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GeekGirlCon ’13: DIY Science Zone

GeekGirlCon13-DIYScience-728x90GeekGirlCon13-DIYScience-728x90You’ve seen it all over the internet; now you can participate in person! Come to GeekGirlCon ‘13 to experience our DIY Science Zone!

Science Communicator and GeekGirlCon Media Administrator Raychelle Burks has put together a star-studded workshop full of awesome science for you to get your hands on. Get a feel for what scientists do. This isn’t just for the kids—there’s science fun for all ages! Professional scientists and science teachers from a range of disciplines will be available to work with you in the lab. What might you get to do?

  • DNA extraction made easy!

  • Are you bitter? A genetic taste test.

  • Magic breath! Acid-base chemistry of the body.

  • CSI: GeekGirlCon! Finding latent prints using ninhydrin.

  • Coffee ground fossils! Perfect for Seattle.

  • Neuron know-how! Build your own & learn how they work.

  • Slime-to-go!  Make your own bag of goo.

  • Making craters! Please bring your own sound effects.

  • Dancing raisins!  No choreography skills required.

  • Nature notebooks! A mix of art & nature.

What scientists and science communicators might you get to interact with? Currently slated to help you out include:

  • Danielle Lee @DNLee5 – biologist,  animal behavior, mammalogy, and ecology

  • Lali DeRossier @Lalsox – science teacher, general biology, anatomy and physiology, and animal diversity

  • @Chemjobber – chemistry, chemical manufacturing

  • Emily Fink @Seelix

  • Bethany Brookshire @Scicurious – neuroscience, mental health, physiology, pharmacology

  • Matthew Francis @DrMRFrancis – physics, astronomy, cosmology, and gravitation

  • Caleph Wilson @HeyDrWilson – immunologist, cell engineer, STEM mentor/advocate

  • Rachael Ludwick @r343l – science, agriculture, food

  • Stephen Granade @Sargent – physics, lasers, quantum mechanics, robot airplanes, and sensors

  • Dr. Marie Villarba – chemistry, surface science, global warming, education

  • Melanie Mallon @melmall – science communicator

  • Nicole Gugliucci @NoisyAstronomer – astronomy, radio astronomy, specifically low frequency radio astronomy instrumentation, CosmoQuest, education

  • Dr. Charity Lovitt – chemistry, organometallics, quantum mechanical modeling of chemical reactions

  • Ray Burks @drrubidium – chemistry, analytical chemistry

Do you have other science questions? Each of these prominent scientists and science teachers has a field of specialty with tons of knowledge to share. Come visit them and get your questions answered!

diysz

Not only do you get to participate in hands-on science and talk to scientists and science communicators, but you also have an opportunity to bring some science kits home! Attendees will be given an “Exploration Tracker” to document the completion of experiments. This tracker doubles as a prize entry, thanks to the support of ThinkGeek!  By completing 3 projects, attendees could win a Portal 2 PotatOS Science Kit, an Edible Chemistry Kit, or a Common Cold.

What more could you want? Come to GeekGirlCon ‘13 (passes on sale through Brown Paper Tickets or at a local shop) and get your science geek satisfied!

Written by Adrienne M. Roehrich, GeekGirlCon Manager of Editorial Services

Eric Mack
“Rock On!”

Artist Corner: Rebecca Brinson

Greetings readers! November is winding to a close and with it, National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. I thought what better way to highlight writing in the Pacific Northwest than to speak with Development Director at Seattle’s own Richard Hugo House, tireless 826er, and my friend, Rebecca Brinson!

Rebecca Brinson

Hi Rebecca!

Howdy!

Let’s begin with your origin story. How did you land at Hugo House? Tell us what you do for the House?

Well, I ended up at Hugo House the same way many people do—I was an errant creative writing major. After I graduated from the University of Washington’s undergrad creative writing program, I worked for several years in the development department at ACT Theatre. One of my favorite jobs there was as the grants manager, where I got to put my writing talents to good use. Outside of my work at ACT, I co-founded Northwest Essay with a friend of mine. We had both worked as college tutors and saw a need for affordable, high-quality online personal statement essay editing. As Northwest Essay started to show some promise, I wanted to dedicate time to building it up, so I left my full-time job at ACT and ended up working part-time at the front desk at Hugo House. When the development position eventually opened up, I was ready for full-time work again and ended up in fundraising once again.

