We’re talked about Heroes, so let's talk about Villains, shall we? After all, what is a hero without a villain? With so many villains out there it’s truly hard to pick the best, but we all have our favorites. We also have something to learn from each one!

The number one lesson we can all take away from every villain, no matter how cheesy they are, is that monologues are bad. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with a good monologue! Especially in certain plays and movies and shows and such. But if you’re a bad guy, and you have the good guy trapped. Don’t sit there and monologue. That’s when they escape! Nobody needs to know the evil plan! We don’t care how or why! You have the good guy trapped, just get rid of him and call it a day! The only thing a monologue does is inform the audience of the plan. Granted, that’s not a bad thing, but it always gives the hero that extra time needed to form an escape plan.

The life of a villain is not cheap. Along with heroes, a villain must be able to afford a secret lair, a bunch of henchmen, and a ton of gadgets. Of course, there are exceptions to this, as there always are. Plus, if you think about it, villains do need money for all of these things, because taking over the world is a big investment. If you’re really going all out, then you also probably have plans of a way to contain the hero you’re trying to capture. And that's another dollar spent…

And style. Let’s talk about that a second, shall we! Being a villain isn’t cheap on the wardrobe either! For one, you need to look good. Come on, villains always are sharply dressed. Why? Well, what’s more powerful than a nice suit? Plus, they’re intimidating! Granted, the Joker’s tastes are a little…batty, but the suit thing does work! There’s nothing cheap about suits. Ever. Especially if you have them tailored to fit, like most of them appear to be. Granted, a lot of the villains are fictional. It’s easy to own nice things when your whole world is made up. That doesn’t excuse it though! Many villains worked their way from the bottom to the very top of a company. Or maybe they’re part of the mob. I don’t pretend to know all villain back stories. I just know that if you’re going to be one, you have to have money. Money’s just nice in general.

​The most admirable thing (if that's possible) about villains is their conviction to their cause. All villains are dedicated to their life path. Whether it’s to take over the world, defeat the hero, or avenge a loved one, they are always super strong in what they believe in. Sometimes more so than the hero! Villains believe they’re doing the right thing, regardless of how the hero or story sees things. That’s perhaps one of the most compelling things that draws me to villains; the utter belief that they’re right regardless of anything presented to them. It’s admittedly crushing to see a villain fail sometimes; to see their world collapse and the death of their dream.

No plan is hero proof. Ever. Let’s just accept this. Heroes always find a way to thwart plans of a villain any day of the week. That’s just how this goes. Some villains get close to succeeding, sometimes really close. Yet, it is the hero who always wins. Which is probably why the hero is the favored one of the two. Or maybe you prefer the villain to the hero. I don’t presume to know your life choices! For me, it depends on the villain.

The Joker taught me that even chaos has a plan, whether we see that or not. Lex Luthor taught me that vengeance is a powerful driving force to getting things done. Perhaps the saddest of them all, is Magneto, who taught me that fighting for your beliefs against all odds is right. Even if it’s an unpopular opinion. Magneto’s back story, and life, lead to believe that a hero truly is a matter of perspective. Despite what side he seems to be on, his path isn’t wrong. Perhaps how he goes about it is, but that’s another blog for another day…

As I sit and write this blog, I’m realizing that there are very few things that I can’t say I haven’t learned from nerdy media. The things that all come to mind just happen to be in the same categories, and remind me of just how truly geeky I am. That being said, today we’re going to explore the life lessons learned from the short lived, and utterly awesome show, Firefly.

I didn’t have the chance to watch this when it first aired, but I did get to see it later. Sadly, my first exposure to the series was from the movie Serenity so it was very confusing. After seeing the movie, I was drawn to find and watch the series in one sitting. Which I did! First lesson I learned was Firefly was a crucial one. Don’t mess around with Mal’s ship. It’s a bit of a true statement. Granted, there’s no way for me to do such a thing, but a life lesson is a life lesson. Also, if you suspect a passenger you just brought on board of trying to betray you, it’s okay to punch them. It’s also okay to smuggle people as cargo. I should give a disclaimer here that it’s not really okay to actually smuggle people through large crates. But in a pinch, that’s something that’s okay. Also, did anyone notice Simon’s really cool glasses in the pilot episode? Because I did and I wouldn’t mind having a pair; it’s just a matter of finding them.

Firefly also taught me that if your government is oppressive and evil, and you don’t like their politics, it’s totally okay to be an outlaw. After all, nothing says ‘sticking it to the man’ like smuggling an entire herd of cows across the galaxy. Speaking of, Firefly wasn’t the first sci-fi series to suggest terraforming other planets as a possibility, but it did prove that various other worlds in a new solar system could totally be made to be mini-earths. Including moons, and even around stars that shouldn’t be able to really support life. Science means nothing! I do have to say, I really enjoy the idea that if you experiment on someone’s brain, you can make them a super-secret assassin. Physical training has little to do with it, just cut into someone’s brain and BOOM! Instant killing machine. With all the questionable things going on in the show, I cannot forget to mention the fact that Companion was an actual job choice. 

