Tag: geek

Watching the Flash with my son

Carl Setzer

My son and I have been watching the Flash on Netflix. It’s been a fun little bonding thing. 

I love the show. Watching Barry Allen, and the people surrounding him evolve really delights me. And the ensemble of cast and crew gel very well. 

We’ve made a pledge to not watch without the other, so that were in the same place in the continuum. Now I need to add that I grew up reading Flash comics. So there are times I see what’s coming since I now the new characters. But they’re done a good enough job tweaking their TV universe that you can’t assume a character’s comicbook identity will track. It’s a clever way to give homage to the DC legacy but not be terribly predictable. 

Now, at times they flirt with the edge of cheesy. Every one of their Christmas episodes makes me worry. Though I have a bias about the weird games screenwriters play with any sort of holiday, but they’ve done well so far. Yet, I still wonder about the need for holiday specials, but that’s just me. 

Now we’re about halfway through the second season. Netflix has through season three. It’ll be fun, especially if we get more seasons. If not, we’ll then move over to Arrow and keep the DC stream going. 

Two Items Of Geek Lust

Carl Setzer

Ok, two things caught my eye over the past few days.

Number 1: Over at BestBuy, the “Kwikset – Kevo Touch-to-Open Bluetooth Key and Electronic Smart Door Lock”

Being able to open my door via Bluetooth sounds so freakin’ cool! But $230 is a bit steep for this geek delight.

And number 2: The Rocket Wave Notebook

A reusable notebook! We write to our heart’s content, use the app to upload the creations to the cloud (Evernote, Dropbox, Google Docs…amongst many others), when the notebook is full, pop it in the microwave for a few moments and, presto, back to square one. One does need to write with their special pen, but otherwise, pretty much behaves like a standard, spiral bound notebook.

For less than $30, I’ll give it a try. I know it’s carried by OfficeDepot, not sure where else, if anywhere.

Learn more about it here.

 

I delight in finding these weird little doodads. Found anything you love? Let me know in the comments below!

A Few Thoughts On Wil Wheaton’s Radio Free Burrito, Episode 45

Carl Setzer

Just finished the 45th episode of Wil Wheaton’s Radio Free Burrito. I adore his wit and share many of the things that tickle his whimsy.

In this episode he talks a bit about getting a gig from an audition. He’s rather pleased with himself as this has not been the most successful vessel for booking his work. It’s quite understandable, really, that you meet success where you’ve met nothing but frustration. That feeling of validation is quite invigorating.

While talking about that, though, he mentions the times he’s thought about quitting these. Not quitting acting, but these types of auditions. For me, the key thing: he’s successful getting work via, what I’d call “networking”. The undertone: that would be “quitting”.

I’d argue that, no, it’s not. Acting, and acting gigs, are the goal. He has success there! He’s acting, and paying the bills. Everything else is gravy. There’s nothing wrong with quitting unsuccessful tactics while working towards your dream. Quite the opposite.

Some times, quitting is essential. 

One way to consider this: the ol’ 80/20 rule. 20% of what most people do generates 80% of the results. If one is meeting success doing “it” one way, and not in another, focus on where you’re meeting success.

It’s not only “ok” to quit what’s not working, I’d argue that there’s an imperative. 

Focus on results, not the process. So what if someone else gets all their work “this way”? Focus on what works for you. It might be valuable to explore how you can do things differently, and use that to grow. And, as Wil points out, sometimes the exercises that don’t generate the gigs have other value. For him, many times it’s getting in front of key people; building that network.

Results, my friends, are what should drive us.

Keep up the good work, my friends!