Freaky Friday: Field Trippin'

I'd like to go on record that the only redeeming quality of this town is its proximity to Roswell, New Mexico. If you don't geek out about aliens on the reg, then you might not know that Roswell was the site of an alleged UFO crash in 1947.  Of course, the military thought people were getting a little cray and said it was just a weather balloon.  The Roswell incident has been referred to as "the world's most famous, most exhaustively investigated, and most thoroughly debunked UFO claim".
Debunked...  That's what they want you to think.
The city of Roswell knows what its tourists want and what they want are little green men.  Roswell does not disappoint.  There are aliens on the street signs, aliens on the light posts, UFOs parked atop fast food restaurants... 

At this point feel free to roll your eyes or hit that little "x" in the corner of your screen. 

Do I believe in aliens?  Yes.  This universe is too big for humans to be its only inhabitants.
Do I believe in a government conspiracy to cover up the existence of extraterrestrial beings?
Yes.  Not to an X-Files alien colonization degree, but I do think we are being kept in the dark by the powers-that-be to either ward off mass hysteria or cover up something darker like possible vivisection and the subsequent murder of UFO crash survivors.

Dammit, Bob, is that really what you wear to an alien autopsy?

The International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell is definitely a must-see for the hardcore UFO fan.  In addition to loads of information about the crash and cover-up, it also has information about other UFO sightings (both inside the USA and abroad), abductions, and crash sites.

Just some lights reflecting off swamp gas

It also has recreations and photographs of ancient artifacts that may or may not be renderings of outer space, UFOs, or aliens.

Ancient breath-powered rocket or ancient breathalyzer?

And if you get tired of reading, there are plenty of  photo opportunities to be had.

I regret leaving my ChapStick back on the ship.

The one disappointing part of Roswell is that the actual crash site is on private property and therefore off limits to curiosity-seekers.  However, you can look at pictures here.

Our race has advanced beyond the trappings you Earthlings call "clothes".

The truth is out there.

The Fangirl's Guide to... something

Back story:  Amazon had been hounding me to buy The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy.  I guess that's what happens when your shopping history consists mainly of Harry Potter movies and Pop! Vinyl figures.
I was about to cave when I visited my local library and I spotted the book sitting on a center table display like a beacon shining directly into my nerdy heart.

One of us!  One of us!

After reading it, I realized this same beacon was only masking the song of bad book sirens that were waiting on the rocks to crush my geek girl heart into dust.
Ok... no more seafaring references.
Sam Maggs, if that's your real name, I really wanted to like your book.  I really did.  The title grabbed my attention and the book's petite size made me feel like I was reading the personal journal of a fellow fangirl.  And then I read it...
If I was 12 or 13 and looking for a ready-made identity to morph into, I'd probably think Fangirl's Guide was an awesome book.  The first chapter explains what exactly a fangirl is.  Um... it's in the word.  A girl who is a fan of... something.  Then Maggs goes on to detail various fandoms such as Potterheads and Trekkies. 
Personally, I believe you can be a fangirl for chemistry or General Hospital or craft beers.  Someone can "geek out" about something that isn't a stereotypical "geeky" subject.  Fangirl's Guide just seemed so... basic.  If Tumblr had published a book about its biggest fandoms, it would be Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy.

Other low points:
The little interviews with geek girls who made it big scattered throughout each chapter were not insightful at all.  They were asked to define what a "fangirl" was and they all basically stated a person who is passionate about something.  Thanks for that brand new information!
At one point, she described "levels" of fandom and how a fangirl might acquire a tattoo to represent her queen bee fan status among her peers.
Her tips for con going were nothing earth-shattering that you couldn't find with a quick Google search.
She gave the impression that geek girls will always run up against some form of discrimination from geek boys at conventions, comic book shops, gaming tournaments, etc. based solely on the fact that they are female.  Throughout my years of being a fangirl, I've only run across one rude person, who happened to be male, and who chose to act from the safety of his keyboard via Facebook.  (A simple unfriending solved that problem.)  Maggs gives the impression that cons and comic book shops are full of meanies just waiting for the chance to quiz some poor unsuspecting geek girl on her knowledge of Starfleet ships.
At the end of the book, she touches on feminism and the roles of women in fiction.  Because the subject of over-sexualization of women in comic books and video games has never been broached before this revolutionary book was published.

