How I Saw 'Avengers 2: Age of Ultron'

This past Saturday was so gorgeous, so after Pure Barre (my third in a row!) I decided to go sit in a dark, cold movie theater for two and a half hours. I also decided to walk the approximately four miles to Lincoln Square theaters to see Avengers 2: Age of Ultron, so I got plenty of vitamin D.

I love walking around New York City. Starting in my neighborhood downtown and walking through so many different ones -- Union Square, Madison Square Park, midtown Times Square - there is such an ebb an flow of tourists, solicitors and residential New Yorkers. One minute, you're pushing past people gazing up at the Empire State Building (admittedly, like you've done plenty of times), the next, you've got the whole block to yourself, everything is quiet and it's...eerie. But I digress.

Google Maps said it'd take me and hour and ten minutes so naturally I gave myself two hours to get into the Upper West Side theater. I stopped along the way at Juice Generation, picking up an I <3 Watermelon smoothie as replenishment. Slowly but surely, I've become addicted to the juicing craze, just like every other broke 20-something who cannot afford $7 smoothies everyday.

At 12:30, a half hour before the show started, I breezed right into the theater, virtually empty despite the crowd-control ropes and signs indicating different Avengers 2 show times. I settled into my seat and broke out the snacks.

A word about smuggling in snacks: I paid an arm and a leg for my $15 ticket. It's not like I would buy snacks anyways if I couldn't bring my own, so I feel no guilt sneaking in a plastic baggie of sustenance. Judging by the myriad of water bottles and CVS-sized snacks I noticed populating cup-holders during the trailers, other movie-goers felt similarly.

Unlike regular people who can eat regular popcorn, I cannot. A one-two combo of having inherited deep pockets in my teeth makes eating it painful, and my stomach's irritated intestinal tract means I haven't eaten "real" popcorn in a very long time. Enter: Shark Tank and Pipcorn. Long story short, this popcorn is only half-popped. Less kernel shells, easier to digest, and a super satisfying snack. I found a bag at the Union Square Whole Foods and have already gone back once a few times to replenish my supplies. It says a bag has four servings, more like one serving four me.

Seriously guys, if you see a bag of this, you've gotta buy it and try it.

Sitting in the theater though, I had a revelation. The Sea Salt Pipcorn, mixed with the similarly-sized Van's gluten free Honey Crunch cereal, created a harmonious unity of salty and sweet that made my taste buds sing. Like, I thought chocolate and salt were a perfect match. But I honestly think this has it beat. I'll never be able to think about movie snacking the same way again.

The movie was awesome and I think we call breathe a sign of relief now that the endless press tour is over. Even if Joss Whedon was forced to quit Twitter. Are you happy, haters? C'mon guys. We're all entitled to our own opinions. Love or hate the movie, nothing will ever please everyone.

What I'm Listening To: Spring 2015

Here are the songs I'm listening to when I don't have The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt theme song stuck in my head. Music is always important to me, but as we head into summer, it's especially important to cultivate the perfect 'top-down, highway- cruising' music. Even if the reality is... walking 30 blocks to work at 8:30am when there's 95% humidity and it's 80 degrees. 

'KIDS IN LOVE' - THE MOWGLI'S

My love for them is well-documented on this site, and I feel no different about their new album. It's filled with a myriad of songs, ranging from the slow and soulful to the fast-pasted alternative-pop tunes that they're so good at creating. Seriously, go listen to the album, whether you buy it on iTunes or listen to it on Spotify, press play and go bask out in the sun for a few hours. One of my favorites is the title track that comes towards the end, Kids in Love. Where some bands get overwhelmed juggling four or five "men" (read: boy bands), The Mowgli's manage to balance not one, not two, not three or four or five band members, but seven, six male and one female.  And man, that one female, Katie, has some serious kick-ass pipes on her.

For a through -- official -- breakdown the bandmates and some insights into the songs off the album, go check out their About page on their site. 

Tracks I'm loving: Kids in Love, Whatever Forever, What's Going On

PEANUT BUTTER JELLY - GALANTIS

Don't ask me why I love this song so much. You just have to listen to it for yourself to find out (and thank Spotify for their New Music Tuesday playlist). This is the best morning wake-up song, it's a great "it's 5pm, you've got to get through one more hour of work" pep-up on, basically it is the mood enhancer of Spring. Plus, any song that names itself after the most American sandwich automatically is a (delicious) plus in my book, just try not to think of the innuendo it stands for ("spread it like peanut butter jelly, do it like I owe you some money"? C'mon, that's not exactly the Da Vinci code.)

PLAY WITH FIRE - VANCE JOY

Give me a fruity drink in a fancy glass with a paper umbrella, put me poolside and play this song all afternoon. Or, one of the three will do. The ukulele's opening strings pretty much set the tone for the song, and by the time it gets to the bridge, with the crescendoing drums and such, is very reminiscent of Sufjan Steven's prime era. Plus, you've got to love the story told in the video.

What music are you guys listening to this spring?

I listen to podcasts and you should too - try 'Children of Tendu'!

I've never been a huge podcast listener. I have the same problem with them as I do with audiobooks - I find it hard to follow the story unless the podcast format is distinctly roundtable/Q&A. Up until now, the only podcast I (not even regularly) listened to was the Nerdist Writers Panel. 

