Even if you're a nerd, you don't have to make your poor dog suffer (Photo by Felipe Ibanez Guzman) There's a moment in everyone's life when they come out of the closet -- not necessarily that closet -- but rather when they realize that that thing they’ve always been interested in and fascinated by isn't something to be embarrassed about, but is something to be acknowledged and celebrated. In my own case, it was (and is) comic books. Even though I've been reading them for half a century, when I was in high school, it was worst sort of social embarrassment to admit that not only did you read and enjoy them, but you also collected them. When I got to college, I met men and women who were smart, funny, and who actually read comics -- and admitted it. Since then, I've been more than proud of my fanboy status -- even if some of my fellows are still stereotypically geeky. May 25th is Nerd Pride Day, a holiday that started (in Spain, of all places) in 2006, and is dedicated to allowing all of us the freedom to be geeks or nerds about anything we like -- no, not just like, but are really into. With that in mind, I polled my fellow Sparksters to find out what floats their particular boats. Robert: As far as nerdy and geeky interests, there's too much to choose from, so I’ll just go with role-playing games -- "Dungeons and Dragons" in particular; a game that even nerds call nerdy. I used to play "Dungeons and Dragons" back in the '90s when TSR was still around and supported the "Ravenloft" (gothic horror) and "Dark Sun" (kind of like "Mad Max") campaign settings. These days my D&D lust is satisfied by war games like "Warhammer" and board games (especially horror games) like "Arkham Horror," which is a perfect meld of board games and another nerdy interest of mine: H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu mythos. But, still loyal to my old passion, I keep a bad-ass "Dragons of Krynn" painting I got way back in high school hanging in my room. Sarah: I am a total history junkie. I will read, watch, or listen to anything involving history (as you can probably tell from my Sparks). I'm partial to European history, especially anything weird, corrupt, or scandalous -- and it’s even better if it involves the monarchy. But surprisingly, I've never been to a Renaissance Faire. Suzi: This Memorial Day, I hope to be sitting by the pool, soaking up the sun, enjoying a bevy of tunes from my iPod Classic, whilst reading some lovely literary selection on my Kindle. I'm sure I'll be in contact with loved ones, as my Blackberry Pearl never leaves my side. Yes, folks, I am an unabashed gadget girl. I wear my Nerd Pride badge, well, proudly. Richard: I became painfully aware of my status as a gay nerd while creating a spreadsheet of "Golden Girls" episodes that I wanted to rip to my iPhone, organized by season, disc, and featured musical number (where applicable.) Jessica: I am nerdy about snowboard construction. My own snowboard has a Kevlar core for strength and flexibility (and in case bad guys are after me on the slopes, a la James Bond). It's pretty new, but the latest in board tech is bamboo veneer, which, in addition to being sustainable and looking very board-like indeed, reduces vibrations on icy snow and at high speeds. So cool. Adrienne: I collect Japanese toys. Okay, I'm not a master collector, but I still spend too much money of ugly vinyl monsters and fanciful plastic windup toys. Source of neurotic nerdiness: Crying over Gamera's apparent demise ("Don't die, Gamera! Don’t die!") in a fellow 3-year-old’s Gaithersburg, Maryland basement. It's one of my earliest memories. Do manicured lawns spawn escapist fantasies? Chris: I am an unapologetic sci-fi nerd. A good sci-fi novel/movie inspires you to think deeply, often forcing you to consider possibilities that never occurred to you. The prescription for all closed-minded individuals who just can't show any empathy or sympathize with any unknown point of view is an assigned list of the best sci-fi. Mike: I am a Disneyland nerd and proud of it! Since I was 10 years old, I’ve been going there at least once a year. After my first son was born, I have shared my poison, I mean passion, for it with my family -- my eight-year-old son has been there 15 times. I know ... it's nuts. And that’s why it's the nerdiest thing about me. Suggested Sites... Wikipedia: Geek Pride Day - we call them nerds, they call them geeks -- and there's probably a subculture dedicated to determining the differences. Nerd Country - "your complete nerd resource." Wikipedia: Trekkies - for some, these are the ultimate of geekdom. 501st Legion - for me, it doesn't get any lower than this, though. Okay, you think Boba Fett is cool; we get it, already! Kelly's World of Airsickness Bags - see, there's nothing that doesn't have afficionados.