In the end, this book was a huge disappointment (that I'm glad I didn't actually pay for).  I was hoping for a book of personal anecdotes about forays into cosplaying or the first time someone got schooled at a Pokemon tournament.  What I got was a "how to" guide and no one can tell you how to be a fan of something.  You don't need a book or a website or a blog to tell you how to love something.  You only need passion.
That'll be $19.95 please.

Tales of a Netflix glutton

Greetings from my humble, yet air conditioned abode.  The weekend was a whirlwind of celebrating birthdays (When you're turning seven,  the whole week is spent in you honor, apparently.) and dads.
So I thought I would share a few mini reviews of the shows I've been binge watching.  (Mostly while lying flat on the floor in my skivvies enjoying the cool breeze of a box fan.)

Final 24:  I am guilty of being a tad morbid and Final 24 is definitely on the darker side of shows I've watched.  The show chronicles the last 24 hours in the lives of celebrities that have died.  Tupac Shakur, River Phoenix, and Hunter S. Thompson are among the people profiled.  The shows flips back and forth between reenactments of the deceased's actions in the final hours and interviews with friends and family.  Sadly, there only seem to be two seasons, 14 episodes in total.
My only complaint is that some things presented as fact were actually found to be false.  Of course, when any celebrity is cut down in their prime, rumors will abound but if I can do a five second Google to get to the truth of something, why can't Final 24's writers?

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt:  In case you've been hiding under a rock somewhere and missed everyone and their mom talking about UKS, take my advice and go watch it.  There are only 13 episodes and each episode is about 22 minutes long so I think you could knock it out on a Saturday afternoon.  It is heartwarming and hilarious and chock full of 90s references.  I was only disappointed when it ended because I never learned to pace myself.

Grace and Frankie:  I didn't expect to like this show as much as I did.  I may be able to watch shows about the last 24 hours of a person's life, but the sudden collapse of a long relationship is just too much trauma for me.  I don't know why I'm always drawn to shows about women in their golden years, but I am.  No shame in my game.  There were lots of funny moments but also lots of heartbreaking ones.  I felt all the feels and may have cried a little. 

I can't wait for the second season.

Daredevil:  Admittedly, I had some misgivings about Netflix's Daredevil, having been subjected to Ben Affleck's performance in the 2003 movie, but I am loving this show.  I am nearing the end of the season (Each episode is almost a full hour long, which makes it harder to binge watch on a school night.)  and it is so good.  The show's Frank Miller-esque darkness and the character development of both Daredevil and his nemesis Kingpin are used in just the right amounts.

Now go forth to your couches, my people.

Don't forget to stretch before your marathon.

Bad blogging

Loyal reader(s):

Please excuse P from blogging this week. The creative part of her brain has melted thanks to a faulty air conditioner that still has yet to be repaired.

Seriously, though. Luckily our air conditioner was under warranty which means instead of the 1 million dollars it costs to fix it, we will only pay half that amount.  Lots of people live with only one kidney nowadays, right?
I'm also going out of town and I had scheduled some posts but somehow I ended up deleting the edited drafts and I don't have the time or patience to re-edit them.  Yes, I'm a bad/lazy blogger but I swear I will make it up to you! 
I have posts written (that need polishing) and posts in my brain queue waiting to be written. 
Hopefully you'll have a great week without my witty insight but, just in case you need a little to get by, go watch Daredevil on Netflix. 

Damn Fine Vidya Games: Halo: Combat Evolved

Hello nerd boys and girls,

I'm willing to bet that everyone who has played video games in the last 15 years has heard of the Halo series.  I’m also willing to bet that a significant portion of gamers haven’t played the original Halo game: Combat Evolved.  Halo is the defining game of the Xbox generation of games and deserves a large place in video game history.

First and foremost: I do not play many first person shooter (FPS) games.  I do not play Call of Duty, or Half-Life, or Battlefield.  I’m sure those are probably good games (they are certainly popular), but I don't generally like that style of gaming with the one large exception being Halo.
“But why?”
“Isn’t Halo just another FPS?”
No way!

Halo was, in my opinion, a revolutionary game and it all started with Combat Evolved.  Initially, the multiplayer is what drew me in.  A friend called “Come over and play Halo.  We’ll link up systems”.  I was skeptical and declined but, after weeks of pestering, I gave into my friends and joined them for a Halo LAN party.  Halo: CE was released before Xbox Live existed, so if you wanted more than four players, LAN parties became life.  Nothing quite like the thrill of yelling “go fuck yourself” across a room as you stuck a grenade to someone’s face. 

