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.
It’s no secret around here that we really love Young Adult Novels with a dystopian twist. And while none of us are young adults, we do have a love of the format. It may be because it harkens back to a time when our brain’s were ripe to absorb it.
Author, Kate Banks, explains:
Just before adolescence the human brain undergoes an enormous growth of axons and dendrites.
During adolescence these bushy neurons are pruned (by genetics and environmental stimuli) as a normal part of the maturation process, forming a roadmap of neural pathways that dictate behavior. Pathways exposed to more stimulation will thrive and grow, while those that are fed less will weaken.
In pathways designed with self-regulating feedback loops, like the dopamine reward system or the stress response system, excess stimulation sets off a neurobiological cascade. Initially, the stimulation causes the neurons in the pathway to release a large amount of neurotransmitters. In order for the message to be sent, these neurotransmitters must cross a synapse, a small space between the branches of the neurons, and find a receptor to which they can bind. If a high level of stimulation continues, the body attempts to rebalance the input and turn down the volume of the signal, by decreasing the receptor sites. This down-regulation of receptors is responsible for the tolerance that develops in feedback loops. It now takes a greater release of neurotransmitters to obtain the same effect.
This dopamine reward circuitry is particularly active during adolescence.
Experiences that are novel, exciting and edgy fill the adolescent with a dopamine derived feeling of euphoria. Because of this increased sensitivity to dopamine, teenagers are drawn to stimulation like bears to honey. And in today’s world there is no lack of stimulation. Technology and innovation have thrust us into a context in which information is being processed by the senses faster than the speed of light, setting off a neurobiological cascade, the consequences of which are reflected in conditions that effect society as a whole – obesity, materialism, anxiety and depression.
So before you head out to Mockingjay this weekend, remember this, your brain was once wired to absolutely LOVE THE HELL OUT OF THIS. Is it really so far fetched to this our brain’s can’t still fall into that neurological cascade? I think not.
You can read Kate’s whole post over at Observation Deck.
I’m so excited to finally spend some time with Katniss and Gale and Peeta again this week. Of course, I’m also excited to meet Finnick and Beetee and Johanna too. Tomorrow can’t really come soon enough, so if you feel the same, here’s some fun backgrounds to download to your devices.
A few months back, the astonishingly talented Natalie Willoughby sent me the sweetest email asking if she could create something for BGC readers and we agreed that Katniss was a kick-ass choice. Her Catching Fire inspired design is the perfect fit for this week.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR NEW KATNISS WALLPAPER
If you love this wallpaper (and why wouldn’t you?) then you can follow Natalie on Twitter @spcebaby and on Tumblr at Leia Shot First.
Can I also just quickly say how happy I am that we now have Thursday night showings at regular hours? Working stiffs like me still love midnight premieres, but I hate them on Friday mornings. So yay to my tickets for 8:30 tomorrow night.
I re-watched the Hunger Games last week after seeing the new trailer for Catching Fire and I have to admit that I haven’t given Suzanne Collins and her story much credit. After a few months of utterly bland movies at the box office, I was reminded that we are on the cusp of some really fantastic film. And Catching Fire is sure to be near the top of that list. So let’s celebrate with a freebie!
The astonishingly talented Natalie Willoughby sent me the sweetest email asking if she could create something for BGC readers and we agreed that Katniss was a kick-ass choice. I think you’ll agree that Natalie knocked it out of the arena, so to speak.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR NEW KATNISS WALLPAPER
If you love this wallpaper (and why wouldn’t you?) then you can follow Natalie on Twitter @spcebaby and on Tumblr at Leia Shot First. Go follow and say thank you for the great freebie!
What other tech freebies would you like to see around here?
The past 12 months have been an insane transition for me. I left a major daily newspaper, went to work for a cooking magazine, spent some time freelancing and consulting, and ultimately landed working as a data journalist. In June, I left behind my cozy, historic St Paul neighborhood and have spent the past six months adapting to a smaller, apartment kitchen in an developing neighborhood of Washington, DC (we currently have a rice cooker stashed in a writing desk, casserole dishes in the bookshelf… you get the idea).
My nerding, if measured by midnight showings, was at an all-time high and I saw Hunger Games, Twilight, and the Dark Knight all during midnight showings. It was during that Hunger Games midnight showing back in March when I first reconnected with Being Geek Chic’s very own Liz Giorgi.
I took my work nerding to the next level in 2012 when I attended a 2-day workshop for journalists who wanted to learn how to code called Code With Me. Now I’ve been putting my fledgling coding skills to use at my new job by building small, interactive charts like this one. I’ve embraced the women-in-tech community by joining the Tech Lady Mafia and subscribing to Skillcrush. I’m also continuing to work as a consultant for Webbmedia Group and encouraging smart women who like to date to join the conversation about raising their standards in dating (we call it Team Data, after the book Data, A Love Story).
1. My first BGC post
When my first post for BGC went live back in October, I was beyond excited. I loved growing my cooking skills during my last job at The Cooking Club of America. My primary job was working on digital things, but I loved every minute of hanging out in our test kitchen and working with our food editor. I never dreamed I would be able to develop recipes semi-professionally, but Liz’s brilliant idea for us to collaborate made that dream come true.
2. The team
My next top BGC moment was Liz’s post over Thanksgiving, where she listed Emma B and I as one of her “Thankful Fours.” I really felt like I had joined the community and I felt a great deal of pride in being able to contribute to this site.
3. Internet + Career
I also had a strong reaction to Liz’s recent “Is The Internet Ruining My Career?” post. Working in digital media and working as a freelancer and consultant, I’ve run into many of these same thoughts, and I was incredible impressed by Liz’s ability to articulate her points so clearly and confidently. Thankfully, I’ve never had to work for free (not even as an emerging journalism intern), and I continue to have a personal policy of never promoting unpaid internship opportunities.
I’m looking forward to an even nerdier 2013 with all of you!
I had a realization this Thanksgiving: I don’t spend enough time dwelling on the things I am thankful for. I am not a huge, major Oprah fan - but one thing I have always admired about her is that she stresses the importance of gratitude on her shows, in her magazine and in interviews. So then I started thinking… How can I show more gratitude in my life? How can I make grace a regular practice in my day?
Alas, a new idea for a blog post came to be: Thankful Four. Four things I’ve felt thankful about in my week. Sometimes it will be links. Maybe other times notes or videos. Who knows. Either way, I’m looking forward to it. Yesterday’s video was a jump start. Here’s the rest for the week:
1. The Emmas:
These two ladies make Being Geek Chic happen. Truly. And so I wanted to take a minute to tell you more about them.
Miss Emma Bauer (left) worked for me as an intern at a previous job. We bonded over our mutual affection for Bob Dylan and fashion. When she started her own blog (which she has since shuttered - otherwise I’d give some link love) I also learned she was a witty and charming writer. So I just had to recruit her. Every week, she highlights other geeks whom I have also come to admire and appreciate thanks to her great questions and insights.
Emma Carew Grovum (right) and I went to college together and worked at The Minnesota Daily on the same desk. Time passes, people drift, but when I ran into Emma earlier this year at The Hunger Games midnight premiere - I realized we shouldn’t have drifted so much. And so I did what everyone does when they run into someone in real life: I stalked her digital life. That’s when I realized she was a nerd food genius and just had to ask her to share her brilliant recipes here. You should check out her blog too: Kitchen Dreamer.
2. NASA’s newest Hubble Telescope image
From NASA: The Hubble Space Telescope has spotted the spiral galaxy ESO 499-G37, seen here against a backdrop of distant galaxies, scattered with nearby stars.
Check out their “Image of the Day” gallery here.
3. A new Catching Fire poster: it’s pretty much a gif on crack
4. Penguin Books for offering up a giveaway for Marie Lu’s legend
Which gets us to the very important question of who won:
If you are Katie, pictured here, send me your full name and address to beinggeekchic(at)gmail(dot)com.
Happy weekend.
