The Geekly with a Twist: December 16th-22nd

Heyo everyone, your favorite Lush here with your usual dose of that wonderful history.  This week’s has an extra-special event, too!  So, without any more stalling, onward with the history!

December 16th, 1917: Science fiction idol, Hugo Award winner, creator of his own awards, influential author, inventor, futurist, and Sri Lankabhimanya (the “Pride of Sri Lanka”) Sir Arthur C. Clarke (with tons of other addendum I won’t list on his name) is born in Minehead- a coastal town in Somerset, England.

December 16th, 1928: Furthering the case for how awesome Sagittarians are, the man whose works would influence cult movie success Blade Runner, Hugo Award winner, and science fiction legend, Philip K. Dick is born in Chicago.

December 16th, 1988: The beauty who would go on to be known for her role as Susan Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia movies, Anna Popplewell is born in London.

December 17th, 1953: Yet another awesome Sagittarian, the man who would be noted in the geek community for his awesome role in Spaceballs and also hardly noted for his voice work in the (in my opinion) animated masterpiece Titan A.E., Bill Pullman is born in Western New York state.

December 17th, 1969: Project “Blue Book” is publicly closed.  It concludes there is no evidence of extraterrestrial spaceships involved in the multitudes of UFO sightings.

December 17th, 1975: “Every geek’s dream girl,” star of the Resident Evil films who has also portrayed an alien in The Fifth Element and more, Milla Jovovich is born in Kiev in the Soviet Union (currently Ukraine).

December 17th, 2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (the last of the successful trilogy and the only to receive the  much-deserved Academy Award for Best Picture) is released in theaters. (Yup, I was there.  I was dressed as Eowyn because I’m awesome like that.)

December 18th, 1988: Super-amazing (geeky) writer and SciFi4Me contributor, Annaleigh Josephs, is born in North Kansas City, Missouri.  That’s right, the 18th is my birthday!

December 18th, 2002: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is released in theaters.  This movie actually raised the interesting point to the Academy when it came time for awards: are actors who portray a character using motion-capture qualify for Best (Supporting) Actor/Actress awards?  Unfortunately, Andy Serkis, the brilliant actor responsible for Smeagól/Gollum’s voice, movements, and facial expressions, did not earn the recognition he was deserved.

December 18th, 2010: James Cameron’s fifteen year project Avatar, is released in the United States.

December 19th, 1972: Apollo 17 splashed into the Pacific Ocean, marking the official end of the Apollo program (which featured manned lunar landings).

December 19th, 2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is released, helping to launch (and, in some cases re-launch) the careers of several involved as well as a new form of tourism to the beautiful nation of New Zealand.  (The film also launched this Ringer’s love affair with Middle Earth.)

December 21st, 1898: Radium is discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie while working on a sample of uraninite (a radioactive mineral).

December 21st, 1968: Apollo 8 blasts off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

December 22nd, 1962: The future Tom Riddle (and amazing character actor), Ralph Fiennes is born in Ipswich in Eastern England.

And, in honor of the amazing Sagittarians of the week, I’m just going to share one of my favorite drinks.  Yup, it’s all about me because, well, darn it, I’m awesome!  (Okay, so my ego’s not really that big, I’ve just been looking for a good excuse to share this recipe for a while.)  AJ’s Blue Stuff.

• 1 1/2 parts Southern Comfort
• 2 parts Vodka
• 1  part Spiced Rum
• Sour Mix
• Wildberry Mixer (such as the one offered by Martini Gold)

Pour the alcoholic ingredients over ice in a shaker, add a few dashes of sour mix, and top with wildberry mixer.  Shake, strain, and enjoy!  The best part of this drink is the yummy foam that tends to form from the shaking process…enjoy it!

And now, of course, with your Garnish, I’m going to go one more on the Holiday Shopping Guide (as it’s getting a bit close to order anything and get it on time).

Thoughts to Print is a store featuring awesome variations on the famous British poster “Keep Calm and Carry On” as well as so much more.  Some of my favorite incarnations are “Keep Calm and Raid On” (featuring the Alliance Lion and Horde insignia), “Keep Calm and Carry Vera” (featuring none other than Jayne’s very best gun), and “No power in the ‘verse can stop me” prints.  AND!  If you’ve noticed on their banner, the posters are Buy One-Get One FREE!  If there’s anything better than sale, it’s free stuff.  There’s no direct date on the last day to get your items shipped, but it’s safe to assume that the sooner you get your gifts ordered the better!

So, until next week, geek on!