Geek & Nerd Gift Websites for Babies & Toddlers

Every time I go into Babies R Us (which isn't a whole lot, since that store only reminds me of my son), I'm reminded that they really don't have a good selection for the geek mom. They have the typical baby outfits, the outfits full of pink ruffles and/or sports motifs, both of which I am terrified will end up in this house by someone well-meaning. Anything with a dragon or Star Trek? Forget it. They have typical baby toys, things that teach your mini-me to stack up blocks that are made of plastic with "A" is for apple, but where is "A" is for astronaut or atom or Alien? It's hard to find outfits and toys for baby that are uniquewithout scouring the web, so I have done some of that for you. Check out these fun items and stores for your own geek baby or a geek baby that is due soon to one of your friends.

1. Star Trek Onesies, Fantasy Hooded Towels & Nerd Flas

hcards @ ThinkGeek

Who doesn't want to dress up their little munchkin in support of all things Trekkie-dom? ThinkGeek o

ffers these in different colors (depending on what your little one will do on the ship, of course) and

has a plethora of oth

er fun geek and nerd baby and toddler fun to check out. And stuff for you too, of course! Don't forget The Baby Owner's Manual!

2. Baby's Personalized Arrival QR Code @ Etsy

Etsy is a haven for geek gear made by

people who are much craftier than I am. This one functions as beautiful art work and everyone who comes to see the baby can have all of the stats without having t

o ask!

3. Monster & Zombie Loving Onesies @ My Baby Rocks

This site has a ton of unique punk, goth, geek, and monster related goodies for your infant or toddler. They even have diaper bags and maternity wear!

4. Ninja & Other Evil Genius Ideas for Mom & Baby

This site goes through CafePress which means if you like this design for your baby and you want a matching one for you, you're all set! Adorable and sassy onesies and bibs and shirts abound!

How to Outline Your Next Novel

One of the single biggest questions asked of any author is "did you outline?" If you ask three different authors this question, it's one of those times where you will get five answers, all of them different. It's one of my favorite questions to ask at any panel, just to prove a point: there is no single right way to write a novel. Everyone does it differently. The point is learning your own style. Sometimes this means following in another's footsteps, and sometimes this means muddling through on your own.

If you do want to outline, how should you begin? I have come across more than a hundred blog posts and articles discussing the merits of outlining or letting your characters have their heads and run freely, but not very many on how to actually outline. If you need a how-to, check out one of these wonderful websites:

• Randy Ingermanson's "Snowflake Method". This theoretical physicist designed this method for growing your novel. It has step-by-step detail on how to outline, as well as a link to software that you can purchase.

• Alicia Rasley's 1998 Article on sff.net called "Outline Your Novel in 30 Minutes". A quick and easy way to get started.

• Creative Writing Now's "How to Make a Novel Outline". Here you can find a simple method, tips and dangers, and worksheets for novel, character and scene development.

Federal Resources for Learning

Every once in a while I stumble upon a treasure trove of learning opportunities. Right now I am especially interested since I face the birth of my first child, and wish for him or her to have all of the opportunities and resources at his or her disposal. For children and adults of all ages wishing to complete a report on the great Renaissance artists (see Donatello's sculpture to the left), to perform research for a dissertation, to complete a lesson plan, or merely just to know something a little beyond their normal scope, you'll want to know about the following website. The U.S. government has posted a resource board for subjects ranging from zoology to foreign languages, with a lot of room in between. This is definitely a site to bookmark for either you or your children. Let the learning commence!

Go to the Federal Resources for Learning website here.

The New Seven Wonders of the World...of Nature

In an age where our culture thrives on the ability to take quizzes, vote for their favorites, and ultimately insert our opinion everywhere it is needed (or not), one of the latest, and more interesting polls is on the New Seven Wonders of the World - of nature. On 7.7.2007 in Lisbon, Portugal, Vote7.com unveiled the New Seven Wonders of the World, taken from millions of votes around the world. Due to its success, the newest New Seven Wonders of the World is underway, this time focusing on natural phenomenon. The finalists have been chosen, and those who visit the site are urged to vote for their top seven which range from the Matterhorn (or Cervino as it is known to the Italians) to the Galapagos Islands, many of the sites you will have heard of, and many you may not. For those that are a mystery, more information is offered on each finalist in order to bring you up to speed. A ranking system allows you to see which finalists are gaining ground, losing ground and holding their own. The only downside of the system is In order for your vote to count, you must register on the site. Whether or not you believe that this is news in the making, or a publicity stunt, the site is certainly interesting to look at. Furthermore, this site offers a reminder of how many beautiful places there truly are in the world, and should inspire you to pack your bags and set out to visit all of them.

Vote for your choices of The New Seven Wonders of the World of Nature here.

Website Recommendation: Best German Web Sites

It's great to know that there are people out there willing to compile a large list of useful websites on a subject. Jim Becker has created one of the most prolific collections of links on the German Language and German culture that anyone could hope for. Whether you're looking to study the German language, research German culture, or you're looking for the website for a German newspaper, start your journey by clicking here.

Greek & Roman Mythology Websites

With millions of websites out there, I'm determined to put a list together of the best Greek & Roman Mythology links available on the web. I encourage people to let me know of other ones so I can keep the list alive. Other than Wikipedia, here are the best sites that I've found thus far:

General Guides & Research Sites
Theoi Greek Mythology
http://www.theoi.com
The aim of the project is to provide a comprehensive, free reference guide to the gods (theoi), spirits (daimones), fabulous creatures (theres) and heroes of ancient Greek mythology and religion.

Godchecker
http://www.godchecker.com/
Godchecker's Mythology Encyclopedia currently features over 2,850 deities (not just Greek & Roman).
Browse the pantheons of the world, explore ancient myths, and discover Gods of everything from Fertility to Fluff with the fully searchable Holy Database Of All Known Gods.

MythNET
http://www.classicsunveiled.com/mythnet/html/index.html
A site dedicated toward Greek Mythology. Myths, folklore and stories of the Olympians, Titans, and some of the greatest heroes. In the other sections of Classics Unveiled, you can find information on Roman History, Roman Life and Latin Vocabulary and Derivatives.

Classical Myth: The Ancient Sources
http://web.uvic.ca/grs/department_files/classical_myth/index.html
This site is designed to draw together the ancient texts and images available on the Web concerning the major figures of Greek and Roman mythology. For University of Victoria students, but a good guide of where to look for specific myths in literature and art.

Perseus Digital Library
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/
The Perseus Classics collection began as an integrated collection of materials, textual and visual, on the Archaic and Classical Greek world. The collection contains extensive and diverse resources including primary and secondary texts, site plans, digital images, and maps. Art and archaeology catalogs document a wide range of objects: over 1,500 vases, over 1,800 sculptures and sculptural groups, over 1,200 coins, hundreds of buildings from nearly 100 sites and over 100 gems.

The Internet Classics Archive
http://classics.mit.edu/
441 works of classical literature by 59 different authors, including user-driven commentary and "reader's choice" Web sites. Mainly Greco-Roman works (some Chinese and Persian), all in English translation.

Encyclopedia Mythica
http://www.pantheon.org/
Award-winning internet encyclopedia of mythology, folklore, and religion. Here you will find everything from A-gskw to Zveda Vechanyaya, with plenty in between. Mytholgoy section is divided into geographical regions. Also a folklore section, image galleries and genealogical tables of various pantheons.

Specific Gods/Goddesses
The Shrine of the Goddess Athena
http://www.goddess-athena.org/index.htm
The Shrine of the Goddess Athena houses: the Museum of the Goddess Athena were can be found information about all existing objects related with the Goddess from the Archaic Period to the present; an Encyclopedia with all major information concerning the Goddess; a Dictionary with all important words used in this Shrine; an Atlas showing the locations of every places mentioned; a virtual Temple to the Goddess Athena and an Athenaeum were contemporary reflections are made about the Goddess Athena.