But some of you might still be wondering what this burlesque thing is all about. You could be thinking, “will I feel comfortable attending?” “how can it be empowering to take off one’s clothes?” or “how nerdy can it actually be?”
Here’s what I tell a lot of people confused about burlesque: the performer has the power in burlesque performance; they get to create and tell their own story. You’ll see some seriously artistic and nuanced performances, and when it comes to nerdlesque, joyously geeky. But don’t take it from me, take it from the experts!
Steven Stone, GeekGirlCon hospitality coordinator and organizer of the video game-themed burlesque show, JOYstick! (next week on July 20th & 21st), talks with burlesque organizers and performers about Seattle’s “Summer of Nerdlesque,” the history of burlesque and neo burlesque, upcoming nerdlesque shows, and why they see burlesque as empowering for women.
Today is part two of our GeekGirlCon ‘12 preview series.
And in honor of San Diego Comic-Con, we want to talk about Batgirl.
You might be wondering what the heck Batgirl, San Diego Comic-Con, and GeekGirlCon have in common. Well, some of you might have read about Batgirl last year at San Diego Comic-Con, or perhaps you were at the convention to witness the event or heard her talk at GeekGirlCon ‘11.
The “San Diego Comic-Con Batgirl” was the woman who stood up during a DC Comics panel, where they were discussing the unprecedented across-the-board re-launch of DC Comics’ superhero titles in 2011. With the “New 52,” DC Comics went from an already small 12 percent down to one percent female creators. Batgirl, who goes by Kyrax2 online, challenged how women were portrayed by the publisher and asked about the lack of female creators.
Other con-goers began to ask similar questions. When DC Comics co-publisher Dan DiDio asked what the company should do, a man in the crowd shouted, “Hire more women,” and the crowd erupted in cheers. The San Diego Comic-Con Batgirl launched a movement that resulted in a promise from DC to hire more women creators and writers.
Gail Simone
That Batgirl will be at GeekGirlCon ‘12, and she’ll be joined by the fabulous Gail Simone, who is writing the new Batgirl title for DC Comics. Simone will have plenty to talk about, as big things happened to Barbara Gordon (Batgirl) in the past year.
Major things.
Last September, when Batgirl #1 hit the stands, fans saw Barbara Gordon transform from a wheelchair-bound Oracle to the healed Batgirl. Many were shocked by the sudden event, but Simone has explained that Batgirl #1 takes place a whole year since her cure.
The September 2011 issue of Batgirl
Simone has handled the reaction from fans with incredible grace. In fact, here’s what another GeekGirlCon ‘12 guest, Teal Sherer (Venom in The Guild), had to say about Gail:
I’m a huge fan of Gail Simone. She actually tweeted me after seeing my “Oracle Addresses the DC Comics reboot” video to tell me she liked it. She’s one classy lady. She took a lot of heat over the Barbara Gordon being healed controversy, and she handled it beautifully. I can’t wait to meet her in person.
We are so lucky to have both Gail Simone back for our convention this year and are even luckier to have Kyrax2/Batgirl join her for GeekGirlCon ‘12.
On Saturday, August 11, the two will be on a panel titled “Batgirls, One Year Later.” They’ll talk about the future of the Batgirl comic, about Gail’s decisions with the comic series, and about the fateful moment at SDCC last year.
You don’t want to miss it. So be sure to buy your passes now for GeekGirlCon ‘12. It is only one month away!
And while we have you here, let’s talk about comics. What do you think of the new Batgirl title? If Batgirl isn’t your top choice, who is your favorite superheroine in comics?
In the second installment of our Fact or Fiction series, we are tackling Geek Girls and Technology. Today, we’re going to attempt to answer the question: Fact or Fiction: Women use technology as much as men?
First, let’s dive into some facts on technology. Tech jobs are predicted to grow at a faster rate than all other job fields. The United States Department of Labor estimates that, by 2018, there will be more than 1.4 million total new computing-related job openings.
