Geek Culture

Celebrate National Women’s Month with DCBitches and DMV D&D Group on March 11th at Andy’s NoMa! This will be a night filled with drinks, conversation, and good ole nerdy conversation! Whether you are an experienced adventurer or someone new to the TTRPG world, this event is for you! **Can't make any of the events? Want to stay in the loop? No worries! Join the [DMV D&D Group](https://discord.gg/bDvGRtKfhR) to stay aware of all future events!**

I'm hosting a FREE Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Draft — and you get to keep most of the cards! I'll only require a few after the draft; the rest our yours. Call me if you've signed up and are having trouble finding us: 760-815-1744 Also, here's a spreadsheet of cards [needed for my cubes](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1uanQ4tfY_ygH_wAFe9krzo1Swbu4Ax8Ao204nPPymIA/edit?usp=sharing) for donation/trade! Feel free to show up as early as 5:40 for Jumpstart or Planechase Commander. **CONDUCT POLICY** We cultivate a safe, friendly atmosphere. Please keep other's feelings close to mind. Derogatory comments of any kind are unacceptable, as is behavior that may make others uncomfortable, such as rage-quitting. If the stresses of the game are getting to you, we encourage you to politely sit out for a while. Thank you! **TARDINESS POLICY** If you're more than 10 minutes late, I'll enlist my wife to draft for you until your arrival. If she's unavailable, we'll make random, blind picks for you.

**NEW GAME LOCATION at The Board Room** Let's play board games. Not the ones your ancestors played but the really cool ones of the new millennium. We play everything from fun, social games to light to heavy strategy games. Don't know how to play? Not a problem - we're happy to teach. It's a great chance to learn new games or play your favorites with non-competitive people who like to laugh. You can build a railroad, eradicate a plague, or explore the far reaches of the galaxy in one evening. While many will bring their own games, you can show up gameless and still play. We play at the Board Room in Clarendon on Wednesday from 6:30-10:00. It's within walking distance from the Clarendon metro. **Find us in the far left by the fermentation tanks.** If that area is reserved for a private event, look for us in the middle. Look for a group that has containers and carrying bags with multiple games. We're very fortunate to have this great venue for our game nights and they take care of us for 3-1/2 hours, so please spend a minimum of $10 on food or drink and tip generously (at the very least $2, even if 20% of your bill would be $1). Thanks!

👉 Enroll at **[www.worklifespanish.com/conversational-spanish-clubs.html](http://www.worklifespanish.com/conversational-spanish-clubs.html)** Our ***Beginner Banter Club*** meets in person and is available to all Spanish learners at the A1-B1 levels who want to start speaking and build confidence. Each week, we’ll explore vocabulary and cultural themes like holidays, food, and daily life in the Spanish-speaking world. **​**Location: Falls Church Day: Wednesdays, 4.30pm - 5.30pm ET ​Price: $27.50 / session or FREE with monthly credits 🎁 **FREE Trial Event Available!** Use code **FREECLUB** when you sign up. 👉 Enroll at **[https://www.worklifespanish.com/conversational-spanish-clubs.html](https://www.worklifespanish.com/conversational-spanish-clubs.html)**