​Not only did Companions make a respectable living, they were high in the societal food chain, and a high paying career choice. Despite the fact that Mal calls Inara a ‘whore’ all the time; she makes more money than he does. Let’s also just take a moment to talk about Wash, shall we? The plucky comic relief that showed even in the most dire of circumstances, a sense of humor never hurts. Which is totally something I can relate to. (Except for the fact that I just said totally.) Being in the Firefly-verse gives an insight into a possible outcome of humanity. Including the evolution in language. Brushing up on Chinese isn’t easy, but Firefly taught me to say some fun key phrases that are not always swears. Thankfully, the internet is a wondrous place, and directories of these amazing phrases, how to say them, and what they mean, can be found online! There was a time where I tried memorizing all of them.

As any good life lessons go, those worth learning stick with you. Just like Supernatural, Firefly has its own way of showing what a family is. Life bonds aren’t always by blood, as we’ve seen in countless shows, movies, games, and maybe even life experiences (this just got deep!). Firefly really worked to encompass that ideal with one particular episode: Ariel. Here we see Simon getting the crew to break into a core planet hospital in order to steal drugs, while he gets a chance to scan River’s brain and see the full extent of the torture done to her. When everything seems to go fine, we get our true sense of betrayal as Jayne calls the feds; planning to turn in the fugitive siblings for some cash. While I never fully looked at Jayne the same again, Mal took matters into his own hands to let Jayne know just what crew meant. Proving that family is what you make it.

Lastly, Firefly and (mostly) Serenity taught me that being emotionally attached to characters is not the best course of action. Especially in the world of Joss Whedon. He will kill everything and everyone you love. It will be the saddest deaths ever. And you will never fully recover. That’s why in the world of Shae, Serenity never happened.

​Hey everybody! It’s time to do a follow up list of my Guilty YouTube Pleasures! Admittedly, I did not just spend a lot of time sitting on the internet, watching YouTube before writing this. And now that I've finished typing that, I'll let you guys know that the Real Housewives of New York City, is totally playing in the background. I don't know, maybe you want a reference of time when this was written, maybe you needed to know what I was watching, or mostly I just wanted to share with you guys the things I watch while writing! Not gonna lie, it's probably the latter. But that's not talking about the things I watch on YouTube, so let's get to that, shall we? First up, how amazing is YouTube? Especially late at night, when you're too wired to sleep, and so you get on and search for things. Next thing you know it's two hours later and you've literally watched every weird Japanese commercial that exists. True story! Sadly, today I don't have any of those to recommend, but I do have some fun Channels with some videos that can be easily watched over and over again.

First and foremost, is Geek & Sundry. If you're a fan of Felicia Day, Wil Wheaton, and shenanigans, then this is the Channel for you! Geek & Sundry has many shows, such as Table Top, and Let's Play (where Felicia and a guest play video games). My absolute favorite that they do, though, is The Guild. There are DVD's of The Guild, yet there's something special about watching it as it was originally intended; on the internet. The Guild is the fascinating tale of online gaming friends that end up meeting in person and forming a different level of friendship as they tackle some pretty hard topics. Like dealing with over protective mothers, finding jobs, and going to conventions. If you haven't seen it, I whole heartedly recommend you stop reading this right now and go watch it. Do it. I'm not going anywhere. I'll even wait. Did you go watch it? It's hilarious and reminds me of my friends. Only we don't do online gaming…but we do go to conventions…

MyHarto is a Channel that is near and dear to my heart. Not only is Hannah funny, entertaining, and brilliant. She also gets drunk and cooks! Granted, I don't think that's such a good idea, but it's certainly amazing to watch. She makes nerdy references, bad puns, and above all, her cooking looks like mine by the end of it! And she causes less fires than I do. What started out as something she posted for a friend (making cookies while drunk), has turned into something that's beyond amazing. Hannah has had many a guest star on her channel, including Felicia Day. Sipping cocktails and making food always sounds fun, but Hannah makes it work with My Drunk Kitchen. If you're a fan of food, EpicMealTime also has a lot of food! The team at EpicMealTime has gone above and beyond when it comes to making extravagantly large portions of food. And eating them. These guys taught me that you could cook bacon in the oven! And that making a lasagna out of cheese burgers and chicken nuggets is totally a normal thing to do. 

​In honor of all things Marvel I can't not mention WorldofHeroes (on Marvelous TV), particularly Stan's Rants, where the Stan Lee sits down and rants about things that annoy him. How can you not love anything the Generalisimo does!? Granted, I didn't find this channel, I was sent the link to one of Stan's Rants one day, and the rest is history. They've always got amazing Comic and Geek news. This is also the site where Bad Days got its start. Bad Days follows the lives of various superheroes and shows that, just because they're awesome, doesn't mean they don't have off days. Currently, Bad Days has been moved to its new home with its original creator on the channel CineFix. Here, you can also find the latest news in all things geek, like coverage from cons, and other various things. Either way, every single episode of Bad Days is worth seeing!

If you're looking for animated hilarity over the latest movies, check out How It Should Have Ended. Their animated shorts are not only entertaining, but shed a new light of ideas on the latest movies. How It Should Have Ended has plenty to choose from. These guys are probably responsible for many a lost hour and many of the quotes that happen in my life. Their one on The Lego Movie is a must see from me, and even has a few fun songs! If you're looking for something a little more review-ish with a touch of humor, then Screen Junkies is the Channel for you. Screen Junkies have a few series going themselves, but the one that most interests me is their Honest Trailers. These previews of movies, shows, and even video games, offer a humorous takedown of things we love and adore. With a very fantastic voice I might add. While I try to always put a positive spin on things, sometimes it's just fun to pick apart a movie. CinemaSins does that exact thing! Pointing out the bad, or wrong, or even things that shouldn't have happened, in a movie is their forte. And boy, do they do it well. It's not for everyone, but for me, it's something fun to watch and giggle at. CinemaSins points out the things in movies we've all thought about. It's not done in a mean way, they just call it like they see it. 