I can't listen to them while I'm futzing around on the computer like I can with music because my brain freaks out and tries to pay attention to what I'm hearing and what I'm reading on the screen and it doesn't end well. (Yes. I did listen to Serial. I would play it every Friday morning when I was working out. No, that still wasn't enough to get me into podcasts.)
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Image via

But that's all changed thanks to Children of Tendu. The podcast is the most in-depth look at television production I've ever stumbled upon. It's more than 'how to write a television script' and more than a synopsis of 'what a television writer does'. They take you through every single step in one "season" (13 90-minute episodes). I've searched the different producer roles online before and have come up with barely scrapes of information. These guys spend three freaking hours talking about every kind of producer credit in television. 

It's hard to quantify how valuable the information the two hosts, Javi Grillo-Marxuach (@OKBJGM) and Jose Molina (@josemolinatv), have freely given to their thousands of listeners. Does that make it all simply, invaluable? It probably should.

Walking around New York City though has been a fantastic time to listen to these podcast episodes. I walked 10 miles last Saturday and listened to a few hours of podcasts, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Learning what a staff writer does - but taking a step back and learning what a writer's assistant, or how to even become 'staffed' or get an agent - is straight up pure enjoyment for me.

I don't know why I resisted podcasts for so long. I love listening/reading/watching interviews with my favorite people (Grace Helbig, many of the Daily Show correspondents, television showrunners and writers). These podcasts are literally dedicated to giving me that material. An hour and a half podcast with Chris Hardwick and Grace? YES! A roundtable with writers like B.J. Novak or the Better Call Saul writers? PLEASE!

To think, while I spent all those hours meandering around Penn State's campus for three and a half years, I could have been listening to so many more podcasts.

Now, I listen to Children of Tendu - or, will until I run out of episodes, trying to pace myself with the last few - The Daily Show Podcast Without Jon Stewart, Currently (co-hosted by Hypafriend, John Thrasher!), Nerdist with Chris Hardwick and Girl on Guy with Aisha Tyler. I also have randomly added Stuff You Should Know (how does anesthesia work?), Comedy Bang Bang: The Podcast, and You Tell It! to get my education/comedy bases covered.

An important part of my podcast obsession has been the app I use. We all know the pre-installed Podcast app from Apple is not the greatest. Heck, it's not even good. So, I coughed over the $1.99 or whatever it was to buy Overcast. You can get the free version, but the paid one is so much better. I put the speed level at 1.2x, just fast enough where I feel like there's no long pauses, but I can still understand people and they don't sound like chipmunks. 

So, if you have any good podcast recommendations, please send them my way. I'm into any topic and am thinking of going educational for my next few. I tried giving Welcome to Night Vale a listen but found it to be too much.

On My Bookshelf: Movie Adaptation Edition

I took a bit of a blogging break recently. I was busy, with traveling and settling back into my fall routine, but I am back with a new edition of On My Bookshelf!

These books are all adult novels, with the exception of Showrunners, that’s flat-out non-fiction, and all have movie adaptations coming out in the next few months. 

This is Where I Leave You - Jonathan Tropper

I have rule: I must read the book before I see the movie. Most of the time, this is not a problem, as I read a book, Divergent, The Hunger Games and am left to wait for the on-screen adaptation for months - or years. No show with TiWILY. The book came out a few years ago, but it’s getting a second life as the movie comes out September 16, and is generating a healthy amount of buzz.

The trailer does a fairly apt job at summarizing the book, so I won’t get into that too much, but what I found really interesting about Tropper’s writing is his ability to remove Judd from the present and send him back to certain moments - the day he caught his wife cheating, for instance - and anecdotally fill in the blanks for the readers.

The end isn’t wholly satisfying for someone who likes books to be presented to her with bow-tied perfection, but life isn’t perfect. It’s really messy. Families come together and the separate and then come back to the same table, with years of baggage on their shoulders. But they’re still there for you.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Gone Girl - Gillian Flynn

I still don’t quite know what to make of this book. I do know I am moving through it slowly. Maybe it hasn’t picked up yet, but while I am enthralled and want to read it, I find it hard to fly through the pages. Everyone seems to have read this book and are eagerly anticipating the movie version with Ben Affleck (sold) and Rosamund Pike, out in October.

Nick is such a complex character, I do love being in his head. Right now I’m about 100 pages into the story, and I think it’s Amy’s journal entries - the chapters switch from Nick’s omni-present third person and Amy’s first-person POV - that are slowing me down. My fingers are itching to flip to the back to the book and read what happened to her, but something in the back of my head is forbidding me to cheat ahead. It’s for the best.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show - Tara Bennett

Do I need to explain why I’m super insanely excited to read this? If you know me, probably not. But I haven’t talked that much about television on this platform, so allow me to enlighten you. I am so. excited. to dive into this book. It’s a companion novel to the documentary by the same name that will be premiering this October. It's everything I could have ever wanted from a book - after reading greats such as <em>The Revolution was Televised</em> and other long-from "oral histories" about my favorite shows. 

Containing interviews from the best in the biz - Joss Whedon, Damon Lindelof, Mike Royce and Robert and Michelle King among them - my greedy wannabe television-writing/producing/showrunning fingers are grabbing for this book (figuratively - I already have it, I just don't have the time dedicate to it today. But tomorrow? It's just Showrunners and me.) I’ll be reading it over the weekend and doing a write up of it over at Hypable, but it will be more leisure reading for me than work. That’s for sure.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Hopefully, I'll post again in the next month and a half... but with all of these books I'm reading, I make no promises.

