This Week in Geek 2012/02/27

A showcase of this week's finest geek and geek related activities for the week. Mark your calendars.

Longer Term

• Film - Washington DC Independent Film Festival - Wednesday through Sunday
• Held at a variety of locations around DC (though mostly at US Navy Heritage Center), this is the longest running independent film festival in the DC region. I’m not even going to try and summarize the offerings for this year’s event; they’re too wide-ranging for even me. Let me sum up with: short films, documentaries, animated pieces and almost all of them followed up by discussions with the film makers (and quite often receptions).
• Comedy - John Oliver - Washington, DC - Friday through Sunday
• If you know the Daily Show, you know John Oliver and his literalist, absurdist way of approaching the madness that is US culture and politics. He’s holding two shows a night and at the moment it looks sold out, but keep checking around. Someone with a ticket is going to have a personal emergency you can profit off of.

Almost too pretty to eat... almost. (via Cia Gould)

• Addiction - Chocolate Lovers’ Festival - Fairfax, VA - Saturday and Sunday
• Nearly 20 years old, this is just what it sounds like: a government-sponsored homage to all things chocolate. Is it specifically geek? I can make a case for it. If we can talk about beer geeks and lit geeks then I can geek out over my single estate Argentinian nibs.
• Music - Gaelic Storm - Alexandria, VA - Saturday and Sunday
• Right. It's Gaelic Storm. If you still have even a little bit of soul left in that dry life, then get down to the Birchmere. And if you want to bribe me with tickets, I’m sure we can work out an arrangement. High energy, masterfully performed Scottish and Irish tunes, in both the traditional and modern styles. Remember: no weapons allowed, but you can heft your Isildur replica from the wall if you get home and your blood is still fizzing.

Tuesday

• Doctor Who - Tuesdays at Liam Flynn’s Ale House - Baltimore, MD - 7:00 PM
• Evidently, this Doctor Who show is gaining a bit of a following. It’s a bit of a trek for those of you down in Virginia, but if you’re a Who fan already up in Maryland, it’s worth the drive. Added bonus: It’s a Redditor meetup. From everything I’ve seen, the Charm City Redditors are a great bunch.

Doctor Who is the leading cause of knitting
among geeks. (via Catherine) 

Thursday

• Lecture - David Simon at UMD - College Park, MD - 5:30 PM
• David Simon, creator of The Wire, will be making “sociological pronouncements on the fate of the American inner city, the middle class and the institutional failures that have become commonplace in the police departments, classrooms, newsrooms and federal agencies of the 21st century,” as the Post puts it.

Friday

• Movie - Meetup for Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie - Washington, DC - 8:00 PM
• Eventually, I’ll do a “Meetup Roundup” so that the weekly event posts aren’t all me stalking the local redditors. But you do have to admit, they have some sweet meetups. This Friday, hit up the insanity that is Tim and Eric, and say hi. (Note that I don’t usually advocate sneaking drinks into the theater, but after that teaser trailer, I may change my mind.)

Sunday

• Theater - Shakespeare in Klingon II - Rosslyn, VA - 8:00 PM
• This is everything I have ever wanted: since my adolescent eyes beheld the glorious sheen off Patrick Stewart’s bald head, since I hated Wesley for the first time, and it’s finally all coming true! And I haven’t missed it! The spirits have done it all in one night. They can do anything they like. Of course they can.

I wrote the above quote, and then Brannen found evidence
that A Klingon Christmas Carol is real! (via Guy Wicke)

Other weekly reoccurring events are listed on our website (such as Rocky, CCG tournaments, crazy themed happy hours). For more information, check out the calendars at DC Geeks.

Katsucon Flickr Update

For those of you eagerly anticipating your photos from Katsucon, your wait is over! For those who weren't, Merry Christmas! I got you photos. I know you'll love them. Here's a quick taste from our new photostream:

Damn.

The lighting just came out so perfect on this one!

Everyone looks more badass with a book.

D'awww.

I was worried about space, so I may have compressed them down a bit farther than was necessary. If anyone wants the huge, hi-res versions, feel free to email me.

