School Is Out

It's Christmas Eve, and most of us geeks have gotten kicked out of school by now for the Christmas break along with the rest of the students (despite how much some of us might like to learn.) I myself am pretty glad I get a few weeks off from school, to rejuvinate and relax. And when I go back to school in January, I'll be well-rested and ready to tackle the next few subjects. Despite being a hardcore geek, even I need some days off. Some of us like to relax by learning, but I'm definitely not one of them.

So that brings up my question for all you readers: Do you like school?

As we all know, that question is relative. Some of us really enjoy school, some of us can't wait until the next break to get away from the preps and jocks that bully us, some of us can't wait for the break so we can party and have some fun (not that some of us don't do that during school anyways. I'm not judging!) I enjoy school a lot myself, I have a few friends, and one of them in particular is turning into potentially one of the best friends I've ever had. I realize some of us might not have any, and that's okay. It takes time to find a true friend. Trying to fit in with the rest of them will only get you in trouble.

School isn't all about friends, either. It's about building life skills, and learning the things you need to pursue your career, whatever that may be. Even if the subjects don't seem useful now, they probably will be (Math in particular. Banking takes a lot more effort than you think). So if you hate school, think about that, or if the option available, try transferring to a different school. You might like it elsewhere. How am I to know? School and education is relative, some things work for one person, some things only work for another. You might like public school, another person might adore his or her private school. It's all a matter of opinion, and sometimes, what you can afford. Private schools are more expensive than public schools.

A new type of education is presenting itself, called magnet schools, and Chris Pirillo explains everything in one of his bloggers' articles, "Magnet Schools and Your Children."

http://www.lockergnome.com/blade/2011/12/19/magnet-schools-and-your-children/

So whatever your choice of school may be, whether you hate it or not, just know that in the long run it'll be for the best (I hated homeschool, but I wouldn't be where I am now if I hadn't endured it).

So what's your opinion? Do you like school? Do you want to transfer? If you like school, why? (If I go to college in Michigan, I'll like it a ton more. I'll get to go to college with my boyfriend.) Comments welcome.

Snow For Christmas

I don't think we'll have a white Christmas over here in Montreal, despite it having snowed this morning. The snow doesn't really stay, it melts after a few hours. This brings me to the question of whether snow is really necessary to celebrate Christmas in a proper manner. Sure, we've all heard Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," and if you haven't I highly suggest you do, but my question to you is: Is snow needed to properly celebrate Christmas?

I think this is a relative question, meaning it all depends on preferences. Some people can't stand snow, others love it (I only like it because of Christmas, unfortunately). I have some friends who enjoy the snow for the winter sports it brings. It all depends on your likes and your needs. Some people need extra pocket money - they're hiring more people over the Christmas season. As long as you're looking for a job, you should get it. America's economy only plays so much of a part for an excuse of not bothering to look (besides, the economy looks fine. There are bigger problems to tackle, which I'll talk about in my next article).

In my opinion, no, you don't need snow to celebrate Christmas. Some places don't even get snow, and they celebrate (California, Maine, Florida, etc.), or at least they're not supposed to get any snow. Despite not having any snow, it's the spirit and the mood of Christmas and the traditions your family has that makes a Christmas celebration. Every year, me and my parents get together to decorate the tree, and then we cozy up later on and watch a good old Christmas movie. I've developed a tradition of my own of singing Silent Night at midnight on Christmas Eve, as well as other songs afterwards if I'm awake enough (this one sprung from my grandfather's death in '06.) It all depends on what you like to do and more importantly, who you'll be spending it with. Sure, your guy/girl might have family to visit so you won't see them for Christmas, but there are so many ways to keep in touch these days that the distance doesn't matter much, especially if their family lives right down the street (I hope for your sake that they don't, unless they're those jolly folks who welcome everyone home, even a potential homocidal maniac. Maybe not the latter.)

Maybe you don't have money to visit family/friends for Christmas. Send them a Christmas note, email them, call them from where you are. Wherever you are, there's always a way to get into touch and as long as you can wish them a Merry Christmas, I say your season is made. As long as you have someone you can say you love, or someone you can say cares for you, you'll never miss the snow. You have so much more to appreciate.

