The Lady Nerd - Page 2 of 12

A Merry Christmas?

December 29, 2018 by The Lady Nerd 2 Comments

I have a confession to make.

I was not at all in the holiday spirit this year. Not religiously, not secularly, none of it. If anything, I’ve been avoiding it. I didn’t decorate at all. I haven’t gone to any special services. I haven’t attended any parties. It’s been just another day. Just another month. Not to say that I’m not glad others having a good time and I am incredibly grateful for the gifts sweet friends and family have blessed me with this year, but it’s like watching a TV show from a far. It doesn’t feel real (Though nothing specific has happened to set this off. I truly can’t place my apathy this year outside of neurons misfiring in my brain).

Depression is a very real thing for many come the holidays. It can be due to a myriad of issues from work problems to family issues to just the sheer overplayed holiday songs that you’ve heard for decades that make you want to punch a wall (unless it’s Carol of the Bells. Who doesn’t like that epic movie-sounded piece?!). For some, like me, it’s simply chemical imbalances that like to go off at the most inopportune times.

So alas, I have no pretty pictures to share from this year, no special outfit or photoshoot. But I shall leave you with fun pictures from a couple years ago when my mental illnesses hadn’t reared their ugly heads yet. It was a truly lovely day when a couple friends and I volunteered as our superhero alter egos at a local children’s hospital. That year I was able to give of myself physically to make others smile during the holidays. (You can read all about there here. Of course we had to step outside afterwards for some super shenanigans. I’ve not shared these before, so please enjoy!)

Every holiday season has its ups and downs for everyone. One year may be delightful and the next dismal. During these holidays, remember those who suffer silently and be kind to yourself if you’re one of them. The holiday season is for you too. <3

Photographs: Chelsea Patricia Photography

5 Things I Learned About Blogging Professionally in 2018

December 24, 2018 by The Lady Nerd 7 Comments

As 2018 is drawing to a close and I have more time than I care to admit to contemplate the year, my thoughts turn towards this blog, my brand, and the effects of attempting to make this my business. There;sJSF

jnskdjf8924knjfsjlkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk’

(Well then. That was my roommates’ cat, Moosie, saying hello while simultaneously headbutting me for pets. There’s a reason his nickname is Admiral Rib-splitter.)

During the break between filming seasons, I dedicated myself to The Lady Nerd brand to try to accomplish my aim of turning this into my job. So, I started writing this particular post thinking I’d do two different sections: The Good and The Bad. But upon writing, I realized that for every success, there was a setback. For every failure, there was something learned that I very much needed to know to succeed in the future. Hard to put that into two distinct categories, eh? So I’m going to try one of those catchy “5 Things I Learned About Blogging Professionally in 2018” and like science, throw it at the wall and see what sticks (brownie points to whomever gets that reference)!

1. Figuring out the Dreaded Instagram Algorithim

We all hate it. We all covet it.

The elusive high-rolling number game on social media. The magic key that supposedly opens the door to paid sponsorships and a glamorous life as full-time Blogger Boss. The numbers talk like money; the more followers you have, the more legitimate you appear, the more desirable you become. If I weren’t trying to make TLN my business, I could care less about the popularity contest of numbers. Alas, that integer is everything for the moneymakers. I’ve had an Instagram account for three years and just now, as of today, hit 5K followers. I don’t know if I would consider my methods successful considering most business won’t even look at you for sponsorship if you have under 10K, sometimes 50K. I tried the 3-in-a-row Instagram aesthetic (as professional folks making a lot more than me say that it’s not a smart business move to not have a signature, consistent aesthetic). I’m way too diverse for that! I’d like to think that one of the beauties of my content is you never know what I’m going to post. It could be a sleek, magazine-level urban editorial right after a derptastic wolf hood shoot or a job diary. Whether this has actually been good for social media engagement is an entire other story. (It makes my OCD so happy though!) But I wanted to keep up one specific habit for TLN for a whole year (mainly to prove to myself that I could keep up a habit (any habit!) for a whole year). Et voila! I did it! Debating continuing though….

