Nov 7, 2011

Geek and geek! What is geek?

Jolan Tru, and welcome aboard the Bitter Trolley. Since I’ve collected your tickets and everyone is comfy, let’s get the Bitter Trolley underway.

It’s been almost two months exactly since the Bitter Trolley took its last run, and in that time there’s been a lot I have wanted to comment on, but just have not had the spark, the gusto, if you will, to actually put pen to paper (AHHHAHAHAHAHA I’m so old!) and share my nonsense with the world. Today I read a wonderful post from my Twitter and STLV friend @ernie_five, Geek Closet: From Squalor to Spaceship: Wherein I question my status as a geek http://geek-closet.blogspot.com/2011/11/wherein-i-question-my-status-as-geek.html, and he’s inspired me to share something I have been thinking about.

I have proclaimed my geekdom to the world, and am proud of it. I said it before and will say it again: I like who I am, I am so happy with the people I associate with in my geek life, and, while my coming out of the geek closet cost me in some major ways, I know “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.”

But I have been doing some geek self-appraisal lately and asking myself just what kind of geek I am, and how deep does it run for me? Maybe some of you riding the Bitter Trolley are rolling your eyes or shaking your head, but hey, these are the thoughts I have.  So how do they relate to Ernie’s blog and the spark he gave me?

Well, Ernie says, “Inside the subway train, and in borderline crisis mode, I seriously doubted my geek credentials: I don't go out to see all of the latest comic book movies, I'm not familiar with names of the recent major scribes and artists, don't recognize anime characters, and, if I were pressed, I couldn't spout out credible Treknobabble if universes were in jeopardy.”

(SQUIRREL! I love the word “Treknobabble” he uses there, and indeed, I am replacing “technobabble” with it from now one. Thanks Ernie!)

There is so much there I recognized right away. While I have seen the Iron Man films, Thor and Captain America, and am waiting for The Avengers, I see few comic book films.  When I look at sites like Tor.com or IO9.com, I rarely recognize names of sci-fi or horror authors, and to be honest, my geek reading is mainly in the Trek lit universe. I couldn’t tell you the names of any anime characters – except the crew from Star Blazers – and honestly, have only played one MMO or MMORPG, Star Trek Online. Even that is being tested because of all the changes and destruction of the Star Trek universe going on, but that is a whole other rant.  (For an excellent read on what is going on with STO, read These Bootz Were Made for Bloggin' by TerilynnS http://blackbootedblogger.blogspot.com/2011_11_01_archive.html)

But here is what I am a geek about:

(Ok, I am co-host and host of the last two, but damn it I am working in a cheap plug where I can!)

That’s just a few things. So does the fact that I am only geeked about a small amount of Geekdom lesson my geek cred? Maybe. It always strikes me as funny when fellow geeks are stunned I have not watched and love (insert show here), but they have never seen something I love and go on about.

But here is where the family bond is strong: we tell the other what it is we love and maybe even get the other interested in watching or reading it, and then compare thoughts. Rarely is it lacking civility and humor, and even if we don’t agree we can still find things we can nitpick together.

So while I share Ernie’s angst about my geek credentials, I realize that it’s ok to not have to love everything geek. We all have our niche and what makes the community special is, THAT’S OK.

So Ernie, and any other geeks who have been navel gazing recently, I guess what this is all about is just one geek saying to another, it’s ok. Love what you love and love it with passion. I know the Bitter Trolley will always be glad you are riding with us, and it is that diversity and universe spanning difference among us that makes us all the better.

I hope this hastily written and totally stream of consciousness rambling made any sense to you.

Well, we are approaching the station, as always, thanks for reading. And as always, thanks for riding the Bitter Trolley, and please, remember us for your future travels. Jolan Tru.