Directory categories: Comic Books, Consumer Electronics, The Golden Girls, Collectible Toys, Disneyland

Archived under: Authors, Board Games, Books, Celebrations, Collectibles, Comic Books, Comics, Counterculture, Cultures, Disney, Disneyland, Entertainment, European History, Extreme Sports, Fanatics, Fiction, Gadgets, Games, Gay Pride, History, Hobbies, Holidays, In Character, James Bond, Japan, Literature, Monsters and Creatures, Parenting, Royalty, Science Fiction, Sitcoms, Society and Culture, Sports, Star Trek, Star Wars, TV, Technology, The Spark, Toys, Winter Sports, Yahoo! Directory

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1862 edition of Edward Lear's "Book of Nonsense" Today's what we call "Limerick Day;" A chance to take words out to play. So we here at the Spark Thought it might be a lark To write today’s piece in this way. It may seem quite simple to do -- To write all these lines in a new Format like this (One we hope that won’t miss), But, frankly, it makes us say "phew!" I mean, it could drive us berserk (This making these couplets all work); The lines have to rhyme And still sound sublime -- It’s easy to sound like a jerk. Of course, no one made us do this. There were birthdays that we had to miss. Like Mary Kay Ash, Who made lots of cash By selling pink products like this. Or we could have marked Nurse's Day, friend, By making you all comprehend The work that they do May seem pointless to you, But you’ll soon get that point in the end. But I see we digress from our Spark, And we're leaving you still in the dark. This form has a history, It's really no mystery; Its origin's nothing but stark. A man with the name Edward Lear Gave birth to these poems he held dear. In 1845 (And that is no jive) The Limerick made its premiere! It's named for a city in Eire, And Lear's book created a fire We honor today In this rhythmical way (Of which we’re beginning to tire). So that'll be all we will write. We've made our point, now -- sweet respite From rhyming and poems, We’re off to our homes And wish you a non-metric night! Suggested Sites... Edward Lear's Book of Nonsense - if you thought reading the above was exhausting, try this. Wikipedia: Edward Lear - biography of the inventor of the Limerick. Poetry Online: Limericks - more Limericks than you can shake an eight-syllable stick at. Mary Kay Cosmetics - Happy Birthday, Mary Kay! International Nurses Day - lest we forget those sisters of mercy.

Directory categories: Limericks, Poetry, Edward Lear, Poets, Poetic Forms

Archived under: 19th Century, Authors, Celebrations, Children´s Literature, Cosmetics, Humor, Limericks, Literature, Make-Up, Poetry, The Spark, Women

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Collection of Little Golden Books (Photo by Jelene Morris) The best holiday shopping I did last year was for my little cousins. Days before our family Hanukkah celebration, I bounded into my neighborhood bookshop like, well, like a kid at Christmas. My head swam with the possibilities –- would I buy Louis Sachar's "Sideways Stories from Wayside School," in which a stinky elementary-schooler is revealed to be a dead rat in a raincoat? (It was my earliest introduction to magical realism.) Or would I buy "Go Dog Go," so a simpatico family member would finally get it when I asked, "Do you like my hat?" Over in the kids' section, I encountered a wizened older woman whose wild white hair and mesmerizing chin whisker put made her seem like a classic kid's book character herself. I imagined her in a falling-down house on a windy fall night with children playing ding dong ditch and debating the likelihood that she was a witch. Then she’d rescue someone’s kitten and have the kids over for cookies, revealing herself to be a gentle soul, warts and all. As this little fantasy played in my mind, she recommended her favorites to me, each glossy cover eliciting a little yip of eager approval. Eric Carle! "Where the Wild Things Are!" "Pat the Bunny!" "Harold and the Purple Crayon!" (Did anyone else find Harold badly dressed, by the way?) I was exposed to new favorites like "Punk Farm," and sad to find my favorite Little Golden Book, "Mr. Bell's Fix-It Shop" was out of print, while the Poky Little Puppy poked on. And remember "The Monster at the End of This Book?" (Spoiler alert: It’s Grover.) After an hour, it was time to choose. I couldn't, so each kid got two. This Children's Book Week, the genre of kid lit is on display, so I'm going to celebrate with this one or this one or ... Suggested Sites... Children’s Book Council - trade association for children's book publishers, with news and reading lists. Children's Book Week - official site, with events and activities. Punk Farm - ive farm animals who love to rock. Golden Books - home of the Pokey Little Puppy and The Shy Little Kitten. Customizable books available. Jon Scieszka, - national ambassador for Children's Book Week, and author of "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Fairy Tales."

Directory categories: Children's Literature, Children's Reading Lists, Children’s Book Authors, Children's Booksellers

Archived under: Authors, Books, Children, Children´s Literature, Dr. Seuss, Education, Fiction, In Character, Literature, Nostalgia, Parenting, Reading, Writers, Writing

