Really Cool Thing #983: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Novels

So I came across NPR's list of the 100 top Sci-Fi and Fantasy novels (here). It got me wondering how many of them I had read. I also wondered how my list would match up against my family and friends, seeing as how I've tended to surround myself with those of similar literary tastes. So I devised a scoring system and created a spreadsheet. Basically you get 5 points for reading the book and then 1 or 0.5 points for additional levels of geekness (such as reading the book multiple times.) In the spirit of Charlotte's mid winter musical madness you can also argue for new point categories, but keep in mind that will open up those scoring possibilities for other players. The theoretical maximum is something like 1,550 points, but I think anything above 300 would be really impressive. The winner will receive a pulled pork dinner from Crazy Nate's backyard barbecue (note: only redeemable at the Vernal, UT location i.e. my house)
Some of you might notice some some similarities to the Geek Test. Yes, that did play a role in this test. But mine is limited to works of literature. As long as you're surfing the web, check out this hilarious flowchart someone made of the list.
I sent out an email letting people in on the test document. If I missed you, leave a comment here our email me and I'll let you compete.

#984: Muppets (and OK go)

#985 - Just for my Dad.

This one is just for my Dad and his new calling. It's taken form the Weird Al Clasic "UHF".


My Favorite line is, "I'm gonna club a seal to make a better deal!" Maybe you should try it out Dad.

Real cool thing # 986: Posting something just because you think someone else will like it.

I saw this on Austin City Limits the other night and immediately thought Dad would like it. Hopefully this provides you with a little extra "inspiration."

Really cool thing number 987: testing out your new android

Really Cool Thing #988: New Christmas traditions

So every year we put out cookies and milk for Santa, plus some carrots for the reindeer. It's a tradition that I'm sure a lot of other families have. This year I was discussing this with the boys. I asked them if they wanted to leave Santa some cookies and milk. They thought that was a good idea, but then Corbin said, "I want to leave him some Nachos!" I was about to tell him that was silly, Santa only eats cookies and milk, but then I thought, "You know, I'm pretty sure Santa likes nachos. Especially when they're made with pepper jack cheese!" So we put out a few nachos with the cookies and milk. And that my friends is how you start a new tradition. A tasty, cheesy tradition.

Really Cool Thing #989: Trying to be cool like your older brother's friends (or trying to join USoSL)

You know how when you were little and you always wanted to be like your big brother and his friends? Well I'm not sure that ever goes away, except for the big brother part, I'm way cooler than him now. My brother's friend Charlotte started an online quest to collect pictures of stone lions (check it out here) and I decided to be cool like her and seek out stone lions in Vernal. It turned out to be more challenging than I thought.

First I found this guy just around the corner. It wasn't a stone lion, but it was a large wooden bear (and an eagle). I knew I was on the path.


Then, down the road I spotted in the distance two stone statues and my hopes were raised! Could it be that I completed my task so soon? But alas, they were stone, but not lions.


I thought for a while that my quest was in vain. I kept my eyes open, always scouting for that new discovery. We took the boys to Lagoon amusement park this summer and I had a glimmer of hope. We found this guy and finally I had the right species, but now the material was all wrong! What was I to do?

Then on my way to Salt Lake for a conference I spied something along highway 40 at 65 MPH. Could it be? Yes! I finally found my target! But wait! Toto, I don't think we're in Vernal anymore. Sadly, as beautiful as these two guys are, they are in Fort Duchesne. My goal was to find stone lions in Vernal. My quest continued.




And then, a few days ago on a whim I took a strange route to work and what should appear before my eyes?

VICTORY!!!!
Two beautiful examples of Panthero leo! Quest complete!

Finally, maybe I have a chance at being as cool as Charlotte.