Guilty Pleasures? Activities That You Shouldn't Be Embarrassed of Engaging With

We are all familiar with the stereotypes that revolve around activities such as gaming, cosplay, and comics. They often come hand in hand with what has generally been assumed to be a rather negative connotation: the geek or the nerd. But it’s time to reclaim the term geek and everything that may come hand in hand with it! The skyrocketing popularity of online forums and social media has made us realize that those of us invested in franchises and brands such as World of Warcraft, Star Trek, Zelda, Marvel and Warhammer aren’t so alone after all. There’s a reason that the companies pumping out these games and merchandise have stood the test of time: they are popular, and thus they sell. So, if you find that you are labeled a geek or nerd because of your interests, take pride in it. Here are a few stereotypically “geeky” hobbies that you should never be ashamed of engaging in.

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Gaming

When people think of gaming, the image of an isolated, socially inept teen spending hours in their room with a headset on often springs to mind. But the reality is that individuals of all ages, interests, and habits engage with gaming. It’s not all too surprising seeing as this market covers so many genres. There are a whole host of options out there, so it’s almost guaranteed that there’s a game that even the starkest anti-gamer would genuinely enjoy. For those who want pure escapism, there are role-playing games such as Final Fantasy. The latest edition can be easily downloaded at www.finalfantasyxvapp.com and started up in a matter of minutes. This game allows you to assume the role of a protagonist in a fantasy world, completing a whole host of tasks, quests, and battles. For those who are more social, there are MMO games. MMO stands for Massively Multiplayer Online. You can play against other gamers from around the world, engaging with people you would have never otherwise met and collaborating to succeed and move up levels. Alternatively, you can battle against one another, testing your skill against other real-life players. If you enjoy riddles and quizzes, you can try out puzzle games. These range from the traditional and simple (such as Tetris) to the more modern day and specialized (such as Big Brain Academy). Whatever your interests, there will be something perfect for you.

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Cosplay

If you are unfamiliar with cosplay, it is simply the act of dressing up as a character from a film, book, or video game. Most people opt to dress as someone from Japanese anime or manga in particular. Cosplay has experienced a huge explosion in popularity since people are now more capable of sharing images of their brilliant costumes on social media feeds. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are constantly awash with individuals cosplaying common characters (such as Link from Zelda, Deadpool, and Harley Quinn) to the more obscure (such as Miranda from Legend of Dragoon or characters from much smaller fandoms). Cosplay is extremely rewarding, as it allows you to live and breathe your passion. You can also meet up with individuals of similar interests at conventions, being able to bond over your outfits. What’s more? You get to express your creativity freely.

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Comic Books

Comic books. If you’re into them, chances are that you are already fully aware of your interest and have piles and piles of common and rare copies filling your home. But if you’re new to collecting comics, here’s a quick debrief. A hobby is essentially the telling of a story through sequential art. They’ve been around for years, but the most commonly acknowledged and successful type are those telling tales of superheroes and anime characters. The Marvel franchise is perhaps one of the most recognized around the world, with rare copies selling for millions of dollars. An original copy of Action Comics #1 (which introduces Superman to the World) sold for $3.2 million. So if you get your hands on the right collector’s item, you really can be in to make a profit. Go to specialist stores, root through wares being sold at car boot sales and keep an eye out at local auctions, just in case something astounding comes up.

As you can see, there are plenty of benefits of engaging with stereotypically “geeky” hobbies, and there are hundreds and thousands of others out there who think that these activities are just as great as you praise them to be. So never be ashamed of your interests and embrace what you enjoy.

Geek Shows On the Horizon We Can't Wait to Binge

It’s a golden age for fans of TV shows, streaming, binge watching and geeky TV. Every other week a new show is announced that makes geeks and nerds feel like they are eight years old ago. So, let’s look at some of the incredibly new (and old) shows that are going to be available towards the end of this year and into 2018.

The Punisher

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Daredevil Season 2 might have been a mixed bag, and The Defenders didn’t quite live up to the hype. Combined with the the weird pacing of Luke Cage and the controversy surrounding Iron Fist, the Marvel Netflix shows have been on a slightly downward slope lately. However, we’re confident that in November that’s all about to change because we get the punished. Arguably, this character was the brightest part of Daredevil Season 2, and Jon Bernthal has brought the character to life in a new and exciting way. The full trailer is right here https://www.youtube.com/ and we’re eager to see what Marvel have in store for this dark and bloody character with what is hopefully a truly epic full season arc. Expect this one to drop around November.

