[pictured above: elisa installing fiber at a colo in a’dam, shot by me]

i was reminded last night as i went dressed as kaylee from firefly that not everyone is a sci fi fangirl. only one person at the fete had seen firefly (he had only seen the first three episodes) and no one could recall having seen serenity the movie. i found myself having to explain that a female engine mechanic from the 25th century was a relevant costume choice. but it got me thinking, who else would i dress up as from the future? probably the major from gits in her combat uniform and purple hair (even though most of the series doesn’t take place in space, the tech and twisted hack plots are reason enough). also a more recent addition, i would dress as cassie the pilot of icarus II from the movie sunshine. she is a tinkerer as well, someone who not only is the pilot of a crazy huge ship, but is also someone who isn’t hesistant to use manual overide to bypass the mainframe a.i.. i guess i’m more drawn to these geeky women than the guy characters, and yet i’m more into the realistic and very human ones (though the major is out of that scope, but she just rocks). i wouldn’t go as anyone from star wars or star trek or stargate, none of those really resonate with me. the question is, can women today be those main characters in their own lives without being reduced to a hollow cliche? i know they can, i know plenty of them personally. kaylee frye isn’t a stretch as a character, she is very real even in the 21st century.