Friday Favorites – Links and a Whole Lot More

April 27, 2012 By 27 Comments

It’s time to share some of my favorite things from this past week or so. Enjoy!

What Makes a Man Sexy? Part 1 and Part 2: Those who know me probably find it odd that a post with this name is on my list, but this isn’t about shirtless men with rock hard abs. Imelda uses some famous examples of men who are sexy in the ways that matter, at least to me. (The fact that Dr. Who gets some love in the posts makes me just a bit partial.)

Marcy Kennedy’s Blog: Yes, I know. I just gave you the link to an entire blog. That’s because I rarely miss a post by Marcy. She writes about writing (and knows her stuff) and geekery, sometimes combined, and has the ability to entertain and teach at the same time. She’s also a pretty cool human being.

Where in the World?: Ingrid’s post asks where you would go if you could take a sabbatical, then shares photos of where she would head. I have to admit, it got me daydreaming about where I could go. In the end, I spent some time browsing vacation properties in Scotland and emailing them to the hubs. Fingers crossed for a future anniversary.

How (Not) to Write Great Characters: An amusing take on writing characters in your story by Ava Jae. I totally need to go edit that twirly mustache now.

When Famous People Are on Trial: Mary is new to the blogging world and writes with authority as a former Federal Prosecutor. Being a fan of all things law, I am super excited to see what posts she has simmering.

Who’s Ready to Stop the Insanity?: Bella is a total sweetheart of a blogger. Don’t believe me? Check the girl’s comments. Readers can’t help but get into a conversation with this girl. Her post on women and defining pretty is worth talking about.

Games You Should Be Playing: If you love games, you should be following Jen Kirchner’s series. She tells you what is worth playing in a very amusing way. I may never get anything done ever.

New to blogging and can’t seem to figure out what you’re doing? Been blogging for a while, but running out of ideas? Check out Liberty Montano’s Novel Blogging. Totally meets my criteria for educational and entertaining without an ounce of condescension.

And of course, for all things TV related, check out my Wednesday writing partner, Tiffany White. This week she told us who the most slapworthy characters are on TV.

On the non-blog front:

I think board games are pretty awesome. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to play too many since the kid came along (tiny pieces and toddlers don’t mix). The new web series Tabletop on Felicia Day’s Geek and Sundry Channel is geekery at it’s finest. The show teaches you how to play a new game each week, care of Wil Wheaton and a few interesting guests. Check out this week’s Settler of Catan.

When I am writing, I always have music playing. This week I discovered the sounds of Pale White Moon. The fact that they hail from New Haven, CT may have something to do with my attraction (since, a number of years ago, a little baby was born in a hospital there who’s name is ME). You can learn more about them here. Check out the track Heirlooms.

A big thank you to all of my readers, particularly those who have been following my Tell Me a Story series. I’ve received some fantastic messages both public and private and it means a ton to me that you all are enjoying the story. If you are one of those enjoying the tale, the next time you think to forward that funny cat video to your coworkers, family, or friends, why not shoot them a link to the series? :)

Have a great weekend, everyone! I’m off to figure out how to make this happen:

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Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Eureka! (Again)

April 25, 2012 By 10 Comments

This week on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday, Tiffany and I hit you with a little Sci-Fi television with Lost Girl and Eureka.

Wait a minute? Haven’t we discussed Eureka before?

Well, sort of.

Back in August of last year, I started a Eureka review only to spin it into a bit of a rant on the state of Sci-Fi on television. I discovered while reviewing that the show received its walking papers, so a rant about the networks killing science fiction ensued. You can read it here if you weren’t with us back then.

The first episode of Eureka’s final season aired recently, so it seemed like an appropriate time to revisit the review.

Eureka is set in a small Oregon town (actually filmed in British Columbia) inhabited by scientists and geniuses.  It is a government-financed community that allows the townspeople to cultivate their gifts and cultivate their various projects.

At the center of it all is former U.S. Marshal and now reluctant town sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson), who helps the town figure out various mysterious events that take place, usually as a result of the town’s various experiments.  Jack’s character, while not a genius like everyone else, repeatedly saves the day.  His ability to think simply and not “get in his own way” gives him a special skill most in the town lack.

What I really love about the show is how this average guy, Sheriff Carter, becomes a vital part of this genius community. His IQ (111, which he is pretty proud of) practically makes him an idiot compared to his neighbors, yet that doesn’t get in the way of his job. In fact, in a lot of ways, it is why he is so good at it.

The show isn’t just full of geek goodies. There’s family drama for Jack, who is raising his somewhat rebellious daughter, navigating the complications of an ex, and the possibility of romance. In other words, the show has story, not just cool toys and quips.

I’ve watched more episodes since my rant last year and I can honestly say, if you enjoy quirk and you enjoy Science Fiction, add this one to your Netflix queue. For extra geekiness, keep your eye out for recurring characters played by geek god and goddess, Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day.

Insert geeky squee.

New episodes are currently airing on the SyFy network (the network that cancelled the show despite the fact that it is one of their most watched, sending the interwebs into an uproar) and Hulu.

I have to give Eureka a MacTV. While there is the occasional cheese factor, it’s cheese I enjoy oh-so-well. Definitely satisfying, and leaves you ready to go back for seconds.

Now click over to Tiffany’s blog and find out more about Lost Girl.

Come back next week when we review something fun and interesting…  
Remember to stop by the #watchwed hashtag in Twitter to discuss any of today’s reviews, or to mention any television programs that you’d like to see on Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday in the future.
A Recap of The WatchWed Review System:
GTV (Gourmet TV): Everything we want and more
MacTV (MacNCheese TV): Guilty pleasure. Not perfect, but is satisfies
GMacTV (Gourmet MacNCheese TV): A combination of fine wine and comfort food
JFTV (Junk food TV): It’s not great for us, but we’ll go back for seconds
TBPTV (Twice Baked Potato TV): Part gourmet and delicious, while absolutely horrible for our cholesterol
SSTV (Still Simmering TV): It has potential, but the jury is still out
NIV (Nyquil Induced Viewing): Perfect for that late night television sleep timer
LOTV (Liver&Onions TV): Do we really have to explain? Blech

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Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday – Eureka

August 24, 2011 By 19 Comments

It’s Sci-Fi week again here on “Why It’s Worth a Watch Wednesday” (#watchwed).  Tiffany is talking about Warehouse 13, while I bring you Eureka.

Eureka is set in a small Oregon town (actually filmed in British Columbia) inhabited by scientists and geniuses.  It is a government-financed community that allows the townspeople to cultivate their gifts and cultivate their various projects.

At the center of it all is former U.S. Marshal and now reluctant town sheriff Jack Carter (Colin Ferguson), who helps the town figure out various mysterious events that take place, usually as a result of the town’s various experiments.  Jack’s character, while not a genius like everyone else, repeatedly saves the day.  His ability to think simply and not “get in his own way” gives him a special skill most in the town lack.

The show is always quirky, with occasional dark moments…

Wait a minute.

*flipping through notes*

Uh.  This is a little embarrassing.  It would appear that Eureka has been cancelled.  And it would appear that some of the actors involved found out via Twitter.  Awkward.

Instead of a review, I’d like to take a moment to mourn for all you Sci-Fi lovers out there.  It would appear that you (or more accurately, we) are not feeling the love from the networks.  Other than Fringe, which has been given the death sentence that is a Friday night timeslot, and the upcoming Terra Nova, what Sci-Fi shows are left on the major networks?

And with SyFy’s “rebranding”, you’re hard pressed to tune in and actually find Science Fiction.  Yes, there’s still Warehouse 13 and the new series Alphas.  But then there’s also a rash of “reality” ghost hunting shows and wrestling.

Yes.  Wrestling.

As a matter of fact, aside from the upcoming Battlestar Galactica prequel Blood and Chrome, the list of future shows on the network are almost entirely reality programming.  And with the current interest in the Fantasy Genre, you can bet that any non-reality programming will have something to do with vampires and werewolves.

Now, I understand that TV is a money making business, and if a show is expensive to maintain, then it gets difficult to keep it.  I don’t know much about visual effects, but I can imagine they can be costly.

Maybe not spending money on movies like Sharktopus and spending it on the shows that actually have viewers like Eureka would be a good idea.

But what do I know.

So, join me for a moment of silence for Eureka.  And, I fear, for the science fiction genre on television.

Were you a Eureka fan?  What do you think of the decline of Science Fiction options on television, particularly on the SyFy network?

Now, head over to Tiffany White’s post to find out about the still-on-air Warehouse 13!

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