"Fandom, I choose you"- Top 5 Favorite Geeky Fandoms

Ok, Ok, stop shouting. This is a delicate subject, I know. But bear with me and all will be fine! As a warning this list is just an opinion  that I've mused over for a while. Also, I have experience with these different fandoms, so it isn't just me listing off my favorites. I took many things into consideration besides my persoanl favorite series or books. Honestly, some of my favorite didn't even make the list. Why can't you be more popular Harry Dresden????

Kidding, kidding. I've met Dresden Files fans and they are awesome! Sadly, many other people don't know what I talk about when I reference the series...Jerks...Anyways, for this list I looked at the popularity of the fandom, how the fans are, quality of the fandom material, and then a little of my own opinion.

#5............Firefly

Yes, Firefly. Such a short-lived piece of science fiction art. The combination between sci-fi and western was brilliant and Joss Whedon did an awesome job of making it flow together seamlessly.  Hear that, Cowboys vs. Aliens?  huh, huh, huh???

Yeah, didn't think so.....You guys should be sacked!
Along with a great story came great acting, and along with that came a great group of fans. Firefly fans, the Browncoats, have to be the most dedicated group among the fans I'm discussing here. Sorry Trekkies/Trekkers, I still love you! However, Firefly's one big drawback is that it ended so quickly. Sure, there was a movie and a comic book, but so much more great t.v. could have happened! Thanks, network producers....always killing the good stuff. The fact that the future looks bleak for a resurrection (and I really hate to say it, I'll wait for you Wash!), is the reason Firefly comes in at #5, but the optimism and general awesomeness of the fans is why it gets here. Never forget, Browncoats, never forget!!!

#4...........Star Trek/ Star Wars

Alright, you two, listen up and play nice! I know lumping these two together is risky business, but I feel that it needs to be done. Both series and fandoms have a lot in common: Long lasting and reoccurring forms of media, crazy influential on popular culture, great Con presence, awesome internet memes, dedicated fans. All great things. Which is why I personally have a hard time picking between the two as a whole. My only reservation is that while dedicated, the fans can get a little...umm....defensive? Especially in regards to each other. I've been in so many arguments over which is better and sometimes it can get nasty. 

 Then there is the battlegrounds amongst the fandoms themelves! Trekkies or trekkers, kirk or Picard, original trilogy or new trilogy, Pro-Jar Jar or kill Jar Jar. I've had stuff thrown at me by fans that didn't agree with my views, even though we both love the same series! Maybe I'm just too much of a non-combative person, and please don't think that I'm saying that I hate these series. I've seen all the movies for both. Even the bad ones. I've seen all the episodes for every series. Just, take a page from the Browncoats and make love not war!

See? We can laugh at our inside jokes together!

#3.....Harry Potter

"Wwwwwhat? Only #3? Blasphemy!" You may be shouting at your screen as you report me for inappropriate behavior. Again, take a seat, take a deep breathe and hear me out. I love Harry Potter. It was the series that made me love reading. It makes me laugh, makes me cry, along with millions of other people in the 16-30 age range. It made being geeky and reading for fun cool things. I mean, come on, who doesn't want to be sorted by the sorting? cough * go Ravenclaw * cough

Even (most) of the movies are great. Seeing Hermoine punch Draco in the face in Prisoner of Azkaban? Priceless. Plus, the Harry Potter musical.

(I love you Joe Walker <3)

The fans are still so Potter crazy that they made 3 musicals, an amusement park, and even invented REAL LIFE QUIDDITCH. Which, having played (once) and watched numerous times, is hard core crazy.

The cons you may be asking? Besides getting beamed in the face by a quaffle, not much. I think the only thing that prevented Harry Potter from being higher on the list is that J.K Rowling has the potential to do so much more in its universe. But isn't. And its driving the fans crazy. She just keeps releasing extra little tidbits to moist our appetites. I understand how that she might want to branch out and write different kinds of novels, which have been great too, but please. Stop releasing extra spoilers. Just write. It doesn't have to be about Harry's kids, or the first Order of the Phoenix. It can be a really gritty, human murder mystery based in Timbuktu for all I care. Why make such an in-depth world and not venture back in? The potential! In summary: I feel you Potter fans, we need more Potterverse!

#2..........Middle Earth/ Lord of the Rings

Not all those who wander are lost, especially when it comes to reading some good old fashion Tolkien. Despite this blog's relative youth, I'm sure my love for LOTR has shone through. There's such something about being in the LOTR fandom that just makes me giddy inside. Be it fangirling over smexy actors

Or laughing over the ridiculous stuff I find on the internet

 (party on, Thranduil, party on)

I just love it. The fans too. I've never met a Tolkien fan I didn't like. Of course, finding fans of the books, like real, hardcore, Similarion-reading fans ( not just those who read the Hobbit for school), is a rarer sight. From what I've seen at movie premieres and at the random Con, many became fans because the LOTR movies came out when they were in the middle school/high school age and fell in love with the awesome. And lets face it, Tolkien's writing is like a early to mid 20th century British guy's writing. Its slow and meticulous. It takes the man around 30 pages (17 years!) for Frodo to even do anything in Fellowship. Oh well, it is high fantasy, and no one can  say that the man couldn't do world building. Elvish anyone? Real language. People speak it. I've met them.

