BlogGlue

Greetings!

Here are a few of my favorite things: Nintendo, Penny Arcade, The Legend of Zelda, Mario, Pokemon, Harvest Moon, Fallout, Dungeons and Dragons, books, dice, Professor Layton, Shadow of the Colossus, Minecraft, and so much more. I'm going to talk a lot about video games, I sincerely hope you don't mind.

Newest paper sculpt project!

Sonic Screwdriver trio for my friend's birthday.

An interview with Adam Harum of Transolar Galactica.

They achieved their Kickstarter goal, and now the world gets more of their award winning sci-fi comedy!

Doctor Who themed lip balm!

Brought to you from Earthtastic! and A Bit of Geek.

Minecraft paper sculpt!

My submission to the Mojang community art contest. Watch the video!

A TARDIS desk lamp!

Instructions and babbling on how to make a TARDIS lamp from foam core!

Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

An Open Letter to Internet Explorer

Dear Internet Explorer,



It would be extremely easy for me to start this off with, “Please go **** yourself,” but I’m classier than that. So, allow me to restart.



Dear Internet Explorer,



You make my work life miserable. Had I known that taking a real job meant using you five days of the week, eight hours a day, I might have considered unemployment, or another retail living nightmare.



May I just say how astounded I am at your lock-up frequency? Because I am. Astounded, that is. It seems that every other time I try to open a tab, or scroll within an existing one, I’m treated to a total system freeze, complete with “this program is not responding” warnings, and the maddening, spinning blue wheel.



I also need to ask a very important question: why is it that often times when I try to close a window, instead of it closing, it becomes a tab within another window? This is a very serious situation, and one that I’m certain causes a blood pressure spike in me.



Let’s take a moment to discuss how slow and choppy you are, and how many tabs I have accidentally closed because of these issues. And while we’re at it, let’s talk about the fact that you don’t have a “reopen closed tab” option! What are you, stuck in 2004?



gmail not compatible with Internet Explorer 
This is so awkward.



And why, oh why why why don’t you have a built in spell checker? It’s like you’re some sort of horrifying beta program that never should have seen actual human interaction. What self-respecting, modern day software doesn’t have spell check? I am a professional, and because you somehow became the “industry standard” (please tell me you catch the heavy, sarcastic emphasis there), I have to use you.



Remember how I just said that I’m a professional? Yeah, it is kind of important for me to come across as one, but, as a human, I tend to err, so as hard as I try to type properly, typos are bound to slip through! But, no, you leave me hanging, Internet Explorer, completely editor-less, and open to making embarrassing mistakes such as “morgtage,” “tomorow,” and “waht” when my fingers are flying across the keyboard.



So you see, you’re a pathetic excuse for a web browser, and you honestly should be ashamed of your “features,” and the fact that you’re sharing the spotlight with legitimate programs such as Chrome and Firefox.



Yours in disgust,



MJ



*header image and preview image created from these images.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Time to Churn Butter

So you know how I took a five month hiatus earlier this year because I was in-between homes? Well, I'm finally in my new home! Whee! Of course, I failed to properly plan ahead and as a TRAGIC RESULT I do not yet have internet. What's a technology dependent lady to do while she awaits her home install kit? Surely I can do something more productive than sit in front of the mailbox with a box of donuts waiting for my package to arrive (not that I've done that. Yet.).

And so I'm thinking: what could I be doing? People used to have such intense and dedicated hobbies/skills. They'd read, or do needle point, or hammer on swords, or practice horseback riding for hours! The result of this internet-less madness has brought us to this moment: badass skills I wish Ihad to pass the time inthe Land Without Connectivity.

1. Knit/Crochet


 
From Oprah.com

I know a bunch of people who can do this, my sister especially, but I just can't get the hang of it. I tried to learn knitting when I was younger, when I was a knowledge sponge and everything should have been simple! But, no. I have watched my sister create scarves, hats, gloves, socks, toys, and more, while I look on with a mixture of jealously and simultaneous refusal to ever try again. I can't help but wonderwhat cool thingsI'd make during this week of no internet, though...

2. Churn Butter


 
From harvestofhistory.org

This will probably remain one of my favorite phrases ever. In February my friend's internet went out for a while, and on the day we discovered this she defeatedly proclaimed, "Guess we should start churning butter!" I laughed hysterically, because it seemed like the perfect and rational thing to say at the time. Now I can't stop thinking about it whenever the power goes out or I'm somewhere with poor cell reception or zero wifi. In all honesty though, that'd be an awesome skill to have. I'd get so buff. Plus, I love butter.

3. Whittle


 
From artofmanliness.com

No joke, I have always wanted to learn how to whittle. If I had to pick between it and crochet, I'd go with whittling. I could make so many badass wooden things! Then maybe my sister could knit clothes for the things?! I'd probably start off cliche and make a flute, like the one that Hagrid gives to Harry. Or perhaps I'd make my own set of Figma action figures, since theirs are mad expensive. Without the internet I'd be free to practice well into the night. That would be a good time to invest in a head lamp, too, and we all know that head lamps are neat.

4. Spin


 
From usf.edu You can bet I'd wear a bitchin' hat, too.

Spin as in wheel, not workout. I've seen one person using a spinning wheel before and it kind of blew my mind. Prior to that my only exposure to the things was through Sleeping Beauty. I can't deny that I felt wary of the wooden beast, with its steady motions and pointy spots. I kept a safe distance, but stared in awe. If I got into spinning I think I'd have to move out of my apartment, get some sheep, and retire from the internet forever. Oof, that hurts just to think about.