Stranger Things Returns

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Just in time for Halloween, Stranger Things is returning. We’ve already had tantalizing teases with the boys in Ghostbusters costumes and posters resembling those of classic horror movies. We’ve got so many questions. Will eleven return? Almost definitely but how is a completely different question. According to https://netflixupdate.com/, season 2 has a one-year time jump, so we’ll certainly have a lot to catch up when we return to that eerie American town at the end of October.

Young Justice Season 3 (Finally!)

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Cartoon Network viewers were truly heartbroken when Young Justice was canceled because...not enough toys were sold. WB should have realized that the demographic for this show was significantly older than they expected with a loyal fanbase made up of a significant amount of students. But now it’s returning with the original voice cast, the original show runner and a story revolving around meta human trafficking. It doesn’t sound like the TV show is going to shy away from the deep, complex storylines that made it such a hit. But where is it going to be released and when? While it seemed likely that Young Justice would hit Netflix at some point, WB has opted instead to create their own streaming service. Along with all their existing and older shows this service will include one other, exciting piece of original content.

Titans!

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Or rather, Teen Titans, except they can’t call it that incase it’s confused with the humorous yet shallow Teen Titans Go. The cast has slowly been unveiled, and we know it’s releasing in 2018. That’s all the information we have on this show. We do know it’s a live action series. But we’re not even sure whether it’s a half hour dramedy or a full hour action adventure drama. It could even be linked to the DCEU, and it’s the mystery that perhaps makes this one so exciting. You read more about this on http://www.denofgeek.com/.

So which one of these shows will be distracting you from your work? Or, are you planning on binge watching all of them?

Why it is Suddenly Cool to be a Geek

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I’m sure the majority of you didn’t even raise an eyebrow at that title, because you all know exactly what I mean. The recent influx of Marvel and DC films over the last few years, and their mainstream popularity amongst those who either weren’t interested in the comic books or hadn’t heard of them until now, shows just how popular it’s become to be a geek. This is no bad thing, of course, but it’s a very peculiar U-Turn considering that to be a geek used to be something for which kids were bullied at school. Now kids are probably bullied if they’re not into the latest superhero franchise… Well, it’s probably not that bad, but it’s still an interesting phenomenon.

It’s sociable to be a geek.

I, for one, welcome this new horizon in terms of being ‘cool’. People are welcoming the idea that it’s a good thing to be really passionate and interested in any topic, whether the subject involves a fictional story or even a pastime, which might be a slightly odd and unique niche. It really brings people together when they have a common interest, and I think that’s been the key to changing the idea of geeks as lonely, unsociable weirdos into the idea that, actually, to be geeky is to be part of a community of like-minded people with a similar, exciting interest. It’s boring not to be geeky, because it means you don’t have some hardcore obsession or interest.

We live in the technological age.

Maybe in the 80s it wasn’t cool to spend all your time on a computer, but now that the internet rules our entire social lives, rather than just affording us the ability to play games or simply use ‘boring’ office programs, it’s cool to like all things technological. Geeks are now our innovators, meaning that people aren’t as turned-off by the idea of a computer scientist, because it’s seen as a symbol of creativity in terms of pushing the limits of technology, or web design. Just make sure you’re creating the next Instagram, and you should be able to keep people’s interest.

The geek epidemic infected the world silently.

Those same popular kids, or disgruntled adults who rolled their eyes and dismissed technology 10 years ago have been caught up in the exact same storm as everyone else with the recent influx of new devices promising to connect us more than ever.

Then you have incredible conventions, such as Con Junkies, which have turned the experience of comic books and other fictional media into an interactive, community-based experience. It’s cool to like comics now, because they’ve been turned into Hollywood hits with popular actors. Again, this is a good thing. It’s brought people together.

There’s a common theme throughout all the reasons for geekiness becoming cool, and it comes down to socializing. To be a nerd or a geek was once seen as weird, because popularity depends on social interaction, connectivity and ‘sharing’ what’s cool with your friends. The things which have always been popular are still popular, but now people communicate through means which they once mocked. Films and the internet have given geeky interests new life. Perhaps there is no divide anymore.

Weekly Geek Outs - 09/30/16

Greetings!

