted about it multiple times (here and here, at least). It has (as of the posting of this) a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and the 3D is apparently amazing as well. I'm going to go see it tomorrow some time and I'll be sure to share my thoughts with you all. You should see it too so you can share in the awesomeness that will be this movie!

A friend of mine up here in Maine (hooray for making friends!) invited me out to go see the original Body Snatchers movie out on a big screen at a park in town. I haven't seen this movie in a long time and it's a great sci-fi classic that has been remade multiple times. I think this will be a fun way to watch the movie, out with other sci-fi fans, outside on a beautiful night. I'm really looking forward to it!

  • Trivia

Something else I've gotten into since I got up to Maine with some of my coworkers is going to a local trivia night again. I went a ton when I was back in Delaware a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I am determined to win a night while I'm here just as I eventually did in Delaware, even if it takes me a year!

***So, a quick aside here. I'm working my full-time job now and I am going to keep hustling to keep a regular flow of content to you all. I always enjoy getting likes, comments, and feedback so any support you can give to keep me inspired as I'm figuring out a new life routine is very much appreciated. Every single one of you who comes to this site is special to me so I would love to hear from you.

All the best and thanks for stopping by,

- Dustin

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 07/04/14

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Geek-and-proudSalutations, good people!

Here's what I'm geeking out about this week. (Happy Independence Day!)

I've given love for this show many times in the past and this time is one of much joy, being able to say definitively that Community is coming back for season 6 on Yahoo. I was hoping to see it on Hulu since I want their digital network to have a killer show like House of Cards or Orange is the New Black but I'm still happy that it ended up somewhere. I'm mostly looking forward to some closure since just having this would be good to wrap things up (and then a short movie just to complete the prophecy). I'm sure I'll share my thoughts when the show comes back. If you haven't watched the show yet, all of the series is streaming via Hulu Plus. Long live Community!

  • Green Lantern

I am continually exploring more of the world of comic books and my latest foray is into some of the recent Green Lantern comics, namely all the stories surrounding the Blackest Night story arc. I really do feel like Green Lantern (any and all of them) is my favorite DC character, right alongside Spider-Man from Marvel. I've only just started getting into some of the comics I've bought recently (Sinestro Corps War, Rage of the Red Lanterns, Agent Orange) but be sure I will be mining them for some relevant moral nuggets to share with you all.

  • Maine

So, as of today, I have been back up in my home state of Maine for a week now. I came here for my new job at a school up here and I've just started to get settled in fully. I've started to meet all the people I'll be working with, decorate my new office (which I'm excited to have, since it is my first one), and explore the surrounding area. I'm eager to get into my routine and start working on some projects since I'm still sort of the newbie after my first week who doesn't know how to do anything. I'll definitely be sharing thoughts about things as the process goes along.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the holiday weekend!

What I Was Geeking Out About: June 2014

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Geek-and-proudHey there!

Welcome to another collection of my geek outs, this time, for the magical month of June. I had an eventful month but I still wanted to share what was going on for me in the realm of geekdom and life so check out everything from the past month below.

Thanks for stopping by and to all of you for your continued support. It means a lot!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 06/27/14

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Hey there, friends!

Here is what I'm geeking out about this week (pardon the simplicity, I'm moving this week to Maine for a new job. Be on the lookout for posts on that soon...).

  • Podcasts!

I downloaded a bunch of podcasts to get me through the ride up to Maine, which is 7+ hours. I'm not much for long car rides but having something thoughtful to listen to definitely helped. I'm a big fan of the Nerdist Podcast, Smart People, and The School of Greatness.

  • Coffee!

I've had a blossoming coffee addiction grow since last summer when I did orientation for long hours all season. I am very grateful for it helping keep me awake, which allowed me to drive safe, which allowed me to not die nor kill anyone else in my car while driving to Maine. I am forever in your debt, sweet java!

  • My Life!

