No Time to Nerd? No problem!

Time is very limited. You are only allocated so much of it to accomplish your tasks at hand. Oftentimes, the urgent things in life take over, whether they be car payments and student loans, or picking up the kids from school and going grocery shopping. There is always something. Trust me, I know all about it. I work two full time jobs, take care of my family (that includes two kids and one on the way) and volunteer at my local observatory. We are all busy.

How is it then that, as busy as I am, I still mange to be as big a nerd as possible? It’s simple really: use your time wisely. It seems simple and it is. And here, I have complied a short list of time friendly “Nerd-tivities” that allow even the busiest of nerds the chance to geek out everyday.

1. Use Your Ears!

In this day and age, you are likely to get from place A to place B via some mode of transportation. During your commute, forget about the radio or mindless traffic report. Instead, get out your smart phone or iPod and listen to something a bit nerdier. There are a wealth of audio books and podcasts for you to listen to, most of which you can get easy from Audible.com and iTunes (AND THIS WEBSITE… COUGH COUGH).

The Bricmont’s Suggestion – The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy is short, to the point, funny and oh so nerdy. As for podcasts… well. How about something from Nerdonomy?

2. Start with #1, That’s to Say Issue Number One

Recently both DC and Marvel have gone back and reinvented their trademark comic book series, starting all over with issues number one! Rather then spending tons of money and time going back through 50+ years of comic book mytho,s not to mention sifting though multiple spin-offs and special editions, start fresh with the world’s greatest superheroes like it’s 1969!

The Bricmont’s Suggestion – Mix it up and start with one book from each of the great publishers. Both DC and Marvel have some amazing stories, and don’t let the fanboys or fangirls skew you away from one or the other. Get the best of both worlds!

3. Why Quest for Loot When You Can Have it Delivered!

Do you love to collect nerdy stuff like T-shirts, knickknacks, and the like. Who doesn’t?! Don’t you wish you have time to scout out all the local comic book shops, toy stores, and hobby shops in the area? Well those days are gone! With Loot Crate, a box of various items all following the same theme gets delivered straight to your door step. Just this past October the items included:

Ewoking Dead T-Shirt
The Zombie Survival Guide
Outbreak Status Temporary Tattoo Set
Love Your Guts Card
8-Bit Zombie Buttons
Zombie Hunter ID
Creepy Candy

And it was all for less then $20 a month. Sign up, forget about it, and just be delighted when your nerd gear shows up each month. Minimum effort, maximum reward.

The Bricmont’s Suggestion – Go with the three month subscription. You’ll save a little extra money and give yourself ample time to decide if its right for you.

4. “Dude! You Need to Buy a PS4, an Xbox One, and a High-end Gaming PC!”

Dude! I need to pay off my debt and feed my kids! I wish I could afford not only the next generation of game consoles but also afford the time to play the games. However, I do own a smart phone. The great thing about smart phones are that they have cheap and entertaining apps, some of which will gain you some serious nerd cred. Many are just as intense as their console counterparts, but are much easier to find time to play.

The Bricmont’s Suggestion – Here are a few of my favorites:

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic $9.99
Deus Ex: The Fall $6.99
Call of Duty: Strike Team $6.99
Minecraft Pocket Edition $6.99
Bastion $4.99
Batman: Arkham Origins $0
Plants vs Zombies 2 $0

5. The BBC… Seriously

Watching an entire TV series is a real commitment. If it’s made and broadcast in America, chances are each season will consist of about 17 to 26 episodes. Many popular shows go on for 5, 6, or more seasons; producing 100s of hours of content. So what’s a nerd to do? Watch the BBC of course. With the average series (that’s what they call seasons) being only 6 to 13 episodes in length, and with an average run of only 3 to 4 years, the BBC makes for some much easier watching. Think of it like a two for one sale; in the time it takes to watch one US show from start to finish, you can get though 3 British shows. England has some fantastic science fiction and, being the birthplace of Doctor Who, that shouldn’t surprise anyone. Embrace the other side of the pond and I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Now before I get to my list of recommended show let’s not forget Firefly, while not in any way British it did only has a one season run and should be at the top of your list.

The Bricmont’s Suggestions – Ok for this one I’ll even toss in a quick synopsis of each show. Check these out for sure.

Red Dwarf – Lets call it Alien meets The Three Stooges. Ridiculous, crude yet clever, chock full of every sci-fi cliché imaginable and so very funny. (Total Episodes 61)
Merlin – It’s fricken Merlin… Do I need to say more? (Total Episodes 65)
Blake’s 7 – Like Firefly, only with perms and baggy shirts… it was filmed in the late 1970s. (Total Episodes 57)
Being Human – So a ghost, a werewolf, and a vampire walk into a bar. They sit down and start complaining about how hard it is to fit in. No, that’s not a joke. It’s more or less the premise of the show. (Total Episodes 37)
Misfits – Young delinquents who gain superpowers while serving community service. (Total Episodes 37)
Doctor Who (2005) – If you’re a proper Whovian, you will make the time are start from the beginning. I don’t care how busy you are. However, if you’re new to the show or don’t want to make the commitment, then start with the show’s revival in 2005. (“Total Episodes” 111)

 

There you go, folks. Now you have no excuses. Once a day, every day, you have 1 of 5 quick ways of embracing your Nerdiness. Have fun and stay nerdy.

Eric Bricmont

%d bloggers like this: