We’re going on a bit of a hiatus through the new year to refuel, but we’ll be right back in action come January 7. You can expect a ton of new content and exciting announcements regarding GeekGirlCon 2020 (our tenth anniversary, have you!)
Until then, curl up with your pets, open some presents, and drink a hot cup of tea. Rewatch your favorite season of Battlestar Galactica and play some Pokemon—indulge in your favorites, or pick up something new! Recharge and take some time for yourself as we leap into a new decade.
From my family to yours, Happy Holidays from the GeekGirlCon. We’ll see you in 2020.
Most cosplay can be reused, but there will come a time when old costumes need to be repurposed due to size, expense, or just age. When it comes time to get rid of your old cosplay outfits and props, the trash can might not be the best option. Those props and pieces of clothing are often filled with materials that must be safely recycled, and tossing them in the trash could potentially be a health hazard. Even just regular fabric often cannot be recycled easily and ends up more often than not in the landfill. To avoid causing a strain on the environment, follow these simple steps.
Reuse What You Can
In many cases, costume parts and props can be broken down or reused for different projects if the cosplay they were originally created for is no longer viable. Old cosplay that no longer fits could also be gifted to younger cosplayers. Materials that have been ripped or broken could still have useable parts for other projects. Wire, padding, and mesh can be removed and reused. Be creative and see what you can still make use of!
We are 8 days from the Winter Solstice, or the shortest day of the year. That means on December 21st, Seattle will have a grand total of 8 hours, 25 minutes, and 27 seconds of “daytime.” Every morning, as I stare out the window drinking my cup of coffee, I am confronted with a moody greyness that’s hard to shake off. I know it’s probably too early in the season to start complaining about The Grey, but I can’t help myself. It’s dark out there!
This year, I’ve developed a new morning ritual to remind me of sunnier days. I sit with my houseplants.
I know, I’m a plant lady.
Calatheas can be finicky, but are quite pretty [Image description: A leaf from a Calathea makoyana, also known as a Peacock Plant. The leaf is “round, pale, glossy green leaves. The upper surfaces of the leaves are marked with dark green blotches along the veins, and the lower surfaces colored deep purple, with leaf shafts that are very thin” (Wikipedia).]
Bullying has been portrayed in movies, television shows, plays, and more for years. There’s a reason for that, too. Simply put, “art reflects reality.” Bullying is such a popular topic in media because it’s so prevalent in today’s society. Just how much of a problem is it? According to the Bureau of Justice, about 160,000 teens in the United States have skipped school due to bullying.
Do you hear what I hear? Could it be the dulcet tones of the approaching holidays, sneaking up to ambush us with last minute shopping panic? Why yes, I think it just may be!
Description: Jack Skellington flings his arms wide, scattering snowflakes about. Image courtesy of Giphy
No matter what holiday you celebrate, it is always enjoyable to give to others. Seeing their faces light up as they open a gift chosen with care an affection is undoubtedly one of the best parts of the season. To help you spread the love, I’ve put together this list of gifts that may just put you on the nice list with the geeks in your life.
Note: we are not getting any type of compensation from retailers to feature any of these products. These are simply items that I have found fun and useful.
Amazon Kindle: $49.99-$299.99
Description: A front and back shot of a Kindle Paperwhite featuring the prologue of a book. Image courtesy of amazon.com
For the bookworm, I would recommend a Kindle. There are a lot of perks of having a Kindle, and one of the biggest ones I have found is that I always have something to read because I can carry thousands of books with me wherever I go. There are multiple models to fit just about any budget. You can get a full blown ten inch tablet or a simple book reader. Whatever your lover of books desires, you are sure to find something that suits them just right.
Williams Sonoma Harry Potter Ultimate Silicone Spatula Set: $31.96-$39.95
Description: Four spatulas of varying designs and sizes featuring the Hufflepuff house crest. Image courtesy of williamssonoma.com
Do you know someone who whips up absolute magic in the kitchen? Make their holidays extra enchanting with this handy set of four Hogwarts House themed silicone spatulas! The set includes two mini spatulas, one medium spatula, and a flat flexible nylon spatula emblazoned with your favorite house crest. The spatulas are heat resistant and dishwasher safe. If you don’t think you will use all four, you can also purchase individuals.
Description: A set of five no-show socks cleverly designed as different cats. Image courtesy of hottopic.com
Yes, socks! Hear me out—socks are inexpensive, useful, and fun! Gone are the days when socks were possibly the most boring gift ever. You can find all kinds of silly socks in a variety of styles, from no show, to crew, to fuzzy, to knee high, in fun designs. When your friends don their fun and funky socks, they will think fondly of the friend who is keeping their tootsies toasty.
My Personal Pick: Kitty Cat No-Show Socks 5 Pair, $14.90 from Hot Topic
Description: A box containing a Friends themed card trivia game. Image courtesy of boxlunch.com
Channel your inner Holiday Armadillo and gift your friends with the gift of Friends! How many categories of towels does Monica have? What does Chandler do for a living? Test your knowledge of this iconic show with your own gang for a good time this holiday.
Description: Max the dog joyfully distributes presents. Image courtesy of Giphy
Sometimes you really want to give someone a gift, but they insist that they really don’t want anything. Maybe they feel like they have a lot of stuff already, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t give them a heartfelt and meaningful gift—you can donate to a charity in their name. Find a cause that is meaningful to them and reach out to local organizations to find out how you can help.
