Archer “Air Superiority” is a set of air fresheners that are apparently made for men, but could easily be appreciated by both sexes. Scents like “European Sports Car,” “Distillery,” and “Hunting Lodge” fill your room with interesting and inviting scents with nary a lavender, vanilla bean, or spring rain mist in sight. I personally think these scents could help set the mood for fun events: Use “European Sports Car” for a car-chase filled action movie night, and “Hunting Lodge” to get your adventuring party in the mood for your next D&D night. Plus, the spray paint can style will make you feel a bit rebellious every time you use them.
Well, I never thought I’d type that word into a Geeky Hostess post. Anyway, the newest Satire video takes a look at how adults would use the word “YOLO,” and features lil ol’ me! Take a look and share it with a teenager in your life–the hope is that if they hear enough adults use it, they’ll never say it again. 😉
It was the first unofficial day of Fall in Seattle yesterday. The sky became overcast, it rained for the first time in 49(!) days, and I wore a sweater and scarf to work. (The scarf may have been slight overkill, but my office’s air conditioning is ridiculous.) Needless to say, awesomely geeky sweaters need to find their way into my wardrobe soon.
Kirsty Lothian has created the pattern to this fantastic Wonder Woman sweater (or jumper, as she calls it). The detail is excellent, and the sweater is cute enough to wear around non-geeks. Plus, creating the sweater makes for the most perfect “cozy, cuddled up on the couch” activity for those brisk Fall nights!
You can find the instructions for free at Ravelry.com.
There has been a lot of talk lately of women being harassed, insulted, and assaulted at conventions and other public gatherings. This is a terrible thing, and while it’s no excuse for their actions, some of the time the experiences can be attributed to the fact that the harasser didn’t know better or couldn’t read appropriate social cues. Let’s talk a bit about the right way to approach someone out in the wild. Hopefully it will make for a pleasant interaction for you both!
Focus on content, not physicality
Love that person’s geeky tee? Start a conversation by complimenting the shirt. Avoid the fleshy bits underneath the item of clothing you enjoy, and instead focus on the movie/game/world the shirt is from. Please, please avoid awful innuendos.
Do say: “Awesome shirt! Is that from shirt.woot?” or “Sweet Mario tee! What’s your fave game of his?”
Don’t say: “Damn, that shirt makes your rack look fiiiiine.”
Use your surroundings as an ice breaker
In line at a bar? Ask someone what the best drink to get there is. At a convention? Ask them what panel or game you should check out. By focusing the conversations on your surroundings, you’re creating a common ground and greatly reduce the risk of them thinking you’re harassing them.
Honesty (and a bit of tact) is the best policy
Think someone seems interesting and want to chat with them a bit more? Ask them for their contact information, or if they’re free for dinner or lunch. No gimmicks needed, just be honest. However, honesty doesn’t mean you should get rid of tact entirely and say whatever enters your mind. And please be prepared to:
Accept rejection gracefully
Sometimes the person you’re talking to is just not interested in you. Sometimes they’re busy, tired, antisocial, talking with someone else, married or in a relationship, distracted, or just in a crummy mood. If they don’t look you in the eye, turn their body away from you, and respond to your questions as quickly as possible, then give them some space. If they tell you they want to be left alone, leave them alone. It’s not always personal, and you don’t know what the person’s night/day/life has been like up to that point. Don’t assume the worst about yourself.
Let me know in the comments: What are your tips on approaching someone respectfully? What stories do you have of experiences that went well? Any that went horribly? What would you do to make that situation better?
If you’re like me, you’ve always dreamed about getting a pair of Christian Louboutins: their red sole and great style is a must-have. Now that I see he’s made a style with geeks in mind, how can I not spend my savings on a pair?
For Labor Day, I had a bit of fun redoing a photo of workers from the 1930s. My version shows a bit more of the modern day experience. Our lunches are “healthier” according to our standards, and lunchtime focuses more on connecting with technology. Even if we do spend time with friends/co-workers, we’re often still on our phones/iPads/computer. The person on the far right even shows something I’ve noticed more and more of in the Startup community–the occasional imbibing at work and/or with lunch.
Back in the 1930s, the average adult male consumed 3,000 calories, resulting in a lunch that, according to The Food Timeline, could include “egg salad sandwiches made with white bread, apple pie, cheese, hot coffee, and an orange.” Their active workdays resulted in the need for more calories. However, today’s more sedentary lifestyle of computer/desk jobs brings our suggested caloric intake down to 2,500 for men and 2,000 for women. Let’s just say that egg salad sandwiches and apple pie does not make for the ideal lunch. Instead, give this a try:
Salad with dark, leafy greens (to help with potential eye strain) and a lean protein (chicken breast, beans, nuts, salmon, etc.) with a light dressing on the side
Carrot sticks (again, great for your eyes!) with hummus or a low-calorie dip
A piece of fruit
A huge glass of water
This meal would ensure you’re getting fruits, vegetables, proteins, and water–everything you could want to keep you going throughout the day! If you get hungry before or after lunch, I recommend keeping a bag of almonds or other nuts at your desk. If you want something a bit less heavy, try a bag of air popped popcorn. It’s delicious, filling, and not too fattening!
What’s your ideal lunch for your job? And how do you get motivated to wake up and make it in the morning? I’m still stuck in a “buy lunch out” rut, but hope to get back on track soon!
I’ll be doing improv with an amazing group of guys (seriously, who let me in?) tonight (Friday) at 9pm at the Serpent Theater. It’s going to be an unforgettable experience for everyone who attends. We’ll probably become best friends.
Need something to do one of the nights? I’ll be manning the @paxparties Twitter handle and filling you in on all of the best parties that are open to the public. I’ll also do my best to hop around and check them out! If you’re out and about on Friday/Saturday night, you’ll probably see me.
This Thor hammer ring is my favorite type of geeky jewelry: It’s subtle and stylish enough that non-geeks will compliment you on it. Once they do, you can explain what it’s based on, and potentially turn a fashionista into comic book fan! Plus, how strong will you feel wearing Mighty Thor’s hammer on one of your fingers?
I'm Tara Theoharis, aka The Geeky Hostess:
creator of geeky recipes, parties, and products.
I'm a lawful good Hufflepuff who wants to be Leslie Knope when she grows up.
Find out more about me here!