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These Things Drive Us CRAZY! (Photo by Chelsea Durham) When George Orwell wrote "Nineteen Eighty-Four," he could never have imagined The Spark. In his classic novel, Orwell proposed that every April the citizens of Oceania were whipped into a frenzy of hate against some imaginary foe, for no reason other than to keep them distracted from what was really happening. (Sounds like some current political commentators, but we digress ...) In the past we've mentioned our loathing of cell phones, banished words, NASCAR, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, bad movies, telemarketers, Tim McCarver, Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Keanu Reeves, and "Batman" the TV show, but there's always new stuff to denigrate. When we got to thinking about it, we realized that celebrating hate sounded like a darn fine idea -- oh, not the harmful kind that actually hurts people, but rather, as an outlet for those things that either drive us crazy or that we just can't stand. So, herewith, the Spark's "We Hate It" list: Liz: I hate it when I rent or borrow a movie on DVD and it stops in the middle. Then when I look at the disc, it appears that someone has used it as a hockey puck or a butter dish -- or both. Can we learn to hold these things by the edges, people? Robert: I have a strong dislike for tofu ice cream bars. They look like ice cream, they feel like ice cream when you roll them around in your mouth, but you wait -- and that rich, sweet taste never comes. Instead, you're left with thoughts of what could have been and the faint aftertaste of bean curd. I'm sure there are vegan tofu ice cream enthusiasts that love these things, but I personally shudder when I think about them. Suzi: Drivers who use their brights on the highway, regardless of oncoming traffic. Helene: I hate falling asleep without having caught that spider hanging on the ceiling. Apparently, we eat three spiders per year while sleeping. Heather: I have a love/hate relationship with the movie industry. There's something particularly annoying about getting all pumped up over a stellar movie trailer, only to walk out of a theater $8.00 poorer with a sour taste in your mouth and a queasy feeling in your gut. Netflix, anyone? Mike: I hate road hogs who think letting a car change lanes in front of them is like an insult or something. Sarah: The "Twilight" movie posters. Yellow eyes aren't sexy; they're a sign of jaundice! Jessica: I hate people who are walking and talking on Bluetooth. I even hate myself when I'm walking and talking on Bluetooth. Richard: There's only one thing in this world that I truly hate to my very core: Cilantro, the devil's herb. It's true. Suggested Sites... Wikipedia: Hate Week - start your own celebration. How To Repair Damaged CDs or DVDs - help is on the way! Tofu Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe - can you call it ice cream if there's no milk? Bad Driver Blog - you're not alone. Idiots are everywhere. Ban Cilantro.org - dedicated to the destruction of the evil weed.

Directory categories: George Orwell, 1984, Tofu, Bad Drivers, Traffic and Road Conditions

Archived under: 1984, Adam West, Authors, Batman, Celebrations, Cell Phones, DVD, Disney, Disney Channel, Driving, Entertainment, Fiction, George Orwell, Hannah Montana, Holidays, Humor, Ice Cream, In Character, Literature, Miley Cyrus, Movie Trailers, Movies, NASCAR, Performing Arts, Rock and Roll, Spiders, Sportscasters, Superheroes, T-Shirts, Telemarketing, The Spark, Tofu, Travel, Vampires, Writers, Yahoo! Directory

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(Photo by Kevin Dooley) Two hundred years ago today, Edgar Allan Poe was born into a Boston winter. Poe was a master of the short story, and part of his success came from his talent to make his readers feel specific emotions. Poe’s famously dark poem “The Raven” inspires a tone of melancholy; one of the many unpleasant afflictions suffered by most of his characters. Poe stated that melancholy is “the most legitimate of all poetical tones.” Much like a breakup song that allows us to steep in the bittersweet pain of heartbreak, Poe’s works give us an opportunity to revel in melancholy at our whim, and then set it aside. Coincidentally, Poe’s bicentennial happens to fall on the day that has become known as the most depressing day of the year, or “Blue Monday.” Each year, a Monday in late January is given this distinction, being the day that people are statistically most likely to feel depressed. Why this day? A combination of factors are at play: folks are starting to receive credit card bills from their holiday shopping; people are failing at their New Year’s resolutions; those with seasonal affective disorder may be feeling the blahs of winter; and -- this year in particular -- a huge number of people are feeling the slow economy, or are even out of a job. Poe shows us examples of the beauty of melancholy. Rather than feeling bad about this depressing day, perhaps we should embrace it. Icons of grumpiness are often beloved, as are Eeyore and Oscar. Let’s sit under the raincloud for just a day. This suggestion, of course, isn't meant to make light of the very real specter of depression that millions of people just can’t shake. If you suspect you might be suffering from clinical depression, please take this day as an opportunity to get screened, and get help. Suggested Sites... Edgar Allan Poe 200 Project - international online community features an events calendar, news, and a PoePedia. Poe Bicentennial Baltimore - the city of Poe’s final resting place honors him with a series of events. Poe Bicentennial Celebration - they’ll be partying all year in Virginia. Poe Museum - great resource for info on Poe. And you can get married there! Depression on Yahoo! Health - information and resources for anyone touched by the illness.

Directory categories: Edgar Allan Poe, Mental Health, Depression, Depression Screening, Seasonal Affective Disorder

Archived under: American History, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Books, Depression, Grumpiness, Literature, Mental Health, Poetry, Psychology, Winter, Writers

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