Happy Friday, nerds! Alas that summer is half over already, but lucky for us, nerdery knows no season. Buckle on your sword belts and secure your pointy ears: July Nerd Nite is upon us! Details:
European Styles of Swordsmanship: Through the Centuries
Let’s discuss the history of fencing! Different types of European fencing have existed since about 1300, and are still practiced today. This is an introductory talk on HEMA, which includes discussion on rapier, saber, longsword and more. Certain examples will be available to handle but NOT to fence with.
Kevin Wander completed his undergraduate at MSUM in History and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in 19th century Russian military history. He has a passion for historical fencing and has been fencing since 2015. He is currently the head instructor at the Fargo-Moorhead Historical fencing club and specializes in the 19th century British military saber.
The Linguistic World of Tolkien: How Constructed Languages Shaped Middle-Earth
Ai a mae g’ovannen, mellon nín. Delve into the captivating linguistic realm of J.R.R. Tolkien and discover how his constructed languages shaped the rich tapestry of Middle-Earth, adding depth and authenticity to his legendary universe.
Bethany Mastin is a passionate language enthusiast. While she had no formal linguistics background and is only fluent in one language, she has dabbled in numerous others throughout her life, and among these, none have captivated her more than Tolkien’s Elvish languages. Bethany’s deep fascination with and occasional forays into various languages have nurtured a profound appreciation for the linguistic tapestry woven within Tolkien’s extraordinary world.
…okay so we’re not remaking the movie but Elvish and swords really does sound like LotR. 🙂 PLUS since we’re down one speaker, we’ll play some trivia to even the keel. See your beautiful faces next Wednesday, July 19th, 7PM (doors at 6:30) at Fargo Billiards and Gastropub. Tickets available in advance on Eventbrite, or $10 at the door.
🙂 T
PS- ‘Macil appa!’ is what I googled to be the Quenya phrase for “sword touch”, like ‘Touche!’ in actual fencing. We can ask Bethany if there’s a more apt phrase. 🙂
But don’t be too sad! Fargo Nerd Nite will be back Wednesday, July 19th, 7PM at our usual hang at the Gastropub. We’re talking SWORDS and ELVISH LANGUAGES. We might end up remaking Lord of the Rings- Idk. Mark your calendars and watch for tickets on Eventbrite.
Welcome back Nerds! Fargo Nerd Bosses are super excited to be hosting the Nerd Boss Retreat this year. What is the Nerd Nite Retreat you ask? Once a year all the Nerd Bosses get together to discuss business, meet fellow Nerd Bosses and then getting together that evening for a special Nerd Nite. Guess what, We’ve asked the Nerd Bosses to be the speakers this year and you’re all invited!! This epic event will be held at The Fargo Theatre Saturday June 24th. Topics:
This Year In Nerdery
This talk will be a highlight reel of the past year’s best nerdery. Expect to learn a hodgepodge of science, technology, history, pop culture, and more with as many jokes and shenanigans as an educational 20 minute talk can fit!
Dr. Rorry Brenner is a nerd through and through. He has a B.S. in computer science, a Ph.D. in neuroscience, and a decade of experience building military robots. He’s the founder of a machine learning startup, D&D dungeon master, 1st percentile chess player, and yet somehow terrible at trivia. As the MC and organizer for Nerd Nite Pittsburgh Rorry is psyched to bring the Pittsburgh spirit on the road!
Recent-and-Possibly-Breakable World Records
While none of you can become the world’s tallest person or the grow the longest fingernails in the next few weeks, you can learn about 10 world records that have been set in the last two years, a few of which you could potentially be able to break yourselves, and one of which (or maybe even two) we’ll all try to break together at Nerd Nite Fargo tonight. Quick, get Guinness on the phone!
Matt is the Big Boss of Nerd Nite and also host of Nerd Nite NYC even though he lives in Los Angeles. Objectively, that doesn’t make much sense. He’s also the unofficial world record holder in tortilla throwing. Seriously.
Close Encounters of the 5th Kind
Do you believe in aliens? You’ve heard of close encounters of the 3rd kind, but there are actually 5 kinds of encounters you could have with extraterrestrials. In his presentation, John will explain the different ways you might cross paths with little green men. You’ll also learn about open-minded sky watching, identifying explainable phenomenon, and how you might have an encounter of your own.
John is the St. Cloud Nerd Nite mini-boss. He grew up in Chicago around the time of the dinosaurs. He’s served as a Marine and is a Chicago Bears fan (we’ll forgive him for that one). He loves weird cars, woodworking, and the cosmos. The kids call him a Disney princess because he’s infinitely likeable, is always in a good mood, and is an amazing animal whisperer. He used to be in the technology field, but now he’s pursuing a career that’s a better fit with his deeply compassionate nature… working with youth.
There you have it! Don’t forget June’s event is at the Fargo Theatre, (Sorry Gastropub, we needed a bigger space, we still love you). Saturday June 24th Doors open at 7:30PM and show starts at 8PM. There will be drinks, mingling, learning, and sweet door prizes! Limited seating available, tickets are $10 on the Eventbrite site. We highly suggest purchasing your tickets on the Eventbrite site, we cannot guarantee walk in tickets available!! See you all there!!
Thanks so much to our speakers for their nerdery, our guests for coming out, and our venue for putting up with our shit as usual. 🙂 Our next show will be Saturday June 24th, and all the speakers are Nerd Bosses from other cities! We’re covering this year in nerdery, breaking a real world record, and idk what John is bringing but I bet it’s going to be awesome. Don’t miss out- mark your calendars and watch for the event to appear on FB and Eventbrite.
Good afternoon nerds! It’s been a rough week, but at last I can share with you the details for our upcoming show:
Featured topics & speakers:
The People of the Rising Star: The Discovery of Our New Hominin Cousins, Homo naledi (and what we know about them so far)
‘Small spelunkers required.’ The human family tree continues to grow as many discoveries have been made in the last 20 years. Homo naledi seems to be a true cousin of modern humans that we had no idea existed until 2013, and one site is producing an abundance of information. The discovery was not made as most would think, and the conditions of exploration and excavation have some unusual requirements.
Becky Reichenbach wanted to be like the Professor on Gilligan’s Island when she grew up, and so acquired an insanely broad science background. This led to teaching nearly every science course offered in high school for 20 years before putting it together to chase an advanced degree. She just walked in commencement at NDSU with a dual Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and STEM Education. She starts a post-doc position at NDSU as a project coordinator and instructor next week.
Fighting Fair
It is said conflict is a part of human nature, but it doesn’t always need to end in a knock-down drag-out fight. Fighting fair combines techniques from leading therapists and coaches so no one can truly lose.
Aria Harveland is a master of the fine art of arguing and is always right, no matter what others may say. She’s spent her entire life fighting everything from her parents to her customers to get what she deserves. She’s also incredibly humble.
And since our third speaker had to back out, we’re making up for it by hosting a round of trivia! So join us Wednesday, May 17th at 7PM (doors at 6:30) at Fargo Billiards and Gastropub for your monthly dose of thinking and drinking. Tickets $10 at the door, or get them in advance at Eventbrite. See your gorgeous faces there.
Thanks so much to our fabulous speakers Tate, Tajae, and Lee for knocking April Nerd Nite out of the pub. (Get it? Like out of the park but instead it’s out of the pub bc we are at the Gastropub? Womp womp.). Anyway, mark your calendars for our next show on May 17th, 7PM featuring Homo noletti, Hospice, and Fighting Fair. More details soon.
Happy Thursday, my nerds. If you’re reading this, congratulations on surviving another ND winter. I have never been so frackin happy to see dead brown grass ever in my whole life. 😀
AND, new Nerd Nite coming up fast! Details here:
Aircraft Design & Aerodynamics
Have you ever looked at an aircraft and thought, “Why design it that way?” Grab a drink and learn about aircraft design and how these oddly shaped machines are able to stay airborne. Your presenters for the evening, Tajae Viaene and Tate Russell, delve into the unique characteristics of wing shape while teaching you the fundamentals of flight. Try to keep at least one free hand as we test your skills at drinking and flying (your very own paper airplane, that is).
Tajae Viaene currently serves as a Designated Pilot Examiner and Director of Flight School Operations at the Fargo Jet Center. While managing the second largest flight school in the state of North Dakota, she also finds free-time to fly her own Cessna 180 taildragger with her 9 year old son, Desmond.
While moving up the ranks at the Fargo Jet Center Flight School, Tate Russell currently holds the title of Assistant Chief Flight Instructor. With more than 2,000 flight hours, he brings his aviation experience and teaching ability to provide a well-rounded presentation that will have you ready for take-off!
Monogamy?! In this economy??
Polyamory may seem trendy and new, but did you know it goes back to the beginning of man? In this presentation, you’ll learn about what it means to be polyamorous with a personal take.
Lee is a young artist with big aspirations. Outside of playing DND and hanging out with friends, they are passionate about cooking meals for others. Not so much with the baking. They have a strong love for all things environmental, astronomy, and movies (especially horror). Don’t be afraid to say hi, they love meeting new people and making friends.
So there you have it! Celebrate the fact that we can see over the snow-bergs by joining us next Wednesday, April 19th at 7PM (doors at 6:30) at Fargo Billiards and Gastropub. Get your ticket in advance at Eventbrite, or bring $10 cash to the door.
Thanks so much everyone that turned out for March 15th NN- it was a great crowd, great topics, and I am stoked to see all your gorgeous faces at our next show on Apr 19, 7PM. Mark ya calendars and stay tuned for further details.
Happy Sunday Nerds! Are you ready for the next installation of nerdery to take your mind off of this March blizzard bull-oney? Me frickin too. Details:
Restoring Awe & Wonder to The Night (and maybe saving the planet)
When was the last time you walked out the door at night in the Fargo-Moorhead area and felt a sense of awe? Amazement at our place on the planet and in the universe? Have you ever tried looking up? It doesn’t help. Light pollution is ruining our view, our sleep, our health, and taking everything that is cool about the night away from us. Yet there are simple steps we can take to restore darkness and awe to our lives!
Patrick Sommer has been a Fargo resident since 2004, living here with his wife and two now adult daughters. He has volunteered to defend our nighttime environments since late 2019, but his full-time day job is for the North Dakota Air National Guard. He has an undergrad from UND, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Mary, and is working on a Master of Sustainability, Security, and Resilience from Ohio University. Also, a science and sci-fi nerd!
The Whitechapel Murders: A Who Dunnit!
The year is 1888, and the worst areas of London are riddled with crime. Even those brave souls willing to walk the dark streets will soon learn fear, for Jack the Ripper is near.
Jade Harveland, a licensed sex coach and professional nerd with a passion for comics, history, DND and more, returns for his 10th presentation at a Nerd Nite!
Hello, Can You Hear Me: Understanding your Dog By Understanding Their Body Language
What if your dog could speak English? Not gonna happen, but you CAN learn to speak dog. Let’s take a stroll into the world of how our dogs are feverishly trying to tell us about their day.
Julie Jessmon is a lifelong geek of all things dog that has been working and training people how to build a partnership with their pooches. She is not a trainer- she is a relationship coach for you and your pup.
So if you want to spook yourself with a real life murder mystery, renew your wonder for our night skies, and learn to communicate more effectively with your pup, we’ve got you covered. See you at Fargo Billiards and Gastropub on Wed March 15th, 7PM (doors at 6:30). $10 cash entrance.
…Assuming the plow doesn’t come by and block us all into our driveways again.
Maybe the weirdest title I’ve ever come up with, but at least it doesn’t have a damn thing to do with Valentine’s day. Break out of the lovey dovey candy coated mould and get your learn on with Fargo Nerd Nite. Topics:
The Oldest Profession: Should It Be Legal?
You may have heard of the term ‘TERF’, but have you heard of the term ‘SWERF’? How does prostitution fit with our ever-evolving social systems? Look at current systems of regulation throughout the world and how they fail. Together we’ll ask why prostitution should, or shouldn’t, be legalized.
Aria is a sex educator and relationship coach based out of North Dakota. A self-declared feminist, she shares her controversial views in this short talk. Aria is also a dork who rejects the very in-depth bio her husband wrote in favor of you knowing she is a sequel educator, a crazy cat lady and a crochet Cresent.
How to Become the Ultimate Cheese Nerd
This is the year I decided to take my cheese journey one step farther and study to become an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional. What does that even mean? I am absolutely crazy? What type of information would a said person need to know? Follow along as I chat cheese and learn about my quest for more knowledge.
Megan Lewis is the creator of Milk Made catering. She believes in feeding people: whether that is finding delight in artisan cheese or helping those who may struggle feeding their family. She brings her whole self to her brand, knowing this world is full of incredible product from artisan producers. Bringing that cheese to you is her craft.
Orphans in France in the early 18th Century: Necessity or Sad Reality?
What was daily life like for orphans in Dijon, France in the early 18th century? Who were the boys of the Bonnets Rouges and girls of Sainte-Anne? Was abandonment necessary or just a sad part of life for families? Jessica will discuss the importance of these institutions for the survival of children in early modern France.
Dr. Jessica Nelson is a Moorhead native with a PhD in History from Purdue University. Her dissertation was on orphans in Dijon where she made 8 trips to do research, enjoying the food and mustard. She currently works at the Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County and at Fargo Billiards. She enjoys golf, walks, books, traveling, and relaxing when not working. She lives with her two cats – Rory and Georgie.
So there you have it! Join us next Wednesday, February 15th, 7PM (doors at 6:30) at Fargo Billiards and Gastropub for cheese, sex work acronyms, what I hope turns into a Les Miserables sing along, and all the discounted Valentines candy you can stomach. Admission is $10 at the door, cash only.