5. Costuming


 
From floralshowers.com

I am so into costumes and cosplay. When I was in 8th grade my mom bought me a sewing machine because I wanted to make my own clothes. Thirteen years later, however, that has yet to happen. I've made pillows, an infinity scarf, a few belt bags, one Halloween costume, and the occasional shirt alteration, but no new clothing has transpired. The patterns confound me, and I'm afraid of messing up, wasting fabric, and table flipping the whole situation out of anger. I'll be turning one of the rooms in my new place into a craft room, so maybe this is my year! Perhaps A Bit of Geek will turn suddenly into A Bit of Clothes, and I will be flooded with new and confused followers. Things might get weird.

At least Ihave my laptop for disc-based TV shows and movies (how long before "disc based" becomes an obsolete phrase?), and I've been playing a lot of Animal Crossing: New Leaf. My place also happens to be full of boxes containing things I haven't seen in roughly five years. So, yeah, forgetting to plan for internet installation is actually a good thing. Let's hear it for productivity!

Which old fashioned skills do you wish you had?

-MJ

*header image source

Monday, November 12, 2012

Have a Very Techy Thanksgiving With These Fun Ideas!

Thanksgiving is galloping towards us at an alarming pace, so I hope everybody is prepared for all of the food and family! Generally it's a time of long-held traditions, but there are ways to make your holiday just as digital as it is delicious. Here are my tips for a techy Thanksgiving!

The diners never expected so much electronic interference. Source.

Meal Preparation

Experienced chefs will have family recipes passed on from cook to cook, but younger turkey providers may need a few helpful tips. Thanksgiving Menu Maker for iOS is a real life saver, and free! It's loaded with over 75 recipes covering starters, main courses, side dishes, and desserts. There are variations for every dish expected at the table plus a few that you may not have thought of, including vegetarian offerings! The application allows you to compile your recipes of choice together in a cohesive menu and also creates a shopping list. One of the best features is the schedule: the application takes the dishes that you plan on making and organizes by when you need to start making them. No one will be left wondering when the mashed potatoes need to be started in order to coincide with the turkey!

A great companion piece for those iPad users who will be using digital recipes is a kitchen stand! There are a wide variety of options ranging from the simple, the sophisticated, and the fancy under-the-counter kind. Take your pick and get cooking, but keep your iPad free from food with these plastic sleeves!

Food Assistance


This could be you! Source.

Seeing as the turkey is the grand center of Thanksgiving dinner for most people, it only seems right to make sure it's properly cooked! A digital cooking thermometer will assist in making sure thpièce de résistance is done all the way through. Especially nervous new cooks can take comfort in the fact that the electronic read-out it difficult to mis-read. Dare I say... impossible.

Now that you've used the digital thermometer to create a perfectly done turkey, it's time to honor it during its carving with an electric knife. They're certainly not new to the world of Thanksgiving, but they are handy! It's also a simple way to gadget-up your day without causing confusion among less tech-savvy relatives. Perhaps you have a grandma who swears by her old-school thermometer, but may be impressed with a plug-in blade. I'm amusing myself over the mental image.

After Dinner Activities

Once everyone is fed, full, and happy, why not check out one of these two Thanksgiving trivia websites? Delight your family and friends with fun holiday facts, such as the name of the Chief of the Wampanoag Tribe (the Native Americans who were invited to the first Thanksgiving), or whether or not decorative corn is edible (it's not). The questions range from historical to present day to cooking, and seeing as colleges and offices don't host Thanksgiving plays to remind us of these facts, I'm guessing a lot of people could use a few refreshers. I know I can!

You know I've never been a part of the wishbone tradition. Am I missing out? Source.

If everyone grows sick of trivia, or isn't interested in the first place, then go ahead and indulge on some Thanksgiving themed movies while packing in some pie. My favorites are Dutch and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. The internet recommends Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, as well as Alice's Restaurant, but I haven't seen those so I can't in good faith tell you to watch them. The descriptions sound entertaining enough, so you're probably safe. Sadly, Dutch, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles aren't available through Netflix. Alice's Restaurant is though. There's one down!

Accessories

While not digital, amazing geeky aprons embody the spirit of technology and will make the day even more exciting! Choose from the TARDIS, Pikachu, Link, Marvel, and more from etsy seller  NerdAlertCreations. You can find fancier fair over at darlingarmy's shop (take a look at this Dalek one!), and even a Batman half apron from jordandene.

If I had this I'd wear it everyday. I wouldn't even be cooking. Source.

You can even jazz up the functionality of your kitchen utensils with these floppy disc coasters, and be sure to protect your meat mitts from the hot pans with a Pac-man potholder!

So now you're all set to have a technologically driven and geeky Thanksgiving! What's your favorite movie for the holiday? Do you have a favorite piece of tech that you use while cooking?

-MJ

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

LEAP, so I can eat cheetos and not muck up my mouse.

I don't know about you, but I just love to snack all day long. Personal favorites are Munchies and Kettle brand salt and black pepper potato chips. I love to eat these at any juncture. You know, movies, TV shows, gaming, showers, really any time of the day.

This causes problems for my delicate technology though: I hate sticky, mucky, dirty keyboards and mice. Mouses. Computer mouse. This problem has become exponentially serious since receiving my iPad. I mean, I use a stylus pen but I don't want to get that all chip-y either. What is the solution?


Leap is a motion sensing device being developed by Leap Motion. It's available for pre-order with an estimated ship date of February 2013 and it costs $69.99. The device will be compatible with Mac and PC (Linux currently being worked on) and is a motion control replacement to the traditional keyboard and mouse.

The video demonstrates many applications from drawing, gaming (side scrolling as well as first person), and 3D modeling. It looks extremely practical and pretty awesome. It also jaunts the human race one step closer to Th Future, where one simply waves a hand and information is shown a-plenty.

What do you think? Neat? Bad? Questions or concerns? I think my arm would get tired from being perpetually held up as though I possessed a gun...

-MJ

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