In 2010, women earned 57 percent of all bachelor’s degrees, yet only earned 18 percent of computer and information science bachelor’s degrees—down from 37 percent in 1985. Yes, that percentage went down in the last 30 years.
Additionally, those who do enter the technology field leave at high rates. According to a study by the Center for Work-Life Policy, 56 percent of technical women leave at the “mid-level” career point. This is more than double the quit rate for men. It is also higher than the quit rate for women in science and engineering.
These stats are particularly interesting when compared to the fact that women are the fastest-growing technology market and they rule the social media world.
According to an infographic by DigitalFlashNYC, 56 percent of social media users are women. That’s 81 million women blogging, tweeting, pinning, and posting to Facebook. What could you do with 81 million women? The infographic says you could fill every single sports stadium in the U.S. more than seven times over.
When you look at internet usage, it turns out women in Western countries use the internet 17 percent more every month than their male counterparts. Women are more likely to be using the mobile phones they own, they spend more time talking on them, they spend more time using location-based services. But they also spend more time sending text messages. Women are the fastest growing and largest users on Skype, and that’s mostly younger women. Women are the fastest category and biggest users on every social networking site with the exception of LinkedIn. Women are the vast majority owners of all internet enabled devices—readers, healthcare devices, GPS—that whole bundle of technology is mostly owned by women.
It is not just younger generations of women who are contributing to this rise. Look at the rise and power of mommy bloggers. About 3.9 million moms in the United States identify as bloggers, and BlogHer, the largest community of women who blog, receives 40 million unique visitors per month. Check out this infographic posted on Mashable for more facts on mommy bloggers.
The Atlantic article goes on to ask, given this information, why do tech marketers continue to target men? One big reason is the lack of women at major venture capital firms, startups, electronics makers, and Internet companies. For example, Twitter just hired its latest batch of interns, and a photo from Twitter Co-founder Jack Dorsey reveals there was not a single woman in the crew.
But there are signs of progress. Facebook recently named its first woman, Sheryl Sandberg, to its board. A new organization, Girls Who Code, just started a program for 20 high-school-age girls, who will learn how to build websites and mobile apps and start their own companies.
And there are local organizations like IGNITE, GeekGirlCon, and Washington STEM—organizations working to bring girls together and empower them to be technology leaders.
You’ll see many women who are currently leaders in technology at our convention. From panels on the latest technology in medicine, to effective podcasting and video-blog techniques, or how you create a great user experience (UX) on your website, convention guests will be able to explore their role in technology.
Interested in pursuing a tech career? Come to GeekGirlCon ‘12 and explore our GeekGirlConnections room, where you’ll be able to network and interact with women who work in technology fields. Or stop into Lisa Phillips’ panel on Sunday to learn about the “Tech Jobs You Never Knew You Wanted.” (Get your passes here, and stay tuned to our website for our full programming.)
So, do women use technology as much as men? The answer: it’s complicated. Women do use technology tools more often, but still don’t fill the majority of bachelor’s degrees or technology roles at major companies.
What’s your favorite way to use technology—is it on social media, programming, building databases, etc.? Let us know in the comments!
Today’s blog is the first in a series from our copy intern, Jaden Blazier. Jaden is a big fan of board games and will be reviewing a few of her favorites. Enjoy!
Rain or shine, board games are always a great activity! While this one doesn’t physically include a board (it’s more of a complicated card game), it’s still one of my all time favorites. Ark is a game of strategy, logic, and cute animals. It’s the perfect blend!
Ark
I’m sure we’re all enjoying the nice summer weather that’s finally made it to the Pacific Northwest, but you couldn’t say the same for Noah. With the treacherous 40 day storm just around the corner, there is work to be done on his ark. It couldn’t have been easy building such a giant boat, and he’s now facing the challenge of getting animals of all kinds settled onboard before the flood. Do you think that you could handle it? Now you can see for yourself!
This game is a 45 minute journey into the land of the Ark. Three to five people above age 8 (including you!) will be placed in the stressful, yet exciting, situation of finding safe places for all of the animals on the boat before the rain hits. Sounds easy? Well, here’s the catch: each animal has needs that must be satisfied. Maybe you play the koala bear card, and this koala is a slow, herbivorous, sunshine-loving creature. He must be placed in a cabin with other sunshine animals so he doesn’t freeze, without any provisions because he might eat them, and without any carnivores that might eat him. Oh, and don’t bother trying to get anyone else on the boat in that turn, this is one slow critter. Complicated enough yet? He also weighs 1 whole unit, and you wouldn’t want to tip the boat!
With a handful of animals of all shapes, sizes, and needs, fitting them all together can be quite challenging. However, finding places for these needy creatures will be rewarding! Every time you successfully place something of a certain category on the boat, you earn points in that category. Your koala would earn you a point in the “slow” category, and the food you placed in the cabin next to him would earn you a point in the “provisions” category. At the end of the game, those with the most points in each category will get bonuses, and the player with the most points wins the game! See how many points you can collect and how many animals you can get onto the boat before the final rain-card is drawn and the boat sets sail.
It may sound a little bit overwhelming, but it is a surprisingly fun game, especially for an animal lover like me. The one downside to this game is that it can get frustrating at times. Finding a good spot to place an animal takes some thought, simply because there is so much to consider. Sometimes you might feel like giving up entirely, but persistence pays off. It always feels great once you figure it out, and it really is worth the effort!
Other than being a tad tricky, I give much praise to the game.The first time I played it, I was less focused on the actual game and more enchanted by the beautiful artwork included. Each animal is drawn with charm, sealing the deal for me. Ark was designed by Frank Nestel, my favorite board game designer. He is well known for all of the animals and critters in his games, and this one is no exception. The characters are made loveable to keep you absorbed in the fantastical world created by the game; you’ll want to play it again and again!
A few of the playing cards from Ark
I would certainly recommend Ark, a game suited for family or friends. It is the perfect choice for a laid-back game night, or simply a fun activity for a day in. It may not be very applicable to the real world, but it does indeed develop strategic skills, and is plenty enjoyable for those with big imaginations. Ark is definitely worth a try. I mean really, who doesn’t love a challenge, some competition, and cute animals? Just get them all on the Ark before the storm and you’ll be set!
Hi everyone! Summer is (finally) here in the Pacific Northwest! Check out what’s coming up for July geekery here!
Friday, July 6th – Sunday, July 8th, 2012:Celebrate IA, UX, Library, & Tech Geekiness From the website: “We’ve added some check-in & registration time to the evening. We’ll open doors at 6:30 pm and start the talks around 7:30, as possible. Although the event is now full, spots may open up. We will maintain a waiting list and keep everyone updated. Attendance fee is $10 and comes with pizza, beer and soda pop.”
Thursday, July 12th, 8:00 PM:GeekGirlCon TV Dinner: JOYsticks In honor of JOYstick, our video game-themed burlesque show, we are hosting a night of video game-centric TV episodes, including Futurama, South Park and Star Trek: The Next Generation, with tons of surprises, sore thumbs. Join us at Central Cinema!
Friday, July 13th and Saturday, July 14th, 8:00 PM:Stark Naked: A Nerdlesque Tribute to A Game of Thones From the event page: “If you’re hungry like the (dire)wolf for gritty glamour, Danaerys Stormborn, eat your heart out! Drawing inspiration from the fantasy novel A Game of Thrones and the 2011 HBO mini-series of the same name, Stark Naked: A Nerdlesque Tribute to A Game of Thrones fuses contemporary pop culture and social commentary with the already over-the-top elements of high fantasy, through multimedia displays of burlesque, music and variety.”
Friday, July 13th, 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM:Between Heaven and Hellboy: Alternative Artists Take on Comics, Superheroes, and Supervillians From the Press Release: Come join us at Urban Light Studios on Second Friday, July 13th from 6-close for “Between Heaven and Hell: Underground, Alternative and Urban Artists Take on Comics, Superheroes and Super-villains.” Join the best and brightest in Seattle’s Underground Art Scene as we celebrate four-color fantasy and history. Judges from various Art Galleries and Comic Book Websites will help us pick the best artworks and we will have raffles and prizes to give away to the public as well. Please join us—especially if you can’t make it to San Diego Comic Con—you won’t want to miss this!”
Friday, July 13th – Sunday, July 15th: Startup Weekend Women’s Edition From the website: “Startup Weekend hosts a series of events in cities around the world and offers a way to test ideas for new startups, contribute to those ideas, and even meet potential co-founders. Ideas are shared on Friday evening and the event culminates in final presentations to an all-star panel of judges on Sunday evening. This particular Startup Weekend will have a unique spin: a focus on connecting and showcasing the talents of women entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs. Men who wish to attend Women’s Startup Weekend can do so…if they find a female participant to bring them along!”
Tuesday, July 17th, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Neuroscience vs. Philosophy: Is free will an illusion? From the event page: “Neuroscientists have argued, largely on the basis of the results of a few experiments, that free will is an illusion. Sam Harris also argues that free will is an illusion in a very recent book. However, some philosophers think that there is a mistake being made here, and that many scientists are confused about the concept of free will. [Gene] will give an overview of the issue, and discuss the scientific work and the philosophical approach to free will. No preparatory reading is necessary, but the Stanford encyclopedia reading is worthwhile.”
Friday, July 20th and Saturday, July 21st, 8:00 PM:JOYstick: A Nerdlesque Tribute to Video Games and GeekGirlCon fundraiser From the event page: Join GeekGirlCon for a fun and geektastic evening of nerdlesque — combining the best of gaming nerdery and the new burlesque — and fundraiser for GeekGirlCon ‘12. JOYstick is put together by gamers for gamers, this celebration brings together the world of video games with the allure and fun of burlesque. JOYstick! is a full-fledged dedication to the gaming world. The performers are gamers of all types, ready to take -1 (or more) to their armor in what will surely be an epic evening.
Saturday, July 21st:GeekGirlCon All-Hands Meeting From the website: “Come to the GeekGirCon All-Hands Meeting at Card Kingdom in Ballard on June 23 at 11:30 a.m. Look for us in the Tournament Room located in the back of the store. This meeting is open to everyone. Swing by and learn about the convention and all the events we have planned between now and then. Because we’re using the Tournament Room, food and alcoholic beverages will not be allowed during the meeting, only nonalcoholic beverages in containers with a lid. If you would like a bite to eat before or after the meeting, we suggest patronizing Cafe Mox, located next to Card Kingdom.”
Saturday, July 21st: Death*Star – Live and Barely Breathing Seattle nerdcore show featuring Project Euphoria, MC 117, Sketch, and Death*Star. From the event page: “Death*Star returns to the Blue Moon with Project Euphoria, MC 117, and Sketch. That’s right, all ranges and types of geek music and hip hop for our mighty return after 5 months of no performances. What other stage would we perform on than the Blue Moon?”
Tuesday, July 24th – Thursday, July 26th, 2012: Casual Connect From the website: “Casual Connect is the place to learn more about an industry which entertains 300 million people each month. Learn all about iPhone, Social, Android, Flash, Browser MMO and Download Games.”
Thursday, July 26th, 6:00 PM: Beers with Engineers: Westside Gathering From the group page: “A monthly gathering for Seattle area tech junkies. More specifically, those focused on storage, HPC, and general IT. Industry guys, IT guys, nerds, geeks, tech philosoraptors, whatever…. Whether 3 or 30 this should be good times to get together talk shop, learn from peers, or just have some beers and a good time.”
Friday, July 27th, (approx. 8:30 PM): Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s Free Outdoor Movie Series: Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure From the website: “Fasten your seatbelts for the ultimate summer escapes! We’ll be rockin’ down the road with these movies guaranteed to get you movin’ and groovin’ without having to leave “the hill.” Come early to enjoy music with 12HR NOTICE DJs and the Shopping Cart Soundsystem! All screenings are FREE and start at dusk (around 8:30 pm) at the southeast corner of Capitol Hill’s Cal Anderson Park. Hot popcorn, cold drinks, candy and other concessions will be for sale on site. Limited lawn chair rentals available. Donations to Three Dollar Bill Cinema happily accepted. Proceeds benefit Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s efforts throughout the year to provide voices and visibility for the LGBT community through film and video.” This week’s feature Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure!
Tuesday, July 31st, 7:00 PM-9:00 PM: Brat Pack Trilogy Trivia Night From the group page: “50 questions from Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and general Brat Pack shenanigans. We’re cracking skulls!” Enjoy food and drink and participate for a chance to win a prize!
What are you excited for this coming July? If you have an event you’d like to see on Geek About Town, please send us an email or comment below!
—
Shubz K. Blalack
PR Content Producer
prcontent@geekgirlcon.com
There are only 43 days until GeekGirlCon ‘12, but who is counting? (We are, of course!)
Before all the crazy fun, we have a little bit of sad news to share. Trina Robbins, the amazing writer and self-described herstorian, will unfortunately be unable to make it to Seattle for GeekGirlCon ‘12.
Some of you might remember her from last year; she was an amazing addition to our list of special guests. We will miss her, but understand that she is in high demand. Trina has promised to do everything possible to make it out here for 2013.
Seattle is home to many nerds and geeks. The Seattle Times recently dedicated an article to the growing geek community, GeekWire gives us in-depth coverage on the startup and technology community, and, of course, Seattle has GeekGirlCon (have we mentioned you should get your passes now?). We are also home to tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft, engineering masters like Boeing, and global health innovators like PATH, Seattle BioMed, and Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Yes, the nerds are taking over Seattle. And this summer, they’re also taking over Seattle’s burlesque scene.
That’s why we’re calling this the “Summer of Nerdlesque.” So far, we counted four — yes, four — nerdlesque shows in Seattle this summer.
Starting at the end of June, geeks can enjoy Behind the Blue Door: A Doctor Who-inspired Cabaret. This will be a tribute to everyone’s favorite Time Lord, his TARDIS, and his companions! From their website: “With eleven Doctors, multiple companions, several spin-off shows, and an entire universe to explore, anything can happen!”
Behind the Blue Door When: Friday, June 29 and Saturday, June 30 at 8:00 p.m. Where:Annex Theatre, 1100 E Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122 Cost: $16 Advance / $20 At the door Who: 18+, Must have valid ID
Game of Thrones fans can enjoy Stark Naked in mid-July, presented by FAUXDUST. It might be summer by then, but Winter is Coming to Seattle’s Theater Off Jackson. From their event page: “Stark Naked features a burlesque khalasar, singer-songwriters of Ice and Fire, actors, and dancers from all over the Seven Kingdoms — Seattle, Olympia, and Portland!”
Stark Naked When: Friday, July 13 and Saturday, July 14 at 8:00 p.m. Where:Theatre Off Jackson, 409 7th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104 Cost: $20 Advance / $25 At the door Who: 21+, Must have valid ID
The following week, GeekGirlCon hosts a nerdlesque tribute to the world of video games. Whether you like modern-day MMORPGs or old-school NES games, JOYstick! will have an act for every gamer! One of the best things about JOYstick! is that it was created by gamers, for gamers — every performer is a video game aficionado. All proceeds benefit GeekGirlCon, so get your tickets to help ensure we can keep hosting our convention and other special events and nerdlesque shows throughout the year. (Keep an eye on our website for a TV Dinner at Central Cinema featuring video game-themed TV shows, where you can catch a sneak peak of some JOYstick! acts.)
JOYstick! When: Friday, July 20 and Saturday, July 21 at 8:00 p.m. Where:Theatre Off Jackson, 409 7th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104 Cost: $20 Advance / $25 At the door / Click here to buy tickets! Who: 21+, Must have valid ID to enter
Finally, combine the world of Joss Whedon with burlesque, and you get Whedonesque Burlesque. In late August and September, show-goers can enjoy acts inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Avengers, Firefly, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog, Dollhouse, Angel, and maybe even Cabin in the Woods. Tickets went on sale last Friday, and they are almost completely sold out. Didn’t snag a ticket? Keep an eye on the Facebook event page to see if additional tickets go on sale.
