If English language elements are a collection of family members, the Subjunctive Mood is the sickly great-uncle, bed-ridden and lingering at death’s door for… Read More »If I Were Any More Uncertain, I’d Be Subjunctive
There comes a moment of truth in most makeover scenarios, and it can go one of two ways: “Yes! This is who I was always… Read More »The Moment of Truth
The Makeover Fairy (AKA the Fairy Godmother) exists in a story for the sole purpose of transforming the main character in a flash, and at… Read More »The Makeover Fairy Strikes Again
When it appears in literature and film, the Wager requires three main elements: Person A, whose reputation is on the line, Person B who challenges… Read More »My Fair Wager
Fictional makeovers almost always work. Unless the story invokes an “Emperor’s New Clothes” type of comeuppance, a character’s efforts to look their best will typically… Read More »Image Is Everything and Nothing at All
Ah, the insta-transformation: Nerd – Glasses = Hottie. Those of us afflicted with myopia take exception to this particular trope, rampant though it runs through… Read More »Glasses Are Verboten! Contacts only!
Unrequited love is a literary staple. When a pure-hearted character yearns for the object of their adoration, this can become a driving force for the… Read More »She’s Out of Your League, Bro
Here’s where the nerd character loses me every time: when they possess a huge quantity of specialized, expensive equipment in their bedroom or tree house… Read More »The Nerd and His Lab: A Love Story
So, confession: I haven’t taken a math class since the 10th grade, which was more than half my lifetime ago. That was the year I… Read More »Math and the Fictional Nerd
In the realms of fiction, the stereotypical nerd can be spotted from miles away: awkward, bookish, and almost always subpar in the physical department. They… Read More »The Code of the Nerd (and Everyone Else)