Warm Things for Cold Times

2014-01-07 · letter vlog · John · 2:35 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Books & writing (also: Sports, History & curiosities) · mode: Announcements · tags: self promotion, civic or action cta, community lore

From a freezing Indianapolis, John lists warm things: the Fault in Our Stars movie poster, Esther Earl's book with its Boston launch, Millard Fillmore's birthday, and Nerdfighteria officially sponsoring AFC Wimbledon.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Cold: Indianapolis colder than Mars, Willy stuck, John sitting on frozen strawberries for a strained groin

• ★ John says it is currently colder in Indianapolis than on most of Mars. (playful) — 00:00:01 · Indianapolis, Mars
• ★ John has strained his groin and is sitting on a bag of frozen organic strawberries; his life is dominated by cold. (playful) — 00:00:07

00:00:16 — The Fault in Our Stars movie poster and its disabled romantic lead

• ★★ John says The Fault in Our Stars movie is being made in Los Angeles and shows its poster. — 00:00:16 · The Fault in Our Stars (film), Los Angeles, The Fault in Our Stars
• ★★★ John loves the poster because he cannot remember another movie poster showing a female romantic lead with visible evidence of physical disability who is still portrayed as able to love and be loved. — 00:00:20 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)
• ★★ John hopes the movie is good; he hasn't seen it yet but says it should be good. (hedged) — 00:00:30 · The Fault in Our Stars (film)

00:00:38 — Esther Earl's book: preorder, January 28 release, John's introduction, Boston launch event on February 1

• ★★★ John says Esther Earl was the brothers' friend and a Nerdfighter who died of cancer when she was sixteen. — 00:00:40 · Esther Earl, Nerdfighteria
• ★★★ John says Esther inspired much of The Fault in Our Stars, but the novel is not about her. — 00:00:43 · Esther Earl, The Fault in Our Stars
• ★★★ John presents Esther's actual story as a book: he wrote the introduction and other people wrote other parts. — 00:00:47 · This Star Won't Go Out (book), Esther Earl
• ★★ John calls it an amazing book: Esther was a beautiful writer and her parts are the best. — 00:00:47 · This Star Won't Go Out (book), Esther Earl
• ★★ John points viewers to the doobly-doo link to preorder the book, which comes out January 28th. — 00:00:57 · This Star Won't Go Out (book)
• ★★ John reads the first sentence of his introduction: his friendship with Esther began, as so many great love stories do, at a Harry Potter convention. — 00:01:00 · Esther Earl, This Star Won't Go Out (book)
• ★★ John announces a book launch event on February 1st in Boston with Nerdfighters, wizard rockers and Esther's family, livestreamed on youtube.com/vlogbrothers. — 00:01:06 · Nerdfighteria, Vlogbrothers, This Star Won't Go Out (book), Esther Earl

00:01:16 — Millard Fillmore's birthday and his last spoonful of warm soup

• ★ John says US President Millard Fillmore was born on this day in 1800 and that the last thing he ate was one spoonful of warm soup. (playful) — 00:01:16

00:01:20 — Rainy England; Nerdfighteria officially sponsors AFC Wimbledon; Torquay game this Saturday

• ★★★ John announces that the Nerdfighter community is now officially a sponsor of AFC Wimbledon, a football club owned by its fans. — 00:01:34 · Nerdfighteria, AFC Wimbledon
• ★★ John says AFC Wimbledon play Torquay in League Two this Saturday (11 January 2014), and Nerdfighter messages will be on the side of the field and in the program. — 00:01:44 · AFC Wimbledon
• ★★ John hopes Nerdfighters of Kingston, Wimbledon and Greater London will go to the game, so there is Nerdfighter support at the first official Nerdfighter game. (hedged) — 00:01:55 · Nerdfighteria

00:02:12 — Wrap-up: Esther published, a sponsored football team, life in Nerdfighteria; strawberries; sign-off

• ★★ John sums up: Esther's dream of being a published writer is coming true and Nerdfighteria sponsors a fourth-tier English professional soccer team; life in Nerdfighteria is weird and wonderful. — 00:02:12 · Esther Earl, AFC Wimbledon, Nerdfighteria

In the description and comments

• ★★ John urges Nerdfighters of Greater London to see AFC Wimbledon play Torquay, saying they should be able to just show up and get standing-room tickets. (hedged) — video description · AFC Wimbledon

Humor (significant)

• John cuts off his greeting because his dog Willy seems to be stuck. — 00:00:04

  “Free Willy!”

