Monthly Archive:: October 2020
Oct 15 2020
American Girl Has Launched a 1980s Doll—and She’s a Geek

American Girl, the company known for its line of 18-inch dolls from different periods in American history, has announced its newest historical character, Courtney Moore. Courtney is, much to the angst of my fellow xennials, from the year 1986, prompting an deluge of social media posts lamenting that…
Oct 14 2020
Hanebado! Is an Exceptionally Dramatic Sports Anime

If you were to think about sports that have been represented in anime, what is the first sport that comes to your mind? Do you think of popular sports such baseball, basketball, or soccer? Or do you think of less mainstream ones like golf, tennis, rugby, or squash? Most of these sports I’ve mentioned…
Oct 13 2020
DIY Vodka Flavor Infusions Are an Easy Way to Upgrade Your Home Cocktails

With the pandemic continuing to put the kibosh on social gatherings and nights out, many of us have been finding new ways to pass time at home. For a while, it might have been lovingly tending your new sourdough starter. Or perhaps you’ve discovered a new and deep-seated devotion to the Animal Crossing…
Oct 12 2020
Berit Ahlgren and Helen Hatch on Dance and Live Performance During COVID-19

Helen Hatch and Berit Ahlgren have been dancing their whole lives, with much of that time spent in the Twin Cities. Ahlgren trained at Minnesota Dance Theater, was a founding member of TU Dance in St. Paul, and returned to Minneapolis in 2016, working as a dance educator, performer, and choreographer.…
Oct 11 2020
Try Your Hand at Beginner-Friendly Cheesemaking with Homemade Ricotta

Today, I’d like to introduce you all to a super quick and easy way to add an extra level of homemade goodness to your kitchen geekery: ricotta cheese. With the return of fall come plenty of holidays and occasions to have some fun in the kitchen, experimenting and enjoying food. I know the pandemic is changing…
Oct 11 2020
This Week in Geek (10/12/20–10/18/20)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, October 12, to Sunday, October 18.
Please note: Due to risks from the global COVID-19 pandemic, and in following current health guidelines recommending both social distancing and limited…
Oct 10 2020
All This Time Is Oversaturated with Plot Twists and Clichés

The idea that true love conquers all seems simple and romantic on the surface—a nice sentiment that appears, more often than not, in fictional stories. It’s not inherently bad, but in certain situations, it can be much more problematic than many might realize. For example, having a support system…
Oct 09 2020
Minneapolis’s Bakken Museum Reopens with a Spark

Cultural institutions like museums and art galleries have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Either shuttering their doors to the public or limiting capacity, museums have had to make sacrifices and get creative in order to survive. Despite the struggles of the current climate, Minnesota’s…
Oct 09 2020
The War with Grandpa Shoots Slapstick Blanks

Contrary to what the title might suggest, The War with Grandpa is not the continuation of Robert De Niro’s character from the 2016 comedy Dirty Grandpa. Though this seems most apparent in the fact that nobody remembers Dirty Grandpa (or wants to, really), it’s most apparent in that De Niro no longer plays…
Oct 08 2020
Magic and Technology Collide in The Other Side of the Sky

“Chosen One” stories are a staple of fantasy literature, but lately, they have not been well received by YA fans. The concept feels overdone and unoriginal at this point, and for many readers, it complicates the overall story or doesn’t need to exist in the first place. Amie Kaufman…
