The Wednesday Post

Hello all,

The holidays are almost upon us! There's something about the cooling of the stifling desert heat (boot and sweater weather!) that gives me a taste for peppermint and pumpkin everything, but also crafting.

For today's post, I have compiled a list of geeky crafts for you to showcase during your family gatherings or to give away as heartfelt homemade gifts.

We will start with the epic geeky candles (stamped or modge podged)
http://settostunning.com/2012/11/23/diy-friday-decorative-candles/

In case you haven't noticed, I've got a soft spot for painted shoes. Here's another tutorial on how to paint your shoes to look like the TARDIS:
http://brytning.livejournal.com/216788.html

Here are some ever functional but totally fabulous comic book coasters:
http://modpodgerocksblog.com/2011/09/diy-geek-coasters-by-man-podger-david.html

For people you really don't like (or that really like Minecraft), you can make this horribly adorable creeper plushie:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Minecraft-Stuffed-Creeper-Doll/

I remember when plushies first became a "thing." Does anyone remember Inu Yasha? Those were the first plushies. You could pretty much only get them at Suncoast. I'm really showing my age, aren't I?

Here's the pattern for the One Scarf to Rule them All.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/one-ring-scarf

I could never finish a post without some inclusion of Harry Potter. Here's a how to on making a golden snitch ornament:
http://tinyapartmentcrafts.blogspot.com/2010/12/golden-snitch-ornament-tutorial.html

And last but not least, Star Wars snow flakes:
http://anthonyherreradesigns.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56:star-wars-snowflakes

Hope these are some ideas to get your crafting started. Wednesday Post, signing off.

Wednesday Comic Corner

If you're anything like me, you're starting to feel those mid-school year blocks. Writer's block, artist's block, reading block, etc.

This week in comic corner, we'll be providing you with some resources to help you kick those blocks to the curb.

Writing and journaling ideas:
http://wrightingwords.wordpress.com/writing-starters/

For drawing/painting:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YCJRf1jPi0Y/UbUW6A7O5bI/AAAAAAAABsE/Ma4jeB5tscQ/s1600-h/IMG_4951%25255B4%25255D.jpg

Free time reading ideas:
http://www.npr.org/2012/08/07/157795366/your-favorites-100-best-ever-teen-novels

And when all else fails, trick out your shoes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_sDhUMQYK9w'

Book Review: Catching Fire

As you anxiously await the arrival of Catching Fire in theaters (November 22nd!), take time to enjoy this lovely book report by volunteer Courtney... also, SPOILER ALERT!

Catching Fire is the second book of the Hunger Games trilogy. Now that Katniss and Peeta have returned to District 12 as victors of the Hunger Games, their lives have been very different. Katniss no longer has to worry about providing food for her family and her mom manages the affairs of the household. However, Katniss’s relationships with Peeta and Gale have changed. During the Games, she pretended to be in a relationship with Peeta and began to feel unsure of her feelings toward the bread boy. When Katniss returns home, she dismisses Peeta’s affection and returns to her relationship with Gale with a newfound fire. Gale unexpectedly kisses her, and Katniss realizes that it is Gale she truly loves. This proves to be dangerous, when President Snow appears at the victor’s mansion. He informs Katniss that if she does not convince the districts of her faithfulness to Peeta and dismiss any hints of rebellion, her family and friends will be in danger. Peeta and Katniss go on tour through the different districts and Katniss realizes that some of the districts have already begun to revolt.  Then, President Snow announces the Quarter Quell, meaning that victors from previous years will have to fight against each other in the Games. During the interviews, Peeta announces that Katniss is pregnant, causing a greater uprising in the Capital. During the Games, many of the tributes make alliances with Peeta and Katniss in order to protect them, thus protecting the rebellion. However, the Games end unexpectedly when Katniss is rescued from the arena by Haymitch and Peeta is captured by the Capital. When Katniss realizes what has happened, she begins to withdraw herself from the world until Gale comes to visit her and tells her that District 12 no longer exists.

Wednesday Comic Corner

Howdy all,

This week I'd like to share some more spooky photo sets with you. With Halloween right around the corner, this is a great lead in to scary stories and movies! Abandoned cities provided, bring your own nightmare fuel.