This Week in Geek 2012/02/19

A showcase of this week's finest geek and geek related activities for the week. Mark your calendars.

Longer Term

• Food - National Harbor Restaurant Week - National Harbor, MD - February 20 - March 4
• Yes, yes, yes, I know, you just left National Harbor. Between MagFest and Katsucon many of us have been spending weekends there for the last month. And yes, we all know Peri-Peri is the best place in walking distance of the Gaylord, but hey, its good to give new places a try. This way you can scout out new eateries before the next con makes you so sleep deprived that a weekend of granola bars sounds like a good idea.

No, seriously, it can be amazing.
Photo by avlxyz

• Food - Annapolis Restaurant Week - Annapolis, MD - February 20 - February 26
• And while you’re swinging towards the eastern part of Maryland just keep heading out to Annapolis. A nice change of pace for those of us off the water, more than 40 restaurants in the area will be holding fixe prix meals for the week. Get out, enjoy the last weeks of spring winter and enjoy the city.
• Arts - INTERSECTIONS Arts Festival - Washington DC - February 23 - March 11
• Dance, film, performance and readings from artists of all ranges from around the region. Personally, I need events like this. I need to get out every few weeks and experience the creativity, the energy, the visions of other people so I don’t fall into a rut of grey ashes and listlessness. It also helps me come up with the weirdest, best plots for games.
• Comedy - Jim Gaffigan - Washington, DC - February 23 - 25
• Hot pockets, spray cheese, and panda sex - that’s really all you need to know. No? Fine, fine. To my mind he’s the next step in from the Redneck Comedy guys that were the biggest draws a few years ago. He’s more like Suburban Comedy, the last show I saw focused on issues such as commercialism, overconsumption and vanity. Just don’t let the spidery, whispery voice scare you off - he just wants to pick a hole through your skull and climb into your head.
• Convention - Prezcon - Charlottesville, VA - February 20 - February 26
• I enjoy the occasional board game, though I have some friends who are heavy, heavy addicts (Roll on luggage for boardgames just for a potluck? Alright, fine, yes, I did used to need a portable filing cabinet to cart my Shadowrun books to games, I won’t throw stones) and I admit to my amateur status. Then I looked at Prezcon and realized that I’m not even an amateur. I’m a chimp banging together two pieces of sub-critical uranium because I like the sound. The main events for the con start on Wednesday, but early events start Monday. And I’m not talking little events. These folks have more than 90 tournaments going on, multiple style tracks and a whole prize system set up. Charlottesville isn’t bad this time of year and its even better if you have a board gaming monkey on your back. So head west to feed your hunger.

Remember that you have to take care of that
two-point flaw: Dependent.
Photo by Benny Mazur

• Convention - Dreamation - Morristown, NJ - February 23 - February 26
• Another one of those events that falls under “well, its outside the region but its big, so...” Then again heading to that part of New Jersey is actually closer than heading to the southern edges of Virginia, just with more traffic. That being said, if you’re a gamer like me than Dreamation looks amazingly appealing. More than 700 gaming events, entertainment, poker and national events as well it bears more than a brief look. If anyone does head out to Dreamation this weekend, please, drop me a line and tell me about your experience. Oh, a final note, you can only reserve game seats if you’re preregistered, so hop to it.
• Convention - MangaNext - East Rutherford, NJ - February 24 - February 26
• You know, if you’re going to be in New Jersey anyway... MangaNext bills itself as the only dedicated manga convention in the country and I see no reason to disbelieve that. Given the size and quality of AnimeNext I’m willing to put some faith in to the organizers and just head up. Well, I would if I hadn’t already blown my con budget for the quarter. However, that’s no reason for you not to go. Personally I’d love to see the results of their 24 Hour Figure Building Challenge.
• Convention - MystiCon - Roanoke, VA - February 24 - Feburary 26
• This week’s contribution from the series of small and medium sized cons that take place in the Valley during this time of year (ShevaCon being last week and Madicon coming up in a couple of weeks). A good offering of games and what looks like a great collection of panels, workshops, and presentations for the curiour geek are offered up for your consumption.

