It's Summer! Time To Let The Nerds Out! - East Idaho News
Movies & TV

It’s Summer! Time To Let The Nerds Out!

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You’d be correct in assuming that, as a nerd, I’m kind of an indoor cat. Most of the stuff I love doing is best accomplished indoors, often with the assistance of electricity. I mean, it’s a little hard to play growling metal riffs on electric guitar without electricity.

Still, when the sun comes out and the weather warms up, I do enjoy getting out and about. I love the smell of the air this time of year. And as the air heats up, I want to spend more and more time outside. I love looking at old cars. Or chilling at a cookout. Or watching the sunset from a sand dune… Man, there’s so much cool stuff to do in the summer. But these are the things I look forward to the most.

Summer Movies!!

I know that as a film school graduate, I should probably dig on classy cinema, like German Expressionism or the French New Wave. But I have an unquenchable love for big, cheesy summer blockbusters. I love comic book movies, especially the Marvel movies. I love the big, silly sci-fi movies and the pedal-to-the-metal action flicks that make no sense.

This summer, we have a new “X-Men” movie coming, as well as a long-gestating “Independence Day” and a “Ghostbusters” reboot. And there will likely be a few surprises in between the big event flicks. I love sitting in a dark theater with a bunch of people having a communal experience while at the same time having a personal experience with the film. It’s one of my favorite things. I do love movies that challenge me and make me think, but those movies can wait for Oscar season.

Road Trips!!

Another thing I love doing is jumping in the car and setting out to see what I can see. I love to drive, radio cranked, looking for sights I haven’t seen. I get the wide-screen, cinematic feeling of streaking along the open road. I love the sense of discovery when I come across a cool place I’ve never been before.

Equally awesome are the road trips to see friends or attend events. Getting there is always a part of the fun for me. Whether I’m on my own or with friends, road trips are a chance to crank up the radio and just enjoy the ride. And that brings me to…

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Singing Along with the Radio!!

When the temperature rises the windows roll down and the tunes get cranked up good and loud. That is a combination of factors that makes for the perfect invitation to sing along. Bands like Weezer, Queen and Fountains of Wayne cause me to lift my voice. The mixture of the music, the air rushing by and the potent jubilation of summertime is unbelievably intoxicating and I can’t help myself. I HAVE to sing.

It gets only a tiny bit embarrassing when I pull up to a stoplight and the other motorists overhear me. Sometimes I get applause. Most of the time I just get quizzical looks. It’s fun!

Drive-In Movies!!

Watching a movie out under the stars? Love it! I don’t do it as much as I’d like, but it always takes me back to going to the drive-in with my family. It takes the feeling I get when I go to the theater and adds a heaping helping of nostalgia. Cue the warm fuzzy feels.

Comic-Con!!

Pop culture conventions have spread throughout the calendar, with many large cities having their own conventions. But the granddaddy of them all is still the San Diego Comic-Con, held in July and drawing thousands and thousands of comic book, movie and pop culture aficionados.

Comic-Con is a blast. It’s a full weekend of presentations featuring our favorite actors and comic creators, parades of awesome-looking costumers and a whole exhibitor hall potentially full of hidden geeky treasures. The chance to spend a whole weekend with like-minded individuals, meeting your heroes and just plain having a big party.

Chilling in the Kiddie Pool

I can’t swim, but I still love the water. So, I love to drag out the kiddie pool my parent bought for my nieces and nephews, full it up, jump in, and chill. If you can’t find me anywhere else, that’s where I’ll be.

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