New Gender Options On Facebook

In recent years, Facebook has come a pretty long way in proving themselves to be a supporter of LGBT rights. A few years ago, they altered their profile settings, so that bisexual users like myself -- thanks, Facebook -- could update their profiles to state they were attracted to both sexes. Then this morning it was announced that Facebook had again updated the profile settings. This time, however, they edited the settings to include more than fifty different terms for users to use to describe themselves and their gender. Facebook also added three pronouns choices for users to select from: him, her, them. The new settings can be seen in the picture below, which was taken from the Huffington Post website.

I think it's pretty safe to say that this is a huge step for Facebook, and a supporter of trans rights, I applaud them for taking this step. I think it's awesome to see a little bit more love and acceptance in the world as opposed to....Well, that other yucky stuff. Hopefully, we'll get to see more awesome stuff like this from other social media sites in the future.
We need more stuff like this in the world, so thank you, Facebook. 

Social Anxiety: What It's Really Like

Recently, someone tried to give me some advice on how to make friends after I explained to them that I have social anxiety and that makes it hard for me to make real friends. They said I should go to a place where I'm likely to meet like-minded people that will want to be friends with me. Huh.
I never realized it was that easy, but that's probably because I have social anxiety and it doesn't work that way for me.
Going to places like the movies or the library or a bar or a club is probably how most normal people make friends, right?
That does not work for me. It just doesn't. If I go to places like that and find someone I want to be friends with, I have to walk up to them and keep myself from having an anxiety attack. That's something that's pretty hard to do when A) you have no control over your feelings of anxiety and B) you're too busy, worrying about whether or not the person you're trying to talk to thinks you're a complete and total idiot. It usually doesn't work and the anxiety attack usually leads to a depressive bipolar swing, which could leave me feeling horrible about myself for days on end.
I wake up every day, feeling like I'm seconds away from having an anxiety attack. There is a constant pressure on my chest caused by the pounding of my own heart. When I go out in public, I don't look at people, I don't talk to anyone, and I stay as far as away from crowds and people as humanly possible, so I can try not to worry about whether or not they're judging me or making a joke at my expanse. If I see someone I want to talk to, I don't talk to them because I don't want to have to worry about humiliating myself and having an anxiety attack. I constantly try to make decisions that other people would approve of, so I don't have to worry about them judging me.
Everything I do from the way I cut my hair to the clothes and food that I buy is decided for me, based on the positive or negative reactions I get from other people. Even when I go online to a social media website or a forum, I think carefully about everything I post or say. I don't talk about how I'm feeling because if I do, people will find me whiny. I don't talk about a normal in my life because if I do, people will find me boring. I don't talk about the things I don't like because if I do, there's a chance someone will assume I'm talking about them and start a scene. I don't talk about my accomplishments because if I do, people will think I'm trying to get attention.
I essentially don't talk to anyone about anything, except my husband, and if I do post something personal online, it's usually about my husband, our cats, or movies or television and even then, I worry about whether or not someone will go out of their to accuse me of not having a life. I really feel like I don't get to make friends because I'm just constantly on edge and afraid to.
No one needs to tell me that this is no way to live. I know it isn't and I feel horrible that I can't just go out and meet people like everyone else. Or that I get so hung up on people that I used to be friends with or who were just nice to me for no reason that I'll go out of my way to please them, even if I know they're bad for me or if I know they want nothing to do with me for some reason or another. I know it makes me look pathetic like some lost puppy dog or crazed fangirl, and believe me, if I had a choice I would give up my attachment issues in a second, but it kinda comes with the territory, unfortunately. I also know that I don't need people to tell me how to make friends because I know that I can't do it. Or, at least, I know that I can't make friends like everyone else.
I'm not stupid. I learned how you're supposed to make friends in preschool just like everyone else. It simply doesn't work.
I just need people to understand that and to understand why it's so horribly insensitive to say thing like, "Oh, you just need to go out and meet people" to me. Hopefully, one day, I'll be able to friends that will understand that, but for now I'm happy that I have my husband who loves me and our little cats. They're my family, and I love them. They make me happy. That's all that matters.

Why Are People Criticizing J.K. Rowling?

