Monthly Archives: January 2021

Reaching Out to Old Friends

Posted in Life Lately by

Last week, I reached out to a friend of mine. She lives in Minneapolis, and we have been friends since third grade. I reached out to her regarding wedding information; however, we ended up talking for much longer. The week after, she called me again, and we ended up talking for almost an hour. Whether our conversation was about wedding stuff, anime, or playing The Sims, it was refreshing to hear what was going on in her life. It’s sad because the thought that went through my head originally was “she’s probably busy, and she won’t answer”. My assumption was incorrect. This post serves as a reminder to check in on your friends.

I was watching the news with my fiancé this week, and I saw a news story that made me sad. Mental illness is skyrocketing in the pandemic. This is unsurprising. It’s a stressful time of trying to stay quarantined, not seeing older family members, and avoiding events or groups of people. I find myself longing to attend conventions again. I miss being around people and cosplay! I haven’t planned any cosplays in a while because I have no place to go. I’m an introvert to a certain degree, and even I find myself feeling lonely or missing old aspects of my life.

My friend and I are set to hang out sometime today, and I can’t wait. I’m hoping we will play Sims, watch anime, and play with her new puppy. This is my reminder to you to reach out to anyone you haven’t seen in a while. Send them a text, Facebook message, call, or DM them on Twitter. It doesn’t matter if it’s been six months since you last reached out. It feels good to receive a message from someone I haven’t spoken to in a while.

Image is a photo o fme and my friend. We are smiling at the camera. I'm wearing a Darth Vader shirt with sunglasses on my head.

Windpeaks – Summer Camp Themed Hidden Objects Game

Posted in Gaming by
Image is a screenshot from the game Wind Peaks. The logo Wind Peaks is behind a wooden board. The I in Wind is a magnifying glass while the A in peaks is a triangle leaf. Below, it shows the menu options along with a group of people in a blue camper van. They are driving in the wilderness.
Wind Peaks.

Last year, I played Hidden Through Time, a hidden objects game available on Steam. Hidden Through Time was one of my favorite games I played in 2020. Steam recommended Wind Peaks, another hidden objects game centered around kids heading off to summer camp. The premise of Wind Peaks sounded promising, but I found myself comparing Wind Peaks to Hidden Through Time. When I compared the two, Wind Peaks was fun, but I loved Hidden Through Time more.

Wind Peaks included a story with cut scenes in between each map. The story can be quickly summarized as kids heading off to summer camp in search of buried treasure. The treasure is buried somewhere within the camp, and collecting these objects will aid in their search. I’m not sure why a story was introduced because I’m not sure if any of the kids were given names. I liked the overall aesthetic of Wind Peaks. The summer camp theme gave off a cozy, relaxing feel while playing.

Image is another screenshot from the game. There are three side by side images. The first is a blue camper van driving. The second is the blue van stopping and a door opens and the third is a boy walking to what appears to be an outhouse.

I wasn’t a fan of the hint system in Wind Peaks. To get a hint, you would click on the object. A countdown would begin, and if the object wasn’t found within that time, the object would be revealed on the map. That’s not a hint system. In Hidden Through Time, a hint is included above the object, so I could still find the object on my own without it being given away.

Additionally, I felt the maps in Wind Peaks were too big. I couldn’t zoom out to view the map as a whole, so it took a while to visually scan the map. I wished either the maps would have been smaller or the zoom function would have allowed me to view the whole map. I also can’t stand using WASD instead of the arrow keys. The arrow keys make sense; I’m not sure why I couldn’t have used them to move around the map.

Wind Peaks was an enjoyable, cozy, cabin hidden objects game. The gameplay, in my opinion, could have been better, but it didn’t take away from the experience. The way Wind Peaks ended left open the potential of new maps being added to the game. I would play through the new maps in Wind Peaks, although I hope the hint system is overhauled. Hidden object games are a nice distraction from the console games I’m currently playing through. I would rate Wind Peaks a 6.5 / 10.

WandaVision (2021)

Posted in Bizarre Brunette Big-Screen Watches by
Image is a poster for WandaVision. On the left, ti shows Wanda and she's partially in black and white. On the right, it shows Vision who is more in color, but some in black and white. They have a home together and their home is in black and white. There's static on the poster separating these two universes.

