Some of you might already know I volunteer as PR Manager for an organization called GeekGirlCon, which honors and celebrates the role of women in geek culture. Today, on their website, I posted a blog that laid out one of the main reasons I joined the organization.

Here's the intro to the post ... the rest you can read at the GeekGirlCon website.

I became a member of the GeekGirlCon staff three weeks ago as PR Manager. I’d like to share one of my reasons for joining, as well as why I think this organization is so important. And I’ve found the best way to describe my motivation for getting involved in GeekGirlCon is through this quote:

“Be less curious about people and more curious about ideas.” - Marie Curie

Growing up, we all had an idol or two. Some worshiped Madonna and her cone-shaped bras. Others wanted to grow up to be a peacemaker like Mother Theresa. One person I’ve looked up to—as a child and now as an adult—is Marie Curie, a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. There are so many things to admire about Marie Curie, but the above quote in particular has always stuck in my mind.

Here’s what it means to me. While, most often, Marie Curie is recognized purely for her ideas and contributions to science; at times she is celebrated because she was a brilliant FEMALE scientist.

We should not have to add this qualifier to describe women working in STEM fields. Someone should be innovative, or brilliant, or entrepreneurial—and also a woman. It’s a small, but important distinction—one that emphasizes ideas over a person’s gender, race, or appearance.

Read the rest of my blog at GeekGirlCon.com.

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I was sick on Friday and over the weekend, so I neglected to update this blog. And I know you were all dying for my Freaky List Friday post (right?! right?!). So the Freaky List Friday is coming on Tuesday, and my Weekly Nonprofit Spotlight will appear tomorrow.

Looking back, in retrospect, on my sick weekend, I thought I would share a list of some of the things -- past and present -- I love to do when I'm sick.

Watch the Jetsons!
When I was young, anytime I got sick, my mom would rent Jetsons, The Movie for me. I don't know what it was about that movie, but I loved it when I was feeling blue. I don't do this anymore, but I really should!

Take a walk
Most people just want to sleep when they are sick. And I generally do as well. But I find that being out in the fresh air is a great way to clear my head for a moment. This is especially true if I have a head cold (not so true if I have a sore throat).

Drink smoothies
I love the feeling of something cold on my throat when I'm sick, so I whip up a smoothie or two. Don't get me wrong, I also love tea when I'm feeling ill. But if I have a tickly throat, I'm turning to the cold stuff.

Catch up on the Game Show Network (GSN)
I don't watch game shows during the week, but I love them. Family Feud and The Newlywed Game are my two favorite shows on GSN. What better time to sneak in some game shows than when you are sick?

.... and last, but not least ...

Cuddle with my dogs
For those who know me well, you know I'm obsessed with my two dogs, Riley and Sam. They are particularly sweet to me when I'm sick or injured. So there's no better therapy than laying on the couch and letting them curl up next to me.

What do you do when you are sick? Do you have any rituals that help you get back on your feet ... or at least feeling better?

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No time for a detailed blog, so I leave you, once again, with my favorite Pinterest item for the day.

This awesome image combines two of my all-time favorite things: Calvin and Hobbes and the TV show "Firefly."

The Jayne hat ...brilliant!

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For today's Weekly Nonprofit Highlight, I want to talk about equality. With a same-sex marriage bill signed yesterday by Gov. Gregoire, the issue of gay rights is at the top of my mind.

Before I go further, let me first pause and encourage you all to watch the governor's speech from yesterday. She was fantastic: inspiring, passionate, commanding. She made me so proud to be a Washingtonian. (The governor starts talking around minute 10:00 in the video.)

Some of you may have read my post from last week about a young boy from my hometown who committed suicide due to bullying. I didn't even know him, but his pain still sits in my heart.

We've made so much progress in marriage equality, and we aren't there yet. But Equal Rights Washington is working to change this.

Equal Rights Washington is a statewide political advocacy organization for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community of Washington state. The organization has  successfully pushed for the Anderson Murray Anti-Discrimination law in 2005, the creation of the domestic partnership registry, and the further expansion of domestic partnership protections.

You might be wondering why I need to highlight Equal Rights Washington, given the bill that Governor Gregoire signed yesterday.

The fight for equality is not over. Opponents to gay marriage already have filed Ref. 74, which would overturn the bill just passed by our state Legislature and the governor.

I plan to join Equal Rights Washington to uphold this bill and help our state get one step closer to marriage equality.

