No matter the holidays one does or doesn’t celebrate, I think we can all agree: partaking in traditions with loved ones is awesome. And when said traditions include geeky elements, even better. This month, the GeekGirlCon staff was asked to share some of their favorite customs that feature nerdy flair.
Gaming Events Coordinator Andy Munich answered the question with gusto for one of the most imaginative nights of the year, “I’ve been known to run a Halloween themed RPG for friends while they take turns answering the door for trick-or-treaters. This year’s was based on the 1987 masterpiece Monster Squad.”
Adrienne Roehrich, the Manager of Editorial Services and Vice President of the Board, described traditions she’s enjoyed during childhood and as an adult. “The geeky family tradition that I had as a child was playing a game or doing a puzzle on New Year’s Eve. My dad would buy a special 1000 piece puzzle or we’d get a new board game and we’d open it up and play for the first time on New Year’s Eve. We’d head to bed after midnight and spend some time on the puzzles the next day and for a couple weekends until it was finished. Only one board game lasted longer than one night – the year my sister got Risk for Christmas. That game went on forever.
“As an adult, I continued the tradition with my spouse and children. For awhile, our game night friends came over on New Year’s Eve and we’d play a board game or two and video games as well. Since moving to Seattle a few years ago, it has just been my spouse and children and I playing our New Year’s Eve board and video games.”
Sheila Sadeghi, Director of Marketing, has created a great tradition of her own as well. “Valve always does a holiday update for Team Fortress 2, so I gear up all my favorite characters in warm outfits and “festive” weapons. That way, I can really feel the holiday cheer coursing through my veins as I sip eggnog and blow up tiny cowards on my screen.”
Sylvia Monreal, GeekGirlCon’s Hospitality and Transportation Manager, described an autumn scene she and her pals began a few years back. “While I was in college, my friends and I would buy a new video game on the night before Thanksgiving and try to beat it before the the end of the weekend. This year, we screened the Star Wars movies while cooking Thanksgiving dinner for our friends, then played Super Smash for dessert.”
Special Event Manager Maddy VonHoff describes how her father helps make this time of year extra special (and geeky). “My dad loves Christmas, so much so that he has two Christmas trees. There’s a normal Christmas tree upstairs with your standard ornaments. But the other tree downstairs celebrates our shared geek genes. This tree is surrounded by Captain America wall decals and comic books, and is decorated with companion cube lights and avengers ornaments. Every year Gandalf brings us one present and puts it under the Geek Christmas tree. It could be a board game, a Walking Dead figurine, a comic book, etc. Every year I wonder what Gandalf and Santa Claus talk about when they meet up at our house on Christmas Eve. This year I’m hoping Gandalf forgets about a gift and takes me on an adventure instead!”
As a Copy Writer for GeekGirlCon, I revel in just about any epic story, and the cold of the winter solstice creates the perfect time to catch a newly released movie. This combo has led to me seeing films such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy in theatres with my friends and family over the past few years. Of course, my favorite holiday remains Halloween, when I can play dress up to express my love of comic books and animated films. In recent years, I’ve gone as Princess Mononoke, and have been part of group costumes from Alice in Wonderland, The Cat in the Hat, and Josie and the Pussycats.
Do you have any geeky holiday traditions? Do you plan to start any this year?
Has it sunk in that GeekGirlCon ‘14 is just five days away?! That fact still doesn’t feel quite real to me, but I’m glad that it is! While there will be thousands of awesome things to do there, one of my personal favorites parts of the Con is seeing all the crazy-creative cosplay. Many GeekGirlCon staff members get in on the fun too, and we wanted to give you a sneak peek into some of our ideas so you can spot us over the course of the weekend.
Kristine Hassell, Social Media Manager and President of the Board, describes her first foray into cosplaying and her plans for this year. “Despite attending conventions for many years, I cosplayed for the first time ever during GeekGirlCon ’13 with a group of fellow staffers and friends. I had an absolute blast so when the opportunity returned this year, I jumped at the chance! Most of last year’s group will be returning with new members and surprises. I was a punk senshi Luna last year and this year, I’ll be a punk senshi Sailor Mars! I’m an old school punk at heart anyway, so costuming this was an easy walk down memory lane. I can’t wait to show off the new work on my jacket and take a group photograph with my fellow senshi (and friends). Lastly, one of the best parts of doing this particular group cosplay is that each Scout will have stickers to give attendees if they can find us on the floor. Last year, it was so cute to have children find me on the floor and muster up the courage to ask me for a sticker or a photograph!”