There’s a reason I have an annual subscription to Disney+. After watching The Mandalorian, I was looking for something new to watch. WandaVision caught my eye, and after work, I decided to watch the series. I’m intrigued as to how WandaVision will play out, as I’m not exactly sure what’s going on in the story.

Wanda Maximoff (played by Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (played by Paul Bettany) are a married couple living in suburbia. Each episode released so far has shown Wanda and Vision in a different time era. It’s not explicitly stated which time period each episode occurs in. The first episode is clearly the 50’s as Wanda stays home cooking and levitating dishes while she cleans them. In the second episode, Wanda is wearing pants, so it must be later on. There are certain occurrences between both episodes leading Wanda and Vision to be hesitant about the life they are living. WandaVision has been compared to classic sitcoms, although my first impression of the series reminded me of The Truman Show starring Jim Carrey.

I’m happy with the WandaVision series thus far! Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany have great chemistry together. They cover for each other when there’s the off chance someone might discover their powerful abilities. One fun scene to watch was in the second episode when Vision and Wanda were performing for a talent show. Vision would complete these magic tricks using his natural strengths. Wanda would summon an object to counteract Vision’s trick. It shows how they work together, even if it’s as simple as a neighborhood talent show.

There are so many unanswered questions! At the end of episode #2, there’s a beekeeper who appears out of a storm drain. I’m not sure who that’s supposed to be. Additionally, Wanda hears her name being called out on a radio. This moment in the second episode is why I was reminded of The Truman Show. WandaVision is supposed to tie into the Doctor Strange sequel, so I’m curious as to how this will be achieved. Are Wanda and Vision in an alternate reality? Were they kidnapped and forced to be in this show to entertain others? How is Vision back because he died in Avengers: Infinity War? There was an ad in one of the episodes of WandaVision listing Hydra as a sponsor. I thought that was a clever “blink and you miss it” Easter Egg.

If you have already watched WandaVision, please comment your theories in the comments below! The third episode of WandaVision will air on Friday, January 22nd, only on Disney+.

Wanderlust My Travel Bucket List 4 Years Later

Posted in Life Lately by

Four years ago, I wrote a post titled Wanderlust & My Travel Bucket List. In 2016, I was still in college and excited to graduate. As I re-read the post, I realized I actually crossed off a few of these places. I wanted to revisit this topic to update my list, recap where I have been, and look to the future when the borders open.

Wanderlust *noun* a strong desire to travel.

Universal Studios Orlando, Fl DONE! February 2019

Image is a photo of me, my mom and my brother. We just got off the Hogwarts Express, so there's a bright red train behind us. It was sunny and we are all smiling at the camera.

This was my first trip listed in my post four years ago. I didn’t even list this as Universal Studios because I was so focused on seeing the Harry Potter portion of the theme park. This trip was planned for February because that’s my mom’s birthday month. It was also an excuse to leave and go somewhere warm. This was one of my favorite trips I have ever taken, and I’m glad I made this a priority after I graduated from college.

Seattle, Washington – HAHAHAHA 2020.

I was supposed to go to Emerald City Comic Con in March of last year; however, I canceled my trip due to the pandemic. It was 100% the right decision to make. I hope to go to Seattle one of these days.

London

I convinced the fiancé to go to Europe for our honeymoon. With the borders being monitored, I want to wait to go on a honeymoon until it’s safe to travel to Europe.

New York City Comic Con / A Bigger Con Partly Done! Planet Comic-Con in 2018, New York Trip in 2018, and C2E2 twice.

Image is a photo of me sitting at the steps. We are at the MET in New York. I'm looking seriously at the camera.

This goal is partly completed. Since 2016, I have attended Gen Con (Indianapolis), C2E2 twice (Chicago), and Planet Comic Con (Kansas City, Missouri). In 2018, we flew to New York, but not to go to New York Comic Con. Once attending conventions becomes safe again, I want to attend NYCC in all of its glory.

