Go watch this poem. It is loverly. I mean, many girls would love to get love poetry in general (I know I certainly would) but this is a wonderful poem for all us chicks who dig lit.

Or watch it here, but you should really go to Mark Grist’s website. I’m about to check out the rest of his stuff but I’m already impressed.

Yes, the word love appears a lot in this post. It was Valentine’s Day this week people. It’s that kind of week.

What could be cooler than alternative versions of well-known and beloved stories? How about watching Doctor Who get onboard with the characters of Star Trek: The Next Generation? It sounds like a joke, doesn’t it? But it’s not! See, it’s for realz.

That’s right, Picard and the Doctor will be combining forces to take on evil allies the Cybermen and the Borg. The TARDIS and the Enterprise on the same page! Major sci-fi television icons on the same page! 

Yes, I hear what you’re saying – it could be amazingly awful. But it could just be amazing. And for under $5 I’ll happily take the time to find out. 

I’m not normally one for self-help books. I read He’s Just Not That Into You out of sheer morbid curiosity once. That’s about it. 

However, for Christmas this year I asked for, and received, The Nerdist Way by Chris Hardwick. I wanted his book for a couple of reasons, the first being mainly I’m a big fan of The Nerdist podcast, which makes all of the driving I do on the obscenely straight highways of Alberta better (seriously, if you’re not aware, whoever designed Alberta, Canada was obsessed with the grid system. Being from a more mountainous/river filled/generally complicated to drive province, I find all the straight roads very neat but boring. Though it is absurdly hard to get lost). The Nerdist is a great podcast and the website is cool, and I really admire Hardwick for making such a good go of being a nerd for profit. Which brings us to the second reason I wanted the book – I was looking to learn a little about how he managed that nerd-for-profit status. 

Hardwick’s definite target audience is nerds, especially your stereotypical overweight, socially problematic non-starter nerd. Because of this, and the fact that I never did play D&D growing up (or now….) I didn’t click with the book quite as much – but then again, I’ve got a job and career I love, a good relationship, great friendships and an utterly insane cat befitting an evil genius. I have an excellent credit score, no addictions problems, etc, etc. 

Still, though, Hardwick nicely rounds it up into three sections – mind, body and time. I found mind and time most useful, mostly because while I was getting into decent shape before an ongoing injury is making “body” a bit of a moot point for the moment until a few more hoops are jumped through. Between mind and time, the time part is the part I found most inspiring. 

I have a lot of side projects (including this one) that I’d like to get started on and Hardwick’s book, which I literally just put down approximately 10 minutes ago, reminded me the easiest way to do this is a) just start already and b) discipline is key! The most productive month of my life was NaNoWriMo 2009 and I’ve never felt as good about any of my creative projects since – and it’s time to get that back. 

Anyways, Hardwick has a fun, engaging writing style I found a breeze to whip through. It helps if you get the nerdy references, so if you don’t know that Hoth is the winter/ice planet from Star Wars, you  might be better off getting your advice from someone else. 

Still, as self-help books go, it inspired me to immediately hit up my blog and try and keep my “it’s February and I’m going to blog three times a week” goal up, so check it out if you too need a push in the right direction. 

Which, for an event where I was already pretty excited about the guests, pumps up the awesome. 

There is going to be a separate event for the full cast reunion with a separate ticket fee, which kind of bites, but frankly as this is apparently the first time in 20 years all of the TNG cast has been together at the same event I’m willing to shell out for it. 

This news was released on Sunday night, which I happened to catch on my Facebook feed while waiting to watch something with my significant other. My reaction was hilarious and apparently it’s one of the happiest states he’s ever seen me in. 

TNG is something I started watching when I was four or five and it came out, I was already a TOS fan courtesy of my parents. It’s my favourite Trek series, and definitely the one with the largest influence on me. TNG inspired everything from my love of Shakespeare (see the title of this blog) to learning how to play poker when I was nine. 

I’m looking forward to some good “those were the days” stories and just basking in the “this is amazing” glow of it all, even if it is at the Stampede Corral, which is hardly intimate. 

Anyways, the event in general has apparently grown to be the second largest in Canada and certainly will have made a name for itself after this master stroke. Hurray! Check them out if you feel like Alberta in April is a good idea.

-Zachary Levi and Yvonne Stravhoski had instant chemistry, despite how far both of their characters have come in five years.

-I miss Levi’s curls, but not Josh Gomez’s original hair. Not even sure what to say about it.

-I like the warmer, fuzzier Casey of more recent years, but it is awesome to see Adam Baldwin be so badass. “No, we’re the good guys,” he says while holding a gun on Chuck.

-I really do love this show. I love the ensemble, I love the chemistry, I love the nerd herdy goodness of it all.

And now onto Chuck vs. Sarah. SPOILERS. SPOILERS. SPOILERS.

-Firstly, I like Yvonne’s hair a lot better now.

-How cute is the Chuck/Sarah relationship? Chuck’s come a long way when it comes to deal with women. Massages by candlelight? Where do I sign up?

-Ahaha, Joshua Gomez “I went from pipsqueaky …. to this.” Hilarious. And Adam Baldwin. “Do you really think I’ve changed?” Yes, yes you have Casey. You’re scrubbing floors and complaining about taquitos.

-Cloak of Invisibility. This is what I was talking about when I say I love the geeky references.

-Another wrecked intersect white room. Looks an awful lot like the room Bryce Larkin blew up in the first one.

-O goddamnit, I’m tearing up watching Chuck try and get Sarah to remember him. Damnit.

-And she’s gone. In so many ways. Well, let’s see what….

Chuck vs. the Goodbye has in store for us!

-I’m sorry, she got herself into that suitcase how?

