Summer Items Roundup

With summer in full swing, it's time to take stock of my wardrobe and outdoor accessories. Do I have what it takes to stay cool, and still be cool? (ahaha... ahem) The answer is no, so I figured I'd take a look around online and find some amazing summertime items that I'd desperately love to own.

Allons-y!

1. Parasol

I'm generally not a heat person. I wither and whine and basically become a sweaty nuisance. I'm thinking I am in desperate need of this Kaylee inspired parasol, made by KarenMcBrowncoat on Etsy. She offers up a variety of hand painted paper parasols spanning many fandoms! There's a rather gorgeous Totoro one that I'm currently eyeing, too.

2. Sunglasses

If this isn't enough to make me want lasik then I just don't know what is! I am seriously freaking out over these hand painted Super Mario Bros. sunglasses from KRaeShades on Etsy! She has a fun variety to choose from, including Spider-man and Nyan Cat, and she even does custom work! I need to fan myself, I'm feeling faint.

3. Bathing suit

Now that I've picked out some sunglasses and an umbrella, I guess I need a bathing suit. I would absolutely wear this awesome TARDIS one from Fit2btiedclothing on Etsy. This place has TONS of prints, as well as a variety of styles. They're all fit to your size (requiring bra and pants size upon order), which is awesome. They're reasonably priced as well (this one is only $60!).

4. Beach towel

My Roundup list accidentally turned into beach wear, so I'm just going to go with it. So far my items are all pretty mismatched as well, which got me thinking that I should add some cohesion in the form of an amazing TARDIS beach towel! Only $19.99 from ThinkGeek! If I had this I might actually lay down on the beach for a full five minutes without complaining about the heat. Just kidding, I would sit in the car with the AC on or go under a shadypier.

5. Flowy items

Alright, so what if I'm not going to the beach? Maybe I want to go out to eat or for a walk and I want something just breezy and comfortable to wear. Fortunately, Her Universe has been pumping out tons of new products lately! If I were a bigger fan of StarWars, then the R2-D2 dress would be great. The Star Trekshirt is very cute though, so that would be my preference for sure! So feminine and comfortable looking, mmhmmm.

6. Water bottle

What's more important than hydration during the hot summer months? Nothing, obviously! I am rarely seen without my own stainless steel water bottle. It has been a faithful companion for years, even traveling with me across the pond, but stillI wouldn't say no to this sleek blue Doctor Who TARDIS water bottle from ThinkGeek.

7. Slip on shoes

I always wear Cons. Size 7 ladies Converse, mm mm mmm, my total shoe of choice. However, this is generally considered a bad idea when it's hot outside. But I hate sandals! What's a girl to do? Buy some hand painted NES slip ons, obviously. Made by ScreeneShoes on Etsy, andavailable in pretty much any size, with your preference of background color. I don't own any pink shoes, soI would definitely take these. They'd make those summer days much more comfortable.

8. Skin/lip care

Lastly, skin care is of theutmost importance in the summer time! It's good to be aware all year long, but in the summer especially! Since I'm not aware of any geek branded sun block (someone please tell me if it exists and what it would even look like), I'll go to the next best thing: lip balms! DOCTOR WHO lip balms, from Earthtastic on Etsy*! Only $20 for this five balm set, which comes in a nice little gift box, even! Make sure your lips stay healthy, and not all cracked and uncomfortable, while galavanting around doing whatever it is people like to do in the sun. I'm usually out there for a few minutes before complaining and finding shade.

Do you have a favorite piece of geeky attire for the hot days? Let me know!

