Five Fandom Friday- Favorite Songs to Get Me into the Holiday Spirit

Happy Holiday season everyone! It has been a very long time since I have done a Triple F, but I do love Christmas music, so I couldn't pass this one up! (Even though I'm posting this on a Monday...better late than never!)  Here are my five songs to get me into the holiday spirit. (And if you look at the one I did back in 2014, you may see a familiar face or two. What can I say, I like what I like!)

1. Don't Be a Jerk (Its Christmas)- Spongebob Squarepants

Sure this little yellow guy can be annoying sometimes, but this song sure is the truth! Just because you're busy this holiday season doesn't mean you have the right to be a jerk to everyone else. This video is the shortened version of the song, the full length is just about a minute longer and I'm sure they'll be playing all the Christmas Spongebobs on Nick this month, so look for those if you're interested :)

2. Christmas Eve/Sarajevo- Trans Siberian Orchestra

To me, TSO can do no wrong in the Christmas song department. They remind me of Christmases of my youth so much that I just love them. And this is one of my favorites.

3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen- Pentatonix

This is one of my favorite Christmas songs. Its one of the first I learned to play on my violin and that just made me love it that much more. Also, Pentatonix reminds me very much of Christmas now (just like TSO), even though they aren't just a Christmas accapella group, so they'll be on my Christmas playlists for a very long time.

4. The Whole Soundtrack of A Charlie Brown Christmas

When I was younger, I would pop this into my CD player before bed, and fall asleep to it every night. I think its one of the best soundtracks ever created.

5. Jingle Bell Rock

(Apologies, the video above doesn't just show the dance, but its all I could find *womp womp*) This is a new one, because one of my little nephews just loves this song and listens to it over and over. I told my sister it reminded me of Mean Girls, which is why I posted this video and didn't try to find the actual song.

Bonus songs!
Coldest Winter- Pentatonix

So this isn't a Christmas song technically, its a cover of a Kanye West song. But look at this video! And its winter themed, so......yeah. It totally counts.

Hallelujah- Pentatonix

Be prepared to feel all the feels. I blame it on movies always playing this song when someone dies and the fact that this group is amazing. The song is wonderful. Grab a tissue.

So there they are- my go to holiday songs this year (and mostly every year). I also a deep love for Carol of the Bells  and Troy and Abed's Christmas rap from Community (which I mentioned in the 2014 Triple F). And here's a playlist I made just for Christmas last year (because I really feel like sharing Christmas music today!).

What songs get you in the holiday spirit? Let me know in the comments!

Five Fandom Friday- Favorite Stores to Get Geeky Wares

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you've had a chance to read my coverage of SVCC Saturday edition! Now I'm going to share with you some of my favorite places to get geeky wares. 

1. Hot Topic

Taking it back to the beginning of time when I didn't realize what I was wearing was nerdy (it was called alternative back then), I lived in Hot Topic. Every old cartoon shirt that was there, most of the band shirts, tons of accessories.....I owned it all. If I could've worked there, I would have. And while I don't get the atmosphere of Hot Topic today (I guess I'm entering that get off my lawn stage of life), I still enjoy what's in the store, and it's still one of the main places I go to get my nerdy accessories. Their hair bows are the cutest, and I still love their character tees.

2. We Love Fine

I want to buy all the things! Seriously, I get a major case of the I wants every time I look at their site. Its geeky clothes, but it ranges from really geeky to not so much. And they are a convention floor staple, which I love. When I buy from WLF, its usually at a convention, not online.

3. TeeFury

TeeFury has the best geeky teeshirts! They like to do mashups like they're going out of style, but they're all pretty fantastic, so its okay! The only thing I don't really like is that there are like ten Doctor Who shirts for every any other fandom shirt. I have never seen Doctor Who, so I don't get what all the fuss is about. It seems like TeeFury has caught on, and makes special collections just for all you Whovians out there, so its gotten a little bit better. They've also expanded into hoodies, leggings, skirts, shoes and prints for your wall, so all of that it pretty awesome too.

4. Her Universe

I really love the things that Her Universe makes. I have a real problem with the way they size their clothing though. I have to wear mega huge sizes to get anything to fit, which is a real zinger to my already low self esteem. But, its worth it because the clothes are just that cute! 