All in all, Middle earth and its fandom is High Fantasy at its best. Classy, Epic, and not afraid to kill people (Boromir forever!!!!). If you like the movies I definitely recommend powering through the books. They start slow, but then blow. Your. Mind. 

AND FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#1..............Doctor Who

In reality, there isn't much that separates any of the top 5. They were all super close. Heh, I guess that's what happens when a fangirl tries to choose. Back on topic! Why is the Doctor on the top of this list? Honestly I'm not quite sure. Real talk: I'm a lapsed Whovian. I watched all of 9, only saw bits of 10, and most of 11 (Saw none of the first 8, but how many of us have really seen EVERY episode?). But whenever I do stumble upon the Doctor and his antics, I can't help but watch. Its funny, its heartbreaking.

Hear that? Its my heart breaking into a million little pieces.

 Doctor who is just one of those shows that has been pleasing people for generations, and you don't have to watch every episode to follow along. Its all about time travel anyway, pretend the stuff you missed hasn't happened yet. Also, the fans are awesomely nerdy and, at least from those I've met at Cons, so freaking friendly. 

9, 10, River Song, another 4, and a few other Doctors missed out on this pic. The other 4 gave us all Jelly babies. Yum! Word of advice: if you go to a Con dressed at a Doctor Who character/object, you will get so much love! I think the reason the Whovians won out on this one is because of this openness. Be it the t.v. show or the fans, you can allonsys any time and you'll get along swimmingly. You don't have to read  7 books, watch 5 different t.v. series, or mourn its cancellation.Easy access fandom. Even when a new Doctor gets announced and the haters appear from the shadows, every one (as a whole) tends to stick around and love the Doctor. 

As I said, though, this list is all just my opinion, and I even left our some fandoms that I love to pieces (Stargate will rise again from the burning ashes that are the SYFY network's taste in television). Even the top 5 are all pretty equal to me, I'm a multi-purpose geek, so sue me.

 Let me know what your favorite fandoms are in the comments, or just troll me, whatevs. 

*All images/videos come from more creative and talented people on the interwebz, mostly Pinterest people. Pinterest for life!*

"One Small Bite..." Geek Recipe Highlight #1

What kind of nerd/food lover would I be if I didn't try out different recipes from the many, very many, fandoms that lurk out there on the internets. Except maybe the Homestuck group. I'm still not entirely sure what that is, but Pinterest is slowly being taken over by them. Is it a Podcast, a comic, a book? All I ask for is a summary of some sort!

Thanks, internet. Real helpful there....

Seriously, some one send me a link or something!

Anyways.....Highlight recipe #1! And the winner is......Elven Lembas Bread!!!! If you don't know what that is, go watch the Lord of the Rings! Right now, I can wait.......

Too impatient to watch 3 movies and two prequel movies? Ok, here is a brief description of the bread in question:

Thanks guys!

The recipe I used is more of a cookie one, although there are some that are more like bread or even hardtack military biscuits. I did do some minor altercations to suit my own tastes, so if you want the original recipe you can find it here: http://www.geekychef.com/2008/12/elven-lembas-bread.html 

But for now, "YOU SHALL NOT PASS"....on trying this recipe!!!

First off, gather your ingrediants:

• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup honey
• zest and juice of one orange
• 1 cup cranberries
• 3-5 cups flour (you'll use around 3 or 4 cups for the cookies and the rest for rolling out the dough)
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Gather your stuff. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with no-stick or use parchment paper.
2. Mix together the eggs, honey, cranberries, orange zest and juice until combined. 
   
3. Slowly add in the 3-4 cups flour until it comes together and isn't very sticky. *I apologize for the missing image in this step. Those responsible have been sacked*
4. Lightly flour your preferred rolling surface and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to around 1/2 inch thick. Cut out squares or a fancy leaf pattern or be a dork and use a cookie cutter like I did (because you forgot the materials to make leaf covers and wanted to overcompensate).
   
5. Line on the cookie sheet, as many as can fit. These cookies don't spread or rise much, so no need to worry about making a super-cookie by mistake. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. 
6. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!
   

Hopefully yours will look better than mine did. The leaf shape is sort of annoying to me..... Either way, these cookies have a nice scone-like quality to them, especially with the orange and cranberry flavors, so odds are you'll end up eating more than "one small bite." 

Next week: 

You Shall Not Pass......On A Slice Of This Cake!!!

Tis but a special preview of a special post coming later this week...which may or may not be LOTR themed....Don't judge me! Or else....

Always watching, always....