Geek Confessions & Blasphemies

hbi2k wrote:
Mimble wrote:

My own confession, I had a quiet but super hard-core crush on Wil Wheaton. I mean, he liked the same books as me (unless Tiger Beat lied and he actually hates Stephen King novels) and I thought he was the cutest guy ever. I watched so much TNG because of that crush (and endless viewings of Stand By Me, too). Then I grew up a bit and developed a crush on Patrick Stewart (and still watched TNG because I liked it). Rawr!

I believe that every straight man is allowed one gay crush while still remaining straight.

Patrick Stewart is my gay crush.

Patrick Stewart is my straight crush, and Scarlett Johansen is my "super hot lady make-outs" crush. You know, because I have a shot in hell of ever meeting either of them...

Mimble wrote:

Patrick Stewart is my straight crush, and Scarlett Johansen is my "super hot lady make-outs" crush. You know, because I have a shot in hell of ever meeting either of them...

Patrick Stewart lives in my neighborhood, as I accidentally discovered when I spotted him across a crowded restaurant. Anyway he's totally DREAMY and one of these days I'm going to start lurking outside his house.

lostlobster wrote:

The criminal investigator fury at all the CSI shows?

Through my dad and a couple other sources I know a lot of people involved in this sort of field, and you can't even mention those kind of shows in front of them. The hatred is there if you run in those circles.

thejustinbot wrote:
lostlobster wrote:

The criminal investigator fury at all the CSI shows?

Through my dad and a couple other sources I know a lot of people involved in this sort of field, and you can't even mention those kind of shows in front of them. The hatred is there if you run in those circles.

My Dad says the same thing whenever paramedics are on TV, he laughs and laughs, and points out all the ways in which they do things wrong (which is everything ever apparently).

One day there will be a show about sexy technical writers, and then I'll have something to pick apart too!

thejustinbot wrote:
lostlobster wrote:

The criminal investigator fury at all the CSI shows?

Through my dad and a couple other sources I know a lot of people involved in this sort of field, and you can't even mention those kind of shows in front of them. The hatred is there if you run in those circles.

That comes more from the CSI effect on juries though, to my understanding, who apparently think DNA should be used for every case no matter how minor or how much of a slamdunk it is without DNA. (eg. we found the knife in his room with blood on it, which had dripped down the street from her corpse... then the jury is like, how do you know the knife was used on her? Where is teh DNAs?!)

Demosthenes wrote:
thejustinbot wrote:
lostlobster wrote:

The criminal investigator fury at all the CSI shows?

Through my dad and a couple other sources I know a lot of people involved in this sort of field, and you can't even mention those kind of shows in front of them. The hatred is there if you run in those circles.

That comes more from the CSI effect on juries though, to my understanding, who apparently think DNA should be used for every case no matter how minor or how much of a slamdunk it is without DNA. (eg. we found the knife in his room with blood on it, which had dripped down the street from her corpse... then the jury is like, how do you know the knife was used on her? Where is teh DNAs?!)

That's part of it, but I did go to a writing panel with some CSI people, and at least one pushed his irritation with the "bullsh*t UV pens" to nearly irrational levels.

lostlobster wrote:

And my over-the-top response was to the over-the-top vitriol that people have toward the show. Perfectly understandable to not find it funny.

For me, the only reason I dislike it more than any of the other bland CBS shows, is people assume I must love it, when I found it shrill and annoying.

SpacePPoliceman wrote:

For me, the only reason I dislike it more than any of the other bland CBS shows, is people assume I must love it, when I found it shrill and annoying.

That's a good point. I can't even be bothered to watch, much less dislike, most sitcoms. I only gave BBT any kind of chance since "people" told me I would like it.

grobstein wrote:
Mimble wrote:

Patrick Stewart is my straight crush, and Scarlett Johansen is my "super hot lady make-outs" crush. You know, because I have a shot in hell of ever meeting either of them...

