#GirlCrush: @BobbiStarr - The Nerdalicious Girlie Fantasy

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Erin. She's been writing on the site for like forever and a day and SERIOUSLY has a lot to say. She's super passionate about politics and all things awesomely nerdy. I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT ERIN!!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @snogvlog

Be honest, when you think of a nerd you think of a person that gets shoved in the lockers in high school, the kid who loved science and Star Wars and who could never in a million years get the girl, the cheerleader, the movie starlet or the porn star, right?, wrong!  What if I told you in some strange sequence of events some cosmic instance there was actually a sexy, popular, talented, intelligent, hot chick that not only dug nerds but was one herself, would you believe me?

Meet Bobbi Starr, born April 6, 1983 in Santa Clara, California.  Starr is a graduate of San Jose State University, an adult film star, ex-music teacher, professional concert oboist, former nationally ranked swimmer and one hot mutha effin nerd!  Oh yes kids it’s on and it’s all about this girl and her obsession with the philosophical, organic, musical, literary, Sci-fi, and adult film industry.  She may be a contradiction in terms but what she lacks in the societal norm she makes up for in the unique, beautiful, and fetishy way she appeals to people of every background. Now you might be wondering or saying to yourself, self, what else do I need to know about a woman in porn other than seeing her with her clothes off?  Think of Bobbi as an onion with many layers and as you begin to pull back those layers it reveals someone who isn't just what we know as a porn star but she is completely revamping the way we look at porn and women.  She is taking on an industry and changing the way men and women view the chicks they see in the movies.  You may also be saying to yourself, self, why does Erin know so much about a porn star and do I really wanna know?  I stumbled upon Bobbi purely on accident and I swear this much is true, the rest however was completely my doing.  

I began following her on Twitter because she has a very girl next door type of a look like someone you'd take home to Mom and part of me was drawn to her in that way.  Bobbi is natural looking meaning she doesn't plaster herself with makeup, she doesn't look anorexic and she does both Jay and Jane - who doesn't love a girl who goes both ways.  After doing some, (cough) research on her movies I found that she did a lot with women and they weren't just two chicks in high heels, they were actual movies lesbians would watch. They were emotional depicting herself and her partner becoming engaged, they were romantic, sensual, not at all the type of movies you're used to seeing.  Classically, lesbian pornography has mainly been made by men and are almost never how two women would actually be intimate together.  Let’s be honest ladies when was the last time we made love in high heels and makeup or made some of the god awful noises some of those women make?  We know male made porn when we see it and it seemed Bobbi really cared about the product she was putting out to the public. She cared that her fans were not only satisfied but truly felt she relating to them.  

When I started following her on Twitter I wasn't expecting much, maybe a tweet here and there about her latest movie, something raunchy that would make me blush, but what I'd gotten in just a day of tweets was much different than what I was expecting.  Bobbi was tweeting about everything from Star Wars, Gluten free cooking, construction on her apartment and the latest book she was reading, even I, a cynical nerd can honestly say I was shocked.  I had a stereotypical view of what I thought a porn star would be like all tits and ass of course and nothing upstairs, horrible of me I know. In just a few hours Bobbi had completely changed my mind, I was intrigued, I had to know more.  That's when I can honestly say my mini-obsession began.  I made it a point to Google this woman and learn more about her and started tweeting her to see if I could get a response, after all this is the age of social media and people do actually tweet their fans from time to time.  I'd attracted somewhat of a cheering section, some of my followers on twitter were tweeting her to try and get her to respond to me, it had become a mission impossible and I was going to be Tom Cruise, without the whole Scientology thing.  Alas 4:00 am one morning I get the response I'd been waiting for and of course I was sleeping.  Bobbi lives in LA so of course there being a time difference I was in a state of REM sleep while she was just ushering herself into bed.  From there we exchanged tweets and I started to really investigate this woman, tried to learn as much as I could about her life. I was blown away by her interest in politics, movies, books, and anything else you wanted to throw at her for a conversation.

Bobbi began her career at the age of 23 in San Francisco, California and while it was a decision she took very seriously, it was one that she will tell you she has no regrets about.  In her early career her movies were mostly bondage and submission scenes for small internet based companies and she slowly graduated into deep throat and anal sex for production companies in Los Angeles.  Her modeling has been box covers for many movie companies such as Red Light District Video and Combat Zone.  Most have seen America's Next Top Model and let's be honest how freakin boring is that show!  Well I think had I seen America's Next Hot Porn Star I may have watched every season.  Bobbi appeared on that show and also blogs for Popporn.com and writes a column for Fox Magazine called, Adventures In Porny Land.

