Avengers: Infinity War. San Diego Comic-Con. The International Space Station. Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

Yeah, I think 2018 was a pretty big year for the Geeky Parent Guide (GPG).

If you told me when the GPG started that I would be covering one of the biggest movies in history, one of the best animated series in history, my bucket list convention location, and that I’d be spending some time in space (figuratively), I don’t know if I would’ve believed it. The freedom to generate content from Barbra and Bryant Dillon at Fanbase Press has been such an absolute dream –> THANK YOU! And, all of the GPG’s ideas come courtesy of Michele Brittany (editor) and yours truly (creator/writer).

Open Line of Communication

One of the most entertaining parts of 2018 has been those brainstorming sessions with Michele, as we video chat and shoot the breeze on what’s been happening in our lives. Okay, yeah, we also shared our ideas for future articles, too. I really believe that these chats solidify what we’re trying to accomplish with the Geeky Parent Guide; we want to find ways to keep parents up to speed with the world of pop culture, while also addressing topics that might not be easy to discuss.

So, when the opportunity to discuss Groundhog Day on Groundhog Day was on our “drawing board,” it became clear to use this romantic comedy as a gateway for parents to discuss a serious subject with their kids.

 – “Although Groundhog Day is labeled as a comedy or romantic comedy, it shouldn’t take away from an opportunity to talk to your kids about something as important as suicide prevention. It might not be an easy conversation, but having the conversation will let your kids know you are by their side at all times, and there are resource available to help – even if the need for those resources is presently absent.” –

Handing out FCBD Thanks

Do you know what else is great? Comics. And, do you know what’s even better? When several comic book publishers agree to be a part of our Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) coverage. As a major fan of comic books and also being sad that I don’t have enough time in the day to dwindle down my to-read list, it was an awesome feeling to have so many people take time to be a part of such a major day in the comic book industry.

Nicole D’Andria at Action Lab –> THANK YOU for being so generous with your time and helping to make our coverage fun and easy. FYI, my kids LOVE Miraculous, and The Ghost, The Owl is one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever read.

Debbie Lynn Smith at Kymera Press –> THANK YOU for sharing the entire collection with me, and I am such a fan of Kymera Press. #WomenInComics is important and you will always have me in your corner! Also, Gate of Midnight was my favorite.

Mel Caylo at Valiant Entertainment –> THANK YOU for letting me dive into some Valiant titles that have fascinating characters that make me want to follow their paths to see what happens next. Seeing Livewire in action is a “Whoa!” moment for sure! With her in the mix, Harbinger Wars 2 Prelude was my favorite from FCBD.

Will O’Mullane at Titan Comics –> THANK YOU for taking time to share Titan Comics’ FCBD titles! It was exciting to know I’d be sharing how the Thirteenth Doctor would be making her first appearance in the FCBD comic. Tank Girl celebrated 30 years of the title character this year with Year of the Tank Girl which led to the special event, “Tank Girl Day.” My favorite moment was getting to spread the word on a year-long celebration.

Mad Cave Studios (Battlecats), Charles Brubaker (The Fuzzy Princess Series), David Calcano (Rush: Where’s Geddy, Alex, and Neil?), and Charlie Stickney, Conor Hughes, and Fin Cramb (White Ash) –> THANK YOU for sharing your time and works with Michele which gave the GPG its first article written by someone other than me. That was a particularly fantastic moment for me.

Michele Brittany at Fanbase Press – THANK YOU for being my partner in crime on this geeky parent adventure. I am so appreciative of the time you set aside for the GPG, the ideas you bring to the table, and editing every single word I dole out, especially when I type things one way when it should’ve been that way. Your support, professionally and personally, is immeasurable.

Measuring Cool Factor

Do you know what’s cooler than NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) run by Cal Tech? Okay, I don’t know if there is anything, but that’s my point. I had a wonderful opportunity to conduct an interview with engineer David Rosing. His journey is fascinating, from what led to his desire to work in the industry to the projects he’s been a part of. If your kids have an interest in STEM, NASA, or JPL, you should check out my interview with him. His perspective made a career in his field seem that much more mind blowing.

 – “I started off from college working on the first spaceship (Galileo) that would go into orbit around Jupiter. Then, I worked on an instrument that later discovered over 60,000 galaxies in the night sky that had never been seen before. (Note, you’re in ONE galaxy, the Milky Way.) Another instrument had to measure temperature of liquid helium (2.77 degrees above absolute zero) in Earth orbit on the Space Shuttle to an accuracy of ½ nano Kelvin. (.0000000005 degrees K. If New York to Los Angeles was one degree, we were measuring about a tenth of an inch on that scale.) And, of course, getting the bugs worked out of the instrument that flew on Cassini to Saturn that measured minerology of objects by observing the spectrum of the reflected light from the object from thousands of kilometers away.” –

David Rosing –> THANK YOU for enriching the Geeky Parent Guide (and me) with some amazing information that I believe every little kid dreaming of the stars should hear. You provided an outlook on what they can look forward to when they follow a similar path to your own.

From Me to You

I could honestly keep going and going. I truly want to thank EVERYONE that has been a part of the GPG. From being involved in the articles that we generate to fans who like and share those articles all over social media, your participation means so much and I am so grateful –> THANK YOU!

I can’t believe 2018 has come and gone, with 2019 just around the corner. I’ll keep trying to share out-of-this-world content in the new year, and for my GPG new year’s wish, I’ll only ask for you to please stick around.

Until next time, happy parenting and happy geeking.