i ♥ nerds

*Sigh* I was reminded tonight about just how much I love nerd boys. I spent the evening playing *cool* games like Cleopatra--where you get to build fun temples--and some really long-named game where you're in a haunted house--I found the Mystic Elevator...it was pretty exciting. When I first went over to ask if I could play, I thought I was doing it for observational purposes--a fantasy novelist should know what her target audience is doing--but it ended up being really fun. Plus, I felt like I could relax and be myself because I was really not trying to be cool. That says something about me on a regular basis, I know, but it's hard to not try and prove yourself normal among people who are apt to think you strange.
So now there is a battle raging in my mind:
In the long run, do I go for guys that are "nerds" and don't think it's weird that I'm weird and can be pretty cute if you get the right mixture of charm and social ineptness, or do I go for "normal" boys that can balance my odd tendencies with some semblance of normality and appreciate me because I'm different?
There are debates for both. If I married a strange guy I'm afraid our children might have problems...not serious problems, but life might be easier if they didn't have two very strange parents. I've got to watch myself as it is not to name them anything too far out there (although I think Storm is the coolest, manliest name I could think of. There are some who disagree with me. All I know is that if I ever met a guy named Storm, I would be instantly enamored).
Boys are so cute when they go off on random nerdy tangents or when they get really wrapped up in something *besides* sports. Plus, glasses can be so darn attractive (especially with a large nose, but I believe I went over this in another post).
Okay, now I'm gushing. I really need to stop that. I'm going to lose any readership I had...if there was any. I'm seventeen and have far too much estrogen for my own good! Give me a break!
You know what really gets me giddy though? Of course you don't. It would be a tad scary if you did. I'll tell you so you can go, "Calise, would you please shut-up!"
It's either boys who seem really masculine and tough having a vulnerable, even embarrassing side *or* nerdy, even socially inept, boys who have a strong, protective side. Believe me, when you write this stuff you have to make extensive case studies (well, you don't have to, but it's fun). I have limitless examples.
One of the best is blushing. Blushing is, for me, one of the cutest things a guy can do. Other good examples are superheros (Peter Parker/Spiderman is my favorite),
self-consciousness (although I should probably not wish that upon anyone), phobias, and lots of the male protagonists I write, of course.
This single element is what makes most romantic books and movies exciting to me. I love that the frog is actually a prince or the masked man is really just a farm boy who learned how to play with a sword. You want to write a story that will make Calise Acree grin until her face is about to burst and hear her make odd noises in the back of her throat, write romances where people have secrets--not nasty, ugly secrets, but "oh, gosh, she'd laugh at me," secrets. Strip your characters naked for the world to see--*not literally* I just mean expose them. Perhaps that's why I like YA so much. Teenagers are so unsure of themselves (myself included) and I love to read about people who feel just as gawky in the world as I do, and I love them for it.
Dang, this is long, again...and about my love life, again. I'm sorry I have such a limited focus in life. I talk to boys, I write, I think about boys, I write, I write about boys...

calise goes vlogger...and her contemplation of noses

I am extremely excited because tonight I finally discovered how to put videos on my blog after much confusion... unfortunately, I have a bad cold and would rather puke than be seen by a camera so my excitement will have to be postponed till next week or something. But, it should be good and, with my MacBook's built in iSight (I swear I should get paid for advertising this stuff) I'll be vlogging in no time. You'll get to hear my voice (ooooh) and see my nose in motion (ewww). I know I'm digressing, but I hate my nose. It's pointy and bumpy and gross. And I should know--I'm a bit of a nose connoisseur, you see. I am mildly obsessed with large, aquiline noses. Not wide noses, but ones with distinctive curves and bridges that start up between the eyes. I have a thing for glasses too, and I think it would be so attractive to see a boy whose spectacles were almost too high because his nose got in the way. This began for me several years ago, in 2003, I think. I had another mild obsession with Tom Cruise. When I saw that nose upside-down in the Langley scene in Mission Impossible I was hooked (no pun intended). Watch any Tom Cruise movie and look closely at his nose, you'll see what I mean. That lasted about a year longer than it should have and in the end I was left with a working knowledge of movie release dates and a love for fabulous noses. I could give you several famous examples of gorgeous, large proboscises, but I've found just as many around here that I've met in person. This gives me hope. If I've met at least four good looking boys with noses that would make Caesar proud, then I consider myself validated in my search for one on the face of my eternal mate...if not, I'll get over it, but it would be a nice bonus.
Hopefully I'll introduce the world to moving, talking Calise in the next week so check back, if you will.