#GeekSpeak: The sometimes random misadventures of @Abby_Cake

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Abby. I met her in Chicago at the #20SBSummit, and this chick is raaaddddd!! She considers herself more of a nerd than a geek - but I think she's just all shades of random and awesome. Oh and FTR, the TNTML stance on nerds versus geeks are that nerds are products of a genetic predisposition, and geeks are raised. BOOH-YAH!!! I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT ABBY!!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Abby_Cake

While I realize the opportunity of my traveling in a time machine is about as probable as my meeting Doctor Who himself, sometimes I enjoy playing pretend. In fact, Jared and I have a game where we ask one another varying what-if questions based solely around time travel.

“What if you could go back in time, and you wouldn’t alter the future, but you had to stay and live out your life on an alternate plane?”

“What if you could go back and undo one moment in time?”

“What if you had the choice to either time travel or stay in the present time, but gain the power of flight?”

If you ever have the chance to take a car ride with us, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

And so, in time with our moderate obsession with time travel and period based costumes and historical movies and a sundry of other nerdy items that you have probably already figured out about me, we always endeavor to spend one weekend a year at the Texas Renaissance Festival.

The Texas RenFest has expanded greatly since its inception and presently garners up to 60,000 people in a weekend. It has become huge. And is, as always, easy to get lost in. But I go every year and the act has become not only a tradition, but a place where I feel comfortable (at home even?). I notice all the new shops and restaurants, I speak to the employees (in an accent if I can get away with it), and I drink mead, lots of it — because that’s how Beowulf did it.

I realize that the extent to which I celebrate this festival borderlines on larping, but I am surprisingly okay with that. And I let people take pictures of/with me and I take pictures of people with spectacular costumes. And I dance to the Renaissance music and generally make a scene. It’s very free-spirited; I like being around like-minded people.

However, it’s generally disappointing that what was once such an interesting festival has begun to go the way of typical American spectatorship. When I first began attending, I felt out of place for not wearing a costume. Today I was definitely in the costume-wearing minority. I feel like commercialization is edging out the RenFest that I love and I hope in the years to come it will regain a sense of its’ former glory. But, unfortunately, I know cash is king.

I will always dance!

xx, @abby_cake

#nerdsunite

Want more from Abby?? Check out her blog over yonder - and don't forget to drop her a follow on twitter!!

#GeekSpeak: The sometimes random misadventures of @Abby_Cake

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Abby. I met her in Chicago at the #20SBSummit, and this chick is raaaddddd!! She considers herself more of a nerd than a geek - but I think she's just all shades of random and awesome. Oh and FTR, the TNTML stance on nerds versus geeks are that nerds are products of a genetic predisposition, and geeks are raised. BOOH-YAH!!! I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT ABBY!!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Abby_Cake

If left to my own devices, I would not watch TV.

I had a TV in college; I only used it for my NES console (a geek girl needs her 8-bit). I did not have cable, or even the local weather channel, for two years. I didn’t miss it. And I liked the void it created in my life. “Did you see [insert new show]?” “No.” The conversation would turn to more interesting things.

However, I have clocked a good amount of hours in front of the idiot box since this summer, due mostly to my unemployment and general lack of “anything better” to do. In the first few months I was not experiencing the heady anticipation and general contentment I am now. I was not happy. I was more or less forced out of my job, I leased my house, I sold my car, and left my friends to move to another town. I spent many hours slumped in front of the TV, letting my limbs protrude uselessly over the edge of the sofa. I also napped a lot. Mostly when boring shows came on.

Sometime after moving I rediscovered art, my writing began to take shape, and I developed a clear path for myself.

“The best way out is always through.” — Robert Frost

Now, during the day I do the work, I am present. Sometimes I listen to music; I like discovering new-to-me bands on Pandora. But most often I simply listen to myself. My heartbeat. My thoughts. My body’s reaction to stimuli. I will turn off the lights and work only from the glow of my screen. The words come easier with silence and tea.

Essentially, whatever mood I am in, I try to honor that. No distractions.

Then there is TV. I am not blaming Jared because I am just as much at fault, but when he gets home from class we will waste six hours laying on the sofa absorbing the useless information blared at us through the television. Part of this is due to the fact that Jared is simply exhausted and doesn’t particularly want to do anything after class. TV because it provides a passive action for our brains — pure entertainment. There is nothing and there is everything. And I know in my core that he would never give it up. I respect that.

