Day 30: Mickey Mouse
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you’ll know that I am a die hard Disnerd. Mickey is my ride or die Mouse!!
What would the world be with the OG Mouse? 
Black Turtleneck, Red Pants and Yellow Shoes from OMG Thrift
Day 23: Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
For as long as I can remember, I have been a Disnerd. Disney is in my blood. I grew up watching the movies. I have a favorite Princess, a favorite Prince, a favorite Disney song, a favorite Disney movie, a Disney Princess I most relate to, a Disney Prince I’d like to date and of course…a favorite Disney character of all time. Well, to be honest, I have two favorite Disney characters of all time.
The first is the Genie from Aladdin (RIP Robin) and the second is Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Sure, he doesn’t have much to say or even that much screen time. But there was always something about Dopey. I find him endearing. And he has been at the top of my list for a very long time. When I was a kid, it was rather customary for me to receive something with Dopey on it for my birthday or Christmas, in my stocking and I think I even got an Easter basket once that had a Dopey item or two.
My love for Dopey has matured…it’s grown, as I have. And here we go:
Hat & Shoes from Plato’s Closet
Dress from Goodwill
I used to blame Disney for my fanciful, romantic dreams. Princes and ballroom dances and true love winning out. Don’t get me wrong…I still occasionally dream those dreams and I still blame Disney for them!
But there’s something else and I didn’t even realize it was Disney’s fault till I saw Moana this weekend and that still small voice inside me was awakened by the song “How Far I’ll Go.” The thought of something out there calling to me, it hits home. It always has.
Disney characters have long been looking out and asking “Is there something more for me?” Some don’t have to go very far to find what they’re looking for. Others, like Moana, have to sail across the sea. Some are searching for princes and others for destiny.
Sure, I can’t blame it all on Disney. God’s the one who put that call in there to begin with. But the House of Mouse sure knows how to hit the chords that make you dream. And growing up watching the entirety of Disney’s animated film collection, well…they created a “monster.”
A “monster” who is constantly thinking “There must be more than this provincial life” and my life isn’t even provincial. But sometimes, when I’m doing something plain and ordinary like laundry or desk organization, I sing that to myself. I wonder what’s “Just around the river bend.”
If I was a Disney character, there’d be a perfectly timed song and the lyrics would help me realize my next steps and it would be inspirational and you’d be singing it for months. As it is, we mere mortals have to figure it out without catchy tunes and perfect hair. Darn it, Disney! What have you done?
Are you ready yet? The big day is fast approaching. Any minute tickets will go on sale and fangirls and boys everywhere will begin camping out on street corners and handcrafting brand new Jedi robes to wear. It’s an exciting time in the life of a nerd.
I recently read an article that perfectly sums up what if feels like to be a modern Star Wars fan. Take a read.
With only 90 days till the big day, there is much to reflect on, much to geek out over, much to anticipate. A nerdy girl’s heart can only take so much excitement.
Here’s a little something I wrote on what Star Wars means to me:
What Star Wars Means to Me
by Liz Tailor
Star Wars means family.
Star Wars means longevity.
Star Wars means commitment and pure, unadulterated joy.
There is no recollection of a time without Star Wars. It has always been a part of my history and so shall it ever remain.
Star Wars is my deal breaker. My caveat. “You’ve never seen Star Wars??? Please leave this table right now.”
It’s so entwined in my personality I truly believe that people who don’t love it, or at the very least like it, have no hope of ever understanding me.
Star Wars means dreams.
Star Wars means hope.
Star Wars is proof that greatness can be achieved.
That’s a lot to put on a franchise of movies and TV shows and books and toys and stories. But there it is. It means all those things and so much more. I’d scale it back if I could, but I have an obsessive personality and I fell in love with Star Wars a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away and I’ve never looked back.
What does Star Wars mean to you?
Favorite Fictional Fashion Sense
I’m sure most of you, gentle readers, already know about my love of fashion. I studied fashion design in college and moved to New York expressly to pursue a career in fashion. I did my internship here and had big dreams of creating my own fashion label. As we all know, dreams change!
Here are the characters who’s fashion I love the most. I think the photos speak for themselves!!