5. ThinkGeek
I really like ThinkGeek because they have a lot of cool stuff for your house as well as clothes and accessories. I have one of the Handbags of Holding and I got a Her Universe R2D2 skirt for super, super cheap on there. It seems like they're always having sales, so if you're eyeing something on their site, chances are you won't have to wait too long before it goes on sale. Just act fast once it does, once things go on sale there it usually doesn't stay in stock.

Where are your favorite places to get geeky gear? Leave it in the comments and I'll go check it out! Thanks to Megan and Kristin for making 5FF a thing that so many of us look forward to doing every week (or when life lets us!).

Five Fandom Friday- Geeky Tattoos I Want

Hello and happy Friday! Today's 5FF is all about geeky tattoos I want/have. Well, I don't have any tattoos, so these are all things that I want to get. I've envisioned all of these on my wrists, so I guess I'd have to choose if I were to actually get any of them (otherwise it'd look all crowded and nasty). And I don't know if these are even considered geeky, I think the explanations behind most of them will be geekier than the actual tattoos, but here we go!

1. Ad astra per aspera.
When I was a child, I had an atlas of the United States that I just loved. I would read it all the time and basically obsess over all the factoids about all the states, and dream of all the places I wanted to go (the wanderlust was real, even at age eight). One of the things that always stuck with me was the Kansas state motto- ad astra per aspera, which is "to the stars through difficulties." That phrase meant a lot to me as I got older, and I used to write it on my wrist all the time. I Googled it once, and NASA had another definition for it- "a rough road leads to the stars". And that's a nice one too (Wikipedia has three actual definitions listed). But for my tattoo, I'll stick with Kansas.

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2. There's a world we can visit if we go outside.

So I love Donald Glover (who used to rap as Childish Gambino). I think he raps so intelligently (that's totally a thing). And Camp was the CD that really made me love his music. This part of Outside really spoke to me. Its not on the racial level, because that's not my life. But I suffer from depression and anxiety to the point where its almost crippling. I say no to a lot of things because I don't feel comfortable. I stay home a lot. A lot. At first it was by choice, but now a lot of it is because I'm not given the opportunities that I once was, because of all the no's. Anyway, to me, the lyrics are a reminder to get out and see the world.

3. Turuan or imulat.
My great grandmother is from the Philippines, and coming to America was a dream come true for her. One of the things that amazed her the most was all of the educational opportunities that were available for us. She was always telling me and my brother how important it was for us to get an education. Every time I saw her, she mentioned it. When I was little, she always told me that she would teach me how to speak her language, but she felt I was too young to learn. She thought high school would be an appropriate time, since that's when they teach us second languages anyway. She passed away the summer before I started high school, so I never got to learn, but I've always wanted to have a tattoo that honors how much education meant to her, and to remind myself that I should always be learning something, or helping others learn. Google translate gave me the two words above, so I don't know which is the correct one to use. I would have to find a Filipino before making any permanent decision! And I also want the word tattooed on lines that look like notebook paper, I just think that looks cute.

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(Not this many lines. Just enough to fit the word on.)

4. III, VI, XIII, XIV

This is probably the only tattoo I don't want on my wrist. I was thinking the inside of my arm, by my elbow maybe, or running down the inside. It really depends on which of the Roman numerals I get. They are meaningful to me because March is a big month for me. My kids and I all have birthdays that month, and so did my grandma. So the three is for March, and the rest are our birthdays. I thought about just getting the three, and if that's the case, that would probably just go on my hand. I've also thought about getting little fishes to represent us, since we're all Pisces. Maybe a Roman numeral three with the teeniest of fish around it. Or hearts, tiny hearts. 

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5. A star. 

So this is another one that wouldn't go on the wrist, but I would want a star in the web of my left hand. I used to draw one there a lot in high school, later my mom told me that one of my grandpa's had a tattoo there from his Navy days. I never met him, he died before I was born. She's the kind that believes in paranormal connections and stuff though, and always thought it was some sort of sign. I just knew that I liked it. And one summer, as I suffered through a horrible math class with two of my good friends, we all drew stars in that same spot every day. It was like our thing. I miss that. I miss them. 

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(I like the placement of the top star. But want it smaller, and solid. And singular.)

Bonus: Yes, no, maybe. With a circle around the yes. 