-MJ

*All images taken from their respective linked site. Doctor Who lip balms are made as a collaborative effort between A Bit of Geek and Earthtastic.
**header image source

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Video Game Character Spotlight: Samus Aran

Ninjas are awesome. This is a fundamental truth about the universe and long after the human race is gone, other civilizations will arise to practice their own form of ninjutsu and B-rated Kung Fu movies. Being a ninja requires skill, strength, and an inborn desire to walk up walls to make gravity your bitch. But more than this, a ninja needs a purpose, something to drive the ninja to become the very best badass they can possibly be. And what better purpose could there be than to rise from hell itself to avenge the murder of your entire family? This is what drives one of the most hardcore ninjas of video gaming, the chain-slinging, “GET OVER HERE!” shouting ninja named Scorpion, of the Mortal Kombat series. Known throughout the gaming community as one of the most recognized characters of the series, Scorpion is the hellspawn ninja that has fought his way since the early days of video gaming. Even as time has passed and controversies arose and fell, Scorpion has stood cool against the test of time.



“Obviously someone known for staying cool," Source.

But as to the history or background of Scorpion, little is known of the specter as his life is shrouded in mystery as it is with all great ninjas. What few fragments of his pre-ass-kicking life that we known is one filled with pain, anger and vengeance. Born as Hanzo Hasashi, he was originally from the ninja clan known as Shirai Ryu. But the Shirai Ryu were a rebel clan who defected from their rival ninja clan, Lin Kuei, after a disagreement of what we imagine was over who's turn it was to wash the blood off the dojo walls. But leaving the Lin Kuei was punishable by death, so they sent their best assassin to kill the Shirai Ryu clan: the stone-cold killer himself, Sub-Zero.



“We feel the urge to make a Mr. Freeze pun, but that wouldn't be very ice," Source.

As Sub-Zero laid waste to the Shirai Ryu clan, the would-be-ninja Hanzo tried to stop the assassination and end the icy reign of terror. But in the battle, he too fell at the hands of his cold opponent, casting his dead soul into the depths of the Netherrealm. In its fiery pits, his searing heart found the untameable desire for vengeance, transforming him into the wraith ninja we now know as Scorpion. He was given new abilities from the hellfire itself and used these skills to resurrect himself back onto Earth. From there, he entered the Mortal Kombat tournament in the hopes that he would be able to kill his longtime rival, Sub-Zero.



“Or become his best friend. We're sketchy on the details," Source.

During the events of the original Mortal Kombat, Scorpion finally manages to meet up with his hated enemy, effectively shoving his hand spear right through the heart of his frozen rival. When his goal is completed and his vengeance over, Scorpion then moves on to find new pursuits to employ his vast skills of murdering people in the face. He continues to enter the Mortal Kombat tournaments, finding new enemies to face and people that need to be avenged. Not willing to be intimidated by anyone, Scorpion has fought the best and most fearsome opponents, proving himself a lethal fighter against all.



“Lest we forget the time he tried to punch Batman in the dick," Source.

Over all these challenges, Scorpion has time and time again shown us what it truly means to be a ninja. For not only is he the badass who comes out on top against hundreds of enemies, but he is also purpose driven, never giving up his goal. He fills his being with the determination and will of the ninja, improving upon himself and his skills. What lies in the future for this hellspawn brawler is uncertain. Perhaps he'll put a fatality on the whole universe that dares to challenge him. Or maybe he will find redemption with his soul, make peace with his enemies and get his very own sitcom.



"Source."

-Tom

Header Image Source.

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Geek Prize Pack Giveaway!

We did it! 200 'Likes' on Facebook! Thank you to everyone who follows our updates, reads our articles, and shares the love with their fellow geek loving friends. We are humbled and touched, and want to thank you all so, so much! We've come a long way since launching the new site and adding more contributors, and it has just barely been two months!

As was stated earlier in the week, we are commemorating this absolutely fantastic milestone with a prize pack giveaway!

So, what are we giving away? It's pretty awesome, actually:



The prize pack includes the following: Doctor Who Dalek mug (1), Mega Man plushie toy (1), Mass Effect playing cards (1), Mass Effect sticker (1),Spider-man Web Ball Shooter(1), Three comics (1 Iron Man, 1 Amazing Spider-man, and 1 Dr. Strange), and Avengers temporarytattoos.