First up, Ghost towns!

http://io9.com/the-strangest-and-most-tragic-ghost-towns-from-around-t-1308304680

Ooky spooky.

Now for those of you who prefer your nightmare fodder to be of the ancient type, here are a bunch of cities that sank into the ocean:

http://io9.com/once-majestic-cities-that-sank-beneath-the-ocean-1332011628

Happy writing everyone!

Wednesday Comic Corner

We are school. You will attend. Resistance is futile.

That's pretty much exactly how I feel at the beginning of the school year. And if you're like me, you might have come down with what is called "September sad."

To help you combat those school start blues, here are some silly captioned pics.

And always remember:

Wednesday Comic Corner

Some of you may remember the good ole days of video gaming, where when you got stuck you grabbed your big brother or called your best friend over to help. The two of you would sit down and with countless hours of work you finished the level in a blaze of glory.

If that wasn't an option, or if you were the bookish sort, you could pick up a stand alone strategy guide or the walk through in a gaming magazine. With awesome cutting edge screen caps and dazzlingly 90's clip art, you page turned your way to victory.

We have a lot more options these days. Now that many of the beloved print options are no longer available (with the exception of official strategy guides), we have at our disposal countless forums, websites dedicated to every aspect of the game, and Let's play and walk through videos on YouTube.

Some would argue that gaming is now too easy, that all of the easy one man options have taken away from the cooperative in-person spirit of gaming. Others would argue that this has freed us from our ignorance, that now we can experience every hidden area and bonus dialogue ourselves.

I'd like to hear from you, the modern gamers: Is it okay to use YouTube videos and forum walkthroughs to get through games when you're stuck, or is it better to fight the good fight on your own with a buddy by your side? Leave your answers in the comments.

Teen Book Review: Anne of the Island

Hi there! Here's another awesome book review from a Teen Volunteer over at the Green Valley Library:

Anne of the Island

Anne of the Island is part of a series by L.M. Montgomery about the life of an orphan girl named Anne. This book tells of Anne’s adventures as she goes to college at Redmonds College in Kingsport, Canada. She meets a new friend named Phil who comes from a wealthy family and they become good friends. Anne is proposed to by two men to whom she is not well acquainted and are not her ideal. She begins to feel discouraged as romance proves to be far from her social life. Her childhood chum, Gilbert, acts a little more friendly than she prefers, and she worries that he will ruin their friendship.  During her final years at Redmonds, Anne and her friends rent a cottage style home named Patty’s Place. They love the dear old place. The girls study hard and receive many high honors and scholarships in their studies. Eventually, Anne meets Roy Gardner, a charming, intelligent, and handsome young man that matches Anne’s romantic ideal to a T. She is instantly swept away by the beautiful flowers and poems he gives to her, but there is always something missing. Anne’s mind always wanders back to Gil, her chum from Prince Edward Island. Gil had proposed to Anne only shortly before she met Roy. Anne refused Gil, and the decision slightly haunted her as she began to see the emptiness in Roy’s perfect prose and watched Gilbert and his girlfriend Christina at all the social events. When Roy finally proposes to Anne, she is forced to refuse him, as she bitterly realizes that her heart belongs to Gil all along. As college ends, Anne returns to her home at Green Gables and Gil asks her to go for one of their old time rambles in the woods. She joyfully agrees and they take a walk to Hester’s Garden, one of Anne’s favorite spots on the island. They pronounce their love for each other and work out all their misunderstandings.

I love the Anne of Green Gables series. The main character, Anne, is refreshing and sees the world through a rare perspective. Her endearing character allows her to make friends easily. Her chum, Gilbert, is the ideal man, as he is intelligent, handsome, and faithful to Anne. This book was everything that I had hoped it would be, however it brings mixed feelings, as one must come to realize that real life is not always a fairytale.

Thanks for the great review Courtney!

Wednesday Comic Corner

Humans are pretty fascinated with the concept of the post apocalyptic world. The entire zombie genre, much of the media featuring aliens, and post war settings often depict well known locations and/or the entire planet as being in a state of decay. 

Features of the decaying facades are often depicted as ominous and foreboding, like the recently released Last of Us, but they can also have a sort of tragic beauty to them, such as the city of Rapture in Bioshock.