Tiffany Smith, Meg Humphrey, Kristine Hassell and Sammy Ng
Photo credit: Sammy Ng
Even though life gets extra busy during Con season, Copy Writer Jess Downs is still down for dressing up. “I had grand plans for a new cosplay, but life intervened,” she describes, “so I’m going to recycle the Rainbow Dash outfit I made for GeekGirlCon last year. At least I have gotten a brand new wig since then!”
Accounting Manager Karen Hampton also understands how hard it can be to find time to put together a full cosplay outfit. She explains, “I won’t be able to cosplay this year, although I do have some flashy accessories and makeup I’m looking forward to wearing. I loved seeing the cosplayers last year. Among my favorites (you’re all my favorites!) were a Bee & Puppycat cosplayer and a genderbending young man dressed up as Aeris from Final Fantasy VII, with a full-on beard.”
Adrienne Roehrich, Manager of Editorial Services and Vice President of the Board, is excited to cosplay as well. “On Sunday, my ‘Cosplay, Parenting, and the Word ‘Appropriate’’ co-panelist Mary and I will be cosplaying Jamie and Adam from Mythbusters, respectively. Neither of us have done that cosplay before, so I don’t have pictures, but we decided to coordinate our cosplay only a few weeks ago and needed something we could each put together in a relatively short time-frame that we both have enjoyed. Even though I’ve cosplayed at Sakura-Con and ECCC, I’ve never cosplayed at GeekGirlCon, and I’m looking forward to this.”
As a huge fan of strong female characters, this year I’ve decided to cosplay as Carmen Sandiego. I also enjoy travel, being sneaky, and making tons of puns, so I think she’s perfect. Please feel free to come up and say hi at GeekGirlCon ’14 — if you can spy me running around! If you haven’t yet, purchase your passes now, and get ready for an unforgettable weekend!
Written by Adrienne M Roerich, Manager of Editorial Services
GeekGirlCon ‘14 is getting closer and closer, and the staff is very excited. We work hard all year to put on a fantastic and fun weekend, and we enjoy it as much as our community. One of my favorite questions to ask as the con approaches is:
What are you looking forward to at GeekGirlcon ‘14?
I am looking forward to so much at GeekGirlCon ‘14. The cosplay gets better and better each year! As a member of the copy team, I get to see all the programming as it is prepared for the program book. Let me just say, the panels, gaming floor, the GeekGirlConnections room, the Saturday night entertainment are all superb. We are so lucky to have a community that helps us put forward this amazing convention every year, and I’m excited to talk to so many of you!
“I’m looking forward to having a great time meeting intelligent, creative, passionate geeks and geek-lovers. People really make the con for me, and GeekGirlCon has some truly great people,” says Sheila Sadeghi, Director of Marketing.
“There are countless parts of GeekGirlCon ’14 I’m pumped about, but one panel that stands out to me is “3D Printing 101” with Breanna Anderson and Ericka M. Johnson. I’ve been fascinated by 3D printers forever now, but have never seen one in person. I’m excited to learn more about them and hopefully watch the printing of a geeky item!” contributed Copy Writer, AJ Dent.
“I’d definitely say there are some amazing panels coming up this year, with amazingly talented panelists. I’m also really looking forward to the COSPLAY!!! I haven’t done cosplay myself, and I keep meaning to do so…and then I run out of time. And hours in the day to make things. If I had any talent for photography, I would volunteer to be convention photographer so that I had an excuse to take amazing pictures all day, both days!” declared SG-1, Copy Writer.
“Aside from the fun festive atmosphere created by a sea of people in cosplay, I’m most looking forward to all the different panels. I think GeekGirlCon has the highest quality panels out of any con I’ve attended, and I always end up learning something new, or seeing things in a new light. This year, not only do I get to attend a bunch of panels as part of my copywriting position, I’ll also be able to write about the highlights for the GeekGirlCon blog.” answered Copy Writer, Jess Downs.