Halo: Combat Evolved was released for the original Xbox in 2001 as a launch title which meant everyone owned it.  The story revolves around Master Chief (you) and your artificial intelligence guide (Cortana) responding to an attack by the Covenant who are a species of alien bound together by their religion.  During a battle with the Covenant your ship is damaged and you crash land on Halo.  The rest of the game is spent learning what exactly Halo is while trying to survive an onslaught of aliens.  Halo is so well written and so compelling that the player ends up feeling like a large part of the game and story.  In fact, Halo players have felt such a deep connection to Master Chief and Cortana that the series has spawned multiple games, a book series, a comic series, a web series, and a full length movie. 

Since it’s inception Halo: CE has been repackaged twice, once as a high-def anniversary remake for the Xbox 360 and as part of the Master Chief Collection for the Xbox One.  I recommend picking up the anniversary edition (still easy to find) and playing through the game twice.  This edition allows the player to seamlessly change between the HD and original versions.  My suggestion is to first play through the original on "easy" and then play the HD version on whatever difficulty you like.  If you like FPS games, you'll be a natural.  If you’re like me, and FPS games aren't your favorite,  I implore you to try Halo: Combat Evolved on for size.  It’s a great game and should be played at least once by casual and pro gamers alike.

Fangirling: Anaïs Nin

I thought instead of reviewing a book or movie or game, I could talk about one of my favorite authors.
**Full disclosure:  I wrote this post forever ago for my old blog but my AC has been out since Thursday, and I think the part of my brain that is capable of stringing together coherent sentences melted and ran out of my ears at some point yesterday afternoon.**
Is there a book you could read over and over again?  One of those books, for me, is White Oleander by Janet Fitch.  One of the main characters, Ingrid, is a poet and often "prescribes" books to her daughter Astrid to help her cope with her life as a teenager.  One of the authors she brought up was Anaïs Nin, and was immediately curious.  The only thing I'd ever heard about her was that she wrote dirty books.  Why would a mother tell her teenage daughter to read smut?  I had to know!

While Ms.  Nin did write a few volumes of erotica, her published diaries are where the really juicy stuff is hidden.  (I swear I'm not a perv!  Maybe a little bit of a perv.  But a harmless perv.)
A few years ago, I picked up a copy of Anaïs Nin's journal Henry and June and fell instantly in love.   The writing is both poetic and raw and her journaling draws you not only into her life but into her brilliant mind.
I'm going to assume 
Anaïs never fell victim to a boring day in her life.  Not only was she a writer, but also a dancer, an analyst, a mistress, and a muse.  A combination of lover and muse for the author Henry Miller.  She was married to a somewhat reserved banker, but desired her independence during a time when women's desires and dreams were often put on the back burner for household duties and child rearing.  She wanted to venture out to the dive bars, the whorehouses.  To experience life on the fringes while knowing she always had a comfortable house with servants and hot food and clean sheets to scurry back to when shit got real.  She was the queen of slumming it.
I am into my fourth diary now, and I've found them all hard to put down.  While I don't agree with her extramarital activities, her story-telling and poetic language captivate me.  She lived life fully, but she also observed and recorded every tiny detail.  I think writers, with their observation skills and seemingly photographic memories, really know how to exist in the present moment.  
I only wish I could write/blog/journal half as beautifully as Anaïs did.  Or travel the world.  Or be able to pick the brains of sculptors, poets, musicians, actors...
But a little vicarious living  never hurt anyone.



Freaky Friday: Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

Ah, slasher films.
My first experience with horror films was a slasher film. I'm pretty sure it was Jason Takes Manhattan edited to death on USA.  I remember being only slightly scared and laughing as Jason met another demise in the NYC sewer system.  I told my mother, who never gave a toss to emotional scarring, and she said that was nothing and I had to watch the original.  From there I graduated to Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Sleepaway Camp... 
I didn't sleep much but damn were my friends jealous of my viewing habits.
Where was I?
Oh, right.  Slasher films.  Imagine filming a documentary in a world where slasher greats like Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger actually exist and you get Behind the Mask:  The Rise of Leslie Vernon.  The documentary crew follows up-and-coming psycho killer Leslie Vernon as he prepares for the odious task of killing off a houseful of teenagers.
Leslie works under the "rules" set forth by his killer role models, sort of Scream-esque where sexual freedom is a one way ticket to an axe to the head and you should never tell anyone that you will "be right back". 