Whedonesque Burlesque When: Friday, August 24 and Saturday, August 25 at 8:00 p.m.; Friday, August 31 and Saturday, September 1 at 8:00 p.m. Where:Theatre Off Jackson, 409 7th Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98104 Cost: $20 Advance (Premium and VIP tickets also available) Who: 21+, Must have valid ID to enter
As if these four events weren’t enough, our neighbors north of the border are putting on an event that will make most GeekGirlCon fans squeal out loud: Geeks After Dark is hosting a Firefly-themed burlesque show this August in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Wow, that’s a lot of nerdlesque for one summer. And we’ve probably missed some. Which shows do you plan on attending? Which ones did we skip over? Let us know in the comments!
The following review comes from Nova Barlow, GeekGirlCon special events assistant. First, a note: All media has been asked to refrain from posting a full review of Brave until opening day. Therefore, you are getting a high-level, spoiler-free summary from Nova!
A week and a half before its official release, Brave made its dazzling debut as part of the Seattle International Film Festival, complete with bagpipes, traditional dancing, and a line that wrapped almost completely around itself before the show. The hype for Brave has been high, billed as Pixar’s first period piece, first female lead, and first female director. But does it shine?
First, let’s take a quick dive into the Pixar mini-film, La Luna, which immediately preceded Brave. Dreamy, sparkly, and sweet, La Luna is also the studio’s longest theatrical short, clocking in at nearly seven minutes. A coming-of-age story, La Luna complements Brave with wordless perfection (the only dialogue is indecipherable babble), by looking at a family with a multi-generational spin. It is neither too long, nor too short; like most Pixar shorts, it is “just right.” No more should be said — this Pixar short must be experienced. Check out the teaser below!
After that came the main film! From the opening scenes, it’s clear that Brave is going places — over the sweeping highlands and subtle, effective score. The movie starts out with great promise and potential to shine — the prologue introduces many important elements, and hints at a great adventure to come. We initially meet Merida, our newest princess, as a young girl being presented with her first bow. She’s definitely fits into the modern “Disney Princess” theme, in that she is sassy, outspoken, and full of potential. While championed as a highly feminist tale (you really couldn’t read an article about Brave without seeing the phrase “feminist fairy tale” plastered within), it starts out like one, but then ends up quickly becoming more “fairy tale” than feminist.
For example, the minute the action flashes forward to the “present,” the fairy tale hits full force. And it doesn’t hold back. Brave comes complete with a witch, mysterious wisp creatures, comedic hijinks (courtesy of Merida’s brothers), crazy pants magic, and, of course, the bear in the film’s poster. Merida is a fiery redhead and a rebellious teenager with extremely honed weapon skills.
Brave is fantastic. Pixar can clearly tell a delightful fairy tale. But with Brave, they have shown only hints of being able to do much more storywise than they’ve previously accomplished. If it were not for the trademark lush (and bar-raising) animation for which Pixar is known, it’d be easy to just swing by a “Disney Princess” club meeting, pick one of the modern princesses up at random, and drop her right in the tale with little reworking.
Still, younger ones will be delighted, teenagers (and well, everyone who has had an argument with their mother) will identify, and those old enough to get Pixar’s subtle “parent humor” will not be disappointed. It’s technically innovative, bold, and brave, but the storytelling is by-the-numbers old fashioned, charming, and obviously heartwarming. Let me be clear: that’s not a bad thing, and it shows Pixar is rightfully confident this will be enough to suffice for a pleasant summer outing to the movies (and for most people, myself included, it will be).
A lot of reviews will no doubt say it is “delightful” and a “must see,” and it certainly is all that. However, if you’re looking for an innovative direction in storytelling and a new classic from Pixar, this might not be that movie for you. You’ll still be glad you went, if for no other reason than Brave is just flat out fun. It also contains a little bit of dazzle to brighten your movie-going experience. It’s a very, very solid entry in Pixar’s catalog.