Starr has been quoted as saying she's a pro-sex feminist, “I don't feel degraded because it is my decision.  I know that if I did ever feel degraded or feel uncomfortable, all I need to do is say no and it would stop.  I don't think something where women have so much control in the situation can be considered degrading towards women.”  With her pro-sex feminist attitude, her sexy natural looks and fun outgoing personality comes a very intelligent woman who wants to study pre-med to become a Gynecologist and work primarily in the porn industry where she feels there is a serious lack of female gynecologists.  This year, 2011, Bobbi was cast in a mainstream indie movie adaptation of James Sallis's novel, Drive. It was met with glowing reviews. CNBC named Bobbi one of the 12 most popular stars in porn and also noted that her breakout role in Drive would turn out to be her crossover into mainstream movies.  I told you this woman had many layers, this is just the beginning.

I decided that internet searches and other people's quotes of Bobbi's just weren't enough so I reached out to her and had the pleasure of getting an interview with her.  You can imagine how awesome that went!

EC:  Given the extreme departure you took from teaching, music and swimming what brought you into the adult film industry?

BS:  I had a boyfriend in college who did some scenes for Kink. When he told me, it got me interested in porn. I'd never thought of doing porn and back then I was very nerdy and bookish. I was the last person you'd expect to be a porn industry. I was curious about the industry and I did a few scenes myself and when I graduated, I decided to come to Los Angeles to make a go of it.

EC:  Being involved in the industry as intimately as you are what do you think are the pros and cons to being an adult film star?

BS:  The pros are that I get to satisfy my curiosity when it comes to sexuality. There's a lot of people who live their lives wondering about having sex with another woman, or anal sex or group sex or even rough sex. They wonder what it's like to be with someone who can fuck for a whole hour without a break like Nacho Vidal or Rocco Sifreddi. Most people spend their lives wondering what if. In the porn industry, I find out what it's like. Being able to live without wondering and being able to just do it is a very powerful, very exhilarating thing.

As for the cons, it's dealing with the constant expectations that other people have of who you are. There's a lot of people who project what their beliefs are onto who you are as a porn star. To a feminist who is anti-porn, I'm a victim, I'm someone who's exploited and I can't be doing this out of my own free will. To some fans, I'm someone who needs to be saved from pornography. And to others, I'm just some decadent, dirty, filthy slut that's everything wrong with American society in the 21st century.

What's lost is who I am as a person. They don't want to think that I came into this business out of my own free will. They don't want to think that I'm happy where I am and that I like doing porn. They don't what to think that we don't live in the 1950s anymore, and even the 1950s weren't the ideal they want to believe it is.

EC:  When you're home alone just being Bobbi, not the famous porn star, what is the nerdiest thing you love doing?

BS:  I love to read. I have shelves that take up a whole wall of my apartment full of books. If you saw my apartment, which is on the small side, you'd understand what an undertaking it was to fit everything into it.

EC:  When did you know you loved both men and women and who do you enjoy doing movies with more?

BS:  I realized that I am a person who is more gay than straight and just likes to experiment with men. Porn didn't change me; it made me more of who I was to begin with. I think that's true of everyone else in this business.

I enjoy working with men who are very energetic in their scenes. A perfect example would be Rocco, who I worked with on his comeback movie, "Rocco Ravishes L.A." He's always been a god in my mind, and when we finally worked together it met all my expectations. The whole scene was a blur to me, and I wound up with my head in the toilet. True story.

EC:  I know you have a boyfriend who I also follow on Twitter, he's awesome, are you two what society considers monogamous or do you get to have a girlfriend too, Kimberly Kane, inquiring lesbians wanna know.

BS:  I’m not known to date in the performer pool, I date girls or guys who are either outside of the business or who aren't on camera. The arrangement I've always had was that I am monogamous except for when I'm on set and there is a camera set to record on me.

I know it's schizophrenic, but I don't believe that being a porn star gives me a pass to do whatever I want with whoever I want if I'm in a committed relationship. It wouldn't be fair to who I'm dating. I'm not into swinging or anything like that. When I'm home, it's just me and my partner.

EC:  How does your family feel about you being in this industry and has anyone in your family ever been confronted by someone who's seen you in a movie?

BS:  My family and I have a don't ask don't tell understanding. However, my mother and I talk about my career decisions in this industry, but when it comes to her health concerns, things get touchy. She wants to make sure the people I work with are protected and safe and that I do what I can to stay safe.

I don't know if anyone's confronted my family directly about what I do. We don't talk about it. However, someone once sent my sister a Facebook message, which was addressed to my brother, saying I'm a whore. It was written as if I had have sex with this person. It, understandably, creeped my sister out.

EC:  You have a cat, very lesbian of you, what's it's name, how old and do you ever think it's plotting to kill you in your sleep?  I think my girlfriends cat Lucy does while I'm sleeping.

BS:  My cat's name is China. She's a stray I took in and she's 12 years old. But she's been perpetually 8 in my mind for the last 5 years. I'm sure she's plotting to kill me, but then again, they're predators. It's in their nature. I think so long as I keep her well fed I'll stay on her good side. I think.