So that's my opinion. No, you don't need snow to enjoy Christmas. What's your opinion? Do you like snow? Do you consider it an essential part of your Christmas season? If not, why? Do you have any Christmas traditions? Comments welcome anywhere, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and beyond.

Following Your Dreams, Geek or Not

So yesterday I got an email from my writing instructor along with the assignment I sent her. She had some things to say about the plot and my characters, and how I could improve, but she also said that none of it was necessary, because she believed in me and that my book could become a memorable adventure for my readers for years to come.

Intense, right? Having someone believe in you is always the first stop to success. If you don't have that, it's significantly harder to get where you want to go, but it's not impossible. I myself want to be a writer, but I don't want to be rich. I want to live comfortably, and have enough money so that if something comes up, I don't have to worry too much. But I wouldn't know what to do with millions, and that just offers opportunity to screw up in big ways. You just have so much more of the world open to you once you have money, and I'm not sure I want that. My goal is to just live my dream for as long as possible, and retire when I can't write anymore. Writing is my life, and I wouldn't give it up just because another job is higher paying.

Not to say that a high paying job can't be your dream, though! I personally believe that whatever you want to do can be done, whether it'll make you rich or not. If you want to be rich and get there fast by taking a higher paying job, that's fine. Whatever will make you happy in the long run. If you think money will get you there, that's fine.

I think that living your dream, whether it be what you want to do with your life, where you want to live, who you want to spend your life with (admittedly I'm already spending my life with the person I love, even though it's not official), is the fastest track to happiness. If money is part of that, who am I to judge?

What's your dream? Are you living it right now? If not, how do you think you're going to get there? Comments welcome.

The Meaning of Christmas - So What's It All About, Geeks?

I'm not posting here because I'm one of those people who are Scrooges and everyone's complaining about my bah humbug attitude - in fact, I'm quite the opposite. I'm one of those people that love to sit next to the Christmas tree at night with the regular lights turned off and watch some TV or curl up with a good book, provided the Christmas lights are on so I can read.

But I do know people who have lost their way, and I know I myself had once lost my way. Whether you hate Christmas or you just need some pick-me-ups (like I might need if it doesn't start snowing where I live soon), here are a few tips to stay in the Christmas mood.

Do some baking: Trust me on this one guys. As soon as you smell the pie or cake in the oven, you'll feel warm and cheery. I myself bake apple pies regularly, but it seems extra special during Christmas time.

Decorate your tree: Every year, me, my mother, and my father get together and put our fake tree together and decorate it with the multitude of Christmas bulbs we've collected over the years. I only think the tree looks better every year. So if you don't have a tree, go out and buy one. It's up to you whether the tree is real or fake, but consider these few things:

Real trees shed needles. I know that because my sister had a real tree one year, and her do kept munching up the loose needles and getting sick on them. So if you have pets, if you want a real tree, just be careful not to let your pet near it. Fake trees for pet owners might be a more suitable alternative, though.

Real trees can be recycled. Whether you're an eco freak or someone who just can't be bothered to worry (I'm somewhere halfway), recycling your Christmas tree after the season is over might be a good idea. How do you know, your next sheet of paper might be made out of your old Christmas tree.

Fake trees can be kept and stored for next year. If you're someone who can't afford to buy a tree every year, or you own a pet, buying a fake tree might be better because it doesn't die, and it doesn't shed needles. It's also quite a bit more steady than a real tree.

Fake trees are made from plastic or aluminum. It's a lot safer to have a fake tree, just in case your cat or dog eats the needles like my sister's did. But that's not to say a bunch of fake needles can't get you sick either. It's just a lot harder to get the needles off to eat, so it's less likely your pet or, god forbid, your child will get sick off of it.

So there are upsides and downsides to both, it's just up to you whether you'd like the cheaper or the more eco-friendly option.

Make someone happy: This is a really big one for that tough, pre-Christmas humbug. No matter who you are, making someone smile is usually the best feeling in the world, especially if you're the one that did it. It makes you feel respected and wanted, and especially loved. People who can make others smile in some way have a special gift, especially if you can do it all the time, and not just at Christmas. There are so many ways to make someone smile, and none of them are right or wrong (unless you hurt them in the process). So go out and make someone you know laugh, or even just the cashier at the grocery store as you buy your turkey (tofurkey?) for dinner. I'm really thankful I have this one covered, and if you don't, then get out there and make some joy, yeah?

