Ever since I was a kid, I’ve liked my comics in bite-sized form – little strips or single frames that could be enjoyed on their own without understanding a larger plot-line. Short attention span, much? You could say that, but my personal theory is … Ooh, shiny things!
I discovered XKCD years ago and was instantly addicted to its clever use of humor, pop culture, and intelligent ideas. Created by Randall Munroe, a former contractor for NASA, the XKCD webcomic is described as being centered around “romance, sarcasm, math, and language” – making it perfect for the witty geek who appreciates a hearty tri-weekly laugh. But if you’d like an easy way to enjoy the classic strips of the past, or just want to own one of the raddest coffee table books in existence, the XKCD Volume 0 book (including 120 pages of author and fan favorites from the first 600 comics) is where it’s at!
I could never really claim to be a crafty gal – unless we’re talking about “crafty” in the mischievous and scheming sense, of course! But my lack o’ skillz at fashioning handmade goods aside, I love it when something that would have been otherwise discarded can be recycled into something rad. And nothing quite screams “rad” (or any other applicable ’80s adjective) quite like the boombox. But if cassette tapes are a little too retro for your modern music stylings, the recycled ipod boombox dock would be a totally “boss” compromise! Created from recycled candy boxes, this durable and totally stylish mp3 player docking station comes with clear, high-quality speakers – perfect for blasting your favorite jams, yo!
The first time I ever heard about the steampunk genre was on Second Life, of all places, and although the clothing and accessory styles are a bit bold for my tee-and-jeans tendencies, I love the idea of having steampunk art pieces, gadgets and gizmos around the house. The Steampunk Gameboy rocks my socks because it not only reminds me of my days as a fan of Nintendo’s hand-held game console, but it turns the sadly obsolete Game Boy into a thing of unique, artistic radness. And it’s functional too! Designer and console modder Thretris reworked this one of a kind DMG-01 Gameboy with a new audio output that’s a cool addition for chiptune musicians – but the console still works perfectly for your old school gaming needs as well. Personally, I’m the type who would frame this up in a shadowbox as an homage to my tender years as a gamer. Or I’d bury it in a time capsule with the hopes of thoroughly mystifying an anthropologist hundreds of years from now. :)
Oh noes! That totally foxy, geeky chick you’re dating wants to check our your pad, but your couch is littered with console controllers of all shapes n’ sizes – a clear roadblock to a quality makeout session. What’s a clever gamer to do? For ten bucks, you can pick up a set of swanky wall clips that provide perfect video game controller storage without hiding them away in a cabinet or closet.
Celebrate your gaming prowess, I say! Who wants to date someone who doesn’t appreciate your Rock Band skills anyhow? And when your less enlightened friends or family stop by and give your totally bitchin’ wall mounts the ol’ “tsk-tsk” of distaste, well … just tell ‘em that they can get out of your life and shut up!
(Bonus XPs to everyone who gets that reference.)
XKCD Volume 0 ($17.99)