To tie in with the Childish Gambino lyrics, this is another to remind me to say yes to more things, but done in the way of those old love notes you used to pass in grade school (I was always the giver, never the recipient of said notes). Anyway, I was largely inspired by Jim Carrey's movie Yes Man. I know you don't think of deep movies when his name is mentioned (unless its Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), and this movie isn't deep per say, but hes a dude that says no all the time, then gets challenged to say yes to everything, just to see how his life changes. I think I need more of that. 

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There they are, all the tattoos I wish I had! Do you have any geeky tattoos, or want to get any? Let me know! And a big thanks to Megan and Kristin for making Five Fandom Friday a thing! 

Five Fandom Friday: Womances in Honor of Galentine's Day

Hello and Happy Friday! Today's 5FF is all about womances in honor of Galentine's Day. What is Galentine's Day?

I haven't watch Parks and Recreation, so I feel a little phony acting like I know about this holiday, but I thought the topic was fun, so here are my favorite sets of friends:

1. Miranda, Charlotte, Carrie and Samantha

I love Sex and the City, and I love the group dynamic of these four ladies. They are my squad goals, because each one of them is so different, yet they compliment each other so well. And who wouldn't want a group of ladies that you could always call for a lunch or dinner and know that they'll always be there? I think that's just the best. 

2. Daria and Jane

They're both so sarcastic and "misunderstood", and I love them for that. They were the girls I wanted as friends as a teenager, not the "popular" kids. 

3. Jessica and Hope

I just wrote about Jessica in another post, but Jessica and Hope together are amazing! Jessica is very dry and sarcastic, while Hope is artistic and very upbeat. They have a very Daria and Jane vibe, I guess I'm drawn to that type of dynamic. They are apart for most of the series because Hope moves away after a family tragedy, but they finally get back together in the end, and its everything you could want for them. 

4. Taylor Swift and her #squad

Taylor Swift has squad for days! And I know that some people think it's an act, but I don't. Taylor and her friends support each other and they're not afraid to show how much they love each other. I can only hope to get a squad like that someday, but until then, I'll just envy Taylor's :)

5. Max and Caroline

They just go perfectly together- the uppity, used to be rich girl and the sarcastic, never had anything girl, making their way to cupcake business success (one day....). Max is a very relatable character to me, while Caroline is a bit of a stretch. But together, they are great. And if social media is true, they're friends in real life too, which makes it even better. 

So who are your favorite friends? Do you celebrate Galentine's Day? Tell me about it below!

Five Fandom Friday- Favorite Ways to Netflix and Chill

So it has been a hot minute since I've done one of these, and I have to say, when I saw this topic I was like, heyyyy Triple F, getting sexy on us!! Because as we all know, Netflix and chill is:

There is none of that going on over here. But my husband and I do use Nteflix as one of the only ways we get to spend any time together. He's the go-getter in our relationship- he has work, school, an airsoft podcast/airsoft events, an active social life...so I don't get to see him too often. Plus, whatever free time he does have, we try to do stuff with our kids. Often times we eat dinner together and watch Netflix, and then its back to the grind. So here are the things we are currently watching:

Making a Murderer

We went through this pretty quickly. The story was too good. It follows the story of Steven Avery, who was found wrongly convicted of a rape after spending eighteen years in prison. He was only out of prison for like, three years before he was arrested for a murder, along with his sixteen year old nephew. I've personally formed my own opinions about it, but I love reading all the articles about all the theories and evidence. Crime shows are my thing though, I blame my grandparents for all those years of Matlock and In the Heat of the Night! You really have to wonder about some of the things in this story, like how the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office is still allowed to operate. No matter if you think Steven Avery guilty or innocent, there is definitely some shoddy law enforcement practices happening there (and before you jump on my case, I am a huge law enforcement supporter).

Longmire

This is about a small town in Wyoming, Sheriff Walt Longmire and his two (sometimes, three) deputies. It was cancelled by its network at the end of its third season, then Netflix picked it up for a darker fourth season. I liked that there weren't any commercial breaks in the fourth season, and I look forward to Netflix making a fifth (although there are rumors that it will be the show's final). There is a lot of Native American culture in the show, and I think its really neat to see that on teevee. The plot lines tend to be a little different because of that as well, which is refreshing. The show is based on a series of books, and I've always wondered if the show is anything like them. 