EC:  How do you think social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have changed not only the porn industry but the industry of media in general? Do you find there are pros and cons to this open society we are now living in?

BS:  I don't think there's ever been a time where you could get to know someone you've never met before as intimately as you can today through social media. In the past, any interaction the general public had with porn stars and the porn industry was very one-dimensional and only served to further the belief that everyone in the industry lived the life they did on camera.

The problem is that this view of someone's life is still a sliver of who they are and it's still a tiny portion of how much you of your life that you want to show other people. At the end of the day, people still only want to believe what they want to believe about you. To some people it doesn't matter what I write, I'll always be a victim, or I'll always be someone to save or I'll be a despicable creature. I sometimes wonder just how much change social media can affect when it comes against preconceived notions of who I am.

EC:  Most artists, whether its musicians or actors, are staunch critics of file sharing, and porn, much like mp3s, are being downloaded online illegally, what’s your opinion on this?

BS:  It's a very strange problem. I've thought about this for a long time, because you have to remember that I was a musician before I got into porn.

You can't stop people from downloading content through file sharing. If it's not Napster, it's Bittorrent. If it's not Bittorrent it's direct downloads. If it's not direct downloads it's streaming sites like Redtube. There's no way to put the genie back in the bottle. There's too many smart people trying to figure out new ways of content distribution and too many people who don't want to pay.

The porn industry likes to think it lives in a bottle and that none of the problems of the entertainment industry are theirs. But it is. When movies, music, books just become "content" it becomes a commodity. A commodity is interchangeable and one is as good as the other. This is the problem with mainstream entertainment. When was the last time you saw a movie and came out feeling like it was worth the $13 for the ticket? When was the last time you bought a CD and loved every song on it?

The porn industry has the same problem. There's too many scenes that are being made that just run into each other. Porn is a commodity product. It could have gotten away with that 15 years ago when broadband access was limited and no one knew what file sharing or streaming video was, but that's not the case anymore. The porn industry, if it wants to remain viable, has to produce compelling content — just like the larger mainstream entertainment industry.

EC:  The title “Nerd” has become a very socially acceptable name for a person now in fact many people including myself embrace the scarlet letter.  Mainstream media has welcomed Nerds with open arms with shows like The Big Bang Theory.  What does that title mean to you? How do you define a nerd and do you see yourself as the sexy nerd we all do?

BS:  A nerd is someone who pursues intellectual pleasures and is not ashamed of it. Dungeons & Dragons, high order math, computers, these are all hobbies that exist as more abstract concepts than things you can touch or feel.

I think being a nerd is more mainstream because we live in a world that is increasingly becoming abstracted and re-contextualized through the internet. Who is anyone anymore? Are you your Twitter feed? You gamer handle? Your search history? The truth is you are at once all of that and none of that.

So yes, I am a sexy nerd. My pursuits are intellectual and I take joy in learning new things. But like all things nowadays, that's just part of who I am.

EC:  You've been quoted as saying you are a pro-sex feminist.  Can you elaborate on what this means to you and how it affects your movie career?

BS:  There's a very vocal portion of the feminist community who believes that the only sort of women get into porn are victims who are further victimized by the porn industry, because it's a patriarchy.

It's a very simplistic view of things. Women hold executive positions in many of the companies I work for. I'm not saying that every performer is a model of emotional and mental stability, but in truth how many people do you know who are? Not everyone, I'm sure, but there are some.

I believe that women should be the equal of men. But I also shouldn't feel that anytime I have sex, it's really rape because I've been brainwashed into thinking I like sex. I also shouldn't feel like because I'm subservient sometimes, that's equal to me being a victim. Sometimes I like being on the bottom. But I also like being on top.

Sex is fun. Those anti-porn feminists should try it and relax sometimes.

EC:  You've also been quoted as saying you would like to become a Gynecologist and have a practice within the porn industry where there is a lack of female gynecologists.  What do you think this would bring to the industry how would this help and is this still a goal of yours are you close to getting back to school?

BS:  There's some backstory to that quote. What I said was that there's a lack of medical assistance in the porn industry and the girls in the industry need a gynecologist they can talk to because of the unique aspects of their work. I jokingly said — thought that didn't seem to get across — that I'd do the 10 years of medical school to make that happen.

That being said, I want to talk about the new testing facility that just opened, is now available to talent and is set to take the place of AIM — see www.healingwaveMD.com . It's amazing and a definite step in the right direction. The draw station is also a medical facility so you don't feel like the person that's taking the sample won't know the answers to any questions you have, and if they don't have it they can find someone who can answer your question. I also like what they've done with their database — it maintains the confidentiality of the performers by just stating if they can or can't work — see www.APHSS.org.

EC:  What's the difference between a female run porn production company that does girl on girl scenes as opposed to one run by males doing girl on girl scenes?  Do you see more of an ability to relate to lesbians by women for women and do you enjoy working with those types of companies more when doing girl on girl movies?

BS:  I don't think it matters who runs these companies any more. It makes it seem like there's only one gender in a company and they only hire on the basis of the orientation of their genitalia. There's women at the top of companies like Evil Angel, Vivid and Wicked — and in the case of Girlfriends Films, the owner is a man.

Now, there's some companies that shoot lesbian scenes that are more lipstick and some that are more hardcore. The funny thing is that the really raunchy girl/girl (and boy/girl stuff, for that matter) stuff usually comes from female directors like Belladonna, Mason and now myself.

I enjoy working in all of the scenes I do. I don't take work if I don't think I'll enjoy it. Sexuality is a spectrum and for what I do, it's not just one thing, done this way, with these people.

EC:  You did a mainstream movie Drive in 2011 an adaptation of James Sallis's novel.  How was that experience, how did you get that role and do you see yourself going after more mainstream movie roles in the future?

BS:  It was a great experience. I didn't feel like any less of a cast member and I can't wait to see the movie.

I'd like to do more mainstream movies, but I'm not too keen on being the stripper in the background or the hooker who gets killed by the serial killer. There was depth to the character I played in Drive and it wasn't one of those roles they usually pigeon hole for porn stars who are in mainstream (again, hookers and strippers).

I'm not going to kid myself, though — that's probably going to be most of the sort of mainstream roles most porn stars are going to see for a long time.  

EC:  Last but certainly not least tell us what's coming up for you next what's in the future for Bobbi Starr?

BS:  Well, I've just launched my the pay section to my website, BobbiStarr.com. I've been putting up new scenes for the last month and that includes my first attempts at directing.

I've also just joined Evil Angel as one of its prestigious directors. I've had some ideas running around in my head and I'll be happy to finally be able to put them on camera. There isn't much you can do to reinvent sex — it's older than the wheel, after all — but it doesn't mean that there isn't room for creativity and storytelling.

So I think what we've learned from my interview with Bobbi is that you can't always judge a book by it's cover she's living proof.  We share a love for books, the nerdy, and of course Star Wars and yet sometimes we live in two different worlds.  I've never been a porn star but I can respect a person's decision to be who they want to be and do whatever makes them happy in this life.  Bobbi has more than just sex to offer us and I think in the future we'll be seeing more of this siren in the mainstream as she looks to break out into a variety of acting roles.  You can check Bobbi Starr's website out http://www.bobbistarr.com and follow her on Twitter @bobbistarr. 

#nerdsunite

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Confessions of a Food Porn #Addict

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Snogvlog

Rachel Ray is hiding under my bed after I beat her into submission with a spatula.  Ok so maybe she isn't under my bed but damn she should be!  As a foodie I'm pretty upset with the so-called "Food Network" and their show lineup not only is it lacking enough emphasis on the "food" but its just downright MTv for cooks.  I haven't seen that much reality television since MTv killed the video star in the 90s.  I, like many people have Cablevision as my cable provider and normally I'm pretty damn happy with that but then I discovered the Cooking Channel on Verizon FIOS while staying at a friend's house.  Much to my dismay and absolute envy I did not have this channel nor would I be getting it in the near future apparently this is exclusive to FIOS, oh the horror!  I kid you not my fellow nerds I spent an entire weekend watching this channel show after show I was completely hooked it was exactly what I was looking for.  These were chefs they were foodies people who understood the need to know the intriquisies of Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, and dear GOD Carbs! 

There is an endless amount of blogs these days dedicated to all things food and apps on the Droid and iPhone about where and how to find your favorite food cart in your local cities.  These days everything is at your fingertips if you want to get some good food on your taste buds.   Foodienyc, Orangette, Cannelle et Vanille, The Wednesday Chef, Serious Eats and Dave Lebovitz to name a few have been gracing the blogosphere with the best tips and hot ideas for foodies to get their fix on.  It’s a virtual buffet an endless amount of choices on who to listen to what's in what's hot and what's not.  I'm a sucker for a good small venue something family owned and operated a small business a whole in the wall those are the gems in a sea of possibilities.  So why is Food Network not capitalizing on this golden opportunity, asking this to my friends they had many different answers but none was as poignant as one, it's all about money. 

Ah the joys of money that green stuff that makes the world go round and hookers show up at your door at 3 a.m. on a Thursday night.  Reality television sells just ask the Cake Boss New Jersey's biggest sellout, once a beloved bakery in Hoboken Carlo's Bakery had serviced the community for many years now people wait in line just to see him and pay $20 for a chocolate cream pie.  I'm exaggerating but I can tell you the prices have gone up and the lines wrap around two blocks just to get in.  A community that once had a family owned bakery now has a sellout fame whore.  Time and time again I watch chef after chef peddle their bakeware, knife sets, and books just to make a buck and yet can't remember the last time they actually worked in a restaurant kitchen.  Every hour on the hour we are bombarded with fluff shows like The Next Food Network Star, The Next Iron Chef, Food Network Challenge, Private Chefs of Beverly Hills, really? 

