Author Archives: Mike

Summertime Blues?

Posted on by
head scratcher

What exactly am I doing here?

     What’s up folks?  Your Nerdy Overlord is back from a dry spell.  Haven’t been anywhere–Just doin my thang and apparently my “thang” hasn’t involved blogging. I didn’t bother to look but I think I go through this every summer…I just kind of lose interest in this little project of mine.  Maybe it’s the Alabama heat (which admittedly hasn’t been that bad this year what with the polar vortex and all), the yardwork, or the kids being around more. Who knows?

     I mentioned to my wife that I might just drop the whole thing completely–cancelled due to lack of interest. And while she predictably suggested that I not, she didn’t seem all that bent out of shape at the prospect.  And here I thought she was wildly interested in my Kickstarter comings and goings.

     But then I remember that this thing can be pretty fun, so I think I’ll keep plugging along.  To get the juices flowing, how about some random musings?

Continue reading →

Bro…Do You Even Digital?

Posted on by

meme

 

 

 

 

 

     What it is nerds? I’m back with a conundrum rolled up in some angst then wrapped inside a First World problem. This is a relatively new (for me) issue, so I thought I’d jump on here and do some out-loud thinking and maybe get some feedback from my seven loyal readers.

     Here’s the deal:  New Movie X is coming out on DVD/Blu-Ray on Tuesday.  Should I spring for the Blu-Ray or buy it on Amazon as a digital download that gets added to my Amazon “Video Library?”  As usual, there seem to be some pros and cons…

Continue reading →

Memorial Day 2014–Am I Wrong?

Posted on by

   REQUEST: United States Flag in Wind

    Last year I posted some thoughts on Memorial Day and as we approach another, I’ve got a couple of other things to talk about. In my opinion, Memorial Day is the most important holiday that we, as Americans, celebrate each year. Without the sacrifices of our soldiers, marines, airmen and sailors (men & women), we all wouldn’t be here to trick or treat, carve turkeys, or trim the Christmas tree.  But you know what? Some of those sacrifices didn’t have to be made.

Continue reading →

Kickstart Your Wardrobe With Out-Of-This-World Clothing

Posted on by
Starstuff Clothing on Kickstarter

Starstuff Clothing on Kickstarter

     I recently blogged about some of the lessons I’ve learned on Kickstarter over the past year. One of the other things I’ve discovered along the way is that you can’t stick to searching just your particular niche (or niches if your me) unless you want to miss some really neat stuff.

     When I started backing projects, I typically stuck to searching the Comics and Games categories. After awhile though, I stumbled upon some seriously nerderific projects in Art, Design, Fashion, Film & Video, Food, Publishing, and Technology.  The only categories I tend to ignore are Dance, Theater, and Music and I’m probably missing something cool there!

Continue reading →

Kickstartin’ Like a Pack of Crowd-Funding Ninjas

Posted on by
ninja working at desk

Nosey slash nagging wife asleep? Ninja jammies equipped? Logged onto Kickstarter? Check. Check. Andddd check.

     Greetings Nerd Consumers of the Free Market Economy!  It’s been just over a year since I cannonballed into the Kickstarter pool. I thought it might be an interesting exercise to blog about some lessons learned in my foray into the world of crowd-funding.

Continue reading →

Kickstarter Spotlight-New York 1776 War Game

Posted on by
New York 1776 by Worthington Publishing

New York 1776 by Worthington Publishing

     Because one can never really ever have too many wargames, I’ve just jumped on as a backer of Worthington Publishing’s New York 1776 Kickstarter project.  The game simulates one of the key campaigns of the American Revolutionary War. It’s one I’m not very knowledgeable about, so I’m excited to tear the shrink wrap off of this one.

Continue reading →

Adventures in 21st Century Dentistry

Posted on by
dental exam

Dude…Do you even OWN dental floss?

     I didn’t take real good care of my teeth as a youngster. Remember the Cavity Creeps?  “WE MAKE HOLES IN TEETH!” That was my dental situation pretty early on. I was that idiot kid that would wet his toothbrush at night and yell, “SURE DID!,” if my parents asked if I’d brushed. That master plan didn’t pan out too well later on in life, especially when I added U.S. Army dentistry into the equation.  I shudder to even estimate the amount of money I’ve spent on keeping my piehole looking pretty and functioning as designed.

     So yeah, I have alot of porcelin and silver amalgam in my head. Even have a dental implant way, way in the back. It makes me feel a little bit Terminatorish if I’m being honest. The rest of my body…not so much.   Obviously, all this china in my head isn’t as durable as natural tooth. You should see my wife’s face anytime I crunch down on some hard candy or something.  Not a happy visage. I can almost feel a telekinetic wave of psychic energy screaming, “IDIOT!” eminating from her eyes.

Continue reading →

Thrift Store Pick of the Week–Free Money

Posted on by
My kind of bookmarks...

My kind of bookmarks…

     So, the It Came From The Nerd Cave family was out doing some pickin’ and a thriftin’ yesterday morning.  Stopped by a local thrift store and made a bee-line to the book section.  As part of my efforts to expand my knowledge base (shout out to my brother-in-law for teaching me that phrase), I’ve been keeping an eye out for books on collectibles, antiques, and misc. stuff–price guides and such.  And while I’m not a coin collector and don’t plan to become one, I noticed a 1984 Coin Values book and picked it up.

Continue reading →

You Won’t Turn Loose The Good Stuff…You Just Sell The Junk.

Posted on by

 

Give it up Pekar. You can't take it with you...GIVE IT UP!

Give it up Pekar. You can’t take it with you…GIVE IT UP!

     The title of this post is a line from the film American Splendor. Main man Harvey Pekar is a record collector and sells a few albums on the side. This was pre-Craigslist & eBay days so he mainly hits the flea markets and swap meets or trades with his collector buddies.  He has an exchange with crotchety co-worker Mr. Boats in which he’s accused of holding back the primo albums from his collection and only selling the crap that nobody wants.

     Well, duh Mr. Boats. Any collector worth his salt doesn’t easily part with the gems of his collection…that’s the point of collecting! And therein lies my dilemma. And yes, as you might have noticed if you’re a regular reader…I have a lot of dilemmas in my life. Apparently they’re my thang.

Continue reading →

My Nerd Cave–Bursting At The Seams

Posted on by
hulk

I should get some Spandex! These clothing bills aren’t exactly tax deductable.

     Seven organisms reside in our home.  Four humans and three felines.  And we all knew this day was coming. The day when my personal Nerd Cave would outgrow its own four walls and leak into the rest of the house.  As Dan Patrick might opine, “you can’t stop it…you can only hope to contain it!”  But while I’m quoting folks, remember what Bill Clinton said…”It depends on what your definition of ‘contain’ is.”

     It’s a problem that probably faces every nerd collector/hoarder type out there sooner or later.  You’ve been given/allowed/granted a specific amount of space for your crap–a basement, an attic, or, as in my case, a spare bedroom.  Four walls in which your various hobbies, loves, and interests must be contained.  There aren’t too many significant others out there who are enthusiastic about a Star Wars-themed kitchen.  But what does one do when you’ve simply run out of room?

Continue reading →