What I have for you all today is a collection of pictures of locations in varying states of decay. Decide what they depict yourself: unsettling horror or atypical tranquility. 

http://io9.com/gorgeous-old-movie-theaters-that-have-fallen-into-ruin-632052460

http://beautiful-portals.tumblr.com/post/42119220741/ushishir-farthestwoods-via-tummyshirt

http://themetapicture.com/most-beautiful-abandoned-places-in-the-world/

http://themetapicture.com/creepy-photos-of-abandoned-amusement-parks/

Wednesday Comic Corner

Animegacon and Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con review

In honor of the complete freedom of summer, my best friend and I decided to con hop between both Animegacon and ALVCC this weekend (June 14-16). Neither of us was able to attend either con on Saturday because she had work and I had my PRAXIS I exam (Grr!!!), so I can only tell you about Friday and Sunday.

This is the second year for Animegacon, which was held at the Las Vegas Hotel last year. My friend and I were really impressed with the quality of the guests considering how new the con was (I got to meet my favorite voice actor, Quinton Flynn). There were a few other headliner guests, such as Vic Mignona, but I missed that panel. 

Having attended larger anime conventions, such as Anime Expo in L.A., where you have to wait in line sometimes up to two hours just to be seated for a panel with a headliner, it was really refreshing to walk right in. This, in combination with the friendly vendors in the small exhibit hall, is why we decided to revisit them this year. 

But there were a few hitches. First of all, their dates were the same as ALVCC. This meant that not as many people (read as hardly anyone) attended. On Friday we were part of a crowd of maybe 70 people. On Sunday, we were members of a proud 40. This made the vendors less friendly, some seemed even downright grumpy and/or desperate. They paid all that money for artist/vendor tables at an abandoned con. 

Secondly, they were at the Riviera, which is nice and all, but unlike their set up last year wherein you passed all the panel rooms on your way to the exhibit hall, and each panel room had its own whiteboard listing the panel schedule, at the Riviera I don't think I saw the panel rooms. There were umpteen ballrooms being used for other things unrelated to the con, and there were no whiteboards. This may have had something to do with the hotel or whatnot, but it was not user friendly and discouraged us from trying to hunt them down. 

All in all, they didn't have a lot going on, there weren't a lot of people, and they weren't in a great location. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and go next year, but not if they're at the same place and/or they share the dates with ALVCC.

As for ALVCC, I had a lot of fun. There was a much smaller proportion of cosplayers (30% as compared to the 70% at Animegacon), but there was a lot more vendors and a lot more going on. Unfortunately I missed Jim Lee and Stan Lee, and let me tell you I came awfully close to blowing off my exam to see them. But I DID meet Steven Gordon, an animator that did the story boarding for the films Anastasia and the Swan Princess, and also the series X-Men Evolution. This was an unexpected bonus that made me absolutely giddy. Not Jim Lee signing my 1993 X-Men trading cards giddy, but close. 

Anyway, the vendors and attendees seemed a lot friendlier, their prices seemed more reasonable, and size wise the exhibit hall was about half the size of Anime Expo. Which is saying something. 

The final score is thus: 

Animegacon: 4

ALVCC: 8

I will attend both conventions next year, ALVCC regardless of date and guests, Animegacon however is on probation. Best of luck to them both. Lets see how they weigh in next year. *ding ding!*

I know what you READ last summer!

Here's our new book display!

Was it scary how much you read last summer vacation? Or maybe how little? Well, we've got some killer new releases to make this summer rival your last! Check one out, find a shady spot, and let your imagination run wild!

 

Wednesday Comic Corner

Note: Spoilers MAY be present. The blatantly obvious stuff will be marked out in black and can be read when highlighted. 

"Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before." - Captain James T. Kirk

Star Trek: Into Darkness was released rather closely to Iron Man 3, another highly anticipated early summer blockbuster sequel. This added to the number of hurdles it had to jump in addition to the difficulties of being a sequel to a highly praised reboot of a beloved classic.

 Iron man promised all of the explosive action and gratuitous one liners I have come to expect of Mr. Downey Jr. and all of the Marvel Universe mythos I have longed to see on the big screen. And in most respects, it delivered.  