-Fulcrum, the Ring and Volkoff name dropping in like two sentences? They’re having fun.

-I like the “let’s get Chuck Bartowski out of bed” committee. Also, you tell him, Ellie. He’s not the man he was five years ago. Ie, he’s not trying to sneak out of his own birthday party cause there are strangers there.

-Not wasting ONE moment by having the traditional opening credits. Good call, though I do love the music for the opening credits.

-”I need old Casey.” But we love NEW Casey, General!

-I’m starting to get genuinely concerned Sarah’s not going to get her memory back. I know it’s cliche but I want the happy ending, damnit!

-that Mexican band is just like the place they went on their first date. Which Chuck just pointed out, making my observation much less cool.

-Morgan: This is NOT a fairy tale, she’s not going to get her memories back with a kiss. Unless I’m wrong.

-The Weinerlicious? Really? What is this, the greatest hit tour?

-I’m never looking at my bamboo skewer collection the same way.

-of COURSE he shot the helicopter. Accidentally. I think.

-O Casey. You’re not that tough. Call your daughter!

-”I don’t mean that. But I have to be ruthless.” See Casey? Embrace your teddy bear self! And you tell him, Morgan! Yay Casey!

-Awesome’s grimace and covering of baby Clara’s eyes because her grandmother is holding a gun was awesome.

-I do love Linda Hamilton as Chuck and Ellie’s mom.

-I’d look scared at the intervention of Jeff and Lester too, General.

-Nice way to work in Jeffster without having to just toss them in arbitrarily.

-Don’t put those glasses on, Chuck Bartowski! Don’t you dare!

-Please crash it with the porn star virus.  YES. Yes they are! (this is why I watched the first one before I watched the finale).

-Best line of the night? “Chuck, find the porn virus, find it now.”

-A standing ovation for Jeffster!

-No Casey, don’t leave! More tearing up on this end here.

-Nice Subway work-in. Thank you Subway for saving the show a couple seasons back.

-I feel like Jeff and Lester just fell for the classic “get into my van and have some candy” trick.

-Aww, Casey. Go after Gertrude! I forgive you for leaving now.

-O, Ellie and Chuck. I love the sibling relationship.

-Back on the beach from the first episode. Realllly glad I watched the premiere first.

-And now I’ve broken down crying. Damnit.

Well that’s over. I’m glad that they had the chance to solidly wrap it up. With no Doctor Who for awhile and no more Chuck ever, what am I going to watch for my geeky quotient every week?

(btw, I am still totally crying. Not as hard as I cried at the ending of Star Trek: TNG or DS9, but crying just the same).

I am sad to see Chuck ending – I’ve just caught up on Chuck vs. the Bullet Train, and it definitely gets my vote for the best use of the Canadian anthem in a fictional television show, but I am genuinely concerned they’re going to kill someone. It’s not like they don’t have a track record for it. They’re already bordering on heartbreaking.

It’s a great show, and I’m sorry I only came to it the last couple of years, but it’s my favourite “geeky” show. While I love the Big Bang Theory, it’s a show that makes its geekdom obvious. Chuck’s premise is obviously geeky, but what takes it to the next level is the injokes, the references and their parade of sci-fi awesomeness guest stars (ie, Ben Browder in the most recent episode, aka Col. Cameron Mitchell from Stargate SG-1.) Linda Hamilton. Scott Bakula. The list goes on.

So, predictions for Chuck, ladies and gentlemen? Will all our main characters be spared? Will Sarah and Chuck survive this little bump in the road? Will they finally go into retirement as planned?

Seriously though, aside from The Hobbit trailer (which I did manage to watch) what have I missed? Links? Suggestions? News tidbits? Anyone?

It turns out this is my 42nd post. This makes me happy for reasons anyone reading this blog should understand. If you don’t, go read Douglas Adam’s best-known work, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and get in on o-so-many geek in jokes you never even realized were happening…

Instead of doing a massive gift suggestion post, I’m going to do a couple a day. Today’s theme: Webcomic lovers!

1) Lots of webcomic artists now have enough strips that they have one to several collected works books out. An awesome gift that some people might not splurge on themselves, because hey, they can always go read the archives, but would probably really appreciate. I know I’d really like to get my hands on the Questionable Content books because Jeph Jacques went through and redid all the old art.

2) Signed prints, plushies, t-shirts. Many of the artists are making quite a go of making a living off their work. And really, when it’s something you check several times a week and get lots of entertainment value off of it (or, since it’s Christmas, a loved one does), it’s nice to support the artist occasionally by buying their merch. New this week for Something Positive fans: the Choo Choo Bear plushie is available for pre-order. It probably won’t be ready for Christmas, but order it anyways, print out a photo and put it under the tree.

I don’t read too many webcomics, but some of the ones I do read I’ve been following for over eight years. My personal favourites: Something Positive (the only webcomic that’s made me cry, and one I started reading so long ago my family was still on dialup. Try going through hundreds of archived comics on DIALUP), Questionable Content (awesome character development with a medium sized cast), Queen of Wands (it’s a completed story line. I came near to tears when it ended), it’s sequel Punch an Pie (currently on hiatus, but starting back up soonish), Girls With Slingshots (My most recent addition to my reading list, and I just ordered a copy of the Grammar Strip which is amazing) and Faux Pas (a little cutesy, but the first webcomic I ever started reading). Of course I pop occasionally over to XKCD to catch up but don’t read it as loyally as I do these other ones.

Pretty much I want one that has the blimp, but also has the hanging boat-like compartment instead of just the sleek blimp itself. Kind of like this one but without the wings. Anyone got any leads?

From flickr user nsjmetzger.

So, since I’ve never read any of her books and am on a reading tear lately, if I was to read one McCaffrey book, what would it be?