Things You Should Be Doing

I don’t like to get all preachy, but I thought I’d try a new thing for today’s post wherein I get kind of preachy. But instead of hiding it, I’m coming right out and telling you that I’m preaching, which makes it much better.

Really. It does.

What I have in mind for today is a kind of quick hits review of a slew of different things that are on my radar at the moment, and that I think you guys might enjoy checking out. That’s why I’ve decided to call it, Things You Should Be Doing. Makes sense, yes? Sure. So here goes.

You should be reading...

The Adventures of the Princess and Mr. Whiffle: The Thing Beneath the Bed, by Patrick Rothfuss
--Written by one of my favorite modern authors, Mr. Whiffle is a picture book that is very much not intended for children.
Despite the whimsical illustrations by artist Nate Taylor and the line-a-page, typical storybook style, Mr. Whiffle is not for kids. In fact, Mr. Whiffle is probably not for Nathaniel. And he has the beard of a much older man.

Pat Rothfuss, writer of the highly acclaimed fantasy epic, The Name of the Wind, is a refreshing dose of fan-turned-author, and his work is among the best in the genre. Check out the link above for a description of Whiffle, and give it a try.

Mike Mignola’s Hellboy
--Start anywhere in this seminal comics series--try an issue, see if it’s your thing, and if it is, go back and read the trades. One of the best continuing comics series of all time, and the creator is in his prime, telling stories that prove again and again that he's the best there is.

Morning Glories, from Image Comics
--The next Chew? Maybe not, but the buzz--and rampant speculation--on this book is big and expensive. Issue one sold out immediately from the publisher--I told you it would--and people who were able to secure a copy really enjoyed this dark take on a twisted version of Xavier's School for Gifted Teens.

But, fear not, for a second printing of issue one shipped to stores this week, so you should be able to find a copy.

You should be watching...

Psych on USA
--A TV cop drama/comedy about a private investigator (Shawn) pretending to be a psychic, when in reality, he’s just very good at his job. Along with his buddy and partner, Gus, the two get themselves into ridiculous situations on a weekly basis.
It’s a very funny show, incredibly well written, and if you have any affinity for 80s nostalgia, you’ll appreciate the plethora of shout outs to those mythical days of yore.

Oh, and there’s a pineapple in every episode. So be on the look out for that.

You should be clicking...

Geekologie.com
So...much...geeky...goodness. Way better than our blog, their tagline is, "Gadgets, Gizmos, and Awesome." For any and all geeky, funny, random things that pop up on these Internets, Geekologie is there.

And you should be, too.

You should be preordering...

Your tickets to this October’s New York Comic Con
--The final day to do so is September 10, in case you were wondering. I’ve decided against going to this show after a not-so-great experience at the very first one, five years ago, wherein I was trapped in the middle of the retailer floor when the fire marshals closed the hall.

Claustrophobia and not being big on crowds made my time there pretty miserable. But the show itself was amazing, and, if things align properly, I might end up at the show this year.

From what I've heard, NYCC now takes up much more space at the Javitz Center, so getting smushed in a crowd is now unlikely. We'll see. Plus, Bruce Campbell is there, so you have to go.

It's a rule.

-- -- -- --

So those are all the things you should be doing. For my part, I should be working. See you all tomorrow with another hilarious links post (most likely swiped from Geekologie).