Do your passion: Most everyone dreams of something, but never has the guts to go for it, and get stuck in a dead end job. That job might make a lot of money, but in terms of happiness and passion, it's a dead end. What better time to muster up the motivation to pursue something you really love than Christmas? Love and support flows everywhere during Christmas, unless you happen to live in a grinchy household. Got a love for computer mechanics? Go take an online course, or if you know everything, start a tech blog about it. Or maybe start your own home business on it. Maybe you love cooking, or video game programming, or writing like me. Whatever it is, start pursuing or continue to pursue it with a vigour never before seen. You'll thank yourself for it later. And for those that don't have a passion, it's entirely possible for you to find one as long as you keep an open mind. Take some courses online for stuff you haven't done yet. Research some things, ask some friends. Or if you're one of those geeks that like to sit around with video games all day, maybe testing video games is for you. How do I know? Just go and look and you'll find something.

That's just the jist of it. For me, getting into the Christmas mood means doing what I grew up with - decorating the tree, play some Christmas music, watch some Christmas specials, with my family and friends, and hopefully soon, my boyfriend.

Comments welcome and encouraged.

Buying Your Geek Significant Other A Geeky Gift

Christmas is just around the corner, and most of you should be at least halfway through your gift list. You've already finished your parents, your siblings, you have some friends left over but you know exactly what you're going to get them. Of course, there's always one person that seems impossible to shop for.

Your partner. If he or she is a big geek, a Christmas card and some money might not do it (although the money you give might certainly go to the new iPad 3 coming out next March.) So, what do you buy a geek for Christmas?

Back in the 80s, a new D&D campaign book might have done it, maybe even the Star Wars trilogy on VHS. In the 90s, perhaps those clunky cell phones or a box of empty floppy disks to put their stuff on. As time goes on, it gets harder and harder to shop for geeks because electronics get more and more expensive. Fun fact: In the 80s, 1GB of flash memory costed $1 million.

That doesn't mean there aren't things you can buy for a geek that will drive them crazy with uninhibited glee (which I expect to see when I give my own boyfriend his present). Here are just a list of things you can buy your geeky partner that they'll thank you for forever.

Game of Thrones: If your partner is anything like the rest of us geeks, they probably cuddle up (possibly with you) in front of the TV once a week to worship Game of Thrones. So do them a favour and buy them a season or two so they can worship almost every day.

Star Wars USB devices: Your geek probably has a lot cluttering his or her computer. At some stores (I found this at Chapters in Canada, but they probably have it elsewhere), you can find USB devices each representing a character from Star Wars. I found Chewbacca, Han Solo, Darth Vader, Yoda, and Storm Trooper USB devices. They're about $30 per USB for 8GB, which is a lot of space considering how much stuff you can store up in the cloud these days. Besides, the price is totally worth it for the geekery.

iTunes Gift Cards: Most of us listen to music, and some geeks really love their music (I have only 5 GB of music, as compared to the 200 GB I've seen on my friend's computer.) At a dollar a piece, music is pretty cheap these days, and you can buy up to $100 worth of gift cards for your geeky partner (or even a geeky friend, if he's still on your shopping list). Or, you can go as low as $5, for those people you're only shopping for to keep them happy, like your mother-in-law (or if you really want to get nasty, your own mother). Just be careful about this one, if you live in Canada, I've heard that iTunes gift cards don't work to buy games or apps. (Why us Canucks are always second-class consumors, I have no idea.)

Livescribe Echo Smartpen: This pen is exactly like a USB in the term that you have to connect it to a computer to access it, but other than that, it's totally different. You can get it in 4GB and 8GB models. This pen is the ultimate note taker and anyone in college or university will find it invaluable. All you really do it tap the area of information you want to keep, and it stores it on the pen for later reference. You can also store more than just notes - audio and apps can be stored on the pen as well (you can record audio on this thing.) I know I'm going to want this pen when I go to college, especially for those days when my boyfriend keeps me up all night and I go to class dead tired. All I have to do is start recording with it, and it'll take in everything the teacher is saying. It'll leave more time for me to sleep, and I can listen to it later to see what I missed. It costs about $140 for the 4GB model.