Saturday

• Performance - Truth, Justice and the American Way of Lying - Fairfax, VA - 7:00 PM
• Presented by a collective of storytellers in Virginia, this event introduced me to the group I’ve been looking for for years, even though I didn’t know what to call it (lack of appropriate terms is the bane of my Google-fu). In this installment its a group of storytellers telling tales of moral corruption, public disgrace, the lies people tell in office and just what the truth is.

Other weekly reoccurring events are listed on our website (such as Rocky, CCG tournaments, crazy themed happy hours) and with the holidays over they’re back with a vengeance! For more information, check out the calendars at DC Geeks.

Vendor Round Up

As I've been heading to cons over the past few months, I have built up quite a stack of vendor business cards. Maybe it's a habit I never lost from being a conchair, but I hoard these things like they're going to be the Nuka Cola caps of the future. I figured I was going to sit down and do a quick round up post, but had to stop about a third of the way through to keep this list from becoming completely unmanageable.

If there's an interest, I can keep doing these periodically. I know how frustrating it can be to lose a card or forget a vendor's website. Because they're not always listed on the con's website, I decided to get your back. Here are a few of the awesome vendors out and about in the DC con scene. Here's a chance to window shop (or actually shop) without having to throw an elbow to get around the kid with the "but I had to make it to scale" Sephiroth wing.

I don't know that this is the best
part of faire, but it's not the worst!
(via Frank Kovalchek)

Shinies, Trinkets, and Hats

• Kelly's Keychains are so adorable that you should watch out for a sugar drop after leaving the site. 
• You want a cool Rainbow Dash hat? Buy one at the Prancing Unicorn. 
• GBee Fabrics provides cute, game-themed, felt hats and toys.
• Fizz Man Industries makes action-figure-like sculptures of everyone from Samus to Professor Layton.
• More cute random hats, by the aptly named Random Hats.
• I can't "D'aww" hard enough over Omonomopoeia (I spell it so that you don't have to). 
• Doesn't get much shinier than chainmail, and the Silvered Griffin has it. 

Local Game Shop Plug

• The End Game Center brings back all sorts of nostalgia for me since I grew up in Charlottesville. Check it out if you're down that way. Besides, doesn't supporting local stores make you feel all warm and fuzzy?

Artists
I happened to grab only two artists in this random set of cards. I promise more in the next round up.

• From buttons to shirts, Adorability has loads of cute, brightly colored gaming art. 
• Noah McCarthy does amazingly detailed hand painted canvases of old school video games. 

Webcomics

• "Slackjaw: The Working Dead" is about a few guys hired to take care of zombies around town. (Once again proving to me that you can never really know about every webcomic).

God saw the Pocky, and said, "Dibs." (via Dave Walker) 

Miscellaneous

• Two guys hanging out and talking about newly released games: Big and Stoopid Game Reviews.
• Fishnet, Inc. throws my favorite Rocky Horror show around (I think it's like the fourth longest running show ever).
• Super Art Fight! One canvas. One Hour. Audience decides the winner. It's epic. Watch it live at Katsu today! 
• Sure, you can get pocky anywhere nowadays, but what about all those other amazing con-only foods? Asian Snacktime to the rescue!

Music

• Arc Impulse has examples of their video game cover rock up on their site.
• 8-Bit Extravaganza, exactly what it sounds like. Streaming video game remixes 24/7. 
• American Pixels is an album of video game tribute music, centered around American composers. 

Authors and Publishers

• Dragon Moon Press is a small press publisher in Canada, they had out awesome CCG-like cards advertising some of their most recent releases. 
• Chris Berman's latest book examines how the human race would prepare if we knew that an alien invasion force was headed to destroy earth. 

Geek Gear

• I usually hit up Jinx or ThinkGeek, but I found a flier for Glitch gaming apparel, and we could always use more Aperture gear.
• Shark Robot - beyond the badass name, their "I'm doing an internet" shirt really says it all. 