Don’t just take my word for it, though. Brave the crowds and decide for yourself.
Also, stay after the credits. It’s a trend these days in the movie industry, and Pixar smartly uses those few moments to humorously wrap up a tiny detail that could have easily been overlooked. Well done, Pixar.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, soon-to-be-dads, grandparents, and guardians.
This is a special day for many of our staff members. In fact, some of us might not be a GeekGirlCon volunteer if it weren’t for our geeky parents and their great influence. Check out what some GeekGirlCon staff had to say when asked how their dad helped make them the geeks they’re proud to be today.
Adrienne Fox, copywriter: To this day, I am a fan of the horror genre: movies, TV, books, whatever. And I owe a lot of that to my dad. I spent many afternoons, both rainy and sunny, glued to the television watching Creature Double Feature with my dad. We watched everything from Godzilla to Hammer to Universal. My favorite movie was Creature from the Black Lagoon. During the summer months, while playing in my aunt’s pool, my dad would grab my ankle, like in the movie, and scare me. I loved it then, and I embrace it now. Thanks, Dad! Not sure you realized you’d be raising a horror nerd from a few classic movies! You know I could have turned out worse.
Shubz Blalack, PR content producer: My dad ROCKS. Now while Dad isn’t my birth father, I’d like to think he did quite well in raising me. First, he had a fantastic music collection with artists like Depeche Mode, Joe Jackson, and Dr. Dre (YES). He took me camping and fishing, but always made time for us to watch classics like Zardoz and Star Wars. Whenever I’m over at my parents, we try to make it a point to catch at least one episode of Star Trek or an offbeat sci-fi movie.
Kristine Hassell, Twitter administrator: My father’s effect on my nerdom has been something I’ve thought about a lot recently. He bought me my first computer, my first comic book, and my first set of LEGO toys. He took me to all of the Star Wars films and missed attending an AFC championship game just to help me finish my science project in junior high… the latter of which is a HUGE deal if you know how important football is to Texans. When I needed to study, he made flash cards and mnemonics to help things stick, and most importantly, he instilled in me the idea that I wasn’t limited by my gender in sports or school or whatever I wanted to do. For that, among many things, I thank him and love him and miss him on Father’s Day.
Melanie Werks, customer service coordinator: My dad definitely was the reason of why I ended up such a “out of the box” geeky-girl! One of my best memories was when South Park first aired, and my dad LOVED that show. He actually would record ever single episode, every week, and I still remember watching every episode with him. I used to be so embaressed when he would ask my friends if they “saw last week’s South Park episode!” Ends up, I had the cool dad, because all my other friends’ parents wouldn’t even let them watch the show! I don’t know if he watches it anymore, but I am now the person that has seen every single episode for 15 seasons — and I consider that pretty geeky. Thanks, Dad!!! Love ya.
Wow, we’ve had some pretty awesome dads. What about you? Did your dad or father figure have a big impact on making you the awesomely geeky person you are today?
Let us know in the comments. And Happy Father’s Day to all the dads passing on their geeky passions to their children.
GeekGirlCon continues to look for ways to use our (very) limited budget to provide awesome perks, events, and deals for our fans. This year, we have partnered with an amazing set of Community Business Partners, who have agreed to offer fantastic discounts or deals to anyone who is a GeekGirlCon Individual Sponsor.
We encourage you to level up and become an Individual Sponsor of GeekGirlCon to take advantage of these awesome benefits today. We have a variety of sponsorship levels, from Gold, to Silver, to Platinum — all the way up to Unobtainium!
Individual Sponsors also receive GeekGirlCon merch, discounts at the GeekGirlCon online store, passes at the Platinum and Unobtainium levels, and exclusive benefits at our annual convention!
Here’s what I tell a lot of people confused about burlesque: the performer has the power in burlesque performance; they get to create and tell their own story. You’ll see some seriously artistic and nuanced performances, and when it comes to nerdlesque, joyously geeky. But don’t take it from me, take it from the experts!