Those are just some of the things you could buy for total geek. There's a ton more you could google and buy, but they're certainly things I would buy myself.

So, what would you buy your partner? Comments below and encouraged.

Presentations and Professionalism

I just found out I have two days to finish an assignment requiring PowerPoint slides, a video, and some pictures as visual. Orientation has always been a boring class, but why is it boring?

Sure, it's good to be professional. Probably even necessary. You gain a lot more respect from being professional. But you know what? It's never been my thing. Geeks like us have little use for being professional, nor do most of us want to (I know I've stuttered a lot presenting in front of my classes.)

So, as an alternative to being totally professional, suit and tie, what can you do?

Well, there has to be a balance. Being professional and stiff is boring and probably won't land you your next date, and heaven knows we've all probably tried everything, but acting like a total fool probably won't either. In most high schools and colleges and especially universities, following the outline is probably your best bet for a high grade, but putting a personal spin on it definitely helps to make it more interesting.

If you're presenting about careers like I am, then don't just tell us where you'll go to college, how much it'll cost, what the pros and cons are. Tell us why you'd enjoy doing it. Inject a little humour. Tell us what you'll be doing, why people get paid for your line of work (example: We get paid to fix your computers so we can become further to our goal of making Star Trek a reality and so we can be better prepared for our mechanical counterparts when they finally unite and rebel against humankind.)

But above all, if you don't do research about what you want to spend your life doing, I can guarantee you'll be disappointed once you actually do get into the business. Make sure you know what you're getting into. For me, blogging is a hobby and I know I'll never be famous, at least in the blogging area. But writing fantasy novels and stories is my life, and with writing, it's pretty easy to know exactly what you're setting yourself up for. You write, maybe collaborate with some editors, you edit the novel, you go through the publishing process, and half a year to a year later your book hits the shelves. A lot easier said than done (writing requires enormous amounts of self-dicipline), but it's satisfying to know you finished it, and you've basically been immortalized through the book.

So go ahead, be professional. But please don't bore us to the point where we've long ago stopped fighting our nodding heads and loud snoring, while the others have probably glazed over, their eyes frozen open from a lack of blinking. Find your own balance. Practice your presentation before you bring it to class. I won't say it has to be polished, especially since that would probably sound pretty stiff once it comes out. But definitely put your own personal spin on it. As long as you do that, you can't go wrong.

Comments welcome.

SOPA / Protect IP

I'll be posting links to videos where they apply. First one, right here, watch it before you read the blog post. (I'll be writing about it as well in case you can't play the video.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjrPuYLAIkk&feature=player_embedded

So, a few days ago I heard about a bill being rushed through the American Senate called Protect IP. Being Canadian, there's not much I can do, but what I can do is let you know what the bill is, and why America wants to pass it, and why it wouldn't be a good thing. (This is certainly biased, but not too many people are happy, so I'm clearly not the only one with this opinion.)

Essentially, SOPA / Protect IP is a bill that searches the entire internet for infringing stuff, like links to sites that have infringing content, sharing music, movies, books, games, even reviews of movies and books. And once it finds infringing content, it will block the site, or the owner of the site could be sued for the so-called "infringing content." And it won't just be in America, it'll be all over the world. It'll apply to any site ending in .com or .net, so you could just be happily typing away on your computer in Italy, or England, or even Germany, and all of a sudden you'd get an email saying your site, which probably has nothing to do with the conviction in question, has been shut down.

Not only is this tinkering with the core elements of the internet, but it could potentially destroy lives. People make money by reviewing products, linking to where you can buy them, whether it's good or bad. If this bill passes, you won't be able to get these reviews anymore, and therefore, a lot of people who make a living on being well-known (writers, actors, musicians, bloggers, etc), will have nothing to ground their work on. Sure, there are official advertisements, but let's be really honest here people - how many commercials do you actually pay any attention to?

For sure, America doesn't have control over all the web sites, like .co.uk, or .ws (English and German sites), but most sites up on the internet are registered in .com and .net. While America is busy assuming innocent people guilty and shutting them down for no reason, other countries in the world will be assuming control of the internet, and essentially taking the internet economy away. I know a lot of people would either visit Canadian sites, or just move here altogether. Personally, I wouldn't stay in America as long as I couldn't use the internet freely (it's also why I don't like China, and how they're monopolizing our manufacturing and trade industry).

