food – A Geeky Gal

A Geeky Gal’s Fan Convention Guide: Frugal Food on the Run

April 18, 2018October 15, 2021by Meg // A Geeky Gal28 Comments

Let’s be honest, prepping for a con can be a lot of work, especially if it’s your first one. But you still have to eat! So, let me take some of that hard work out for you! I have compiled an amazing list of food and beverages based on your hotel situation. Plus this rundown contains tips for eating and keeping hydrated while you browse the dealers hall or sit in on your favorite panels. Screenshot these on your phone, or even better, print this article out and use it as your next shopping list. I tried to keep it easy and healthy!

**This post contains affiliate links; actions you take from the hyperlinks within this blog post may yield commissions for ageekygal.com which never add to your cost if you choose to make a purchase, but make it possible for me to maintain this site. ♥

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Gift Guides, Mental Health in the Geek Community

Stay-cation Essentials for Introverts

April 10, 2018October 10, 2021by Meg // A Geeky Gal14 Comments

I will be the first to admit that I forget to take care of my mental health. I go, go, go until I’m all out of energy and have none left to give which is a big no-no for introverts like me. Self love and self care need to become a part of my routine. It’s all about taking time to rest, relax, and recharge. Sometimes that means saying goodbye to friends and family as you shut the door to your home and become unavailable for a weekend.

Say hello to my introverted, geeky stay-cation. Once a month, I will be going on my mini vacation at home for my mental health. It’s a little something for my husband and me to spend time together, but it’s also for me to recharge. Here’s a sample of all the things we have planned and how you can do it too!

Spa Time

I’m a lucky girl thanks to my husband in so many ways. For my birthday he got me several handmade bath bombs. I’ve only been able to use one since January. I’m looking forward to trying them all out now! This is a great time to decompress and just be by yourself. Light some candles and shut the door. This is for you.

bath bombs // bath pillow or rolled yoga mat // relaxing playlist // favorite book or comic

Movie Night

Whether it’s an episode of Black Mirror, several episodes of Law & Order: SVU or the latest Marvel/Disney movie, Alec and I always wind up on the couch watching something right after work. It’s one of the ways we decompress after a long work day. What better way to relax on a stay-cation than to plan a movie night complete with all the fixings and the environment of home where you can take off your shoes and pants!

movie // blankets // popcorn // candy // soda // pizza // pajamas

Plan Meals and Cook

We don’t eat out that often, and it’s a great way for us to save a little money. Plus I usually enjoy cooking. I say usually because I’m a lazy cook. As I’m on a weight loss journey, I try to find recipe blogs that are healthy, low calorie, and easy. These all fit the bill. But when you’re on a stay-cation, you can take the time to cook with your SO and make it fun! Why not try making your own pizzas from scratch or yummy Chinese “take-out?” Grab your grill and make some kebabs or hobo dinners on the grill. Make it match your movie night or create a theme night! Whatever you’ve been craving, find a recipe and make it!

slow cooker // griddle // cookbook

Take Photos

We take pictures on vacation so why not on a stay-cation? Your home can be just as insta worthy as the beach or a hotel. Some cool photo opportunities might be:

bath bomb video
bath tub filled with bubbles and surrounded with candles
flat lay of your book, bath bombs, and candles
screenshot your relaxing playlist
flat lay of your pajamas, the movie, and some treats
selfie in your pajamas under the blankets with a tub of popcorn between you and your SO
the title of the movie as it comes on the screen
long table shot of all the goodies you’re partaking in
photos of each other cooking in the kitchen
shots of the meal being prepared
flat lay of the meal
selfies of your silly faces before digging in
and whatever else you can think of!

hands free shutter control // HD camera lens kit // phone tripod

Awards

Mystery Blogger Award (+ Tags)

March 12, 2018by Meg // A Geeky Gal17 Comments

I have successfully completed my 30 Day Video Game Challenge! Over the 30 days while I was keeping up with the daily posts, I was nominated for not one, not two, but FOUR awards! (And I just got nominated for another!) I’ll be sprinkling in these award posts over the month of March. This third award is courtesy of The Gaming Diaries! Thank you for the nomination Gaming Diaries! They have tons of great gaming reviews and other awesome content that you should check out on their blog!

Mystery Blogger Award Preview:

According to the creator, Okoto, “Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging, and they do it with so much love and passion.

The Rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Display the award logo on your blog.
Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well.
List the rules.
Tell your readers three things about yourself.
Answer five questions from the nominator.
Ask your nominees any five questions of your choice, including one weird or funny question.
Nominate from 10 to 20 bloggers.
Notify the bloggers by leaving a comment on their blog.
Share the link to your best post.

Three things about me:

I am originally from Alabama. I have a thick southern accent that gets attention. I say things like “y’all” and “two peas in a pod” and other southern things that you just don’t hear in STL.
I have been out of the country once and that was to go to Ireland. I was there for two weeks visiting my then long distance boyfriend/now husband for two weeks. I can’t wait to go back.
I have a serial killer fascination. If you do too, please comment with your favorite Netflix and Hulu shows as well as any podcasts you enjoy! 🙂

Questions:

If you could have one superpower/video game ability what would it be? I would love to be able to stop and rewind time! Like Hiro from Heroes or Max from Life is Strange.

What is your favorite film/TV program and who is your favorite character within it? This is a hard one. If I had to pick just one, it would be Hermione from Harry Potter.

If you could have a dinner party with 5 video game characters who would you invite? Kratos from God of War, Spyro the Dragon, Yuna from Final Fantasy X (and X-2), and Kairi and Aqua from the Kingdom Hearts series.

If you could only eat three foods for the rest of your life what would they be? Chips, fries, and baked potatoes… Wait, those are all potatoes!

If you could forget one game and play it again for the first time, what game would you pick and why? Skyrim. So much replay value. The game is massive and there’s still things I haven’t discovered in it. Definitely one of my top ten favorite games.

My Questions:

If you could meet any video game/book/TV character, who would it be?
Name your top 3 favorite websites.
Which video game/book/TV character would you marry?
What video game changed your life?
What’s the background on your phone/computer right now?

My Nominations:

Joey @ AlunaRL

Luna @ GamersUnitedGG

Brad @ Cheap Boss Attack

KT @ Wintendo64

Dee @ PrincessDeia

My Best Post(s):

Spoilers! Our Immigration Story So Far

30 Day Video Game Challenge

I had a hard time picking just one post so I did two. I’m also only nominating 5 bloggers for this award. I have two awards left to go this month and want to spread the love! Please don’t forget to come back here and comment with the link to your post so I can check out your answers!

Awards

Sunshine Blogger Award (+ Tags)

March 7, 2018by Meg // A Geeky Gal6 Comments

I have successfully completed my 30 Day Video Game Challenge! Over the 30 days while I was keeping up with the daily posts, I was nominated for not one, not two, but FOUR awards! I’ll be sprinkling in these award posts over the month of March. This second award is courtesy of Clan Geek! Thank you for the nomination Clan Geek! CG put a great spin on my 30 Day Video Game Challenge with their very own 30 Free Games Challenge. They also talk about books and D&D so check out their blog!

Sunshine Blogger Award Preview:

The Sunshine Blogger award is a peer recognition for bloggers that inspire positivity, joy, warmth and any other emotions that you feel when you think about the sun. I’m taking a different approach and I will nominate some bloggers that are new followers and write amazing posts!

The Rules:

Thank the blogger who nominated you and link back to their blog.
Answer the 10 questions the blogger asked you.
Nominate 10 new blogs to receive the award and write them 10 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.

Questions:

What is your first video game memory? Playing Mortal Kombat on the family Sega. I was probably about 3 or 4 years old.

Who is your all-time favorite sidekick? Rose, the Tenth Doctor’s companion. I see a lot of myself in her and enjoyed her story the most.

Batman vs Superman, who wins? Batman. He has the smarts and the technology to win! Though Superman is amazing with his super human strength and just as smart… This is hard!

When did you first decide you wanted to write/blog? About 4 or 5 years ago. I went through a nasty break up and needed an outlet. It started as a word vomit kind of blog but then I switched to WordPress, made up a new blog name, and here we are!

What was your first blog post? The Geek Behind the Keyboard which has since been updated with all of my new info! Try not to cringe at Baby Geeky Gal’s writing. She was still trying to find herself.

If you could live in any video game universe, which one would you choose? Skyrim. I feel that I belong in a world with magic and dragons.

If you could have any movie turned into a video game, which movie and why? Silence of the Lambs. I love this horror movie and think it would make quite an interesting survival horror game.

How many hours did you spend on your longest marathon gaming session? I would estimate 12-16 hours being the longest gaming session I’ve ever had. Between Fatal Frame II (getting all the endings and S’s on the missions) and Silent Hill 2 (getting all the endings and 100%), my friends and I pulled some all nighters.

When is the best time of day to play video games? Either 10AM to 2PM or 3PM until bedtime.

How long is your perfect gaming session? 3 to 4 hours. I feel that’s enough time to get far into the game and enough time to take care of other responsibilities (and of course to eat and sleep).

My Questions:

What is the best advice someone has ever given you?
Which fantasy world would you like to visit the most?
What is the best thing that the internet has ever created?
What superpower would ruin the world?
What lessons have you learned from video games?
What makes you nostalgic?
What book/movie/video game character do you secretly admire?
What is your actual superpower?
What weapon would you carry during the Zombie Apocalypse?
What was the last thing you googled?

My Nominations:

Meagan @ Quibbles & Scribbles

Kevin @ The Mental Attic

Thero @ A Reluctant Hero

Jacob @ AwksNerd

Sarah @ Geeks Who Eat

I’m only nominating 5 bloggers for this award. I have two awards left to go this month and want to spread the love! Please don’t forget to come back here and comment with the link to your post so I can check out your answers!

Link Loves

Link Loves: Harry Potter DIY, Hulk Snacks & Motivation

January 24, 2018by Meg // A Geeky Gal7 Comments

Welcome to the fourth installment of Link Loves. This post is all about my favorite links of the week! It can include bloggers, articles, news, clothing, accessories, and other cool links I’m enjoying.

Come to the Nerd Side just put up an awesome DIY for Hogwarts House headbands! Check those out here! Photo courtesy of Come to the Nerd Side.

Are you participating in the Marvel Movie Marathon with Popcorner Reviews? This Hulk Smash! Snack Mix is right up your alley! Get all the details on how to make this easy snack here! Photo courtesy of Popcorner Reviews.

Le Geeky Liife is easily one of my favorite bloggers with her podcast RoundTable PodRacers. For #MotivationMonday, she created a post with some of our favorite girl power quotes from Star Wars! Photo courtesy of Le Geeky Liife.

Ever wanted to make your own video game? Kim at Later Levels gives us a look at her dream development team! So much talent in one post! Photo courtesy of Later Levels.