 The Cooking Channel has gone back to the organic roots of cooking and chefs like sexy Jamie Oliver have really begun to show us how to cook naturally from the earth.  Jamie's show is very simple it's him at his home cooking his favorite foods using ingredients right out of his backyard.  I watched this man pull carrots and beats out of the ground lay them on a pan drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil some seasoning and cook them in an outdoor brick oven it was heavenly.  Jamie takes the simple act of utilizing the earth to grow vegetables and cook only farm raised meats rather than caged hormone treated animals as the true natural way to eat.  Another show I really enjoyed on this channel is called David Rocco's Dolce Vita, shot in Italy the landscapes are beautiful the food is rustic and classic Italian and the people are beautiful!  What I absolutely adore about this show is the simplicity of the dishes they're very easy to make at home and very filling it also tugs at my heart strings considering I am 100% Italian.      

Nigella Lawson foods' Venus de Milo of the kitchen combines her love of decadent desserts with her newfound need to cook a little healthier for her husband and children.  Nigella's show is very earthy and sweet with a down home comfort food feel, once again she makes food that is easy to make at home with not a lot of prep work that any working mother/father or single person could make.  When this woman does a taste test of strawberries and chocolate it brings tingles down my spine I love that woman's curves, so sexy!

I even enjoy the camera feel of this network the lighting and the shots just seem very organic and way more natural than the bubbly poppy feel you get with Food Network it's just not as cartoonish.  I think my food snobbish attitude is coming out a bit in this article which I hadn't intended but I can't help it I’m tired of all this mindless crap.  Food is like sex you have your quickies (fast food), you have your standard (chain restaurant), exotic (ethnic food), and spicy (Mexican food), see the pattern?  It's a wonderful world where you can have options if you feel like one day you'd like to skip the foreplay of an appetizer, salad, you can just hit the fast food place nearest to you or are you tired of the same ol' same ol' (missionary position) then head to Sushi or Hibachi.  We live in a culture that craves more we always want to experience new trends and new foods so why not a channel for us pervs that want a little food porn every now and then.  I'm not above paying money to watch succulent duck being cooked with fresh grilled veggies or a homemade chocolate moose hell I'm a fat kid I can admit it, it gets me hot!

 The average everyday person cannot eat at a five star restaurant and doesn't know what a Michelin Award actually is so why treat everyone the same give us novice foodies things we can do at home stuff we can do when we travel abroad or a road trip in the states.  One thing I will not stand for however is a dumbed down version of a food channel and that is what Food Network has become, they've taken this amazing niche idea and completely ruined it.  Reality television makes you infertile, ok that's not true I just made it up, but it definitely makes you lose brain cells that’s for sure because there's no real substance you aren't really learning anything. 

What the Cooking Channel has brought to masses is a way to see other types of foods in their simplest forms, classic Italian, Indian, and Spanish with your all around universal comfort foods but instead of manufacturing their dishes and shows they actually teach, you learn, go figure.  Each Chef on the program is knowledgeable and they seem very experienced in what they do they don't just work they live what they speak about they aren't just in it for the money it's what they do its how they breathe and their life is food.  When a person has this type of passion for something it shows in both their personalities and in how they educate others and with this channel you are seeing all of that wrapped into a really well put together package.  So while not all of us can watch the XXX Cooking Channel yet I'm hoping one day that will change until then I am just going to have to visit and stay over my friends house more and I'm sure they'll just love that, ::insert sarcastic tone here::

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The #nerds are still angry over the #buffy reboot!

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @SnogVlog

You know the shit has hit the fan when the tags #joss and #whedon are both trending on Twitter worldwide and every blog from here to Guam is writing about the Buffy reboot coming out of Warner Bros.  The truth is a rose by any other name just isn't a rose and a Buffy without Joss Whedon just isn't Buffy at all, period, end of sentence.  Dress it up put a hot chic writer named Whit (Whitney) Anderson in charge who has no writing credits to her name and a couple of small acting rolls but what you have is still a FAKE Buffy movie.  As a loyal fan I am saddened and quite frankly very disgusted by this entire thing I doubt it highly that loyal Friends fans would want a Friends movie without the original writers or the original cast. 

  For those who don't understand the history behind Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BTVS) it started from the mind of Joss Whedon who's idea was unfortunately not realized on the big screen and instead was basically butchered into what we all remember as that lame ass movie from 1992.  Joss; having the guts that he had said wait a minute I want to do a television show so I can realize the dream of what Buffy was meant to be and the WB got on board.  The cards were stacked against him from the beginning and most critics were dismissing this as another bomb but with excellent, witty writing and a talented young cast he managed to shut them all up in the first season.  It was apparent very early on that this Buffy was nothing like the movie we were first introduced to.  The series ran for seven seasons from 1997-2003 and touched upon many different parts of growing up as well as being the one and only slayer in the entire world. 

  Buffy Summers, was more than a television character to most young girls growing up she was them, navigating a world of metaphorical evil and monsters all while trying to deal with being a teenager and sometimes the world of monsters and teenage boys blur.  The responsibility that is put on the shoulders of teens today and how they seem to be forced to grow up faster than we did when we were younger, we all related.  Joss was careful and meticulous to be inclusive to all groups of teens showing how even if we all seem different we are really all the same we really do all deal with the same things in life.  The thought of making this movie without Sarah Michelle Gellar, Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Head, or James Marsters seems like a slap in the face to the creators, writers and all the loyal fans that followed these characters from their inception.  Each actor and actress made those characters their own we fell in love with them we cheered for them we cried for them and at times hated them but it was those people that made the characters come to life on screen.  You could absolutely do a BTVS movie with the original characters I mean for crying out loud they aren't in their 60s and when the show ended they were out of college approaching their 30s anyway. 

  Aside from the obvious reasons this movie shouldn't be made how about the fact that no one would go see it.  Warner Bros. stands to lose the entire fan base of BTVS alienating us its bad enough we have to watch movies like Twilight and shows like Vampire Diaries that clearly have taken most if not all of their storylines from BTVS.  Buffy and Angel constantly struggle to have a relationship as slayer and vampire, mortal and immortal, now its Edward and Bella, or Elena and Stephan the struggle between vampire and werewolf, good vamps vs. bad vamps who has a soul who doesn't, Buffy started it all, Joss started it all.  Warner Bros. is taking a beloved series that still to this day is more popular than ever and ruining it!  Could you imagine the first Star Trek movie being done without Captain Kirk or Spock, without William Shatner!?  I'm really starting to wonder if there are no good ideas left in Hollywood or will people just keep "rebooting" everything which is just another word for "remake."  The A-Team, Karate Kid, is nothing sacred anymore?!  Who's going to play Buffy, Willow Smith DEAR GOD NO!  I know for a fact there is certainly not a shortage of writers out there who would like to get a movie made who have original ideas and new scripts that no one has ever done before where is the creativity, the innovation have we all become PDiddy?

  BTVS meant a great deal to me it still does its one if not my ONE favorite television show of all time, right in front of Golden Girls, and to see it defamed hurts my heart.  All of us fans cry a little each time we think of this happening and if Whit Anderson has any amount of respect for the creator of the show (Joss) whom she vocally praises she will step down as the screen writer.  Whit take it from me you can't recreate genius you can't take a work from someone you admire and do something new or different with it because the best praise the best admiration comes from those who sit back and allow art to be what it is, art, a piece of history. 

  You want to really make a difference and pay homage to Joss? Whit, tell Warner Bros. you won't do this without Joss and without at least asking the original cast to join.  You want to blow our minds with your writing make us believers in you then continue the series take the season eight comics and bring them to the big screen.  Do the right thing for all the loyal fans that have spent years buying the DVDs, action figures, trading cards, and comics the people who wrote philosophy and psychology books based on the series those are the people you are servicing not Warner Bros.  In this crazy manufactured world of cheesy remakes we need a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel we need to know that light isn't an oncoming train.  I want to believe in you truly I do because I think a true fan understands the show and a person who has spent their lives dedicated to keeping its memory alive can really have a lot to add to the story.  If I had one wish this holiday season it would be that Joss Whedon reboots Buffy with all the original members of the BTVS cast, if only.

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Confessions of an #ActionFigure Collector

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @SnogVlog

It’s the curse of a nerd the obsession we all talk about the need to collect things.  In my many years on this earth I have accumulated many things but none give me the uber butterflies like my Buffy the Vampire and Horror Movie action figures.  When I was little my mother made sure that I had all the girl essentials, Barbie dolls, Strawberry Shortcake, Smurfs, and Cabbage Patch Kids but I never had GI Joe, He Man, Transformers, and Star Wars, that was saved for my younger brother and I would always want to play with his toys.  When I was old enough to get into collecting I started small usually just novelty toy here and there but then I went all out and began on my horror movie figure journey.  

It all started with a boxed set of three figures the Monster Classics the Wolfman, the Mummy and Frankenstein this set is gorgeous in all black and white it's perfect for any collector and was a gift given to me as a birthday gift.  What I really loved about this set was the box had a window where you could view the figures without removing them so the flap would lift up to reveal them.  Many of the figures I collect come from the McFarland collection he does a great job of capturing all of the monsters, slashers, and boogeymen you see in movies.  So far I've collected Freddy Kruegar, Michael Myers, The Thing, The Fly, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, Norman Bates from Psycho, (my pride and joy) among a few others.  Some people pay top dollar for these figures I know the Psycho one cost me a pretty penny and I was only able to find it online and randomly in a shop in New Hope, Pennsylvania. 