Last week an article was released about an interview J.K. Rowling did with Emma Watson. In the article, it was revealed that Rowling felt uncertain about the RonxHermione coupling she created in the books and felt that Ron and Hermione would likely need couples' consoling. Then she said she felt like Hermione was probably better suited for Harry. Ever since, Potter fans all over the internet have been completely flipping their shit.
I mean, seriously, I don't agree with the idea of Hermione marrying Harry, but I never agreed with the idea of her marrying Ron, either. Honestly, I always kind of saw her getting Neville since her and Harry were too close, she fought with Ron too much, and Neville seemed like the only secondary character mentioned that wasn't a total douchebag or a complete idiot. Although, admittedly, it seemed like Malfoy and Snape rounded out a bit....Sort of.
That aside, I know extremely well insane dedicated fangirls and fanboys can be, but I also know how loyal they can be, too. So I'm actually really shocked that so many people are judging Rowling because of her opinion about the characters she created over something as petty as a freaking fanpairing -- oh, I'm sorry -- shipping. I find it especially shocking that people accuse her of trying to "remain relevant" now that Harry Potter is over and done with.
Yeah, because she probably called the magazine up and asked them to do interview herself. *Insert sarcasm*. She is J.K. Freaking Rowling. She invented Harry Potter and kick-started the fantasy genre hype again. A Lord Of The Rings movie would have happened eventually -- hell, there's probably a less famous one floating around that only super fans know about -- but do you really think it's a coincidence that movie came out the same year as Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone?
It's called marketing, people.
So, again, while I don't agree with Rowling's opinion at all, I think it is incredibly ridiculous that people who claim to be fans of her work are reacting to this with such hostility. I'm startled to see how quickly and easily dedicated fans can change or forfeit their alliance to a writer as brilliant as Rowling over something as small as shipping or fanpairing or whatever. Apparently, though, the fact that she wrote the childhoods of an entire generation of people who for years and years loved work doesn't matter now that she suddenly has an opinion about her work. That makes me sad.
That makes me so sad. It makes me feel like the fandom has abandoned her to a degree, and that's horrible, especially considering it's over such a little thing. I still think Rowling is an amazing writer, though, and I respect her opinion on the whole pairing situation. I don't agree with her and I'm definitely not saying she was right, but I don't really care that her opinion differs from mine because she wrote the series. Let her think what she wants.
That's my opinion on my subject.

Series To Look Into

 

Usually, I like to wait until after a series is finished, so I can buy the graphic novels in order to save money, but lately there have a couple comic book series that have come out that I just couldn't say no to buying immediately. You can see two of them in the picture above, and I apologize for the poor lighting. It's not easy when your only camera comes in the form of your 3DS >.<
The first series, though, isn't shown in the pic. That series is The Amazing X-Men: Return Of Nightcrawler (#1-5). That series actually came out a few months ago, but because of the stores I frequent, I actually didn't stumble upon until early January and I haven't finished collecting it just yet. I still need issues #4-5 both of which were out of stock last time I went to the comic book store. So chances are I'm going to have obtain them online and, hopefully, not for ridiculously more than what they're worth.
Anyway, the main reason this series is worth following is because it is the return of Nightcrawler, who perished from the Marvelverse a few years ago when he was stabbed through the chest by a freaking Sentinel. Personally, I've been a fan of Nightcrawler ever since I first learned of his existence in the early 2000 cartoon show X-Men: Evolution. I mean, yeah, that show deviated a lot from his actual character into the comics, which I've also come to love, but it was still an awesome character with a cool backstory and kick-ass fighting abilities and mutant powers. So I've been following him in the comics ever since and was actually pretty devastated when I found out Marvel had killed him off. I mean, if nothing else, Nightcrawler was a HUGE fan favorite, so who didn't see that one coming?
They never kill off fan favorites! Well, almost never....
But if you guys are big Nightcrawler fans like I am, then you should definitely give this series a look. It's funny, exciting, and full of action. It also features the return of another famed fan favorite that those of you who grew up with the 80s Marvel cartoons will be happy to see.
Another series I've taken a liking to and think is worth following is the Infinity: Heist series. It tells the story of a lowly villain turned....Well, into something else. I won't say what for the sake of avoiding spoilers.
It is definitely a good read, though, and I really like that it's told from the point-of-view of Marvel villains rather than heroes. This is the first series I've encountered with that perspective, though I know there are others that exist. I just haven't been able to find them yet.
The third series I decided to follow and think you guys would like is the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) series from Kevin Eastman, which I will actually be following in graphic novel format. I posted a review of it yesterday and you can read it here Nerdy MJ Reviews Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1.
Finally, the last series I decided to follow (for now -- there will be more in upcoming weeks) is the new Inhumanity series. I'm not gonna lie. When I first heard about this series, I had no interest in it whatsoever.
The Inhumans had never really been something I was interested in and because they seemed to be more fantasy-ish rather than scifi. Honestly, when it comes to fantasy, there isn't really much I like. I'm not even a huge Thor fan, but then I decided to give Inhumanity the benefit of the doubt and pick up a copy.
I was glad I did. Even though everything that's happened to lead up to the series is a bit hard to follow, it still turned out to be a great read and I'm definitely looking forward to picking up a copy of the next issue. I don't know if I'll subscribe to it, but this is definitely something I'm going to enjoy if only to kill the time.
These are the series I've decided to follow in the past few weeks, and I think you guys should give them a try, too. That's it for now and I'll post more on this subject later.  

