Did you know I’m a geek? Â I am.
An unapologetic, giant geek who loves dinosaurs, space, chemistry, science fiction…you name it.
And I am damn proud of it.
So proud, it seems, that I now own a drawer filled with super soft, supremely nerdy t-shirts.
Harry Potter lovers? Â I have a “Griffyndor Quiddich Team” tank and a “Boo You Whore-Crux” tee. Â Chemistry nerds? Â “Screw Your Lab Safety, I Want Superpowers” is a winner. Â (I even purchased one for my nephew).
And Star Trek AND Star Wars fans can appreciate the one I’m wearing in this post. Â Seriously though – I want a starship. Â Space would be the ULTIMATE trip, y’all.
My husband and I are also advocates for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education.  While he’s committed to it from the elementary level, I have a personal “mission-to-civilize” my peers and teach them the wonders of science without the agony of collegiate chemistry classes *shudders*.
If you want to wear the shirts, you had better know your stuff.
Here are five highly entertaining, easy-to-follow science resources. Â Ditch that Pandora for just an hour a week and let your mind be blown.
- COSMOSÂ – if you’re not watching it already, YOU SHOULD BE. Â Neil deGrasse Tyson’s continuation of the legendary series is a treat to the eyes and your brain. Â You’ll be amazed at the things you didn’t know about our own planet, our solar system, and the things that lay beyond. Â Already watching it? Â I recommend watching the Carl Sagan original as well (available on Netflix).
- Space Chronicles: Facing The Ultimate Frontier – another NDT recommendation, but what can I say?  The man is one of the top science educators in our time, and pretty much everything he develops is gold.  Case and point – Space Chronicles, a book I could NOT put down.  Tyson’s writing style makes an otherwise dry tome of the importance of NASA a gripping read.  If you find yourself addicted to the book, he’s penned a full library for your reading pleasure.
- Star Talk – I promise, this is the last Neil deGrasse Tyson recommendation.  His radio show is just that good, as evidenced by my constant listening of it and previous mentions of it (here and here).  Can I be honest and admit it’s my new goal in life to be his co-host in Cosmic Queries?  Well, it is.
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – let’s step away from space, shall we?  I picked up this book because of professional curiousity (our company has a focus on cancer drug development), but it quickly became a gripping read that was so much more than about the HeLa cells I’d become familiar with through work.  The book reviews the history of cancer care in the 50’s, the ethics of using dead patients’ cells, and the major advancements made in cancer drug development due to the HeLa cell line.  I can’t recommend this book highly enough.
- Radiolab – another podcast that is surprisingly addictive. Â Radiolab does a nice job of blending both the physical and social sciences together for an enlightening hour of brain candy. Â Each episode focuses on a single idea (mutant rights, tumors, are some of my favorites) and also offers “shorts” episodes- quick 15 minute bites that tease the full episode. Â Perfect for a quick commute – just don’t forget your turn or your stop.
 I’m wearing a LookHuman shirt (warining – runs small), Topshop jeans, Rachel Zoe vest, Michael Kors bag, and Julie Vos ring and bracelet.  Pretty much my uniform during the tundra that was winter in New York City.
Photography by Lydia Hudgens