I have been a HUGE fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ever since the television show began and followed its progression from a running joke to a ratings gem for the network.  I was not only impressed with the actors but the writing was top notch it drew me in and made me a life long fan when I got my first figure that’s when the bug was planted and I haven't looked back.  The big sellers for Buffy are of course the Halloween episodes which were wildly popular each character comes dressed in their episode costume so Military Xander, Bunny Anya and Fiesta Giles will fetch you big bucks if you plan on selling on Ebay.  As a favorite of mine I even went out and bought a glass curio cabinet to display them proudly and have gotten much flak from friends about the dorkiness of it all.  It's been called the "Chic Repellant" as well as many other unflattering terms but I look at it as just another cute little quirk in my list of cute little quirks that make me, me. 

In my many experiences with online dating my favorite interaction came with a lovely lady from www.okcupid.com, we have since become friends but at the time she had a lot to say about my little hobby.  I remember her advice to me was that I put the figures away because no woman would be interested in dating a girl who displays action figures in her bedroom and also I'd never be allowed to display them in "our" home.  My ex had a similar idea of how "our" home would look obviously the figures would be taking a permanent trip to casa de Rubbermaid.  I know our fearless leader Ms. Jen Friel can attest to this, a nerd must love us for who we are or leave us but chances are there's a million other people out there just like us. 

As Nerds we all are made fun of on a daily basis for some thing we do that is what others consider out of the norm or not "cool," we see it a different way we take things we love and expand on them.  Diehard fans such as Trekkies can sometimes take things a bit over the edge but its all in the name of fandom and the love of stories, and ideas from visionaries.  Movies and stories like Star Wars, Star Trek and Lord of the Rings were made with the intent of creating new worlds, new cultures, and languages.  As any fan knows these books, movies and television shows are well thought out, inventive, creative and sometimes so detailed and specific it's almost impossible to imagine someone could have that much of an imagination.  In some cases as in LOTR and Buffy these other worlds have languages, mythologies, and societal hierarchy they are new worlds and its something to really marvel at.  You may mock Sci-Fi but you cannot deny the fact that these writers and creators do have a sense of genius about them and are on higher plain imagination wise than the average person.  I am fascinated by creative people including artists and I always find it amazing how they can take a blank canvas and make something beautiful out of it.  They see things that the average person does not they see life where there is death and beauty where others see ugliness. While I could go on and on about writers and artists this article is after all about an action figure collecting junkie, me.

While collectors have always been seen as some sort of junk addicts it has become a multi million dollar industry and with the invention of Ebay it has allowed anyone and everyone to sell their stuff online.  Ebay is the virtual version of the old fashioned garage sale where people can outbid one another on the price of Elvis salt and pepper shakers, (name this reference for a Banana) or snatch up Michael Jackson's iconic glove.  Collecting is just human nature we hold on to things that invoke memories of our childhood or a happy moment in our lives and true that within the wrong hands collecting can become a sickness as we've seen in Hoarders but we're usually just harmless geeks.  The truth is a true collector won't care if these items are really worth anything because most fans are collecting for the sake of having these prized possessions not for the monetary value they may hold. 

Regardless of what you, your friends, your girlfriend, or your dog may think action figure collectors definitely have their shit together in fact most of the time we know exactly what we're doing and how much our stuff is worth.  I've known people who have paid for their weddings or college educations based off of items they collected throughout the years.  So next time you're thinking of calling us Nerds or Chic Repellants remember we will own you one day ...

#JustSayin

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The Day The #Music Dies

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @SnogVlog

The economy is a slowly suffering animal the longer we stand back and watch it suffer, the harder it is for us to live with ourselves so what do we do exactly?  The initial reaction is to cut budgets at both the State and Federal levels cut the pork and overspending to help slow the bleeding.  Typically when states cut spending no one is going to win someone is going to be unhappy because lets face it someone's group, program, or department is going to have to go but time after time the biggest budget cuts are always music programs in public schools. 

Each year more and more students are suffering from a lack of music or arts programs while more money pours into sports initiatives, now before you start screaming I'm not anti-jock as a matter of fact I am one.  In high school I was a part of everything I played sports but was also in the Choir and rallied to start a Drama club in our school because I believed you could be both you didn't have to conform to one stereotype or another.  Every teenager knows that in school you have your jocks, nerds, outcasts, and everything in between and it's always the little guy who's going to get picked on first so taking away instruments, bands, choirs, art classes and a place for the creative kids to go was always the easiest choice.  The creative kids were always seen as the minorities in a school the ones who were different from others who didn't quite fit in they were the band geeks, the "Gleeks," Goths, and Weirdos but scientific study after scientific study shows them to be significantly smarter & well adjusted than their counterparts.