I still run Northwest Essay on the side, but my responsibility at Hugo House is to raise roughly 50 – 60% of our annual operating budget from institutional grants (gifts from foundations, corporations, and government entities), special fundraising events, and individual donations. I’m a one-person development shop, so I write grants, plan, and produce fundraising events, manage our membership program and our annual giving campaign, work with our executive director on major donor relationships, and generally be an ambassador for the House. I also end up spending a lot of time managing IT, as I’m the administrator of our online patron database and am enough of a web developer that I get under the hood occasionally of our Drupal installation. (PS, we’re looking for a new Drupal developer contractor to help us out with, among other things, the upgrade from Drupal 6 to Drupal 7! If any of your readers are into that, they should contact me.)

Richard Hugo House

I am familiar what Hugo House does but can you explain it to those unfamiliar with its mission?

Richard Hugo House, named after Seattle poet and writing teacher Richard Hugo, is an arts center grounded in the written word. Our mission is to foster writers, build community, and engage the Pacific Northwest in the world of writing. We offer creative writing classes for adults; creative writing camps and writing circles for youths; produce readings, book releases, art shows, and multi-genre performances; commission and premiere new work by established and up-and-coming authors through our Literary Series; employ two writers-in-residence to work on their own writing as well as mentor (for free!) members of the community; and manage ZAPP, the Zine Archive & Publishing Project, one of the largest independent zine archives in the world. Whew! Through all of our programs, we support the creation of new work, encourage artistic risk and cultivate a welcoming community.

Can anyone just come to the house for writing inspiration or do you have to be a member?

ANYONE can come by! Our cabaret space is often (though not always) empty during the day, and it’s a fun place to write. Of course, there are benefits to being a member–members at the Sentence level ($100+) can use our member writing office, which is stocked with a desk, books on the craft of writing, wifi, and general coziness.

What programmes and classes does HH offer to help aspiring authors?

Nearly all of our programs and classes can be useful to aspiring authors. Works in Progress, our twice-a-month open mic, is one great resource. And our writers-in-residence, Tara Hardy and Peter Mountford, are another–they will meet with you for free to talk about writing and your work! You can also choose from many workshop-based (feedback on existing work) or generative (prompts for creating new work) classes. Also, keep an eye out for more “State of the Book Salons” that we present with Seattle7Writers.

Does fostering a community of writers help authors come out of their collective shells?

We talk about this a lot at Hugo House. Writers, after all, are pretty solitary creatures. But we’ve come to the same conclusion that people who regularly travel alone often come to–yes, being alone is fulfilling and key to who you are, but it makes it that much more important to have a landing pad to return to. The writers’ community, of which Hugo House is proudly a part, is that landing pad.

Any words of advice for aspiring authors?

1) Find a niche, and 2) don’t just labor alone in your garret.

The writers that I see succeeding in Seattle and beyond are, more often than not, those that lay claim to a certain subject matter, audience, genre or subgenre, reading style, or area of expertise, and are willing to make connections with others. It’s not “networking”–it’s being part of a community. If you go to people’s readings, they will come to yours. Honestly, it isn’t about being a perfect writer–it’s about being a good-enough writer that stands out in your chosen field who’s always trying to improve and who’s willing to be a part of something bigger.

How has HH helped YOU grow as an author?

Osmosis! Well, sort of–just being around this many writers, and this much writing, on a daily basis really forces you to bring your A-game. And while most of my writing energy is used up at work for grants, letters, blog posts, annual reports, and the like, I’ve found that my editing muscles have really bulked up. Part of that is training and practice I’ve pursued outside of Hugo House (my continuing work with Northwest Essay, the nine-month certificate in editing I got from the UW, joining the Northwest Independent Editors Guild), but much of it is editing material here at work–and having my own materials edited, too!

1st Annual Richard Hugo House Local Celebrity Spelling Bee Logo

As a lifelong word nerd, I participated in spelling bees when I was younger. When I heard about the Celebrity Spelling Bee, it was an easy decision to attend. Whose idea was it to do a twist on such an American school tradition?

Brian McGuigan, the program director, and I came up with it together. We knew we wanted a lower-level fundraising event to balance out our $150/plate springtime dinner auction and we knew we wanted it to be raucous and irreverent. Taking the general spelling bee model, and adding local celebrities, cheating (people can bid money to cheat their faves into the next round), and a bar…well, the math made sense, and the Celebrity Spelling Bee was born. We’ve done it for two years now, and I hope we do it for many more. It’s got some room to grow; I hope we can make it a landmark event.