Well guys, that's it for today! Let me know what your favorite YouTube Channels are!

​Admittedly, YouTube is the place to go when one is bored, procrastinating, or looking for something hilarious. I'll even go so far to say that it is my top place to go when I'm having trouble writing. Along my journey through the world of YouTube I have seen some pretty interesting things. Some good, some bad, and some things…just…shouldn't be seen. We all have our 'subscribed' lists of people we follow religiously. Well, today I'm here to share with you some of the amazing things I've found on YouTube, and the amazing people I follow! Why? Because out of all the nerdy things that go on around here, YouTube has its moments.

First, is my go to YouTube Channel, Simon's Cat. Maybe you guys have seen these animated shorts done, in black and white, about this adorable little cat that gets into all kinds of shenanigans. If you haven't, you really should. I found these videos a few years ago and have been addicted to them ever since. First, the cat in general reminds me of my two brats. The hilarious antics that Simon's Cat does is so typical of all cats, it’s perfect. These shorts aren't terribly long, generally under two minutes. I can watch all of them within one sitting and giggle insanely. I've even gotten my family addicted to watching them. When a new one comes out, I can bet money on how fast my mom posts it to my Facebook wall, or texts it to me. Of course, there's more than just Simon and his cat. There's also additions, such as a new kitten, a hedgehog, a garden gnome, and of course some birds. These videos are something that every cat person will adore! And if you just happen to have cats, you'll sympathize entirely. This has expanded to include a line of books about the many adventures of Simon's Cat. Simon, in question, bases these shorts off of the many inspirational moments with his own felines. There's little to no talking in these videos, but there is a lot of meowing. What I truly love is that everything is drawn panel by panel, before it's animated and then he does the voice over. That's a bit backwards, but all sounds are made by the creator. 

I have a love of people who make parodies of things. I don't know why, it's just something that amuses me greatly, and something I think a lot of us share an interest in. Enter Smosh. I first got interested in them when they did a parody rap to Legend of Zelda. At first, I was a little more than giddy that someone had actually done something like this. However, the dedication that went into making that video, and of course their costumes, was something that got me hooked into watching a lot of their other stuff. Since, Smosh has gone on to do a lot. They have their own site SmothPit.com, a magazine, and several shows they do on YouTube. What I admire about their videos most, is their ability to take great humor in a lot of situations. They've done several 'What if_______ was real?' videos, like Pokémon, which are my favorite, and made fun of all kinds of things. I love their 'Expectation VS Reality' shorts the best. Of course, they don't take much of anything serious, they do swear a lot (which is somehow fitting), and they always manage to make fantastic behind the scenes videos. If you're looking to lose at least an hour of your day, Smosh is easy to get sucked into. They also play a lot of games, give great commentary, and do some guest appearances elsewhere. It's always fun when YouTube personalities come together.

​How can I make this blog and not mention College Humor? This site has been around for quite some time, but their YouTube channel was new to me. Mostly because I never thought to look them up on YouTube. I'm willing to bet that their humor is more than just for college students, but hey, it's a catchy name! I found them on accident while searching for some random things on YouTube one day, and the rest is history. They're fake advertisements, parodies of serious videos, and original content are all something that is easily enjoyed. There's something for everyone, and even some things that have full on disturbed me. Yes, I'm talking about their Fury Force videos. Even then, it was funny. With a brand of humor that spans every taste, it's hard not to find something to like about them. That being said, my very favorite series of theirs started as just a single video. If you've not seen their 'If Google was a guy' series you really should stop reading this and go look them up right now. I mean it! Go! I'll wait…………………………………………………………….See! They're hilarious! I've seen all of them about a thousand times. I don't know why I find them utterly addicting, but I do. 

How could I make this blog and not talk about ERB, also known as Epic Rap Battles of History? Back when I first ran into them (through a friend), they were just on season 1, but they are now on season 5, so they are still going strong. Some pretty amazing battles have taken place, I have learned a few of the songs and happen to sing them randomly. It's saved me from boredom many times. Before writing this blog, I went back and watched all of season 3, just because I could and it’s also my favorite. They've had several fellow YouTubers on as well as some pretty famous guests, and there are so many episodes that I love. Facing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles against the famous artists they're named after was amazing. While that was awesome to watch, my favorite, however, just happens to be Edgar Allan Poe VS Stephen King. Shae Fact, I am a Poe fanatic. My dad was really into Poe's works, and thus, so am I. I spent much of my college career writing about Poe, and to see him face off against Stephen King was partly a dream come true. I highly recommend them. Especially since their battles can be downloaded on iTunes, and many other places (I'm sure).

What's your favorite YouTube Channel? What do you like to search for when you're bored?

​Have I done a video game edition of this yet? Yes? No? You know what guys, I probably haven't. I've mentioned video games before, but I doubt I've ever had a full blog dedicated to the awesome games that have captured my attention over the years. Well, it is summer, and I've got some more free time than I used to. Or maybe I have less free time? That's the confusing part here, now isn't it? Man, being an adult is hard! Let's all play games and nap!

