Happy Wednesday, Nerds! I was out shopping tonight for my donations to 4 Luv of Dog’s Annual Silent Auction and fecking “Jingle Bells” was playing from a tchotchke while I was waiting in line to check out.
“Jingle Bells.” In October. 🙄
…But you know what makes me happy again? Knowing that Nerd Nite is just over the horizon! This month’s show is all about expanding your expertise and tastes- check the details of next week’s talks + speakers:
Vote Your Entire Ballot
In a Presidential election, voter participation is highest. However, many people only vote for a few races and leave the rest of the ballot blank. There are some quick, easy steps you can take to be a fully informed voter and vote in every race for candidates that reflect your values.
Ashley Ladbury Hrichena is a Past President and current board member of the League of Women Voters of the Red River Valley. Ashley is passionate about voting, especially in local elections. Ashley joined the League of Women Voters in 2012 to be more involved in local government and election education.
What Makes a Good Band Name?
As someone who has been seeking out new music through the Internet, live shows, record stores, and friend recommendations for many years, I’ve stumbled upon all sorts of band names. While the quality of a band name is and should be subjective, I think there are guidelines for what makes a band name do its job better than others. In this presentation, I will share my system of guidelines for what makes a for great band name with examples of band names I do and don’t appreciate.
Idris Malik is a Physics and Discipline Based Education Research Ph.D. student at North Dakota State University. He is a decade long clarinet player, drummer of one year, and started playing bass guitar half a year ago. Idris loves discovering new music and going to concerts at venues small and large. He also likes other various nerd things like DnD and playing online video games with his friends back home in Ohio.
Eating the Funky Bits: Why Eating Nose to Tail is Ethical and Delicious
According to Anthony Bourdain, almost anyone can cook a steak properly, but the real challenge comes when you’re consuming a piece of meat that’s maligned or inedible if not treated with respect and care. This is a story of eating the whole animal, stressing the “funky bits” that you might not find in most grocery stores. Essentially, travel the world, find unique foods and eat adventurously.
Warren Christensen is a dad, Physics Professor, home cook, musician and certified nerd. He loves Dungeons and Dragons, singing musicals, making food for people he loves, and sitting on his porch. Although he grew up as a picky eater, he’s embraced the funkier foods available in the world and travels and eats with adventure on the mind.
BONUS: a free snack will be accompanying Warren’s talk. No, I’m not going to tell you what it is- you’ll have to show up and find out. So get your gorgeous faces to The Cellar at Front Street Taproom next Thursday, October 17th, 7PM (doors at 6:30). Bring $10 to the door or get your tickets in advance on Eventbrite. Same price to you either way- we eat the fees bc they go good with the snacks.
Thanks so much to our speakers Rick, Susie, and, uh, me for donating their time and expertise to last week’s FNN. If Susie has inspired you to look into fostering or adopting a pet through our local orgs, their websites are 4 Luv of Dog and Homeward Animal Shelter . If Rick has inspired you to play video games, good for you. If I’ve inspired you to drink Natural Lite, someone call Anheuser-Busch bc I want a sponsorship LOLZ.
Anyway, our next show is on Thursday, October 17th, 7PM, at the Cellar/ Front Street as usual. Full details will be posted closer to the date of the event, but you can get your tickets in advance on Eventbrite. For now, I will tell you that there my be free snacks involved.
Consider yourself warned. See your gorgeous faces there.
I hope you all had a fantastic summer and didn’t miss us too hard. 🙂 As we close up the lake place for the season, say hello to hoodie weather, and welcome back a flood of college children, we also approach the last three Fargo Nerd Nites of 2024. So kick off your fall of learning with our September show! Details:
Graphics, Guns, and Glory
One Nerd’s view of the history of the first-person shooter game.
Rick Reichenbach is a major nerd, older than the first networked computers. In junior high he built a transistor radio and had a chemistry set, and is a self-taught programmer (at least to start). Now he teaches programming, computer networking, and building/troubleshooting computers. Has seen every Star Wars movie (except for the original), even the rereleases, on opening day.
Intro to Fostering/ Adopting a Dog Through a Rescue Organization
This presentation will focus on how to become a foster for a local rescue organization with a brief overview of 4 Luv of Dog and Homeward. This will include the application process, preparing for a new pet, resources provided to you while fostering, introducing resident pets to new fosters, acclimating a new foster into your home, and time commitment for events and appointments. I will also include my experience with adopting a rescue puppy from both rescues.
Susie Mueller is a mom of five grown kids, grandma to one (soon to be 2!), and a nurse investigator for the State of Minnesota. She was born and raised in Moorhead, where she currently lives with her husband Lee and their 3 dogs Stella, Roo, and Izzie. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves to be at the lake fishing or just lounging in the sun, as well as all things travel.
A Modest [Beer] Proposal
Is Natural Lite the Perfect Beer? We thought so, so we used the scientific method to prove (or disprove) it. Find out how!