Then there was intentional Audience Engagement (duh, that’s the polite thing to do anyways. Now sometimes I can’t manage more than a <3 due to disabilities zapping my energy or being too busy. But even though it hasn’t helped my numbers, it’s the nice thing to do). And then Everliker, a Google Chrome app that likes into the hundreds range of particular hashtags you put in. I like the concept as due to my wrist injury (and let’s be real, busyness), I can’t like everything I want to out there. However, it’s not increased my followership any. So I don’t know how helpful it is in the end. But I have to focus on the positive of upward momentum.

2. Sponsorship Struggles

2018 started off with a bang as I scored my very first sponsor ever! After posting my Bride of Frankenstein photoshoot, PinupGirl Clothing contacted me about doing some photoshoots for them in exchange for their lovely clothing. As I own a few of their pieces, I was excited to accept and raced off to do the first post.

But the sponsorship had an unexpected consequence, one that I dearly need to figure out how to correct (or at least streamline) in hopes of future prospects. I don’t do regular outfit shoots, as is common with most lifestyle bloggers. A lot more goes into my shoots – from planning each specific clothing item and accessory to fit the character or fandom in the particular style I design for it, find a photographer to fit the style photoshoot I want, and then finally a location that fits it all. Sometimes that can happen quickly, but a lot of times that can take months to bring together. That can be due to things like me being too poor to afford said clothing (medical bills are such a joy….) to schedule conflicts. I honestly don’t know how other bloggers do it. But I’m determined to figure it out.

3. Blog Writing Rollercoaster

An odd thing I discovered this year was just how bland my writing has become if I don’t have a specific story to tell. Writing stories comes easily (although sometimes laborious). Writing blogs to go with photoshoots with no story = much harder. I think I write too much and then not enough other times. I have not figured out a balance yet. But it is something I need to master ASAP as it’s led to me not posting blogs for weeks or months. This year I’ve been trying my best to write more blogs and more consistently. I don’t know how much it’s helped, but baby steps!

4. Trying to Master the Content Schedule

I’m so very glad that I made myself a schedule this year, despite the fact that I barely stuck to half of it. Oops. But boy, the times when I posted on the day I had something scheduled, man it felt good! Being a geek, I based my schedule around various fandom premieres and anniversaries. But in reference to earlier subheadings, I’ve had a hard time keeping up with all of it. I honestly don’t know how other bloggers and Instagrammers seem to hit every holiday, premiere, and anniversary. But I’m learning! I’m better at it than I was last year. I plan on doing another Content Schedule this coming year, knowing full well I won’t accomplish a fraction of it. But seeing it more like a guideline than a rule book I think should help tremendously. Less stress is a good thing!

5. Energy

Blogging is a full time job. Vlogging is a full time job. Heck, even social media management can be a full time job. And when someone has a brand like this, you have to do all of the above and more. Hustle in the name of the game. And hustling requires energy. My #1 downfall. Of EVERYTHING. A lot of this is due to my disabilities. The rest is due to learned bad habits due to said disabilities. But it keeps me from hustling, from doing all the things needed to make this my job. I’m rather convinced at this point that if I had more energy, I could accomplish so much! On days where my body and mind decide to cooperate, I get SO much done! So, I’m doing my best to better my health to accomplish this goal.

Photographs: Diego Gonzalez

Roger and Brianna Outlander Cosplay

December 17, 2018 by The Lady Nerd 4 Comments

Time is not a reality, but a concept.

Time, as it happens, played an interesting part in this photoshoot. My boyfriend and I had long been wanting to do a cosplay together, but obstacles kept throwing us off track. While I was doing research for my big fall collaboration with my roommate, Catherine of The Gluttonous Geek, I ran across a passage that about made me jump out of my seat.

“Roger Mackenzie is what Claire would describe as a “Black Celt” – olive-skinned, with thick black hair and lashes. His eyes are a bright green, often likened to the color of moss, though they are deepset like his MacKenzie ancestors. When Brianna sketches him, she draws a bold nose and a wide, slanted jaw.”

BEHOLD.