We thought it would be fun to provide a gift that reflected each of our personal interests and specialities! The Doctor Who mug is from Miranda (that's me!), the Mega Man plushie is from Zach, the Mass Effect items are from Rachel, and the comic book/Spider-man items are from Tom! We're all very passionate about these subjects and our hobbies, and being able to share them with like-minded readers is a true joy!

BUT WAIT! How do you enter?! It is simple,I promise. But do please read the instructions carefully!

1. If you haven't already, LIKE the A Bit of Geek facebook pageandFollow @abitofgeek on Twitter(if you havea twitter account)!
2. Tweet about the giveaway (I entered to win a geek prize pack from @abitofgeek ! Find out how you can enter at http://tinyurl.com/lsx9uqu) or share our giveaway announcement from the A Bit of Geek facebook page (we'll keep posting about it, so it won't be hard to find)!
3. Comment on THIS ENTRY and tell us that you have liked/followed/shared, and in that same comment tell us your favorite video game ever!
4. If you already Like and Follow, then don't worry, you can still enter! Just leave a comment saying you already Like/Follow, that you shared, andthen also tell us your favorite video game!
5. One entry per person, and don't forget to leave a way for us to contact you! Twitter handle, e-mail address, etc.
6. Open to US residents only, so we apologize to any international readers!

You have until 10:00 PMPST onSaturday, August 3rd, 2013 to enter! The winner will be chosen via random number generator and contacted the next day (so be sure to leave a way to contact you!!). If you win the giveaway then we will need a mailing address for you, so please be mindful of that fact!

Good luck, and thank you again for your support!

-A Bit of Geek

*header image present icon found here

***CLOSED***

Thank you to all who entered! The lucky winner is....

comment number six, Lily!!



Thank you again!

P.S. Please know that we are aware of the fact that only the four most recent comments are showing up. We are currently working on a solution to the issue and we appreciate your patience and understanding! All of the commentsdo show in our backend.

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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

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We Have a Surprise For You!

Happy Monday, folks! Here at A Bit of Geek we're getting pretty excited. You know why? Because we're nearly at 200 fans on Facebook! That's an awesome milestone, and we want to celebrate properly.

So what will we be doing, you ask? Well, we're hosting a prize giveaway, of course! Want to know what you can win? I'll give you a tiny sneak peek:

Looks enticing, right? Once we hit 200 followers we will reveal the full prize pack and you can enter to win it! So go on! Let your friends know about us at A Bit of Geek and the passionate, geeky work that we do.Share our website on twitter,Like us on Facebook, send us your loving comments!Help us reach our milestone! *confetti*

-MJ

*header image file from here

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Get in the Know with ‘The Skimm’

About two weeks ago I stumbled across a website called The Skimm and, after consistently enjoying the daily service,I have decided that it's time to share the goodness with you all.

The Skimm is a news service that delivers daily updates to your inbox. It contains objective facts about goings-on around the world, not just the United States. As someonewho has never been big on reading news, I appreciate the concise, short blipits of information. I generally learn something new each morning (which I love!), and there's a surprising amount of knowledge crammed into the tiny e-mail.

They just celebrated their first birthday yesterday, so why not sign up for their (free) service and learn a little more each day? It has rapidly become part of my Web Reading routine, and an enjoyable way for me to stay in the loop. What's your favorite news site?

-MJ

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5 Reasons To Love Allie Brosh

There's a slim chance that you aren't already a reader of Hyperbole and a Half, the amazingly funny narrative comic written by Allie Brosh, but just in case I'm going to write all about why this is the perfect time to dive in. Maybe you've wanted to check out her work, but thought she wouldn't live up to all of the hype? I'm here to fix that incorrect notion (you're welcome).

Hilarious face picture taken directly from her twitter page. Makes me laugh every time.

1. She's funny

I mean funny funny.Every article over at Hyperbole and a Half is comedy gold. Lengthy reads, to be sure, but completely worth it. Her stories are largely memories from her childhood spun into laugh out loud reads, combined with current day happenings. Many of her posts leave me breathless from intense, audible laughter. At times I even have to stop reading because I'm laughing too hard. This kind of humor is few and far between for me, and I have yet to find prose and life experiences similar to hers.