Patrick Stewart lives in my neighborhood, as I accidentally discovered when I spotted him across a crowded restaurant. Anyway he's totally DREAMY and one of these days I'm going to start lurking outside his house.

Do it. I will totally post your bail when he calls the cops on you.

Oh, and take pics and post them here before the PoPo slap the cuffs on.

thejustinbot wrote:
lostlobster wrote:

The criminal investigator fury at all the CSI shows?

Through my dad and a couple other sources I know a lot of people involved in this sort of field, and you can't even mention those kind of shows in front of them. The hatred is there if you run in those circles.

My mom's a nurse. It was impossible to watch ER with her because she would call every single medical twist fifteen minutes before it happened.

lostlobster wrote:

I am amazed at the hatred for BBT.
Anyway. BBT makes me laugh, and they wear their geekdom lovingly and with respect, imho.
?

To each his own and I don't begrudge anyone enjoying anything. I just don't find the show funny at all. To me, it's a group of writers coming up with that they thank geekdom or nerdom is about, their perspective. To me, it would seem that, in the writer's eyes, you are 100% geek or 0% geek and, oh by the way, geek = dork (in the minds of the writers).

I just don't enjoy it but I understand others do. I also think that there are those who probably feel like they have to watch it just to ensure they are consuming the full pantheon of geek culture, something I've never felt compelled to do.

Tim

I liked John Carter. I thought it was fun.

spider_j wrote:

I've never finished The Lord Of The Rings trilogy.

I got about half way through The Two Towers once. I have never even tried The Hobbit.

The way to read Tolkien is to skip the bits that are boring you or are strenuous to read.

And the Hobbit, by virtue of its target audience, is a much easier, funner, lighter read than LotR.

infromsea wrote:
lostlobster wrote:

I am amazed at the hatred for BBT.
Anyway. BBT makes me laugh, and they wear their geekdom lovingly and with respect, imho.
?

To each his own and I don't begrudge anyone enjoying anything. I just don't find the show funny at all. To me, it's a group of writers coming up with that they thank geekdom or nerdom is about, *snip

That's where I think you're perspective is a bit off.

It's not a show about geekdom.
It's a show about a group of people, 80% of whom happen to be geeks/nerds, and their interactions with each other and other people.

Calling BBT a show about Geekdom/Nerddom is a bit like calling Sherlock Holmes a book about forensics.
It's not. Yes, forensics is an important part of what Holmes does, but so is observation, logic, research, data/knowledge.
It's a book about a (the first) private detective and the cases he solves.
BBT's not about Geekdom.
It's about a group of friends. Some of them are geeks and nerds of various types and degrees. Actually, all of the main characters are.

Anyway.

Grenn wrote:

I liked John Carter. I thought it was fun.

*high five* Me too. It's a shame that it was such a clusterfudge of production. Could have been an interesting franchise. But I'll keep it. Right next to my love of Flash Gordon and Buckaroo Banzai.

KingGorilla wrote:

Not sure if Big Bang hate is taboo, I have heard more negative than positive with how it portrays nerds and scientists and women.

Obviously very late to this party, and I'm sure I am missing all the later comments. Anyway...

My husband's a physics professor. I ask him about how accurately The Big Bang Theory portrays the profession, and he clenches his jaw and rolls his eyes. "Not a bit," he says. I've seen a few articles about how all the equations on the blackboards, etc., get checked out for accuracy prior to shows airing, but as for the rest? I only have my husband's word, and he hates the show.

Mimble wrote:
grobstein wrote:
Mimble wrote:

Patrick Stewart is my straight crush, and Scarlett Johansen is my "super hot lady make-outs" crush. You know, because I have a shot in hell of ever meeting either of them...

Patrick Stewart lives in my neighborhood, as I accidentally discovered when I spotted him across a crowded restaurant. Anyway he's totally DREAMY and one of these days I'm going to start lurking outside his house.

Do it. I will totally post your bail when he calls the cops on you.

Oh, and take pics and post them here before the PoPo slap the cuffs on. ;-)

ME TOO!

