How To Grow Your Geek: Parenting and More!

 

 HTGYG #113: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This week, I discuss why keeping the arts and music programs in school is important – in my opinion. I talk about Kevin’s and Amanda’s choirs, their growing confidence,  and their improving grades.  I also have a couple of voicemails – Rapideye chimes in on school uniforms, and Gary discusses how he introduced his kids to mythology. Finally, I am asking for you to send in your Halloween costume ideas and picture – we’d love to see them and get ideas for Amanda!

You can find out about the IgNobel Prizes here, and watch the ceremony from last night here.

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my  voicemail number at  (678) 235-GROW (4769) and leave your thoughts.  And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: SofaDogs and Great Hites

 

 HTGYG Show #112 [22:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Bob & Carl, Scifi Janitors

This episode, I talk about our experience at this year’s Dragon*Con. We enjoyed seeing the stars of Eureka, Warehouse 13 and Sanctuary, and heard about Amanda Tapping’s charity Sanctuary4Kids. We saw Bob & Carl, the SciFi Janitors in person, and Amanda became a big fan, and an official Janiteer. We had a wonderful Parsec ceremony – you can find the winners here! Amanda got to be the trophy girl, and showed that she can be funny too, by hamming it up a little as she presents awards. She later stole Phil Plait’s pretzels at the live AstronomyCast recording, causing him to look at me questioningly regarding her paternity! (I promise, John is her dad!) And I helped out with the live comedy4cast show, by doing a skit with Clinton. We had a great time this year, and really enjoyed seeing friends like Gary and Lizzie and making new ones!

Hi Gary and Lizzie!

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my NEW voicemail number at  (678) 235-GROW (4769) and leave your thoughts.  And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: Technorama and Tuning in to SciFi TV

 

 HTGYG Show #111 [46:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

IF YOU GOT THE BAD RECORDING, PLEASE RE-DOWNLOAD!

In this episode, we talk about some back-to-school issues, including  choosing a good school, school uniforms, and some comments from Gary.

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my NEW voicemail number at  (678) 235-GROW (4769) and leave your thoughts.  And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: Adventures in SciFi Publishing and Tuning in to SciFi TV

 

 HTGYG Show #111v2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

IF YOU GOT THE BAD RECORDING, PLEASE RE-DOWNLOAD!

In this episode, we talk about some back-to-school issues, including  choosing a good school, school uniforms, and some comments from Gary.

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my NEW voicemail number at  (678) 235-GROW (4769) and leave your thoughts.  And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: Adventures in SciFi Publishing and Tuning in to SciFi TV

 

 HTGYG Show #110: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A lovely Chinese parade dragon

In this episode, I detail our tour of the Mythical Creatures exhibit at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History in Atlanta, guided by Blake “Doctor Atlantis” Smith of the MonsterTalk podcast, one of the official podcasts of Skeptic Magazine. Blake did a great job of giving us background information and possible origins behind the various mythical creatures we saw, including the kraken, mermaids, the Cyclops, and of course dragons.

Blake “Doctor Atlantis” Smith, discussing the “Feejee Mermaid,” and you can see Kevin front and center!

A quick note, if you are in the area, Fernbank is replacing the Mythical Creatures special exhibit with one  about Darwin, beginning Sept 24. The description on their site: this special exhibition features live animals, amazing fossils and an array of scientific tools used by Charles Darwin.

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my NEW voicemail number at  (678) 235-GROW (4769) and leave your thoughts.  And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: Technorama and Podculture

 

 HTGYG Show #109: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This time, I discuss our visit to Estes Park, Colorado, and our trips into the Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the wonders of the U.S.! We enjoyed seeing the Rooftop Rodeo, where an afternoon thunderstorm gave us a true Double Rainbow (see the second faint one to the left of the first, over the top of that mountain), as well as enjoying the splendor of the mountains. The kids even got to play in snow in July!

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my NEW voicemail number at  (678) 235-GROW (4769) and leave your thoughts.  And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: Technorama and Podculture

 

 HTGYG Show #108 [31:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Amanda and Kevin at the Denver Zoo!

This episode, we come back with a whirlwind tour of our vacation adventures. We saw the fantastic Real Pirates exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, enjoyed the tour of the Hammond’s Candy Factory, visited the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys, missed the tour of the Denver Mint, but had an adventure with a wild animal on the loose at the Denver Zoo!  (And yes, now I realize that the other mint is in Philadelphia, not D.C.!)

The cassowary, allegedly the “world’s most dangerous bird.” Pic credit

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my NEW voicemail number at  (678) 235-GROW (4769) and leave your thoughts.  And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: Adventures in SciFi Publishing and Tuning in to SciFi TV

 

 HTGYG Show #107: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This episode, Amanda and I react to the news of alleged cheating by Atlanta public schools on their standardized tests, and discuss the testing process and the No Child Left Behind act and its goals and failures. (More story links here and here.) (Note – we are in the Atlanta metro area, but not the Atlanta Public School System, so our schools aren’t directly impacted by this, but we will see fallout!)

Next week, we’ll be on vacation, so let us know your favorite Denver places to visit and eat – especially ones that are entertaining, educational and don’t break the bank!

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my NEW voicemail number at  (678) 235-GROW (4769) and leave your thoughts.  And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: Technorama and Marc Gunn’s Irish & Celtic Music Podcast

Hey gang, just letting you guys know that we’ll probably be bi-weekly for the month of July. Yeah, I know we’ve been doing that all along so far, but I wanted to actually warn you this time! We’ve had a few more trips pop up, so our time is a bit more hectic!

I’ll get the next episode up next week – and hopefully I’ll have the good mic working!

Thanks,

Susie

 

 HTGYG Show #106 [28:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

This time, we have voicemails from Gary about disaster preparation and summer schoolwork. The kids chime in on what we’re doing with reading projects and other summer activities, and give a quick verdict on Kung Fu Panda 2. I give an update about my sound equipment, and let you know how the Parsec Awards are going this year!

Please email me with your own comments at howtogrowyourgeek-at-gmail-dot-com, or call my NEW voicemail number at  (678) 235-GROW (4769) and leave your thoughts.  And last but not least, you can follow me on Twitter at SusietheGeek or the show at HowToGrowGeek!

Theme music courtesy of Jonathan Coulton

Promo: The Critical Myth Podcast and The Geekspin