Tracy Kurtz is a has-been chemist living in a microbiologist’s world. When she’s not hustling for Nerd Nite speakers, she’s fostering adoptable dogs, designing and expanding her backyard pollinator garden, figuring out new ways to reduce her plastic waste, and planning her eventual transition into supervillainy.
Plus laughs, prizes, beer, and general shenanigans. See your gorgeous faces on Thursday Sept 19th, 7PM (doors at 6:30) at The Cellar at Front Street Taproom. Tickets available in advance on Eventbrite, or bring $10 to the door. (Same price either way- we eat the fees for the fiber content.)
Mitch Hedberg reference? No? Anyway, thanks so much to everyone that came out to our June show, and to our speakers for slaying their talks as always. We are indeed going on break for the summer, so here’s some follow up info for you:
Find your zen with our feathered friends- check out Amanda’s book suggestion “Ornitherapy” by Holly Merker, Richard Crosby and Sophie Crossley. Follow Audubon Great Plains on Facebook for birding events, and Amanda on Instagram.
Attenborough yourself and make Boss Tracy happy; reduce your plastic waste and check out Red River Refillery in Brewhalla.
With that, we are taking the summer off to enjoy the sunshine while we have it, and you should too! Nerd Nite will return on Thursday, September 19th, 7PM at the Cellar as usual. Tickets and details will be posted closer to the event.
Until then, stay classy, my friends. And here is that Mitch Hedberg joke if you want it.
“Geez, I’d love to get into birding, but I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of those ornithology snobs with the $2500 binoculars who can replicate bird calls so well the birds answer them back.”
“Gosh, I would love to compost these food scraps but I’m worried about smells and vermin and pissing off the neighbors.”
“Good gravy, planet minded products and packaging are so expensive- there must be cheaper ways to reduce my plastic waste.”
…HONEY have I got news for you! 😀 If you’re looking for ways to increase your mental wellness through nature and reduce your impact on the planet, this is the Nite to be at. Speaker + Talk details:
Observation Birds – A Glimpse Into Mindful Birding
A self-described overachieving Millennial and one who identifies her success through achievements, slowing down was never part Amanda Booher’s lifestyle. But she was pretty stressed out, and through connection and purpose, Amanda Booher, Audubon Great Plains Communications Manager, has become a certified Mindfulness Coach and Mindful Bird Guide in attempt to take a chill and learn from our feathered friends. Mindful Birding combines observing birds with mindfulness techniques where labeling or identifying birds is not the primary focus.
Amanda Booher is a community builder and Communications professional with over 15 years of experience. In her current role at Audubon Great Plains she is the Communications Manager and works hard to promote the importance of protecting habitats for birds in the Great Plains region. Amanda is the Vice Chair for the Chamber’s Women Connect Committee and also served seven years on the Fargo Theatre Board of Directors.
Unlocking the Potential: Transforming Food Waste in the FM-Area into a Valuable Resource
Hayden Thompson and Bridger Scraper tried to give me their details on Monday and I screwed up, so I’m currently missing their full talk info, but you can get an idea of what they’ll be discussing by visiting their website https://www.prairiecompostservices.com/. Will post their teaser and bios ASAP!
Plastic Assassin! Finding Creative Ways to Reduce your Plastic Waste
Single use plastic sucks! It takes thousands of years to degrade, is difficult to recycle, and it’s killing our wildlife. We’ve been over-enjoying this decadent, disposable convenience for too long, and our planet is paying the price. Join me to retrain your brain in how you think about plastic packaging, and learn some painless ways to reduce your plastic waste.
Tracy Kurtz is a has-been chemist living in a microbiologist’s world, a nine year Nerd Boss, and a prime example of the Attenborough effect. Interests include birds, composting, and exactly four other things.(Yes, you may remember this talk from 2023; our third speaker had to drop out for health reasons, so we’re filling time with an appropriately themed legacy talk. Deal with it. 🙂 )
See your beautiful faces on Thursday June 20th, 7PM (doors at 6:30) at The Cellar below Front Street Taproom for some learning, some door prizes, and some laughs. Bring $10 to the door or get your tickets in advance on Eventbrite (same price either way- we eat the EB fees bc the compost worms won’t do it).
Woowwwww what a super fun time this week- we got the storied history of the VW Bug, we extracted DNA from strawberries, we learned how to get out of our own way and just CREATE ART. <3 Things to do while you wait for the next show:
Remember the 19th Annual VWs in the Valley show is coming up on July 27th right here in town- check out https://rrvwc.com/ for details.
Keep up with Zack’s work at the National Agricultural Genotyping Center here: https://genotypingcenter.com/
Need some creative inspiration? Will’s website is here- https://www.willrosenberg.com/
Our next show is THURSDAY JUNE 20TH, 7PM, at the Cellar as usual (get your tickets in advance on Eventbrite). BONUS- you can find us May 23 – 26 at Fargo CoreCon, celebrating our love for all things nerdy with all the rest of the nerds in the Valley.
Until then, stay curious my friends. See you soon.
Happy Tuesday, Nerds! Even if it’s rainy and cool outside, our next edition of Fargo Nerd Nite is coming in hot! This one is going to get a bit hands-on, so bring some gloves or some wet wipes or something. 😀 Full deets:
25 Years of VW Lovin’: An Ode to the Bug
Let’s go for a ride through the history and quirks of the iconic VW Beetle and the challenges of owning these quirky little cars. I’ll share insights and advice I’ve collected over a quarter-century of VW ownership and discuss the vibrant community that makes this hobby so special and accessible. Get ready to rev your engines and dive into the world of vintage Volkswagens!
Adrienne Salentiny is the president of the Red River VW Club. A life-long lover of 1960s-70s culture in general, she got her first VW bug at age 15 (shocking no one). She lives in Grand Forks, ND with her family, a lot of pets, and her 1963 bug, “Darrel.”
Extracting the Genetic Cookbook: Unveiling Strawberry DNA and Mutations that make Superweeds
DNA is like a cookbook, containing recipes for life. Most errors that mutate life’s recipes are lethal, but sometimes small tweaks can have profound effects in the right environment. Let’s pulverize strawberries to see the DNA cookbook and explore how a perfectly placed mutation can bring agriculture to its knees. But fear not! We have genetic tools that can help combat superweeds.
Zack Bateson’s enthusiasm for biology spawned in the woodlands of northern Minnesota. He leveled up his nerdvana with a Ph.D. in evolutionary genetics. He helps manage a private lab that creates genetic tests for pest control and improving crops. When he’s not begging for research money or playing with DNA, he hikes the prairie to find bugs and flowers with his wife and two young boys. Zack’s side hustle includes breeding snakes and developing activities for science teachers.
No One Told Me I’m An Artist
Growing up, no one told me I was an artist. It is honestly something that is typically trained out of us through the magical world of “school.” Yet somewhere along the journey I simply kept creating. Finding myself painting live at events and in front of people sharpening creative thoughts. But no one told me I was an artist… even my own father, who was an artist himself!!! Maybe because the world kept telling him there’s no space for him to be an artist.
Will Rosenberg is an artist, speaker, creative consultant and human BEing. The BEing part comes first and the doings follow. He has travelled around the world a few times attempting to discover who he is and somehow he landed here in Fargo, North Dakota…. well, actually Moorhead, MN. Will spends his time creating with paint or words and is working on releasing his first book soon. He also travels as a show producer for another artist/speaker.
So get your beautiful selves to the Cellar at Front Street Taproom on Thursday May 16th, 7PM (doors at 6:30) for some laughs, some learning, and some special giveaways. Bring $10 to the door, or get your tickets in advance on Eventbrite (same price to you either way).
Full speaker and talk details will be posted soon- sign up for our email list (text NERDNITE to 33777) to be notified when they are, or stay with us on the socials, or just get your tickets at Eventbrite now.
Happy Saturday nerds! Winter has at last passed into memory and broken to spring- the first plants are popping, the days are getting longer, and the Sorels are making way for the flip flops. What better way to welcome the new season than with another edition of Nerd Nite! Speaker and talk details:
What the Average Person Should Know About Mortgages
Let’s take some of the mystery and complexity out of home Mortgages. We’ll discuss details on what is required to qualify for a mortgage and why those qualifications are required.
Gwen Organa is a Senior Mortgage advisor for Rocket Mortgage and a bad bitch who, after her divorce, changed her last name to Organa in honor of Princess Leia.
Life Cycle of a Honey Bee
We will cover how the honey bee arrives in the mail, the spectacular in flight mating of the queen, how many bees it takes to make a single ounce of honey, and more! It’s the buzz of the town.
Kenny LeNoue is a local business owner and entrepeneur who tends to have more hobbies than time. He is an avid bow and upland game hunter, enjoys riding bike and motorcycles, has dabbled in aviation and enjoys landscaping, gardening, and of course bees.
Our last speaker had to bow out because she got too busy with work stuff, but don’t worry- we’ll make it up to you with cupcakes because IT’S OUR FRICKIN BIRTHDAY, BABY!! That’s right- Fargo Nerd Nite was born on April 20th, 2015- a birthday we share with George Takei, Carmen Electra, and Andy Serkis, and has absolutely nothing to do with the reason you’re giggling like a child right now. 😉
See your beautiful faces this Thursday, April 18th, 7PM (doors at 6:30) at The Cellar below Front Street Taproom. Bring $10 to the door, or get your tickets in advance on Eventbrite. Same price either way. We eat the fees because they pair nicely with the cupcakes.
Thanks everyone who came to last Thursday’s show, and to our speakers for sharing their time and expertise! Don’t forget to make Ashley proud by voting in our local elections (June for Fargo, November for Moorhead- get all ya info at https://www.vote411.org/), and visit Chris and Fargo Fungi at the Red River Market for some delicious mushrooms to myc up your life.
Our next show will be Thursday April 18th, 7PM, at the Cellar at Front Street Taproom. Mark your calendars and we’ll see your beautiful faces there.