BRB!  LOL!  JK!

As the movie progresses, the documentary crew realizes that Leslie actually plans to go through with his plans and they try to talk him out of it which is when the movie hooks a one-eighty from darkly humorous "mockumentary" to "shit just got real" slasher film.
On a one to five star rating system, I'd give Behind the Mask a solid three.  The idea was a refreshing change of pace from the tired new horror that Hollywood has been ramming down our throats since the first Paranormal Activity.  The humor was definitely suffering from a lack of timing.  Parts that should have been funny weren't and parts that seemed to be serious were delivered in an almost slapstick manner.  But maybe I just don't get the nuances of black comedy horror genre.
Have you seen it?
How did it make you feel?
Do you hate horror movies and wish I would talk more freely about my secret love of rom-coms?

My log has something to tell you

I get that blind box toys are supposed to be bought unopened to achieve the maximum surprise factor, I had to make an exception for the Twin Peaks Bearbrick figures.

They only made two:  Laura Palmer and Special Agent Dale Cooper.  They each come with a little "Welcome to Twin Peaks" population card and they belong to the 21st series of Bearbrick toys in the "horror" genre.

Obviously, Coop seems tame in his suit and striped tie.

The owls are not what they seem.  Unless this one seems like a ceramic figurine to you.

And then we have Laura...

The award for most morbid toy goes to...

I can't decide whether or not I want to take her out of the plastic.  She seems more accurate this way.

My only regret is that there is no beach here to take these pictures.

And what better soundtrack for playing with your Twin Peaks toys than Julee Cruise on vinyl? This is a promotional copy featuring music from Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet.

Just try to remember you aren't actually in Blue Velvet and go wandering naked through your front yard.

It's the time of the season

For a new Harvest Moon game:

Always pre-order the games that come with adorable bunnies

I haven't always been a fan of the Harvest Moon franchise.  Simulated farming?  Who wants to do that?  I attempted to play a version for the PlayStation but the hours in the day went by too quickly and I'd find my little farmer fainting before he could even plant one lousy field.  Years later I decided to give it another shot on my DS with Harvest Moon:  Grand Bazaar.  I sunk hours and hours into the game.  I dreamed about it.  I named my children after its characters.  Then I got to a stopping point and I ended up trading it in.
Then came The Tale of Two Towns which just never quite filled the hole in my heart left by Grand Bazaar.  So I was skeptical  when my local Game Stop advisers tried to talk up Story of Seasons.

GSA:  "But, you love Harvest Moon-type games.  We know you'll like it."

Me:  "I can't just be giving my heart to random games that don't make me feel like I'm the only player for them.   I want a love like I had with Grand Bazaar."

GSA:  "If you pre-order, you get this adorable stuffed rabbit!"

Me:  "Shut up and take my money!"

Story of Seasons (SoS for brevity's sake) has a lot of features customary to most of the Harvest Moon games:
You find yourself the owner of a rundown farm
You buy animals and raise crops
You can hunt around town for herbs, flowers, building materials, etc.
You can build relationships with your fellow townsfolk and, eventually, get hitched
The Nature Sprites make an appearance in this game (What can you do with them?  Um, let me get back to you on that.)

SoS features a Trade Depot where people from neighboring towns come to hawk their wares.  This is where you can buy animals and tools, materials, and seeds that aren't found in your town.  You can also swim in the surrounding rivers to find fish and materials like gem stones and iron.  Blueprints are needed to build animal houses, a refrigerator, fences for your farm, and for upgrading your farm tools.
As you progress in the game, it is possible to rent other fields that have special purposes like mushroom farming and beekeeping.  The only problem is you have to compete with the other farmers in town for the rights to use the fields.  One of the farmers lives in a damn mansion!  Seriously?  I can't compete with that.   Must be nice when all your farming is handled by the hired help.
I spend the majority of my farming day working on my fields and taking care of my animals.  One of my cows had a baby.  So freaking exciting.  I can't wait to be able to raise angora rabbits and llamas and whatever other critters SoS throws my way.
The relationship aspect bores me.  I talk to everyone in town, but I find the intricacies of finding a man to settle down with to be too tedious.  I have to cook his favorite meal so he'll like me?  How fucking cliche!  I just want to harvest my turnips and play with my cows and chickens.
I'm a loner, Dottie.  A rebel.