Does that description not fit him perfectly?! To my chagrin, I admit that I have yet read the Outlander books themselves, having been introduced through the TV show. So I did not realize there was a difference between the book description and the appearance of Roger on screen. Needless to say, I set to finding a kilt straight away for Ian. *cue all the ‘kilty pleasure’ puns*

We pulled this look together literally overnight (so it’s not Highland accurate, please forgive us). So as Catherine and I were finishing up our picnic shoot (more to to come on that soon! Speaking of time, I still have yet to write what should’ve been the first blog and this be the third. Oops…), Ian scurried up the rockface to strike the pose above. I’m so proud of him. This was Ian’s first professional picture EVER. First photoshoot AND first cosplay!

Of course, I had to complete the ensemble with a equally-hasty thrown together Brianna Randall cosplay. For the first time I can recall, a character in a popular show has my name (well, technically one letter off, but everyone miscalls me Brianna anyways. 😅 ). Add in brown eyes and straight hair and I feel right at home in this cosplay. In a sense, I get to be myself.

Photographer: Michael Rivera

A Portrait of Lady Croft

December 14, 2018 by The Lady Nerd Leave a Comment

Classic Lara Croft portrait by Foto Mike. Cosplayer- The Lady Nerd

All your tombs are belong to me.

I have sat on this blog post for days, unsure of what to write. Starting, rewriting, erasing, sleeping on it, writing again. Every time I have tried, the words come out at best, boring or at worst, nonsensical. So I shall simply throw in the towel and let the photos speak for themselves. Here is my simple portrait series as classic Lara Croft (a look I never thought I could pull off…), which as it turns out, was my first ever shoot with Michael Rivera back in the day!

Just so we’re clear, you set off a booby trap…you’ll have to block the boulder. My insurance only covers blowgun darts, bamboo spears and the annoying French antiquities thief.

Have fun.

Photograph: Michael Rivera
Makeup: Emily Coughlin

Grey Day Photoshoot

December 7, 2018 by The Lady Nerd 2 Comments

When the snows fall
And the white winds blow,
The lone wolf died
But the pack survives.

All hail the Queen of the North.

Some days are a bit blue. Life gets a bit too much and your outlook matches the grey skies above. Sometimes you need a change of scenery, an explosion of colour to bring the sunshine back in that hides behind the clouds. But other times, I find it’s okay to embrace the gray.

A goal of mine for the next year is to go outside more on these days and photograph dreamy aesthetics in the weather. I want to look for and showcase more beauty in every type of weather. There’s so much in life to find beautiful!

But for now, I thought I’d share images from an older shoot from when I first moved to Atlanta and was spreading my little model wings here. Vania over at Vania Photo Studios had a free night, so I played guinea pig for some lighting and post-production techniques she wanted to try. These pictures are a couple of the results! Anyone getting a Stark of Winterfell vibe from the first one?

Here’s a behind-the-scenes selfie from the photoshoot. You may think that’s my hair, but nay…if you’ve been around my blog or social media sites long enough, you’ve more than likely heard my tales of hair woes. This is actually beautiful lace front wig I scored for $60 at a local beauty supply store (I pushed the wig back a little to let me actual hairline show through). Now I can galavant around looking and feeling like a proper elven maiden with long flowing locks.

Imperial Fashion

November 12, 2018 by The Lady Nerd 2 Comments

This post contains affiliate links
Although I will forever be on the Light side of the Force, you have to admit, the Empire had better fashion sense.

While I am most certainly a lover of geek fashion, alas, I’m not a fan of the majority of designs out there for geek women. Just not my style (or body type. With my taller stature and long, thin waist coupled with short inseam, it doesn’t lend well to popular styles of skater dresses or high waistlines). Though I love the idea behind companies like Her Universe – bringing geek fashion directly to female fans. Geek girls have often been ignored in favour of guys, relegated only to simple tshirts. But no more! It’s an amazing time we live in that such companies, like Her Universe, exist and are flourishing.

I love this cardigan! I’ve been wearing it so much since I bought it (as, truth be told, the outfit in this post is exactly what I wear normally. In fact, this may be the outfit I’ve worn most this fall). It’s subtle in its geekery where it looks like a fairly normal cardigan. But to those who know Star Wars, they will recognize it as a piece based off Grand Moff Tarkin’s imperial uniform, complete with matching coloured rankings.

