Month: March 2017

Fangirl Freakouts: Birds of Prey

~ Katherine Kleffner ~ Leave a comment

Hi Internet People,

I share my thoughts on this DC Comics inspired show, Birds of Prey, from the early 2000’s that I desperately wish had more seasons.

Find me on Twitter, @kleffnotes, on my kleffnotes YouTube channel, I write for The Nerdy Girl Express and run their Snapchat, thenerdygirlexp, and I post recipes on the iZombie Support Group site.

Talk to ya tomorrow,

Katherine

Super Sleepy Tuesday

~ Katherine Kleffner ~ Leave a comment

Hi Internet People,

Today is going to be one of those days where I am dragging, I can already tell. I stayed up later than I should have last night and when I got out of bed this morning my only thought was “Coffee!!!” Maybe imagine that as more of a low grunt, I was in no way that peppy. I had a really nice Monday, just did not set myself up for an awake and alert Tuesday.

It also totally doesn’t help that it is grey and rainy here and it doesn’t look like the sun is ever going to come out. I really shouldn’t complain about that, it’s not like I’m a huge fan of sunlight. I just burn super easily and I hate being overly hot, plus most of my favorite clothes are designed for cooler weather. Maybe I’m secretly a vampire, though I have been working on a lot of brain recipes so maybe I’m more zombie.

Last night I got to do an amazing interview with one of the cast from The Magicians. Chatting with her was really fun and then I spent part of the night typing up the transcript for the article. That, plus working out and a little bit of video prep already put me at a pretty late time. Then I decided to do brain pics for an article I have coming out next week on NGE, which meant it was even later. Throw in some paper editing for my brother and it was almost 1 am before I decided to call it a night. The big thing I’m looking forward to today is taking a nap after dinner. Honestly only big thing I have going on. I mean I have some minor editing to do, but that’ll get done, and I need to keep doing prep for a video. It’s not like the video is going to be super exciting, I just am going to be doing something that requires me actually practicing it so I don’t look like a dope.

I hope you are feeling more awake today than I am!

Find me on Twitter, @kleffnotes, on my kleffnotes YouTube channel, I write for The Nerdy Girl Express and run their Snapchat, thenerdygirlexp.

Talk to ya tomorrow,

Katherine

Snapped Traps and The Mouse Hunt in the Witch House

~ Katherine Kleffner ~ Leave a comment

Hi Internet People,

I promised we’d get to the traps this week and we did! Though this might not be what you were expecting, but it’s going to lead to something very soon.

Ellery was startled awake by a yelp of pain and a stream of colorful curse words. Rubbing her eyes she muttered “Wassa matter?” as she tried to remember why she was in a pile of blankets on the floor. Still dealing with a foggy early morning mind, she looked up and noticed Anna clutching her toe and glaring at her phone.

“I overslept and then totally forgot you spent the night and tripped over that stupid book. I think I’m bleeding, but I have to run to campus. My advisor needs some clearance form for the project and I have to be there in like ten minutes. You can stay here, but I have to go.”

“I’m so sorry, I had no idea this thing was so close to your bed. Do you need a bandaid?”

“No time, it’s just really swollen. Don’t worry about it, I’m sure it’ll go down. Definitely not going to wear any open toed shoes today.”

While Anna got ready, Ellery scooped up her stuff, including the toe attacking book, and made her way back to her room. Before she opened the door she silently muttered, “no mice, no mice, no mice” and then with a quick breath in pushed the door open. From the doorway she quickly scanned the traps and noticed one of them looked tripped. Slightly on edge, she laid her things on the bed and tentatively inched toward the far left corner of the room. The trap was most definitely tripped, but whatever had tripped it had caused it to flip over. Ellery could just call her landlord’s number and then she wouldn’t have to touch the trap at all, but she didn’t want to waste anyone’s time if there wasn’t actually anything in it. Her parents had dealt with a small family of mice in their garage a couple of years ago. She remembered that some days the traps would be tripped, but the mice would have scampered away before they got snapped.

There wasn’t a broom nearby, but there was a piece of leftover paneling from her Ikea bookshelf.

“I guess that’s one use for those random leftover bits.”

Summoning her courage Ellery shoved the wood piece at the trap and squeezed her eyes shut as it landed upright. Breathing in, she gave herself to the count of three and forced herself to look at the trap. Thankfully there wasn’t a dead mouse inside, but there was something. Sticking out of the peanut butter coated teeth was a tuft of brown fur. Unless the mouse was running around half skinned, there looked like there was just way too much of it.

“Please don’t tell me I’m sharing this room with a rat, especially a half-naked trap snapping rat.”

Popping the trap open, Ellery pulled out the tuft of hair and quickly threw it in the bathroom trashcan. After washing her hands multiple times, she decided that maybe just taking a shower would make her feel a little less grossed out by her possible new four legged roommate.

Find me on Twitter, @kleffnotes, on my kleffnotes YouTube channel, I write for The Nerdy Girl Express and run their Snapchat, thenerdygirlexp, and I post recipes on the iZombie Support Group site.

