Got Geek Pride? You Should!

 My Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure T-Shirt

It seems like only yesterday being labelled a "geek" or a "nerd" landed you somewhere close to the bottom of the social totem pole. But these days with a flood light being aimed at all the bullies and a major push towards honoring ones own individuality and uniqueness, all of the self-proclaimed nerds, geeks and dorks are coming out into the sunshine where the whole world can see their awesomeness- YOUR awesomeness.

Attendance at conventions with a geeky twist has been steadily climbing over the years as people decide not to hide the facts like they're truly a Trekkie at heart. I regularly see Whovians sporting the long striped Dr. Who scarves- even in the summer! And better yet, these passionate people are having kids who are often spoon fed well-balanced diets of Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Legend of Zelda, Lord of the Rings and a plethora of other awesome geekdoms. We are preparing the next generation well ;)

The great thing about being a nerd or geek these days is that they have become generally broad terms to describe people who really really love SOMEthing and want to know as much as they can about that thing and immerse themselves as much as they can into that thing. It's about more than videogames, fantasy and sci-fi worlds, comics, anime and manga. It's about a passionate love for a thing that you just can't get enough of, and that is a very welcoming umbrella to be underneath.

My Feature Bookshelf

"How I Know I'm A Geek" or "Major Points of Nerd Pride"

- I want all of my novel series to match (ie same cover artist and matching spines and publication size)
- I don't leave home without a Wheel of Time book in my purse (currently Book 9, which I have already read, but I'm on my way through the series again now that it's complete)
- I have a collection of Lisa Frank pencils
- I crochet fun things inspired by different nerd- and geekdoms
- I collect those mini My Little Pony figurines
- I listen to albums like "The Masterharper of Pern" when I'm working
- I named my cat Willow, after Willow Ufgood (played by Warwick Davis in the 1988 film "Willow")
- One wall in my living space is dedicated solely to Star Wars art
- I have a "feature" bookshelf that is home to my precious limited edition signed copy of the graphic novel adaptation of Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey, my growing collection of Wheel of Time graphic adaptations, my special edition graphic adaptation of The Last Unicorn, and some of my favourite novels like The Neverending Story, Moonheart, and the Pern Harper Hall Trilogy

If you're a nerd, I'm proud of you! And if you're not, what are you waiting for?!

Happy Geek Pride Day!!

*Maria

Nerd Girl Guide: Build Your Own Style and Confidently Rock It! (Part 2)

Alright! Now that you're feeling confident enough to wear anything that you want without worrying about what other people will think of you, we're ready to jump into that wardrobe and start making sense of it. If you missed last week's post on building up your confidence, it's right HERE.

Before You Start:

• You'll need a few hours to get through this so block off time before you begin.
• This guide is for your personal wardrobe. If you have a job that requires dressing very differently from your own personal expression, put those clothes aside into a Work Wardrobe and ask yourself why you're working where you are ;)
• This guide will not tell you to get rid of everything and start again; the focus is on really getting to know your wardrobe not annihilating it.
• At the end of the guide you'll find a downloadable cheat sheet to make sure you cover all of the bases without having to keep checking this post.

Mental Shift!
You have to assess your complete wardrobe. I know it's a big undertaking, but it's SO worth it. Especially if you're a bit of a clothes hoarder (I definitely still have some pieces I wore in high school, just not as many as I used to!). When I was learning how to manage my wardrobe, all of the articles I read said "purge, purge, purge!" but that's such a negative way to look at your beloved wardrobe. So I flipped it. We won't focus on purging. You'll look at your entire wardrobe like a boutique and go shopping. Way more fun!
*Consider your seasonal preferences so you know what types of items you may want more of less of. For example, in the summer do you prefer skirts rather than shorts? In the winter do you like sweaters or would you rather wear layers?

Ready? HERE WE GO! (in a rush but want the goods? click "read more" for pdf checklist at end of post)

Nerd Girl Guide: Build Your Own Style and Confidently Rock It! (Part 1)

If you're a nerd girl like me, chances are you already have some awesomesauce wardrobe components. But when you're out in the world sometimes it can be hard to wear the things you love without looking over your shoulder to see who is pointing at you. I hate to say this, but...

DEAL. WITH. IT.

If you identify as a nerd, geek, or dork of some sort, you shouldn't care who might be pointing at you, or mocking you, or thinking that you're weird and I'll tell you why: