Organizing events is scary and last week one of my worst fears became a reality. Through some miscommunication and user-error, we lost our venue for this month’s Nerd Nite. As we scrambled to find a replacement for the event, the options were looking very slim. Then just 8 hours before showtime, I called Henao Contemporary Center and they were not only available but were happy to accommodate us.
The hours leading up to Nerd Nite were very scary. Scarier than usual. With a last minute venue change nearly hours before our program was set to start, I was terrified that everything that could go wrong would absolutely go wrong. And then something crazy happened… all the tech worked, all the speakers showed up, the drinks were cold, and PEOPLE ACTUALLY SHOWED UP!
For those that couldn’t make it due to the venue change, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. And to those who were able to make the trip thank you for the commitment; we appreciate you and all those who have showed up, turned out, and supported us over the years.
The lineup for the night included one of our all-star speakers Max Jackson, who returned to the stage and gave a talk called “Information on the Brain”, David Moran followed by nerding out about the history of Dolly Parton’s amazing catalog of music, and my new co-boss Ida Eskamani closed us out breaking down “the art of moshing”.
With so much learned and so much fun had, I was reminded why so many of us have worked hard to keep Nerd Nite going over the years and I am incredibly excited for our plans for 2018, including the continuation of our monthly events, the second season of our show, our new documentary film, the 5-year anniversary, the cosplay prom, and so much more!
Be there and be square.
-Ricardo Williams