Television shows such as Glee have really shed new light on the issues that creative teens face during their high schools and just how hard it is to get a program like that started and keeping it going.  While the show is one large stereotype it does have its positive affects showing parents that their children can aspire to be something other than the star quarterback and still be popular. 

Too much emphasis is put on children that they must play a sport immerse themselves in their studies and what most people forget is what a child or teen can actually learn from music what they can learn from reading music, playing instruments and singing in a choir.  Being an artist, someone who loves to draw, paint, or sculpt can significantly help children to be more intuitive more aware of their surroundings see the beauty in everyday life and help them with a bit of geometry in the process.  For years music and acting have been telling stories and educating people Broadway has long been a place where people can go and learn about history through music, dance and maybe a love story or two.  Entertainment was never meant to just be fun but also educational and informational.

  Organizations such as VH1's Save the Music program have based their entire reputation on this fact, "As we examined the music education system throughout the nation, we found that music education is not only important for its intrinsic value, but research consistently demonstrated that students who study an instrument enhance their critical thinking skills and their ability to work together as a team. They are more engaged in school and less likely to drop out; and they do significantly better in all of their academic endeavors, (http://www.vh1savethemusic.com/about)." Many similar comments and sites supply facts and figures showing that children benefit greatly from learning how to play a musical instrument where their brain function is concerned while children who are interested in Drama tend to excel in social areas, (http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/advocacy/benefits.html)."  Everyone understands that these days education is the single most important tool for the United States to not only restore its place in the world but help grow our economy.  With each generation there are new entrepreneurs, people willing to go out on a limb start their own business and take advantage of the American way.  Social Networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Foursquare and Twitter have shown that young, hip CEOs are on the rise and they are the future of corporate America.

Every year since I graduated High School our schools marching band has gotten smaller and smaller and every year I hear the cries of less money, not enough instruments and not enough children going out for the band.  It’s a sentiment that is echoed throughout the country and every town has their own version.  Celebrities and musicians have long been supporters of music in schools Sarah Mclachlan, Josh Groban, Kiss, Jamie Foxx, and most recently Barry Manilow either have their own non profit organizations or have donated out of pocket to help keep music programs alive and well in schools both in rural, and urban areas.  Sarah Mclachlan's foundation called Music Outreach has been at the forefront of starting and nurturing music programs in schools throughout Vancouver Canada.  She is responsible for providing over 275 students a year with a free music education and her foundation continues to grow, (http://sarahmclachlanmusicoutreach.com/).  Barry Manilow has started the Manilow Music Project, (http://www.manilowmusicproject.org/) he saw a need to ensure that students in the United States continue to have access to functioning instruments and music classes within their schools or communities.  His first visit was to a school in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas where he delivered over 600 brand new instruments and in classic Barry style he enlisted the use of five semi trucks packed with instruments to 15 middle and high schools.

Every school day, about 7,000 students decide to drop out of school that’s a total of 1.2 million students each year and only about 70% of entering high school freshman graduate every year.  Each year the United States loses about $319 billion in potential earnings associated with the dropout crisis.  This is not just a local problem it's not just one persons issue we all need to be aware that all children are different all children learn differently and getting someone into a music program could mean the difference between graduating high school and going to college or dropping out at 16 years old.  A little know fact is that Albert Einstein was on the verge of failing out of school he was a poor student with failing grades teachers felt he was, "too stupid to learn" and the school did not want to invest time or resources into him.  The schools advise to Albert's parents, get him a manual labor job and quick, instead of taking their advice they decided to buy him a violin because he loved music Mozart and Bach the most.  A friend of Einstein said that Albert used to figure out his problems and equations by improvising on the violin, I guess you could say the violin saved one of the greatest minds of our time from being sentenced to a life of never reaching his full potential. 

This attitude of not reaching kids with different ways of learning has unfortunately carried over into the 21^st century and we find that even today the easiest thing for a teacher or a counselor to do is to write a student off rather than find a way to break through.  Some of our greatest accomplishments as a nation have come in math and science both integral parts of learning an instrument, reading music, and singing we sometimes forget that everything is intertwined.  We are on the verge of losing one of our greatest allies in teaching our children one of the best tools to boost learning and brain power to make our kids the best they can be.  We should be joining together to see that music never dies in our schools that creativity always flows and kids are allowed to be who they want to be without having to conform to social norms.  Times are rough but I urge you to donate to one of these charities or even donate to your local school district start a program in your town that would help keep the music and arts programs in your schools.  Everyone can help and it starts with a helping hand and a big heart the rest is up to you so please don't let the music die. 

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