So not only are American Senators shooting themselves in the foot by handing over their internet economy to other countries, but they're also going to lose billions of dollars worth in advertisements and promotions of their products, and they're going to lose thousands of jobs for their fellow Americans.

Come on, America. Why would you hand everything over to the entertainment industry? Some of those entertainers want people to promote and link to their stuff. Stop helping, you're going to destroy your own economy if you hand all control over to the recreational industry, because they will have about 70% less promotion than they used to, all from reviews and recommendations from other consumers. It'll be ten times harder to get rich, and it'll be ten times harder to keep from being poor, given that around 30% of jobs around America is purely recreational. A list of jobs that could be affected I came up with on the fly, in three minutes flat:

Radio show hosts
Talk show hosts
Actors
Writers
Bloggers
Artists (In the drawing sense)
Music Composers
Directors
Singers
Photographers
Wedding Planners
Chefs (This is a HUGE one, and I'll cover it in a second, I'm not done.)
Car Dealers
Theatres
TV shows
Antique Stores
Jewellers
Video Game Producers
Cell Phone Providers
Real Estate Agents

And that's just a small list. There are many more jobs that could be affected, and all of the jobs up there have something in common - they are all advertised on the internet, everywhere, by everyone. And for certain, they're all really important jobs (who doesn't enjoy buying their first car, or buying their first house, or getting married?), but the most important one I think on this list is the chef, and if chefs can't be promoted, they can't provide their tasty dishes to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go_QOzc79Uc

Chefs are a big one of this list because of the food industry everywhere around the world, and if they can't be promoted, they can't help fix the problem of obesity. Like Jamie Oliver, he's trying to get people to eat healthy. And he's using the internet to his advantage, and like he says in the video, "America is the most influential country in the world. I believe if America reforms the way they eat, other countries will follow."

So, I think I've made my point. Virtually everyone will be affected, mostly in a bad way (unless you don't use the internet, then it doesn't matter).

What do you think about the bill? Why would/wouldn't it work for you, and for your loved ones? Comments below.

P.S. If you feel like me and you don't want it to happen, I'll link to some petitions for the big call-in on Tuesday, and one of the Senators is going to filibsuter the Congress.

http://americancensorship.org/index.html#infographic

http://stopcensorship.org/?source=fb

http://fightforthefuture.org/pipa/artists/

Music and Romance

So today, I realized something while writing a few chapters in my book. Music is a big part of the magic system in the book, and I got to thinking, if it can work in a book, why not real life?

It's no special surprise that music has had an impact on our culture and the way we experience things. Our movies wouldn't be the same without a good soundtrack. Even stage plays wouldn't be the same without some sort of background music. And often, you hear soft music in the background of a romantic resturaunt. I add sound effects to my Dungeons & Dragons games to enhance the emotional, tear-jerking effect my events have on players (I made my mum cry once, and she's a pretty tough gal).

We enjoy music of all types. Pop, rock and roll, heavy metal, country, hip-hop, comtemporary, etc. I personally prefer Irish bands (or the Star Wars Imperial March). But recently, I came across a CD, entirely made up of potentially romantic, non-lyrical songs. I wish I could remember what the cover looked like. But I got to listen to a sample of it, and I was totally blown away by the quality and potential swooning this could bring to a date, even just the typical movie and dinner date.

If you're like me, then music plays a big part of your life, geeky or not. And I would definitely give a guy brownie points for playing romantic music for me, especially at night when everything is quiet, the lights are low, and the atmosphere is just thick with romance. (A girl can dream...)

What do you think about music? Do you think you can woo a girl with some romantic tracks, or does she require the hardcore stuff? Leave your comments below.

Dungeon & Dragons And How It Can Land You Your Big Crush

Anyone who's a geek has probably heard of Dungeons & Dragons. And when it comes to bringing geeks together, it's probably one of the most effective, interactive things to do. But what about non-geeks? Can it be effective for people who don't find electronics and Star Wars fascinating?