Tabletop & Card Games

Not really sure how often I'm going to post about this subject because it's something I just recently got into. The reasoning behind that is actually because I had some pretty negative experiences with people, meaning other nerds, who into stuff like this in high school and I just haven't been able to move past the experience until recently. I do have my own dice, though, and I'll post pics of those for you guys to see on Twitter and stuff, and I have played both MtG and DnD. I've also played the Pokemon card game.
So what you will more than likely be seeing on this page is just announcements for the MtG and Pokemon sets, and probably an announcement on when the DnD version is going to come out and a review of that. I'll probably also give reviews about other things like Marvel Heroclix and other tabletop games as well. I'll also probably be addressing the issue of sexism in the nerd community, not specifically involving this subject, but you'll probably see a label for this page on those posts because I know it's something I will experience more than once.
For now, though, I think I'll post a pic my first Marvel Heroclix figurine, which I bought today. I'm actually really excited to play this game specifically because I imagine it'd be a lot like doing a Marvel text-based RP like what I've seen in forums. Unfortunately, I've been involved with a Marvel text-based role-play simply because I've always wanted to in-cannon RPs and no one else wanted to play in-cannon. They always wanted to make OCs.
Anyway, here are before and after pics of the Heroclix.

Before

After

In case you can't tell, I got Lady Deathstrike for my first figurine, which is really awesome because I think she'll make a really cool villain to play with. I also really like Heroclix because the figurines are really cheap whereas with DnD or figurines for other tabletop games, you could end up paying twenty dollars and up for just a tiny, little piece of painted plastic that's not even the size of the average action figure. I get that it's about collect-ability and rarity, but that's still a lot of money for something that's small enough to be a choking hazard to small children. Especially when you have bills to pay.
Because of that, I think I'll probably end up buying a few generic DnD figurines that I can use interchangeably for some of the classes whereas I'll buy the Heroclix figures more regularly because I only paid $3 for my Lady Deathstrike figurine. If I wanted to, I could go back to the store tomorrow and get two more for $5.
Also, I just now realized that I've been referring to them as figurines throughout the entire post and I'm sorry for that. I'm pretty sure it's incorrect, but my husband always calls them figurines. Not miniatures, and I just picked it up from him. I'm sorry for that.
Anyway, I know I'm probably going to have to do a lot of saving for the Heroclix books and the rest of the supplies needed to play the game, but for now, I will keep you guys posted on my experiences with DnD will probably even post some scans of my character sheets once I get them finished. 

Nerdy MJ Reviews Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol.1: Change Is Constant