Where I am right now when I sit and think about it is greatly humbling. I am very grateful to have gotten a job where I did, when I did and I am thankful to have a loving partner, good health, a freaking master's degree, and all the little things in my life that I'm sure I take for granted. I want to work to help others get to where I am in my life, in their own ways of course. I want everyone to be able to feel safe, have a roof over their head, and be able to do what they love. It's a continuing work in progress to be sure but it is sure to be a hell of a ride.

Be well, everyone and I'll see you next week!

Thanks for stopping by!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 06/20/14

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Hey there! Welcome to another week of geek! Here's what I've been into lately:

I had the privilege to be able to go to this great hang in NYC put on by my former internship, Swift Kick, who runs The Student Affairs Collective and facilitates #SAChat on Twitter. A nice crowd of professionals from around the area came to mingle and I had a lot of fun. Folks knew about me and knew about the blog so it was quite flattering and inspiring to keep this whole thing going! Also, be sure to connect at the title link to never miss any of the upcoming meetups that are sure to happen across the country.

I'm finally catching up on this show since I have time and I'm almost finished this past season that just wrapped up. I'm not as much into fantasy as sci-fi but this show has such a rich narrative with a great ensemble of characters, it keeps me coming back for more. I'm excited to see how this season ends so no spoilers!

My partner and I went here this past week as we're both moving away from the area soon, so we wanted to check it out before we left. I really enjoyed it, since it was a serene park with amazing sculptures around that made it feel like you were walking into a painting. I really appreciate that something like this exists for families and the community to enjoy. There should be more places like this! If you're in Jersey sometime this summer, do yourself a favor and check it out!

Thanks for stopping by!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 06/13/14

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Good day to you! Here is what I've been geeking out about this week (mostly with my lovely partner)!

This newest season of the Netflix Original gem just premiered this past Friday but my partner and I decided to watch it together so we were finally able to start with the first few episodes this week. I just love how good of quality this show is since it is essentially just a web series. It will surely pave the way for other amazing original content to make its way online, like the slate of Marvel shows coming to Netflix, which I am very pumped for!

I saw this movie last night with some friends after warming to it after initially not really giving it any thought. This sci-fi action film stars Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, who both are great in this movie. It is essentially Groundhog Day meets Halo, with Cruise repeating the same day over and over where he is part of a botched military invasion that is trying to repel an alien threat. The movie has fantastic action sequences, is funny, and has some great personal moments that explore human nature and how someone would react to having this happen to them. I will say that I did not like the ending at all. It doesn't ruin the experience and after seeing how the book, All You Need is Kill, which this movie is based upon, ended, I can't say I would have wanted that ending either. Perhaps there was a conclusion somewhere in the middle that would have been more satisfactory. Nevertheless, I'm glad I saw this gem of the summer movie season that I feel like got easily written off by most people.

My partner just starting watching this classic TV comedy at mine and others' behest. While we haven't been sitting down to watch every episode with each other, I've been re-watching a few with her and I am still chuckling at this great show. If you haven't watched it yet, please binge through the series. It is a short watch and you'll be thankful for it. Plus, you'll probably get those references your friends make and you don't understand.

As always, thanks for stopping by! All the best and have an awesome day!

What I'm Geeking Out About This Week - 06/05/14

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Salutations! Here's what I'm geeking out this (busy) week!

If you love Parks & Recreation (which you all should, it's great), you'll love this forever looping GIF. I wasted a solid few minutes on it. You're welcome.

I've been binged on a few episodes of this great podcast lately during my string of travels. It has comedians Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas (all of whom you may know from the many things they have done, much of it together) chatting about movies that are so bad they're good. I've listening to episodes ranging from Green Lantern to Battlefield Earth, Fast Five to Superman III, and of course, the competitive arm-wrestling classic, Over the Top. It's a lot of fun and they have some great guests on to help with the hilarity, so definitely check it out if you're looking for a new podcast and love movies.

So this is another movie centric thing I'm into (obviously I love movies). This YouTube channel has been around for several years but it has really hit its stride with all of its great, original segments, and their beloved Honest Trailers. I always find myself engaged with their content so I wanted to give them a shout out and encourage you to check out their channel.

Thanks for stopping by! Have an awesome weekend!