As I mentioned earlier, you are also a tutor with 826 Seattle. One of our Community Business Partners just happens to be one of my favorite shops in Seattle, the Greenwood Space Travel Supply Co. located easily enough, on Greenwood. Can you talk a little about the 826 Seattle connection with all things spacey?

Sure! The original 826 is 826 Valencia in San Francisco; 826 Seattle is now one of eight chapters around the country. The basic model is that there is a wacky retail store out front and a tutoring and writing center in the back (I believe this tradition descended from the retail zoning of the 826 Valencia location). For us here in Seattle, the theme is space travel, which riffs on our “Jet City” history. Hugo House and 826 Seattle are great complements to each other, and great resources for writers of all ages in Seattle; you’ll often find some of the same adult volunteers contributing time to Hugo House and 826. As far as youth writing instruction goes, I view it as a two-tiered system: 826 Seattle is about welcoming access to writing support and encouraging creative and critical expression; Hugo House youth programming is welcoming, too, but asks more of its participants, who tend to self-identify as “writers” and are looking to develop their craft. We have a fair share of those kids at 826, too, of course, but the time commitment alone required of Hugo youth programs (for example, two straight weeks of the Scribes summer camp) means you really gotta be into it.

826 Seattle

How long have you been a tutor with 826 Seattle?

I started volunteering as a tutor at 826 in October of 2005. Apparently, I was the first person to fill out the online volunteer application, which is a fun not-actually-an-award to have. I still tutor; I’ve also led many workshops and helped out with multiple fundraising efforts, too. Plus, I met my now-husband there–so I feel like I got a pretty good deal out of it all!

What’s in store for the rest of 2012 and can you share a little of what can we look forward to in 2013 for Hugo House and 826 Seattle?

For me, I’ll be focusing on Hugo House’s year-end fundraising campaign, tutoring on Monday nights at 826 Seattle, and editing essays through Northwest Essay (right now is our busy time, as people are readying their applications for undergrad and graduate programs). At Hugo House, through the end of the year and next spring, we have the three remaining events in our 2012-13 Literary Series (featuring writers like Ryan Boudinot, Patricia Smith, and Cheryl Strayed), as well as many other events and tons of classes. 826 Seattle is in the midst of after-school tutoring (including high school-only tutoring from 6 – 8 p.m., M – Th!), field trips, workshops, and more, which will continue through the rest of the school year.

Finally, we here at GeekGirlCon, love sharing our geekdoms. What have you been geeking over lately?

Bread! I do a lot of amateur baking; currently I’m tweaking flour ratios and testing new baking vessels for my basic naturally leavened bread, which I make with a sourdough culture that lives in a jar on my kitchen table. My next step is to create a system of note-taking about changes that I make. It’s fun to make things up based on memory, but not as effective for improvement, perhaps, as methodically tracking my every baking move.

Bread! Delicious!

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule and if you are interested in any of the programs that Rebecca mentioned above, please click through to read more!

Kristine Hassell is the Twitter Administrator for GeekGirlCon.

Shiboo_Krismer
“Rock On!”

Geeks Run The World: The Force is Strong with this One

How’s it going, readers? Shubz here, presenting you with a new blog piece called “Geeks Run the World,” where we learn a little more about some of our geeky peers that operate their own business! Kicking it off is our very own Meg Humphrey, who is the owner, designer, and operator of The Force is Strong with this One.

Star Wars Comics Skirt courtesy of Meg

1: Tell us about The Force is Strong with this One.

The Force is Strong with this One is an idea that spawned from too many people asking me if I have an Etsy store. I’ve been sewing my own nerdy/whatever-I-think-is-cute clothing since I was 13. I’ve always gotten compliments on my skirts and dresses whenever I wear them, especially at conventions. I’m really open about my obsessive and nerdy interests so it was only natural that I’d make myself Star Wars dresses, Disney skirts, or cupcake headbands.

Over the last few years, I’ve noticed more and more people want to wear things that I’ve been sporting for over a decade. There is still a kitsch factor to the clothes and accessories, but it’s becoming more ordinary to see Chewbacca’s face on someone’s clothing or Iron Man on their handbag. At Emerald City Comicon 2012, I was so bombarded with questions about my clothes, if I have store, if I do commissions, etc., that I decided to take the plunge. I spent all of April and May making products and had my first show in June at VanConShow. Five months, a tumblr, five conventions as a vendor, and a BRAND NEW ETSY later, I feel like I’ve gotten the swing of things!