“I am looking forward to watching all the hard work by the GeekGirlCon staff unfold. I’m excited to meet the volunteers and hopefully attend some panels. I’m excited to meet more of the GeekGirlCon community.” added Allison Borngesser, Designer.
“I’m looking forward to so much. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite, as I am really so excited for ALL THE THINGS happening at GeekGirlCon ’14. I love the programming lineup we have, the return of the DIY Science Zone, the epic gaming dungeon/floor, the concert, the fantastic contributors to GeekGirlConnections, and all the cosplay. I do have a particularly weak spot for our Exhibitor floor and Artist Alley as well — so many amazing things! Mostly I look forward to our incredible band of Agents, the dedicated and gifted contributors, the tireless staff, and all of the attendees that make up the GeekGirlCon family. I feel truly grateful to be able to be a part of this, and I think 2014 is going to be a great year for GeekGirlCon! Yee, as they say, Haw!” exclaimed Amanda Powter, GeekGirlCon’s Executive Director.
Let us know: what are you looking forward to at GeekGirlCon ‘14?
Here at GeekGirlCon, many of the staff members’ passions naturally cross over into multiple genres. Since music is such a huge part of everyday (nerd) life, this month, we explored our favorite tunes or singers with a geeky twist.
Director of Marketing Sheila Sadeghi answered, “My favorite geeky song of all time has got to be ‘Geeks in Love’, written by Lemon Demon and animated by Andrew Keppple.
It was made for Albino Blacksheep back in the day, but you can now watch it [in a slighty NWFW video] on YouTube:”
Susie Rantz, GeekGirlCon’s fearless PR Manager, states, “I will never get sick of the Mo Mo O’Brien parody song ‘LORDE of the Rings’. Any song that weaves in Lord of the Rings is already a winner in my book, but this one has some particularly fun lyrics. ‘We’re going to Mordor (Mooordor).’ So fun!”
Copywriter SG-1 was happy to share thoughts on her favorite geeky artist as well. “Weird Al Yankovic’s entire album Dare to be Stupid is just a complete classic. It starts with the beeps of a heart monitor in “Like a Surgeon”, goes through “Girls Just Wanna Have Lunch”, and finishes up with a rousing “Hooked on Polkas” that sticks in my head for days. I originally had it on cassette when I was much younger, and then decided I was too grown up for such silliness – and I gave it to my little sister. When I realized I never wanted to be too grown up for Weird Al, she wouldn’t give it back. So now I have it on CD. It lives in my car, and tends to get blasted on the way home from a long day at work. :-)”
GeekGirlCon Accounting Manager Karen Hampton weighed in as well. “I love video game music. All the music on my playlists is video game music. I’ve been to some live concerts (Play! Symphony, Video Games Live, the Minibosses, Video Game Orchestra and Metroid Metal.) I like other sub-genres too, like chip tunes, and I’m open to vocals in my remixes.
I must love Tommy Tallarico’s Video Games Live show best, because I’ve been to two of their shows in person and watched their Comic-Con performance live via Twitch. I even backed their Level 3 Kickstarter last year.
After that, my favorite performance is Symphonic Fantasies, a medley of songs from Kingdom Hearts, Chrono Trigger/Cross, Final Fantasy, and Secret of Mana. I couldn’t attend that show in person, but I do have the two versions (from Colonge, Germany and Tokyo) of the performance on CD.
I used to feel very alone in liking game music, but I’m happy to say that the community has really grown in the last 10 years.”
Let’s keep the community behind all of these geek-tastic music tastes growing! What’s your favorite geeky song or musical group? Feel free to comment here, and join the discussion at GeekGirlCon ’14!
While the regular season may have completed and off-season running, I thought it was the perfect time to ask my fellow GeekGirlCon staffers what their favorite current television show is. I added the stipulation that “current” required the series to be airing episodes currently or, even if there was a recent season finale, it is renewed for upcoming episodes.
Orphan Black season 2 promotional poster courtesy of Hypable
For me, I wish I could say I was on the bandwagon from the start, but I wasn’t. When the previews for a new show called Orphan Black came up during the Doctor Who commercials, I was intrigued. But I didn’t start watching it. I don’t know why. I should have. It took until just before season 2 of Orphan Black and all sorts of people recommending it to me and hearing it recommended to others before I managed to binge-watch season 1. Unfortunately, it took me several weeks to binge-watch season 1 so then it was already episode 4 of season 2, and I had to catch up to! But I am loving it!
Tatiana Maslany is fantastic! I completely buy her several separate characters and it is often only in profile where you are reminded that it is the same person. The premise is mostly something I can buy into. Sometimes I have troubles when science is used as a basis for shows because as a scientist, I too easily poke the holes and am removed from the suspension of disbelief. I haven’t had too much trouble with Orphan Black, just here and there.
I’ve been gobbling up things like videos on how they do same frame same person and even clone touching clone, as well as articles on this show! I can’t say which is my favorite character, I love each one in a different way – Helena’s oddity and alienness and suffering, Alison’s quirks and holding it together and not holding it together, Cosima’s touching storyline and keeping her enemies close, Sarah’s trying to make the right decisions and somehow ending up worse and worse, Mrs. S’s developing narrative, Kira is soooo cute and has great chemistry with those she acts, or well, the list could go on. It is a special treat when one clone must impersonate another clone.
I really enjoy how fast-paced this show is. The writers don’t seem to be in fear of over-reaching their arc and giving away too much and having nothing left to give, as opposed to so many shows that hint at an arc but feel like they don’t move forward forever. In any case, now that I’m caught up, I can’t wait until next week’s episode!
GeekGirlConnections Manager, Susie Rantz, offered, “I am loving “The Bletchley Circle,” which follows four women who used to work as code-breakers during World War II. The women reunite years later to solve other crimes and mysteries. The writing, production, and acting provide a good look at the roles and struggles of women of the period, while the murder-mystery pacing of the show keeps it incredibly exciting!”
Social Media Manager and President of the Board, Kristine Hassell supplied, “I eagerly await the return ofLegend of Korra (LoK) by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino. LoK was created as a sequel to their series Avatar: The Last Airbender(A:tLA) which if you haven’t seen, you really should! You don’t have to watch A:tLA to enjoy LoK but there are a lot of treats for fans of the original show.
Quick tangent to explain why: A:tLA is one of the most inclusive American television series I have ever seen. There were delicious action sequences, witty dialogue, emotional moments (no really, there were tears), and at times, social commentary that I didn’t expect to see from a kids’ show. The cast was filled with people of color and respectfully set in a fantasy amalgam of Asian-inspired countries. I got to see characters that resonated with me as an Asian-American and that was amazing. Story. End of.
When the news broke that there would be a sequel with a female Avatar, AND she was a POC with a healthy physique, i.e., actually looked like she could kick some ass? Yeah, I was beside myself with excitement to meet her! Korra is strong without losing her femininity, headstrong, emotional, flawed… she’s just a great character to watch succeed and make mistakes. And like with A:tLA, you grow to love Korra’s crew like you came to enjoy Aang’s circle of friends.
There were new characters, new settings, and new animal mash-ups! Half-way through the series, I want to learn more about the characters that have been introduced and about what happened to the characters from A:tLA. The third book (season) will air some time this summer. The episodes are nearly finished so we might see more Korra as early as June! There will be a total of four books in the Korra story-line and it remains to be seen if overall it will be as solid as A:tLA. Regardless of that, LoK has not disappointed me thus far and I am excited to see how the creators complete her story!
Some of the main characters from LoK. Image from Collider.
Gaming Event Coordinator, Andy Munich, provided, “My least favorite ongoing genre show had become The Walking Dead, which I almost gave up on last season. However, with an emphasis on group cohesion, small sprinkles of warmth amongst the bleakness and (most importantly) the show’s willingness to increase and embrace the people of color in the cast, I’m back on board. I’m actually looking forward to it more than I have since it premiered.”
First image from season 5 of The Walking Dead on AMC.
Copywriter Sarah “SG-1” Grant, shares my favorite as well. “My favorite current TV show is Orphan Black on BBC America. It’s about a group of clones who have found out about each other’s existence, and their fight to find out where they came from. Tatiana Maslany plays all of the clones, and her range is amazing; the evidence is clear when clones have scenes together, and each clone has very different personalities, mannerisms, and expressions. The supporting cast is amazing as well, the most recognizable being Matt Frewer (of Eureka and Max Headroom fame) who plays the head of the evil (??) science corporation. He does an amazing job of being in charge and evil, while showing that he cares about what happens to each of these clones.”
