Being Geek Chic is a blog for stylish geeks, sophisticated nerds and people who enjoy the musings of a complete dork. Join us as we dream of driving the TARDIS, cuddle with our eBooks and test out an iPad sleeve. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi and a team of brilliant lady nerds. Meet the team.
Sometimes I have the overwhelming urge to be honest. Apparently, so does everyone else on Facebook. So let’s embrace that idea for a moment.
If you are ever in need of some really cool art that’s totally free and lives in the public domain, check out Vintage Printable. They provide high quality, free, public domain/out-of-copyright images for you to print or download. Most of them are sciency or earthy, but there’s literally thousands and thousands of cool images there. I’ve downloaded a few of my favorites, mocked them up in photoshop with some whiz-banging text that seemed appropriate and came up with some awesome new Facebook Timeline Banners that you can download and use for Freeezzzie. Pretty cool, right?
(Source: Diseases of the Eye 1838)
(Source: Bird Carrying Juvenile Girl)
(Source: Illustration of the Australian Seascape)
I hope you enjoy them. Why not spread some honesty in a non-ranty, non-TMI way? I’ve already got several likes on my new banner. (I chose the Vacation one…)
I took an internet sabbatical for the weekend. I was feeling sort of wiped out by constant connectivity. AND it was like 88 degrees and sunny all weekend in Minneapolis so I gardened and putzed around in my garage. When it started storming, I went on a Doctor Who binge. The makings of a successful weekend indeed.
Going on these internet-free weekends makes social media and the web feel more like a treat than a chore, which is nice, because that’s what it should be.
It all led me to appreciate some of my favorite tweeters and thought I’d give them some props for being delightful feed-fillers.
FAVORITE INTERNET FRIEND: @jamielikesthis
Jamie Frevele is a writer for The Mary Sue, so you can all me biased about her being a killer writer and tweeter, but just go check out her writing. I promise you’ll agree with me.
FAVORITE REAL LIFE FRIEND: @bodybytish
My friend Tish is relatively new to Twitter, but she’s impressing me everyday. She’s a Minneapolis-based personal trainer, so she posts a lot of recipes and quick workout ideas.
FAVORITE WRITER: @catvalente
Catherynne Valente has written so much good shit, it’s impossible to tackle it all here. So, go read her Lady Geek profile and then buy one of her books. You will love her soon too.
FAVORITE CELEBRITY: @RebelWilson
You may not know Rebel’s name now, but you will soon. You may recognize her as one half of the odd British brother-sister team that made up Kristen Wiig’s roommates in Bridesmaids.
FAVORITE PERSON I ADMIRE: @zenpencils
Gavin Aung Than is the artist behind zenpencils.com, a blog that “adapts inspirational quotes into cartoons." His source material is inspiring, he’s inspiring. It’s a beautiful mix.
FAVORITE BRAND: @CamSatchelCo
I almost didn’t include a company here, but I love this one so much that I made up the category just for them. Here’s why. (Hint: there’s a Harry Potter connection.)
Who are your favorite tweeters?
Twitter amazes me sometimes. Going on and on about The Hunger Games manages to make me happy with every single character I type…
So when things like this happen with fandom, I’m just fulfilled:
@jonmarcbauer Oh! That is such a great question… Maybe: ||| …. What do you think?
— Elizabeth Giorgi (@lizgiorgi) March 14, 2012
So I’m thinking… we got to make this happen. Here’s what I came up with:
Help me make this happen!
Not just because I think it’s awesome, but because we have to somehow survive until next Thursday at midnight… together!
I’ve been on a bit of a Twitter rant over the fact that Harry Potter didn’t win an Academy Award. Here’s kind of how it went:
"With HP&DHP2’s 3 losses, the world’s most successful movie franchise of ALL-TIME became the most-snubbed franchise of all-time."
— Elizabeth Giorgi (@lizgiorgi) February 29, 2012
Not makeup, not costumes, not editing. It’s now the most snubbed film in #oscars history. For real: eonline.com/redcarpet/2012…
— Elizabeth Giorgi (@lizgiorgi) February 29, 2012
I’m still a little irritated.
But it’s not anything a new polka dot can’t solve. Or a necklace from Survival of the Hippest with your Twitter handle or your favorite hashtag on it. They start at $48 for sterling silver.
Let’s go shopping:
1. Survival of the Hippest Necklace: $48
2. Public Opinion green leather belt: $29.50
3. J.Crew Polka Dot Popover: $88
4. Butter London’s Knackered polish: $14
5. Joe’s Jeans Plumeria Skinny: $158
6. Mossimo Patty Wedge: $29.99
If you have never been to the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle, I highly suggest you check it out next time you’re in the Pacific Northwest.
Since we can’t all go there physically, I thought I’d start collecting some of my favorite nerd art on the web. There’s just so darn much of it and we just don’t get to celebrate it enough.
Thank goodness for Pinterest! It’s like a digital museum that I can visit from my couch.
Want to pin on this board? Send me a message at beinggeekchic(at)gmail.com(dot)com and we’ll work together.
Today was my last day at the University of Minnesota after nearly five years working there as a multimedia producer and social media manager. Next week, I start a new job at Himle Rapp and Company, where I’ll work to bring their clients new advice and thoughts on how to use the web to their advantage.
I’m really excited about my new opportunity, but I’m also sad about leaving behind my awesome friends. They’re incredible.
And boy, did they give me a goodbye with pizazz.
I walked into a party yesterday with all these incredible people wearing spectacles (see Drew in his specs at left) similar to mine. Then, they pulled up this incredible web page. All day, they had been tweeting with the hashtag "#LizProud" and my programmer buddy, Pete, built a web page where all the tweets were displayed. I pulled some of my favorites for the photo here, but there were over 200 tweets. As a result, the hashtag was trending yesterday afternoon in Minneapolis.
The tweets were funny, they were sweet and they were touching. I was speechless. And I cried.
My fellow videographer Jack put together a video with my greatest hits, my crafty work BFF Kristin made a Mockingjay cake, my fellow sewer Ranja cross-stitched my 8-bit portrait and countless others contributed to the day with their tweets.
People who know me personally, know that I’m outspoken. I don’t tell this story often, because a part of me wishes it weren’t true, but the truth is that I was repeatedly told as a pre-teen and teenage girl to “shut up." See, there was this cadre of boys in Junior High who made it their personal mission to interrupt me when I spoke, to tell me to “shut the fuck up" under their breath when I answered questions in class and who were generally bothered by the fact that I knew things they didn’t and I wasn’t afraid to say it out loud.
Young people all have different reactions to bullying, but my reaction was to flee. As soon as I could get out, I tested out of high school and started attending classes at the local community college until I could move to university. I’m endlessly grateful that I was able to get out when I did, because despite all this, I maintained my voice. I’m just as opinionated and outspoken and bold as I was at 15. If not more.
The long-winded reason I’ve shared this story is because reading all these tweets made me realize that I’ve reached a point in my life where I’m loved and admired for being me. With all my opinions and oddities, I found a place where I was embraced. If you’re one of my former co-workers and you’re reading this right now, please know:
I’m so thankful for you. I’m honored and shocked and surprised that you’ve remembered all the crazy things I’ve said. And I feel so loved. I can’t thank you enough for that.