The premise of Star Trek, the science for the sake of science, really appeals to me as well. That's why I loved the Portal games so much; Cave Johnson's rants about "Why not?" and the melodious tunes of GLaDOS reminding me we "Must, because we can" embodies that same "Lets do some science!" spirit. The movie of course is going to incorporate a lot of action into it as well, which is of course an added bonus. I love me some phaser fights. 

As a second generation Star Trek fan and an independent lover of Marvel comics, I was torn. Having seen both movies now, I can honestly say I lean a little more towards Star Trek. I know what you're thinking. "This is the COMIC CORNER," and yes, I agree with you this is a little out of character. There were a couple of things that really started to bother me after the dazzle of Robert Downey Jr.'s goatee had worn off.  

Sure, they both had some great plot twists, such as how they modernized the Mandarin (a strongly stereotyped villain in the comics and animated adaptations) in IM3 and Star Trek had Benedict Cumberbatch's identity as the tantalizing carrot dangling in front of our nose.

I adored whenever they used an old Star Trek reference in STID, and the actors are playing their characters excellently in my opinion. And the casting in Iron Man is pretty darn good every single time, I mean let's face it: RDJ IS Tony Stark. As an added bonus, both movies have employed charming British actors as their lead villains. 

As for IM3, they had a great opportunity they passed up in terms of the ending. Seeing as there is really only one female hero represented in the entire Marvel movie line up (Black Widow), I was hoping that Pepper Potts would become RESCUE (the deweaponized female equivalent of Iron Man). They could have tweaked it or something to make it more powerful or appealing, and with Defenders of the Galaxy coming up, I was hoping they might introduce more than one female hero. But they didn't. Pepper Potts' destiny is to be Tony Stark's gf and gf alone. So, no RESCUE for me. Guess I have to put all my money on Carol Danvers. COME ON MS. MARVEL!!!

That being said, another thing that bothers me is Pepper Potts' role overall. I honestly prefer Uhura to Potts. Uhura comes out from behind cover, looks danger right in its ugly face and says "Do your worst." Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Pepper Potts reminds me of a corporate version of Daphne from Scooby Doo, running around in couture business suits blurting out the obvious and getting captured. But this rant could be a blog post of its own, so I'll move on. 

Both movies came equipped with tidy little endings, perfect for wrapping pretty bows around. The best way I can compare my feelings about them would be as thus: Imagine you're about to sit down to a meal at your new favorite restaurant. You've been there several times, and every time you go, its delicious. The service is fantastic, and when the food gets there, its in huge proportions, it smells amazing, and it looks divine. It takes you two and a half hours to eat. With IM3, you're bloated and totally done eating, you don't want any more to eat. With STID, you've got that warm with food feeling like you got exactly what you were hoping for. 

So in a nutshell, if you were like me and you felt a like something wasn't quite right with IM3, go see Star Trek: Into Darkness. Hopefully it'll be as fulfilling an experience for you as it was for me. 

Wednesday Comic Corner

Iron Man 3 Review

I'd like to preface this by stating that Iron Man isn't necessarily my favorite comic book character. I enjoy the part he plays in the Avengers comics and crossovers such as Civil War, but by no means do I seek out his individual title.

Now lets talk about the Iron Man movies. I think that Robert Downey Jr. does a fantastic Tony Stark. Although some of you might have someone in mind, I personally can't think of someone who would do a better job. And this is why I like him in the movies more than I do the comic books: movie Tony Stark can be a snarky jerky, but when you dig deep he's a good guy. Comic book Tony Stark? Not so much.

The third installation is a little different from its predecessors in that the novelty of being Iron Man has worn off. References are made to the previous incidents in New York and his time with the Avengers, and Tony Stark is much more under the radar than he has been as of yet.

There are heartwarming moments, a bucketful of one-liners, and more gratuitous explosions than you can shake a stick at. I saw it twice, and the first time I was very satisfied with the story and how everything turned out.

When I got roped into going again, I had done a little reading (see the following articles- possible spoilers- http://kotaku.com/why-many-in-china-hate-iron-man-3s-chinese-version-486840429, http://jalopnik.com/how-iron-man-destroyed-5-86-million-in-cars-alone-490614169, http://io9.com/iron-man-3-the-fall-and-rise-of-tony-stark-489236523) and so I went in with a new perspective and saw some plot parallels to a certain older video game title, Resident Evil 5 (Highlight to see).

