Nerd News | Fantastic Four teaser + Jessica Jones & Ghostbusters casting

When I first heard about the Fantastic Four reboot/remake, I was hesitant. The earlier movies are, yes, totally cheesy and were made in the time before superhero movies became the amazingly epic things they are now, but they're fun. And I totally dug the casting (even though Chris Evans is way better as Captain America.) The casting choices for the new movie—Miles Teller as Reed Richards, Kate Mara as Sue Storm, Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm and Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm/The Thing—are very interesting, and very young. (Perhaps I'm just getting old?)

After watching this trailer, however, I'm actually really intrigued. And, before I get too judgy, I always have to remember how I felt about Chris Evans' casting as Cap (i.e., not on board), and how completely wrong I was.

Thoughts?

Also of note:

• David Tennant has been cast in Netflix/Marvel's A.K.A. Jessica Jones as Kilgrave, a villain who, in the comics, "uses his mind control powers early in his criminal career to force a woman to become his wife." (He's also purple.) Questionable morals aside, I'm excited to see David in a villain role.
• The cast of the female-centric Ghostbusters reboot has been announced: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon are rumored to have nabbed the top roles.

Fancies & Fascinations | "Got the morbs"

I ran across an old (but new to me) phrase on Tumblr the other day, and it struck a chord:

via goodinthestacks

Isn't that just the best? I mean, it's kind of sad, because the one experiencing it has to be sad to do so, but I am so enamored by the phrase. And, as someone who experiences this feeling on occasion, it's certainly more expressive than just "feeling low."

Over Coffee | 1.25.15

I've been wanting to do a short "weekly links" blog series for a while, a place where I can share items of interest that don't fit elsewhere. (Don't worry—this won't take the place of Nerd News.) This sort of round-up post is one of my favorite things to read on other blogs, in part because they're always filled with really awesome things that I otherwise might have missed.

So, without further ado, welcome to the first edition of Over Coffee!

For your consideration:

>> This is such a great list: 12 things that are OK (contrary to popular belief). ¹

>> Call Paul Revere and tell him we need him to spread some news: Red velvet Oreos are coming!

>> Star-Lord and Captain America are on opposite sides of the upcoming Superbowl, and they've placed (charity-benefiting) bets on Twitter.

>> Battling the winter blahs? Try these ideas for overcoming them.

>> Disney GIFs can be appropriate for so many things—even (semi) accurately describing one's adult life.

>> The human body's circadian rhythm matches better with Mars' (on which a day is 25 hours) than it does with Earth's. I'm not saying we're aliens, but ...

>> I always enjoy a good quote, but even more so when they're made by badass ladies. ²

>> NASA released a new image of the Andromeda Galaxy as taken by the Hubble telescope, and it's the largest and most detailed to date. (We're talking 1.5 billion pixels.) ³

Also on my mind: playing Destiny | cactus mini-gardens | colorful bamboo jars | The Clug | reading more comics, starting with volumes of Saga and Hawkeye | wishbone bracelets | metallic throw pillows | seriously solid-looking quotation mark bookends

And now, your moment of GIF:

Original sources: ¹ Hiya Tootsie's Weekly Badassery for Wild Hearts and Rebel Women; ² Nubby Twiglet's Link Love: 1.22.15; ³ The Thrift Archives' Favorite Friday Favorites

On the hunt for a new iPhone case

If you follow me on Instagram (#shamelesspug), you might have seen that, earlier this month, I got myself a shiny new iPhone 6. Less than two weeks later, the phone slid out of my pocket as I got out of our car ... and crashed to the ground. I sent a little prayer into the ether that it was OK, but alas, my prayer went unheard. The screen had cracked in opposite corners.

Thankfully, we have an Apple Store nearby that was able to replace my glass the next day.  Although I'd been searching off and on, the ordeal made me realize that I should probably make more of an effort into finding a new case.

For my last phone, which I named Wendy, I bought this case:

Mischief by geothebio

My new phone is named after something equally nerdy, but not Loki/Tom Hiddleston related. (Its name is Lylla; more on that in a moment.) So, even though I still love the design of the case, I knew I wanted something different.