2: What separates your business from other online clothing stores out there?

I’m not sure it really separates me, but everything I make I would want to wear myself! Being a bigger girl (and much bigger when I started sewing), I make a wider range of sizes and try to only make things that I think would be comfortable and flattering. But really, I just think everything I make is cute! I think a lot about what colors work well (even down to the color of the thread I use), and I’m pretty careful when I choose patterns. Just because a fabric has Spider-Man or whoever on it, doesn’t mean I’ll automatically use it. I also try really hard not to overcharge. I understand what goes into sewing. So when I see a skirt of basically equal quality, material, and design going for $65 (mine are priced $20-30), I think it’s just ridiculous! I wouldn’t pay that much so I don’t charge that much. I’m want to support and be available for the everyday nerd!

3: What is your favorite piece you’ve created?

The Empire Strikes Back Apron (Take 2) courtesy of Meg

That would have to be my Empire Strikes Back Apron (Take 2)! At Rose City Comic Con, Tyler from A Wave Blue World bought it to wear while he cooks for his wife. When I saw him again at Jet City Comic Show, he told me she loves it! I’m also super happy with how my tote bags and drawstring backpacks have turned out. I get told by customers that they get a ton of compliments! It’s super important to me that everyone is happy with what they buy.

4: What is the most valuable lesson you have learned as a woman in business?

There are so many things! I think the most important lesson is that there will always be something you’ll forget. When I started this up, I was overwhelmed by everything I hadn’t thought about – a website, business cards, table displays, a cash box, etc. A business is never JUST the product, but that was the only thing I really knew about when I started. Plus, I think at every convention I’ve sold at I’ve forgotten SOMETHING – my swatch books, some price tags, once I even forgot to bring money for my cash box! Thankfully, my dad knows me well enough and had some fives and ones stashed away for such an occasion. You can’t freak out over this stuff – especially if you’re at a con out-of-town. You have to go with the flow and make it work. If you can, make sure you have friends and family who have been through the same experience or at least be willing to help you when you need it. I wouldn’t be in business at all if my friend Kami (TalisX on deviant art.) hadn’t really pushed me into it. I wouldn’t have business cards or a website if my boyfriend wasn’t much more savvy with computers than I am!

5: You are also on staff for GeekGirlCon, as well as holding it down with a day job WHILE running your business – how do balance it all?

I’m also the Panels Coordinator for Sakura-Con, and I’m planning on going to grad school soon. Thankfully, I’m one of those people who always needs something to work on, and I’m a chronic multitasker. If I’m chilling and watching some anime or crime shows, I’ll be pinning a garment, sketching patterns, or doing con work. Now I’m not saying that I’m spot on with my time tables – sometimes I take too long to respond to emails or I have to put projects on the back burner or stay up waaaay too late to finish my job. The key is that as much as I may complain about my workload and stress out about deadlines, I really love what I’m doing and the amazing folks I’ve met. Treating myself to a super amazing dinner every now and then as a reward for hard work doesn’t hurt either!

Hello Kitty Drawstring Bag courtesy of Meg (This one is Shubz’ favorite!)

Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to share about your business, Meg! For more about The Force is Strong with this One, visit http://www.etsy.com/shop/ForceApparel. Readers, how do you manage your busy geeky lifestyle? Shoot us a comment below!


Got a blog idea or want to know how to contribute content to our blog? Email Shubz Blalack at shubz@geekgirlcon.com!

Shiboo_Krismer
“Rock On!”

SteamCon 2012 with Adrienne Fox

Hey GeekGirlCon fans! This is Adrienne Fox, former GeekGirlCon copywriter turned guest blogger, reporting on Steamcon IV at Shubz’s request.

Steamcon is a regional convention in the Pacific Northwest dedicated to steampunk. Steampunk, if you are not familiar with it, is a sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy based on steam-powered mechanisms focused in the 19th century, most often during the Victorian era. But, that is a very simple description. The steampunk aesthetic has grown beyond literature to art, music, costumes, clothing, and even Justin Bieber. After four successful conventions, Steamcon shows no sign of slowing down.

The inspiration for Steamcon IV was “Victorian Monsters.” The steampunk crowd had a lot of fun with the theme and showed off costumes from the fantastical to silly, and even scary. Check out the KOMO news photos, the Seattle Weekly slideshow, or the Steamcon IV Flickr pool.

