This Week in Geek: Stars and Marbles

A showcase of this week's finest geek and geek related activities for the week. Mark your calendars.

How is something so simple so addictive? (image by Will Merydith)

Wednesday

• Social - DCGN Shoots for the Stars - Washington, DC - 6:00PM
• Head out to Dupont Circle on Wednesday if you need a few rounds of Ascension to ease the transition into the second half of your week. DC Games Night will be at Soho Tea & Coffee. And the Facebook events page alludes to a space theme, so maybe now is the time to hustle the newcomers in a game of Dominion.
• Horror - Drink and a Movie at Black Cat - Washington, DC - 8:00PM
• Now, Black Cat is quickly becoming a favorite geek haven. Dr Who, Buffy, Burlesque, Harry Potter, and now two of the geekiest horror movies they could have picked are playing this week: Cabin in the Woods and Evil Dead 2. Between the Whedony goodness and solid camp, there have to be a few good drinking games to play. Maybe if Joss ties the movie up in a neat bow of “shocking” sadness, you finish your drink? (I mean, it has to end that way, right? It’s fucking Joss Whedon.)

Thursday

• Cabaret - Moonshine Cabaret - Washington, DC - 8:00PM
• One night only at Bier Baron Tavern, Moonshine Cabaret brings you vaudeville, sideshow, the spirit(s) of a 1920s speakeasy, and.... wait, seriously? What the hell is hobo comedy? Is this like Kreiger’s Bum Fight Royale? Either way, I’m sure it will be something you don’t want to miss! Perfect intersection of awesome, shocking, beautiful, and terrifying (well, if you're anything like me and kinda squeamish).

Saturday

• Science - Predictive Neuroscience: Facts, Fictions, and Fears of Scanning Brains and Reading Minds - Arlington, VA - 1:30 PM
• I must admit, I know just enough about this topic area that it gives me cold sweats at night. One reason I’m glad to see presentations like this. Neuroethicist Dr. James Giordano discusses what neuroscience and its related fields can currently do, what they will likely be able to do in the future, and (just as importantly) what standards can be established for rigorous and ethical work in the field. Admission is free and there are refreshments afterwards.
• Science & Music - Nerd Nite February - Washington, DC - 6:30 PM
• These kinds of events are why I love DC. Nerd Nite features live music and a trio of talks to edify, enlighten, and scare the crap out of us. Head up to DC9 this week for presentations on the metric tons of dust the universe is heaping on earth, how bilingualism betters your brain, and a microbiologist’s desperate warning regarding the superbug apocalypse.

Utter, marbling CHAOS I tell you! (image by Steven Isaacson)

• Chaos - The Chaos Machine at NoVA Labs - Reston, VA - 10:00AM to 6:00PM
• Now here’s a little something for the clever child and those who still have a touch of cleverness and a desire to play. The simplest explanation of the event is that “there's a chaos machine and it moves marbles." But this is true the same way that MineCraft is technically about hitting blocks. The whole day looks like crazy, customizable, creative fun for all ages. Definitely a great reason to get out of the house.

Longer Term

• Food - DC Restaurant Week - Washington, DC - February 4 - 10
• Food is one of those things that defines a culture (or subculture) and its one of the best ways we have to socialize. And in this case, you know the exact price before you head out. So grab some friends, grab the troupe, grab the group, and head out for something you’ve never tried before. Restaurant week isn’t strictly geeky, but you take one look at Alton Brown and tell me there aren’t cooking and food geeks.
• Con - ShevaCon - Roanoke, VA - February 8 - 10
• In case you missed last week’s Quarterly Con Report, ShevaCon is this weekend, and is a great excuse to get out of the salt-encrusted metro region. One of the Valley Cons in the area, ShevaCon is a full-inclusion con with gaming, anime, music, workshops, panels, dances, and all the activities you could hope for. This year they’re focusing on the paranormal, and have even set up ghost hunts for con members to take part in. $45 to get in for the weekend and hotel rates of $109 a night are making this one of the cheaper events this month.

Did we miss something? If you have an event you’d like to promote that isn’t on this list, leave a comment or email us. Other weekly recurring events are listed on our website (such as Rocky, CCG tournaments, crazy themed happy hours). For more information, check out the calendars at DC Geeks.