But there's where the struggle lies. Thanks to living in the Internet age, THERE ARE TOO MANY OPTIONS.

I finally whittled my options down to around 25, but I'm still not entirely certain which one I want to get.

Do I go for something nerdy again?

1 | We are Groot ... by Aortic-Inkwell   2 | Big Chew by Eric Fan   3 | Army by nowaitwhat   4 | Wibbly Wobbly White by nowaitwhat   5 | Picard Facepalm Meme Watercolor by Olechka   6 | The Trickster God by InsertIcon   7 | I Am Groot by Brandi York   8 | Awesome Mix Vol. 1 by Three Second   9 | Baby Groot School of Dance by eightbreeze   10 | Life is Too Short by zerobriant   11 | Captain Picard - Astronaut in Space by Nicholas Redfunkovich   12 | Quit Smiling You Idiot by DoodleHeadDee

Or maybe I need a dose of inspiration?

13 | A World of Pure Imagination by thetrufflepig   14 | Craziness ... let's go there. by Zeke Tucker   15 | If Today Was Your Last Day by PaulMalyugin   16 | Punch Today in the Face by Zeke Tucker   17 | Keep Your Head in the Clouds by Zeke Tucker

Or perhaps I want one that's a bit more artsy?

18 | The Moon Shines Bright (Birch Moon II) by Soaring Anchor Designs   19 | Ain't Nobody Got Time For That by Sara Eshak   20 | Pardon My French by Cat Coquillette   21 | Geometric Skull by Zeke Tucker   22 | Golden Space Chevron by Zeke Tucker   23 | Stars by The Last Sparrow   24 | Skull Watercolor Painting by OlechkaDesign   25 | Skeleton Key by Colleen Sweeney

Or should I just get this one, which is the most ridiculous thing ever (and yet I want it, badly)?

Nicolas Cage by Replaceface

Help, friends! Do you have a favorite from among these options?

Side note: I prefer to buy through Society6 and Redbubble for illustrated cases like these. I did a quick search on Etsy while I was compiling this post, but found way too many cases being sold by people using art that I knew wasn't theirs. I'm just not comfortable taking my chances on supporting people who steal art.

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I said I'd talk a little bit more about why my phone is named Lylla. If you didn't click on the link, Lylla is, in the Marvel comic 'verse, the girlfriend of Rocket Raccoon. When I got my case, I made a new wallpaper for my Home screen featuring Rocket and Groot, as illustrated by Mike Mitchell:

 

I figured it was only fitting to name the phone after Rocket's other love!

My First Filofax

When to comes to planning, I like a mix of digital and physical. It's not that one wouldn't suffice, but I choose not to choose one over the other.

All of my work meetings are scheduled via Calendar, and I keep various other iCloud calendars for this blog, FYA, misc. personal events and deadlines, holidays, birthdays and my to-do list. All of these things I also keep track of in my physical planner. I realize that having two sets of the same dates/lists might seem redundant, but there's something to be said for both systems. Plus, doubling up makes doubly sure that I don't miss something (she says, knocking wood).

For a very long time—at least since high school—I've bought pre-made yearly planners. It wasn't until a couple of years ago that I found one that seemed to fit my preferences and needs almost perfectly: the Draw Your Tomorrow planner. Designed by Korean company MMMG, the planner changes slightly every year,  but continues to have the layout I love. (Get one at Amazon.) It features monthly spreads, weekly spreads and a variety of notepaper (lined, gridded and blank) in the back. It's also non-dated, which I prefer. But it's very ... plain.

Swag! | New A Nerdy World MOO cards

I rarely need or use business/contact cards, but I always like to have them, just in case. Also, having them makes things so much more official and professional/makes me feel fancy.

When I started this new space, I knew I wanted to get a new set of cards to go along with. In the past, I've bought cards through UPrinting and Vistaprint, both of which I'd recommend if you're in the market for printed materials. (I used Vistaprint for our Curtismas cards this year.) But I didn't want to have to buy a ton of them, since, like I said, I don't use them often. I also wanted something a little fancier than your standard business card.

