Lungs and Livers and Bladders and Hearts

It's that time again! A new guest and a new podcast, and this week's is fantastic because we have Wendy Bryan from I Heart Guts!

Way cuter than the creepy Bodyworlds
(image by I Heart Guts)

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Wendy was at the Sakura Matsuri this year, but it was nearly impossible to work your way through the throng of adoring customers. Evidently kawaii plushy organs were in high demand at the festival. Which is what we at DC Geeks always love to see for local vendors.

At first glance, the company may seem like a competitor with the plush microbes and diseases that have been so popular lately. However, Wendy says that the plush toys complement one another nicely. They've even been placed side by side in several con vendor rooms with no epic Cancer vs. Pancreas pillow fights. 

It's really not surprising how the I Heart Guts site has taken off from a t-shirt business to pins, temporary tattoos, the toys, and even a few special editions. (Check out the totally badass black leather heart). However, the toys can be touching as well as adorable. Wendy says she gets heart-wrenching letters from people who've given the plushes to relatives suffering from all sorts of diseases. Customers buy intestines for Celiac patients, pick up a spare appendix for a friend in need, or a kidney while someone's healing from a donation.

Honestly, given all the DC Geeks Drinking Game Beta Testing that's been going on lately, this was the neither noble nor high-brow thought that first came to mind:

(created by DC Geeks with Quickmeme)

What seemed most surprising was the way that the plush toys created an easy way for parents to educate even young children about anatomy. Wendy's son certainly has a better understanding of organs than most adults. At one point in the episode, we broke down and asked "what does the pancreas do, anyway?"

The pancreas helps you eat cupcakes.

It produces insulin which helps your body handle the sugar in cupcakes and other foods. Sure it's a basic explanation, but The Talk might be a lot easier if your kid starts off with a basic age-appropriate understanding of "this is a testicle and this is a uterus and here's generally what they do!" You have to admit, it's easier than trying to explain a spleen. (And one can assume that hilarity would ensue if presents were opened Christmas morning in front of the in-laws).

Visit the I Heart Guts site to pick up toys and all sorts of awesome merch. Or find it in a store near you if you prefer to hug your heart before you buy. Check out their non-profit work. And read the blog for excellent ideas like giving a uterus as an awesome thank you gift for a midwife.

Thanks, Wendy, for such an outstanding podcast. Let us know if you ever come out with a velcro holder for them all. I want to play pin the organ on the meatling some Halloween. 

PS: For all you astute readers, bonus points for everyone who knew the Repo reference in the title.

Super Special Awesome Geeky Podcast (with Brannen, Scooter, & Aine)

This week, Brannen, Scooter, and I completely geek out. Sometimes it’s great to just be able to geek out about undisputedly geeky things, which is exactly what we do: geek, geek, geekity, geek (I get a nickel every time I use the words “geek” or “awesome” in my articles: like an awesome, geeky Dickens).

This was on the first page of CC-licensed images for "Batman."
I'm completely in love with it (todo el amor → Lain444).

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The opening is rather Batman-centric, but we go into all sorts of comics, cartoons, and movies that we love. There’s no current storyline spoilers, but (for example) if you haven’t read Ultimate Galactus or Hush, then you may want to go finish those up before listening in.

Although I had the best line from Hush spoiled for me, and it still remains one of my favorite comics ever. It will forever be in my “I won’t lend it to you, and I’m probably not going to let you touch it without my supervision” section of my comics shelf, next to Sandman and Transmetropolitan. Not that I’m overprotective, I’m just not 100% convinced that you aren’t going to spontaneously become covered in jam while touching my comics.

Then, we go into wild speculation about the new Man of Steel trailer:

Frequently, there’s discussion over whether we’re covering “geeky enough” events, performers, creators, etc. Hmm, this would be a great place for a shameless plug to Sam’s mini-series about defining geek: Part One and Part Two. Although we go a little afield with our adventures from this past weekend (e.g. how I was glitter bombed by a dead man), we stick to some core geekdoms for a highly entertaining conversation and a genuinely fun episode.

Oh, and of course we discuss how to light things on fire: stumps, lawns, leg hair, and hornets. Can’t get more geeky than flaming bees and Batman. Have a great week, thanks for listening in.

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Gin! Glorious Gin! (with Erik Holzherr)

This week, our podcast is with Erik Holzherr, owner of three DC bars: Atlas Arcade, Wisdom, and Church & State.

This perfectly encapsulates the feel of Wisdom, where we recorded.
(image is © bstumbo123)

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Wisdom, Erik's first bar, is renowned for cocktails. I had a rosemary-infused gin and homemade tonic serum that I will never forget. The website also boasts that they have the largest authentic absinthe collection around, if you're brave enough to dare. Thankfully it's also mere steps from the Potomac Ave stop. We showed up on Thursday, mid-happy hour, on techno mix theme night. We recorded in this brick enclosure where I had a window straight to the bar through which they were nice enough to let me run an extension cord. We did the whole thing by candlelight and the macbook glow, and it was all ten times more awesome than I can make that sound.

Wisdom is all well and good, but if you want to see god, you'll have to stop above Atlas Arcade at Church & State. As they say it best, "Every bottle here, whether heavenly or devilish, comes from the United States, its territories, or possessions. We invite you to be free and brave." That's far more eloquent than my exclamation of, "Drink ALL the bourbon!"

A rare shot from behind the bar
Warning: pun intended
(image from Atlas Arcade's website)

And of course, the reason you're all here: Atlas Arcade. Because video games and drinking go together like Adventure Time and this Saturday. Although he initially had doubts, Erik Holzherr has put together the bar where you can get all your friends together for some serious old school gaming and your favorite beer (which, if it isn't, it should be Ommegang-Abbey Ale). And then snag a cab home and not have to spend the next day matching cartridges to cases. Or you can show up on a random night and join forces with a stranger to defend NYC from The Foot Clan. Use it to hold you over between MAGFests/MAGstocks.

As with all successful business owners that we've interviewed around DC, Erik didn't step into success overnight. He took seven years of planning and work before finally opening Wisdom - including tearing out walls, custom stamping tin details, and that's before going into the business skills or mixology. So the next time you and your friends have that HIMYM moment of "We should buy a bar!" Think about whether or not your drywalling tasks are up to code first.

Go to them. Go to them all:

• Church & State (The bar isn't a church, and DC isn't a state)
• Atlas Arcade (Hit Church for a drink, then go downstairs to AA)
• Wisdom (Share the wisdom through private mixology classes)
• Twitter
• The GINtender (Alex's personal site)
• Washingtonian Article where Erik teaches us how to make the Tortoise and the Bare

Thank you, Erik, for an excellent podcast.

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We'll Do It Live!

This week for our podcast, we have our three usual hosts: Scooter, Brannen, and me (Aine). We're still getting used to the new equipment so there are moments where you can tell we're geeks with new shinies.

It just sits there and stares, looking all
professional (image by Daehyun Park)

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I have a theory that geek-speak is more similar to non-geek-speek than people think; we just have a different variety of inside references that we're drawing from. Here's where I could add a mini-ramble about Thomas Kuhn and discourse communities, but I like you all. If nothing else, we certainly seem to connect disparate concepts rapidly (read: ramble frequently), and the three of us do exactly that.

For this episode, we just started chatting and let the mic keep running. We start with why drunk tanks are pink (or so we've been told). Then, we hold onto the topic of favorite restaurants, which lasts long enough to cover Ripple and Amsterdam Falafel. Of course then we had to talk about the merits of GroupMe and the hilarity that can ensue when someone joins without getting the app first and their phone explodes as every chat message is sent in SMS format. The conversation takes the inevitable turn for the bizarre with Isabella Rossellini's series "Green Porno" (link is SFW).

THANKS FOR RUINING DOLPHINS FOREVER, REDDIT!
(the beautiful image I'm sullying is by Purple Slog)

So yeah, we ramble on gleefully from everything from a mini-TSA rant to Derren Brown's conversational hypnotism to the best ramen in the district to Big Data (please debate all below in the comments).

As I say in the podcast, I announce when I'm recording because after that all bets are off. I have hours of gag reel for our early episodes, but recently, we've been taking a more honest approach and just leaving it all in - even my creative cursing. That's as much as a warning as I can give without full-blown spoilers.

As always, thank you to our audio engineer, DJ. And to everyone else, thanks for listening.

Kimekomi are astonishing (with Erik)

This week, we had the chance to interview our fellow DC Geek, Erik about his secret talent: kimekomi doll-making!

Early examples of Erik's kimekomi (木目込人形) dolls (image by DCG)

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Erik's first project ever
(image by DCG)

I've known Erik for something to the tune of seven years. Somewhere around year three, a mutual friend was explaining to me how wondrous the Sakura Matsuri was, and her main selling point was this: "Erik was there as a vendor, and he was selling these beautiful, intricate dolls." I always wanted to ask, but I decided that if he wanted to keep that talent under a bushel, it was his right. He was the Clark Kent to this Superman of a secret crafter.

Well, that is, until last week when he agreed to record with us. We were treated a full presentation - with visual aids - for kimekomi dolls. The story of how he and his family began creating in this medium is a series of wonderful coincidences and perfect timing. I have to say, I've held them, and I still can't believe that these dolls aren't stuffed with fluff or sewn. The cognitive dissonance is a little jarring at first.

Now, if you're thinking you can just pick up a kit and DIY your way through this traditional cultural art, think again. The imported box would include a single photo from the front of a finished model, and no instructions (in English or Japanese).

Featured doll by the
Washington Japanese
Dolls & Crafts School

You also get the brocade scraps, and a rough, scored shape made of compressed cocobolo wood saw dust. If your doll has a face like the one above, you'll also receive a face that is made of crushed seashells, so fragile that touching it without gloves will leave fingerprints. Damn.

Yet fear not, for you are in luck! Once again, we've proven that there is damn near everything in the DC/MD/VA area, and kimekomi doll-making is no exception. The Washington Japanese Dolls & Crafts School is nearby. More importantly, they'll be at the Sakura Matsuri on April 13th! Please check out their booth and get to see these jaw-dropping art pieces like the one to the left

Thank you, Erik for your patience and sharing expertise. To the rest of you, please come to the street festival and keep an eye out for the DC Geeks contingent - almost all of us will be there.

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Contains Rum and Mild Bawdry (with Pirates for Sail)

This week, our interview is with Pirates for Sail's Jim Everett (Strinalong Jim Smudgebottom), Annie Lysen (Lucky Annie LeBlanc), Kathy Michau (Captain Molly the Crympe), and Tim Michau (The Last Mate).

What's "avast" mean, exactly? (image by Pirates for Sail)

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Although only four members were available to regale us with tales of piratical exploits, Pirates for Sail has over fourteen total crew members. During the best festivals (I hear August is the height of Pirate Season), even more come out of the woodwork, "members, former members, significant others, insignificant others, kids, pets…" Depending on space, usually around six of the crew make it out to the tavern each week.

Which, of course, is where you most likely know them from. Pirates for Sail performs every Friday night at the Piratz Tavern (match made in heaven really). What you likely don't know is that the band did not in fact form at the tavern or even, at first, as a band. Kathy decided that the best present for one Mother's Day would be for her and her friends to hit a thrift shop, dress like pirates, and board the Clipper City for a sail around Baltimore.

They were so entertaining that a quick deal with the bartender turned into a hired weekly gig from the owner. Entertainment and working with kids evolved into songs and a band as they accrued (pun intended) more members. Now, more than seven years later, they have three CDs, weekly concerts, and a year-full of festivals all over the East Coast.  (Note for those of you with kids: the CDs are probably PG-13 -ish. Note for the rest of you: Go to the Tavern on Friday, buy them a beer, and ask for the extra bawdy songs.)

I suppose a "yo ho" would be in order? (image by Pirates for Sail)

Here's all the ways to keep up with these scallywags:

• Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Book a Performance
• Upcoming Performances
• Available Albums: Dark Side of the Lagoon, Band on the Rum, and A Shot Across the Bow
• Or skip straight to their iTunes Store

Thanks to Kathy, Tim, Jim, and Annie for a wonderful podcast. The rest of you, remember to request "Rock Lobster" next time you're at the tavern.

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From Afterschool to the Goethe Institut (with Labyrinth Games)

This week, we interviewed Kathleen Donohue and Judy Thomas from Labyrinth Games and Puzzles on Capitol Hill!

Name me one Adventure Time fan who wouldn't buy that. The artist is a kid
so he doesn't have his own site, but he's already made the news.
(art by Tex, whom I have dubbed "the Amazasaurus Rex")

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As owner, Kathleen has managed to walk a tight line with Labyrinth, and the compromise shows up even in the art that hangs around the store. Although the example above was created by a kid, it’s far from childish, and the store does not have that “we’d be a daycare if it weren’t for zoning laws” feel that some game stores acquire. On the other hand, it is very kid-friendly. So moms don’t have to worry about 12ft cutouts of gore-spattered orcs and the nearly naked women of Frazetta-esque traditional fantasy art.

We showed up just after hours for the interview, right as Tracy Barnett’s School Daze demo was wrapping up. Even before she opened the store, Kathleen says that game developers have been communicating with her on everything from suggested inventory to event hosting, and that evening was a great example. Tracy isn’t local, but he drove down to promote his Kickstarter success from last year. How many places can you get one-on-one time with a game developer (that doesn’t involve convention or internet stalking  ಠ_ಠ ).

Stocked to the ceiling and beautiful to boot (image from Labyrinth's FB)

Kathleen discussed the frustration, anger, and decades of skill that she has brought to bear in creating Labyrinth. Beyond even a game store, the care in the selection of every, single inventory item makes Labyrinth more a juried or curated collection, and the dedication of the entire staff shows through. Judy, in addition to being a wealth of boardgame and M:tG knowledge, manages events and the collaboration with local schools.

Labyrinth has only been around two years, but the customers are fiercely loyal, and several local moms became insistent that it would be the perfect venue for a chess club. Judy and Kathleen came up with something far more brilliant. The afterschool programs are a tactics and strategy-learning club that allow kids to begin with simple games to discuss strategy, and then shows the kids how to apply those tactics to increasingly complex games. They can start at Tic-Tac-Toe and end up loving Go. The program has also expanded from in the store to nearly a dozen local elementary schools and caters to kids from three-years-old to fifth-grade (yes, even pre-readers can join in).

We talked about why Cards Against Humanity isn't exactly a "Capitol Hill friendly" game. We discussed local developer, North Star Games, who make Wits and Wagers and Say Anything. We got to hear the ups and downs about Kickstarter from Kathleen’s unique viewpoint as a small business owner. I asked my usual newb question, “What exactly defines a ‘German-style’ boardgame?!” which was answered not only with specifics, but a great history lesson as well. Not surprising given that they also provide demos of German-made games at the Goethe Institut) Also, Judy introduced us to two excellent games:

Dr. Shark and

Africana.

It’s an easy store to get addicted to, so let me help:

• Labyrinth’s Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Goethe Institut (check their Facebook page for events with Labyrinth)
• Labyrinth’s calendar full of events

I mean, how can you not fall in love with a store that has a zombie apocalypse contingency plan in the manual? Thank you, Kathleen and Judy, for such a great podcast.

Madicon, Asylums, and Science (with Lauren!)

This week, Brannen, Scooter, and I were able to host a podcast from our beloved Madicon with fellow DC Geeks writer (and local professor and artist and expert in all things shiny, pretty, and immersive) - Lauren !

Surprisingly, even small cons have great
cosplayers! (my photo, but if you know
the cosplayer, please email me)

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I love podcasts that ramble, especially when we bring in other DC Geeks to add their specific flair to the conversation. With Lauren, we started discussing tales of tech support woe (“I bought a social media! We’re good!) and quickly moved on to the impact of the Internet on museums and galleries.

At times, the conversation seemed so familiar to me as a former Art History student, that I wondered if we were “being geeky enough” - as if it could somehow be non-geeky to discuss the interaction design principles of a gallery and the juxtaposition of its users rather than a mere visitors. Leaping further into the intersection of art and fantasy (with a bit of mysticism and ritual), we hit my favorite part of the podcast: masks. We delve into everything from how cosplay can be transformative as people take on a character to our own over-the-top plans for this Halloween.

Of course, the spectrum also includes people
who just have fun rocking a great costume.
(like John and Cassie here - image by me)

Of course, it wouldn’t be a con podcast without actually running down some awesome con stories! Given that Brannen had run the LARP the night before, we had some excellent survival horror tales from within the Victorian asylum of St. Harold’s. As with all well-constructed LARPs, everyone believed they were the main plot line.

The gangsters faced off against a tentacled horror in the sewers attempting to break out their boss, Arkham-style. The madman clutching his tattered, blood-spattered manuscript succeeds in his ends (you’ll have to listen to find out the horrors that those involved). And generally, everyone wound up dead or stark raving mad. A resounding success!

So the final question of the podcast remains: What the hell was on the board in the study room we were recording in?!

Is... Is this Science? (image by me, science by a mysterious hero)

We’re always discussing how there’s different areas of expertise in geek, and we were completely stumped by this. Proof that the high scores I got in AP Chem have been replaced with BBC Sherlock references (although we couldn’t even pin down what department these notes might have been for). So, brilliant readers, care to weigh in and educate us on these mysterious squiggles?

Thank you to Danita, the staff, and JMU’s Sci-Fi/Fantasy Guild for running a wonderful convention. And thanks to Lauren for educating us about how much cooler masks are than we ever even realized.

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How to Win Otakon: Don't be Captain Backflip

This week, we interviewed the big kahunas of the big kahuna: the higher-ups of Otakon & Otakorp.

Cons are becoming synonymous with cosplay, and whether it is
obscure, new, or just new to you, much of the art is awe-inspiring.
(image via Michael)

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But while the cosplayers often get all the photos and lasting internet glory, it's the behind the scenes volunteers who make it all possible. And who have the best stories! Listen in for Captain Backflip. Because they rarely get direct recognition, please let me list out our guests this week:

• Jen Piro, Vice President of Otakon, Associate Conchair, and Social Media Coordinator
• Terry Chu, Chairman of Otakon 2013, Otakorp Board of Directors member
• Andy Earnhardt, President of Otakorp's Board of Directors
• John Gluth, Otakorp Treasurer, Associate Conchair, and Advertising Liaison
• Jim Vowles, Head of Guest & Industry Relations, Head of Otakon Music Festival, and Former ALL the Things

This year is the Otakon 20th anniversary, and it’s going to be huge. They couldn’t reveal much, but there are certain events that you all may or may not have been begging for over the past decade that are finally making a reappearance. Seriously. Stop reading. Go prereg now. And reserve hotel rooms before you’re stuck schlepping your shit over a mile walk each day because you got stuck in the newb hotel.

Now for the non-Otakon vets, even if you aren’t an anime fan (or full-fledged, card-carrying okatu), you are likely aware that every summer, some thirty thousand attendees descend upon Baltimore and consume as much anime, fandom, merch, and more before going back to counting down the days until the next Otakon. When I finally made geeky friends in college, they quickly introduced addicted me to anime and with it, the inevitable interest in cosplay and conventions.

And Otakon cosplayers set a high, high standard. See? I could
just post pictures of a packed lobby, and instead I found a Zora.
Because I care. (image by Anna Fischer)

My friend's gentle rebuke still rings in my memory, “Holy shit, you haven’t even been to OTAKON?!” By not being a devotee before the age of 18, I lost any shred of otaku cred I had built up by throwing together that last minute Leena cosplay. But my friend had a point: if you love anything about any convention, not just anime, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you skip Otakon. Because it is so big, it has everything.

Well, I knew that Otakon was really, really big, but I had no idea that it was so big that the staff of over 250 has to set up its own mini-con just to fit everyone in the same place for a weekend to plan the con. Also, I was also unaware of the interplay between Otakon and Otakorp, both of which are non-profit - which just blows my mind. Thirty thousand. 30,000 people. Yet they’re still keeping your status as a 501(c)3? Dedication, right there. We closed the podcast out with a heartwarming acknowledgement of the amazing things that people have done through Otakon's charity.

I'll leave you with the cosplay that never goes out of style.
(another astounding image by Anna Fischer)

So, here’s how to keep up with them:

• Otakon Website
• Otakorp Information
• Charity
• Newbie Guide
• Prereg (RTFI, link is at the bottom)
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Tumblr
• How to volunteer
• Keep an eye out for events that they support, like Studio Ghibli showings at the Cherry Blossom Festival’s centennial last year.

Thanks again to everyone, especially Jen Piro for taking time out of the biggest staff meeting of the year to let us geek out over your con. You all were wonderful and the podcast was a blast.

Is it August yet?

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Behind the Con with Mark Pope (Anime USA)

This episode (our fiftieth!) is with Mark Pope, Director of Guest Relations for Anime USA!

Anime USA 2012, in their new, luxurious location in DC proper.
(image from Anime USA’s Flickr stream)

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We’ve covered Anime USA twice now (by me in 2011 and by James in 2012). I’ve also had the opportunity to interview their (then) press liaison, Lauren Orsini, who was one of the first writers to plug/cover DC Geeks. It’s probably no huge surprise when I say for transparency’s sake that we’re fans. So it was a lot of fun to sit down and talk to their current Director of Guest Relations, Mark Pope. He’s one of the many behind-the-scenes workers for the con who deserves to be in the spotlight himself for a bit.

I have a collection like this stashed between
old volumes of Newtype. (image by John Bowers)

And we all know that going to cons is awesome, but I don’t think I’ve talked enough about how awesome it can be to experience the camaraderie of staffing a convention. This week and next, we have interviews with some of the best conventions around. If you want some truly awesome volunteer work to put on a resume, or to just give back to the organizations that throw the events you love, please consider volunteering for them. 

If you already volunteer, even though I do not know you, and even though I may never meet you, laugh with you, cry with you, or kiss you, I love you. With all my heart, I love you. (Can you tell I used to run a con that relied on volunteers whom I couldn’t reward as richly as I would have liked? For anyone who isn't familiar with the quote, sorry if I creeped you out.) Keep an eye out for updates to the volunteer application page so you can get in right when applications open.

As Gonzo would (inappropriately) scream, “Stop the presses!!!” Please remember that AUSA is moving to a completely different month this year. So if you schedule far ahead for your cons, keep in mind that Anime USA is September 13-15, 2013. Here’s how to keep up with all things AUSA:

• Pre-registration
• Website
• Forums
• Blog
• Twitter
• Facebook

Thanks for talking to us, Mark! And the rest of you, band together for that group discount and prereg already!