Is it young or old (read shaved head) Patrick Stewart that you really dig? Here's my geeky fun fact: he was FANTASTIC as Sejanus in I, Claudius. And had a lovely head of curly hair. That's my classicist geekiness coming through there.

Mimble wrote:

Just read this entire thread in one sitting...no filthy skimmers here!

LarryC wrote:

I think manga is an excellent example of the comic book medium, and it saddens me that many Western comic artists either avoid it altogether, or take the wrong kind of lessons from it. It's not the Disney eyes nor the sometimes graphic violence that makes great manga great.

I feel your sadness

IMAGE(http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss332/Mimble75/sad-manga-1.png)

I do like manga though, and for me I either like the story (Death Note) or love the art work (Vampire Knight - the story line got so convoluted for me, I stopped reading).

As for confessions...

MrAndrewJ wrote:

We're all dancing around a lie.
Several multi-national multibillion dollar media conglomerates can make a profit catering to an alleged subculture during their prime time slots. It's no longer a subculture.

Most of it no longer resembles what it's pretending to be. It starts to look every bit as stupid as ten million kids showing naval piercings through flannel shirts, adoring a radio station that plays only ten songs in constant rotation, and calling that swill an 'alternative' to some other swill. I almost wouldn't care except that it's time to remove "geek" and "nerd" from entirely from the conversation.

This. I don't really identify with "geek" and "nerd" labels, though, I've had them pasted on me pretty liberally as a person who plays D&D, likes video games, reads fantasy etc. I just like what I like, end of story. So when I see stuff like BBT "soft kitty" shirts, or bowling bags with Sheldon Cooper's face plastered on them, I always wonder if they are aiming for people who want to identify with the "nerd" and "geek" labels because it's another way to belong to something (plus the bonus points for wearing pop culture references that many people will instantly "get", which further confirms your ability to belong and fit in).

Speaking as someone who had the crap kicked out of him for being a nerd; who was told his pursuits were ungodly & blasphemous; and who was told he was wasting his time and energy on something that would never amount to anything: I'm glad we appear to be at a point where people feel they can say geek is mainstream and it's not it's own thing anymore. That's what happens when you're a second generation to anything: you don't appreciate that it was actually difficult for those who came before you.

Now I'm not saying this is a Stonewall thing by any stretch of the imagination, but it took a long time and a lot of Geek Pride before this mainstream you speak of came about.

I don't get on the bandwagon for shows until they're cancelled/scheduled to end

I started watching Lost, Breaking Bad, and Eureka all after they had announced their final seasons.

I only watched Firefly, BSG, Pushing Daises, and dozens of other shows after they had wrapped up.

McIrishJihad wrote:

I don't get on the bandwagon for shows until they're cancelled/scheduled to end

What? Breaking Bad on its final season? My love for Malcolm's Dad (Brian Cranston) has gotten me curious to try sampling some BB for awhile now. If AMC would just run one of those whole-show marathons like they do occasionally for The Walking Dead.

(I normally wait for TV shows to get DVD-tized before watching.)

Keithustus wrote:
McIrishJihad wrote:

I don't get on the bandwagon for shows until they're cancelled/scheduled to end

What? Breaking Bad on its final season? My love for Malcolm's Dad (Brian Cranston) has gotten me curious to try sampling some BB for awhile now. If AMC would just run one of those whole-show marathons like they do occasionally for The Walking Dead.

(I normally wait for TV shows to get DVD-tized before watching.)

The first four seasons of BB are up on Netflix.

McIrishJihad wrote:

I don't get on the bandwagon for shows until they're cancelled/scheduled to end

A lot of shows are really much better when you can watch them at your own pace rather than whenever the networks feel like airing them.

Keithustus wrote:
McIrishJihad wrote:

I don't get on the bandwagon for shows until they're cancelled/scheduled to end

What? Breaking Bad on its final season? My love for Malcolm's Dad (Brian Cranston) has gotten me curious to try sampling some BB for awhile now. If AMC would just run one of those whole-show marathons like they do occasionally for The Walking Dead.

(I normally wait for TV shows to get DVD-tized before watching.)

Season 5 is going to be the final season, and 1-4 are on Netflix as Jayhawker mentioned. Episodes from 5 are on Amazon Instant Streaming, but $2/pop.

All throughout Season 4, you're sitting there going "No - just...don't do that. That's the worst thing you can do!" and watching the train wreck continue in slow motion.

Jayhawker wrote:

The first four seasons of BB are up on Netflix.

McIrishJihad wrote:

...1-4 are on Netflix as Jayhawker mentioned. Episodes from 5 are on Amazon Instant Streaming, but $2/pop.

I've never taken the Netflix dive. Is it worth it? Considering I'm already paying $80/mo for internet/TV/DVR, $75/mo for my phone, $50/yr for XBLA, (I bought a bunch of annual cards just after they raised the price), & $10 for every 16 episodes of The Daily Show, it never seemed to really make sense to me to pay another $8/mo just to get unlimited rentals. At least I don't have a monthly MMO subscription. When I like a show or movie, I buy the DVDs or Blu-Rays. Can I preload Netflix video downloads or am I subject to internet streaming bottlenecks? And I recall a few months back when they were talking about splitting Netflix that the TV and movie studios were frustrated with poor revenues they were getting from Netflix and would offer less and later content. Has this happened, or can you still pretty much get whatever you want when the DVDs/Blu-Rays are released?

Keithustus wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:

The first four seasons of BB are up on Netflix.

McIrishJihad wrote:

...1-4 are on Netflix as Jayhawker mentioned. Episodes from 5 are on Amazon Instant Streaming, but $2/pop.

I've never taken the Netflix dive. Is it worth it? Considering I'm already paying $80/mo for internet/TV/DVR, $75/mo for my phone, $50/yr for XBLA, (I bought a bunch of annual cards just after they raised the price), & $10 for every 16 episodes of The Daily Show, it never seemed to really make sense to me to pay another $8/mo just to get unlimited rentals. At least I don't have a monthly MMO subscription. When I like a show or movie, I buy the DVDs or Blu-Rays. Can I preload Netflix video downloads or am I subject to internet streaming bottlenecks? And I recall a few months back when they were talking about splitting Netflix that the TV and movie studios were frustrated with poor revenues they were getting from Netflix and would offer less and later content. Has this happened, or can you still pretty much get whatever you want when the DVDs/Blu-Rays are released?

I dropped the TV portion of my cable about 2 years ago, in favor of just Netflix, and I don't regret it at all. I don't watch as much TV / Film as I used to, but what I do watch I like a lot more. Old shows I watch on Netflix, new stuff I buy on Amazon Video for $30 a season, and I'm still paying way less than I was for cable TV.

Garden Ninja wrote:
Keithustus wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:

The first four seasons of BB are up on Netflix.

McIrishJihad wrote:

...1-4 are on Netflix as Jayhawker mentioned. Episodes from 5 are on Amazon Instant Streaming, but $2/pop.

I've never taken the Netflix dive. Is it worth it? Considering I'm already paying $80/mo for internet/TV/DVR, $75/mo for my phone, $50/yr for XBLA, (I bought a bunch of annual cards just after they raised the price), & $10 for every 16 episodes of The Daily Show, it never seemed to really make sense to me to pay another $8/mo just to get unlimited rentals. At least I don't have a monthly MMO subscription. When I like a show or movie, I buy the DVDs or Blu-Rays. Can I preload Netflix video downloads or am I subject to internet streaming bottlenecks? And I recall a few months back when they were talking about splitting Netflix that the TV and movie studios were frustrated with poor revenues they were getting from Netflix and would offer less and later content. Has this happened, or can you still pretty much get whatever you want when the DVDs/Blu-Rays are released?

