#NerdsUnite: The secret life of a veterinary technician

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Lindsay. She and I met ... well, somewhere in the social space. I think we might have started talking through this site directly, then through facebook - maybe ... I'm not sure. But she's awesome. I talk to her on twitter almost every day, and she's really rad and TOTALLY a big huge

animal lover. Like crazy huge!! In these series of posts she will be talking about her life and random adventures with sometimes more than two legged creatures. I guess there's only one more thing left to say

... HIT IT LINDSAY!!</editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @TheCraftafarian

Last week I was planning transport for nine kittens and a mother cat. The exchange to foster mom went well and she told me to call/text her if we have more abandoned kittens. Shes a really nice person with space to foster animals AND she works with a rescue so shes more likely to be able to get the kitties help that way. Thats awesome to know that we have a foster home available if needed.

The kitten I have at my house (fostering) has been doing great. Last week she started playing and this week she started purring! Sooo cute!

Also on thursday I recieved a call from the Center for Birds of Prey informing me that the owl I found was being released. They invited me to come but I was unable to attend :( But I was so happy that he was finally well enough to be released. Ok I think thats all the animal updates I have :) (anyone want a kitten??)

In other news my boyfriend was promoted to manager at the restaurant so he and the boss asked me to help them with social media marketing! I set up their twitter and claimed their facebook page. I also have been running the facebook account for my vet clinic (and recently started twitter for the clinic also)--so even though I have experience with the clinic, my personal social networks and for my businesses its still a learning experience. But its kind of exciting, right now I just get to eat pretty much whenever and whatever as payment but if its successful then we will discuss further compensation. Yay! If you'd to see the page!
Its still in progress :)

#nerdsunite

#RealDeal: Last year I was drugged at a bar, here's what the experience was actually like

Alrite, so I've kinda talked about this before on the site - but I've kicked it with my buddy who actually grabbed me out of the cab with the offenders the last two weekends and he has told me more deets on what went down.

<tangent> I never ever ever hide anything from you guys, but I genuinely never knew what happened until I got more details last night, nor did I want to freak anyone out as this was statistically speaking an anomaly ... like getting hit in the head with the brick. I have lived my life at the mercy of the wonderful world for 2.5 years. That is over 912.5 days where ANNNYYTHHIINNNNGGGG could have happened. Out of those 912.5 plus days, there were only 2 that were truly scary. That's 1 instance every 456.25 days. Not too shabby!!! </tangent>

So, last year I was terrified about going to bars and just kicking it by myself. See, I had built out this online personality which was great since for the first time in forever I had friends, dudes were asking me out right and left - life was bueno. The only problem with that though was the fact that IRL I was still painfully shy. I'm an extroverted introvert. If ever given a default I will always always always choose a hoodie and headphones over literally ANYTHING in life. I dig being a people watcher and dig just being in my own contained space chillin. I'm definitely a lone ranger (hence why I am not often in relationships) and just live in my own little land of lah.

That's cool and all for starting an online business, but for me on a personal and spiritual level, I realized I had to walk towards that place of uncomfort so I could grow and genuinely become a better person.

Bars scared the SHIT out of me. The whole scene in general is horrid. When I was modeling and in my early 20s absolutely NOOOOOO guys would approach me because they ALL said you were "way outta my league." So the only guys I was exposed to (no pun intended) were the ones that were TOTAL douches and only approached because they had "nothing left to lose." It's whatever, that was my constant growing up, but last year at 26 I was just ready to break free of all the bullshit and get out of my own head.

I had started a sponsorship with Effing Gear rocking their location based tees at bars to see if dudes would approach (if I was going to go into this I couldn't do it blindly, so I was trying to increase my odds of being approached by giving guys an obvious ice breaker).

I kicked off the experiment on Cinco de Mayo, and had no probs. Then, the following Tuesday, my buddy @lindsaymc came over and we were kicking it. I told her I was about to start night two of the experiment and she asked if she could come along for the first hour or so to get everything going.

Where are you going to go tonight? she asked

Happy Endings, I replied. It's over on Sunset. (yes, I see the irony in telling you all that this story happened at a bar called Happy Endings.)

We then got in her car, and Lindsay joined me for a quick beer before she unleashed me into the wild world of solo bar sitting.