Orphan Black Season 2 “Knowledge of Causes, and Secret Motion of Things” poster courtesy of BBC America.
What’s your favorite show that is currently on television?
Written by Adrienne Roehrich, Manager of Editorial Services and Vice President of the Board
With the start of the new year, it is time to look at the fresh calendar and fill it up with the events of our lives and of our interests. I asked GeekGirlCon staffers what things and events of geeky origin they are looking forward to in 2014. Here’s what they had to say.
Copy Writer SG-1 responded off the bat with an event all of us at GeekGirlCon can agree upon. “I’m definitely looking forward to GeekGirlCon ’14. As a Copy Writer, the vast majority of my work is completed before the convention doors open, so going to the convention, meeting other convention-goers, seeing friends I’ve made from past conventions and other geeky events over the years, and attending the panels I’ve been writing about for the program book is really what it’s all about for me. Meeting people I’ve admired for years–like GeekGirlCon ’13 guest Denise Crosby–is the icing on the biggest cake I can imagine. I can’t wait to see what we put together for this year!!”
Richard Dean Anderson during his MacGyver years. Image Source.
Copy Writer AJ Dent gave us another event many staffers attend (including me!). “Other than GeekGirlCon ’14 (!!), in 2014 I’m most looking forward to the Emerald City Comicon at the end of March. I missed it last year, and can’t make that mistake again! Having grown up watching The Princess Bride and Robin Hood: Men In Tights almost religiously, I’m mega-excited that actor Cary Elwes will be attending. I also recently learned that Richard Dean Anderson, aka MacGyver, briefly went to the same college I did, St. Cloud State University! I’ll probably awkwardly blurt this out if I get the chance to meet him, then ask him if we can be friends. Because I’m smooth like that.
UX Designer Kathryn Storm is into games and gadgets and gave me a few she is looking forward to this year. “Elder Scrolls Onlineand Below, both for Xbox One. Particularly, what I’ve seen as far as gameplay from Below looks so beautiful and captivating. I’m also looking forward to some biometric and virtual reality releases for gaming this year. And considering an Airo (probably the most interesting health monitor I’ve seen) even though I just bought a FitBit Flex. So many lovely gadgets!”
Below.
Elder Scrolls Online
Customer Service Manager Brittany Edwards continues with expected games in 2014. “Most of my geek origin story is rooted in PC gaming, so it’s only natural that what I’m most looking forward to is in that vein. The first PC release I’m looking forward to is Shadowrun: Dragonfall, new content for Shadowrun Returns, an amazing turn-based RPG I backed on Kickstarter situated in the Shadowrun universe, an intricately crafted cyberpunk/urban fantasy world. New content for Diablo III, titled Reaper of Souls, is something I’ve been eagerly awaiting since the original game’s release for PC in 2012. Both are scheduled to be released the beginning of this year.
“In addition to those, an MMO addition to the Elder Scrolls series (Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, etc.), aptly titled Elder Scrolls Online, is slated for an as-yet-undetermined release date sometime in 2014. I discovered Elder Scrolls late in the series, but I found the universe interesting and engaging in prior single-player iterations- and MMOs are one of my favourite PC game genres. I have been desperately seeking something to fill the hole World of Warcraft left in my heart, and I have high hopes for Elder Scrolls Online in this regard. Time will tell!”
Concept art from Elder Scrolls Online: Valenwood. Image Source.
President of the Board and Twitter Administrator Kristine Hassell will be spending a good portion of her time in the movie theater. (Believe me, I will be too!) “It would be daft not to say I was excited about our fourth convention but I’m also looking forward to the roster of geeky films hitting the local cinemas throughout 2014. There are almost too many films for me to name-check but here is my short list:
“On March 14th, Veronica Mars returns to Neptune for her ten year reunion. Let the snark begin! April 4th brings Captain America: The Winter Soldier. I can’t wait to see Black Widow again and meet Falcon for the first time. X-Men: Days of Future Past opens on May 23rd. Singer returns to the X-Men franchise and I have high hopes to see what they do with the Uncanny X-Men story lines.
“August is a busy month for comic book fans. On the 1st, we get Guardians of the Galaxy. Remember Benicio Del Toro’s cameo at the end of the last Thor? The Collector is back and we get Vin Diesel as Groot! On the 22nd, one of my favourite Texans, Robert Rodriguez returns us to Sin City for Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
“Katniss and co return on November 21st in another Mockingjay and rounding out the year’s geektastic film offerings? The final installation in The Hobbit trilogy on December 17th!”
What are you looking forward to this year?
Written by Adrienne M. Roehrich, Manager of Editorial Services
Cosplay is a crucial part of the fun at GeekGirlCon, and this year is amping up to be especially costume-filled. With October 19 and 20 less than two months away (can you believe it?!), we GeekGirlCon staff members are getting all our gear ready for the big event. And do we ever love discussing our ideas!
When it comes to her upcoming attire, Copy Writer SG-1 explains, “I’ve never cosplayed at a con before, despite having been to many Star Trek conventions and four years of Emerald City Comic Con. I’ve decided that my first GeekGirlCon is the perfect place for my first cosplay!
I’m going to be Jayne Austen. Yes, I spelled that like Jayne Cobb from Firefly! My costume will be a cross between Regent-era, Jane Austen style—such as Elizabeth Bennett wore in the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice—and Jayne Cobb’s mercenary look from Firefly.
If you want a peek, you’ll have to come find me at GeekGirlCon ’13!”
This year’s geek gathering will mark the first cosplay event for other staff members as well. “True confession: I’ve never done cosplay before,” admits Copy Writer Erin Doherty. “And if it involves role-playing the character, I probably never will (I may be a Leo, but I don’t actually enjoy having all eyes on me). However! I do like a good costume now and then, and the upcoming GeekGirlCon will actually be my very first con ever—so it seems like a grand opportunity to have some fun!
I’ve been trying to think of characters that I love that are also low-cost and low-effort. So far, I’m thinking Kaylee from Firefly, in her mechanic coveralls: it’s cute, it’s simple, and most importantly, it’s comfy! Arthur Dent of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fame is also simple and comfy, and since it’ll be my first con, it might be comforting to have something on hand that says “DON’T PANIC” written in large, friendly letters.”
Twitter Administrator and Board President Kristine Hassell had a similar disclosure: “Confession time. I’ve never cosplayed before. And I don’t count the star tiara with bracelets when I did my Diana Prince/Wonder Woman spin, I mean real and proper cosplay.
When fellow staffer and design manager extraordinaire Rachelle asked me if I wanted to participate in her group cosplay this year, it didn’t take much ruminating. I jumped at the chance! What better way to make my cosplay debut, right? The idea was right up my alley: a punk girl biker gang based on the amazing Senshi from Sailor Moon. I am an old-school punk from back in the day and Sailor Moon was one of my first anime series… so yeah! Sign me up to be a Senshi, please!
Think Ichiko from Shimotsuma Monogatari meets Malcolm McLaren and Harley Davidson with some Sailor Senshi flavour. Trust me, it’s going to be amazing to see all of us in our gear! Rachelle even designed matching patches for our group to wear on our jackets!
I will be rocking the Sailor Luna cosplay. If you’ve seen Sailor Moon, she was the cat who wasn’t really a cat. I’m not sure if I’ll wear ears so folks will know which Senshi I am, so you’ll have to find me at the convention to find out!”
Facebook Administrator Anna Daniell is also pumped to cosplay at GeekGirlCon. “I plan on dressing up as Mabel Pines from the cartoon show Gravity Falls. I really like that Mabel is cheerful, silly, and sees the good in everyone. Her collection of sweaters is amazing and she even has a pig named Waddles. (Who doesn’t want an almost-talking, adorable pig named Waddles?!) She is also voiced by Kristen Schaal which makes her six times cooler in my book. (I did consider crossing Mabel with Louise of Bob’s Burgers for a double Kristen Schaal cartoon cosplay, but cosplaying is difficult enough around a volunteer shirt.)
One of my favorite things about her character is how close she is with her brother. Though we are not twins, my brother and I have always been close. A couple years ago we went on a road trip together and every time we weren’t sure where to go or what to do we would exclaim, “Adventure!” and just go with it. I could see my brother and I discovering dinosaurs and fighting gnomes together in a little town in Oregon. First, I just need to find a grappling hook…”
Personally, I’m having a tough time deciding between characters to embody. As a copy writer for GeekGirlCon, I feel I should rep journalism by donning an April O’Neil jumpsuit. Since I’m looking forward to snapping candid photos of fellow geeks, though, I know I’d enjoy wearing a spy-tastic Carmen Sandiego hat and trenchcoat with camera in hand.