Book Recommendation Sunday: 'Isla and the Happily Ever After'

A few years ago, back when ebooks were still an experimental medium that didn't really hold a candle to real books, I bought Anna and the French Kiss on my Nook. It was late at night - long past closing hour for a brick-and-mortar store - and immediately got to reading. The next day, I finished the book and knew it was one of my all-time favorite stories. 

Before Anna, I wasn't crazy about Paris. I had been an Anglophile since I was 15, but France just didn't strike my fancy as much. Therefore, it's not an understatement to say that my entire view of the city (and country) changed after reading the book. Stephanie Perkins was able to show me a side of Paris that I hadn't seen before, didn't know existed and now would die to experience.

Her second book in the 'series' (stand-alone companion novels, really) Lola and the Boy Next Door was pleasant and enjoyable, but just didn't hit me as a hard as Anna's tale had. But last week, finally, after months and years of waiting - which I was happy to do because Perkins was so open with her readers about her struggles with depression and subsequently, writing - Isla and the Happily Ever After debuted.

In keeping with Anna and Lola, I had downloaded it to my Nook - which I now read mostly on my iPhone and iPad - and absolutely tore through the 258 pages in a day.

There is a reason Isla and the Happily Ever After it is currently touting a 4.43 rating on Goodreads. Let me tell you how much I love this book: roll up my love for New York City, Paris, and happily ever afters and you have my opinion about Isla. 

People were saying it is structured differently than Perkin's other books, but it is still the same theme. It's about Isla and Josh figuring out what they mean to each other. Whether they're in a relationship or not while that happens is irrelevant. It's still about friendships that change over the years, and how the choices we make define us. As seniors at SOAP, they're trying to balance living in the moment and planning for the future. 

As with her other novels, the book spans roughly a year, so it does move at a fast pace. But the characters develop and evolve as they should, and we understand how their motives change over the months.

I flew through the final few pages of Isla and the Happily Ever After because it was exactly what I could have ever hoped for for these characters. It was like adrenaline was rushing through me and I had to find out what happens next, turning page after page after page.

The only sad thing about finishing Isla is knowing I won't be able to see these characters in the context of another book. Alas, they're happy where they are, and that's good enough for me.

Buy: B&N | Amazon | Books a Million

Pure Barre: Deceivingly easy, incredibly fun

I like fitness classes. They're fun, keep me entertained, and much better than trudging on the treadmill after thirty minutes, trying not to think about how much I hate running. 

A few months ago I tried kickboxing, which left me exhausted and sore days later. Last summer, I signed my soul over to the devil and took up weekly Saturday morning SoulCycle classes. Both were so much fun for me, and now I'm always eager to try the next best thing (like trampolines!) 

Enter: Pure Barre. The ballet-infused fitness class doesn't focus on cardio and how much you sweat, but rather, micro-movements that engage your entire body and really work to strengthen muscles all over. One of their mantras is 'Lift. Tone. Burn.' for a reason, people! 

Image credit: Pure Barre

I was so happy to see they opened a location in Annapolis, MD - a town that hasn't exactly jumped on the fitness class trends of SoulCycle or FlyWheel - and absolutely loved the studio. The instructor was wonderful with us newbies - about four out of the eight of us in the Friday morning class. I never felt intimated for not knowing exactly how it all worked, and the atmosphere was oddly relaxing, as we were shaking, trying to hold certain poses. 

I had thought I'd get through the class relatively unscathed. I can do a 2-minute plank, have fairly impeccable balance, and consider myself in shape (I've been working out four-six days a week for a year now.) Uh, yeah. Didn't really work like that. A 90-second plank is a lot harder to do when you're constantly correcting your form in the mirror. You have to use your own weight against you, 'tucking' your abs tight and hips under your waist.

Just hanging out or working their abs to the max?

While the class did feel good, there were moments where my legs experienced a new kind of pain. At one point, as we were standing on our tippy-toes, grasping the ballet barre, leaning away from it at at 45 degree angle, I honestly thought my thighs were going to burst into flames. The class is 55 minutes, split between a variety of arms, abs, legs and full-body toning. They use weights, exercise bands, small bouncy balls and yoga mats. And, of course, the ballet barre. 

The moves themselves are nothing new, but as I was holding three pound weights and pulsing them above my head, my shoulders and biceps burning, I just begin to feel better. Like I knew that the pain would be worth it (and I had paid for the lesson, so why not get something substantial out of it.)

I'm home for one more week and I think I'll just got ahead and purchase the 5-class series (saving a whopping ten dollars than if I bought them individually.) Just as SoulCycle promotes finding your inner soul, Pure Barre encourages you to "embrace the shake." 

I'm not exactly feeling the same kind of post-workout exhaustion than if I had run four miles, I think tomorrow I'll wake up and need to immediately begin stretching.

On My Spotify: 'Magazines or Novels,' Jon Batiste and Stay Human, "Bang Bang"

Oh August, you are a gift to the music world. So much good music has been released so far this month, and it's only August 8th. As we head into the final days of summer, there's no reason to let your 'Summer 2014' playlist grow stagnant, riddled with cobwebs. No no, dear reader. Instead, as these tracks to your playlist and you'll keep rocking all the way into fall. 

1) Magazines or Novels - Andy Grammar

Andy Grammar is one of my favorite musicians. He’s right up there with Eric Hutchinson and Jason Mraz in terms of quality, listenability and likability on social media (seriously, the guy’s great.) After memorizing every amazing song off his self-titled album, Andy Grammar, I have eagerly awaited the release of Magazines or Novels. Unsurprisingly, it is such a knock-out of an album. It opens with my favorite track, “Honey I’m Good” with such catchy vocals and melodies. Even slower tracks like “Remind You” are so interestingly composed, using a hint of synthesizer in the chorus, unexpectedly.