I had always felt comfortable at Happy Endings because I had been kicking it here since it opened in 2007. This bar and I go back ... WAYYY back ... and since I knew a bunch of the bartenders I felt pretty kosher for passover.

This place didn't even use to have a dance floor, so I would just create one!

I quickly make myself comfortable watching whatever game was on TV, and visualized myself being as cool as a cucumber.

Think like the cucumber, Friel. You can do this ... quit being scared of guys at bars. You've got this.

After my second beer the place started to fill up, and I made friends with this other solo chickadee.

We struck up a quick friendship, and moments later a guy came up to us and asked if he could buy us a drink.

Sure, we both said.

We both then went with him over to the bar so I could keep an eye on my drink and as we got over to the bar his other friend approached.

I turned around to introduce myself as the first guy ordered and paid for our drinks.

Seconds later he hands both me and my new girlfriend a shot.

Bottoms up, he said as we all cheersed.

I then put the shot glass to my mouth as I felt the whiskey burn my throat.

That is my absolute last memory of the evening.

I very vaguely remember putting my purse (which is a messenger bag) around me at some point seconds later - but I went from being barely buzzed (TWO BEERS in like THREE HOURS) to waking up on my bathroom floor in a pool of my own vomit and hearing my roommate (who I had just moved in with a few weeks prior) saying she had to go to work and asking if I was okay in the bathroom.

I remember those first few seconds of consciousness and being INCREDIBLY confused how I got back here. I'm not even kidding you, my last memory was around EIGHT PM ON TUESDAY and it is now SEVEN AM ON WEDNESDAY!!!

I immediately checked for my purse which was fortunately still slung around my shoulder but awkwardly considering I had faceplanted onto the bathroom floor.

I then checked my clothing. To my surprise everything was still on ... and I mean ... everything.

I realized at this point I had been drugged, but I had NO idea how I ended up back home, let alone inside my apartment safe and sound.

I then tried to move, but felt so sick.

I asked my roommate if I could have just one more minute in the bathroom, to which she agreed.

I then stood up and immediately vomited. It. Was. Bad.

I grabbed the bathmat to not freak her out with how sick I was, and to make sure I could clean it properly.

I walked out of the bathroom and immediately excused myself to my room.

There was vomit all over my dress, all over my shoes, in my hair - I was a lean mean vomit machine.

Whatever I was given made me INCREDIBLY sick - worse than any hangover, worse than any anything!! My body did not like this.

I then passed out on my bed for a few hours as my roommate got ready for work, and sometime before noon I went into the shower and started sobbing.

How could I be so stupid, I thought? How could I let something like this happen to me?

I then tried to replay the evening's events, and the last thing I could remember was taking the shot - I could barely even remember the faces of the guys I was talking to.

How the HELL did I get back home, I wondered.

I then turned off the shower and popped on twitter. I knew I didn't want to tell people what had happened just yet, but I was trying to see if I had tweeted anything from the evening prior that might have given me some clues as to what had happened.

I then see a tweet from my buddy Eddie.

"I've never seen someone that drunk before in all my life," he tweets.

I immediately start sobbing thinking it's because I wasn't drunk - I was drugged.

I pick up my cell to call him, taking a deep breath as I do so.

What happened to me last night, I ask?

You were really messed up, Jen. I've never seen anything like it.

I know, I said, I was drugged. The last thing I remember was taking this drink that this guy had bought me and literally waking up on the floor of my bathroom 11 hours later.

I know, he said, I took you home.

Wait, WHAT?

Yeah, I just happened to stop by Happy on my way home and I said hello to you, but realized you were pretty fucked up. As I was leaving, these two dudes were trying to take you and this other girl into a cab. You both were out of your mind fucked up, but the guys seemed pretty sober.

What did you do? I asked

I literally PULLED you from the cab. I knew you, and I know how you get - you don't go home with people like that.

I KNOW I say as I hold back tears.

<tangent> I might have my sexual fun, but I've genuinely never gone home with a dude straight from the bar. Yes, I have met guys at a bar and had some "some some to the some fun" with them later in the weekend, but never ... EVER have I met someone at a bar and immediately been like - let's go. It's not safe. </tangent>

The fact that 1) I was THAT drunk ... ON A FREAKING TUESDAY and 2) was going home with some random people was a MAAJOOORRRRRRRRRRR red flag for my friend who was brazen enough from having lived in Vegas and seen girls get drugged before - to pull me from the cab and away from those guys.