Reading my Wanderlust post reminded me how much I have accomplished since graduating from college in 2017. Going through 2020, I struggled with the insecurity of “not doing enough” with my life. 2020 felt like a wasted year. I realize in saying this that it’s a privileged thing to say. None of my loved ones tested positive for COVID-19. I’m still healthy as I’m sitting in my apartment writing this post. My main hope for 2021 is to speed up the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine! Bring on the herd immunity!

Glitter Vipers

Posted in Reading/Books by

Content Warning: hate crimes, bigotry, assault, suicide, and violence (a content warning is listed on the graphic novel)

Image is a photo of a graphic novel titled Glitter Vipers. It shows seven different characters. Behind them is gray and white and in front of them everything is in color. It says" "They're here... They're Queer.... They ain't taking $#@* anymore"

I have backed various graphic novel-based Kickstarter campaigns. It’s gotten to the point where I forget that I backed them. I received my copy of Glitter Vipers in the mail this month. When I received my package, I stared at it, wondering what I had ordered. I read Glitter Vipers the same day I opened it, and it was a fun graphic novel to read.

Before I begin writing my review, I want to highlight that I have no intention of discussing the hate crime, suicide, or violence in this book. I only include the content warning because it’s listed on the back cover of the graphic novel, so I figured it’s important to mention.

Glitter Vipers tells the story of several LGBTQIA+ people as they form the group, Glitter Vipers. The Glitter Vipers originally belonged to a support group where they could discuss their lives amongst their own community. Each member has faced some sort of harassment, violence, or discrimination based on their orientation or identity. They are sick and tired of their circumstances, so they form their own vigilante group to stick up for themselves, which leads to them bringing down a hate group.

Image is a photo of three stickers. The one on the left says Queer Comix and there's a bright pink triangle pointing down. The top sticker says Glitter Vipers and the one on the right shows a bald, bearded man in rainbow. He's wearing glasses.

I received stickers when I backed the campaign, and they were shiny, pink, with a punk twist. Paging through Glitter Vipers, the art is bright when it needs to be and dark when the story goes there. The art itself was a huge positive for me.

While I did enjoy reading Glitter Vipers, there were a couple of things I wished for. Glitter Vipers is extremely short. This novel is roughly sixty pages. I wish there were more background given for some of the characters. I felt Queenie, Cal, Mel, and Bri weren’t given enough development. I would have liked to know more about them.

Additionally, I wish there were a listing of the character’s pronouns with the character art. I can deduce which characters use which pronouns, but it’s not listed. For example, I believe Queenie is non-binary, so is it safe to assume they use they/them pronouns?? There are images in the back of the graphic novel with the pre-sketches of the characters, and I think it would have been a nice touch to list their pronouns.

I loved reading Glitter Vipers! I loved the art and the overall style of the graphic novel. I hope a sequel is eventually released. I want to know everything and anything about all the characters. If you missed the Kickstarter, Glitter Vipers can be purchased from Joe Glass’s online store. Joe Glass can be found on Twitter @JosephGlass

WW84 – What Happened?

Posted in Bizarre Brunette Big-Screen Watches by
Image is a movie poster for WW84. It shows a variety of colors with the colors almost shaped like W's that have been stretched out. Wonder Woman is front and center wearing an all gold metal outfit.

I remember watching the No Man’s Land Scene from the first Wonder Woman movie. Watching this scene in the theater was an empowering moment. Diana wasn’t going to let Steve hold her back, especially since she needed Steve’s help in getting through the battleground. When my fiancé and I watched WW84, I felt let down in a huge way. The plot left a sour taste in my mouth. Diana is a part of history as seen through the mementos in her apartment. However, all of that can’t be celebrated because she’s still missing Steve???? Why does WW84 feel so different from the first film?

After the shopping mall fight sequence, Diana (played by Gal Gadot) is shown at a restaurant eating by herself and looking up at a plane flying in the night sky. These scenes conveyed to the viewer how Diana is not over Steve. Losing Steve during the war was traumatic for Diana, but I find it hard to believe that she hasn’t moved on. When I think of Wonder Woman as a character, she’s a role model to women and has fought for everyone on the planet. I would have liked to see Diana live a normal life when, suddenly, Steve is revived. It would have been more believable to the character. This Mary Sue article reiterates my thoughts regarding Diana and the way she’s portrayed in WW84.