So, I turned to MOO. I've gotten MOO cards for a couple of other projects, and I really like them. They're not the cheapest option out there, but the quality of the product outweighs the increase in price, especially when you don't want to buy your cards in bulk.

I, of course, used the brilliant illustration Michelle of Creature Type created for me. Here's a look at the finished product (and a peek at my awesome planner, which I will be sharing more about in a future post):

And a clearer look at the front/what's on the back:

I'm really excited about having them, and I think they turned out pretty dang fab. Now ... to find a place/event at which I can actually hand them out!

This post is not sponsored by MOO, nor did I receive anything in exchange for posting it. I just like their products! The link to MOO, however, is an affiliate link, and will benefit me if you make a purchase using it. Thanks in advance.

Nerd News | The Avengers: The Age of Ultron trailer

This movie, you guys.

I am preparing myself for all sorts of feels. This trailer makes me excited and worried* and happy and scared all at the same time. My nerdy heart can't handle it!

What say you?

*Worried, in particular, because the events of this movie will lead into Captain America: Civil War, and Civil War was a dark time in the Marvel 'verse for our beloved Avengers supes. Will the movie 'verse follow the same storylines? I don't know ... but it still makes me nervous.

Haiku Revieu | The Imitation Game

The Imitation Game
★★★★1/2

Unknown war hero
Father of the computer
Want to hug Turing

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During World War II, mathematician Alan Turing tries to crack the enigma code with help from fellow mathematicians.

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WARNING: Possible spoilers ahead.

Word to the wise: Do not go see this movie unless you want to be seriously depressed for days. Although this movie isn't terribly sad until the end, having to think about how absolutely crappy Alan Turing was treated, and what that treatment led to, and the fact that he wasn't "pardoned" until 2013—and the fact that he had to be pardoned AT ALL—it makes me sad and angry all over again thinking about it now.

That said, this movie is beautiful. It's less about the maths than I was expecting, and more about Turing's life. Had we learned more about his project, and the math/science behind the code-breaking machine, it would have been equally interesting, but it would have been a different movie.

Benedict Cumberbatch, unsurprisingly, acts the crap out of the Turing role. He's awkward and uncomfortable and heartbreaking. I both wanted to punch him for his rudeness and hug him for his innocence. The rest of the cast, including Matthew Goode, Kiera Knightley and Allen Leech as members of the codebreaking team, made for an excellent supporting cast. Mark Strong was particularly entertaining as MI6 agent Stewart Menzies, too. (But that's such an unfortunate surname.)

I think this is such an important movie, as it acts as an introduction to this amazing man and his unparalleled contributions to early computer science/engineering. It also has an important secondary message—the fact that this amazing man was so hindered and abused by the system in which he lived—but it's not heavy handed. Just makes you think.

Check it out:

Recently Read | 2014 recap

At the start of 2014, I set a goal for the year of reading 100 books. I wasn't quite sure I was going to make it—as that's a lot of books—but I did it! I finished my 100th read of 2014 Dec. 30. (One day early!)

To be completely honest, I cheated a little, reading a few short stories and trades, but the large majority of what I read last year were honest to goodness novels. And 68 out of the 100 I reviewed for Forever Young Adult. (You can read any of my reviews by clicking the covers below.)

My top ten reads of the year—in no particular order—were:

1. Cress by Marissa Meyer
2. Jackaby by Will Ritter
3. Everything Leads to You by Nina LaCour
4. The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
5. A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
6. The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
7. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
8. Storm Siren by Mary Weber
9. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
10. Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

Honorable mention: The Daughter of Smoke and Bone series by Laini Taylor, particularly the Night of Cake and Puppets short story. (Mik and Zuzana 4EVA!)

For 2015, I've set a goal of 101 reads. I think that's a reasonable increase. I mean, I did have a whole extra day last year. I'd like to try to read more non-YA books, too, even though I do enjoy the genre a whole lot.

And now, here are my 100 reads of 2014: