Viewer questions, 2010

41 viewer questions, requests and challenges answered in 12 videos uploaded in 2010, grouped by topic (the domain of the part of the video the answer is in), in upload order within a topic. Each question is followed by the answer as summarised, with the speaker and timestamp. Question Tuesday marks the Q&A series. Back to the overview.

Topics: Everyday life (14) · Books & writing (8) · Projects (7) · Nerdfighteria (6) · Personal life (2) · Global development (1) · Internet & YouTube (1) · Pop culture (1) · US politics & society (1)

Everyday life

• Q: “I'm scared to go to college so far away, how am I going to deal with being lonely and homesick?” (00:00:20) — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More
  • John: John says homesick college freshmen generally cope by binge drinking, which he doesn't recommend. (00:00:25)
• Q: “This guy who maybe likes me doesn't want our mutual friend and my ex-boyfriend to find out.” (00:01:11) — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More
  • John: On a guy who only 'maybe' likes her and hides it from her ex, John says a romantic partner shouldn't maybe like you; don't bother with him. (00:01:16)
• Q: “How could I get more Nerdfighter friends IRL” (00:01:36) — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More
  • John: To get more Nerdfighter friends in real life, John suggests wearing your pizza shirt everywhere until someone recognizes it. (00:01:39)
• Q: “My boyfriend says I'm too smart for him, but I really like him.” (00:01:54) — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More
  • John: To a girl whose boyfriend says she's too smart for him, John says this enrages him: boys who don't like smart girls are exactly the boys not worth dating. (00:02:03)
• Q: “How do I get my best friend out of denial about liking me?” (00:02:22) — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More
  • John: On getting a best friend 'out of denial', John suggests the friend may simply not like you; some people won't want to kiss you, and refusing to accept that breeds narcissism. (00:02:22)
• Q: “How do you cure the hiccups?” (00:02:43) — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More
  • John: For hiccups, and everything else, John counsels patience: every other time he thought something wasn't going to end, it ended. (00:02:43)
• Q: “I haven't had my first kiss, is there something wrong with me?” (00:00:26) — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More
  • John: John says hundreds of Nerdfighters aged about 12 to 23 asked whether something is wrong with them for not having had a first kiss; he says nothing is wrong with them. (00:00:20)
• Q: “I smell everything I touch, is that weird?” (00:00:51) — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More
  • John: Asked whether smelling everything one touches is weird, John answers that it is not weird but synesthesia. (00:00:51)
• Q: “How can I tell my stalker off without hurting him?” (00:00:55) — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More
  • John: John says the word 'stalker' is overused, but about real stalkers: fixation is not love, and one owes a stalker only firm boundaries and, if those are broken, a restraining order. (00:00:58)
• Q: “and I haven't talked to her since and I don't ever want to, should I?” (00:01:17) — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More
  • John: To a viewer hurt by a friend's fake online boy persona, John half-jokingly recommends his new book Will Grayson, Will Grayson, written with David Levithan. (00:01:19)
• Q: “I'm a high school freshman and I have no clue what to major in in College,” (00:02:00) — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More
  • John: John tells a high-school freshman that not knowing what to do with one's life is normal at that age, but a college junior without a major concerns him. (00:02:05)
• Q: “I'm a college junior, and I just don't know what to major in.” (00:02:13) — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More
  • John: John recalls that as a junior at Kenyon College he asked to have his major chosen for him and double-majored in English and Religious Studies, his most-taken departments. (00:02:18)
• Q: “How do I tell them their son is gay?” (00:02:58) — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More
  • John: To a gay teen with very religious, conservative parents, John says when and how to come out is his choice, but ultimately all he can do is be honest. (00:03:00)
• Q: “Any advice for kids starting college?” (00:00:00) — College Advice From an Expert
  • John: Having attended college and watched Animal House, John jokingly claims expertise and lists five facets of college: academics, relationships, binge drinking, road trips, living on your own. (00:00:20)
  • John: John says many stupid people graduate every year and skating by is not hard at most colleges, but ignoring academics is a huge mistake. (00:00:37)
  • John: John says college isn't easy or the best years of your life, but an in-between space where you're no longer a child yet free of adult chores, giving time to pick what to do. (00:03:15)

Books & writing

• Q: “I really want to write, but I'm afraid that I suck. How can I get over this fear that I suck?” (00:00:27) — DARE TO SUCK
  • Maureen Johnson: Asked by a viewer afraid of sucking at writing, Maureen tells nerdfighters, who want to decrease world suck, that they should instead dare to suck. (00:00:27)
• Q: “I've written a book. I write stories all the time. I want to publish them. How can I do that?” (00:01:57) — DARE TO SUCK
  • Maureen Johnson: To 16- to 18-year-olds who ask how to publish their books, she says don't, stop, because they haven't sucked enough yet. (00:01:57)
• Q: “Many of you have asked, what's the general process of getting a book published?” (00:00:34) — HOW TO GET AN AGENT
  • Maureen Johnson: Answering viewers who asked how a book gets published, Maureen finishes her writing series: once you have finished your work, what you need next is an agent. (00:00:34)
• Q: “When are you coming out with a new book?” (00:00:29) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: John's new book, Will Grayson, Will Grayson, co-written with his friend David Levithan, comes out in 28 days (7 April 2010). (00:00:29)
• Q: “Are you going on tour?” (00:00:29) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: John will be in Indianapolis on March 15 talking about vlogging, then on tour in April in Chicago, Boulder, Austin, New York City, Madison (Connecticut), LA and San Francisco. (00:00:29)
• Q: “I think I need to cut out a sub-plot of my story but it means rewriting the first half of my novel.” (00:00:54) — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More
  • John: To a viewer who must cut a subplot and rewrite half a novel, John says rewrite it and don't complain: all writing is rewriting. (00:00:59)
• Q: “I'm about to graduate from college and I don't know what-” (00:01:29) — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More
  • John: To a viewer about to graduate from college, John recommends David Foster Wallace's 'brilliant' commencement speech This Is Water, linked in the description. (00:01:31)
• Q [request]: “I want to meet some nerd girls...” (00:01:41) — Advice on First Kisses, Stalkers, College Majors, and More
  • John: To a viewer wanting to meet nerd girls, John suggests phrasing it less creepily and recommends book events. (00:01:43)

Projects

• Q: “What part of VidCon are you looking forward to the most?” (00:02:05) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: At VidCon John most looks forward to Ze Frank, the ball pit, Charlie McDonnell biting his finger, and the concerts at night. (00:02:05)
• Q: “Are you and Hank trying to get rich from VidCon?” (00:02:05) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: Asked whether he and Hank are trying to get rich from VidCon, John jokes about it, then says any proceeds from VidCon will go to charity. (00:02:35)
• Q: “Will I become incredibly sympathetic to the homosexual agenda after reading Will Grayson, Will Grayson?” (00:02:35) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: Asked whether Will Grayson, Will Grayson will make readers sympathetic to 'the homosexual agenda', John says as a writer he aspires to tell good and true stories, not to sympathize with agendas. (00:02:35)
• Q: “Why don't you and Hank do challenges anymore?” (00:02:35) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: Asked why the brothers no longer do challenges, John says he doesn't know and proposes to Hank that they do some challenges. (00:02:35)
• Q: “It says July 9th to 11th, but you only have programming scheduled for two days.” (00:00:00) — VidCon: User Generated Conference
  • Hank: Asked why VidCon runs July 9-11 but has only two days of programming, Hank says the Sunday, the 11th, is meant to be user-generated conference content. (00:00:00)
• Q: “The second question is, will VidCon be providing food for folks?” (00:02:38) — VidCon: User Generated Conference
  • Hank: VidCon will not provide food; cheap food such as sandwiches will be for sale and there is a Starbucks in the lobby. At a hotel conference the hotel serves food at outrageous prices; covering it would have meant charging about $400. (00:02:38)
• Q: “is it really $35 to park at VidCon” (00:02:38) — VidCon: User Generated Conference
  • Hank: Parking is not $35: VidCon attendees get parking for $12 a day instead of $35 a day, which Hank still finds ridiculously expensive. (00:03:07)

Nerdfighteria

• Q: “How do I know if I love him?” (00:00:00) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: Asked how to know if you love him, John says that you don't generally find yourself asking that question. (00:00:00)
• Q: “Who the F is Hank?” (00:00:00) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John (joke): Asked 'Who the F is Hank?', John answers that Hank is a small, remote, uninhabited coral atoll south of the equator. (00:00:00)
• Q [request]: “Will you give away some advanced reading copies of Will Grayson, Will Grayson to Nerdfighters?” (00:01:07) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: John says he has five advance reader copies of Will Grayson, Will Grayson at home and will give all of them away to random commenters here or on the Ning. (00:01:07)
• Q: “How's the diet?” (00:01:07) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: John says his diet is still going well. (00:01:07)
• Q [request]: “It's Monday of "How-to" week and today I am going to fulfill the most common request we received” (00:00:01) — How To Make a Baby
  • John: John says it is Monday of How-to Week and he is fulfilling the most common request received: how to make a baby, one of his 'fields of expertise'. (00:00:00)
• Q: “who were asking yesterday, who the F is Hank?” (00:00:00) — Should We Sue Viacom?
  • Hank (joke): Answering newcomers asking 'who the F is Hank?', Hank says Hank is an unincorporated community in Texas, an inside joke the brothers can't let go of. (00:00:00)

Personal life

• Q: “If you were in a band, what would you call it?” (00:01:36) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John (joke): Asked what he would call a band, John says he would still call it Moe and the Lawns, or the Moby Moby Dicktones. (00:01:36)
• Q: “How is a raven like a writing desk?” (00:01:36) — New Tour! New Book! (Remember Books?) Your Q's A'ed!
  • John: Asked how a raven is like a writing desk, John says Lewis Carroll intended the riddle to have no answer, then offers that Edgar Allan Poe wrote on both. (00:01:36)

Global development

• Q: “Hank, in further news of world suck reduction, many nerdfighters have asked where they can get a bracelet like mine that says this star won't go out” (00:00:42) — You Are Awesome
  • John: Answering Nerdfighters who asked where to get a 'This Star Won't Go Out' bracelet like his, John says they are now sold at DFTBA.com/Esther. (00:00:42)

Internet & YouTube

• Q [request]: “Hank, can you help me set up a website?” (00:00:00) — How to Make a Website in Four Minutes
  • Hank: Because people still often ask him to help set up websites, Hank says he will show how to set up a website in three minutes and 30 seconds. (00:00:00)

Pop culture

• Q [request]: “I can't get Justin Bieber songs out of my head.” (00:02:54) — Advice on Dumb Boyfriends, Going to College, and More
  • John: For Justin Bieber songs stuck in your head ('Bieber fever'), John prescribes a heavy dose of the Mountain Goats and the website themountaingoatswillcureyourbieberfever.com. (00:02:54)

US politics & society

• Q: “Hank, in other news of lovely, lots of people have been asking us why we haven't made an "It Gets Better" video.” (00:01:47) — On Hope and Chile
  • John: Asked why the brothers haven't made an It Gets Better video, John says others have said what he would say better, so he made a playlist of such videos instead. (00:01:47)