Here's what is going on in my world this week:

• UnREAL

I have just watched two episodes of this Lifetime show, but I am highly intrigued. It follows a producer on a Bachelor type reality show as she works to balance her conscience with the pressure to create drama between all the women on the show. It is really good so far, and it has gotten really great buzz, so I'm looking forward to see how it holds up.

• Agents of SHIELD

The fourth season of this show premiered recently and I just caught up on the few episodes featuring the introduction of Ghost Rider in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has really stole the show and I'm intrigued where bringing a character like him in allows the show to go. Demons, ghosts, the supernatural! We're going to get more of the magical side with Doctor Strange coming out soon, so in different ways and scope, we're getting all the different facets of the Marvel comics playground. It's really exciting! Plus, we have Luke Cage coming to Netflix! So much good stuff out there.

• New Jersey

I went back last weekend (hence the lack of a geek out) for my engagement photos, and it reminded me once again how much I miss the people and places of New Jersey. I keep appreciating the state more and more. It also doesn't hurt that my partner was born and raised there and that she helps foster my love of NJ. It's a weird, magical place that I look forward to continuing to spend more time in.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 08/19/16

Greetings!

Here's what is going on in my world this week:

• Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice - Ultimate Edition

Long story short, they got me. I bought this extended cut of the movie on Blu-Ray. Not worth it, does not make this complicated movie any better (see my review for more detailed thoughts). This movie is overstuffed as it is, and the scenes cut help weave some minor plot points together better, but the movie is still not great. Wonder Woman is still awesome though and should have been in the movie more.

• Capital Area Food Bank

I'm going to volunteer here with my partner with the great Day of Service Paid Time Off benefit I have with my job. They recently implemented this initiative and I'm excited to take advantage of it. I have more days to use and I look forward to building a relationship with this great community organization.

• Thought

I've said this a few times in conversation recently, and thought I'd share it with you: I didn't even know my job and the company I work for now existed when I started job searching last year. Now that I'm here, I couldn't be more grateful I stumbled upon this company and this job. My thought and advice for those worried about figuring out what is next for them or what to do with their lives; it may just be out there waiting for you to discover it. Or it may not even exist yet, either way, you just need to be patient, do good work, and put yourself out there. Luck happens more often to those that are prepared for it.

Thanks for stopping by!

Movie Review Monday: Justice League - Flashpoint Paradox

Welcome to another edition of Movie Review Monday!

This week's film is the 2013 animated film, Justice League - The Flashpoint Paradox.

I love this movie. I watched it for the first time with my brother a little while back, and revisited it recently since it is now available on Netflix.

The plot follows Barry Allen (The Flash) as awakes in an unfamiliar world, ravaged by war, and where he is no longer the beloved Scarlet Speedster. He eventually discovers that something happened to alter the timeline, and he has to work together with these very different versions of superheroes from his world to get back to his own reality.

This is not a great movie for kids. It is rated an appropriate PG-13, since there is visceral violence, dark themes, and the story may be a little too much for a child. This isn't to say it is bad however. It is a really great story and overall movie. There are emotional moments, intense action sequences, and intriguing changes to the stories we all know about the members of the Justice League.

The animation in the movie is also well done from what I can tell. Watching it over again, I can notice some sequences of obvious CGI, but they're brief and don't take away from the overall experience. The entire package of this movie is fun to watch, and sets up a cool world that just begs to be explored (and you can in Flashpoint comics that were released). DC strikes gold again with this movie, and continues their positive streak of animated films.

Go check out Justice League - The Flashpoint Paradox, streaming right now, on Netflix.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 05/27/16

Greetings!

I've been busy this week but was able to catch the season finales of some of my favorite shows on the air right now (still need to catch up on SHIELD...) so I wanted to share my (spoiler-free) thoughts on those episodes and their respective seasons here:

• Arrow

I've ordered these bullet points generally in order of my least to most favorite season finales. Arrow has been struggling for a little while now, with weak flashback stories and frustrating plot points. It's a shame since it was the genesis of the DC TV Universe, but the show hasn't really figured out a good path forward. With major characters being killed off or quitting being heroes, lackluster villains, and character moments being rushed or poorly done, Arrow has some structural flaws to address going forward. I would hate to see this show go on life support in terms of quality, but it seems to be trending that way. I have faith it can shape up, but I could also see it becoming a show that gets too comfy and gets lazy. I'll be watching season 5 but might let go of the show if it doesn't keep me engaged since there is plenty of other great TV on right now.

