I Even Dream In Nerd…

     You know that old saying, “Beauty is only skin deep but ugly is to the bone?”  I think the same thing applies to being a nerd.  The “to the bone” part that is. Even at age 43, I still find myself getting excited about the new Iron Man film, a particular game or comic book that’s coming out, or reading Lord of the Rings for the umpteenth time.

     If you’re like me, you’ve seen the eye rolls when certain friends or family glimpse your nerd cave, catch you reading a comic, or when you talk about the new superhero flick.  Am I rocking a Peter Pan complex or something? In the end, I really don’t care.  I love what I’m doing and frankly, the eye rollers are some of the most boring people I know.

     That being said, I do find it interesting that my identity, personality trait, or whatever you want to call it, even manages to permeate my dreams. I’ll explain…

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What’s Going On In The Nerd Cave?

Kip

     Greetings to my loyal readers. Sitting here on the couch after another mind numbing day in my office dungeon with a tax audit sprinkled on for extra flavor. Oh, your house burned down? Yeah, if you could go ahead and prove it, that’d be great.  Anyway, heres a quick update of what’s been happening here in my corner of Nerd Nation.

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Welcome to Kickstarter–Lincoln’s War

Lincoln's War by Multi-Man Publishing

Lincoln’s War by Multi-Man Publishing

     I’ve mentioned that I’m something of a “late-adopter” when it comes to new technology.  Often, my worldview can be summed up by the saying, “I fear change.” But sooner or later, when I can’t ignore the chatter about something, I’ll go check it out.

     Such is the case with Kickstarter. If you’re not familiar with the website, it’s basically a site set up to allow “crowd funding” of a huge variety of creative projects. It’s pretty simple–you find a project that appeals to you, then you pledge a certain amount of money. The more you pledge, the more you get. IF the project meets the minimum funding requirement set by the creator(s). There’s also something called “stretch goals” which is bonus swag and/or content if a project get’s funded beyond the original goal.

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Tales From The eBay…Begone Foul Stench!

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda

     As my loyal readers may recall, I recently posted a rant about some books I acquired off eBay that arrived with the unadvertised bonus of what I like to call “Dirty Ashtray Funk.”  I gotta say I was not happy with eBay seller (let’s call him) PeePee17. And I wasn’t real confidant that I’d ever be able to put those books on my shelves.

     But alas, I believe I’ve managed to remove about 90% of the stench.  I thought I’d share what I did in case any of you ever fall victim to PeePee17 or his ilk.

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Free Comic Book Day 2013–Be There Or Be Square!

FCBD 2013

      What’s up nerds?  Just a reminder to all my Googley Analytical Unique Visitors that Free Comic Book Day 2013 is just over two weeks away (May 4, 2013).  Here in the Nerd Cave, we’re looking forward to hitting the two local comic book stores, devouring a delicious lunch of steak & shrimp at Logan’s Roadhouse, and then taking in Iron Man 3 in all it’s IMAX glory. Easily one of the best days of the year for Nerd Nation.

     If you’ve never been to a FCBD before, not only can you score a huge stack of free comics and related swag, but many stores (if they’re smart) run crazy sales.  For me, with the expiration of our insurance claim looming, I’m looking forward to picking up a couple of statues I’ve had my eye on.  Let’s just say “Hulk is fixin to SMASH!” And no Honey, I don’t have room for it…but when has that ever stopped me before?

     Besides showcasing all the comics, books, toys, and gear, many stores host artists who’ll do sketches and there’s usually several cos-play guys & girls hanging around.  Boba Fett and the Ghostbusters are always a huge hit with my kids.

     So, mark your calendar and let all your friends know FCBD is coming.  And remember to get those kids down to your local store.  If we want the hobby we love to grow and prosper, we’ve got to create new fans.  And what better way than to give them free comics?  Stay nerdy my friends!

                Copyright 2013 ItCameFromTheNerdCave

World of Nerdcraft: My 21st Century Steamer Trunk

Open the Luggage Bay door Hal...

Open the Luggage Bay door Hal…

     Here’s a project I’ve been working on for about three months now.  Back when I first set up the Nerd Cave, I bought a large black, plastic storage bin to use as a coffee table/ottoman.  My plan was to spray paint it O.D. Green and add some stenciling to make it look like a cargo container off the U.S.S. Sulaco (from the film Aliens).  I may still do something like that down the road, but ended up scrapping the idea for now because the storage bin I chose was too tall.  It worked great as a coffee table, but as an ottoman, the height tended to hyper-extend my knees.  If there’s one thing my knees don’t need, it’s hyper-extension.  I couldn’t find another bin that fit what I needed so I back-burnered the whole thing.

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Podcast of the Month: The Nerdherders

audio-input-microphone

     A few months ago, I posted some short reviews about several podcasts I listen to regularly in my dungeon-like, windowless, government office. Recently, after catching a quick reference to these guys in one of them, I tracked down The Nerdherders Podcast.  I just finished getting caught up on all 29 published episodes this afternoon and The Nerdherders are now firmly on my Top Five List of “Must Listen” Podcasts.

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It’s an “Alcove”

There's so much more room for activities...

There’s so much more room for activities…

     A few months back, I was sorting through various categories of “stuff” (or “crap” if you listen to my wife).  I had the hide-a-bed pulled out since it makes for more comfy movie viewing at night.  Between that and the T.V. cart, there was hardly room to move around.  Then, I needed something out of the closet. You may recall way back when I said moving the T.V. cart out of the way was easy? Well, not so much. And I certainly wasn’t going to be moving it anywhere with piles of comics, magazines, and other stuff in the way.  I had a log jam.

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