Welcome to The Geek Melange! Like the tagline says, this blog is where I post my thoughts about all things geeky and nerdy (and occasionally beyond). Why? Well, if you have to ask that question, this might not be the right blog for you, but if you’re genuinely curious about geek culture and why some people find nerdy things so interesting that they’ll spend hours arguing over the merits of Star Trek vs Star Wars, why some comic artists can’t seem to portray female bodies realistically or why anyone would want to be fluent in Klingon (much less produce a play based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in which everyone speaks in Klingon), you’ve come to the right place!
To get to know me a little better, you can go to the “About Me” page. I’d also advise reading the “Site Disclaimer & Commenting Policy.”
Now, you might ask, “What exactly does Michi consider nerdy and geeky topics?” There’s a simple answer to that: anything I want. I subscribe to the Scalzi school of thought about geek culture: That anyone who wants to be a geek can be, in any way they choose and at any level they want to be. I titled this blog The Geek Melange for a reason – “melange” means “a mixture” and geek culture is one hell of a mixture, encompassing everything from fandoms to technology to intellectual pursuits and more. People participate in geek culture in myriad of ways – some people cosplay, some people go to cons, some people are into comics, some game, some are programmers, some are history buffs, some are writers, some are music geeks; some are hardcore trivia nerds while others are casually interested and others are quiet newbies while some grew up as nerds and geeks from day one – the geeky spectrum is only as limited as you allow yourself to think it is.
The gates of geek culture ought to be flung wide open rather than locked closed and guarded. To that end, expect to occasionally see posts examining geek culture via feminist and intersectional lens, addressing, among other things, issues of privilege, gender and racial representation and stereotyped narratives. These discussions are likely not going to be 101-level, but I’ll include links to basic terms and concepts where applicable.
I’ll also post reviews of movies, TV shows, books, plays and so on. I’m a big Doctor Who fan, so expect to see a lot of that, and I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for Iron Man 3.
Chicago is a fantastic city and also a gigantic nerd hub, so I’ll be posting about local and regional events, especially if I happen to be involved in them.
Also, if you’re a foodie, there will be something on this site for you, too. I’m a huge food nerd and with farmer’s market season right around the corner, I will be posting about food experiments and recipes. Expect to see bacon and chocolate on here regularly. Because food geekery is still geekery and really, “The spice must flow.”
So follow me, subscribe in your feeds, or bookmark this page, and look forward to a lot of geeky melange to come! You can follow me on Twitter @GeekMelange.