Andy Grammer said the album is named thusly to look at the juxtaposition between 'light' reading (magazines) and something more substantial (novels) and I think his album is a delightful mix of both. Honestly I love every song, but there are also those that are very carefully crafted, one's that may have taken more time, and some that may have come easier to him. Sometimes, you need to put down the novel to pick up a magazine.

This is an album I’ll need to have with me at all times for many years to come. The music is transcendental - you can listen to it anywhere and draw different emotions from each song every time - and as I’ve said, I cannot get enough of this man’s vocals.

Listen: Honey I’m Good., Holding Out, Blame it on the Stars

2) “Express Yourself (Say Yes)" - Jon Batiste and Stay Human 

Thank you, Stephen Colbert. Thank you for having these musicians on your show. Thank you for letting them do something out of the ordinary with their performance. Thank you for introducing me to Jon Batiste and Stay Human and their album, Social Music. 

“Express Yourself (Say Yes)” is such an intriguing song to listen to. It’s jazz, but it’s also R&B, it’s not pop but thinking about it now, it’s almost reminiscent of Pharrell’s “Happy" - but, better. Also, I love the intro to this song - people in different languages saying ‘express yourself.’ I like how you don’t really pick up on it until the fourth or fifth listening. Seriously - a lightbulb went off in my head, “oh, that’s what they’re saying!” 

If you do get a chance to listen to Social Music (find the time, people!) be sure to listen to "Express Yourself Outro," as well. It serves as a nice cherry on top of the "Express Yourself" sundae.

To get the full effect of this song, check out their performance on The Colbert Report. It is five minutes very well-spent.

Listen: Express Yourself (Say Yes)

3) “Bang Bang” - Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj

It’s being hailed as the new “Lady Marmalade” but “Bang Bang” has the potential to be greater. It’s a good song, any way you cut it. It probably won’t win a Grammy, but mixing these three women’s voices together is something special. Breaking it down one by one, the all bring something to the table that, without, would leave the song lacking a spark.

They may preform in different genres (‘genres’ being used very loosely, as you could argue all of them fall under Top 40/pop/hip-hop) but they all have such powerful voices. When they sing, you listen. Ariana Grande is the next Mariah Carey. Nicki Minaj is breaking glass ceilings in the rap world left and right. Jessie J sings complex and layered songs, not just mind-numbing stuff.

Listen: Bang Bang 

September has a lot to live up to.

'You're the Worst' is actually the best

I’m not even going to apologize for the pun in the title. Blame You’re the Worst creator Stephen Falk for titling his show as such, when the actual show itself is not the 'worst' by any means.

I wanted to write this a week ago, but I figured I should watch the third episode to make sure the first two weren’t a fluke. They weren't. You’re the Worst is one of the best new comedies to debut on television in recent memory. 

The show centers around two adults: Jimmy and Gretchen. The former is played by Chris Geere, who’s frequent exasperated expressions are always on the mark. His incredulous yelling, as he is prone to do, is even funnier when heard in his British accent. Gretchen, whom actress Aya Cash embodies with a mix of self- deprecating charm and an absolutely no-holds-barred attitude. 

The two meet in the pilot at Jimmy’s ex-girlfriend wedding and proceed to hook up. Their relationship is purely physical at first, but as the show progresses, there is a certain amount of emotional intimacy that develops, too.

But, seeing as how neither are particularly crazy about the idea of “settling down” they seem perfectly happy to continue on as maybe-dating. It does get to the point where Jimmy is jealous about the idea of someone else sleeping with Gretchen, and Gretchen slowly lets down her walls and can maybe see Jimmy become someone important in her life.

You’re the Worst has yet to falter - again, there’s only been three episodes - but the way it allows these characters to be selfish and insulting, demeaning and most of all, truthful, is ultimately refreshing. It doesn’t bullshit with the viewers. Jimmy will not pretend to like you and engage in small talk. Gretchen tells it like it is, she speaks her mind and isn’t going to back down.

Then there's Edgar, whom actor Desmin Borges describes in his Twitter bio as the "least worst" person on You're the Worst. And he's probably right. A war vet with PTSD, and recovering drug addict without much direction in the world, he lives with (and cooks for) Jimmy, has befriended Gretchen and provides much of the humor on the show. 

(Photo credit: You're the Worst Facebook)

Honestly, his performance in the second episode was so on point, every expression made me laugh out loud. 

Kether Donohue rounds out the main cast as Gretchen's best friend, Lindsay. A woman always trying the latest fad diet (for reasons unknown to me, she looks fantastic, it's a strange character trait, or flaw) and married to a bore of a man. She could be used as Gretchen’s insult punching bag, but she holds her own with an incredibly polished and put-together look, and facial expressions that could make me cower.

All in all, it stands to reason that these people are not actually “the worst” - unless Gretchen starts murdering people and Jimmy begins cooking meth - but for now, they do remain fairly terrible people who tell it like it is. 

Honestly, it is no surprise I love this show. The humor is dark and dry and it is one hell of an entertaining half-hour. It's almost worth it to record all of them just so I could binge the entire season in one weekend. But I am weak, and don't have the will power to wait that long. 

Season 1 is just ten episodes and boy do I hope a season 2 pick-up is on its way.

You’re the Worst airs Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. on the FX Network. Check it out.