Like many, my first exposure to video games was that of the awesome and amazing Mario games. Now, many had an NES first. But my mom wasn't big into gaming. Honestly, neither was my dad, but he had an NES and an SNES! Super Mario World was my childhood. To this day, I can play that game for hours on end. Though, I'm lacking in owning an NES, but I do have the wonders of the internet. Okay, they also have transfigured that game into DS versions and I've just happened to own and play them at various other points in my life. Super Mario World was something I loved to play, and watch my dad play. We'd often play together. While I was always Luigi, it was still fun. Even when I would get stuck on certain levels, I would still adore it. Actually, I used to make my dad finish the entire game, except for the last castle, so I could go through and freely play all the stages without having to worry about passing them or not. Sadly, now as an adult I don't have the fortune of making my dad finish levels for me. Even so, we also owned the original Super Mario game on the NES. You know, the one that came with Duck Hunt. Now that game, was one of pure awesomeness.

As awesome as Mario was, Mortal Kombat was even more awesome. Dad and I had the first, second, and third game on the SNES and we used to play them constantly! It was so fun being able to fight one another. Granted, dad never let me win, but I eventually learned (years later) how to kick his butt. Eventually the movie came out…and it was awesome. I must have watched that a billion times. So much, in fact, I think I wore out the tape…anyway! The games have continued to come out. From the N64 to the PS3, I've always loved playing Mortal Kombat. Granted, the games have always been filled with blood and gore, but that's the fun in them. Especially when they were on the SNES! What's more fun than fighting each other and watching two-dimensional blood splatter everywhere in its 16bit glory?

Now, you've heard (read?) me rant endlessly about my love of Assassin's Creed, so I won't bore you with that again here. Just know that the Ezio trilogy is my top favorite game of recent years. But, it's not the only favorite game. In my list of top games, of course, is Kingdom Hearts. This series came out when I was in high school, and I begged so much for a PS2. Well, just as the game came out my parents got me a PS2 and the first ever Kingdom Hearts game for Christmas. I was so excited. The story line of Sora searching for his friend Kairi, while his friend Riku battles with the darkness inside of him was captivating. The fact that you got to visit various Disney themed worlds, like Aladdin and Alice in Wonderland was something completely mind blowing. My favorite, however, was going to Nightmare Before Christmas world and playing endlessly. Mostly because the character's changed to fit the world, mostly. Which meant Sora got a really awesome look. You also got to fight alongside Goofy and Donald Duck, which was cool. When KH2 came out, I didn't do anything productive for two weeks straight. Literally, I stopped what I was doing and played that game endlessly until I beat it. Kingdom Hearts is the only game series where I have bought specific gaming platforms in order to play it. Like for Birth by Sleep, which is technically a prequel, I went and got a PSP just to play that game. I have played all the KH games so far, and while some were not as amazing as others, they are all worth playing at least once.

Now, you know I can't talk about video games and not mention Final Fantasy VII. That's like the game of all games! Okay, maybe not. Some people do not care for this game as much as I do. Now, I have owned a copy of it since my dad brought it and an original PS1 back from England. Yes, England, but they were both US compatible (he bought them while there for work…for 4 months). I played it a bit, but for whatever reason, it didn't stick with my younger self. However, the older I got, the more appealing RPG's became, and one day, boom. I played from start to finish. All three discs. This game has it all, mystery, character death, surprise finishes, and quirky sidekicks. What I love is how you can swap out who's fighting with you. That was pretty awesome. One of the best spin off games was Crisis Core. Also, a prequel, we got to learn about the origin of Cloud's sword, who Zack Fair was, and possibly the single, most heart wrenching, and saddest game ending in the history of game endings. I cried like a baby when I finished this game. I'm talking, heart wrenching sobs! Guys, this game really just…broke a part of my heart that will never be the same. As did Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, which was fantastic in and of itself. It's needless to say, that FFVII was one of the best games I've ever played. I even made my sister Cosplay with me once. She was Cloud and I was Reno. It was utterly ridiculous and not a lot of photographic evidence exists of that period in my life. Thankfully, though, the game has nestled into my heart. I also eventually discovered Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus. I had not known about this until years after it came out. But when I found it, I played it. I finished it in two days. And I played it again. Now, I've heard mixed reviews on this game, but really, you get to play a game as Vincent Valentine, and discover his story in depth. There's nothing I hate about this first-person shooter. Even if I am terrible at first person shooters. If you're a Vincent fan, then you'll love this game.

Well guys, that's it for now. If you've got any games you majorly love, please tweet them to me @SoraLostSoul (which was not remotely inspired by Kingdom Hearts). Or drop a comment down below! As always, I love hearing from you guys and I am always excited to geek out over video games.

​Now, I don't know how many of you have actually seen Torchwood, so for those of you who haven't it is a spin off and anagram of Doctor Who. This show follows Captain Jack Harkness after the Doctor left him, and after Rose brought him back. Jack can't die; well, rephrase, he can die, just not permanently. The Torchwood Institute was founded after the Doctor and Rose kind of messed some things up. Its purpose is to protect the earth from aliens and what not. 