Podcasts

• I was listening to 8-Bit Radio while I was working on the draft for this post. It's hilarious and fun. Hopefully, we'll convince Tyler to be a guest on our Katsucon podcast. There may be puppy dog eyes involved.
• I fangirled over this last week, but Heat Flash by Helen Madden (probably nsfw/18+, and definitely a "headphones on" podcast). 
• Jason Bayless has convinced me that zombies are way more popular than I ever imagined. Check out Zombie Popcorn. 

I like you and all, but if I see this chick
coming after me, you're getting tripped.
(via Kevin Dooley)

On that awesome reanimated note, I'm going to head back to enjoying Katsucon. Hope to see you there.

Geek Chic at Magfest pt. 5- Now it gets real.

This is it. Last week of the MAGFest fashion wrap up. I’m sad to be bringing it to a close, but we’ve got to make room for Katsucon.

The unifying theme of this week's post is individual items I saw at MAGFest that grabbed my attention and wouldn’t let go. And leading us off with several items is…

10. Hannah Cohen

I stopped Hannah not because of her complete ensemble (I mean, she has some great items here but they don’t really go together) but because individual portions of it just floored me. Let’s start with Hannah’s amazing trench coat.

The fabric is a corduroy made from 100% cotton giving it a subtle textured look. I have a thing for garments that are made completely from natural fibers. Only $10. This is easily a $200 garment retail. The coat is deceptively heavy and it is warm—it would have to be, she is living in the blustery North East right now—and check out the amazing buttons on it.
She describes her fashion as “zombie-survival.” That is, fashionable but functional. She also loves how the coat moves in the wind, and says that it helps her get noticed. I imagine so. The coat is one part Victorian London Steam Punk, two parts bad ass. The biggest tragedy is that I did not have the opportunity to see the wind grab it and stretch it out dramatically behind her.

Hannah’s shoes are similarly fantastic. Although the style is still totally acceptable in modern fashion and worn by high class ladies in offices today, the shoes are also so classic that, with her coat, they say Euro-Steampunk.

These are a pair of cap-toe pumps with punch detailing. You may be wondering what that means. See how a band separates the toe portion of the shoe from the rest of the shoe? That’s called a "cap-toe." Cap-toes are the epitome of formal. But taking away the trench coat and her fun, zippy tights suddenly makes them cute, even school-girlish.

The hole patterns you see in the bands is called punch detailing. It is neither formal nor informal, but it is a look that I find sharp. It can sometimes be too much in an otherwise busy outfit, but when well-paired, it is hard to think of a design choice that makes a better first impression. 

Finally, turn your attention to alternating glossy/ matte/ glossy sheen of the shoes. Though not black-tie formal, it allows the shoes to be worn in both business and semi-formal settings as well as more casual settings. It also helps give the shoe that 1890’s anachronistic look.

11. Scooter

Scooter, like Hannah is also a big believer in thrift stores, and has put together many of his best items from thrift stores. He notes that when people pass away, much of what they own is given to thrift stores. “You can get a great outfit for $20.” That’s Scooter, scavenging from your dead grandma. But Scooter says that while you can get great items at thrift stores, you’ve got to do the work. Try and hit thrift stores in small towns because thrift stores in bigger cities are often picked clean before you ever get there. Speaking of, An Affordable Wardrobe is a great blog on shopping for men's dress clothes in thrift stores.

Scooter founded DC Geeks. Seeing as he is involved with the site, I really didn’t want to interview him, but I couldn’t help it. I was unable to walk fifty feet with him without someone stopping us to comment on his jacket. And it truly is a thing of beauty. You can’t tell from the photo, but the black portions are slightly raised velvet, and the white portions have a carpet bag texture. The lapels are cut so that they create a bell roll, sometimes called the Brooks Brothers Roll.

Scooter dresses with a lot of flash, and he really pulls it off. I like flash, but I am only ever brave enough to put on one or two flashy items. Scooter will make an entire ensemble that demands attention with all the aggression of half-starved pit bull.

I asked Scooter what it was that allows him to really pull off the loud, flashy garments. Scooter boiled it down to courage and confidence. He says you simply need to wear the item enough that it’s “no longer a big deal. It becomes casual, to you at least.” I can see the logic in that. You have probably heard that most communication is body language. 