On My Bookshelf: Veronica Roth, Lauren Layne and Ed Catmull

I have been doing a lot of reading lately. My preferences usually run the gamut. From YA to NA (explained below), to non-fiction, spending a day roaming a bookstore (or library!) is my definition of heaven. 

This is just the first in a series of 'on my bookshelf' posts I have planned. I'm currently diving head-first into The Maze Runner and the rave reviews were not exaggerated - this ish is engrossing! I'm trying to save Only With You for my vacation next week, but gosh, Lauren Layne makes it hard to put down her books. 

Four, Veronica Roth

I am a big Divergent fan. I wrote the Hypable review for the third and final book in the series, Allegiant and saw the movie the day it opened in theaters. So when Veronica Roth decided to publish short stories through Tobias "Four" Eaton's point of view, I was pretty thrilled. He was such a well-written, complex character in the books, that getting a peek behind the curtain (into his mind) was what helped make this such an enjoyable read. There are four stories total - three pre-Divergent and then one during the first book. Each story is about 70 pages long, making it very easy to digest one story in one sitting.

Roth initially wanted to write Divergent from his point of view, but the entire story didn't work, and I can see that through these vignettes. While Four's voice is certainly gripping for the majority of the read, he falters when touching certain areas of the world we need to know more about. Where Tris really comes into her own in Dauntless, Four takes quite a long time to develop his friendships. It is nice to meet him in Divergent as he is. Bold. Strong. Intimidating. Nevertheless, Four is quite a satisfying follow-up.

Only With You, Lauren Layne

I know it sounds crazy, but as a 20-something to doesn't want to hear about the drama of high school relationships, nor deal with the mid-life struggles of divorce and all that, I've been a bit lost trying to find something to read. I want stories about young women my age (college, recently graduated) and about figuring life out after we're handed our diploma. Or, as we get to be a few years out from college: figuring out where we're going in life.

I love 'evolution of a writer's space'!

Enter: the New Adult genre. Typically, the story centers around a female protagonist, great girlfriends, and a quest to figure out her career and/or navigate the murky waters that is dating in your 20s. She also usually is based in New York City - a cramped apartment where she marvels at Jimmy Choos in the window on fifth avenue and dreams of having actual walls in her apartment instead of hanging curtains to create the illusion 300 square feet is a livable space of a shoebox. (That last bit might have just been a diversion into my own fantasies.)

Only With You debuted this week and will be the fifth book I've read from Lauren Layne. She is, along with Cora Carmack, my favorite New Adult (or contemporary) author. Her heroines in her Stiletto series are all equally engrossing, strong and fantastic in their own rights. Their stories might focus around getting the guy (or thinking you don't want him, then realizing you do, then fighting to get him back), and their men may be swoon worthy, but the books prove that being in a relationship with men is not the end-all-be-all in life. You need your girls, too.

Creativity Inc., Ed Catmull

Pixar is one of the most innovative companies in the last 30 years, there is absolutely no denying. Toy Story, in addition to being a cultural touchstone movie for many 90's kids, was the first entirely computer-generated animated film. Ed Catmull helped found and oversee the exponential growth of this computer/animation/movie production company.

You can't pigeonhole Pixar into one industry because, at Catmull aptly explains, the technology behind the animation is what help tells the story. Wanting to tell better stories leads to developing new technology.

If you just want to read the bits that directly refer to Pixar movies, I'll complied them into an article over on Hypable. But if you're interested in the movie-making industry over the past twenty or so years, or if you want to learn how Catmull managed his growing team of a handful of developers and storytellers, into hundreds of movers and shakers, I really suggest you pick up the book.

All of the books above are available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

Recap: NerdHQ A Conversation with Badass Women Mystery Guests!

Zachary Levi’s NerdHQ panels are usually pretty big highlights of SDCC. They’re streamed live online, allowing many more fans to tune in and watch for themselves, rather than rely on the tweets and blurry photos of the panels in Hall H or Ballroom 20. This year proved to set the new standard for SDCC’s going forward with the panel, “A Conversation with Badass Women Mystery Guests!”

Who were these mystery guests? Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck, 24), Retta (Parks and Recreation), Missy Peregrym (Rookie Blue, Heroes), Jennifer Morrison (Once Upon a Time, House), Ming-Na Wen (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, ER), and Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones).

So yeah, it was a pretty freaking kick-ass panel. I tuned in 20 minutes late (as I was foolishly, furiously, reading the Marvel live blogs, learning nothing as I was missing this) but I watched the last 40 minutes of it live then went back and watched the beginning. That’s the beauty of YouTube live-streams, they’re automatically ready for playback the moment they end. I’ve embedded it below, it really is worth a watch.

They talked about the tropes they don’t like (for Yvonne, it’s the gratuitous shots of women in their underwear when the scene gains nothing from it), to women who inspire them. Across the board, they said their mom, or someone in their family.

Jennifer Morrison also mentioned How I Met Your Mother director and executive producer, Pam Fryman. For fans of the show, you’ll remember Jennifer Morrison’s guest role during season 6 as Zoey Pierson, Ted’s nemesis and eventual girlfriend, for twelve episodes. 

I think it really speaks to Pam as a leader and strong female in this industry that she was so influential on Morrison. At that point, she had already been on House and went right into Once Upon a Time after her HIMYM appearances, but she saw something in Pam she didn't see while working on other productions (that she mentioned whilst on the panel.)

All of these women were so well-spoken about the industry and the world that they have grown up in (even Sophie Turner, who is only 17!) I think there is finally - sadly finally - a shift in the industry where women are seen as equals to men. They're no longer sex symbols or housewives. They're fleshed out, real human beings who mirror real-world women. Imagine that! 