• Legends of Tomorrow

On a more positive note, LoT grew in a positive way over the course of its first year. Struggling with similar flaws like Arrow with its villain, LoT eventually got to a good place by investing better in the great cast of characters they have and keeping the tension at a decent place. Strange that time travel adventures could feel a tad boring at times, but nevertheless, LoT looks to be heading in the right direction with season 2, especially with the teaser that happened at the end of their satisfying season finale.

• The Flash

The Flash is still easily my favorite show of this bunch. It fully embraced its comic book roots early on, has kept a good pace (for the most part), and Barry Allan and the crew are just great fun to watch. While season 2 got a little darker, it was still great TV, and wasn't afraid of going down some different dramatic and intriguing turns, especially with the finale. I loved the inclusion of time travel within this show (for the most part) as well as the acknowledgement of alternate Earths. There still seems to be so much they can explore with all of that, so I'm more optimistic for The Flash than some of its sibling shows.

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 05/06/16

Greetings!

Here's what I'm geeking out about this week:

• DC Animated Shows

I recently saved this article that highlights some great Batman & Superman episodes from their own respective animated series as well as the Justice League animated series. I hadn't really watched any of these series growing up. I was more into the Spider-Man and X-Men animated series of the '90s and other random shows of my youth. They now exist on various streaming platforms, and they held up to the test of time, so I figured I'd check out some choice episodes. I haven't watched everything from this list yet, but what I have watched has been good and inspires me to check out more of these series in the future.

• Captain America: Civil War

I have been anticipating this movie for a while. In the shadow of Deadpool and Batman V Superman, Civil War looks to be a standout comic book movie that handles a lot of characters as well as important themes well, a unique spot that sets it apart from these two movies. Deadpool was great because it was a smaller scale movie, and BvS had a lot of its own problems to deal with, so it read this post if you want to go there. Anyway, Civil War has been getting awesome early reviews, and I'll be sure to share my full thoughts about it after I see it this weekend with my brother to help celebrate his birthday. #TeamCap

• Moving!

I am moving down to Maryland this weekend for my new job, which I am very excited about! I'll be getting my first apartment, living with my partner, building our life together, and all of this is taking place while I start a new job at an awesome new company and live in a cool area neighboring two great cities. I'm looking forward to getting settled in and exploring my community. I know it is going to be a bit stressful getting to that point, but I know it will be worth it. I'm hoping this move and period of newness won't interrupt the regularly scheduled programming here on the blog and elsewhere. I'm going to do my best to plan ahead and have stuff scheduled to go out ahead of time. Wish me and my partner luck as we make this big move!

Thanks for stopping by!

Weekly Geek Outs - 04/15/16

Greetings!

Here's what is going on in my world this week:

• Doctor Strange

We were treated to our first look at the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe this week with the teaser trailer for Doctor Strange. While there has been some backlash for whitewashing The Ancient One (perhaps ignoring that they're having a gender nonconforming woman in the role), I nevertheless thought this initial glimpse was great. They're also changing Baron Mordo to be played by an black actor, which is great to add more diversity to what is a somewhat lackluster roster of MCU heroes and villains when it comes to diversity. This movie just looks like a trippy, wild, fun ride that is like Inception with magic and superheroes. I'm in!

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Another great teaser trailer we got this week was for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (how are we going to abbreviate this movie title? FBWTFM?). Exploring more of the deep Harry Potter universe, this movie will take place in 1920s America, which will be a refreshing take and will provide so many opportunities to flesh out this world. I'm really looking forward to this movie, and while we don't get much in this trailer, anything taking place in this world already has my interest piqued.

• Fear the Walking Dead

After the disappointing season six finale of The Walking Dead, this past Sunday we were treated to the premiere of season two of Fear the Walking Dead. This show's initial six episode season one was pretty slow moving (I know I saw someone joking that pretty much the entire season was summed up in a quick "Previously On..." which goes to show how little happened) and this first episode was no different. The jokes about this show being a zombie sort of write themselves. Both of these shows are starting to lose me with their inconsistency and lack of character exploration or anything that gets me really invested in the show. Also, FTWD struggles to me with their chemistry between the characters, which makes it hard to watch or get connected to the show. I think I'll give FTWD a few more episodes to win me over, but if not, I don't think I'll waste my time anymore.

Thanks for stopping by!