I chose to go the monster hunter route so I could vanquish the likes of any vampires or werewolves lurking in the glow of gaslight. It is always better to patrol in pairs so I bought along my friend—and her crossbow.

Even a monocled, gentleman werewolf was not safe from our pursuit.

Batgirl and Supergirl lent a hand to rid the con of evil…

…and mad scientists. (But seriously this extra-capacity brain set up is totally amazing.)

So amazing that I believe another view of that awesome mad scientist is necessary. And check out the antique syringes on the belt.

Lots more families donning the steampunk garb at Steamcon IV. So cute!

Steampunk has a neat aesthetic no doubt, and it’s easy to get caught up in a word of mad science, shiny brass gears, bustles, and buckles. However, because the Victorian era was also one of extreme racism, classism, and sexism, it can be problematic to adopt uncritically the styles, etiquette, and habits of the period. Just as GeekGirlCon strives to create space for everyone, including the often marginalized fans, there is a dedicated group in steampunk working toward inclusiveness. Check out blogs like Silver Goggles, Beyond Victoriana, and Steampunk Emma Goldman for critical insights into the era and the steampunk community itself.

Next year, the Steamcon theme is “Around the World.” I might pull out the ol’ airship mechanic coveralls inspired by Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker for next year. Or do something totally new—who knows. If you were to attend Steamcon V, what kind of costume would you put together?


Adrienne Fox is a conservationist by day, but by night this geek unwinds on the couch with some Firefly and Hammer horror. Or you might find her cozied up with a stack of comics and steaming cup of Earl Grey. Adrienne came to Seattle by way of a childhood in Pennsylvania and college years in Rhode Island. For as long as she can remember she’s been amassing geek collectibles, like the mail-away for Boba Fett, her 12-inch talking Tick, and recently obtained BSG Top Gun stein. Also a rabid soccer fan, her love of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Manchester United, and the Seattle Sounders knows no bounds. You may see her at Emerald City Comicon, Steamcon, the “Clink,” and random comic shops around town.

Shiboo_Krismer
“Rock On!”

Celebrate National Craft Month

Did you know that March is National Craft Month? So says the Craft & Hobby Association and all the coupons and announcements coming into to crafters’ inboxes. We geeks don’t need much of a push to make more crafts. At GeekGirlCon ‘11, we hosted two crafty workshops. Bonnie Burton showed our attendees how to make our favorite Star Wars characters as paper bag puppets. And The GeekGirlCon Design Team demonstrated how to make a sock puppet modeled after the puppets in Labyrinth.

Our staff is full of artists and crafters. Just the other week, GeekGirlCon Social Media Manager, Bunny Cole, made cat toys in the shape of a Star Trek communicator.

Here’s a note from Bunny about her catnip communicator:

I adopted an itty bitty kitty in February, and as a nod to my love of both languages and Star Trek, I named my little darling Nyota, which means “star” in Swahili. And since any kitten named for Lt. Uhura wouldn’t dream of leaving the house without a communicator, I obliged to make her set of felt and catnip communicator badges.

The process was quite simple, on a piece of yellow felt from the craft store, I traced the outline of the badge as many times as I could fit onto the felt and cut out each piece. Then, using my sewing machine, I stitched pairs together, leaving about half an inch unstitched. Then I stuffed each badge with stuffing and catnip and sewed the hole closed. Next up was embellishing each badge with a black line around the edges and an elongated star in the middle. Easy to do with a fat-tipped Sharpie!

And there you have it! Nyota loves her new toys and is often seen snuggling them in her cubbie.

Anna Daniell, our Facebook Administrator, makes super-cool earrings out of electrical tape. Anna tells us a little bit more about her creations:

I like to use uncommon materials to make arts and crafts. I often use electrical tape and wire to make earrings. I originally made larger duct tape roses, but I switched to electrical tape for earrings since I liked the texture better. Besides roses, I have also made glow-in-the-dark Pac-Man Ghost earrings and green, violet, and indigo Lantern Flower rings. These are more complicated to make than roses, but the result is definitely worth it.

And the crafts keep rolling on! GeekGirlCon is hosting more craft days between now and GeekGirlCon ‘12. Watch our website for announcements about a Doctor Who scarf knitting event and a day for kids of all ages to make their very own superhero cape.

Tell us about your geeky crafts or propose an idea for a craft day in the comments.

Guest Contributor
“Rock On!”

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