Revenge of the Ner --- Well, Me.
I was talking to a friend of mine….hang on, I have to start over because now all I can hear is “Don’t Do Me Like That” and, while that’s a great song, I can’t sit here and inadvertently plagiarize Tom Petty. I will plagiarize other people, you can count on it, and I will admit when I am doing it but I mean, c’mon, it’s Tom Petty and a great song. Can’t do it.Take II
I was talking to Di, a friend at work, the other day. We were catching up on the usual subjects….personal life, love life, work, world news, getting together for a movie next week and so forth. I mentioned the book “Freakonomics” to her and told her that I really thought she would like it. I had to repeat the title 3 times because I speak very fast and often mumble…not a good combination and I try to work on that constantly and don’t always have success.
After that, I also mentioned something about Wil Wheaton and, as I’ve said before, how much I enjoy his writing. I think it was after the phrase, “I read his blog every day” that she replied with “You really are a geek, aren’t you?” Of course, being the geek that I am, I excitedly told her, “That’s the name of his book! 'Just a Geek'!” And then I had to agree that I am indeed a geek…and not just the cute, lovable kind that outgrew it in 7th grade. This went on well into my 20s. It was sad.
I’ve already provided some insight into that when I admitted to loving “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “The X-Files” and DragonRealms – an online role playing game. The truth of the matter is; I was just playing DragonRealms (DR in geekspeak) a few years ago. If it didn’t take up SO much time and the internet hadn’t become such a scary place, I’d probably still be playing it. I think I stopped playing in 2001. I think. It could have been the year after.
And with “The X-Files”…well, I was one of the people who saw the movie the first weekend it was out. I don’t think “The X-Files” makes me TOO much of a geek though, a lot of people really got hooked on the show. What separates me from the culturally hip people who watched is that I actually bought the action figures after the movie came out. (As collectibles, not to play with. Stop it.) Yes, you read that right…I had (or have – yikes) the action figures…all 2 or 3 sets of them. I can’t even recall how many there were. I would like to say that I have since sold them on eBay for a small, let’s-go-out-and-have-an-extravagant-dinner fortune. I didn’t…I’m almost positive about this point. I THINK…I’m not sure…but I THINK they are still in T's basement. I also read the books…but not all of them…I was growing out of my geek phase by then. BTW – I did look on eBay to see what the action figures are going for…it’s not much….the extravagant dinner would have to be at Wendy’s and I would have to go by myself (for several reasons, as you can guess).
I probably should have seen all this coming years ago. I was in band…all of them…Marching Band, Concert Band, Orchestra. And I loved it. Now, part of that is due to my love of music and that’s a cool thing. But in marching band….well, we thought we were the shit. And what’s worse, we honestly believed that other people thought we were the shit. I mean, we won awards, for cryin’ out loud! How could we not be cool?! And there is a small possibility that we were not the losers we would have been in another school. I grew up in a rural area (there were cows on a farm across the road from my high school) and the graduating class sizes were small. Everyone knew almost everyone and got along. It was actually the best high school experience I could have ever wished for. Perfect for someone like me. And I got along with all the clicks. (I don’t think that’s how you spell it for the context in which I’m using it but you understand.) I was on the edge of everyone’s group and that was cool.
When I was 9 or 10 (1977ish), my Mom bought “Barry Manilow Live” and you could not have convinced me that Barry Manilow did not epitomize the very essence of good music. I wore that album out and went on to acquire every album he made for the next 10 years. HUGE fan. And I’d be ashamed to admit any of that if he weren’t such a brilliant composer/arranger. It’s still a little hip to have liked Barry Manilow. My aunt, who was also a fan, took me to see him in concert when I was about 13 and I could have died and gone to Heaven right there.
So, there was definitely a pattern emerging. I do think I’ve outgrown it but every once in a while, like the other day, the Geek inside me slips out and reveals part of the true me. I’ve come to terms with it.
Another friend, who knows all these things, warned me, “Don’t tell anyone this stuff. They aren’t ready to hear it. And whatever you do, don’t blog about it!”
Shhhh…..don’t tell her. ;)
posted by Cherry Indigo (Cindy) @ 9/06/2005 08:53:00 PM
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