Talk to ya tomorrow,

Katherine

The Job Hunt Must Begin in Earnest

~ Katherine Kleffner ~ Leave a comment

Hi Internet People,

I am going to have to mount my horse and get my dog ready because it is job hunting time. Okay, I don’t have a horse, but I do have a very cute dog who I am sure would be willing to sniff his way around in search of employment for me. I am currently serving at a local college and believe that the position will be eliminated by October of 2017. My position is funded through a federal program, which is part of one of many being recommended for cutting in the recently presented skinny budget. I really enjoy what I do and have helped a number of students, but of the programs up for elimination I believe that others are more likely to survive the cut. I really love PBS so I understand giving that priority over the service I do. I had been warned that my program could be cut and while I have been trying to be positive I must be pragmatic.

I recently drafted a new resume to help me hunt for academic focused jobs, but beyond the field of academics I have other interests. I am very well prepared and have a great deal of experience in academic work, but if a writing or researching position came around I would snap that up. I spent two years of my life working on a thesis focused on how modern British detective television programs presented crime and the city of London during the late Victorian period. What that means is I’m very good at finding articles and information to explain why television is important and how it shapes the general populace’s understanding of topics and ideas. It’s online and if you want to read it I can share a link. I really enjoy what I do for The Nerdy Girl Express, both writing articles and making videos, and I wish that I could do something along those lines for a living. If I had about a million more subscribers I could maybe bank on that, though I would still need health insurance. Honestly my dream job would be working for KindaTV, so if any of you lovely people are reading this I can shoot you a resume.

Since I am young, single, and childless I have the luxury that I can move pretty much anywhere. I will admit that currently I still do not own a car or have a license, but I can get it very soon or I will create a budget for getting ride services wherever I move. I would like the luxury of having health insurance, with or without dental, the ability to afford a cozy apartment for one, with the opportunity to purchase a black cat from a shelter, and cable/satellite and decent internet. I like being able to live tweet shows, which is the only reason I want actual cable or satellite. If you hear of anything and happen to see this post let me know because I am actively on the lookout for a job I can start close to June 23rd of this year.

Find me on Twitter, @kleffnotes, on my kleffnotes YouTube channel, I write for The Nerdy Girl Express and run their Snapchat, thenerdygirlexp, and I post recipes on the iZombie Support Group site.

Talk to ya tomorrow,

Katherine

My Thoughts on YouTube Restrictions

~ Katherine Kleffner ~ Leave a comment

Hi Internet People,

I was debating about how to talk about the issue of YouTube’s obviously flawed restricted mode and decided that a blog post would be an easier way for me to compose my thoughts than a Twitter thread. Now if you weren’t aware, YouTube released a new “family friendly” or restricted mode for their users. They have had a restricted mode for some time, but in this new version there was a massive issue with LGBTQIA+ and queer focused content. What is disheartening is that videos with certain tags connected to the community do not appear within restricted mode, including those that focus on acceptance and understanding. Apparently even the celebratory video YouTube created for the passing of Marriage Equality legislation does not appear within restricted mode.

Many people, myself included, are outraged and upset by this new restricted mode and have voiced our concerns on Twitter. Some of this has been met by people stating that you don’t have to turn restricted mode on, but that isn’t what we are arguing. The fact that restricted mode is blocking these videos creates the idea that LGBTQIA+ content is something that should censored. I am sure there are parents who feel safer allowing their children to use YouTube with restricted mode on, but I personally don’t understand why blocking videos that promote understanding and education in connection to the LGBTQIA+ community would fall within something they would be concerned about. I don’t have children, but I do remember that when I was growing up my parents limited my time online, though they did allow me to read whatever I wanted from the library. If I had questions about something I would go to my parents to ask them about it and they would create a dialogue with me about the topic. This restriction of content limits the ability to even open a dialogue within families and furthers the stigma that exists toward the LGBTQIA+ community.

I do have an additional concern though as I have seen people announcing that they are removing their content from YouTube or will no longer be posting videos on the site. I understand wanting to boycott, but I worry that this will negatively impact those in the LGBTQIA+ community who have no other resource, but YouTube to try and find a way to understand themselves and their broader community. If channels that once provided what felt to them like a safe space suddenly disappear where does that leave them? Will they not feel further ostracized and alone? I also know that there are people who make a living through YouTube and in some cases they cannot just delete their channels without violating contracts. Though my videos are just something to do for fun I admittedly will keep doing them, even though I am not okay with what is currently happening on YouTube, because I still feel like it is the only way that some of my discussions of representation and diverse content will be seen by a larger audience.

While YouTube has stated that they stand with the community, I believe that the only thing that can correct this situation is for the company to sit down and examine the key terms being isolated by their new restricted mode and to correct their error. The message they are sending through the current restrictions is something that needs to be corrected.

Find me on Twitter, @kleffnotes, on my kleffnotes YouTube channel, I write for The Nerdy Girl Express and run their Snapchat, thenerdygirlexp, and I post recipes on the iZombie Support Group site.

Talk to ya tomorrow,

Katherine