Most body language communication is subtle, or even imperceptible to the conscious mind. Whether or not a garment wears well on an individual often comes down to whether that person wears it with genuine confidence. So next time you want to do something bold, try this: think of it as a costume. Like you are playing a character. Maybe the outfit is too much for the real you, but it doesn’t need to be too much for the imagined you. Treat fashion like a confidence game, make the world your mark, and I expect you will pull off your next bold choice.

And speaking of personal fashion journeys, it is never too late to start becoming fashionable. What was my personal fashion journey like? Well, luckily for you it was documented by TV….

12. Ava

I only wanted to do 10 of these, but then I saw Ava, and the mad-awesome hawk she was rocking. I didn’t interview her, other than to ask how long it takes her to do her hair (10-30 minutes), but she was kind enough to pose for a stupid number of sadly blurry photos. So enjoy these front and back shots.

Also, I don’t know who this is, but his only weakness is Pimptonite.

That’s it for this week. See you after Katsucon.

I am still waiting to hear from you, the DC Geeks community, on what sort of blog topics interest you. If I don’t hear back soon, I am going to start a multi-part series on Star Trek and its relation to US Counter Terrorism policy. No joke.

Magfest Geek Chic pt 4 - Personal Fashion

A few preliminaries:

First, this is the penultimate post on this topic. The last one goes up Tuesday (yes, two Geek Chic posts back-to-back this week), and then we are off to Katsucon. I have yet to decide what I am going to write about, but suggestions are welcome.

Second: All you vintage lovers should check out Modcloth. You'll thank me later.

Third, you should check out this article on Slate about dressing for work. The take away is this:

"The ultimate solution to the conundrum of office attire circa 2012 [is] Looking Like You're Going Someplace Better Later. As I struggle to concoct a new roadmap for office attire, balancing the need for a little self-expression with the need for decorum, this phrase floats back to my consciousness. Avoid the gruesome pitfalls of over dressing or underdressing. Simply dress like you are going someplace better later. 

For gals this translates to a few sequins here, a fake lash there, an oversized bejeweled cuff here. For men it means a new suit with a more fitted jacket, a pocket square or a nifty iPad case. Are you freakishly fabulous? No. But neither are you turgid and dreary. When your mantra is to look like you're going someplace better later, then you have permission to add that signature flourish which sets you apart."

Wait... vintage clothing? That signature flourish which sets you apart? That sounds like the perfect lead into...

WEEK 4! Personal fashion

I love people with a strong personal aesthetic, people who look great without letting their decisions be dictated by any self-appointed fashion authority. Given their existence outside of the mainstream, you only really find these people in subcultures. Think artists, anti-establishment types, and luckily for us, geeks.



8. Pharaoh

Pharaoh at MAGFest

Pharaoh embodies the idea that you can look great without conforming to fashion norms. Let me tell you how much I love his ensemble. He describes it as a blend of “Visual K,” gothic aristocrat, and Egyptian. I see it as a tremendous interpretation of John Lennon gone goth. 

It is a bit difficult to see in the photo, but the black jacket he is wearing has the loop and braid with brass button detailing of the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band era Beatle fashion. Even the glasses are shaped like John Lennon’s signature glasses. The entire outfit draws from four decades. The detailing and cut is very 70s, the goth influence is very late 80s or early 90s, and the cross and hair styling give it that 00's Harajuku street style.

On putting together his personal wardrobe, Pharaoh describes it as time intensive. In his own words, when he hits the racks he’s “looking for that 1%.” But it has paid dividends. Just look how he’s posed. Man is the epitome of cool.

The biggest crime is that Pharoah here is one of the only gentlemen dressed even remotely well at the con, and the only one with the courage to go ahead and defy the norms and be himself. Knowing who you are is one of the hardest, yet most valuable things you can learn in life. The tragedy is that it is a listen most of don't learn until it is to late. Pharoah here could teach a course.

9. Crystal

Oh, Crystal. Truly, she was the greatest victim of my lack of auto-focus. I took about 8 shots of her and this is, no joke, the best. It’s a crime too, because Crystal is gorgeous. She also has this killer southern accent that melts you like butter in a hot iron skillet. She was the original inspiration for this blog article. Friday night, I checked into the con around 8 pm and everywhere I looked it was just schlubbery. And then I saw Crystal. Crystal was wearing bright red plaid pants, a black t-shirt, the leather jacket in this photo, and had put on a truly epic amount of black eye makeup.

Fuzzy, but gorgeous Crystal

Sadly I didn’t get a photo of them, but her tight red pants emphasized her proportionally long and shapely legs. Meanwhile, she is tiny (5 feet if I had to guess), and the large oversize jacket gives her the image of bulk. Punk is a visually aggressive style, and by wearing the larger jacket, she broadens her shoulders and creates an image of larger, more physically powerful individual.

This was probably a good choice considering she was working security at the con... Hey boyfriend was also working security and looked to be about 6 feet tall and 300 lbs of pure muscle, so let's all hope he doesn't object to my describing his girlfriend's voice as being like "buttah."

The punk movement has much in common with the hippie movement. Both were essentially responses to an establishment that was seen as corrupt, drowning in excess, and overly commercialized. The difference was that the hippies approached the problem with a sense of optimism and hope. Punk really took off in 1979, a decade after the Summer of love, and could see the hippie movement's failure in its rear-view mirror. So punk as a political and philosophical movement was far more cynical. The attitude was less “change the system” and more “fuck the system.” Consequently, they emphasized individual liberty over collectivism.

The music itself was stripped of the excesses of 70's glam rock, and was often produced in basements by the artists themselves. Indie before it was indie, so to speak. The clothing style moved along similar lines. The punk fashion aesthetic took damaged or ratty clothes and patched or repaired them, eschewing excess and embracing do-it-yourself repairs. They then began to modify their own clothes, added zippers, rivets, studs, chains, you name it.

The jacket you see Crystal wearing is a perfect example of the do-it-yourself fashion. She says it’s her boyfriend's jacket, and he modded it himself. He added each of the metal pieces, painted the white parts. Notice how the white and black alternate in a visually pleasing fashion. Nothing says “personal style” more than customizing your own articles of clothing.

Dressing well does not mean dressing to conventions. It means dressing in a manner that says something about your personality. Good fashion choices emphasize those aspects of your physical appearance that are strengths, and minimize the weaknesses. Nobody, including super-models, actually look like super-models. But a few good clothes choices can make you really stand out. Crystal is a perfect example of this. 

Tuesday is part 5, interviews about great single items and thrift-store shopping. I interview DC Geeks founder Scooter about a broad range of topics, including how to build the confidence to go from a blender to a head turner. Should be good.

This Week In Geek 12/02/12

A showcase of this week's finest geek and geek related activities for the week. Mark your calendars.

Longer Term

• Comedy - Norm MacDonald - Washington, DC - February 16 - 19 - 8:00 PM
• Its Norm. You either remember him from SNL and all the news that should have been, or you love his stuff for being so blue that even jaded comedy club habitues have fled some of his shows (risking sunlight and lack of immediate access to alcohol). Either way, its a good time. So good that all shows are, sadly, sold out, but keep an eye out on the secondary market - you might get lucky.

Cosplayers, your work is cut out for you
(Photo by Rob Speed)

