I'm long over due for new blog post! I've been soaking up the sun in Maui, and admittedly I've been slacking on the blogging! I'll start my summer blog reboot with a new Five by Five Gleanings! As promised it is chock full of nerdy stuff I've enjoyed and just want to share.
If you grew up in the 1980's and enjoy dystopian novels then Ready Player One should be at the top of your reading list. This book is an action packed 1980's nostalgia love fest! Imagine a world that has depleted it's resources and most people live in a virtual reality. Within that virtual reality individuals known as "gunters" compete to complete three quests based on 1980's pop culture. Winning the quest will make you the wealthiest person in the world!
Here is the book description from Amazon.com:
At once wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, READY PLAYER ONE is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut—part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed.
It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.
Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.
And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them.
For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.
And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.
Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.
A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
It’s the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place.
Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets you be anything you want to be, a place where you can live and play and fall in love on any of ten thousand planets.
And like most of humanity, Wade dreams of being the one to discover the ultimate lottery ticket that lies concealed within this virtual world. For somewhere inside this giant networked playground, OASIS creator James Halliday has hidden a series of fiendish puzzles that will yield massive fortune—and remarkable power—to whoever can unlock them.
For years, millions have struggled fruitlessly to attain this prize, knowing only that Halliday’s riddles are based in the pop culture he loved—that of the late twentieth century. And for years, millions have found in this quest another means of escape, retreating into happy, obsessive study of Halliday’s icons. Like many of his contemporaries, Wade is as comfortable debating the finer points of John Hughes’s oeuvre, playing Pac-Man, or reciting Devo lyrics as he is scrounging power to run his OASIS rig.
And then Wade stumbles upon the first puzzle.
Suddenly the whole world is watching, and thousands of competitors join the hunt—among them certain powerful players who are willing to commit very real murder to beat Wade to this prize. Now the only way for Wade to survive and preserve everything he knows is to win. But to do so, he may have to leave behind his oh-so-perfect virtual existence and face up to life—and love—in the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.
A world at stake.
A quest for the ultimate prize.
I loved this book so much, that after I finished reading it, I picked it back up and read it again. I just wasn't ready to leave the world that Cline had created! Some you might know the name Ernest Cline, he wrote the screenplay for the movie Fanboys. So, if you have room in your summer reading list I suggest adding this book and moving it to the top of the list!
A Side Note: Wil Wheaton narrates the audiobook version of Ready Player One . It is a most excellent narration! So if you want to uber geek out I suggest picking up a copy!
Looking for funniest videos on YouTube! Look no further then The College Humor Show! These are they guys who bring you Breaking Bad the RPG, the Jake and Admir videos (try IT Guy), the Hardcore Casual Gaming Rap and Batman Chooses His Voice.
My absolute favorite is Skyrim Hoarders. Skyrim Hoarders is a parody of the TV show Hoarders and mashes it up with the video game Skyrim! If you play Skyrim you know that it's almost impossible to depart with your "loot"after working so hard to "earn" it!!!!
I laughed so hard during this video I cried! I've included it here on my Five by Five.
Subscribe at:http://www.youtube.com/user/collegehumorfeature=watch
or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CollegeHumor
3. Esty
Firefly Jayne Hat Replica custom made by Geek-A-Bye-Baby. This Shop specializes in items for geekn' out your baby! But, I have my eye on this Jayne hat that comes in adult sizes too!
Justice League Sillouette Coasters jb2designs This seller has a whole selection of these geek themed coasters. Game of Thrones, Star Trek, Battlestar, Lost, True Blood etc... Hmm...I wonder if I can mix and match???
WWBD Pendant by Sterling Silver Geek Jewelry. What would Buffy Do? It's sorta my mantra! I so want this pendant! This seller also has rings, earrings, & brooches, all with geeky themes!
4.Tower of the Hand
5. Comic Books 4 Girls:
That's it for this round of gleanings. Blog at ya soon!
or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CollegeHumor
3. Esty
As geek don't you sometimes think to yourself, "What I really need is a hat just like Janye Cobb on Firefly."? I know I do! Well, guess what? If you can dream it you can find on Etsy! It's a practically a geek online shopping mall! Sure... I can find geeky products all over the web but, Etsy products are the most unique online! Often homemade and sometimes even vintage items can be found on Etsy! Click the link to check it out: http://www.etsy.com/
Here are just a few of my favorites shops:
Firefly Jayne Hat Replica custom made by Geek-A-Bye-Baby. This Shop specializes in items for geekn' out your baby! But, I have my eye on this Jayne hat that comes in adult sizes too!
Justice League Sillouette Coasters jb2designs This seller has a whole selection of these geek themed coasters. Game of Thrones, Star Trek, Battlestar, Lost, True Blood etc... Hmm...I wonder if I can mix and match???
4.Tower of the Hand
Last year I plowed through George R.R. Martin's book series "A Song of Ice and Fire" . If you are thinking of trying to wade these "tomes" as well, I highly recommend this website. It allows spoiler free browsing for each book. When you arrive at the site you click on the box to indicate how far along in the series you are and all discussions, reviews and chapter summaries will be free of spoilers. They have recently added a section that allows spoiler free discussions on the HBO TV series! I know having this website to refer too while reading the Fire and Ice series enabled me to keep characters and events straight and connect with others who have read and enjoyed the series.
Go to http://towerofthehand.com/ and check it out!
5. Comic Books 4 Girls:
Being the geeky gal that I am always looking for a community of like minded individuals with whom I can share my über geek tidbits with. Well, Comic Books 4 Girls is a community for women/girls who love comic books! It's a place for comic fans to meet and connect! If you are looking for a place to share information on Comic Books, Comic Book Art, Comic Book Movie trivia/updates and often just some random geeky goodness. Comic Book 4 Girls is a great place start! They are on Facebook and Pinterest.
To Follow on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/comics4girls/
To "Like" on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comicbooks4girls
That's it for this round of gleanings. Blog at ya soon!
Five By Five
The SciFi Chick