It’s well constructed in a heavier cotton-esque knit. I love the 3/4 length sleeves as I inevitably push my sleeves up that high anyways out of habit. It’s not too warm, not too thin (which I find is a problem with many a cardigan or sweater these days). It’s just right. In what seems to be typical for HU’s designs, the cardigan is on the shorter side and ends above the hips (well, on me anyways). For any other HU piece I’ve tried one, that’s a deal killer. But due to the construction of this cardigan with it’s wide banded bottom, it actually works quite well.

My little twist on it is that I always wear it open, but buttoned by one button at the top. It keeps some air flow underneath the cardigan and acts as a colour break from all the black. (I went with black as an easier option than driving myself crazy trying to find pants to match the cardigan.)

And a view of the cardigan closed. (You’ll have to forgive my slight frown. Even overcast, shooting outside still makes me squint. ‘Tis the downside of having great eyesight…yay photosensitivity!)

Photographer: Kyle Matthew Williams

Earrings: Ebay
Cardigan: Her Universe
Pants: Express
Belt: Target (similar one here – Amazon)
Boots: Marshalls (similar on here – Amazon)

Ensign Personal Log

October 25, 2018 by The Lady Nerd Leave a Comment

Personal Log, Ensign Lamb, Stardate 10251.8.

I’ve been asked to describe my experiences in the Alpha and Delta Quadrants, but I’m finding myself at a loss for words. This may be partially due to the acute anemia fatiguing my brain, no doubt from a lack of adequate nutrition from Neelix’s culinary Mess Hall experiments…

Computer, note to talk to the Doctor for better nutritional guidance. I hear the Low FODMAP diet seems to be doing well among the humans on the ship.

Now where was I…

There was an interesting away mission recently that put the crew in contact with a species of humanoids not unsimilar to 21st century earth. Their technology is quite primitive, but there’s something refreshing about it. My boyfriend (a fellow Ensign from Astrometrics. While we’ve been dating for a while, the Captain is still waffling about whether dating all the way out in the Delta Quadrant is okay per Starfleet protocol. It seems we’re going to be in this quadrant a while, so…well, the heart wants what the heart wants), has taken a particular interest in the observatories scattered across the planet. It’s amazing to see the primitive dots of light they see of planets and stars. On the one hand, it’s disappointing to see so little. But on the other hand, it’s exciting to spend the time to align the sensors of the telescopes and finally get the subject in focus.

It’s romantic. So much of this universe holds such wonder and beauty. It’s nice to have someone to share that with.

On that note, I must retire for the evening as I have work early tomorrow. That ship isn’t going to fly itself!

End log.

Photography: Kyle Matthew Williams
Dress: H&M Balmain collection

The Day I Learned I Work For Tom Paris

October 23, 2018 by The Lady Nerd 2 Comments

So fun story from Dragoncon this year.

As a lifelong Babylon 5 fan, I was making my rounds in the Walk of Fame to say hi to the B5 actors there. I stopped by the table of Walter Keonig, best known as Chekov in the original Star Trek series (but who will always be Bester of the dreaded Psi Corps to me). We ended up doing the small talk thing one does when sequestered in a convention autograph line. When I mentioned I was in the industry, he perked up (the poor man looked exhausted) and he asked what my job was. I told him that I work as a stand-in and photo double on The Gifted. “Y’know, I think there’s someone here in the Walk of Fame from that show…”

His handler perked up as well, “Oh, he’s sitting right next to you.”

The aforementioned person and I made eye contact as he heard the conversation and looked over.

“Oh hi Briana!”
“Oh hi boss!”

After the laughter subsided, I had the gall to ask this man what in the world he was doing at Dragoncon. Turns out one of our executive producers on The Gifted was also an actor; a one Lieutenant Tom Eugene Paris of Star Trek: Voyager and I had no idea.

Needless to say I still have not lived that one down at work…

Leaving on a Jet Plane

October 20, 2018 by The Lady Nerd Leave a Comment

To say I was excited for this trip would the understatement of the century.

I could barely sleep, barely eat, went over my packing list feverishly more times than I’d care to admit, and was practically bursting at the seams with hope I had not felt in months. Thankfully I had the foresight the finish packing everything the night before, so I was off like a shot to the airport.

Since I had one of the earliest flights departing from Atlanta airport, the lines were fairly short. Although I have a hearty disdain for the Atlanta TSA after they manhandled my camera bag and proceeded to both X-ray my Instax film after I followed procedure to put it in a separate bin to be checked by hand AND open the back of my fully-loaded Instax camera. Between the two, they single-handedly ruined $100 worth of film. NOT a good way to start my trip.

Rather than succumbing to the panic attack pulling at the corners of my mind, I instead focused on my objective to navigate the long maze that is Hartsfield Jackson Airport. I arrived at the gate and positioned myself right at the window to look at the planes. Hands down, my favourite way to travel quickly is by plane. (Trivia: I was actually training to be a pilot back in the day. Almost had my pilot’s license before my driver’s license.) I love the building excitement as the engines roar to life and the plane taxis into position to take off, the adrenaline rush upon takeoff, and the views out the window…Oh, there’s nothing like it.

My destination was Chicago, as I was going to meet up with these family friends there to begin our cross country trek together. (They were coming from farther North) Since they were not set to arrive til the afternoon, I met up with an old Chicago-based friend, Toby of Sith Camaro Props and Costumes. After harried dash out of O’Hare Airport into the ridiculousness of Chicago traffic, Toby drove me over to the west loop of Restaurant Row and straight to the heart attack-inducing-but-oh-so-delicious, Do-Rite Donuts (of which I had to partake of a candied maple bacon donut because is a wonderful, I mean, bad influence).

After I had sufficiently given myself a sugar rush, we departed to do some exploring. We did some sightseeing nearby as that area was great for walking (walking off the sugar, I told myself. Right? Right.). Along the way, we stopped at a cafe called Sawada Coffee to catch our breath and partake of some rather tasty matcha lattes.

After exiting Restaurant Row (I’m kicking myself for not actually trying deep dish pizza IN Chicago…Next time), Toby gave me a sightseeing tour of downtown Chicago. It was not at all what I expected! Movies and TV shows tend to depict modern Chicago as a dark urban area (to be fair, I have since been told the ‘bad parts of town are really bad’. So still a note to be careful when visiting), so I was not prepared for this beautiful, bright, city full of classy storefronts, gleaming marble museums, and pristine walkways. The lakes took my breath away! I wish I could’ve gotten more pictures, but alas, one can only do so much from fast moving passenger seat.

Next up, all aboard the train to Seattle!

The Lady Nerd Travels

October 20, 2018 by The Lady Nerd Leave a Comment

wan·der·lust

/ˈwändərˌləst/

noun. a strong desire to travel, a longing for another land, to roam, to explore.

Spring 2017.

The stage was ripe with wanderlust mixed with entirely too much soul-crushing depression. I had been unemployed for months, my health had gotten worse, and to be transparently honest, I was on the verge of mental breakdown. But help was right around the corner; and in a way I would never have guessed in my wildest dreams.

There’s a group of old family friends that travel ALL. THE. TIME. I like to live vicariously through them on Facebook. Often, I would dreamed of joining them if I ever got my neck above the poverty line. But in a surprise gesture of extreme generosity between them and my parents, I got the opportunity to go on a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Itinerary:
✈ Fly from Atlanta to Chicago
Take a train from Chicago to Seattle
🚢 Take a cruise from Seattle to Alaska and Canada
✈ Aaaand then reverse the order for coming home

I couldn’t believe it! This was my first real major vacation in 8 years! I hadn’t really done traveling of any kind since I left my home in New Zealand in 2009. I hadn’t really even been able to travel much locally due to work, finances, and health. But to come at a time like it did… I shudder to think what state I might have been in had this blessing not come alone. So the next few blog posts will be detailing this amazing adventure. I hope you come along with me for the ride! Tally ho!