***WARNING MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*** 

Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol. 1: Change Is Constant

Author: Kevin Eastman & Tom Waltz

Artist:  Kevin Eastman, Dan Dancun, Ronda Pattison, Robbie Robbins

Back in the 1980's, the original TMNT comics by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, published by Mirage Studios, were some of the most popular comics probably ever written or thought of, and they're popularity led to a pop-culture phenomenon known as "Turtle Mania". It led to the release of comic book spin-offs, a cartoon series, and a live-action movie. Turtle Mania continued into the early 90's after the release of a not so great sequel to the original live-action movie and, seemingly, died altogether after the release of the third live-action Turtles film.
The hype did begin to pick up again in the early 2000's when 4Kids began running a new cartoon series on their Saturday morning cartoon block based off a new series of comics by Kevin Eastman, but it was nothing, IMO, compared to the more recent TMNT hype that was jump-started by Nickelodeon when they announced they were going to air a new CGI-animated cartoon series. This took place in 2012 shortly after the Micheal Bay blow up, I believe, and then directly afterwards, a new TMNT comic book series was announced.
The graphic novel I purchased today collects issues 1-4 of that new comic book series with art and story by Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz, and Dan Duncan. It's full of references to the original comics, movies, and cartoon series, which includes the art style in the book, which is characteristically Eastman. Or, at least, pretty close to it. Now, the art itself isn't a huge turn-off, but the fact that they decided to give all of the Turtles red masks is simply because it makes really hard to identify which Turtle is which. Even with the pages printed in color, it's not always possible to tell them apart by their weapons until you're a few panels into the fight scenes.
That aside, I am definitely feeling the new take on the Turtles' origins, but it is a little a confusing and I'm hoping everything will be explained in the second volume, which I hope to purchase soon. What's confusing about it, you ask?
Well, in this incarnation, we find three of the Turtles living with Splinter, desperately searching the streets of NYC for their lost brother, Raphael. Cool. I like that. It would be totally unsurprising if someone -- *cough*Leo*cough* -- pissed off Raphael to the point where he would actually run away for a while. In fact, he has -- in the movies, the 2003 cartoon series, etc., etc. So like I said, it's really not surprising and it's a great plot twist to the typical TMNT origin story.
The problem is that, according to what I've read of their origin story so far, none of the Turtles nor Splinter have had any ninja or martial arts training whatsoever and yet, they know ninjutsu. Or Splinter does, anyway, and even Raph, who supposedly got amnesia while he was lost in NYC, knows how to handle himself in a fight. Though, honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if the Raph in this book only knew, like, street fighting that he picked up from random gang members who attacked him just because he was....Well, him.
So while I'm loving the plot twists that I've read about so far, I'm really not loving how confusing the story is at this point or the lack of multicolored masks, which just makes things even more confusing. I am hopeful, though, that this will all get cleared up in the second volume, which I'm hoping to purchase soon. Probably sometime next month. However, because of these little faults in the art and story, I'm only going to give a six out of ten.
I would still definitely recommend picking it up and giving it a good read, though, because even though the story was a bit confusing, it still does a damn good job at pulling you in and keeping you hooked. Not to mention, the Turtles are a household name a for reason. I've met people who have never set foot inside a comic book store once in their lives and know who the Turtles are. It's an awesome story full of unforgettable characters and unbelievable action. So if even you're not a Turtles super fan or just plan don't like them, I would definitely say that you should pick up this graphic and read it through. If you didn't like 'em before, I'm betting you would now.
Again I'm giving this book a six out of ten, but I'm extremely hopeful that the next volume will do better.
Thanks for reading guys.

The First Game

Most people will probably own a few hundred video games -- for console, PC, and otherwise -- if they are lucky. But, usually, there is going to be one game that will stand out more than all the others. One game that will always hold a special place in a gamers' heart, forever and eternity.
That is the first game you ever buy. The game that started you on the path of a gamer. That you hand-picked yourself from behind a shining glass case and spent weeks trying to beat afterwards because we're pretending that everyone has hand-eye coordination as bad as mine right now.
For me, the very first game I ever owned was Glover for N64 system.

Not gonna lie, I never finished playing it and that is something I truly regret. The truth is, though, I was eight years old and absolutely terrified of the game's main villain, Cross-Stitch. I mean, I had played other games with my friends and family, but the villains in those games -- Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario Bros. -- were bright, colorful, familiar cartoon characters that I used to watch on Saturday mornings. Cross-Stitch was none of those things and, in short, he scared the crap out of me. That made me really hesitant when it came to playing this game, so I mostly just sat and watched my mother and brother play the game instead.
I also wasn't very good at video games as a child. In fact, I was terrible at them. That probably stemmed from the fact that for an embarrassingly long time, I believed that if the characters died in the game, then they would die in real life as well and I am prone to anxiety attacks. Plus, again, my hand-eye coordination is not the greatest. So when it came to video games, I was the last one to be picked or allowed to play in my family. I didn't get a chance to play most of time until my mother and brother had already gotten bored or frustrated with the game and decided to call it quits for the day.
Again, I mostly just sat and watched, which is probably where my love of let's plays came from.
The other reason, I didn't finish this game was because when money started to run out in my family, video games and toys were among the first things to go. I still remember the day my mom boxed up most of our N64 games and movies and took them to the pawn shop. I was beyond upset. We couldn't have had more than ten games, at most, maybe fewer and I was really looking forward to eventually finishing Glover. I mean, yeah, Cross-Stitch terrified me, but I still loved Glover. He was awesome -- he turned an ordinary rubber ball into a weapon. What isn't cool about that?
I decided to write this post for Throwback Thursday. Hopefully, you guys know me a little bit better now.Maybe one of you guys loved Glover just as much as I did when I was a kid or maybe not. Either way, feel free to tell me about the first game you ever owned was in the comments below and your experience with it. I'm looking forward to it.