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3/17/2006

Geek Pride

Lately, I've been embracing my dorkiness, nerdiness, and geekiness. Why not? Most of my favorite people possess these characteristics too. Many of my friends are lucky to work with these sorts of like-minded peers. Ren is one for sure. Possibly even Chris, as I think he may be a rocket scientist or something computer engineer (see comments).

I, however, am not in that situation. In the past, I think tried to hide some of me from my co-workers, as it just isn't what most of them are into. But, not any more. Not for the past several years really. I know many of them were astounded when I took two personal days back in December of 2003 for "Trilogy Tuesday." I went to the historical Cinerama Dome at the ArcLight in Hollywood for back-to-back screening of Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Rings (extended version), The Two Towers (extended version), and Return of the King.

Another thing that many of my work buddies don't "get" is Comic-Con. Someone, who I don't know very well, had heard I'd gone and said to me, quite rudely in fact, "oh, you're one of those people." "Yes, I am," I said to her and held my head high. She was familiar with it because her husband had worked security for one of the celebrities making an appearance. He had come home and told her about all of the freaky people in attendance.

I have fun with it. I've actually become closer to one of the women at work, who while not very geeky (or so she says) herself, is dating a nerd. We tease each other about things endlessly anyway, so I just put it all out there for her. Yesterday, in a course of a couple of hours I told her that I'd be giving my hamster a sand bath last night, that because I was tired and had a headache I wouldn't be going to the Stereo Club (as in 3D) meeting with Eric, and I referenced Battlestar Galactica. It was almost too much for her and she exclaimed, "There are so many things to make fun of you for, I don't know what to pick!" We laughed and laughed. From this particular person, it wasn't mean. Being the dork I am, I grabbed a piece of scrap paper, wrote down the quote, and said, "This is going on my blog!"

In the process, I've been outing a guy I work with who tries to be a closeted geek. I make comments that I know he will have a hard time ignoring. And come on, I can't be the only one who has heard his cell phone ring with the Star Wars theme! Okay, maybe I was the only other one who knew what it was!

6 comments:

ren said...

DORK! DORKITY DORK! heh.

Jodi said...

From you, Ren, I consider that a compliment.

SJ said...

My cell phone ring is the Cantina Band from Star Wars. I also own every episode of Blakes 7 and Babylon 5. Say no more.

Chris said...

I'm not a rocket scientist (that would be Ren's brother), but I am computer engineer and I have an office filled with Babylon 5 action figures, odd maps, fossils, origami, and a few SF magazines and paperbacks laying around in odd places.

As you could guess in a place like I work, there are a few geeks, but I'm always suprised at how reluctant some of them are to admit it. Luckily, I have an extended support network of old high school and college friends and a few neighbors and friends so I don't feel lonely. As others have said, it's not as bad as it used to be - geek is a bit chic these days.

I made sure my wife (who wasn't much of a geek growing up - she was a cheerleader) went to a few SF conventions while we were dating so she would know what she was getting into :-)

Brenda Griffith said...

I watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie with Jessie last night and reflected on how lucky I was to grow up in Missoula (Montana) where it was ok to be a geek, nerd, dork (well, maybe not a dork...). And then I looked at my daughter who at 4 says "Whatever" with *just* the intonation and I know that she is set to grow up to be the kind of girl that gave us all hell in high school (she was fascinated by the cheerleading in Buffy. I try not to expose her to too much of that). I am gong to send her to a math/science academy that is also a convent.It is our only hope.

Anyway, you go nerd girl! (Or were you geek girl? I can't remember...)

Jodi said...

I was a "pure nerd" with a high dork quotient!

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