F is For Family

This show reminds me of an animated That 70's Show, just a lot more vulgar. Its set in 1973 and the dad, Frank, has a thankless job an an airport, comes home to drink beer and be crabby. The neighbor isn't dopey like Bob though, hes a total Matthew McConaughey type. I guess its supposed to be more like All in the Family, but That 70's Show is a more relevant reference to me. Its really funny though, you just can't watch it around your children. No really, don't watch it around your kids.

Arrow

Yeah, don't judge me. We're slowly making our way through the series. It's not that its a bad show, we just get sidetracked by other shows lol. But I'm thinking we'll be all caught up by the time SDCC comes around this year. And I really want to start watching The Flash, so that's a good motivator too. 

And this one isn't on Netflix, its Amazon Prime:

Rick and Morty

We just love Rick and Morty!! There are so many lines that can apply to every day situations. My favorite episode is with Scary Terry. The last episode of season two went a little dark, and I'm anxious to see how season three goes. Until then, I'll just keep watching my reruns :)

What are you currently watching on Netflix (or Hulu/Amazon Prime/HBO Go/etc)? Let me know!! And thanks to Megan and Kristin for starting 5 Fandom Friday!!

Five Fandom Friday- Favorite Fictional Dads

Since Father's Day is coming up soon, it's only fitting that there is a FFF about our favorite fictional dads! I was raised by just my dad until I was thirteen, so dads hold a super special place in my heart. Here are mine, in no particular order:

1. Red from That 70's Show 

There isn't a dad on teevee I love more than Red Forman. He is so sarcastic and rude and I think it's wonderful. And nobody can say dumbass like Red can.

2. Homer Simpson from The Simpsons

Homer is largely a failure as a dad, but sometimes you can really see the sweetness in him. Remember the episode where Mr. Burns puts that horrible plaque in his work station that says "don't forget, you're here forever"and he covers it with pictures of Maggie so it reads, "do it for her"? Homer shows that you don't have to be perfect to be an okay parent. 

3. Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air

So he was mostly known as Uncle Phil, even though Ashley, Carlton and Hilary were his children, so he counts as a dad too. He's one of my favorites because he wasn't like other sitcom dads, all dopey and doing completely ridiculously shtick-y things. He was funny, sarcastic and it was a little bit real too. He took in Will, and became a father to him in a way that Will's dad never did. I think the show celebrated that you don't have to be the bio dad to be a dad. And I have to be honest, when he passed away, I was a little sad.

4. Tim the Tool Man Taylor from Home Improvement 

I guess I'm really showing my age with all my favorite fictional dads, but that's okay :) Tim is another one of my favorites because he always tried to be so macho, but most of the time he just jumbled it up so bad. And it was always fun to see him get stuck to things lol. Plus, I had a big crush on Jonathan Taylor Thomas at the time, so of course I watched Home Improvement to see him too. 

5. Daniel Hillard/Mrs. Doubtfire from Mrs. Doubtfire

This movie is silly and great and Robin Williams is fabulous. A dad is willing to dress as a lady and become a housekeeper in his ex's house to be closer to his kids? That's a dedicated dad. I mean, of course he was a mess in the first place, which is why they're exes, but he realized that he sucked and tried to fix it. And of course, seeing the dudeness in him come out when he's dressed as the old lady is just hilarious. 

Who are your favorite fictional dads? Let me know in the comments! And thanks to Megan and Kristin for coming up with the Five Fandom Friday concept and to Darling Stewie for the new FFF graphic.

Five Fandom Friday- Fictional Characters That Just Get Me

Happy Friday! Its time for me to hop back on the FFF train. Today's is all about the fictional characters that I identify with the most, or you know, the ones that just get me :)

1. Harriet the Spy Harriet M Welsch is a nosy girl. She spies on her friends and her neighbors. She has routines, and hates change. Harriet taught me how to people watch, how to use a notebook for more than just a diary, how to accept change after you think your world has shattered. And its just a book for preteens. But as soon as I read it back when I was eleven years old, I felt like she was me, in book form. And I still do. I people watch all the time and have multitudes of notebooks for various things (and yes, I did have a "spy" notebook for a while in jr high) because its cheaper than therapy (although I do that now too lol).