With a lot of great titles coming to theaters this summer and fall, including the next installment of Thor, Iron Man 3 is a good movie to get those summer blockbuster juices going. And remember, one does not simply go to a Marvel movie without staying for the funzies after the credits.

Wednesday Comic Corner

The latest big comic book video game: Injustice: Gods Among Us. Made through collaboration with DC and NetherRealm Studios (The studio responsible for Mortal Kombat games), the story revolves around an alternate reality.

There were comics leading into the release of the game that explained the world and how it came to be, however the preceding incidents to the plot are discovered in game.

SPOILER ALERT:
Like the unstoppable cosmic destruction embodied in the legendary Phoenix Force of the Marvel Universe, one of the greatest threats to Earth in DC is the threat of a corrupted Superman. He's nearly indestructible and the roster of people smart enough and brave enough to stop him gets smaller and smaller. In Injustice: Gods Among Us, it all comes down to one question: Can anyone stop Superman?

New Display: Readbox

Come check out our new Young Adult display over at Green Valley library. It's a "READ"box.... get it??!!

Book Review: The Roar

Here is the first book review we have had in a while! It comes to us from Elizabeth. Here's what she has to say:



The Roar

When Ellie Smith gets kidnapped by the government, everyone thinks she is dead. Her twin brother, Mika, thinks she is not. He decides to try to find Ellie.

I don't think very many people know about this book, but if only they did! It's great! It has a very interesting storyline and a good dystopian society, so you might like it if you liked The Hunger Games trilogy. The author uses awesome writing techniques; her descriptions are incredible. .Everyone should read The Roar!

Wednesday Comic Corner

Fun with Books

 

 

Although we may not be able to do this in the library, one can't help but want to replicate these examples of biblio-awesomeness.

 

 

Barnes and Noble takes not judging a book by its cover to a whole new level.

 

This is the entrance to a bookstore in Lyon, France.

 

An origami display in a bookstore.

 

 

Alas, all the good bookstores appear to be in Europe. This one is in Brussels.





 



Blind Date With a Book

Come check out our new display at Green Valley Library! We are calling it "Blind Date With a Book". It's simple: choose a paper-covered book based only on a short descrption, check it out, take it home, and unwrap it! Show it off to your friends and share your favorite snacks... who knows, maybe there's a future for the two of you!

Teen Volunteers: Book Spine Poetry

The Green Valley Library Teen Volunteers spent Tuesday afternoon scouring the bookshelves for the perfect combinations of words. The results? Beautiful and unique works of poetry created from words found only on the spines of Young Adult books. I hope you enjoy these witty poems, and are inspired to try a few of your own!

 

 

 

Wednesday Comic Corner

Today I would like to make note of some exceptionally awesome backpacks. They are as follows:

 

The Pokeball Backpack: Gotta store em all

 

 

The Captain America Backpack: For all your Avenging needs

 

 

 

The Lego Backpack *added bonus: Is customizable





A lovely Nintendo throwback

 

 

The Left 4 Dead Backpack: When your geek fashion choices require some aid

 



And lastly, the only carry all that could possibly thwart that determined Italian plumber

 

Now go forth and embrace thy inner geek fashionista/o. Geekonista/o? On that note, I would like to close with the following photo of a corgi chillin in the snow with a sweet pair of shades.

May your day be as awesome as this corgi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

January Programs!

Here's what's happening at the Green Valley Library in January! Also, don't forget to enter the Teen Writing Contest by Febrary 16th for a chance to win a prize and be featured in our annual literary magazine!

Tuesday, January 22
3:30pm
Movie in the Lounge
Pop by the Teen Lounge to enjoy some popcorn and a movie! Feel free to wear your PJ's or bring your own snacks to share. Ages 12-17. No registration needed.
Tuesday, January 27
4pm
Cover 2 Cover Teen Book Club
Registration recommended. Do you love YA books? Do you wish you could make something to remind yourself of the wonderful novel you just finished? Then this book club is for you! Meet on the last Tuesday of every other month to chat about the story, do a craft related to it, and pick up a new book for next meeting. Ages 12-17.