 

I think we all know this feeling. From,"Spiders Are Scary."

2. She's relatable

After reading a few of her stories, you'll realize that she writes universally. Spiders, geese, skeezy apartments;Hyperbole and a Half has it all. She's socially awkward and anxious, which I think we've all experienced to a certain extent. Who else knows what it's like to have every intention of a productive day, only to end up on the computer instead?Humans love relatability, and Allie delivers that in droves. Her readers frequently comment with remarks such as, "Have you been watching me?!" or, "This sounds just like my life!"

[ 

The magnificent Alot, donein paint!! From,"The Alot is Better Than You At Everything."A personal favorite.

3. She uses paint

Every one of her stories is accompanied by a wealth of painstakingly drawn doodles, all done in the Windows program Paint. This is impressive for a few reasons. The first is that Paint sucks (IMHO), and the second is that she has developed a style all her own even through this terrible and limited program. She has stated that the drawings take her a long time to complete, because she always has an exact image in her head. Some drawings will be created over and over again to reach wonky perfection. For some reason I think this is insanely impressive. I also believe it adds a certain level of charm and hilarity to her articles; a slight (intentional) lack of polish that contributes to the wacky and awkward feel of her stories.

 

The brilliant meme that you see recreated everywhere? Yeah, that's from Allie. And it's from a great article called,"This is Why I'll Never be an Adult."

4. Everything is an adventure

Some people think that they lead dull, uninteresting lives, when in reality a quick shift in perspective can make anything entertaining and exciting. Allie leads a life full of hilarious encounters, and has helped my life to be more colorful as a result. She talks of drinking out of other people's water hoses, her frightened dogs, loud next door neighbors, and curious looks from strangers when returning movie rentals (among many, many other scenarios). Without a doubt, her stories will make you realize that your life is far more interesting and funny than you thought.

 

From her most recent (as of this writing) article, titled,"Depression Part Two."

5. She's a voice for depression

Many of her posts focus on her anxiety as a source for reader entertainment. Simple tasks become full blown stories of internal struggle and comedy once they're on the pages of her website. Occasionally she'll write a very serious piece about her depression, though. And it's something incredible. She creates these simple to understand, and extremely accurate, portrayals of being caught in depression. With her eloquent words and Paint creations, anyone can reach a level of understanding regarding the pain and difficulties of depression (either their own, or that of a loved one). She has touched the lives of many readers, and I truly think has helped people realize their own problems and pain. Knowing that we aren't alone in our struggles is of huge help and comfort to some people.

When 'Depression Part Two' went up, Allie hadn't written in nearly a year and a half. It appeared that her depression had become too much, and she was also working on writing a book. The internet breathed a collective sigh of relief when she resurfaced a few months ago, though. She's a rare talent, and a glorious comic writer. It also happens that her book, titled,"Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened" is now available for pre-order on Amazon! It releases on October 19th, 2013, and so far the listing price is $10.63 with free shipping.

I am legitimately overjoyed that she has continued to persevere, and I can't wait to have her book in my hands. So if you haven't ever read her work, please take a minute to check out one of my favorite websites. You should pre-order her book, too! I bet it'll sell out.

What do you love about Allie Brosh?

-MJ

**Header image taken directly from Hyperbole and a Half, because I could never create something as brilliant to represent Allie Brosh and her work! All images also screenshotted from Hyperbole and a Half, and used with all of the love and respect in the world.

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Video Game Character Spotlight: Earthworm Jim

When one thinks of heroes, you wouldn't think to add a worm to your list of esteemed bringers of justice. Unless, of course, that worm was equipped with a super advanced space suit and a ray gun capable of blasting evil squarely in its smug face. Then you'd probably have to add said worm to your list. You can even call him by his name: Earthworm Jim.