2. and 3. Codex and Clara from The Guild I'm always split with these two because I think I'm more like Clara, but I definitely see myself in Codex too. Clara is the mom that plays too much, and while that's not me, I do identify with her being a mage, doing all the dumb achievements, and wanting to get out of the house (and living it up when I actually can lol. or wanting to anyway. I never do- I'm too socially awkward to pull off a good Clara in that respect.). But I understand Codex too. I constantly feel like my life is falling apart. I'm not anywhere near where I thought I'd be at this age, and I do play to get away sometimes. Well, I used to, when I had a great guild that was the best guild I'd ever been in. When it split up....well, I haven't found a guild since that I've felt at home in, so the game isn't the same anymore. I also get Codex's social awkwardness, because I am incredibly awkward.

Codex

Clara

4. Daria If I was a cartoon character, Daria would be it. I was all sarcasm and dry wit in my younger days, and if you catch me on a good day now, I still am. I even wear thick glasses like Daria. She's my hero. If I could get away with wearing that hideous orange and green color combo I probably would.

5. Jessica Darling from The Jessica Darling Series by Megan McCafferty. These books are marvelous and Jessica is another book-me, but high school/college aged. She has a love for the 80's, is sarcastic and has a best friend that lives away from her. It was written in the time frame of when I was in high school (which is when I first started reading the series), so everything was very fresh and current and completely relevant. I found myself relating to Jessica so much it felt like  Megan McCafferty must've been spying on me. Even reading the books now, it feels like I'm reading my old diaries and yearbooks.

So these are my five, and it was harder than I thought it would be to choose them! Who are your fictional character doppelgangers? 

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Five Fandom Friday- Fangirl Moments!

It's that time again- Fandom Friday! Today's is about fangirling (or fanguying, there's no discrimination here) moments. I had to really think about these, because I like to think of myself as a reserved, keep it to yourself person. But the more I thought about it, I realized that I do have a few moments, so here we go.....

1. Seeing New Kids on the Block in concert. I make so secret about how much I love New Kids on the Block. I never got to see them when I was a child, and the first time they went on tour when I was an adult, I didn't get to see them either, and I was devastated. So when they went on tour with the Backstreet Boys in 2011, I jumped at the chance to see them. It was amazing, I think I stood through the whole concert and sang along with every song (even though my singing can make nails on a chalkboard sound good). I got to see them in concert again in 2013, and it was still just as magical. I'm still holding out hope to see them again this year.

NKOTB 2013 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

My seats weren't great, but I loved every minute of the concert!

2. Molly McIsaac responded to one of my tweets. So I was new to Twitter, and really loving Fangasm. I just randomly tweeted one day that Fangasm reminded me of a nerdy Real World. And she agreed! Molly was one of my favorites on the show because she wasn't afraid to stand up for her beliefs, and just had that free spiritedness about her that I just really liked. I also secretly hoped that her and Mike would hook up. Their fighting had a weird sexual tension vibe about it, and what's a "reality" show without some hookups? (Even though it was Sal's crush on Dani that ultimately stole the show in that department). 

3. The Wienermobile came to my town. I've always wanted a Weeny whistle- don't laugh! So when the Wienermobile made a stop in my city, my husband and I took our kids to see the giant hot dog. We had to embarrass ourselves by singing the Oscar Meyer wiener song to get the whistle, but damnit, I did it :) I was even in our local paper because of my love of the that giant hot dog lol. 

4. Meeting Ivan from Season One of King of the Nerds at WonderCon. This was a moment where I think I really, truly fangirled, and I had no idea what was going on. It was just after the season had ended and I saw him walking around WonderCon with his girlfriend (wife? I don't know), and nobody was around him. At first I didn't even know if it was him, because I thought for sure that lots of people would be wanting to meet him. But I kept staring and my husband was just like, just go over there already..... So I did. And he was the nicest person! His girlfriend (wife?) took the picture, and they were just so cool about the whole thing. They let me ramble on about how he was my favorite on the show and I really thought he should have won. I went back to my husband so excited that I had gotten the picture, and super embarrassed that I had just rambled on like that to a stranger. They probably thought I was crazy! And later on in the day, I ran into him again, but by then he was swarming with fans and camera crews trying to talk to him. 

5. Seeing Wil Wheaton and Felicia Day at NerdHQ. So these are like my nerd idols. The ultimate nerd couple, even though they aren't actually together. I admire and respect their work so much, so going to see them in that panel was a big deal. Sadly, they didn't come out for pictures after like we were told they would, but even being in the same room with them was good enough. 

So these are my five, pretty good I think :) What are your fangirl/fanguy moments? Let me know in the comments! And thanks to Megan and Kristin for coming up with these topics.