I knew if you got in that cab, I might not have seen you again. It was scary, he said to me last night.

I haven't kicked it with Eddie that much in the last year just due to genuinely crazy schedules, but when he said that sentence to me last night I realized I really needed to write about this experience.

There I was at a bar I knew, on a random day of the week, NOT intoxicated, and after turning away for LITEARLLY a second to introduce myself to the other friend both me and the other girl were drugged. I am like a HAWK at bars, and even I still missed it.

The other girl did go into the car with the guys since Eddie didn't know who she was - and very genuinely I don't remember much of what she looked like, or again who the guys were. I was barely conscious enough to even tell Eddie where I lived, let alone be able to walk the steps up to my apartment (Eddie had to carry me).

I have since gone back to Happy Endings numerous times, but have been EXTREMELY cautious with my drinks. One of my old neighbors is actually a bartender there, and she cautioned me once on even parking on Orange (the street right next to HE). We call it "rape alley" here. It's not funny, but almost everyone here has been grabbed or assaulted.

I don't say this to bring any "bad press" or ANY negativity to Happy Endings - I love the bar, but come on, the douche level has gotten WAYYYYYYY out of hand, and if you KNOW these things are occuring why can't you beef up security outside, or maybe even hire a few extra guards to pace around the perimiter more ... SOMETHING!!!!

It is through extremely good karma and genuinely just knowing a lot of people in this city that something worse did not happen to me. I literally cannot allow my brain to think about it too much without it upsetting me, but this is a cautionary tale to all the ladies out there ... this experience didn't just happen to "someone I knew" ... I fucking LIVED it and was sick for TWO DAYS with flu-like symptoms. I'm EXTREMELY grateful I wasn't raped, however these things happen ... all. the. time. Please don't make the same mistake I did and ALWAYS watch your drink go from the bartender's hand to yours. Do NOT let anyone hand you a drink, EVER. It doesn't matter time of day, or day of the week. Please please please be careful out there, nerds! And if anyone else has a story about Happy Endings or any other bars in Hollywood - hit me up. I'm curious if this is more common than I think. 

JenFriel at talknerdytomelover d c

#nerdsunite

#GamerNews: The Humble Indie Bundle V

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Sean. He has a really rad site called Violent Gamer, and he's here today to talk about some of the latest and greatest in the gaming industry. I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT SEAN !!</editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @violent_gamer

I used to be able to cover the majority of the indie bundles for PC or Mac, but nowadays there are just so many bundles like the IndieRoyale Bundle, which just released a new one, or the Indie Gala Bundle, but yesterday The Humble Bundle came out with a truly impressive offering. Their new bundle has already made over 1.3 million dollars and sold over 180,000 bundles. All of this is result of the stellar games included in this bundle that is made up of: Bastion, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Psychonauts, Limbo and Superbrothers : Sword & Sworcery EP. Bastion is the game that you only get if you pay more than the average of $7.42 (at the time of this post), but the rest are included no matter how much you pay. I do believe this is the first indie bundle, of any kind, that is full of excellent and popular games. As always The Humble Bundle lets you pay what you want and choose where your money is distributed. So if you wish to give all of your money to The Childs Play Charity then you may easily do so. If you wish head on over there right now, but if you want to hear a little about each game keep on reading. 

Amnesia: The Dark Descent by Frictional Games

I always thought that survival horror games were kind of gimmicky and not designed for those who aren't easily scared, but Amnesia: The Dark Descent has shown me that the genre still has a lot to offer. Amnesia is a survival horror that contains zero combat and focuses on puzzles, story and evading terrifying monsters. The puzzles are varied and just difficult enough. The story is actually interesting even though it starts off with the amnesia cliche, but as it goes on it turns out to be dark, mysterious and mystical. Frictional Games is currently working on a new game of the same genre, but Amnesia is still a fantastic game and one that you can recommend to all types of gamers. If only Amnesia were in the bundle it would still be worth it just for that. Check out this trailer and see how it great it looks in action. 