Besides Diana, there’s Barbara Minerva. Barbara (played by Kristin Wiig) wants to be Diana, to be acknowledged, and attractive. Who cares about Barbara’s multiple Ph.Ds because she wants to be the hot girl. I felt there weren’t enough scenes in the film where I could actually buy into Barbara wanting to be Diana. There’s a brief mention of Barbara being bullied for being a nerd, so it’s assumed Barbara wants to be like Diana to be accepted. When I think of female empowerment, Barbara’s story doesn’t do that either. She feels she needs to be attractive and feminine to be taken seriously. This could be an overreaction on my part, but if someone could help me understand why Barbara wants to be like Diana, other than the fact that she’s attractive, please enlighten me. I would have liked to see Barbara own her shit and use the dream stone to wish for good luck with her research. This research could have led her to become Cheetah and seek power from Diana. This is what I would have liked to see out of the character.

When I first watched WW84, I was hoping for a friendship to be developed between Diana and Barbara. There’s only one scene where Diana and Barbara are out to dinner, where they talk about love. This again brings up the fact that Diana is still not over Steve. Once this scene ends, I’m supposed to believe Diana and Barbara are BFFs? I think there could have been more development in the friendship between Diana and Barbara.

Ultimately, if you loved WW84, I’m happy for you! I think it’s annoying when I state how much I like something, and fans remind me how much the thing I like sucks. I felt WW84 could have been a much better film if it had been structured differently. With the first Wonder Woman film, I walked out of the theater feeling elated, and with WW84, I sat at home pondering what it was that I just watched.

Starting a Comics Pull List

Posted in Life Lately, Reading/Books by
Image is a photo of me smiling at the camera. I'm holding a big stack of Batman comics that have blue tape that's holding them together. I'm wearing a Viking inspired Wonder Woman cosplay with a faux fur shoulder pad and a black triangle viking skirt.

I have always wanted to start a comics pull list. I started reading comics in college; however, I wasn’t particularly fond of the comic book store in my college town. This meant starting a pull list back in Minneapolis wasn’t feasible since I wasn’t driving home consistently. Once I moved to the cities, I struggled to find a weekly comic series. I found reading trades easier than comic issues. Now, I have at least a couple of series I’m trying to read weekly, so it made sense to finally start a pull list. I’m excited to continue supporting a local comic book store weekly and get new comics! Wednesdays will have meaning for me again.

I started my pull list at Hot Comics and Collectibles. Hot Comics recently moved to a new store location in Minneapolis. It’s a quaint little shop, and it gives off a cozy vibe whenever I stop by. Hot Comics has three retail locations, with two of these locations being within reasonable driving distance from my apartment. When I knew I wanted to start a pull list, I wanted a comic book store close to me. This would be a place I would drive to weekly to pick up my comics, and nothing is worse than dreading a long car ride. Winter in Minnesota makes driving unpredictable, and I’d hate to miss picking up my comics because of poor driving conditions.

So what’s on my pull list? At the moment, I have three titles on there so far. If you have kept up with my posts, this shouldn’t come as a surprise as to what’s on my pull list. First, I have Finger Guns. Finger Guns is such a fun comic series. I’m all caught up on the story, so now I’m waiting for issue #6 to release. Besides Finger Guns, I have the latest Doctor Aphra series on my pull list. The new Doctor Aphra series made me a fan of the character and her adventuring team. Finally, I have King in Black on my pull list. King in Black is a Marvel crossover where the heroes are fighting Knull, the god of the Venom symbiote. I haven’t been reading Donny Cates’ Venom series, which supposedly leads up to King in Black. I never felt lost reading King in Black because the story is clear and easy to understand.

Despite having a pull list, I will continue to read trade paperbacks. There are certain series I started way too late, where I don’t think I will ever catch up to the current comic issue. It took me a long time to feel comfortable reading comics and to have the confidence to start a pull list. Let me know if you have a pull list and where your pull list is in the comments below.