Leaping straight out of the once-great Shiny Entertainment's classic side scroller, Jim is the wormtastic, catch-phrase slinging hero of the Earthworm Jim series. He is the invertebrate with the most guts of all as he bravely takes on a slew of strange villains, perilous dangers and sometimes even falling cows. But he does it with a grin, for his adventures are the wild necessity on the road to rid each and every world of the horrible smell of evil.

 

“Who says you actually need a nose to know something stinks?”

Jim is tireless in his journey to fight wrong-doing, always making sure to stick up for the little guy. For he knows what it was like to be a little guy getting picked on by someone bigger than you. Once, Jim was a regular earthworm, crawling through the dirt without a thought of his own. But one day, while he was running away from a murder of hungry crows, he crawled into a strange white suit that was just laying in the ground. But as he entered the suit, he realized that it was no ordinary suit for it had suddenly given him sudden sentience, allowing him to make said realization in the first place. Mutated by the power that this super suit gave him, Jim suddenly found himself able to speak, fight with great strength and even had the use of opposable thumbs.

Now with a kicking suit and a retribution-seeking attitude, Jim fought back at his avian attackers, teaching them a lesson with his signature whiplash. But Jim knew this would not be the end of it, and sought to end the evil of everyone else who decided to pick on someone weaker just because that person happens to eat dirt.

“Just try and cut him in half. We’ll see who ends up in two pieces.”

But as it turns out for Jim, finding the super suit was just the beginning of his adventures. For even though the suit made his butt look fantastic, it was not meant to fall into Jim's hands....or lack thereof. For it was an accident brought about by the villainous bounty hunter Psy-Crow, who was transporting the suit for an even nastier weirdo, Queen Slug-for-a-Butt. Determined to pry the suit from Jim's dead, newly-acquired-hands, the whole universe sets out to pursue Jim for control of the super suit.

It all might seem too much to handle for an ordinary earthworm, but Jim is no longer an ordinary earthworm. For not only is he gifted with the super strength of the suit, but he also draws on its deadly arsenal of weapons and cosmic toys, including his trusty red ray-gun and his Pocket Rocket (we swear that's a rocket that he pulls out to travel on and absolutely nothing else). If survival weren't incentive enough, Jim also catches a glimpse of Queen Slug-for-a-Butt's sister, the beautiful Princess What's-Her-Name. And when he realizes she is being held captive, Jim rushes at the chance of being her shining knight in armor.

 

“He probably just wanted to show her his Pocket Rocket.”

Thus began Earthworm Jim's epic adventure that would span many different planets, several galaxies and even the inner workings of his very (and we want to emphasize the word, “very”) strange mind. But Jim's greatest foe wouldn't come from one of his dozens of villains or from the cosmic dangers he'd faced, but from an even scarier source: the real world. For while Jim's adventures were indeed epic, his developers suffered many financial setbacks which put the Earthworm Jim series into the ground.

Dead but not forgotten, Earthworm Jim still stands as a testament of all that is righteous in a hero. For where ever there is an evil butt to be kicked, Earthworm Jim will be there. Whenever a hot babe needs to be rescued from her super-jealous sister, Earthworm Jim will be there. And whenever there is a falling cow coming straight towards me, Earthworm Jim-

“OH SHHIIIIIIIII-”

-Tom

-Tom The Cow

Header Image: Source, Source

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Geek Yo Self

I adore my geek identity, and I want it on and with me whenever possible. I can't always wear it via my clothes or jewelry, but there's one surefire way to make sure everyone that I pass knows of my proud and beloved interests: my car.

I have had the Nintendo dice since 2004 or 2005. They were purchased at Hot Topic, and so far I haven't been able to find another pair on the internet. There are some Mario Party, Wii, and Mushroom offerings, though!

The triforce sticker has more of a story behind it. Originally I had a white one on my old car, given to me by a friend. In 2007 I got into a car accident, which took away the sticker. I was more upset over the loss of the decal than the car, truth be told. But, to my good fortune, Christmas that year a different friend gifted me three triforce decals; this time in gold!One has rested merrily upon my vehicle ever since. So, yeah, please excuse how dirty it is (washing has proven that it now possesses a dirty gradient. Oh well)! I also have a Horse Power bumper sticker from Sanshee, but I really love it so I don't want to put it on my car and have it get ruined. Such problems I have.