• John calls England in winter 'very warm', apparently is shown otherwise. — 00:01:27

  “Well, at least it's dry.”

• John returns to sitting on frozen strawberries for his strained groin, consoling himself that at least they are organic. — 00:02:30

  “No conventionally farmed strawberries for my groin.”

Threads in this video

• milestone · The Fault in Our Stars film adaptation (2012) — John shows the poster of The Fault in Our Stars movie, being made in Los Angeles, and praises its disabled female romantic lead; he hasn't seen the film yet. (00:00:16)
• repeated · John predicts The Fault in Our Stars movie will be a good movie (2013) — John hopes the TFIOS movie is good: he hasn't seen it yet, but it should be good. (00:00:30)
• retold · Death of Nerdfighter Esther Earl, John's friend (2010) — John recalls that Esther Earl, the brothers' friend and a Nerdfighter, died of cancer at sixteen. (00:00:40)
• milestone · This Star Won't Go Out: book of Esther Earl's writings with John's introduction (2013) — John shows Esther Earl's book, her actual story, with his introduction; it comes out January 28th and launches at an event in Boston on February 1st. (00:00:47)
• reminder · John asks viewers to pre-order This Star Won't Go Out, Esther Earl's book (2013) — John reminds viewers they can preorder Esther's book via the doobly-doo link; it comes out January 28th. (00:00:57)
• milestone · John's AFC Wimbledon FIFA series on HankGames, whose ad revenue sponsors the real AFC Wimbledon with Nerdfighter-designed ads (2013) — John announces the Nerdfighter community is now officially a sponsor of AFC Wimbledon; its messages will be beside the field and in the program at the Torquay game. (00:01:34)
• asked · John asks London-area Nerdfighters to attend AFC Wimbledon's first game with Nerdfighteria as sponsor (2014) — John hopes Nerdfighters of Kingston, Wimbledon and Greater London will go to the AFC Wimbledon v Torquay game, the first official Nerdfighter game. (00:02:00)
• result reported · John asks Nerdfighters to design the AFC Wimbledon billboards and program ads (2013) — John says AFC Wimbledon play Torquay in League Two this Saturday (11 January 2014), and Nerdfighter messages will be on the side of the field and in the program. (00:01:44)

Where the stories that moved here went next

• John asks Nerdfighters to design the AFC Wimbledon billboards and program ads (2013) — reported back; last: result reported, 2014-01-14
• John asks London-area Nerdfighters to attend AFC Wimbledon's first game with Nerdfighteria as sponsor (2014) — invitation (not a request); last: result reported, 2014-01-14
• This Star Won't Go Out: book of Esther Earl's writings with John's introduction (2013) — completed; last: outcome, 2014-01-28
• John's AFC Wimbledon FIFA series on HankGames, whose ad revenue sponsors the real AFC Wimbledon with Nerdfighter-designed ads (2013) — running; last: looked back, 2026-03-17
• The Fault in Our Stars film adaptation (2012) — completed; last: looked back, 2024-02-06

Mentioned

Central: AFC Wimbledon · Esther Earl · The Fault in Our Stars (film) · This Star Won't Go Out (book)

Also: People: Millard Fillmore

Works: Free Willy · The Fault in Our Stars

Organizations: Torquay United FC

Concepts: disability in the media · Wizard rock

Places: Boston · England · Greater London · Indianapolis · Kingsmeadow · Kingston upon Thames · Los Angeles · Mars · Wimbledon

animal: Willy

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