LIMBO by Playdead

Limbo, like Amnesia, is a dark game in both the literal sense and contextually. It is a side scrolling platformer, similar to Braid, with plenty of puzzles and a distressingly dark artistic style. You take control of a small boy, or man, as you travel through this dark world. There are simple puzzles that merely require you to move an object in order to get past a crevasse and then very complicated puzzles that require you to say...get past a giant spider that will murder you if you pass under it. This game, like one or two other games on this list, originally came out on Xbox Live first and was later ported to PC. Limbo is really short and doesn't have all that much replay value, but it is a really enjoyable and challenging adventure.

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP by Superbrothers Inc. 

Sword & Sworcery EP originally came out the iPhone/iPad and only recently came to PC & Mac. It is another adventure game that requires you to solve puzzles, but unlike Limbo it has no platforming and has a more open world structure. There is a forest to explore, caves, a separate mystical world and much more. The gameplay is very unique and everything about the game has musical inclinations, which explains the EP part of the title. It is an artistic game and the gameplay definitely doesn't resonate with everyone, but the people who like it tend to absolutely love it. I can't recommend it to everyone, but since it's part of the bundle I do hope that if you purchase the bundle you try it for a while at least. Check out this four minute chunk of gameplay. 

Psychonauts by Double Fine/Tim Schaffer

This is the one game that I haven't played, but back when the Double Fine Adventure Kickstarter was taking place I heard about it plenty. Psychonauts presents a quirky story full of interesting characters. Gameplay wise it is mostly an adventure platformer, like Banjo Kazooie or Mario. It never sold all that well, but it earned a bit of a cult following and was critically acclaimed when it came out in 2005 on PS2, Xbox and PC. It is singleplayer only, like all of these games, and recently just came out with updated versions for PC, Linux and Mac. Take a look at this trailer to get an idea of what kind of game this is. 

Bastion by Supergiant Games

This is another adventure game, but a different sort than all the rest. Bastion is plays more like an action adventure game and it has quite a bit of replayability.Nearly a year ago Bastion came out for XBLA and it was loved by many due to it's great art style, interesting story and enjoyable combat system. Later on in the year they ported the game to PC and brought in some new additions, like a portal gun. We reviewed the game back in July and there is a lot to say about it if you would like to hear more about it. Bastion has two ending, many weapons to unlock, many challenges to conquer and a fantastic narrator. Trailer!

This is truly a special Humble Bundle. It is full of excellent indie games, each of which is worth far more than the average price of this bundle. If you don't own any, or all, of these games then check it out. I have one last trailer for you all and it is the official Humble Bundle V trailer. It is fantastic, narrated by a famous narrator from one of these games and I demand you watch it. As always, thanks for reading and if you want to check out some more gaming news head on over to Violent Gamer.

Main Website: http://www.humblebundle.com/#contribute%Pay%whatever%you%want

#nerdsunite

click here to follow Sean on the twittah!

#YayLife: The new Transformers ride at @UniStudios = best. ride. ever.

Earlier in the week my buddy @LAtravelwriter on twitter hit me up and asked if I wanted to join her and some peeps to ride the new transformers ride.

Me + amusement parks = happiest camper ever.

For reals, I built a business off of being a big kid, so take all of this energy and put it into an amusement park and youuuuuu have a recipe for awesome.

We were then given front of the line passes, (which you can apparently get through their PR department if you work in media) and away we went down the three flights of breathtakingly beautiful escalators to the ride.

Here is info from their fancy pants press release:

Fusing high-tech elements with an epic new “TRANSFORMERS” tale, “Transformers:  The Ride–3D” will be Universal Studios Hollywood’s most ambitious ride ever created and will set a new standard in the world of theme park attractions, stretching the medium’s potential as an immersive and powerful storytelling vehicle.

... and here's a video on the making of it ...

I'm not at all into the whole "hype" machine, but I am into rides, and this was HANDS DOWN one of the best rides I have ever been on - period end of sentence.

I'm not normally impressed with studio rides unless I am an UBER fan of the film (which I am not a big Michael Bay fan), but I can say from the thrill seeking perspective - it blew me away. The twists, the turns, the technology ... it was STUNNINGLY beautiful in 3D and look, the 3D glasses even fit perfectly over my glasses ...

A ticket to Universal for the day will run you $80 for a single day pass, and $139 for the front of the line access - but every dollar is absolutely. absolutely. absolutely. worth it. The Transformers ride is visually so freaking stunning and will definitely leave you with a little motion sickness - so if you're sensitive just be aware.