Will you join us?

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Friday came and went, and I was so busy I forgot to write a Freaky List Friday post.

This weekend has been incredibly crazy as well, so this is going to be a brief one. Today, let's talk about the five restaurants I'm digging in and around Seattle right now.

5. El Sabor
Apparently this is a converted Taco Bell, so don't expect much fancy decor here. My boyfriend comes for the carne asada platter. He claims it is the best around. We're vegan, but he makes an exception for this place, and pretty much this place alone. I love their veggie burrito with chipotle sauce. Fantastic food and cheap prices!

4. Cafe Flora
I love that this vegetarian restaurant doesn't offer fake meat. I'm not a fan of the fake meat that tries to taste like the real stuff. Just a ton of veggies, grains, lentils, and fruit. My kind of restaurant.

3. Jhanjay Thai
I love Thai, and enjoy so many Thai restaurants in Seattle. Jhanjay is one place where I can find a lot of dishes that aren't doused in sauce. I like sauce to be the backdrop of my food -- not the main course! Plus, everything is veggie friendly. Wahoo!

2. Portage Bay Cafe
I can come here for breakfast or lunch and find something to devour. From vegan pulled pork sandwiches to a tofu scramble, I've never left unsatisfied. Oh, and the fruit bar? Amazing!

1. Lucy's Ethiopian
I was introduced to Ethiopian only a few years ago. Boy, what a treat! Lucy's has one of the best veggie platters I've tried. Carrots, lentils, cabbage, potato, collard greens. Oh, I could eat here every day.

What are your favorite places to eat in Seattle? I don't get out enough so I'd love your recommendations.

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via thinkgeek.com

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Another Tuesday, another Weekly Nonprofit Highlight. I feel like I just wrote one of these a day ago.

Today, I want to highlight GeekGirlCon, an incredible nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the role of girls and women in Geek culture—from science fiction to gaming, comics to coding—and empower every female geek to celebrate who they are and what they love. 

Why do I love this organization (which is made up of 100% volunteers, by the way)?

One, I'm the PR Manager for GeekGirlCon. So I have some self interest in promoting this fine organization.

But more importantly, I grew up watching "The X-Files" and "Twilight Zone," and other geeky shows with my dad. I was a mathlete in high school. I loved fantasy novels like Lord of the Rings. And I was kind of afraid to talk about any of that. I didn't want to be labeled as "that girl." I didn't want people to think any differently of me. I was afraid to embrace my female geek.

I want everyone to stop for a second and think about the type of person that appears in your mind when you read the word "geek." Got it?

Is it a guy, perhaps with glasses? Does he like to code in his free time? Does he sort of look like Bill Gates? Or maybe you envision a boy dressed in his favorite sci-fi costume, or one who looks ready for a LARP event?

Why didn't you picture a woman—a woman who can spout Tolkien’s Elvish, who can name all eleven Doctors, or who loves to frag a few n00bs after work just as much as her male counterpart? And why does virtually every woman in comics, sci-fi, and fantasy books or movies have to be so overly sexualized?

What you might not know is this (according to the Entertainment Software Association):

Forty-two percent of all game players are women. In fact, women over the age of 18 represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (37 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (13 percent).

GeekGirlCon was formed to draw attention to these realities and to show other girls and women two things:

1. It's okay to be a geek; in fact, it's cool!
2. You can join us, meet some amazingly geeky people, and make a difference

Through an annual convention (2012 date/location coming soon!) and special events throughout the year, GeekGirlCon aims to change the conversation.

Let's get more women in STEM professions.

Let's ensure women are in prominent gaming and comic book positions, designing the kind of games and writing the kind of stories geeky ladies would like to play and read.

Let's tell every young girl that it is okay to pursue their passions, whether it is gymnastic or aeronautics, teaching or engineering.

That's the goal of GeekGirlCon.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go to the GeekGirlCon website and join us.

Help us, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re our only hope.

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Over the weekend, I learned that Rafael Morelos, a young boy from my hometown of Cashmere, Washington, committed suicide.

He was gay.

He was bullied, according to friends and classmates.

He just wanted to escape, to push the pain away.

At 14, he was too young.

I have been out of high school and away from Cashmere for around a decade, so I did not know Rafael. But I do know Cashmere.

And I do know kids.

There are so many great things about growing up in a small town. Cashmere is a strong community, and people will rally behind its community members in a way that is unrivaled in a suburb or urban environment. Cashmere also is safe. I remember riding my bike to school in elementary school, or doing a paper route with my brother in fourth grade.

But Cashmere isn't safe enough -- not for the gay kids, or the "weird" kids. Not for the kids who don't play sports, who aren't blessed with the full lips and perfectly parted hair. Cashmere isn't unique in this respect; every school and community has its share of outcasts.

That was made clear when seventy writers of children's books published Dear Bully, a compilation of short stories that highlight their experience with bullying as children. Woven into every story are years of emotional trauma the writers carried with them.

Some writers had the opportunity to interact with their bully years later. Do you know what they found? Most bullies forgot about them or acted as if they were best friends. Most bullies don't understand the consequences of their actions, of their words, until it is too late.

It was too late for those who bullied Rafael.

I've heard and read stories of kids who commit suicide because they are bullied. They hurt, but this time it happened in my hometown. This time it's personal.

I was not bullied for being gay. I'm actually not sure why I was bullied. But in seventh grade, girls started to pick on me. Shy, skinny, friendly little me.

I was a "prep," even though I wore my brother's clothes.

I was told I looked like another classmate who was developmentally disabled when I smiled.

I was a "lesbian" because I had short hair.

In seventh grade, girls followed me and a friend home after school and said they were going to kill us. When I was away from school one day, they told my teacher I cheated on a test. They whispered and pointed. They laughed at me when they knew I was looking. They made me want to disappear.

And I kind of did.

I internalized so much. Even though I got good grades, had many amazing friends, and really had a good experience in high school, I still never felt proud of myself. I never felt right. Years later, I started to look in the mirror and see a fat girl. Yes, this girl -- at 5' 9" and 120 pounds -- felt fat.

On the outside, I smiled. But on the inside, I was scared. It has taken me a long time to feel great about myself, and day by day I realized that it does get better.

But we shouldn't have to wait decades to figure this out. It should not take a death for people to realize how strong words can be.

I pledge to continue figuring out ways to make a difference for the Rafael's in this world. I vow to do all I can to be a good person to everyone -- even those I disagree with. I will stand up and have my voice heard when I see injustices.

Most of all, I want to help others see the beauty in all people: gay or straight, Hispanic or African-American, Christian or Muslim, liberal or conservative. The world is not black or white: there is a lot of gray, and gray is a beautiful color.

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It’s time for another Freaky List Friday!

Today, I am going to do a run-down of my five favorite soccer (AKA football) teams, this time ranking from the team that is my fifth favorite all the way to my ultimate favorite team. Soccer fans always have a strong opinion on teams. Some teams in particular—Man U and Real Madrid, for example—evoke an even stronger reaction. So you might disagree with my list.

Which soccer teams do you love? Which teams do you despise? Let me know in the comments!

Manchester United
Yes, I know. Every gosh darn person likes this team. And even people who know just an ounce of soccer know about Manchester United. Man U is one of the wealthiest and most widely supported football teams in the world. The club is at the top of Forbes magazine's annual ranking of the world's 50 most valuable sports teams. As of July 2011, they were valued at $1.86 billion. Who cares? I love these guys. And I love me some Wayne Rooney as well.

Brazilian National Team
Think back to 2002. After a frankly embarrassing qualifying campaign—and with star forward Ronaldo overweight and out of shape—many people thought Brazil would have a hard time succeeding in the 2002 World Cup. But boy did they prove wrong. Brazil had seven straight victories and eight goals from Ronaldo. The Triple R’s—Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Rivaldo—played some fantastic soccer. And despite falling a goal behind England in the quarterfinals, they were still able to persevere and win the 2002 World Cup. That’s why I love this team.

U.S. Women’s National Team
I am a fan of the U.S. Women’s National Team for so many reasons. First, the women on the squad have been incredible role models to young girls. Classy players all around who aren’t afraid to get dirty. Second, I was at the Rose Bowl when the U.S. beat China in a shootout to win the World Cup. Some of you might remember this as the moment Brandi Chastain ripped off her shirt. That happened too. And these women continue to win America over—this last year with the World Cup, perhaps in 2012 at the Olympics. I’ll be watching, will you?

Glasgow Celtic
Glasgow came to Seattle to play Man U when I was in college. I didn’t know much about European soccer at that time. But I fell in love with the fans and team immediately. The Celtic lost 4-0 that game, but I didn’t care. I enjoyed watching Henrik Larsson play until he went to Barcelona in 2004. It is still tons of fun to watch the Celtic dominate in the Scottish Premier League.

Seattle Sounders
I’m showing my hometown pride here. So, the Sounders aren’t in the English Premier League. So, they flop in the playoffs. But the atmosphere alone is worth it. I’ve been following the Sounders since before they made it to the MLS, and it’s been so fun to watch them succeed in the “major leagues.” Seattle Sounders fans are incredible, and I hope I never move because I would desperately miss these games. My favorite player? Ozzie Alonso of course – aka the Honey Badger.

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I don't have much to blog about today, so check out the best item I found on Pinterest.

Are you on Pinterest? Follow me here!

Source: etsy.com via Jex on Pinterest

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Washington state is one step closer to approving gay marriage in this state. Tonight, the state senate approved a bill to legalize gay marriage in this state.

The bill now goes to the House, where it's expected to pass easily.

If all comes together, Washington would be the seventh state to legalize gay marriage.

What will happen if this marriage bill passes? I'll let the below chart answer that for you.

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This week's nonprofit highlight is inspired by a poetic and creative high school classmate of mine (hello, Danielle!).

Today, let's talk about neuroblastoma.

No, I didn't misspell anything. And no, we aren't talking about some new technology in science.

We're talking about cancer. Cancer that, most often, affects our youngest children. Cancer that is the most common cancer in infancy, with an annual incidence of about 650 cases per year in the United States.

Cancer that many of us have never heard of.

Neuroblastoma develops from nerve cells found in several areas of the body. It most commonly arises in and around the adrenal glands, which sit atop the kidneys, but can also develop in nerve tissues in the neck, chest, abdomen, or pelvis. Neuroblastoma most commonly affects children age 5 or younger, though it may rarely occur in older children.

The cause of neuroblastoma is not well understood. Symptoms, also, are hard to diagnose at first. Fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, and joint pain are common -- but these vague initial symptoms are common in many children. Treatment is possible, if caught early. But long-term survival for children with advanced disease -- and who are older than 18 months -- is poor.

So what can we do to end childhood cancer? As a start, we can support some of the many incredible organizations working to find cures and treatments.

Today, I'd like to highlight one such organization. Affected by the struggles -- and ultimately the loss -- of their son, Ronan, to neuroblastoma, a family created The Ronan Thompson Foundation.

The foundation works to raise awareness about neuroblastoma and support families who are dealing with childhood cancer. They are also supporting work to find treatments and cures. Check out their website for some incredibly real stories detailing the family's struggles with neuroblastoma, and for more resources and information.

And learn more about other organizations, such as the Sierra Rayn Foundation, working with The Ronan Thompson Foundation to end childhood cancer.

No child should have to succumb to cancer. And I think it is within our reach to dramatically reduce the rates of childhood cancer, and perhaps in our near future end cancer among children. But nobody can do a thing if they aren't aware. So please help spread the awareness!

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Today, I'd like to talk about games. People are playing all sorts of online games, from Farmville to World of Warcraft, Zelda to Ultima Online. According to the Entertainment Software Rating Board, 67 percent of U.S. households play video games. In 2009, the computer and video game industry made $10.5 billion in revenue. Wow! Did you also know that 40 percent of all gamers are women?

I have not been a huge gamer in the past, but have always enjoyed games. The few times I played D&D, I had a lot of fun. And who wasn't a fan of Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog back in the day?!

But video games have evolved a lot since Mario and Sonic. Kids and adults alike can go on epic quests to save the world. Some argue these games promote violence, but others claim they promote more positive themes: collaboration, purpose, determination.

Video games only continue to grow in popularity. Today, they are all around us. My boyfriend is making one. Education reformers are talking about the power of games to revolutionize classrooms. And researchers at the University of Washington used an online video game to decipher the structure of a key protein in the development of AIDS. Gamers did this in three weeks, while scientists had been trying to uncover the protein's mystery for years.

In The New York Times today, a neuroscientist at Bristol University, Paul Howard-Jones, says:

Computer games stimulate the brain’s reward system to produce dopamine, a chemical “which helps orient our attention and enhances the making of connections between neurons, which is the physical basis for learning.”

Want to learn a little more about the power of video games? Check out these three great TED Talks below.

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In the honor of starting new traditions on my blog—like writing a Weekly Nonprofit Highlight—I am going to start Freaky List Friday, where I’ll share a list of some of the things that interest me, from sports to movies, animals to social media.

Today, I’m doing a “Top 10” list of my favorite television shows—and sharing a few reasons why I love them. I could never do a ranking order, so this is not a 10-to-1 kind of list. Rather, it’s just a random order of my 10 favorite TV shows.

What do you think? Am I crazy for liking any of the shows below? What TV shows am I missing?

Honorable mentions include “South Park,” “Freaks and Geeks,” “Justified,” “Six Feet Under,” “True Blood,” and “The Wire.”

Share your thoughts in the comments section below, or by contacting me on Twitter.

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I was on the receiving end of a little road rage this morning.

I was merrily driving to work and pulled up to an intersection in North Seattle. I had to turn left onto 15th Ave NE, a fairly busy street in the morning -- with people driving to the University of Washington or trying to get onto I-5, Metro and school buses making frequent stops, and kids walking to school.

There were a number of cars driving north and south on 15th, and across from me were two cars that wanted to turn right. So I did what my driving instructor back in the day told me to. I waited until crossing traffic cleared, and the people across the street turned right.

A man behind me was clearly late for work and began blasting his horn -- literally for 30 seconds straight. I shook it off because I was clearly driving correctly; in fact, there were still a row of six cars coming in both directions of 15th Ave. When I did pull out, he pulled out right behind me and got within a few inches of my bumper. We continued this way for awhile, until he turned to take a shortcut.

Below is a not-so-scientific picture I whipped up to explain the traffic flow. However, I forgot to draw in the cars that were driving perpendicular to me

I'm not upset by the incident; the man didn't pull a gun on me or anything. But it got me wondering what sort of statistics there are on road rage and aggressive driving. So I dug some up, and am sharing them with all of you.

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 66 percent of all annual traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving actions, such as passing on the right, running red lights, and tailgating.
• There has been a 51 percent increase in aggressive driving incidents since 1990.
• Of these incidents, 37 percent involved the use of a firearm, 28 percent involved other weapons, and 35 percent involved the use of a car as a weapon. <-- YIKES!
• A recent Gallup poll reported that motorists were more worried about road rage (42%) than about drunk driving (35%).

Pretty sobering statistics, but who are these people that get so angry while driving?

According to a Scientific American article, research reveals that people with aggressive tendencies across a variety of situations, including home and work, have an increased likelihood of road rage. Some additional generalities about aggressive drivers:

• Younger drivers are more prone to road rage than older drivers.
• Men have historically displayed more aggressive driving behaviors, although women recently have been catching up.

The Scientific American also talks about studies from psychologist Jerry Deffenbacher of Colorado State University, who "has proposed that some people have a trait for, or predisposition toward, this type of behavior that is triggered by the poor driving of other motorists."

So perhaps we are predisposed to be an aggressive driver -- or maybe we can fight this trait. Deffenbacher and other psychologists have studied treatments for road-ragers, and many of them seem to be effective.

Either way, be careful the next time you cut someone off -- or get cut off. Friends don't let friends die over one poor driving incident.

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I have decided to spend one day a week sharing more details about a nonprofit I find particularly inspiring.

Sometimes, these nonprofits will be ones I volunteer for. Other times, they might be organizations I have heard positive things about. Eventually, I am hoping to highlight nonprofits that you share via comments or email. Ideally, I want to shine a light on some of the smaller, effective nonprofits that simply deserve greater attention.

Today, I have chosen to highlight Hedgebrook, an amazing organization based on Whidbey Island, located north of Seattle.

Hedgebrook aims to build and support a community of women writers from all over the world. It does this primarily through residencies at its retreat on Whidbey Island, and also through programs to connect women writers' work with readers and audiences.

I love this little nugget on their website:

Hedgebrook was founded on Virginia Woolf’s belief that giving a writer a room of her own is the greatest vote of confidence in her voice. What we’ve discovered in the ensuing decades is the power of community: bringing women together is equally important in nurturing and informing their voices, and emboldening them to speak.

Over 1,000 women have been awarded a Hedgebrook residency since 1988. These past residents range in age from 18 to 83, and came to Hedgebrook from across the United States and 20 other countries.

Check out Hegdebrook's website for more details on the programs that are offered for visionary women writers. And watch this clip below from KCTS to learn a little more about Hedgebrook and the amazing services it offers to women -- from Seattle to South Africa.

Now, I'd love to hear from you. What nonprofits should I highlight in the future?

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