Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
Lisa Fary, founder and editor of Pink Raygun, is the Lady Geek of the Week! Pink Raygun is a blog that “offers a platform for geeks, fans, and creators who are traditionally underrepresented in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and comics.”
My fave feature on Pink Raygun? The geeky pumpkin templates! So many zombie pumpkin options. The Hunger Games series is represented too! (Check out Liz’s Mockingjay pumpkim template here.)
Being Geek Chic was lucky enough to catch up with Fary and ask her a few questions about her geekiness…
Q: What has led you to your passion?
A: Getting older, getting honest with myself, and getting guts. I spent a long time shoving my passions down in an effort to be something I never was because, when I was younger, I had bought into what my elders said: doing A, B, and C will lead to success and happiness. I bought into the lie that my dreams were stupid/not good enough/unrealistic and wound up leading a business casual life that made my family proud, but made me really unpleasant.
Something shifted in my head when I got older and I was able to start honestly looking at who I really was, what I really wanted, and how I could make those changes. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m making that last push to leave that old life behind.
Q: What inspires you in the world?
A: Human ingenuity. I’m always inspired by what people create and discover when they push themselves to break boundaries and move us all forward. Also, the bizarre and gross, like that giant eyeball that washed up on a beach in Florida - that totally made my day.
Q: First time you realized you were “geeky?”
A: I’ve always known that I’m a weirdo and have always been pretty open about it because you can’t really hide that much weird! My constant refrain growing up was, “You think I’m weird? Well, I think you’re boring.”
Q: What would you tell your 13-year-old self?
A: Don’t be so scared. Your skin will clear up. One day, you’ll announce that you’re a giant geek and the world will say, “That’s awesome.”
Q: “I admit it—I’ve never seen/read/experienced: ____”
A: I’ve never seen a whole episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In the years BTVS aired, I had an antenna and The WB/UPN didn’t come in at all (unless I stood next to the TV, holding the antennae; then I could see a ghost of a picture that had no sound), so I literally could not watch it. Later, I made an effort to watch it and couldn’t get interested past the commercial break.
Q: What would be the title of your memoir?
A: Four-Eyed Freakshow: How One Nerd Learned to Give the Finger to Conformity
Follow Fary on Twitter @pinkraygun.
Post by Emma Bauer, who works as BGC’s official intern. Clearly, she’s got great taste. She is a PR enthusiast, history scholar, tea drinker, fashion devotee, and of course, aspires to Be Geek Chic.
Follow her on twitter: @emmalynnbauer
Halloween’s not over yet, so if you haven’t downloaded your Mockingjay template and carved a pumpkin yet - go do it!
You can download our free Mockingjay template by click here.
Or click on the image at left.
Happy carving!
And Happy Halloween!
Here I am before heading out for a Halloween night in District MPLS.
If you want to know how I constructed each piece of my Katniss Everdeen costume, visit my DIYs:
1. DIY Mockingjay pin
2. DIY Arrows
3. DIY Quiver
And see more photos here.
Happy Halloween!
Any set of awesome arrows needs an equally excellent quiver. I decided to be Katniss Everdeen for Halloween this year, but most of the accessories I need to pull off the look aren’t carried in your normal costume store. That’s why I took the DIY route for the majority of my costume. Here’s how I made the quiver.
You need:
1 piece of poster paper in any color
1 roll of tape
1 stapler
1 three yd package of ribbon (It works best if you use something at least 1" thick)
10 minutes
1. To start, measure the length of your arrows. You need about 6-8 inches from the top for them to stick out so you can see the ribbon and the feathers. Cut your paper to size.
2. Gently roll your paper into a perfect circle and tape the ends. Put extra tape along the openings and the top and bottom too for security.
3. Get your ribbon and measure four lengths: one length of the paper the long way to cover your tape, two strips to go all the way around the quiver on the top and bottom and one length for the strap. I made my strap 10 inches longer than the first strip for the length of the quiver.
4. Tape your long strip down first. Then, wrap your top and bottom ribbons on top of it to cover the tape. Put a piece of tape on the underside of the ribbon, as shown at left, to make sure all your tape is hidden. Then, place your strap at the location of the seams of your top and bottom ribbon. Staple in place in line with the dark part of your ribbon. That will make your staple less visible. Put it over your shoulder to test the strength of the strap. If it feels weak, add another staple.
5. Now you need to put a bottom in your quiver. For this step, I used a gallon side ziploc bag and taped it into the interior. (Too dark inside my quiver to get a good picture, sorry!)
Put your arrows inside and enjoy!
Want more Katniss Everdeen Halloween tutorials?
1. Mockingjay pumpkin carving
2. Katniss’s arrows
3. Mockingjay pin
The Hunger Games will always be connected to archery in my mind, because of Katniss’s incredible skill with a bow and arrow. When I decided to be Katniss Everdeen for Halloween this year, I knew I needed something that would pay tribute to her skill but most of the accessories I need to pull it off aren’t carried in your normal costume store. That’s why I took the DIY route for the majority of my costume. Here’s how I made the arrows.
You need:
5 - ¼" wooden dowels
2 rolls of tape (1 standard Scotch and one roll packaging tape)
1 package Super Glue
Scissors
1 piece gray or silver cardstock
1 package of feathers
2 three yd packages of ribbon (Thin, velvet ribbon is what I used for mine.)
20 minutes
1. To start, cut 10 identical triangular shapes out of your cardstock. Simply line them up in pairs and tape them to your dowel. Then glue them together. Repeat for each dowel.
2. Put down a three inch strip of packaging tape. Gently place 5-7 feathers in a row on the tape. You need to leave about ½ inch on each side of the feathers and the bottom. Repeat for each dowel.
3. Slowly roll the tape with feathers on it around the other end of your wooden dowel. You may want to put another layer of tape around this to secure the feathers. Repeat for each dowel.
4. Cut 5 - 24" pieces of ribbon. Tape one end of the ribbon to the top of the dowel in the spot where your tape is visible. Part of the effort here is to try and cover up the tape seams where you put the feathers. Gently start to roll the tape around your tape until you are satisfied with the coverage. Continue to roll the ribbon as far down the dowel and you can. When you get to the end, put a small drop of super glue on the dowel and a small drop on the end of your ribbon and secure in place. Repeat for each dowel.
Place your arrows inside your quiver and enjoy!
Want more Katniss Everdeen Halloween tutorials?
1. Mockingjay pumpkin carving
2. A quick quiver
3. Mockingjay pin