For CA natives they have annual pass deals, so make sure you check 'em out beforehand ... and for Hollywood peeps the Metro to get there is SUPER FREAKING EASY!!! Pop on over to Hollywood and Highland, take the redline up to North Hollywood, and get off at the next stop for Universal. Only costs you $1.50 each way and the trains run every 10-15 minutes. Hands down the fastest way to get in and get out and crazy good exercise if you hike the .6 miles up the hill (or there is a tram if you're not feeling it. Trams run every 15 minutes). 

Yay summer fun! =) Happy Friday everyone!!

#nerdsunite

click here to view the pics on Facebook

#NerdsUnite: Band Review - White Ghost Shivers

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Jordan. He was one of the first writers here on TNTML and he's a really rad mofo. I forget how we first started talking - but he lives allllllll the way over in Kansas and wants to talk to you about life from his side of the monitor in the keyword of nerd. I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT JORDAN!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @SaintPepsi

The White Ghost Shivers... Everyone's got 'em! There are things you see, that you just can't describe to people. It's a “you had to be there” moment. I feel like this band represents that in a way all their own. While their music on CD is fantastic and so much fun to listen to, you can't truly know what this band is like, until you see them live. The energy they serve displaces any somber feelings and jacks you up like a shot of adrenaline. You cannot witness their music without dancing. Even the most seat driven audience will be tapping their toes. It's a sound that brings you up when you're down and keeps you on cloud nine until they dash out at the end.  To say the very least this is one of my all-time favorite bands.

With a style that is all their own, you can't really relate them to any one type of music. They pull in elements of a raucous circus tent, the swinging sounds your aging relatives danced to in speakeasies, a fun folk frenzy, a rebel rockabilly cry for crazy, and a frontier country swing. There is no doubt in my mind whatever type of music you like there will be a special place in your heart for the White Ghost Shivers after you are introduced to them. I myself ran across them years ago being in the Midwest and luckily part of their touring route. I saw them most often in our own local dive bar Auntie Mae's. The band originally from Austin, Texas made it's rounds throughout the Midwest garnering quite a following.  After seeing them once, I was hooked. I left with a craving to see them whenever possible. Sadly, their shows were few and far between; I have only been able to catch them once a year. This of course leaves a feeling of great withdrawal, of distant desire held over with a CD to cure the cravings.

Still, as I said there isn't anything like the live show. With seven band members they barely fit into our tiny bar, but the rafters shake with the power they bring. Each member drops their own personal part of making the whole a collection catchy enough to crave. Each member playing multiple instruments and generally all of them singing in part there isn't a front man distinguished above the rest. The glory created comes in a whole as they pressure you to lift your skirt, tip your hat, and swing about with a partner or two at the too often questionable lyrics. The main portion of the antics on stage however take place between the always charming Cella Blue with a voice song birds grow jealous of, and the very tall in stature and even more impressive in showmanship Short Stump. A man I quite literally have to look up to and I'm 6'6” These two have all sorts of exciting exchanges much to the amusement of the audience. It is my desire that everyone I can find should hear their music and if chance have it see them live. Spread this music like Christians try and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to horrified hipsters at coffee houses. Generally, tickets are always reasonably priced; especially for the length of their set. You will never feel like you could have spent your hard earned dollars for a better cause. Unless you donate to Cancer research or something noble like that.

They have recently, released their latest CD. This album is fantastic and no repeat songs on it from the previous CD either. Titled, “Nobody Loves You Like We Do” the CD cover only showing the words, “Nobody Loves You.” They played through damn near every single song they had in a 4 hour show. We danced until our feet gave out, screamed and sang along until we didn't have breath to exhale or sound to emit and at the end sat around swapping stories and ale with the band. A night like this will not soon be forgot. I might have to add with a kiss from the absolutely stunning Cella Blue I bid them farewell as they went off into that dark night. Having gotten my White Ghost fix for another year, I implore you all to at the very least listen to their music and if ever given the chance see this band live. You won't regret it, not now, not ever.  They are the White Ghost Shivers. Playing Manhattan The First of June in the park at 7ish.

#nerdsunite

Check out their website here http://www.whiteghostshivers.com/

or follow them on twitter @WGShivers

and make sure to like their facebook fan page  White Ghost Shivers