I dropped the TV portion of my cable about 2 years ago, in favor of just Netflix, and I don't regret it at all. I don't watch as much TV / Film as I used to, but what I do watch I like a lot more. Old shows I watch on Netflix, new stuff I buy on Amazon Video for $30 a season, and I'm still paying way less than I was for cable TV.

This is where I was for a few years, although we just picked DirecTV back up for a super low price. when that deal runs out in two years, I imagine we will drop it again. We get all the networks OTA and still picked up a Tivo to manage that stuff.

As for Netflix, no, you can't preload stuff. I can say that it steams rather flawlessly and picture quality is great. My interent is 18 Mbps down, so your MMV.

At the very least, Netflix is good for several months as you gorge on a ton of content. After that, depending on your interest and how much you have already seen, it might worth dropping.

Depending on your provider, they might be buried in your OnDemand (tm) package for your TV.

I'm in the same boat as Garden Ninja, dropped cable 2 years ago and have been living with just data + Netflix + Hulu + Amazon Instant. Haven't looked back at all.

I've had Netflix for years, and still have stuff in my queue that I haven't watched yet. My only gripe is how long it takes for some things to refresh. Sons of Anarchy, for instance, is always a season behind. S4 just hit Netflix as S5 was starting on FX, so I tend to find other means of watching it.

Where I diverge from Garden Ninja is paying Amazon. I don't really buy/rent seasons on Amazon, but I don't see any problem dropping $5 on new-ish movie in HD.

Grenn wrote:

I liked John Carter. I thought it was fun.

Me freaking too.

Maq wrote:
MrAndrewJ wrote:

We're all dancing around a lie.
Several multi-national multibillion dollar media conglomerates can make a profit catering to an alleged subculture during their prime time slots. It's no longer a subculture.

Most of it no longer resembles what it's pretending to be. It starts to look every bit as stupid as ten million kids showing naval piercings through flannel shirts, adoring a radio station that plays only ten songs in constant rotation, and calling that swill an 'alternative' to some other swill. I almost wouldn't care except that it's time to remove "geek" and "nerd" from entirely from the conversation.

Speaking as someone who had the crap kicked out of him for being a nerd; who was told his pursuits were ungodly & blasphemous; and who was told he was wasting his time and energy on something that would never amount to anything: I'm glad we appear to be at a point where people feel they can say geek is mainstream and it's not it's own thing anymore. That's what happens when you're a second generation to anything: you don't appreciate that it was actually difficult for those who came before you.

Now I'm not saying this is a Stonewall thing by any stretch of the imagination, but it took a long time and a lot of Geek Pride before this mainstream you speak of came about.

Yeah, I got the hell beat out of me for making A's and understanding computers as early as 1983.

"Sorry, Andrew, but they're just jealous of you. Don't worry about the hitting."

I'm not really glad I went through this so someone else can get a paycheck, earn social status and almost certainly get laid off of it. But I guess that's what happens when the new generation's initiation to "the club" is buying their t-shirt at ThinkGeek instead of Abercrombie & Fitch.

thejustinbot wrote:
lostlobster wrote:

The criminal investigator fury at all the CSI shows?

Through my dad and a couple other sources I know a lot of people involved in this sort of field, and you can't even mention those kind of shows in front of them. The hatred is there if you run in those circles.

My Father was a Forensic Officer for 30 years. CSI like shows and pretty much any cop drama bring out a unique fury. A notable exception being the Dennis Leary cop show. According to him, most accurate cop show ever: Barney Miller.

Fun fact: He once searched a pool of blood for a bullet WITHOUT GLOVES.

gore wrote:
McIrishJihad wrote:

I don't get on the bandwagon for shows until they're cancelled/scheduled to end

A lot of shows are really much better when you can watch them at your own pace rather than whenever the networks feel like airing them.

This is why there are so few current shows I watch. I hate waiting... I hate the mid winter break that has appeared lately. It's like watching Hell's Kitchen... then suddenly halfway through the summer, nothing for like 2 months, then bam, no time has passed in Hell's Kitchen apparently.