However, I did read on Tumblr that all these shows these women are currently on, are run by men. Despite the fact that Joss Whedon, Mike Schur, Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz etc. can write strong three-dimensional female characters, there is still such a boys club when it comes to the behind-the-scenes worlds in film and television.

In 2013, according to the 16th annual Celluloid Ceiling report, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, only 10% of Hollywood writers in 2013 were women. Maybe that percentage is a little better in television (where I'd like to be) but that statistic is still abysmal. 

Thankfully, there are women like Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey, Linda Yaccarino, and Shonda Rhimes who are fantastic at what they do, whether its writing, producing, acting, leading, advertising or managing. These are the women I look up to as I aspire to work in this industry (or adjacent to it - I’ve got many women I admire at Vulture, BuzzFeed, the A.V. Club and the like).

There is a point to all of this somewhere. Maybe it’s just that I am so thrilled to see more attention rightly being called to these badass women in the industry and I hope to see this panel again next year (maybe I’ll be in the audience?!)

FOMO, SDCC and You

Working for an online entertainment website is wonderful. I get to talk about television with people who are cut from the same cloth, make friends from all of the world, and my pop culture knowledge is off the charts. It's especially nice at Hypable because we're given a lot of creative freedom to write what we like. We are a site that is "for fans, by fans," after all, so anything that we are passionate about, we're encouraged to write about.

But...

All that being said, there is also one major downfall to being in this entertainment world: San Diego Comic-Con. Specifically, my lack of attendance at the convention.

(Photo credit: Andrew Sims)

At this point, there's something for everyone at Comic-Con. Yes, at its core, there are still panels and sections of the vendor hall dedicated to comic books, video games and everything that comes with those universes, but there are television shows like The Blacklist and Once Upon a Time and television/online hybrid Community. There are panels for movies such as the Marvel franchise and Disney ventures. The glitz and glamour of fancy Hollywood parties have creeped into SDCC's evening plans over the years (disclaimer: I have no idea if this is a new thing or not. Has social media simply made the partying more evident?)

Zachary Levi, one of my favorite actors in recent memory, sits at the helm of Nerd Machine's Nerd HQ where there are daily "Conversations" with various celebrities. This year's schedule has Jensen Ackles And Jared Padalecki, Felicia Day, Joss Whedon and Yvonne Strahovski. Thankfully, these are sometimes live-streamed. If not, you can definitely find write-ups of them online the next day.

Suffice to say, pretty much a solid 70% of the pop culture I love has a presence at SDCC. Therefore (ergo?) it's a safe bet that many other people on the Hypable staff like it too. There are probably about 10 people representing the site in San Diego right now. As press, they're granted access to certain interviews and red carpet events, and as convention goers, they'll attend panels that I'd kill to attend (such as the aforementioned Once Upon A Time).

So naturally, I am jealous. As enviously green as the wicked witch. The FOMO has morphed into a I-Know-I'm-Missing-Out feeling, and I just have to accept that. Thankfully, I am not the only one on the Hypable staff who couldn't attend and are suffering from behind their computer screens like I am. Misery loves company, so we have bonded together online in the wake of our friends bonding IRL at speakeasy bars and hotel rooms.

This is the third year I've actively wanted to attend SDCC so it's no surprise that it didn't work out. Real-life work always gets in the way and unless I'm unemployed next year (or score an awesome job that actually allows me to go representing them in some capacity), I don't think that'll change any time soon.

In the meantime, I leave you with a recommendation to read an amazing article about how to cope with not being at SDCC by my friend Danielle and the image I was tagged in on Facebook this morning: 

On my: Spotify (and some updates)

I am trying something totally new here - shocker. I came up with a better way to organize my recommendations, and work on my graphic design at the same time. Thus, "on my" series begun. These will be about once a week and will range from Spotify, to Bookshelf, to Plate. When it comes to clothes and fashion though, (and because I'm a stickler for continuity and 'In my' closet wouldn't work) I'll still do Currently Coveting. 

Anyways. There has been a lot of good music circulating around town lately and I fell it's my duty to spread the songs I've been loving.

1) Song: All About that Bass, By: Meghan Trainor

I have been jamming to this song for the past two weeks and see no reason to slow down anytime soon. Her body-positive message and hypnotic beat is a much more preferable song of the summer for me than say, oh, something like "Fancy."

Looking now, I added this song to my Spotify merely 12 days ago (as well as followed Meghan on Twitter) and it had been really exciting for me, just sitting on the sidelines, to see this song become more and more popular. It truly is a wonderful track and this totally deserves all of the praise it has been receiving.

The song has been slowly climbing the Billboard charts and now has over 3 million views on YouTube. I watched it when it had 1.3 million. Less than two weeks ago. The pastel color palette the video has is such a nice contrast to some other videos that are out there right now. 

I'm totally rooting for this song - and Meghan - for the rest of the summer and beyond. She's already been on the Today show and more radio stations are playing "All About that Bass" daily. It's hard not to pick up on her cheerful, amazing attitude and outlook on life. 

2) Album: YES!, By: Jason Mraz

My adoration for Jason Mraz has spanned many moons - well, many albums. With his latest, Yes!, which debuted this week, he is back in top form. After teaming up with the women of Raining Jane, I can say that they're participation in this largely acoustic album simply elevates his lyrics and musical talents to a new level.