**Greetings, GeoDC Friends!** **We're back this month for a Meetup on Wednesday, March 11th at Sudhouse DC.** **This month, we'll have our usual networking chats, job and event announcements and lightning talks from our community members.** **\>\>Please complete this form if you would like to present next week or any other upcoming MeetUp event\. :** [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10Yj1-BOBXHqtoepJNW2X1WRzmdMjvbBPB8F5fgu5Lhk](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10Yj1-BOBXHqtoepJNW2X1WRzmdMjvbBPB8F5fgu5Lhk) **Speaker Lineup** **David Bleecker: Open Source Mapping of Gravity Anomalies: What They Are and What We Can Learn** * *This talk will be an introduction to bouguer anomalies (aka gravity anomalies) in the field of geophysics, and the application of bouguer anomaly maps to modern GIS tools. The first section will be an overview of what a bouguer anomaly is, how to interpret maps of bouguer anomalies, and how the modern space-based bouguer anomaly mapping satellites work. The second section will focus on the results obtained by analysis of the bouguer anomaly map data taken from the best available public dataset (GGMPlus), with an emphasis on specific locations that are especially prominent anomalies, what geology and geophysics tells us about what the causes of these localized anomalies may be, and (time permitting), a brief foray into some of the unanswered scientific questions that remain regarding the cause of certain localized anomalies.* **Ben Ballerstein: Crash Cartography: Mapping a Year of DC Bicycle Collisions** *\>The presentation is a walkthrough of the design and build of an animated web map visualizing bicycle collisions in Washington\, D\.C\. in 2025\. This independent project used open\-source software and data from Washington D\.C\.'s open data platform\. The presentation walks through the analysis process from concept\, data acquisition and cleaning\, geospatial processing in QGIS\, and presentation in MapLibre with custom data visualizations\.* *\***We're getting a jumpstart to Spring Cleaning this year as well.\**** **On March 11, we will have GeoDC's first-ever Geo-Swag Swap.** * **If you've been to any conferences or trainings lately, you may have found yourself wondering 'how in the WORLD did I accumulate so much stuff?'** * **Bring your unused or lightly used Geo Themed SWAG to Sudhouse DC on the 11th.** * **The Swag Swap table will be by the staircase, right as you enter into the event space on the 3rd floor.** * **Please take what you need/want from the table; all unwanted items will be donated or recycled** ***-You do not need to bring Swag to particpate.*** ***\- Examples of Swag: notebooks\, mousepads\, pint glasses\, tote bags\, pens\, pins\, stress balls\, decals\, lens cleaners\, rulers\, magnets\, laser pointers\, lip balm\, etc\.*** **Looking forward to seeing everyone next week!**

**Order Tickets here:** [https://awesome-con.com/badges/](https://awesome-con.com/badges/) Please note that Geek Nite Out is a Meetup Group attending this event. We are not the organizers of Awesome Con. Awesome Con is a comic-con that embraces all aspects of geekdom and pop culture, with a wide assortment of comic books, collectibles, toys, games, original art, cosplay, and more. Special events include discussion panels, costume contests, trivia contests, gaming tournaments, and tons of activities for kids. **Programming Schedule:** [https://awesome-con.com/programming/](https://awesome-con.com/programming/) **Guests:** Nathan Fillion Alan Tudyk Gina Torres Morena Baccarin Jewel Staite Sean Maher Summer Glau Gillian Anderson George Takei Jamie Campbell Bower Adam Savage Jim Beaver Misha Collins Tyler Labine Paul Giamatti Parker Posey Molly C. Quinn Henry Thomas Carla Gugino Katie Parker Ron Perlman Theo Rossi Sylvester McCoy Sophie Aldred Carole Ann Ford Frazer Hines Nicola Bryant **More Information:** [https://awesome-con.com/](https://awesome-con.com/) Geek Night Out will be hosting the **Cheesy Line Reading Contest** twice again this year! The first will be the **Kids Cheesy Line Reading Show**. It's on Friday, March 13th at 4:30 PM at the Awesome Con Jr. Movement Zone Booth #442. You can find more info about it here: [https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313586618](https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313586618) The second will be the **Cheesy Line Reading Contest.** That will be on Friday, March 13th at 8:00 PM in Room 206. You can find more info about it here: [https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313586642](https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313586642) **--MEETUP INFORMATION--** **METRO:** Mt Vernon Square Metro, along the Yellow and Green lines, is the closest metro station. It is right outside the convention center. **MEETING:** With these types of events, people like to go off and do their own thing. With that in mind, there will be an #awesomecon channel on the GNO Discord server. We can use that to communicate and arrange to meet for some panels or grab a bite to eat. The channel will be created the day before the Con. You can join the Discord server here: [https://discord.gg/d4e9MKScVP ](https://discord.gg/d4e9MKScVP)(link should be permanent. Please let me know if it stops working)

**Geek Nite Out Presents Kids Cheesy Line Reading Show!** Ever wanted to be an actor? Come share your talent with some of the corniest, cheesiest, most absurd lines ever uttered by kids from movies and television. Presented at Awesomecon Jr. Now this is podracing! This panel is in the Awesome Con Jr. Movement Zone Booth #442. **An Awesome Con pass is required for entry.** You can purchase them here: [https://awesome-con.com/badges/](https://awesome-con.com/badges/) We will also be hosting the Cheesy Line Reading Contest again this year! You can learn more about it here: [https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313586642/](https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313586642/) **GNO at Awesome Con:** [https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313368484/](https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313368484/)

**Geek Nite Out Presents Cheesy Line-Reading Contest!** Awesome Con’s most talked about panel returns! Acting can be difficult, especially when you’re given atrocious or ridiculous dialogue. Come join other Awesome Con attendees in a competition to see who can deliver the most hilariously terrible dialogue in TV and movie history. May the cheesiest actor win! This panel is in Room 206. **An Awesome Con pass is required for entry.** You can purchase them here: [https://awesome-con.com/badges/](https://awesome-con.com/badges/) We will also be hosting a Kids Cheesy Line Reading Show this year! You can learn more about it here: [https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313586618/](https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313586618/) **GNO at Awesome Con:** [https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313368484/](https://www.meetup.com/geekniteout/events/313368484/)

Awesome Con is Washington DC’s Comic Con! A 3-Day celebration of geek culture, bringing over 60,000 fans together with their favorite stars from across comics, movies, tv, toys, games, and more! DADA will have a table in the exhibit hall along with other local fannish organizations. If you're attending Awesome Con, stop by to see us! (Table # TBA) There is a variety of registration options available. Please see the Awesome Con website for details, schedules, conduct regulations, and to register for the convention: **[https://awesome-con.com/](https://awesome-con.com/)** NOTE: This is a leaderless meetup. Attend on your own and make your own fannish fun!

Food is one of the most meaningful ways to experience culture — and Ethiopian cuisine is rooted in community, tradition, and bold, layered flavors. Join the Global Food & Culture group as we gather at Enatye Ethiopian Restaurant to explore traditional dishes served on injera. If you’re open to sharing, we can create a few shared platters so everyone can sample a variety of dishes — but individual ordering is perfectly fine too. Enatye is a small restaurant and does not make reservations so they recommended the 2-4 pm time frame. We’re initially capping this at 12 guests to keep the experience comfortable and conversational. If interest is strong and the restaurant can accommodate, we may open additional spots. The good news is that they will bill each of us separately! Come hungry. Come curious. And come ready to connect around the table.

Padaek is a family owned restaurant showcasing Lao and Regional Thai cuisine. Their new location in Arlington Ridge represents cultures through food, inspired by stories and family recipes from Chef Seng Luangrath's grandmother, aunt, and friends passed along in a refugee camp in Thailand. The integrity of Lao and Regional Thai cuisine is further demonstrated through the homestyle setting and art by a young local artist. Laotian food is similar to the cuisine from northern Thailand, but is spicier and more complex.

Enjoy fun at DC’s Awesome Con, a convention in DC where you get to meet your favorite movie celebrities. From TV shows to movies in general, the con is from March 13-15! I’m going to be 15th of March, which the cost is $75 per person! Friday I think is $70 and Saturday I think is $80, but you can look on the website for more information about it! Here’s the link to the website: https://awesome-con.com Please get your own ticket and you can go on your own day! On Sunday, I will be there for a couple of hours, but NOT the whole time! Can’t wait to see you all there! You may cosplay if you wish you don’t have to!

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."

This month, we are in-person at GameArena!!! We will also be joined by students and their games from [Shawnee State](https://www.shawnee.edu/game-design-programs)! \-\-\- Join us for our our monthly COGG Prototype and Play event @GameArena! Come to play and showcase your games. We're back in the upper levels of the catwalk mezzanine area. It'll be packed with lots of camaraderie playing your game(s) and other's games on the 2nd floor as well as the 1st floor in the gaming room below the mezzanine. Light snacks and water provided but you can buy food and drinks at the bar (alcoholic drink ID required). [https://www.game-arena.co/menu](https://www.game-arena.co/menu) **Attendees:** Don't have a game to show? Not a problem! All are welcomed and invited from all ages and backgrounds. The more we can have to play test our games the better! **Developers:** Do you have a game that you would like to get critical feedback on? Would you like an excuse to work on a game with other talented artists, programmers, musicians, designers, and writers? Digital, table-top, non-experienced developers, and the like are welcomed! We'll provide signage for your game to help others learn more about your work. Wifi, outlets, tables, and seats (though standing tables also) are available. Come to the Prototype and Play workshop to collaborate and meet local game developers for an evening of epic and raw game play fun! Play works-in-progress, show off your own game, work with others to add polish to a game, or even lend your talents to other fellow developers. Can use South Garage at the Gateway with a $5 voucher on your way out. 75 E 11th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 [https://maps.app.goo.gl/UwgveUYG37Jy7RtS9](https://maps.app.goo.gl/UwgveUYG37Jy7RtS9) If you have any questions or comments, as always, feel free to reach out to us at [info@thecogg.com!](http://info@thecogg.com!/)