Bacon Jam

I'll be honest -I AM that sort of nerd that keeps aware of the happenings in the Bacon world. Bacon is tasty. I follow the Bacon Subreddit, the Ministry of Bacon is followed on Twitter - and in my searches, I came across Bacon Jam! I saw a few different recipes for it, and ended up going with the one from Half Assed Kitchen, just with a few modifications.

Firstly, cooking a pound of bacon in a skillet is just craziness. It takes too long, it's messy, and if you're a clutz like me, hot bacon grease splatters all over you. So I cooked all but three strips (that didn't fit on my pan) in my oven using the time-honored Alton Brown tradition (only follow the "cooking the bacon" step). I'd highly recommend using latex (or vinyl or nitrile) gloves for most of this recipe, as yours hands will get relatively greasy.

The three strips that wouldn't fit on the pan I cooked on the skillet to get some bacon grease to sautee the onions and garlic in. Since I saw that the recipe recommended adding water midway through cooking, I used all of the grease from the three bacon strips - about 2-3 tablespoon full, I'd wager.

Once the bacon was "just barely done," I took it out of the oven, and cut it into little strips with kitchen sheers, and put everything into my trusty Crockpot. The recipe I was using said 3-4 hours on Low in a Crockpot, and that ended up being way, way too short. At the end of three hours, I ran it for another three hours on High, and it was pretty close to perfect (perhaps a hair overdone).

I didn't opt to run it through the food processor because it was already somewhat fine, but if I make it again I probably will. I also think that I'd modify the recipe to have a bit less onion, as a whole onion seemed to overpower it.

Darkspore

I don't play many video games anymore. That's not to say I don't spend a lot of time gaming, just that I don't purchase anywhere near as many

A large part of this is that when you play MMOs, they monopolize your time to the point where you don't actively get out and search for something new.

A larger part is that I hate the fact that video game companies are bribing review sites to positively review their games, and as a result I have ceased reading most of them. I considered doing a blog post to this end, but a friend of mine has already covered the topic pretty well. Unless Penny Arcade or a friend of mine recommends something, I generally don't even hear about new games. If something achieves extreme popularity on Reddit, I might try it out (like Minecraft).

Because of this, I hadn't even heard of Darkspore until the other night, when a former guildy mentioned it to me as a way to waste a few hours. Trusting it on his word alone, that it was "Diablo with Spore creatures," I went straight to the download page without even looking into it that much.

His original description of it being Diablo with Spore creatures was pretty apt. I almost dropped it after the first few levels because it was too easy, but then he explained to me some of the features to increase difficulty. Your Spore creatures "level up" when you put gear on them. You can only equip items between levels by returning to your ship. You can, however, chain levels together back-to-back without "leveling up" your critters, in order to increase both the challenge, and the loot potential. If you fail you will lose all of the special loot that you could have acquired.

After I started chaining levels together, I realized that after the first few levels, the difficulty did increase, and I found myself liking the game a lot more. It combines the gameplay of Diablo with the "Collect em all" mentality of Pokemon, and I found the combination to be quite addictive.

So addictive that when I realized that it was the last day of beta, I immediately preordered it, so I could start playing again tomorrow.

In addition to the addiction factor, I like the fact that I can play a quick game and be done in 15 minutes, or that I can chain together level after level. I like that there's a "Quick and Dirty" aspect of the game, in addition to a challenge rating aspect. The ability to play with my friends in 4 person Squads is attractive too. The videos that I have seen of the PVP aspects of the game are fascinating, and although I don't know that I'd PLAY the PVP, it is quite amusing even just as a spectator. I also like that I don't need to "level up" each and every hero I acquire, which is something I often dislike in games like Pokemon. Instead, I can just transfer some gear over, and he/she levels up.

The girl in me certainly enjoyed customizing my critters... er... heroes... with the new gear that they'd gotten, and the Editor is surprisingly fun to play around with. While the basic look of the heroes doesn't change, you can alter color schemes, spikes, weapons, and other things to get a completely unique look (see the screen shot at the top - they are all variants of the same hero).

As someone who has recently stopped playing MMOs, and wants the "instant achievement" feel of an MMO, in addition to the ability to play with my friends, without all the hassle of needing to play in long sessions, I think this game will keep me occupied for a good while.

How To Win Over a Geek Girl

"A woman has a close male friend. This means that he is probably interested in her, which is why he hangs around so much. She sees him strictly as a friend. This always starts out with, you're a great guy, but I don't like you in that way. This is roughly the equivalent for the guy of going to a job interview and the company saying, You have a great resume, you have all the qualifications we are looking for, but we're not going to hire you. We will, however, use your resume as the basis for comparison for all other applicants. But, we're going to hire somebody who is far less qualified and is probably an alcoholic. And if he doesn't work out, we'll hire somebody else, but still not you. In fact, we will never hire you. But we will call you from time to time to complain about the person that we hired."

A few years back, at the request of a few of my geek friends, I wrote a guide to winning over a geek girl. A lot of people liked it, and I've searched for it numerous times over the course of the last few years, but unfortunately, I've struck out in terms of relocating the original source. It's still a topic that I get asked about a lot, so I figured I'd rewrite it to the best of my ability. Back when I originally wrote it, there were very few articles like it. Nowadays, there are a ton, but I think that they're all missing a few really key points.

I included the quote at the top, regarding that place that men all hate to be - the "friend zone." As someone who has put numerous men in said zone in my life, I think I'm reasonably well qualified to discuss that as well. So here it goes, my guide to getting a geek girl.

1. Realize that Geek Girls aren't Nearly as Rare as you Think: One of the first obstacles I see men encounter is that they treat the first geek female they meet like she's a rare commodity. They become so overwhelmed with the thought that she is the only one, the best, the most perfect, that they turn into complete fools when they try to deal with her. In doing this, you become insistent, and frequently creepy. Much like guys abhor the concept of the stereotypical "clingy" girl, geek girls tend to avoid men that are constantly in their face. If you don't see geek girls where you are, there are a few options. First, try leaving your house. Trust me on this one. Try checking out the local college's gaming club, anime club, or something else nerdy. Try internet forums for things that you are interested in that targets people in your geographic area. Go to a Convention. Once you realize that this geek girl isn't the only geek girl, your perception on things will be far better. This is something that often comes back to bite a man far into the relationship. The number of guys I know who are in unhappy relationships with a girl, but refuse to leave because they'll "never find another geek girl" is sad.

2. Confidence is Sexy: Women like the bad guy. As a fellow geek, you may never fall into the bad guy category. but what is it that a woman likes in the bad guy? Well, a lot of times it's confidence. Believing in yourself, not caring what other people think of you - that is sexy. You don't need to be a braggart or an asshole to be confident. There's something to be said about a man who's quietly confident as well. If you can't like yourself, she won't like you either. To aid in shyness, don't think of her as a geek girl, think of her as just a fellow geek.

3. I Know I'm Great, But Can I Get Off This Pedestal Please?: Women love complements. It's true. And the instinct for many geek guys - especially when dealing with a woman who might have been treated good in the past - is to put her up on a Pedestal. If you believe a woman is "above" you, and you tell her that repeatedly, eventually she will believe it. Approach a geek girl like an equal. Complement her when it's appropriate. But don't fall into the trap of saying things like, "Wow, you're so much prettier than my other girlfriends..." or other things of that nature.

4. Self-Deprecating Humor: Self deprecating humor is pretty common in geek social circles. A lot of us have been made fun of for so many years that we embrace it, and make fun of ourselves. While there is something to be said about a man who doesn't take himself too seriously, it's important to keep the self-deprecating humor to a minimum. It kind of falls under the category of #3 - if you keep telling a girl that you're beneath her, she's eventually going to believe it. This is probably the 2nd most common reason that guys fall into the "friend zone." If you've done nothing but make fun of yourself, and acted like she is above you, that's how she's going to perceive you. And it's a hard perception to shake.

5. Personal Hygiene: There seem to be some myths about male hygiene that go around, and I need to dispel them. First - Axe Body Spray is not deodorant. You need to use both. Putting more good smelling stuff on isn't going to hide the funk. Praying that she doesn't notice isn't going to work. If used in addition to deodorant, Axe is alright. It's one of those love/hate things with women though. Smell is the scent that invokes memories the strongest. It's something that you want to get right. If you hear your lady of interest say something smells good - particularly a guy she knows - it's probably in your best interest to see what cologne he wears. Or perhaps there's a guy that you work with that's well dressed, and that the women at your office always seem to swoon around. Ask him for pointers. [NOTE: I've since been chided for saying Axe is alright. I know some women like it, but perhaps better advice would be just to steer clear and purchase a real cologne.]

6. Geek Girls Like Being Challenged: Again, this somewhat falls under the aforementioned categories revolving around confidence, and perceptions of inferiority. Many geek girls like being challenged. They strive to constantly learn new things, to have their horizons expanded, and to better themselves. A guy that always says yes doesn't help her in any of these goals. A guy that always says yes will probably let her run off and do dumb things when he probably should have stopped her. Try to say and do things that force her to stop accepting life for what it is, and to challenge her to see another viewpoint. This is reason number 3 why I categorize guys in the "friend zone." If you're not going to point it out when I'm wrong, and you're just going to let me walk all over you, you aren't helping me grow in any healthy fashion.