Many societies venerate the stereotype of the crone. Wisdom pours from her ancient eyes. Her face is a roadmap of experience and understanding.
But if you tune in to any American television station, you’ll see bevels of younger beauties and hardly a female face over 60. When shows do portray older women, they pigeonhole them as evil stepmothers or meddling mothers-in-law. We need to redefine what it means to age as a woman in media and start treating wrinkles like badges of honor, not targets for the Botox needle!
Why Are There Negative Stereotypes Against Older Women?
Think back to the fairy tales you loved most as a child. What do Snow White and Cinderella have in common? A wicked stepmother. Even Bugs Bunny featured the crone mystique as the decidedly ditzy Witch Hazel. If early writers needed a villain, an older woman fit the bill.
Part of the negative stereotype stems from ancient times. Before the Romans arrived, older women were seen to hold the healing wisdom of generations. They prepared everything from cold remedies to love potions. However, in the latter years of the Roman Empire, the Romans subjugated these women, fearing their teachings interfered with those of the Church. Some evidence now suggests interactions with pagans weren’t always violent. Nevertheless, it was the beginning of the end for the worship of the older female generations.
Is it hard for anyone else to believe that GeekGirlCon was a full two weeks ago? Maybe it’s because the daily routine of work, sleep, and Con-less days has set in; maybe it’s because this fall has felt like it’s lasted about two second, but I for one am already feeling nostalgic for the whirlwind of panels, workshops, cosplay contests, DIY Science Zone-ing, Exhibitor Hall-perusing, merch-purchasing days of the Con.
The perfect solution to the post-Con blues? Looking through all of the awesome photos from the #GGC19 photobooth! Taken by veteran GeekGirlCon photographer Sayed Alamy, the full photobooth album is up on Flickr now.
While I highly recommend looking through them all to fully relive the Con magic (and get excited for next year!), here are just a few of my favorites:
Image Description: Three people cosplaying as Hogwarts students.Image Description: Two people cosplaying as ghostbusters.Image Description: Two people cosplaying as Belle and Gaston from Beauty and the Beast.Image Description: Four people cosplaying as the Heathers, from Heathers.Image Description: Two people cosplaying as Princess Bubblegum and Marceline.Image Description: A person wearing a beanie, denim jacket, glasses, and a t-shirt that reads “Black Girl Magic.” They are holding their hands on their hips.Image Description: Three people cosplaying as King Trident, Ursula, and Ariel from The Little Mermaid.Image Description: A person cosplaying as General Leia Organa.
Response to Sexual Assault Allegations against Hope Nicholson
On Nov. 20 Hope Nicholson, one of GeekGirlCon’s past featured contributors, identified herself as the assailant in an alleged sexual assault. GeekGirlCon has a zero-tolerance policy against sexual harassment and assault, therefore Nicholson is banned from any future participation in GeekGirlCon events.
GeekGirlCon had no knowledge of Nicholson’s actions prior to Nov. 20, as all featured contributors go through a strict vetting process. This is to ensure respect for all attendees through the creation of safe spaces. Violations of these safe spaces have never and will never be tolerated by GeekGirlCon.
GeekGirlCon’s mission is to foster continued growth among the geek community by celebrating and honoring the legacies of under-represented groups in science, technology, comics, arts, literature, gameplay, and game design. GeekGirlCon representative Kristine Hassell Director of Community Engagement said “Since we learned of these allegations, we removed Nicholson from our list of Featured Contributors and will not have her back at any event hosted by GeekGirlCon. We are examining our panel selection process to look for ways to improve. Should the criteria be revised, we will announce any changes to panel processes for 2020.”
GeekGirlConcelebrates and honors the legacies of under-represented groups in science, technology, comics, arts, literature, gameplay, and game design. We do this by connecting geeks worldwide and creating an intersectional community that fosters the continued growth of women and their allies. Embrace your inner geek with us, email press@geekgirlcon.com or visit geekgirlcon.com.
For more information or to set up an interview with a representative from GeekGirlCon, contact Ceilia Gutentag at pressrelations@geekgirlcon.com.
Another amazing GeekGirlCon is in the books. This year’s convention was definitely my favorite so far (though to be fair, I’ve been saying every year for nine years—and will continue to say it in the years to come). We had amazing panels, spectacular featured contributors, delightful musical performances, and most importantly an awesome, engaged community of attendees (that’s you!)
Whether you attended those panels, lifted your voice at a sing-along or concert, showed off your cosplay creations, played a game, met your favorite author, or found new treasures in our exhibitor’s hall, you contributed to GeekGirlCon. You continue to surprise and delight us each year. We do it for you, but we couldn’t do it without you.
Thank you for sharing your world (and your weekend) with GeekGirlCon. We’ll see you soon.
With love, Sharon Magliano Feliciano President, GeekGirlCon Board of Directors
First off, from everyone at GeekGirlCon, thank you so much to our Agents, attendees, contributors, and exhibitors. As always, we just cannot do GeekGirlCon without you. Thanks for making the magic with us.
Before we beginning peppering your feeds with some more formal recaps of the weekend, I wanted to bring some cheer to this Monday we’re all experiencing while coming down from our con high with some staff selfies from the weekend. So peruse these, reflect on the pure joy of the weekend, and share yours with us using #GG19.
Amy on Friday, pre-setup.
Julie and Beth setting up and definitely not violating even ONE safety protocol.