Finally, I’m tempted to go all out and devise a Demona costume to channel my inner gargoyle. Can you tell I dig early ‘90s cartoons and women with strong personalities? To help me decide, I’ve been taking votes on which femme fatale to cosplay. Which one sounds the most fun to you?
Earlier today, as a way to share our excitement for GeekGirlCon ‘12, we shared the workshops, events, and games that GeekGirlCon staff members wanted to catch on the Gaming floor.
We couldn’t bundle all our joy in one post, however. So we are following up with some staff responses to a question about what cosplay they would love to see at our convention. Will you be cosplaying as one of these characters?
L.B. Chambers, Special Events Coordinator: I’m always excited to see group cosplay of any kind, but maybe a Mass Effect party cosplay? That would be amazing! Also, any kids cosplay is always super adorable and impressive; I hope to see some great kids costumes! Maybe a little Buffy or a little Edward Scissorhands? I can only hope! 🙂
Jessica (Jex) Ballard, Volunteer Director: I would love to see some great old school gaming icons like Zelda, Link, Samus … ooo, Bowser would be great! Or Megaman! OMG I want it all!
Alyssa Jones, Gameroom Coordinator: I would really love to see some awesome female video game characters! Zelda, Samus, Lillith from Borderlands, Lady Bowser (ok, I may of made that last one up, but someone should totally do it!)
Erica McGillivray, President and Marketing Director: I’m super excited for the Masquerade. Cosplay is one of my favorite expressions of fannish joy, and I’m so excited to see what amazing costumes our talented attendees come up with this year!
Julia Santo, Programming Operations Director: I’d like to see some Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cosplay, because that would rock.
Jennifer K. Stuller, Programming Creative Director: I loved all the imaginative cosplay at GeekGirlCon ’11, from tiny Princess Leias (Moon of Endor Leia! Princess Gown & Cinnamon Bun-Hair Leia! Hoth Leia!) to the Golden Age Red Tornado to the fabulously subversive gender-bent crossplay.
This year, I’d love to see a Wonder Family: Queen Hippolyta, Wonder Woman, Wonder Girl, and Wonder Tot! Wouldn’t that be lovely and amazing?!? I’m hoping performers, Lady Laycock, and her partner, Al Lykya, revisit their Buffybot and Spike costumes from the inaugural GeekGirlCon at Seattle Center and am looking forward to seeing all the Buffy-themed costumes at the “Once More With Feeling” sing-along. I’ll be wearing my yummy sushi pajamas and terrifying bunny slippers in homage!
Adrienne Fox, Copywriter: Cosplay is one of the best things about cons. I’m hoping to see more Dana Scully and Abby Scuito costumes this year. And, I’d love to see more adaptations of costumes into everyday wear, similar to these great designs.
Anna Daniell, Facebook Administrator: I love crossplay or clever combinations of characters in one costume. I hope to see some costumes ideas that I’ve never seen before. Also, child and baby costumes just melt my heart so I hope to see some more of those. The little Leias last year were adorable!
Tammy Vince Cruz, Vice President and Design Manager: Honestly, where’s that adorable little gal dressed as Voltron at? I’d love to see more mecha cosplay at GeekGirlCon ‘12 for sure.
Kristine Hassell, Twitter Administrator:Avengers Crossplay would be totally made of WIN!
Susie Rantz, PR Manager: I would love to see Merida from Brave — someone has to be able to rock that awesome red hair! And some Jetsons cosplay would be amazing! I love bringing back some of the classics.
Shiboo Blalack, PR Content Producer: Is all of it a cliche thing to say? What I love about cosplay is it’s open up to the interpretation and self expression of the cosplayer. It’ll be really dope to see what our Con-goers come up with, regardless of who or what they’re cosplaying as!