#1 – Carrie Bradshaw
#2 – Daenarys Targaryen
#3 – Padme Amidala
#4 – The Pink Ladies
#5 – The Doctor
If you’ve seen this week’s episode of my web series, then you know about my Sci-Fi Debate Club. If you missed it, take a look…
We didn’t plan it. We didn’t mean for it to happen. But when two of more nerds are gathered together, nerdy…geeky…dorky debates are bound to ensue! And yes… they can get rather heated at times. We nerds are passionate about our fandoms (to say the least.) But I think we can all agree that we are united in the way we love. We love with intensity. We love with all we have.
Here are some of the hottest debates (not all are science fiction related) in the nerd community…
#1 -Star Wars vs. Star Trek
Do you prefer a galaxy far, far away full of rebels and stormtroopers, blasters and lightsabers, the Dark side and the Light side. Or do you tend to lean towards the order of Starfleet. The uniforms, the space exploration, the strange new worlds and civilizations? Personally, I don’t like to choose. I grew up with both of them in my life from a very young age and have never known a time when there wasn’t something to look forward to in the world of one or both of them. That being said, Star Wars does hold an extra special place in my heart. I cried when I saw the newest trailer for The Force Awakens and none of the Star Trek’s have elicited quite that response. But I do love both world greatly.
#2 – Would sex with Superman kill Lois Lane?
Gotta admit that I haven’t spent a lot of time thinking about this one. But I sorta think they’d find a way to make it work. Love will conquer all… even super powered nether regions.
#3 – Who’s the best Doctor?
This is a case of…why choose? Although, if I really did have to pick between all of Doctors that have ever been, I’d definitely choose the tenth Doctor, played by the incomparable David Tennant. (I guess I chose after all!)
#4 – Mac vs. PC or Android
This is more of a geeky tech debate. But it’s one that is had often and can get heated. Mac people are loyal and unswayed in their devotion to the apple. I used to be unflinchingly Mac oriented. And when it comes to computers, my loyalty stands. Now when it comes to phones…different story. 4 years ago when I finally upgraded to a smart phone, I was ready to take my place in the iPhone community, but alas, T-mobile did not carry iPhones at the time and that is the service my family uses. So I was forced to join the world of Samsung instead… and I’ve never looked back.
#5 – Bale vs. Keaton
What this boils down to is more of a best-Batman-ever-debate. Contenders: Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Kevin Conroy, Christian Bale & Ben Affleck (I guess we still have to wait and see about that last one.) I’m firmly in the Kevin Conroy camp. For those of you not in the know, Conroy voiced Batman on the beloved Batman: The Animated Series from the 90’s. The same series that hosted Mark Hamill’s icon voicing of the Joker (another popular debate among nerds: Best Joker ever.) Keaton comes in as a solid second for me (Batman Returns is one of my faves…I love Pfeiffer’s Catwoman!)
#6 – Marvel vs. DC
This is an issue where I really don’t want to take a stand. I could argue passionately for both. Though Marvel’s immersive world is just so unique and impressive right now. I grew up on the Batman and Superman animated series. And Superman has long been my favorite superhero of all time. Now as for favorite superhero team, I love The Avengers and I also really love X-Men. But my favorite villain is Harley Quinn. My imaginary superhero boyfriend is Captain America. But my imaginary best friend is Catwoman. See… I’m all over the place. I dip my toe in both pools and I just don’t wanna choose…so I won’t!
#7 – Game of Thrones vs. Lord of the Rings
This is a no brainer for me. One is a pop culture phenomenon. The show that brought dragons to the mainstream audience. That’s an amazing feat, to be sure. But the other is a piece of classic literature. A set of beloved stories that a parent can pass down to their children. An epic tale of hope and fellowship. An author who inspired the other so much that he went and added R’s in his name for that very reason. Any other argument is made invalid by that fact alone. (mic dropped…Liz out!)
#8 – Pirates vs. Ninjas
Ok… we have to talk first about where and why and in what time period are these pirates fighting the ninjas. Are they allowed to bring their pistols to the sword fight? Cause pirates fight dirty, while ninjas are all about tradition. Though my coworker just brought up a good point…the pirates would probably be inebriated for the fight. So there’s that.
#9 – Captain Kirk vs. Captain Picard
There is a greater debate along these lines, who’s the best Starfleet Captain of all? Are you a Kirk fan? A Picard follower? Is it Captain Sisko that really gets you? Perhaps Janeway is the lady captain for you? Or maybe….nope that’s it! (Sorry Scott Bakula… I love you, but Enterprise doesn’t count.) Personally I’m a Captain Picard girl. I was a child of the 80’s and a preteen of the 90’s. And my parents l-l-loved Star Trek: The Next Generation. We used to watch it together all the time. So there’s a great deal of nostalgia and warm fuzzies attached to Jean-Luc. And while I really enjoy all the other Star Trek series as well and think they have stellar captains at the helm, it’s Picard for me!
#10 – Did Han shoot first?
This one is less a debate and more of a sore spot for hardcore fans of Star Wars. See… here’s the story. Star Wars was released in 1977. Beautiful, iconic, practically perfect in every way! 20 years later, George Lucas remastered his masterpiece to include some new things. Including, but not limited to, the scene between Greedo and Han Solo in the Mos Eisley cantina. In the original, untainted version of Star Wars, Han shoots Greedo, killing him and thus ending their conversation. This gave Han a cold-blooded killer persona. One that the Maker did not intend for Han. So when the remastered editions came out, George took the chance to set the record straight and added CGI footage of Greedo shooting first, missing and then Han shooting and killing him afterwards. Fans were unhappy, to say the least (the very least.) In actuality, fans were pissed!! 20 years of believing something about their beloved hero only to have it changed? This isn’t the only thing about the remastered versions that would upset the fans. But George Lucas maintains that Greedo shot first, while fans insist the opposite. Han Solo himself (Harrison Ford) was asked about this nerd debate in a 2014 Reddit conversation. His response…”I don’t know and I don’t care.”
At the end of the day, we all love and love hard. So what are your thoughts on these very important and pressing issues in the world of nerdy things? Let me know in the comments below!! Even if we disagree, I still love to hear about it!
Introduction
I would consider myself a fairly fit person. I enjoy running and Soul Cycle and walking and when I’m vigilant, I eat marginally well. But then came the winter and I was discontent. Chilly weather caused my motivation to disappear. The running stopped. The Soul Cycle stopped. I still tried to walk and get at least my 10,000 steps a day. But I counteracted that by overeating fatty ‘comfort’ foods.
One day, I realized I had gained 20 pounds that I did not want on me (it may not sound like a lot of weight, but it sure felt like it.) Somehow I’d let the weight sneak up on me. And that wasn’t ok with me!! My sugar intake was at an all time high, due to eating a lot of macaroni and cheese and mint chocolate chip ice cream (my favorite comfort food!) And I am genetically at risk for diabetes, but I just didn’t seem to care. This was the heaviest I’d been in quite a while. All the previous progress I’d made in the fall was being wasted thanks to laziness and a complete lack of discipline.
One night, while watching Avengers (for the 19th time), I realized that if aliens did invade Earth or the zombie apocalypse finally happened or some other menacing force became reality, I’d be one of the first to go. And as I watched Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow kick serious ass on screen, I knew…that wasn’t gonna work for me!
So I embarked on a journey that would eventually become a transforming experience.
A lot of what I’ll share is not ground breaking. It’s not even new information. It’s constantly posted and reposted in many forms. You just have to tailor it to you. That’s what I did. I made something that would be fun, inspiring and made just for me!
Now, I prefer fantasy to reality sometimes…it’s true. But I know I’ll probably never be called on to fight for my life or to save another person’s. But if I ever was called upon, I wanted to be ready.
I delved into each of the 6 characters that make up the team known as The Avengers, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Iron Man, Hulk, Black Widow, Thor, Hawkeye and Captain America. I researched what each individual actor did to prepare for their roles, then I went about crafting a 6 week fitness plan that I thought would be fun and that I knew I could accomplish. Most of the workouts I found online that were based on the Avengers, were mainly geared towards men. The meal plans too. I’m not about to start eating 2300 calories a day. That just wouldn’t work for me. This plan is meant to be tailored to individuals, men or women. If you like it, keep it in the plan. If you don’t, take it out. (Keep in mind I am not a fitness or medical professional. Just a nerdy fangirl who wanted to make a change.)
I do not have the money or the time to dedicate to actually looking like an Avenger. (and I am not being paid by Marvel to do this either.) But I knew that I wanted to do more than I was at the time and I decided to use the inspiration I felt while watching the Avengers to help transform my lazy habits into constructive discipline.
Below is the complete breakdown of Week 1, including the things I turned to for inspiration, the weekly challenges I made for myself, my food shopping list, and the amazing classes I took all in my endeavor to get healthy and become an #AvengerinTraining
Week 1: Iron Man Week
The first Avenger on my the list was Iron Man. I decided to go in order of their introduction to the franchise. And who better to start it off, than the Iron Avenger himself. Robert Downey Jr., at 50 years old, is in the best shape of his life. Physically and in his career (as of 2014, RDJ tops Forbes’ list of highest paid actors in Hollywood). His onscreen alter-ego is Tony Stark who, after getting kidnapped by terrorists, witnesses the damage of what has become a destructive legacy at Stark Industries. While incarcerated in an Afghanistan prison, Tony discovers himself to be more than just the “genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist” that he always had been and starts down the road to becoming so much more.
To prepare for the role of Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr, “started training using the Wing Chun technique, made famous by Bruce Lee.” (MensFitness.com) He also cut way back on the cardio in favor of increased weight training. By the time filming for Iron Man began, RDJ had backed on 25 extra pounds of muscle. Check out his full training regiment over at MensFitness.com
Inspiration
Sometimes the hardest part is taking that initial first step out the door. Being inspired is a fleeting experience, but it doesn’t have to be. Movies and music are two of my favorite things to partake in. So while preparing to take on this 6 week challenge, I thought a lot about what would keep me moving towards my goals.
Movies
Obviously, Avengers and Age of Ultron are on the movie list for each of the Avengers as they serve as inspiration for all 6 characters. For Iron Man Week, if I needed a little extra oomph of energy or motivation I watched some or all of the above movies. Iron Man and Iron Man 3 are also obvious choices. Spiderman may seem like an unlikely choice (Peter is a poor college kid, Tony is a wealthy man), but I think there are a lot of themes that overlap between Iron Man and Spiderman. And Casino Royale has billionaire, playboy written all over it. Plus I LOVE James Bond!!
Music
This list is comprised of music from Iron Man and music that makes me think of Iron Man. Anything to get me in the mindset while on a run in the morning. Hope it pushes you like it pushed me!
Meals
I created a meal plan (you won’t hear the word diet in this blog series, I don’t believe in them) based on the foods that Robert Downey Jr ate while training. Again, I’m not being paid by Marvel and I don’t have unlimited time on my hands. So I had the master list of items that I used to stock my refrigerator and pantry and then I made meals out of them that I knew I would enjoy and would be easy to make on a daily basis. I did a lot more cooking this week than I had been doing and I liked it!!
Weekly Workout Challenge
For Iron Man week I chose a plank challenge. Here’s the daily breakdown:
Day 1: 2 sets of Kneeling Side Planks (60 hold second, rest in between)
Day 2: 2 sets of Kneeling Side Planks (60 second hold, rest in between)
Day 3: 3 sets of Incline Side Planks (30 second hold, rest in between)
Day 4: 2 sets of Front Elbow Planks (30 second hold, rest in between)
Day 5: 3 sets of Front Elbow Planks (30 second hold, rest in between)
Day 6: 2 sets of Full Front Planks (30 second hold, rest in between)
Day 7: 2 sets of Full Front Planks (60 second hold, rest in between)
When Iron Man week ended, I took the last day’s challenge activity and rolled it over into the next Avenger’s weekly workout schedule. So Day 7 of the above plan will be used for the rest of the 5 weeks of training.
Extra Credit
If you were to call me an overachiever, you might be right. Especially when it comes to doing things I love and enjoy. I’ll go the extra mile and I’ll run the whole way there. So when I came up with this idea for my time as an #AvengerinTraining I chose a couple different workout classes and gyms for each week that I thought might represent the Avenger of that particular week. For Iron Man week I did:
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu @ Lifestyle MMA Academy
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is not for the faint of heart or the shy wallflower. If you are squeamish about being up close and personal with complete strangers… this isn’t for you. If you find the prospect of hand to hand combat daunting… turn the other way. But if you want to be pulled out of your comfort zone and challenged beyond what you think you can do… find the closest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu studio and give it a try. Channel your inner Iron Man. And if you live in the New York City area, head to Lifestyle MMA Academy in Astoria. They will kick your butt. They sure kicked mine and, bonus, the first trial class is free. So you have no excuses!!
Power Pilates @ The Art of Fitness
I’ve done pilates before, it’s one of my favorite ways to workout, but Power Pilates at The Art of Fitness will take your practice to a whole new level. And at just $10 a class, it’s a really great deal for a whole lot of workout!
Other options for Iron Man Week:
Rock Climbing
MMA
Stay tuned for the following Avengers: Hulk, Black Widow, Thor, Hawkeye and Captain America
And make sure to comment below with any questions, comments, etc!
Characters I Would Name My Kids After
Since I have no children yet, and no significant other with whom to make said children, this is purely fantastical. So I reserve the right to be as outlandish as possible! Meaning I may never name any subsequent children after these characters, so don’t hold me to this! But I love a good list and The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick’s topics are always intriguing!
#1 – Phryne
Not only is Phryne a unique name, the character from Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries is a spicy, liberated woman who does what she wants and damn the consequences. I like that about her!
#2 – Trinity
Trinity is a great name for a kid. And also a unique one. I like names that have a sense of destiny to them, and this one surely does!
#3 – Gideon
If you don’t know this one, then I encourage you to rent it. It’s a delightful musical called 7 Brides for 7 Brothers. Gideon is the youngest of the brothers and the most wide-eyed of the bunch. This movie has long been a family favorite in our house and I’ve always like the name Gideon because of it.
#4 – Atticus
This is actually a top contender for my future son’s name. To Kill a Mockingbird is such a powerful story and Atticus Finch is one of the great literary characters with a strong sense of morality. A wonderful role model and namesake.
#5 – Moira
Yes, her full name is Wendy Moira Angela Darling, but it’s the Moira part that I’ve always liked best. It has a lilting Irish touch to it. Plus I love the story of Peter Pan. It’s nerdy without being obvious about it! (wink)
What characters (literary or otherwise) would you name your future or have you named your current children after?
Favorite Funko Figures
To quote Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments… “Can a man choose from among the stars of the sky?” Choosing merely 5 Pop! figures seems mean. Someone is gonna be left out. Someone is gonna get their little plastic feelings hurt. But the rules are clear. 5 must be chosen, so here we go. Thank to The Nerdy Girlie and Super Space Chick for making it “so easy” each week! 😉
If you don’t know how much I love Harley Quinn by now, I wonder if you ever knew me at all! And incidentally this is the only Funko Figure I actually own. I got her for Christmas this year. So she is my 1st and favorite!! And I always preferred classic Harley over Arkham Asylum Harley, though she is awesome too! Pair her with the classic Joker Funko figure and you got yourself a DC party!!
Another thing you should know if you’ve been keeping track, my deep and abiding love for Star Wars. So next up has to be a Star Wars figure. And this Yoda is just about the cutest thing ever in life! Though you really couldn’t go wrong with any of the Star Wars Funko figures. Each one is special and I want them, need them, have to have them all!!
Genie has long been my very favorite Disney character of all time. Not only because he is just awesome in general, but also because of the fabulous vocal stylings of the late Robin Williams. So many of the Funko figures are mouthless and that would just be wrong for the Genie. His smile holds the happiness of a thousand suns! And if you aren’t smiling just from the sight of this guy… I worry about you, I really do!
Ok I had never seen this one before today, but I love it! The eyebrows are everything. I don’t often have a hard time choosing a favorite X-Man (Gambit every time) but this figure brings out all the love I have for the Professor, leader of the misfit mutants. So… yeah… this one makes the list!
#5 – Marty McFly and the Delorean
Ummm…. do I really need to explain why this one is just amazing and necessary to have on any nerd shelf? If you need it explained to you, then you are clearly in the wrong place. Go away and come back when you have learned your lesson! 😉
Honorable Mention – Jessica Rabbit
Ok I’m cheating and picking a 6th figure. Because look at her! She’s awesome. I love J. Rabs. She’s sassy and way too sexy for a cartoon character and she just loves that Roger with all her heart. Gotta love and respect that. Plus that hair curtain is too fierce not to earn an honorable mention!
What’s your favorite? Do you have any? Do you want any? Do you know what I’m talking about? If not, go to your room and think about what you’ve done! (Love you… mean it)