Jack kind of gets roped into being a part of it on accident, and then ends up running his own branch of it. The series opens with two full seasons, followed by Children of Earth and then Miracle Day. If you haven't seen it, you should. At least the first two seasons. I'm on the fence about the mini-series, for some very personal reasons. So, spoilers?

The first thing Torchwood taught me was how amazing of a character Captain Jack really is. I loved him in Doctor Who, but getting his own show to play with was something else entirely. Captain Jack was more than just this fun, flirty, character that he was originally brought on as. Turns out, he's a whole bag of things. And his life is anything but ordinary. Being from the 51st century might do that to a guy. Jack, however, would be an interesting boss to work for. Maybe that's why I relate to him in a way; he's very flirty, I'm very flirty, it's a whole bonding with a fictional character thing. In that though, John Barrowman is a very flirty person too. And of course, an actor who is so committed to the role that they believe they're the character, makes the audience believe it that much more. This does make Jack utterly fantastic. Beyond being relatable in different aspects though, Jack has a darker side to him. Regardless of the things that have happened, he knows how to get business done when it needs to be done. The big lesson, is that I truly underestimated Jack's character.

I also learned that coffee is a very important part of any business. Even one dedicated to eliminating alien threats. If you're drinking good coffee, you're more apt to do a better job fighting aliens. That's just basic human logic right there. Or, not? Tea is just as important. Personally, I prefer tea over coffee any day. Unless it's a horrible hour of the morning. In which case, just let me sleep. I'm not a morning person. What that has to do with Torchwood, I don't know. But hey! Random Shae Fact! Also, don't underestimate the guy that's making the tea/coffee. He's probably not as mean as he seems. Plus, Ianto was just pretty. And turned out to be handy. Speaking of Ianto, always make an effort to get to know your co-workers and be nice to them. Because you never know if they're secretly hiding a half converted Cyberman (woman?) in the office basement. And, really, you shouldn't do that because it's not a polite thing to do. 

​I mean, not all of us have co-workers we like (unlike me, mine are all wonderful), but you shouldn't put them in life threatening danger. Cybermen just shouldn't be messed with period. End of story. If your partner was being turned into one, and you saved them halfway through, it's like a little too late. Just let them go. That's so heartless and I'm sure easier said than done. There's no reasoning with Cybermen though. It's why they're terrifying. Just, avoid Cybermen attacks and you won't be put in that situation. 

Torchwood also taught me that you should never sleep with your co-workers. Unless you're Ianto and Jack, because that worked out okay. But if you're like Gwen and Owen, just don't do it. It won't end well, everyone will be sad, and angry, and all kinds of things. So just avoid that situation all together. Especially if you have a fiancé and cheat on them. Unless you have Retcon. Then you can just tell them you cheated, and erase their memories. Retcon in general is pretty cool. Talk about a get-out-of-anything card. I guess Torchwood taught me that I need to be a chemist and make a pill that erases the last 24 hours of someone’s memory. That's completely okay to use on anyone, with no negative side effects. Unless you give it to them constantly and train them to have certain 'kill' commands like Suzy did. That's just mean. But also, effective.

If you're an alien, and you come to earth to check things out, chances are you will most likely get shot. Or shagged. Depending on Jack's mood, there's no telling which could happen. Maybe even both, in a different order. If you're a human possessed by an alien, there's an 85% chance of you dying. And if you're an alien unaware that you're an alien, you're definitely, probably, going to die. And giant bee/wasp/bugs are not okay. Ever. Under any circumstance. Just ask Martha.

Torchwood was far darker than Doctor Who in many aspects, and it taught me, above all, that even main characters are not safe from the cold, icy, grip of death. Before Game of Thrones existed, Torchwood was ripping my heart in half, stomping on it, and eating the remains. I love this series, don't get me wrong, but dude…it hurt me in ways I didn't know I could be hurt in. Supernatural did the same thing, only worse, it gave me hope. Torchwood took that hope away and took me down a darker road. But the biggest life lesson that Torchwood taught me, was that humans are the most dangerous beings in the universe. One episode, my personal favorite of the entire series, features humans trapping, killing, and eating innocent tourists. Not because of anything alien, not because anything forced them to, but because they could. And that, my fellow fans, was something that has struck me to the very core. I get chills every time I watch that episode. Then again, Torchwood also made me want a Pterodactyl as the office pet...I might have to convince John and the others.

​In the world of Shae, there have been many things I've watched, loved, and disliked. But never has there been any other franchise quite like that of Star Trek. This series has taught me a great many thing, and today, I'm going to share with you some of the things I've learned ranging from The Original Series and the classic movies, to the latest movies. Let's begin, shall we?

I feel like I should give a bit of a disclaimer in here; I didn't grow up on Star Trek or Star Trek: The Next Generation. I knew of them. My dad and I did watch a bit of TNG, and we later all watched half of Enterprise. But, I didn't really get into this series until later. Yes, before the new movies came out. I did see a few of the old Star Trek movies when I was a kid though. I had a few friends who had Trekkies as parents, so I got to watch Wrath of Khan when it was on TV or on VHS at their houses. I liked them, I just didn't appreciate them until I was older. 