• Convention - Katsucon - National Harbor, MD - February 17 - 19
• Its billed as “a fan convention for multicultural enthusiasts and entertainment.” But come on, let’s be honest here - its a con aimed squarely at the heart of anime fandom. And I’m more than just okay with that. Starting at noon on Friday events are running nearly constantly until 4:00 PM on Sunday. The offerings are vast and varied this year, so get down to the apparent hub of cons in DC (National Harbor) and hang out with your people for the weekend. I’ll be out there this weekend, along with Aine, Scooter and other DCG writers. Look for the red and white, and say hi if you see us.
• Convention - ShevaCon - Roanoke, VA - February 17 - 19
• Offering number three in a con heavy weekend, this one down in the southern mountains of Virginia. It could be nostalga for the college days talking, but I’ve never got an issue heading down 81. Its the twentieth anniversry of the con and it looks like some great offerings this year, with Timoth Zahn and Katherine Kurtz making it a very, very tempting event. Lots of gaming as usual and I’m noticing a lot more sessions about costuming and fan craft than I’ve seen in the past. Almost tempting enough to make me cancel other plans and head down.
• Convention - Farpoint - Timonium, MD - February 17 - 19
• I love the breadth of our fandoms. To be a geek in the DC region is to be spoiled for choices. Yes, we cross over a lot and some events call to everyone. But if I don’t feel like dealing with "those people," then I can still find get togethers that service my specific needs. It struck me as I looked over the event schedules for this weekend’s conventions that they all undeniably fit in the Geek category, yet they are incredible different. If I had to pick one word for Farpoint’s schedule: media. Panels about and guests from some of the best geek friendly TV, movies and other media sources out there will be at Farpoint. On a personal note... Helen Tigh and Pamela Swynford De Beaufort will be guests of the convention. I really need to find a way to clone myself.

Wicked Faire is all about the warm and welcoming smiles
Photo by Master Magnius

• Convention - Wicked Faire - Somerset, NJ - February 17 - 19
• This is one that really defies description till you’ve been there. They’re billing themselves as Halloween in February, and to an extent that’s true. More than just Halloween though its a very community oriented gathering (when the community is the folks who just never fit in when they were younger [or even now {waits for Aine’s editor head to explode in 3... 2... 1... (Editor's Note: damn you, Brannen.)}]). Its pretty much a non-stop parade of music and shows, entertainment and niche gatherings, not to mention the back alley vendors that the event brings out. If you’re headed north this weekend, I’d suggest spending it in Somerset.

Wednesday

• Comedy - The Geek Comedy Tour - Washington, DC - 8:30 PM
• An evening of comedy that is a bit different. These aren’t just comedians making jokes about geeks or focusing on laughs they know they can get from geeks. From a robot obsession to a crushed cartoonist these comedians are geeks and are talking to their peers. No matter how uncomfortable that may be.

Thursday

• Music - They Might Be Giants with JoCo - Charlottesville, VA - 7:00 PM
• TMBG and SoCo are swinging back through the region on the down curve of their current tour. Now, really, do I need to say much about either of these acts at this point. Just load up your playlist with the favorites you know, let them etch your brain and then head out to the show. You’re going to have a good time.

Friday

• Music - They Might Be Giants with JoCo - Baltimore, MD - 8:00 PM
• See above: same song, different setting.

Other weekly reoccurring events are listed on our website (such as Rocky, CCG tournaments, crazy themed happy hours) and with the holidays over they’re back with a vengeance! For more information, check out the calendars at DC Geeks.

Podcast - Whiskey and a Mic

Episode one of the DC Geeks Podcast is now up on SoundCloud!



As with so many things, the inspiration to podcast starts with a funny (and slightly awkward) convention story. A few years ago, I went to a great panel at MarsCon about beginner podcasting. In particular, I really enjoyed one of the presenters, Helen Madden, who has a podcast for erotic short stories. Her awesome, possibly nsfw site is here.

Later that evening, I also checked out a late night panel specifically for erotica. I'm tempted to put in some sort of lame, shaming disclaimer like, "Oh, I was just there for a friend" and you know what, that's bullshit. I was there because erotica is damned fun to read, too often written poorly, and the good stuff doesn't get nearly the recognition it deserves.

Excuse me while I climb up here for
a photo op. (via daretoeatapeach)

The panel description listed five authors, all of whom were going to read an excerpt of erotica that they had written. As the official starting time approached, four of the authors looked embarrassed or even panic-stricken. Helen strapped on her ass-kicking boots and read the best story of the panel (a story starring plants, but don't joke until you've heard it. It works.). She had a well-practiced dramatic reading voice from her podcasting experience, and she knocked the damn thing out of the park.

I promptly went home, unpacked, threw out my con program, and completely forgot her name. I went to the MarsCon site looking for clues, but couldn't find a guest list. I ... I'm a bit ashamed to say I filled my google search cache with nonsense like "podcast guest" +Marscon +"plant sex?" Two years I spent looking for this woman in the crazy internet miasma of off-iTunes podcasts, and I found nothing.