Laurel McJannet, Web Content Producer: I am a geek with a short attention span because there are too many geek interests to just pick one! I never fit in any one geek group because I didn’t think I had the geek cred to fit in. Since joining the GeekGirlCon staff this summer, I’ve found a home for my geekiness. That said, I’m looking for to my first GeekGirlCon this year. I’m going to sit on the sidelines and take in the cosplay and probably stick my toe in the proverbial gaming waters, but I’m looking forward to the “Using UX to Make Websites Sexy,” GeekGirlConnections, and getting to know my fellow staffers better.
Okay, if you couldn’t tell, we are incredibly excited to see all of you at our convention.
What cosplay characters are you hoping to see at the convention? Who will you be cosplaying as at GeekGirlCon ‘12?
We at GeekGirlCon thought it would be great to spotlight one staff member per month so you can see who’s behind the scenes putting together GeekGirlCon 2012. Here’s the first one!
Name: Kristine Hassell Occupation: Impenitent gadabout Position in GeekGirlCon: Twitter Administrator
1: What are you geeky about right now?
I nerd over several things right now. My longstanding RPG has gone on a short creative hiatus so I’ve been having a blast with D&D in the interim! I play a female Vryloka vampire in a weekly campaign. If our game had a tagline, it would read: “Two noble ladies; one a mistress of the Shadowfell, one a daughter of the Feywild, join forces over the centuries to strengthen and defend their honoured families.” I have played in several games and it’s been an absolute blast! We even made custom tokens using washers bought from the hardware store and one inch cut-outs of the characters.
On the left, Geisha by Xiuyuan. On the right, Kristine's cello.
Second, the cello. I am fulfilling a lifelong dream to learn how to play this gorgeous instrument. No matter how much I complain about it, I secretly love the fact that I’m (slowly) leveling up my skill. I am proud of the callouses on my fingertips or any time when my left ring finger knows exactly where F# is! One day I want to play a piece of music from memory, but until then, I’ll enjoy my weekly lessons with my exceedingly patient teacher and remember to have fun.
Lastly, all things Marvel. I mentioned in my GeekGirlCon bio that my father would bring home Marvel comics from the Naval base every month. My Marvel lust has been rekindled with the recent films (Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor). I’m re-reading comics from our local library and I’m counting down the days until the Avengers Assemble release! It also doesn’t hurt that Hiddleston makes such a swoonerific Loki…
Still from Thor (2011)
2: How did you find out about GeekGirlCon?
I saw a flyer last year and wanted to know more. After attending the amazing Jane Espenson panel, I fell in love with the entire vibe of the con, far different from any other that I had attended.
Jane Espenson, Photo by Adam Bouska
3: Why did you choose to get involved with GeekGirlCon?
I was so impressed with the way the first year’s con went that I knew I needed to be a part of their second year. Being a geek for most of my life and feeling that stigma associated with it, I wanted to give something back. I want to show solidarity with my fellow sisters who love comics and anime and sci-fi! Nerding out over who’s the best doctor (4th… because you never forget your first doctor) or who would win in a fight, cavemen and astronauts? I’d love to be a role model who gives something back but I also wanted to work with some amazing people… which I DO!
4. When did you figure out you were a geek?
The event that stands out in my head is when my father let me skip school to watch Empire Strikes Back with him on opening day. He wrote a note excusing my absence and we waited in line with many others at the historic Alabama Theatre in Houston. Seriously it was a breathtaking theatre, click the link!
The historic Alabama Theatre in Houston
5. What’s the geekiest thing you’ve ever done?
The list is long but the one that readily pops to mind involves the final Harry Potter book. My partner and I went to a midnight release party to buy it then raced home, excited to have it in our greedy paws. Once we reached the house, he raised a good point. “Um… who’s going to read it first?” I graciously offered since I’m a speed reader. He shook his head and said, “No.” I continued to plead my very valid case. If he let me read it, starting that night for example, I could have it finished in a day… two tops! He offered a different suggestion: since we both wanted to read the book, why not read it aloud to each other before bed? We’d alternate on chapters, do voices, the whole nine yards… and neither of us would be spoiled before the other. We started that night and it became our fun ritual – a single chapter read before sleep and then the subsequent discussion of what we had just read. It took us over a month but neither of us cared because it was so much fun!
Thanks for contributing, Kristine!
Now here’s a question for everyone: When did you find out you were a geek?
Personally, I’m having a tough time deciding between characters to embody. As a copy writer for GeekGirlCon, I feel I should rep journalism by donning an 