The first thing I learned is that if you are an important woman, princess, alien/human, and or mildly attractive, Captain James T. Kirk will sleep with you. Flat out, end of story on that one. Like, seriously, is there anyone in the series he did not bang? He had more flings than Captain Jack Harkness, and that's saying something. Despite the Captain's obvious flirtations, I also learned that he was a pretty good fighter. Okay, maybe the Double Fist Punch doesn't really work that great in real life, but it was pretty decent for the show. That and Kirk somehow served with everyone’s father. Which was really confusing given his age wasn't terribly old. They were seemingly older characters by today's standards. That being said, everything worked out pretty well for him, and Kirk was a decent Captain. So much so, that his crew utterly loved and adored him. Enough for security officers to keep going out on away missions.

Speaking of which, this is a pretty well-known thing that gets made fun of all the time, but if you were a security officer, or had a Red Shirt, and you went on an away mission, down to a new planet, or moon, or anything like that, you were going to die. That's just Star Trek 101 right there. There's no surviving unless you're Scotty. For some reason, he's the only Red Shirt to survive any away mission. Well, being a main character does seem to help that out. Star Trek also taught me that the Scottish engineer could fix any mechanical problem with the ship. Literally, any problem. And the time limits were sometimes questionable. I don't know about you guys, but I can't even fix my computer when it breaks in less than an hour. Scotty could get an entire spaceship in working order in less than three minutes sometimes. How? Probably the wonders of 'TV magic'. Still, that was pretty amazing. 

​Speaking of amazing, Star Trek broke a lot of social barriers and stereotypes during its day. It's hard to sit there and watch it now, thinking that there were still fresh issues like segregation, but Star Trek was the first series to help rip some of those barriers apart. In fact, Kirk and Uhura shared the first interracial kiss on television. I can say that honestly gives me chills to know that. Speaking of breaking stereotypes while we're at it, Mr. Sulu, while Asian, was not a martial artist, but a great fencer. As far as talents go, that's pretty spectacular and also broke that stereotype that all Asians knew how to fist fight. 
 
While breaking rules, and leaving no apologies, Star Trek was also famous for several of the modern references we have all grow to know and love. Like, my personal favorite ‘Damnit man, I'm a Doctor, not a __________’. Anyone who knows me knows that I love Bones. First and foremost, I do utterly love Karl Urban as Doctor Leonard McCoy. But he was not the reason I fell in love with the surly doctor. That would be DeForest Kelley. The man was an amazing actor, but he was a fantastic Bones. Urban does the best job portraying the character Kelley brought to life. Star Trek taught me that you didn't have to have a good bedside manner to be a good doctor. That and not to make the doctor angry. Seriously, Bones was always mad about something. To be fair it was almost always (always) Kirk related, so I can't blame the poor guy. Watching he and Spock fight was one of the most entertaining things in the history of ever. Also, logical people are frustrating. Well, Vulcans are anyway. Spock was always there to give facts and reasons why Kirk should or shouldn't do something, and Bones was always the moral standing and the emotional side. I guess that makes Kirk the balance between the two. 

Star Trek also taught me that if you take some string, and some fabric, and dress a dog up, you have an alien. Now, I'm pretty tempted to put costumes on the cats and claim they're from another planet, but I'm sure that's weird and nobody would believe me. It could be fun though, at least. Also, if you were a part of the main bridge crew, you were always sent down to the newest planet. Now, can someone explain to me why the ship’s head doctor, pilot, navigator, and first officer need to go down with the captain and a few security members? I'm pretty sure they don't in real life. And most of the time, the encounters ended badly. Especially once we discovered Khan. That's another thing, if you find someone who is cryogenically frozen, you should just leave them be. Because they could kill you. Why would you wake that person up? You don't know if they're a mass murderer. They probably are! This show also gave me an unhealthy trust of Klingons. It also inspired a generation of us nerds to learn to speak Klingon. For the record, I do not. 

Lastly. This show taught me that it's okay to cry when something bad happens. And something bad always happens. With how hokey The Original Series was, it truly touched my heart in so many different ways. The new movies did a great justice in retelling the old series and bringing it into a new light. Granted, I know many who don't like the new films. That being said, I loved them. We all have our own tastes and everything. The fact that Spock was more in touch with his human side was nice. We got to see Kirk go from a reckless kid to a reckless adult. Bones was still crabby, cranky, and shabby, but he was still the voice of reason. Uhura got to have her interracial/species relationship she'd been denied in the original series. We got to see Sulu and Chekov come into their own. And of course, Scotty was recognized for his brilliance on a whole new level. Plus, he's now played by Simon Pegg and that's just awesome. Whether you're new to the franchise, or old, there's something for everyone to love here. 

​Since I’ve been on a superhero movie kick, I thought it would be fun to explore the wondrous world of superheroes and share with you guys things that I've learned from them. As you all know, I'm prone to sharing my feels with you all. So, if you're ready, take my hand, and let's go on this journey together. How cool would that sound with an accent…I'm just saying!

First things first, Superhero 101 states that if you are a hero, of the super kind, you must, and I mean must wear a skintight suit. Even more so if you're a female hero. Seriously, all of them. Not a single Superhero wears a comfortable looking outfit. If it's not skintight spandex, it's leather. Explain to me how leather is supposedly comfortable to fight in? I've worn leather pants, they're not that comfy! I have to say, if I ever become a Superhero, I'm fighting in either leggings or yoga pants, and the most comfortable shirt I own.
 
Plus, some decent running shoes. Combat boots are okay, but some of the boots they show these heroes wearing? As someone who wears heels occasionally, I can tell you they're not all that comfortable to go fight crime in. Or run. Or pretty much do a lot of things in. Maybe some of you disagree, maybe you like wearing heels and do it really well. Sad to say, I am not one of you. I can go a few hours tops in heels before I switch to flats. On that note, has anyone ever thought of making a heel that folds into a flat? Because I would buy that. Like a lot of that actually. They have started to make heels with orthopedic insoles built into the shoe, which is nice. They're much comfier…maybe that's the kind of shoes our female Superheroes are wearing?

Next thing I also learned, is that to be a Superhero, you have to have some tragic backstory. All the heroes I idolize and love and read the comics of have something horrible that happened to them. Iron Man, drunk, absentee father, that died. Batman, parents were murdered. Hawkeye, drunk, abusive, parents that died and left him orphaned so he grew up in the circus. Nightwing, awesome circus parents that were murdered; crazy foster father who eventually adopted him, after turning him into a vigilante too. The moral of these stories is, don't have bad parents. They eventually die, or are just jerks to you until you turn into some crime fighting awesome person. There's just always some level of tragedy and I guess that is what makes every great hero great. Except for some mutants. Like, some of them have good, caring, awesome homes. In the case of the Mutant universe, it's society that's mean and cruel.

​Finding love, when you're a Superhero, seems to be super hard. Unless you're Superman…then it's just confusingly complicated. Granted, this is dangerous territory here, because there's canon and then there's ships…and I'm not even going to get into any of that. But with every hero, there's always some reason as to why they and the person they love can't ever seem to be together. It's almost always because the hero has to be the hero, or something to do with them being the hero. And the other person is all kinda of not willing to put up with said hero being a hero. It's always more complicated, but basically, Superhero comics, more than anything, have taught me that love is a really confusing thing. It's okay to love someone, you just can't go be with that person for reasons. Unless you're Batman…then the reason you can't be with someone is because you're too busy being Batman. 

Also, if you're a Superhero, money is never a worry to have anymore. Like, hardly ever. It's totally just a thing that never really gets talked about, except for maybe Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark, whom we all know are just so rich it hurts. Everyone else though, it's never really discussed. The first time I ever saw the topic of a Superhero struggling with finances was in the newest string of Hawkeye comics. Other than that, if you've got super powers, or are just really good at parkour, you never have to worry about money. It'll just happen. Suits will be repaired, weapons fixed, it's all okay. Then again, in a world where people can fly, I suppose I shouldn't be questioning the financial side of any of this. With great powers of awesome, comes unlimited funds. How do they all afford their secret lairs? And every hero has one, sort of. With some it's just their apartments, or wherever, but with a lot of Heroes, they have a lair. Wonder Woman can't just park her invisible jet anywhere! Where's the hanger for that? Not to mention the cost of fuel. I want a secret lair with a bunch of money to support my crime fighting habit.

Lastly, Superheroes taught me that, super powers or not, if you've got a costume, you can survive all kinds of horrible things in fights and bad guy stuff, and totally walk away from it, just fine. Like in The Avengers where Hawkeye breaks through a plate glass window and doesn't have a bunch of cuts on him. Or when Black Widow parkour's from some serious heights onto this gravelly pit, like that wouldn't hurt. Batman's recent movies had shown some of the wear and tear of being Batman on Bruce’s body. But he popped right up from a broken back pretty quick. I'm almost positive that all of the things done to Tony in the Iron Man suit would kill a human. Even just flying at the speeds he does…Spider-Man? Okay, that's just terrifying. Jumping off and swinging from building to building does not sound like a fun way to spend any evening. Spiders aren't really that tough, even. You step on them and they get mushed…so I'm pretty sure Peter wouldn't survive half the things he's exposed to with his villains.

What have you learned from Superheroes? They're all pretty amazing in their own right, and while not realistic in the least, that’s the fun of them! Being able to escape into their worlds has brought joy to millions of us. Who's your favorite superhero? If you could have any power, what would it be? 

​You know, I really don't think I've done enough of these yet! So hey, here's some more! Plus, I haven't done one of these in a little while and figured I'd share some of my guilty pleasures as of late! These are all various types of media, and they're all awesome. 

One of my all-time favorite shows came as a recommendation from my friend, Eryn. Archer, has to be one of my top favorite cartoons. It's hilarious, has amazing one liners, and really, the plot has progressed amazingly. What started out as a spinoff from an Adult Swim show has turned into a full-blown show of awesome. It’s currently heading into its Ninth Season, but if you're looking to start it from the beginning, Netflix is your best friend. Trust me, it's mine. It's hard to stop watching this show. Archer is a secret agent working for ISIS, which is run by his mother Malory. Lana, his love interest, is an awesome secret agent that once dated Archer. Then you have Pam, who is hilarious and can't keep any secrets, there’s Sheryl/Carol, a secretary and Pam's best friend and there’s Cyril, the annoying accountant whom Archer hates. And of course, you have Ray, a flamboyant ordained minister, who happens to be one of the few competent members of the team. Oh, I can’t forget Krieger, a mad scientist! And of course, Woodhouse, Archer's elderly butler who is addicted to heroin. This show is all humor and some touching moments. I won't spoil the plot, but if you haven't already, you really should check this show out. 