My wishlist for my car includes the following items:

TARDIS car emblem from Empira on Etsy My Other Ride Is Epona license plate holder from MNM

I really think it'll complete my geeky car experience, don't you?

How do you geekily treat yo self? (+5 parks and rec reference, aww yiss)

-MJ

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Tune In: Radio Hyrule

The streaming capabilities of the internet, the musical talents of people across the globe, and one of the most legendary (heh) video game franchises of all time come together in this fantastically displayed package known as Radio Hyrule. A place dedicated to a 24/7 stream of music from each entry in the Legend of Zelda franchise, Radio Hyrule is fan-made and fan-run by the more-than-capable hands of the folks at Zelda Reorchestrated. For the curious, Zelda Reorchestrated (typically referred to as ZREO) is a group of talented individuals seeking only to spread the musical beauty of the Zelda franchise through their own compositions. Though ZREO is a project that ended on a definite high note, (music puns!) the spirit lives on in this online broadcast.

 

For more information, visit the site yourself!

This internet radio community allows users to listen to original in-game music of the tales following our green-clad hero. Listeners will also hear acoustic renditions, techno/dance remixes, and metal-shredded recordings lovingly created by the fanbase. As such, Radio Hyrule not only gathers music from around the internet, but users with their own recordings can submit their own works to the catalog and they will be played for anyone listening in.

Right in their "About Us" section, they say, "Exposure and feedback are two very important key aspects of developing as a musician," and they could not be more correct. This stream allows for what would otherwise be unseen talent to be displayed and broadcast to an audience that truly appreciates what they are listening to. Anyone can listen to music from a dedicated source, but those loyal to the source itself are bound to enjoy such works and give more adequate feedback.

With plenty of material available, the site boasts a library of 1000+ songs which collectively amount to almost 60 hours of music. The stream operates like a jukebox with a seemingly random assortment of songs selected throughout the days; however, one aspect sets this apart from other music streaming websites: the ability to request which song you would like to hear.

That's right! You can comb through the vast amount of pieces yourself and pick and choose what you would like to hear coming out of your speakers. You can browse the collection by songs, artists, albums, tags, and so on to find exactly what you are looking for. You will come across other variations of the songs you love and could discover other pieces that shares a similar tag which you may not have heard otherwise. This helps people to discover new compositions and give exposure to the artists who submitted them. There is also a community chat room available to discuss your feelings with other listeners. It's a musical wonderland!

Radio Hyrule is also an ad-free website. No distracting flash banners, no obnoxious radio commercials about products irrelevant to you, and no breaks to ask "ARE YOU STILL LISTENING!?" Rather, every so often you get an announcement saying "You are listening to Radio Hyrule," accompanied by a well-known catchphrase of everyone's favorite fairy, Navi. A nice addition is that they play the audio from video commercials which originally aired on television, which I think is a very clever touch.

Should you decide a song affected you one way or the other and you feel that the situation warrants it, you may leave feedback. You can do this one of two ways, either by commenting on the piece directly on the website, or contacting the artist themselves. Most artists have a direct link to their personal websites listed with their own little artist page on Radio Hyrule, making it a snap to contact them. The process is faster than a 16th note in 4/4 time!

There are plenty of other features that I am sure I've forgotten to mention, but you should really take Navi's advice and LISTEN! Go explore the website and discover the masterpieces the world of composers has to offer. If you truly enjoy yourself while you're there, I urge you to consider donating to the website so that the stream can continue for what I hope to be a very long time. Most of all, go exploring and see everything the site has to offer!

Link! (Never gets old! (Except in Ocarina of Time. (No, I was talking about the "Link" gag, not Link himself aging. (Right.))))

Know of another similar streaming site? Let me know below!

-Zach

*All images courtesy of Radio Hyrule and Zelda Reorchestrated

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