The other part of our TV equation is that we deeply enjoy each others company and the connectivity available to us when laying close together, hands interwoven, enjoying a shared interest. Having a companion is such a magical thing.

Unfortunately, the fall television season has started, and I find myself trying to puzzle out which shows come on when. TV takes up a significant portion of my brain. Why are there so many shows on Sunday? Why does The Walking Dead overlap with Boardwalk Empire? Why does my life have to revolve on the TV Guide’s time schedule? Okay, that’s a little over dramatic, but I don’t enjoy the constrained feeling of scheduling my nights around TV show times. I do enjoy On Demand and Netflix which allow me to watch some (or all) of a show at my leisure. It alleviates some of the strain to know I can pause, get up, use the bathroom, make tea, check email, then resume the show when I feel like it.

I appreciate the feeling of control over my own life and would just as soon leave the house to do something else, then return later to watch each show at my leisure.

Ideally I would live in a world devoid of a television. But I recognize that a relationship is give and take. I choose to sacrifice this battle and fight fair. Because I love him, we have a TV.

xx, @abby_cake

#nerdsunite

Want more from Abby?? Check out her blog over yonder - and don't forget to drop her a follow on twitter!!

#GeekSpeak: The sometimes random misadventures of @Abby_Cake

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Abby. I met her in Chicago at the #20SBSummit, and this chick is raaaddddd!! She considers herself more of a nerd than a geek - but I think she's just all shades of random and awesome. Oh and FTR, the TNTML stance on nerds versus geeks are that nerds are products of a genetic predisposition, and geeks are raised. BOOH-YAH!!! I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT ABBY!!!</editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Abby_Cake

Sometimes I party with NBA stars -- no big deal.

By ‘party’ I actually mean eat too much of my Mom’s paella on a fold out table in the living room. And by NBA star I mean Chris Andersen (aka Bird Man, aka that-one-player-with-a-lot-of-tattoos).   

Okay, so lemme give you the full story. My Dad is a basketball coach by trade. First, imagine his disappointment that I played YMCA basketball for four seasons and scored two points... total. Answer: it was passing. Next, imagine how many lives he has changed in 28 years. Answer: a lot.

About 12 years ago, he happened to coach a player who went on to play in the NBA. Which means sometimes (like when there are pesky NBA lockouts) he hangs out with my Dad.

Over the years, I have read a lot of cruel things about Chris on the internet. My initial response is to bristle and defend the guy who used to hang me on the regulation basketball rim post-win. But I have learned that trolling is not attractive, and in turn typically attempt to avoid reading negative things online in general.

Allow me to tell you some things that are true about Chris Andersen:

He has a blue pit bull that is undeniably adorable, and even my Mom enjoyed it’s company. 

He can quote movies like no one’s business -- anything from Tommy Boy to Tombstone. I know several people who find inserting movie quotations into conversation to be a borderline competitive hobby. Word of advice, he will beat you. He will also beat you at a dunk contest.

He can palm a milk jug, jar of sun tea, oh... and a basketball. So if you have tiny hands, like yours truly, and struggle to pour tea, it can come in handy.

The tattoos are aesthetic. He is genuinely a very nice person. And respectful -- because he’s a country boy, specifically a Texas boy. :)

Also, my Mom makes some pretty badass paella -- so if any other people (famous or otherwise) would like the recipe, I will share.

xx, @abby_cake

#nerdsunite

Want more from Abby?? Check out her blog over yonder - and don't forget to drop her a follow on twitter!!

#GeekSpeak: The sometimes random misadventures of @Abby_Cake

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Abby. I met her in Chicago at the #20SBSummit, and this chick is raaaddddd!! She considers herself more of a nerd than a geek - but I think she's just all shades of random and awesome. Oh and FTR, the TNTML stance on nerds versus geeks are that nerds are products of a genetic predisposition, and geeks are raised. BOOH-YAH!!! I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT ABBY!!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Abby_Cake

Does anyone else watch Mad Men?

I don't know WHY it took me so long to discover this damn show, but it is amazing. I've spent several afternoons binging on Don Draper and candy corn lately. I finally finished all of the seasons offered on Netflix, and then I reached that point where I was done and was all, "my life is over!!"

Instead of sinking into a never-ending pit of despair (inevitably followed by more candy corn -- why do I love that shit so much??), I began brainstorming how I could continue my Mad Men obsession without seeming crazy.

Initial ideas included: make Jared dress up like Don Draper, invite my friends over and act out scenes from the show -- either through script handouts or trickery, find a Joan Holloway wig to wear all day, take up smoking.
However, fortune smiled on me when we discovered two bottles of 1960's alcohol tucked away at Jared's mom's house. Seriously. FROM THE 60'S. That may not seem like a long time ago, but how did this shit not get drank?

I spent a few minutes Googling "Mad Men drink recipes" -- and found out AMC has a site devoted to just that.

(I'm not alooone!)

But then I discovered Bacardi had a bunch of recipes listed on the back. Apparently, rum wasn't super popular back in the 60's, and so we postulated that the recipe list was meant to encourage people to drink it.

Or maybe I am just thinking like an ad man.

Anyway, we found a recipe for a Bacardi Collins:

• 1 jigger rum (I made it a generous one)
• 2 teaspoons frozen lemonade concentrate
• Mix in shaker with ice. Pour in cup.
• Top with club soda & two ice cubes.
• Garnish with cherry and lemon slice.

The gin we just mixed with ice and lime concentrate. I was incredibly intoxicated because YES that bottle says 90 proof and it's basically been fermenting for 50 years. No Big!

IT WAS DELICIOUS! I thought the rum was extra sweet and, I am not a gin fan, but that particular vintage was smooth. I handed my concoction off to Jared's sister and she told me I had to be an alcoholic because she couldn't drink that (I'm not, calm down!)

If you get a chance to try some 1960's liquor DO IT (and I still might be Betty Draper for Halloween.)

xx, @abby_cake

#nerdsunite

Want more from Abby?? Check out her blog over yonder - and don't forget to drop her a follow on twitter!!

#GeekSpeak: The sometimes random misadventures of @Abby_Cake

<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Abby. I met her in Chicago at the #20SBSummit, and this chick is raaaddddd!! She considers herself more of a nerd than a geek - but I think she's just all shades of random and awesome. Oh and FTR, the TNTML stance on nerds versus geeks are that nerds are products of a genetic predisposition, and geeks are raised. BOOH-YAH!!! I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT ABBY!!! </editorsnote>

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Abby_Cake

Full disclosure: I haven’t been on a lot of first dates. Most of my relationships have formed from a previous friendship or a lot of internet contact (IM, emails, etc.)

But there is one, really bad, first date that sticks out in my mind, and I felt like I should share it.

When I was a sophomore in college, I interviewed for a job as a webdesigner. Naturally, I got it because I am awesome (and also know HTML and CSS). Well, the guy who had to train me was older (not gross old, like 26), geeky and kind of looked like Harry Potter.

My boyfriend had just broken up with me via text message earlier in the week. I was lonely. And Harry Potter and I  had already spent an evening playing Star Wars Monopoly and drinking cheap beer with his roommates. I was considerably younger than most of them, and they informed me several times I poured beer into plastic cups incorrectly. Who knew.

I figured the date would go fairly well.
I mean we had killer IM chemistry because we chatted all day at work, I had already met his friend, shown off my knowledge of Star Wars trivia and patience for extended board game sessions. He picked me up at my apartment after work and took me to Chili’s, which was probably the classiest restaurant in our small college town. Skillet queso is definitely date worthy.

We sit down and immediately his phone rang.

“It’s my mom,” he offered, apologetically.

I smiled and nodded, “Oh yeah, sure! Take it.”

The waitress came by and gave us menus while he answered the call.

As it turned out, he was the resident geek for his family, much like me. And the call was of vital importance: his mom needed to fix her CD burner.

I listened with mild interest as he detailed how to download the drivers and proceed with the installation process. The waitress returned to take our order and I smiled wanly, then nudged Harry Potter, who was not interested in ordering just then, despite my overwhelming hunger.

I contemplating eating his phone.

The date could have been salvaged at this point, but he stayed on the phone the whole time. I am talking, through dinner!! In between bites he was all, “No Mom, that’s not right” etc. WHAT THE HELL?

I am a cute female who knows interesting things and instead of talking to ME you are walking your mom STEP BY EFFING STEP through driver installation??

Not to mention the sad, lingering looks from our nosy-ass waitress. It was like she was trying to telepathically explain how pitiful I looked. I felt like an idiot. But he drove so I couldn’t leave.

The worst part? I went on a second date with him. Oh College Abby, there are so many things I wish I could tell you...

Geek-on-geek dating is hard. Many of us have little to no social skills. Fair warning.

xx, @abby_cake

#nerdsunite

Want more from Abby?? Check out her blog over yonder - and don't forget to drop her a follow on twitter!!