It's hip to be a geek! Geek Pride Day is here again and we're so excited to share our nerdom with you. Being a geek isn't about knowing more than someone else. It's about being really, really into something and wanting to share that love and appreciation with everyone who will listen. So, got a minute?
Angie Loves Supernatural
I am a total nerd for the show Supernatural. I started watching 2 years ago while I was visiting my best friend in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Her then 10 year old daughter got me watching it on a rather nasty weather day. I got hooked. For one thing it features some really hot guys, and it's about vampires, demons, werewolves, Lucifer, angels, etc. I've become so obsessed with it I recently went to a 4 day convention in Seattle dedicated to the show where I got to meet all the stars. Best weekend of my life!
Shannon Loves Dance
I’ve been a dance nerd my entire life and recently rekindled my love of ballet. I grew up classically trained in Russian, American Academy, and French ballet from age 5 to 21. In college I transitioned to dance team, lyrical, and modern. Post college I pursued Nia & Aya in order to learn how to love how my body moves at any size. Now after many years away, I have returned to ballet upon finding a Body Positive, Fat-Centric Modern Ballet Class offered by Zaftig Dance in Plus Size.
I also started and operated a ballet school my senior year of high school. I lived in a small town and didn’t care for the lack of professionalism found with the local dance performances. So, I decided to start Curtain Call Productions to share my years of classical training and experience with the local community. I had students ranging in age from 4 to 18 and we performed Cinderella for our finale that year. It provided me with great memories going into college, but sadly no longer had an instructor once I moved away for school.
Alicia Loves Shoes
Hi! My name is Alicia, and I’m a shoe nerd. I’ve collected shoes for 22+ years and am still living the dream today. Each shoe has a history and memory attached to it, like a time capsule in footwear form. Where did I find it? How much of a bargain was it? What makes this shoe special; fabric, rareness, brand, color? What was my life like when I reached for this tiny gem on the shelf?
Each shoe in my collection is lovingly stored in individual boxes labeled with my hand drawn illustrations of the top and side views for easy identification. Admittedly, I have an infant daughter, a very light sleeper, whom I try NOT to wake before I leave for work. Thus getting dressed in the dark is a viable option and easily locatable shoes are a win. And also the drawings are really pretty, definitely a second win there.
I have loved many, many shoes. My favorite shoe is a red strappy sandal, with tonal psychedelic flowers and twill bows tied at the ankles. I purchased them promptly upon collecting my last paycheck from a job I highly disliked. Every time I wear them, #1. I get compliments and #2. I relive the happiness of quitting that job. My oldest pair are my Mom’s 1970’s shoes, with a platform red leather sole and criss cross raffia straps. The raffia is tan with tiny, delicate woven flecks of primary colors. My best Goodwill-find; floral Dr Martens straight outta the 90’s. Second best Goodwill find; baby size Dr. Martins. An especially sentimental pair are my wedding shoes. They are ballet inspired; black satin high heels, with a shaped box toe (just like en pointe shoes!) and purple satin straps criss-crossing around the foot. 100% dreamy…. just like my hubby! I danced down the aisle and we got hitched in a very-purple lavender field 11 years ago.
My storage tips: I recommend storing shoes in boxes, so they have room around them on all sides. Shoes are made with materials meant to form around your foot’s shape as you “wear them in.” This is also true of any container you store them in over periods of time. Unfortunately storing shoes in shoe trees, piles in bottom of your closet or inside hanging plastic closet “space spacers”, will all misshape shoes over time. Also any spot that continually touches the chosen storage container will rub off a shoe’s colors or textures. Not cool! Extra nerd credit is given for stuffing the shoe with tissue paper or cloth to keep the inner shape of the shoe stable when not being worn.
I know a handful of folks that grew up in the 80’s and 90’s probably have vivid nightmares about creepy animatronics and a big rat mascot lumbering around after terrified children. That, however, is not me. I absolute adore anything and everything Chuck E. Cheese and Showbiz Pizza related. Look, I know it might seem strange but there are a lot of people out there not scared off by the animatronics. Heck, I’m fascinated by them.
That’s why I’m ecstatic that this year is the 40th anniversary of the lovable rodent and all his friends. Nothing excites me more than going into a Chuck E. Cheese with all the animatronics working and performing (I’ll even admit to having a teary eye every now and then because of it). There’s just something about the fact that we, as humans, have this incredible gift to design robots that can bring joy and happiness to people. The late 80’s were this sort of renaissance where family entertainment was being explored by different companies to see who could create the best franchise. CEC has been one of the longer standing ones aside from theme parks.
While Chuck has definitely gotten many redesigns over the years - even changing from a big rat to an accurately sized mouse - you can see how well the brand has changed over the years to cater to kids of that decade.
I think it’s amazing to find so many people all across the board, and from a large age range, that have fond memories of going to Chuck E. Cheese or even the people like me that love the animatronic family-friendly aspect of the restaurant.
I'm a Tolkien geek (among other nerdy interests). My father got me into all things Middle Earth from a young age: I must have watched the animated hobbit VHS 100s of times, and reread the stories just as much. I have two LOTR related tattoos, I have all three extended edition LOTR movies, a beautiful Alan Lee illustrated hard cover edition, created lots of fan art over the years and a couple YouTube music videos. I look forward to extended edition parties (12 hours!) where I prepare dishes at the proper times as seen in the films.
What I love the most about Tolkien's world and its inhabitants is the hope and trust in community, love, and stewardship of the land. Samwise Gamgee is the true hero of this epic, and I'll battle anyone who disagrees.
How are you a geek? Tell us below!
