Studicus Selects 2013

Once, long ago, I posted on the internet as Studicus, an in-joke nickname related to a skit from high school. When I first started blogging, I called my year-end entries "Studicus Selects." The tradition has continued since 2005...although I skipped 2006 for some unknown reason.

You'll find past entries here (scroll down for the 2013 picks):

Studicus Selects 2012
Studicus Selects 2011
Studicus Selects 2010
Studicus Selects 2009
Studicus Selects 2008
Studicus Selects 2007
Studicus Selects 2005

Best sports game mode from 2011. That's not a misprint. I'm talking about NBA 2K12's My Player mode. I'm obsessed with this game. I bought it at Gamestop (while also purchasing other past-their-sell-by-date games like Assassin's Creed II and Red Dead Redemption) during a buy 2, get 1 free deal and dove right in. I'm a 6'11" power forward for the Phoenix Suns. Kobe and the Lakers bounced us out of the playoffs last season. We shall write a different script for this season, Mr. Bryant. The Lakers shall burn.

Strangest gift given, meat category. Meat cards! After my brother-in-law sponsored a llama last year, I had to strike back somehow. My solution? A beef jerky "business card." I got one for each of my brothers-in-law. One thought it was the best Christmas present ever; the other simply thought it was weird. If you're ever looking for a unique gift sure to leave your loved ones scratching their heads or extolling your gift-giving prowess, go buy them Meat Cards! For years, we will have a family joke when someone opens a gift: "And it's made entirely of beef jerky!"


Newest Crimsonstreak book, sequel category. We went Crimsonstreaking again with II Crimsonstreak! Last year marked the release of my very first novel; this year marked the release of my very first sequel. The book ends with a cliffhanger--a decision that readers either love or loathe--and I'm hard at work on prepping III Crimsonstreak for submission so everyone knows what happened to Chris Fairborne and his family. I think it may include some time travel. Actually, I'm 100% sure that it does. I'll send it off to Candlemark & Gleam very soon.

Best television show, program I never thought I'd watch category. Breaking Bad is a show I never expected to like. Seriously, Tim Whatley is a cancer-stricken science teacher who decides to make meth to earn money for cancer treatments? No way. Not interested. Sounds completely absurd. People said it was great. I ignored them. They said the finale was incredible. My Twitter feed exploded during the "Ozymandias" and "Felina" episodes. I became intrigued and started watching it on Netflix. I shotgunned the series in about three weeks, and had to get "creative" to find the second half of the final season. What an incredible show...from the acting to the production and writing. I loved how Walter White and Jesse Pinkman couldn't get away from each other. I thought the final scene was absolutely incredible:


Fondest farewell, Little Muchacho. Our KIA Sportage was a fantastic little car. We miss the SUV affectionately known as "Little Muchacho." I eulogized him in this Facebook post from July:

Today we honor the 2000 KIA Sportage my wife and I called Little Muchacho, a car that "just kept running" past the 200,000-mile mark. He began his life driven primarily by my father-in-law on sales trips around the state before spending the last half of his life as Anne's trusty sidekick.

I had just spent the day with him Sunday, when we stopped for breakfast at Hardee's before catching a morning matinee of "Man of Steel." I filled his tank and put air in his tires, and all seemed to be fine. Last night, his engine stopped for good.

Anne promised to replace him with another KIA, so we bought a KIA Forte last night.

It's hard to say goodbye, but here's to you, Little Muchacho:

Biggest acquisition, family category. And so my wife and I welcomed a new car into the family. With Little Muchacho's passing came the arrival of this KIA Forte. Anne was reluctant to warm up to him, but she's given him the nickname "the Blue Bandit," so we're getting there. The car gets awesome mileage and offers a smooth ride along with some cool extras like Bluetooth phone connectivity and steering wheel buttons that allow you to adjust the radio volume.



Favorite Twitter non-trend, Colts category. I'm a dedicated Colts fan, and I've been a huge supporter of Griff Whalen since the team signed him last season. He was sidelined by a foot injury and missed last year. In this year's campaign, he's been moved to the practice squad and elevated to the main roster approximately 8,000 times. But while some fans call him "Griffer," I prefer to call him GRIFFNATION. Will you join GRIFFNATION? Will you?

Most bittersweet homecoming, NFL legend category. After Peyton Manning's release, some Colts fans suddenly became lifelong Denver Broncos fans. That's fine for them. That's not how I roll. Look, I loved Peyton. Only the most stubborn fans can fail to see how there was no real way for the team to keep him and put together a well-rounded football team. It was a move they had to make given questions about his health and (the really big factor) his gigantic contract. That doesn't mean I love Peyton any less; he's a legend and I want him to win.

His return to Indianapolis couldn't possibly live up to the hype, could it? A Sunday Night Football game at Lucas Oil Stadium against his old team and the guy who replaced him? What we ended up getting was a classic, with Peyton and the Broncos jumping out to a quick lead and the Colts systematically dismantling Denver to build a huge lead in the second half. Then, in classic Peyton Manning fashion, he nearly pulled off an improbable comeback.

For me, the best moment was just before the game, when the Colts showed a video tribute to the beloved QB and the crowd gave him the most heartfelt cheer anyone's ever gotten in all of sports. Peyton got a little misty eyed; I did, too. It's one of those things I'll never forget. It was the fans' way of saying, "We'll never forget you, No. 18. We love you and we didn't get to say goodbye."

A perfect moment.


Best post about a scuttled video game studio. LucasArts had to shut down this year. I grew up playing countless LucasArts games and gave the fallen studio my own little love letter. It was one of my most popular posts of the year. Star Wars games by LucasArts dominated almost every era of video gaming for me, from the NES to the Xbox 360 and all my consoles in between.

Best movie I liked that no one else did, superhero category. I adored Man of Steel. I didn't get the common reaction that the movie was "cold and lifeless" or that it's "the movie where Superman murders everyone." People commonly said things like "that's not MY Superman," and I think they missed the point. It's not your Superman, and it's not supposed to be. This was a portrait of a man who isolated himself from society and didn't know how to handle his own gifts. While he wore the S-shield, he's not Superman yet. I'll give the filmmakers credit because they've given Superman room to grow and to learn from his mistakes (we're hoping DC/Warner Bros. can do the same thing, but...you know there's this website). I also thought Russell Crowe, Diane Lane, and Kevin Costner were terrific in supporting roles. Maybe it was my Midwestern upbringing talking here, but I felt a connection to Clark and his childhood in Kansas.

Best internet/Twitter freakout, movie casting category. Ben Affleck is the next Batman. People called him Batfleck. I called him Batben. Batfleck won. But the real winners were those of us who watched the internet burn and contributed things like this:


Most inept attempt at a homegrown internet meme, presidential surfing category. My wife volunteers at the Benjamin Harrison Home in Indianapolis. Harrison is the only U.S. president from Indiana. One day, she blessed us with the following gem on Facebook about her experience with a group of touring students:

Had a group of 2nd graders at Harrison Home today. When I took questions at the end of the tour, one little girl raised her hand.

"You said Mr. Harrison passed away after being sick. What does that mean? Where did he go?"

I have to admit, I was at a loss for words. How do you answer this question in an appropriate manner to a public school kid without bringing your personal beliefs into it or scaring the kid. My saving grace was one of her classmates, who chimed in with this tid bit:

"When my grandpa 'passed away' my Mom said he went to visit my Uncle in Colorado, but I didn't believe her, cause my Grandpa didn't like my Uncle Rob. I think he's in Hawaii surfing and I'm going to visit him there someday."

Then he turns to me, "That's probably where Mr Harrison is, too, right?"

Thank God, Roger came in right then and said that bus was there, otherwise I might have found myself saying, "Yes, Mr. Harrison is catching waves and rays in Hawaii." lol!

And, lo, did Benjamin Harrison surf:


I usually play this post for laughs, but I also have some serious business to attend to.

I gained a sister-in-law. It was a lovely August wedding in which she married my brother-in-law. I think this photo says it all:


Last, but certainly not least, I want to remember a few people we lost this year.

Grandpa Riley. My grandfather passed away in March. It was unexpected. My grandparents live in Tennessee and I don't see them but a few times a year. Still, they were an important part of my life and were always interested in what my brother and I were doing. I remember Grandpa visited us when I was playing in a fall baseball league and I had the best game of my life at the plate. He also witnessed the infamous game in which I, a first baseman, got called for a balk in a nebulous umpire ruling that remains incomprehensible to this day. Going down to Tennessee to say goodbye was hard for the whole family, especially after we heard his back surgery had gone okay. Gene Riley was many things to all of us, but we'll remember him best for being a great man who was the rock of our entire family. I don't think his passing really hit until we went down to the annual family reunion in July and he wasn't there. Find his obituary here.

Jim Ladd. Jim Ladd was a good friend of my grandfather, and it seems fitting that they both passed in the same year. For several years, I had a paper route in Williamsburg, Indiana, and Jim was one of my customers. We had a fun little rivalry while I was a paperboy. At one time, Jim raised exotic animals. I had my brother call him and tell him that the FBI was investigating him for improper licensing, and Jim bought it hook, line, and sinker until I came to his door in a trench coat. He knew he'd been had. Things escalated from there, with Jim posting my face all over the local post office for "impersonating a paperboy" (he claimed he never saw me deliver a single newspaper). I also once made a mockup of the front page of the local paper (the Palladium-Item) in which the cover story was about an animal scam Jim was running. When I delivered the paper to him, he was talking to a couple people about some emus, and I remember his eyes got big as dinner plates when he saw the fake headline and quickly tucked the paper away. Find his obituary here.

Mike Ryan. If two polar opposites ever coached baseball together, it would be my father and Mike Ryan. My father was quiet, reserved, and never yelled at his players. Mike was fiery, opinionated, and always yelled at his players! He coached me for several years in youth league, where he uncorked a few gems. When a player would recoil at an incoming baseball, Mike would yell, "You're ten times bigger than that ball! That ball can't hurt you!" That maxim remained true until Mike got belted in the side by a foul ball. As he walked around in pain, my father reminded him that he's "ten times bigger than that ball," and Mike wasn't very appreciative of the gesture. I also quote him often when something goes wrong. "Ain't nobody hurt, ain't nobody hurt," Mike would say when someone made an error or a mistake. Find his obituary here.

These three men helped guide and shape me throughout my life, and I will certainly miss them.

On that note...here's to a great 2014.

Studicus Selects 2011

A while back, I abandoned my longtime Blogger nickname "Studicus" to become "Matt Adams." The thinking, of course was to better promote my writing by no longer posting via a pseudonym. It was actually kind of a tough decision because some college pals and I started a collective blog in 2005 called The Flying Trapeezius.

Those days were fun!

In order to keep writing, I decided I had to leave TFT and all three of its readers and replace it with My Kingdom for a Novel and its three readers. Yet, a tradition is a tradition...and for every year except 2006, I made a "best of" list called "Studicus Selects."

So here we go!

(You can check out the Studicus Selects archives below. Scroll past the links for this year's picks)

Studicus Selects 2010
Studicus Selects 2009
Studicus Selects 2008
Studicus Selects 2007
Studicus Selects 2005

Best Tech Gadget: Amazon's Kindle. Really, it's not even close. The other gadget I purchased this year was a rather buggy Motorola Atrix 4G, so the Kindle wins by default. This is a great device. I understand it's a dedicated e-reader and things like the iPad and Kindle Fire are far superior pieces of tech that sparkle and shine and play pretty videos. However, the Kindle is simple to use and no one can match Amazon's content pipeline. From a reading standpoint, it doesn't hurt my eyes because there's no backlighting. From a writing standpoint, it's great because I can email my manuscripts to the device and read my works in progress without sitting in front of the computer for hours.

Most Awesome Blog Moment: Ernie Cline, author of the bestselling book Ready Player One agreed to do an interview that I could post along with my review for the book. I thought it was really neat for him to take the time out of his schedule to do that, especially since my blog is in its infancy. It should be a reminder to all writers: no matter how insignificant a blog/interview request may seem, even if you don't think it will reach many readers, you may as well do it. After all, you have to win this battle one fan at a time. You can read the review and interview with Ernie Cline here.

Most Satisfying Moment of the Year: Without a doubt, it was the email I received at 9:49 pm on July 19. I had submitted my novel I, Crimsonstreak to Candlemark & Gleam, a small press operating out of Vermont. It was kind of a Hail Mary because I didn't think anyone would be interested in the book. I was surprised, however, when I received an email saying C&G wanted to acquire the novel (after a few revisions, of course). It was a defining moment in my young writing career; a moment I'll always remember. The book is due out in May 2012. You can read more about the journey from first draft to contract here.

Best Early Anniversary Trip, Historical Category: In July, my wife and I took some vacation time and spent a week in Springfield, Illinois as an early fifth anniversary gift. I'm sure that's the very first place people think of when they think of a vacation spot. Anyway, we saw the Lincoln Museum and our 16th president's home. It was a fantastic trip (we even caught a showing of Captain America!) made even more fantastic thanks to cameos from traveling buddies Green Lantern and Superman.

Favorite Summer Movie: Without a doubt, Captain America. I loved it! The film was by far my favorite of the movies I saw this summer. Everything just seemed to "click" in this one. After a few cinematic disappointments (X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Green Lantern), it was great to see a movie come together so awesomely! I liked it so much, I blogged my 20 Favorite Cap Moments.

Most Irritating Earworm: As much as I loved Cap, "The Star-Spangled Man with a Plan" was stuck in my head for weeks.



But this category is a tie! I saw a video for Selena Gomez's opus "I Love You Like a Love Song." It is easily the most irritating song I've heard all year. And for a month, it wouldn't leave my head.

The fact that I know the words--ALL of them--makes me want to hurt myself.
Best Discovery, Xbox 360: I've thoroughly enjoyed the Marvel Pinball tables for Pinball FX. I really like the Wolverine and Spidey tables. Blade is a nice change of pace, but I'd like to punch the Iron Man table in the face. Seriously. It's an irritating table to play. Perhaps there exist pinball wizards who love it, but I'm not a big fan.

Biggest Letdown, Sports: The Butler Bulldogs made it to their second consecutive national championship game, but couldn't pull off the upset against UConn. The frustrating thing about the loss was the feeling that Butler just had an "off" day. UConn played well, no doubt, but Butler was atrocious from the field, putting on a shooting performance that was historic in its futility. It was heartbreaking to see a team that had accomplished so much have such a terrible game.

Biggest Letdown, Writing Career: After having three stories accepted in various anthologies, the publisher cancelled two out of the three anthos. This was disappointing because I loved those stories and was looking forward to seeing them in print. On the plus side, one anthology forged ahead and will get published soon. The editor of one of the cancelled books found another publisher, but it's going to be released much later than originally thought. Still, a release is better than no release.

Most Insane Undertaking, Reading Category: I heard such good things about the Game of Thrones series on HBO that I decided I'd read the books. I heard they were long and had seen the paperbacks in the bookstore, but nothing really prepared me for the size and scope of the books. I borrowed them via a Kindle library loan...and wow. I had just 21 days to finish a 1,000-page book. I'm a fast reader, but trying to "race" through a book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series wasn't one of my best ideas. You can read my review for A Game of Thrones here.

Most Insane Moments, Indiana Hoosiers and Indianapolis Colts Category: These are both probably too recent to include in a year-ender, but Christian Watford's shot that propelled IU over top-ranked Kentucky was one of the year's best sports moments.

I still have this on my DVR.
My hapless Colts also managed to get a win last night, prompting this strange scene in which Reggie Wayne and Dan Orlovsky tried to give each other the ball after they connected on a late touchdown to seal the team's second win.

In a season in which nothing has gone right, this was a nice moment.
That's my brief review of the year that was 2011. These are exciting days ahead on the blog. I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of Empire State for my Kindle and will have an interview with author Adam Christopher soon. You can expect the "ABC's of Crimsonstreak," a series that will continue the legacy of my "ABC's of Writing" and "ABC's of Star Wars." I'm sure my publisher and I will have some awesome treats as the publication of I, Crimsonstreak draws closer.

And of course...we'll be watching for the return of Super-Manning!

I sure hope he's able to return. If he can't...you can expect lots of inconsolable crying and a terrible video montage set to "Wind Beneath My Wings."

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!

Studicus Selects 2010

There are the Oscars, the Golden Globes, the Grammys, the People's Choice Awards, the CMAs, and every other prestigious award you can think of. And then, there's the most prestigious award of all: the Studicus Selects 2010, a random collection showing the ups and downs of the year through pictures, videos, and other stuff. I mean, we're talking high-class.

I usually do this on the cusp of the New Year, but as I was sick last week, I didn't get around to it. So now I proudly present: Studicus Selects 2010.

A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

(You can check out the Studicus Selects archives below. Scroll down for this year's "winners.")

Studicus Selects 2009

Studicus Selects 2008

Studicus Selects 2007

Studicus Selects 2005

Worst Upgrade, Cell Phone Category: I upgraded my iPhone 3G to the new iOS and let me tell you, my phone did not like that; not at all. Programs stuttered, the Netflix streaming video app didn't stream more than five seconds at a time, and my phone laughed at me when I tried to multi-task. I downgraded my phone to the previous iOS (hey, internet tutorials are fun!)...and then realized I hadn't saved my phone contacts anywhere. If you haven't heard from me in a while, now you know why: I lost your phone number because I am stupid.

Best Video Game Sequel, Games I've Played Category: Mass Effect 2. I loved the first Mass Effect game. I beat it four different times with four different Commander Shepards. I beat it on its hardest difficulty...something a reflex-challenged video game chump like me only does when he loves a game. Mass Effect 2 wasn't quite as thrilling as the first game...there's something about the first part of a series that's so satisfying, to dip into a new world you knew nothing about before and immerse yourself in it. Mass Effect 2 didn't have that effect on me because there weren't as many "new" things to discover. I still played the crap out of it and even liked the stupid mini-game where you scan for elements. The hardest difficulty setting kicked my butt, however.

Best Video Game, Nostalgia CategoryBOOMSHAKALAKA! NBA Jam returned this year, thanks to EA Sports and greed. There's a long story about this...NBA Jam was originally going to be a Nintendo Wii exclusive and a downloadable game for the Xbox 360 and PS3. However, the new NBA game that EA planned to pawn off on fans--NBA Elite--turned out to be a flaming dog-bag of crap, and EA decided to cancel the game. NBA Jam became a full-fledged title for the two HD systems. I haven't played all the way through it yet, but I can kind of dominate with the Pacers as Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy. HE'S ON FIIIIIIIIRE!

Biggest Letdown, Cinematic Experience: Iron Man 2. I loved the first Iron Man. Loved, loved, loved. So, my expectations where unrealistically high for the sequel, which packed too many new characters into a movie that also tried desperately to be the setup for the mega-team-up "Avengers" movie. I watched it again the other day--it's a good movie--but it's missing some of the "fun factor" that the first Iron Man had. It just feels like they tried to pack in too much stuff, Tony Stark wasn't quite as likable of a rogue, and the middle of the movie dragged tremendously. I didn't hate it...but I wasn't enamored with it either.

Best Purchase, Entertainment Category: I'm an amateur Photoshopper and even more amateur video editor. So amateur, in fact, that I do not use Photoshop, but actually Corel Paintshop Photo Pro X3 (actually, I used to use Ulead Photoimpact, but when I got a new computer, the license wouldn't transfer, so I had to buy a new program). I also played around with the demo for Corel Videostudio Pro...and discovered a bundle deal that included both programs for a good price. So, I started churning out videos (all of them are embedded below). I haven't put together a video in a while because I've been writing a lot more...but there's also the fact that the Colts haven't lost a game since I stopped producing them. So there's that.















Most Surprising Non-Award, Non-Existent Writing Career: If 2010 was anything, it was the Year I Wrote. The coolest thing was seeing four of my short stories get published in separate anthology series. The "non-award" referenced in the title concerns the story "In Memoriam," which took the coveted Editor's Choice award in the Autumn Issue of "A Thousand Faces." Other stories--"The Bank Loan," "Rise of the Super-Hero," and "The Stuntman"--were also published (see here and here).

Here's a brief summary of each story that's found its way into print this year:

In Memoriam: The loss of a firefighter stings a community; more so, after the man's double-life as the mysterious "Wraith" is revealed. Those who know the man mourn his passing during a memorial service and all witness a chilling sight that defies explanation.

The Stuntman: Thrilled that Hollywood plans to make a movie about his life as the Amazing Marvel, Stan Kirkpatrick presses his agent to land him the starring role. The producers have a different idea, hiring a rising, hot-shot star, and relegating Stan to the role of indestructible stuntman.

The Bank Loan: Frustrated at his inability to get a bank loan, Baron Gallant confronts the loan officer who refused to sign off on his request. The loan officer soon learns why the superhero needs the money after Gallant's rival begins ransacking the city.

Dawn of the Super-hero: Over the course of an extraordinary week in the 1930s, a Midwesterner learns about the rise of super-powered beings around the country through newspaper accounts and radio reports. But when the world's first "super-villain" threatens to destroy New York, the man's thirst for knowledge is overtaken by his will to act.

And, perhaps more exciting, I'm not finished yet! Two more stories have been accepted for publication in 2011. One of them comes along with an actual check!

The Villain: The Blue Avenger and his arch-nemesis Heckler engage in their final showdown, and it looks like the villain has the upper hand. Memories of their past encounters assault the Avenger, who retraces the bitter steps leading up to their final fight, culminating in a desperate act that will forever redefine the hero's crusade against crime.

Absolution: Paralyzed after saving a woman under attack by two thugs, a man gets a second chance from on high. Armed with a divine mandate, he takes the name "Absolution" and embarks on a single-minded quest to rid the world of the wicked and corrupt.

Best Investment, Non-Existent Writing Career: I attended the 2010 Midwest Writers Workshop, and it was money well spent. I learned a lot about the writing business, got some good advice, had my work critiqued by a couple of agents, and even had a request for one of my book manuscripts. The request didn't pan out, but it means that I'm on the right track when it comes to pitching my work, writing summaries, and formulating my book synopsis. I'm especially tickled by the following picture showing yours truly sitting with author Dan Johnson during a round-robin table discussion!

Biggest Letdown, Sporting Event: Let's face it, 2010 didn't get off to the best start. First, the Colts lost to the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl, spawning that commercial showing Tracy Porter's interception that plays 8,000 times during an NFL broadcast. It's like a knife jabbed in my back...and then twisted, twisted, and twisted. BUT WAIT! There's a tie for this category: Butler's heartbreaking loss in the NCAA Championship Game. Oh man...the Bulldogs will probably never, ever get there again. Coach Norman Dale even provided the team with some reminders, but Butler couldn't pull it off. Although, thanks to Sports Science for interrupting the Butler-Duke rematch to show us how close Gordon Hayward's shot almost came to going in. That didn't sting at all. I'm still proud of both teams...it's just, when you get there, you need to make the most of it. You never know when you'll get there again.

Best Purchase, Reliable Auto Category: After my Pontiac Grand Am betrayed me, I had to do something drastic. I'm talking something Fredo-style. So I took Grand Am fishing...and...well, you know the rest. In his place came our 2008 Hyundai Sonata. It's quiet, fuel-efficient, and awesome. I'm a boring guy, and it's a boring car. We're a perfect match.

Longest Ear-Chewing Moment, Wife Category My wife went on an epic journey to Sandusky, Ohio, to see a man I've barely even heard of. His name is Peter Facinelli and the ladies tell me he's oh-so-good-looking (and from Twilight). Six hours, two bathroom breaks, and two trip-interrupting train stops later, she and a friend stood in line to see Mr. Heartthrob himself. Hugs were given, autographs were signed, and I haven't heard the end of it. STILL.