Thirty seconds into MarsCon 2012, I caught sight of her rainbow hair and devil horns. I started to walk up, but I figured a fangirly "omigod you're the plant sex lady, please tell me your name, your podcast url, and take my money" was probably not a great introduction. So this time, when I went to the podcasting panel, I took notes.

I can sum up their advice in one line: "Well, what are you waiting for!?"

So tonight, Brannen and I set up the mic, poured a bit of my favorite bourbon, and put together the first podcast. Feedback and ideas are greatly appreciated. If you don't want to leave a note in the comments, please feel free to email me at aine [at] dc-geeks.com. Hope you all enjoy.

PS: As I mention in the podcast, the music is by Random Encounter and used with permission.

This Week in Geek 2012/02/05

A showcase of this week's finest geek and geek related activities for the week. Mark your calendars. 

(This week's This Week in Geek is brought to you through copious bribery to Brannen from Aine. Any oddness, bitterness or surreal moments are strictly mine and no fault of hers.)
Longer Term

• Comedy - Jim Jeffries - Washington, DC - 2/9 - 2/12 - 8:00 PM
• Just have a half dozen shots, wind up your rage at the world and get yourself to the Improv - Jim Jeffries is here to give voice to all those thoughts you’ve been too shy to share. The Aussie will be in town for the latter half of the week.

Tuesday

• Comics - The Watchmen Book Group - Washington, DC - 6:30 PM
• Held by the Georgetown Library Graphic Novel Club, they’re part way through The Watchmen and what better way is there to delve into the mad genius of Alan Moore than with a group?

Yes, it is William Gibson, not John Scalzi. Deal.
This is the kind of awesome stuff the P&P team puts together.
Photo by Politics and Prose Boostore

Thursday

• Fiction - The Old Man’s War Book Group - Washington, DC - 7:30 PM
• Swapping bodies like cars, the ultimate iPhone and endless war for morally uncertain motives - all discussed in one of my favorite bookstores in the region. The reading group itself is ongoing, but given this month’s choice I wanted to get the signal out a little further.

Friday

• Gaming - Open Gaming at Affinity Computers - Sterling, VA - 7:00 PM
• Time to hat up, pack up, and hit up the open gaming night sponsored by Area 52 out in Sterling. Some people get kind of shy at these things, and I get where they’re coming from. On the other hand - we’re geeks. If we can’t get excited, get interested, get talkative over our hobbies then we are doomed as a species and will never make the world dance to our tunes.
• Comedy - John Hodgeman with Paul & Storm - Alexandria, VA - 7:30 PM
• Whether you’ve loved John Hodgeman since his first appearances on The Daily Show or you’ve just heard about Paul & Storm through Rock Band, this show looks amazing. Get yourself out there, no matter whether it means rent money, your inheritance, or your dear aunt’s kidney. Go!

Underwear. Pink. Cancer. Cold. Capital. Do it.
Photo by dbking

Saturday

• Charity - Cupid’s Undie Run - Washington, DC - Noon
• One of the few ways you can strip down on Capital Hill and not wind up in cuffs (whether by pre-arrangement or not). But hey, its for figuring out a way end pediatric cancer, so get up to the Capital, shuck your clothes to your skivvies and take a run with your fellow exhibitionists.

Sunday

• Gaming - A Taste of Storytelling - Washington, DC - 11:00 AM
• One of the family focused events going on in the area this week, but a fun one for any board game fans. Head on down to Labyrinth Games as game designer Daniel Solis spends the day running two of his new games for those who come out. Boardgames for the kids and a walk through of the storytelling aspects to each game. Personally, more storytelling, more kids who grow up with the idea of creative narrative developed on the fly, the happier I am.

Other weekly reoccurring events are listed on our website (such as Rocky, CCG tournaments, crazy themed happy hours) and with the hyper-scheduled nature of the DC Region they can be your best bet for finding fellow geeks! For more information, check out the calendars at DC Geeks.