Hello, FreeThought Blogs!

Brianne Bilyeu

I’m sitting here after a long day of work with a whiskey-diet and an Oreo McFlurry, wondering how my life got so freaking awesome. First of all, I’m drinking whiskey and eating an Oreo McFlurry, but perhaps more exciting (I know, that’s a bold perhaps), I’m sitting in front of the computer typing my first blog post that will appear in the Freethought Blogs network.

To those of you who are meeting me for the first time: Welcome! My name is Brianne Bilyeu. I’m a big ol’ nerd who really likes to learn things and have new experiences. I’m a softie who thinks that the world would be a better place if we could just walk a mile in each others shoes, or barring available footwear, sit down and have a chat. These are a few of the labels I put to myself and share with you: skeptic, humanist, atheist, feminist, pro-sexual freedom, nerd, geek, dork, bibliophile, activist, pro-choice, over-joiner, liberal, progressive, scientist, wife, sister, daughter, gamer, storyteller, listener.

On this blog I write about pro-choice and GLBT issues, science, politics, religious-based asshattery, separation of church and state stories, health and medicine, skepticism, humor, nerd/geek culture, family life, photography, adventures, cool places I go, events I attend, and the occasional piece of really random weirdness. I work a daily grind, but it’s not so much a grind as a super sweet job in biotechnology development. I don’t write about my work in any specific detail here, but I do drop the occasional post about life in the lab and office culture.

Most of my writing is still over at my wordpress blog (I’m working on transferring the archives, links, pages, etc. over here to FTB and I beg your indulgence during the transition), and  I am a contributor over at Minnesota Skeptics. You can get more of me on twitter @abiodork and I invite you to Talk to Me any time.

I’m delighted to be here. Thanks for having me.

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Hello, FreeThought Blogs!

About the author

Thoughts from a Minneapolis-based nerdy, liberal, humanist progressive on topics such as science, skepticism, religion, atheism, critical thought, politics, and local and global humanitarian and equality efforts. Biodork <3's geek culture, groan-inducing puns, world travel, cultural exchange and sharing and listening to stories.
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1,079 thoughts on “Hello, FreeThought Blogs!”

  1. Xanthe
    Reply
    1

    Hi Biodork,

    Umm, first post, maybe? (Or else, there’s a lot queued up in the moderation queue ahead of me.)

    Glad to see the FreeThought Borg is still increasing, but do make sure you have a word to the techies to make your blog appear in the list of FtB blogs in the side bar – it’s not there yet!

    I look forward to seeing what you’ve got to write about.

    1. biodork
      Reply
      1.1

      You win first post, Xanthe. 🙂 I just shot an email off to the FTB webmaster to let them know I’m ready to go live. Hopefully I’ll be up on the main page in the next 24 hours!

    1. Brianne Bilyeu
      Reply
      2.1

      Hey, George! You’re so awesome. Thanks for the welcome. Nice work over at Cafe Witteveen this week! And Aaron and I are planning to contribute a photo to the “Gay Marriage Doesn’t Threaten Our Marriage” campaign that you posted about on your blog.

      1. George W.
        Reply
        …

        I’m continually amazed how all my favorite blogs continue to aggregate into one place. If someone could get Jeremy over here, I wouldn’t have to even leave Freethought Blogs!

        I have been a huge fan of yours for a while now, and you definitely deserve a wider audience. Thank you for helping me with my friends campaign-perhaps I could twist your arm to post about it in the next few days? The more times people hear about it, the better.

  8. Timid Atheist
    Reply
    8

    Welcome to Freethought Blogs! I look forward to reading what you have to say. You’re in a city where one my relatives lives, so I’m curious to see what the community is like there via your perspective. And I’m always glad to see a new writer, especially a lady writer, on these blogs, so I hope there’s lots more to come from you.

  9. Crommunist
    Reply
    9

    We are FTBorg. Your intellectual and linguistic distinctiveness will be added to our own. Resistance is… well, it’s a big part of what we do around here. Welcome aboard.

    2. Aliasalpha
      Reply
      9.2

      Do the borg really count as individual thinkers though since the drones are all subsumed to the will of the collective or do they count as individual thinkers since their experience forms the collective in the first place?