7. That Doesn't Mean Question Every Word She Says: No offense geek boys, but it seems like some of you have this desire to always be right. Except, it's not a desire to always be right, but moreso a desire to prove everyone else wrong. It's a common trait in people who are insecure with themselves. It's also extremely unattractive. I've literally gone on dates with a guy who questioned everything I said. The hilarious part was that a good 75% of it was in regards to things that I could solidly prove him wrong in. And when I did prove him wrong, he refused to back down, still insisting that he was correct. We're not talking abstract concepts that someone can argue, oh no. We're talking facts. Dates. Numbers. Equations. Nothing is a bigger turn off, and that's probably the #4 reason that men stay in the friend zone.

8. If you Make More than she does, try not to Flaunt it: I am going to admit upfront that this is something that is subject to debate. But a lot of us geek girls kind of like having nice jobs and being "independent." If your lady has that mindset, it's probably best to not mention if your income is higher initially. Some of us find it kind of daunting. So approach flaunting your income carefully. A lot of geek girls are going into life with the mindset that they shouldn't need to depend on a man's income. Sometimes this leads us to believe that there are socio-economic boundaries to love and relationships. If she reads women's magazines like Cosmopolitan, she might have heard that men are judging women more and more by the type of job they have, or their income.

9. Don't Obsess: Don't try to hang out with her every day. Don't cancel your plans to hang out with her. Have a life of your own. This will give you something to discuss with her, and will prevent her from running away because she feels smothered. Better yet, take the time you have to your self to do or learn something interesting. Pick up rock climbing. Learn a language, or how to cook, or some other skill. That way, when you finally do have her on a date, you can wow her with unexpected skill.

10. Don't be Creepy: Keep the staring to a minimal level. Don't get her drunk and try to take advantage of her. Don't kiss her while you think she's sleeping (trust me, she's not). Don't comment on every single thing she posts on Facebook. There's a fine line between interested and stalking.

I think those are my biggest points for now. Consider yourselves educated, and go forth into the world!

On my (Now) Love/(Previously)Hate Relationship with FourSquare

Although I generally consider myself to be pretty quick to pick up the next great technology, especially when it comes to social media, I was initially extremely hesitant to sign up for things like FourSquare. I think it fell into my thoughts about blogging - I considered it to be extremely narcissistic from a person like me, who really isn't that grand or important in the scheme of things. Aside from my fears that it was paradise for stalking, there was also the knowledge that I never really *go* anywhere, and who really cares about the places I don't go?

I had a bit of a change of heart at PAX because everyone was checking in from there, and it became part of the social experience to check in as well. There was also, of course, the ability to rub it in all my friends face through Facebook that I was at PAX, and they were not. I then realized that there were a lot of nice uses for FourSquare - seeing what restaurants are nearby, remembering the name of the place we ate the night before that I'd forgotten already, etc.

And I further realized that perhaps the problem wasn't that I didn't need FourSquare because I never went anywhere, the problem was actually that I should go someplace sometimes!

What I've Been Up To

I'd like to apologize for not posting for the past week of so, I've gotten wrapped up in a few things.

The first is the website for my Pern club, 11th Pass Pern, which I did a complete site overhaul for. I've also been working on other stuff related to said club. My fellow BOD member there just left for a vacation to London, so we wanted to transition the site over to the new Wiki format, get some new graphics, bang out some storylines, etc.

The second is a Pern club that I'm a part of Triad Weyrs, that I likewise wanted to get a bunch of storylines out quickly.

I also borrowed a few animes from Ray and Maggie, including RahXephon, which I watched as a much younger geekling, but keep thinking of recently. I admit, nowadays I consider myself a bit too adult for anime, but there are still a few that I have a softspot for: Neon Genesis Evangelion, Cowboy Bebop and Crest of the Stars to name a few.

What else? I spent two days of my week job hunting for the most part, and try to fit some house cleaning in there as well. Aaron and I both cooking is a double-edged sword - on one hand, it's nice, but on the other hand McDonald's would be a whole heckuva lot less dishes for me to do. I hate dishes.

One thing I've experimented a lot with recently is Salmon. We got a giant bag of frozen Alaskan Salmon after attending the Alton Brown experience last month, and I've been experimenting with various ways to prepare it. My favorite thus far is Kelsey Nixon's "en papillote" technique, largely because no Geek Kitchen should ever be without rice, soy sauce and ginger. If you don't have Toasted Sesame Oil, or Rice Wine Vinegar, you can just mince a clove of garlic for each fishy and that's equally delicious. In the near future, I intend on attempting Alton Brown's Recipe for Salmon en Papillote, but that would actually require me to go to the store to purchase a lot of those ingredients. Beyond that, I hate Anise so I am not 100% sold on liking Fennel. The good part about this technique is that it's very low in the amount of dishes dirtied in the process.

I should be back to more or less regular updates sometime soon, and I have a few good blog posts brewing in the back of my mind. So stay tuned!