After 2012's Love is a Four Letter Word effort, I have to say, I wasn't crazy about the majority of the songs. They diverted from his traditional way of laid-back acoustics and soulful lyrics. They were a bit more experimental and harder to digest, if that makes sense.

Not so with YES! Every song really is enjoyable and this reaffirms the fact that Mr. A-Z is one of my favorite artists. He has been for a very long time - way back, before Spotify and I was burning "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)" on CD's to share his music, and the love for it, with friends. 

#spreadYES, everyone.

Songs to check out: Hello You Beautiful Thing, Everywhere, You Can Rely on Me, Shine

3) Album: The Good Wife Score, By: David Buckley

Do you watch The Good Wife? You should. I don't care who has told you otherwise, The Good Wife is meant to be enjoyed by all who appreciate it. The score is perfect to listen to during work. It not only serves as background music in the show, it supports the scenes and with the string and wind instruments and elevates the episodes to new levels of greatness. 

Songs to check out: The Good Wife (Theme), Alicia Keeps Her Cool, J'Accuse 

My Thoughts on the Emmy Nomination Snubs

The Emmy nominations were announced Thursday morning, and boy do I have thoughts and opinions. I just have to keep reminding myself about the intricacies of the Emmy's nominations and the Academy of the Television Arts and Sciences. One of my favorite people to follow on Twitter, Todd VanDerWerff, wrote a great article about the nominations process. (Side note: he just started a new position at Vox, before this he was at the A.V. Club and I read every review he wrote about The Americans when I binged on season 2 last month. I would watch an episode, read the recap he wrote with Genevieve Koski, watch the next episode, read that recap, repeat. It really enhanced my binging.)

My takeaway from the nominations:

The Americans, The Good Wife and Scandal were all snubbed in the drama categories (I don't watch Orphan Black) and network comedies might never be able to gain a strong foothold in their categories again.

The one glimmer of hope for The Good Wife is that they did garner some individual nominations. Julianna Margulies was nominated for best actress in a drama; Josh Charles, best supporting actor in a drama and Christine Baranski for best supporting actress in a drama. It is a shame the show overall wasn't recognized - especially with such a strong, large, cast.

The Americans didn't fare nearly as well. Despite the fact their second season was strong from start to finish and Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys acted their asses off, they got a meager consolation nomination for Margo Martindale for best guest actress in a drama. Sure, she deserves that, but to not even been nominated for a technical award - writing, costumes, sound - must hurt. 

Then finally there is Scandal. Kerry Washington 100% deserves a nomination as best lead actress in a drama, as she has embodied a woman many try to emulate (just think about how "it's handled" has become a touchstone phrase in the social media lexicon. 

The Academy might not appreciate you
but we do, Bellamy. 

Bellamy Young deserved that nomination for best supporting actress in a drama so much, I think Twitter might cast a new Emmy just to give her. The way she captures Mellie, the villainous First Lady who is the wedge in Fitz and Olivia's relationship, is just phenomenal. One episode, she's drunk and bitter and you hate (but love) her, the next, she's vulnerable and her emotion's raw and your heart breaks for her.

Despite a strong 22-episode season, it's not a total surprise Scandal was not nominated for best drama. It's on a network. It can't have it's characters fly through the book of swears, or show the aftermath of a gore-y shootout. The idea of a show like Masters of Sex being picked up by a network like ABC is frankly, laughable. 

Network's have it tough now. There's more competition now than ever before - and they are getting the short end of the stick by being relegated to the tame and censored shows that appeal to the masses. Cable, premium and online content are constrained by those terms. They can have as much niche programming as they want and reap the benefits come awards season.

It's also just flat out hard. It is hard to narrow it down to five-six nominees in every category. You could wax poetic about the saturation of television - no longer is there network stations and the occasional HBO nomination, there's HBO and Showtime, FX, PBS, Netflix, mini-series and TV movies, the list won't end. 

But in the end, we must remember that those voting on the nominations - and ultimately, the winners - are a small fraction of the audience these shows command. The Mindy Project might not win an award for best comedy (though it should - season 2 was insanely good) but I will still tune in weekly.

New Music (to me) Monday: Feedback Revival

I think I'm noticing a trend about things that motivate me enough to write: the books I read, the music I listen to and the clothes I wear all make me passionate enough to actually write about them. I suppose that's why I have this outlet.

Let me preface this with saying I have been very obsessed with Nashville lately. Admittedly, Once Upon a Time actor Colin O'Donoghue and the kickstarted film, The Dust Storm, are to thank/blame. Colin started mentioning Feedback Revival on Twitter. A lot. And I, always one on the hunt for great music (still very much obsessed with The Mowgli's and Lake Street Dive), eagerly checked them out. 

And thus, an obsession began. 

They might be a Nashville band, but they're not banjo-pluckin', plaid-wearing, Nashville-stereotyped men. These guys are rock and roll through and through and fantastic musicians regardless of genre label. Lately I've been going exclusively for the alternative/easy-listening music and not this head-banging type of music. Alas, the heart wants what the heart wants. (Am I the only one who head-bangs to this music? I can't be the only one who listens to Delta and throws her entire body into the rhythmic thump of those opening chords.)

Feedback Revival is comprised of four men. There's lead singer Dan Fenton, bassist Alex Horton, drummer Taylor Powell, and guitar master, Nathan Mcfarland. Each bring their own to the table and in a song like Soul Feet, the beat opens on drums but once those guitar chords and vocals come in, damn, it's some amazing music with different parts that just work so well together.

I bet these guys are incredible live... which brings me to a brief interlude about the band to explain this inexplicable obsession with Nashville. Turns out I think I really love Nashville. Just not the 'honky-tonky' aspects of it, but the real effervescent parts with the rock and roll with just a bit of a twang. It seems a lot like New York City, but, dare I say, better in a way? 

As it turns out, these guys had their own KickStarter going, looking for donations to be able to tour Europe. I've been on a bit of a KickStarter kick recently (post on that soon) and was very eager to donate. Looking at the reward levels however, I realized that I already have access to most of the music they were offering downloads for (Spotify premium!) and I wasn't about to spend $100 for some upper-level rewards (sorry guys - girl's gotta eat.) I did eventually donate though and even though it wasn't much, I'm so happy to say I contributed to help them.

They'll be touring Europe in October and November, but man do I hope they decide to do a northeast tour of the U.S. soon. But, if they won't go to me, I'll go to them (Nashville.)

Songs to check out: 

• Delta
• Tennessee Rose
• Soul Feet
• Jesse James
• Ballad of Loretta

I was going to write about both Feedback Revival and Startisan in one post, but that would get a little crowded so be on the lookout for a Startisan-only post sometime in the next week.

(Photo credit: Feedback Revival Facebook page) 

Book Recommendation Thursday: 'The Nerdist Way'

I picked up Chris Hardwick's The Nerdist Way for a couple of reasons. I really like Chris as he appears on @Midnight and just generally around the web, and when I read the free Nook sample, as I am apt to do, I knew I would need a physical hard copy.

However you choose to read this book is not important. What is important is that you do, eventually, read it. Honestly, I didn't know this seriously qualifies as a 'self-help' book, it's more like a 'self-guidance' or a 'Chris Hardwick gives you a lot of motivational speeches with lots of CAPS' kind of book.

His book is broken into three parts: Mind, Body and Time. He is open about the fact he kind of screwed up a lot in his 20's and worked extremely hard to pick himself back up in all three aspects of life as he moved into his 30's.

The Nerdist Way could be read by anyone, but unless you're a 'nerd' (however you want to define the term is fine by me) many of the references to Doctor Who, Star Trek, Harry Potter and the 'nerdy' shows of generations past, might fly over your head. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

It might also behoove you, dear reader, to know that this book was written in 2011 and despite the fact that was only 3 years ago, a lot has certainly changed. The passage of time is one more thing to remember while reading this. Chris has had his life put together for a few years longer than it would appear, and that's fine.

The book is set up like a video game, wherein you create a character and are given character points at the end of each section. Hardwick also includes "Charactercizes" at the end of every segments and chapters, wherein he gives a few bullet points of summarization, tips on how to move forward, and guidance about how to take full advantage of his advice. He advises us to actually follow along with these, to actually write out particularly useful bits, add up our 'points' - as if we're characters in a video game - all with the end goal of becoming a better person beyond the pages of the book.

You can find Chris Hardwick's book in hardback, paperback, and ebook versions. If you don't want to purchase the book, one: tell me why not, and two: you can find condensed parts on the book's website.

Currently Coveting: J. Crew, Kate Spade, and more

Turns out, despite working in advertising and knowing most of it's dirty little secrets, I am still very susceptible to marketing emails promoting sales at my favorite places.

Enter: this weekend. And the ensuing shopping spree. If you haven't jumped on these sales yet, what on earth are you waiting for?

J. Crew, (and J. Crew Factory), BaubleBar, ideeli, Kate Spade: all sites that email multiple times a day. Which, if you're like me, doesn't bother you that much because you either open them or just delete them, so there's no chance you'll miss a sale. Of course, all are must-visits for me when I make my laps around the sales sites on the weekends.

Below are a few pieces I picked up this weekend and decided I must share with the world.

J. Crew Clare Cardigan 

My office is a frozen tundra so while a skirt and a simple top might be enough in the direct sunlight, I have to have a blazer or sweater with me inside at all times.

Enter: The Clare cardigan. I got my first one in seaside coral (pictured) for around $25. I wore it once then I went and bought two more colors of the same style. It's three-quarters length so it definitely errs more on the fashionable, current-trends look than dowdy. It looks perfect with skinny jeans and a white v-neck, my go-to outfit nowadays.

I can already tell the Champagne cardigan will look great with dresses for fancy-but-casual affairs and all of them will work with a black tank top and any sort of denim or black pant for the fall. This cardigan seriously takes versatility to the max.

Kate Spade Sunnies

When you enter the Kate Spade outlet store and the saleswoman immediately comes up to you and says "everything in the store is 50% off," well, you can just hear your credit card simultaneously scream in delight and shout in horror.

I was able to snag this pair of sunglasses for about $40, and for someone who has always been a Ray Ban-knockoff kinda gal instead of the real deal, this was a big step for me. I couldn't find them online but these are pretty similar.

Bonus: check out the adorable glasses case they came in!

Longchamp in "Sand"

The black Longchamp may be ubiquitous around college campuses and a staple piece in many female 20-somethings wardrobes, which is exactly why I looked at my two-year old bag, beaten from a summer in New York City and from being hauled around, and decided I needed a new one.

Ideeli, a spin-off flash sale site from Groupon, just happened to be having a sale - large totes in the classic Le Pliage style were discounted from $145 to $100. So-ld.

As an editorial note: you may notice my posts increasing in frequency. Hooray! I think I have finally determined that they will be like this post was - style - music from bands and musicians I am discovering (but may already be 'discovered') and books that I've read and recommend.