      Also because I’m a lifelong aussie nerd, I have to say “Doctor Who > Star Trek” “& Cybermen >>>> Borg”

  11. Besomyka
    Reply
    11

    Welcome aboard! Looks like you’re already set up with the sites general RSS feed (that’s how I found you). I was unaware of your previous blogging, but I’m looking forward to the future – particular the nerd/geek culture bit.

  13. kerfluffle
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    “…nerdy, liberal, humanist progressive…” Sweet!

    Having just read your friggatriskaidekaphobia post on Minnesota Skeptics, I’m looking forward to keeping up with you here. Welcome!

  17. F
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    17

    Well halooo! Anything with Bio and Dork in it sounds like it would be good! And a brief glance at your old digs makes me think this sound is accurately informing me.

    Welcome to FtB. 🙂

  20. NathanDST
    Reply
    20

    Brianne!!!! Does this make you a celebrity!? I get to say “I knew her when . . .”!

    Yea, that’s right. I knew her in college. *basks in the reflected glow of celebrity*

    Glad to see you here 😀

  21. Hank Fox
    Reply
    21

    Welcome, welcome! Fantastic to have you here!

    (Heh. Sitting here in the pre-coffee morning haze, I had to run “bibliophile” through my head a couple of times to be sure it didn’t mean “lover of Bibles.”)

  22. Jeremy
    Reply
    22

    Welcome Brianne. It’s always good to meet another biology nerd. All that stuff about skeptic and feminist and whatnot was nice, but I believe I read “gamer” in that description, so now you need to explain yourself. Are we talking mouse and keyboard (traditional values) or dual-thumbstick (progressive)? Do you buy American or are you a slave of the foreign devils? Are you into long, linear RPGs (pro-life) or open-world interactive storytelling (pro-choice)?

    I think I’m going to spend some time refining these metaphors, because this could be brilliant and I just thought of most of them, but in the meantime, answer the following questions:
    When I play Super Smash Brothers, I’m unstoppable with _____
    This year’s best game was ______
    Mitt Romney is to Kingpin what Newt Gingrich is to ______

    1. Brianne Bilyeu
      Reply
      22.1

      I’ve had different gamer experiences. If I didn’t have to sleep I think I’d be a computer gamer, but I just do not have time for that. I grew up with Atari and Nintendo, and now I love me some Wii. Mario Kart is my big de-stresser and I do kick some ass on the WFC games (I play Super Mario Bros and Twilight Princess when I’ve got more time, Goldeneye if I need an adrenaline rush). I really want to jump over to PS3 with Kinect so I can play more networked games (MW3! Oh, and I really want to play Portal), but I don’t think that’s in the budget for a while. I do like the occasional Pop Cap game (PvZ) or phone app game (I’m addicted to Pocket Frogs – I will collect them ALL!)

      I play a weekly tabletop RPG (we’re doing a Monster Hunter game using GURPS this month, but we have an ongoing d&d 4th ed game). I got my RPG start in college with Whitewolf LARPing (Masquerade and Sabbat). I played Magic pretty seriously for a while, and I really like board games (just fell in love with Elder Signs and 7 Wonders) and card games (ZAR!!!!) And while I’ve had many friends try to lure me in, I refuse to get hooked into WoW because I know myself – I’d transform into the South Park kids when they were focused on taking out the renegade gamer.

          1. Jeremy
            …

            I just picked up the Kinect for Xbox and it’s a blast. My girlfriend doesn’t generally play video games, but she loves the Kinect. I’ve tried it out with some of younger cousins and teenagers and they all enjoy it as well. I think it’s a terrific improvement over the Wii, which I enjoyed as well. In particular, Dance Central 2 is a great party game.

            Of course, if you get a 360, there are two games that you should pick up. Batman: Arkham City is, IMO, the best game ever made. It deserves all of its accolades. And, as a biodork, you’ll be really interested in Deus Ex: Human Revolution, which is an action-adventure RPG based around a guy with badass prosthetics. Very existential and ethically relevant storyline.

  24. drummer25
    Reply
    24

    RE: “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes”.
    Before criticising someone you should always first walk a mile in their shoes. That way, if they react badly, you’re a mile away and you’ve got their shoes!

  28. lordshipmayhem
    Reply
    28

    Welcome to Freethought Blogs! All the bloggers here have made me think – I’ve not always agreed with them, but they at least made me think. For that, I’m grateful. I’m under the impression that you will continue that proud and happy tradition.

    I look forward to your future posts. Enjoy it here.

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