I have many experiences with both geeks and non-geeks, including most of my family. Whereas me and my mum are big Dungeons & Dragons fans, my sisters probably couldn't be bothered to play it. So what if you're interested in someone, and they don't like Dungeons & Dragons?

I recently had a game session of Dungeons & Dragons consisting of my parents and my uncle. My dad isn't as interested in Dungeons & Dragons as the rest of us, so I modify the game to accomodate him. Whatever he might be interested in, I include. This method is effective for anyone who has some sort of interest in fantasy, although there is a textbook for including sci-fi, if that's what your players are interested in.

It pays off in the long run to modify your adventures according to player tastes, because it keeps them coming back for more. If your crush is interested in poetry, create some adventures that includes some cool, clean poetry. If he/she is interested in cars, include vehicles in your game (horse wagons, carriages, etc. Maybe go a bit further and include a new invention - a horseless carriage run by magic!)

So the next time you and your buddies are having a D&D game session, muster up some courage and invite your crush to join. If he/she is hesitant, let them know that you'll make it especially to their tastes. If they still say no, try again another time. Be persistant, but keep in mind that maybe some people have already played it and it's not their thing. That's fine, and just as long as you don't keep trying to get them to join a D&D session, you'll still be somewhat favourable in their eyes (although, if they're making fun of you for your D&D obsession you probably shouldn't have a crush on them in the first place).

I know some of the best weekends I spent and will spend will be spent playing D&D. I'm nearly always DM these days, but I also enjoy being a player. I just prefer to watch players enjoy what I've created for them. It's a part of who I am to make people happy. It'll always be a part of me, and it's why I'm writing this blog. To help geeks like you find your happiness, through the way of geeks. You don't have to change yourself for someone else.

So just kick back, relax, get some dice, paper, and pencils, and prepare to set off on the journey of a lifetime, with your companions and your crush (where else would he/she be except next to you, playing the group's new and only cleric bard?). Just watch out, it'll be a bumpy ride!

Electronics and Significant Others - Do They Mix?

When people think of geeks or nerds, they think of the kid with the thick glasses sitting alone with his school books and lunch in the middle school cafeteria, or the kid who spends most of his time playing old school video games. But geeks is, by definition, a broad spectrum of people. People who do well in school, people who have a passion for a particular subject, people who are bullied for the things they do. Or, if you want to stretch it this further and be one of the bullies, people who are hygenically challenged (although let's be honest, who isn't at some point of their life?).

And most of the time, we don't imagine them with boyfriends or girlfriends, typically because as a stereotype, they're socially awkward. I suppose this is because most geeks don't have the confidence of others, and girls just prefer manly confidence; being a girl, I know this to be true. But geeks don't have to be a part of a stereotype. In fact, I very much prefer not to bunch them all together and label them. Every person is different, including geeks. Some geeks fit the stereotype in some way, and some don't. I have a boyfriend who is half and half. He shows passion for video games, acting on stage or in film, or funny things on the internet. Unlike most stereotypes, he's far from socially awkward. In fact, he's probably one of the most sociable people you'll ever meet, while still be calm and collected.


I'm not a typical geek either, but it's also why me and him fit so well together. When he doesn't know what to say, I do. And vice versa. I get excited about every cool new gadget I hear about, even more so if I get my hands on it. I'm not particularly shy, but I am clumsy. I'm probably the bubbliest person you'll ever meet. I rarely ever get into arguments with anyone.

Most nerds would kill to have a girlfriend like me, wouldn't they? Well, despite what you're thinking, I'm not full of myself. In fact, I have no idea why my boyfriend chose me in the first place. Apparently my geekery is sexy to him. And hell, why wouldn't it be, when he's a geek too?

The real question here then, isn't whether the stereotypical geek, with a love of technology, and his girlfriend are a good match for each other, but whether geeks in general CAN, in fact, find their place in the world to geek out all they want, amazing girlfriend and all. And the answer is - YES! Geeks of all shapes and sizes and mentalities certainly can find out what's right for them and determine the best way to get there. They can have sexy, smart girlfriends they get along with, day in and day out. It's just a matter of overcoming a lack of confidence that you can get that. Easier said than done, I'm afraid, but we'll get around to how to build up your own confidence, especially through a stream of rejections.

So join me in this journey of technology and love, and we'll learn a lot on the way. Comments welcome!