Lately, one of my biggest guilty pleasures is watching the Marvel superhero movies. There’s nothing quite like throwing in Iron Man or The Avengers and chilling with a nice iced tea. There's something magical about watching your favorite comic heroes come to life. Whether it’s Captain America: The First Avenger or Thor, these movies still hold my attention, and I always catch something new that I hadn't before. For instance, did you guys know that Jeremy Renner did a cameo as Hawkeye in Thor? I've watched it a few times over, and sure enough, he is there. Not to mention all the extras! Not going to lie, I am a big fan of bloopers. The Avengers have the best bloopers.

You know what's awesome? Pops! They're pretty awesome. What started out as one Daryl figure, has turned into a giant collection. Pops have been out for a while and they're pretty cute. Plus, they come in bobble-head form too! Well, now my collection has gone from one to over a hundred, and while that might seem like a lot, I find it hard not to buy more of them. I recommend them as a geeky gift, they make a fantastic present for someone you know and especially love. One of mine (a Castiel figure) was a total surprise when I found it. You can find them online at Amazon, and of course in store at Hot Topic. I've even heard rumors that you can customize them and have your own personalized Pops figure! 

Or I could get an Ezio figure from Assassin's Creed II. Speaking of! My last guilty pleasure just so happens to be Assassin's Creed! The Ezio Trilogy is my ultimate favorite video game to play! I even love playing it more than I love playing Batman. Also, it does have some history, and plays with some historical figures. The other Assassin's Creed games are just as amazing. Because becoming a super-secret assassin and ridding the world of angry/evil guards that swear at you in Italian is just utterly awesome. Is taking joy in that unhealthy​? Maybe, but hey, none of it is real and it’s a good way to unwind after an annoying day!  

​I was watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier the other day, and I found it sent me into a spiral of nostalgia, and somewhat of a crisis. Because I still remember my friends coming up to me after it came out to hug me, and whisper in my ear 'Hail Hydra'. That kind of thing makes you stop trusting hugs and start reconsidering your life choices in the particular friends that keep tormenting you. Why? Well, I can honestly say that I did not see Sitwell's betrayal coming…at all. Actually, I didn't see any of these betrayals coming. Did anyone else? Am I the only one still sitting here like 'What even is this that just happened?!' But, while all of this betrayal was heartbreaking, as a plot device, it was utterly brilliant. 

Hydra has been a part of many a Marvel plot line in various comics, cartoons, and now their films and television shows. But, before the multimillion dollar films, before the hit television shows, Marvel was something completely different to me. Now, I was born in the mid 80's, which meant I got all the awesome cartoons that happened in the late 80's and 90's! While some get their first experience with Marvel through their vast array of comic books, I got mine from the X-Men cartoon. I didn't know about this series until 1993, which meant I was about 7, and it was my dad who showed me this show. Though, thinking back, I'm pretty sure he only showed me it so he could watch cartoons…regardless, this show was my first glimpse at Marvel and one of the many worlds that they had created. Despite the corny lines, the dated references, and the utterly horrid hair styles the women had; this show was the most influential cartoon I have seen to this day.

I'm going to share something insanely personal with you guys, but as most of you may know by now, I have a visual impairment. So, when this cartoon about Mutants, people who were different from everyone else came into my life…it was like something magical was happening. Suddenly, I wasn't alone; I wasn't just the freak at school who was different. I was unique and fighting my own problems, like my favorite characters. I don't think anything has ever made me feel so accepted. Of course, this also made me a geek/nerd and somehow that was not acceptable for the school yard. Through that, I've made some life long, amazing friends. X-Men was a gateway to a broader set of interests that still influences my life to this day.

I've read many of the X-Men comics now as an adult, and watched almost every single film (with the exception of The Wolverine.) I went with my dad and saw them in theaters, opening night. The X-Men cartoon also led me to the 1994 Spider-Man series. Dad and I were not hugely into that show…actually, I have to confess that I am not the biggest Spider-Man fan out there. Granted, he's got some awesome qualities, some fine villains, and story lines. I am just utterly petrified of all things bug related and could never get past the whole, bitten by a spider and got superpowers, thing. I squeak when I think I see a bug. The movies were pretty cool though, and I'm happy with how Spider-Man: Homecoming turned out.
 
Everything has snowballed into this amazing amalgamation of awesome. With the X-Men, Spider-Man and other superhero movies, there was a shift in popular culture. One that would turn all those geeky kids, into happy, geeky adults. Despite what bullies used to tease us about, the comic culture became so popular, these movies were renewing interest. New cartoons were being made, which was great because I have a little sister, who liked cartoons, and I got to watch them with her. I got to see her get enthralled like I did.

Now, she's a teen and not as nerdy, but she loves going to these movies. My whole family does, actually, which is something that's kind of strange! And then, Iron Man came out…everything changed from that point on. Every movie was now held to a new standard. Everything was leading up to The Avengers. A film with multiple heroes? Most of which who had their own film, coming together into one…nothing like this had ever happened before. But it did, it happened and it was amazing. In every story line, there's always a hero, a villain, and suddenly, the ordinary person has the most power and holds the key to saving humanity. Every character is flawed, but they always come out the better. Whatever Marvel does, the heroes will always be there, the villains will continue to be bad, and their stories...amazing. They've completely reached out and changed my life and continue to do so. My addiction continues to grow like their stories. A reprieve from everyday life, and a reminder that no matter what, I am never truly alone.