Geeking Out

Some of you may already know this, but I'm now ready to share this with the world. I know a lot of people may be prejudice against me for this, and I understand your discomfort around me, I only hope you can find it in yourselves to treat me no differently, I'm still who I always was, just with this as well. I'm not going to go so far as to campaign for rights for people like me, I don't really feel that we suffer as much as we once did.

Anyway, I'm ready to admit the truth at last, I hope you won't reject me. Here goes;

I'm a geek.

I first realized years ago, in high-school. I knew I was different from the others, I liked science better than art, and actually enjoyed learning in general. People used to tease me for being "a swot" and for consistently getting good grades, which I liked and got a kick out of - everyone else seemed embarrassed if they got anything greater than a C grade. As if success was wrong.

I didn't enjoy sport, at least until we started studying the effects and benefits of exercise on the body. No one else could understand why we should be studying biology in P.E. or games, but for me it finally made it interesting, and I was finally curious enough to start genuinely taking part - after which I was regularly asked to join the netball team or the gymnastic team, but I still held grudges with those who teased me for my IQ, and had no interest in associating with them outside of the competitions - which would have been necessary.

I was interested in home economics classes, which were mostly made up of cooking, I wanted to try new foods and play with different flavours, cooking times and combinations, wanting to be able to prepare something more intriguing than fish-fingers with chips and peas. While the other students balked at trying cheeses more extravagant than cheddar, and were positively horrified by produce from other countries, I was already preparing meals from countries they couldn't even find on the map.

For a while I tried to hide the truth. I didn't use my advanced lexicon, or tell people I knew things because I liked reading books or watching documentaries. I asked my sister to tell me what was happening in soaps and reality tv, so that I didn't have to stomach watching them in order to keep up. If people asked me what I did at the weekend, I'd say I went out with friends, went shopping, watched tv - the truth was I'd play video games, read, or tinker with microscopes and chemistry sets.

Eventually I gave up, and allowed people to think what they wanted. I went to sixth-form to study phsyics, maths and chemistry, and then applied to University to study physics.

This Christmas, I'm most pleased with my new NAS drive (although I admit that until asking M's advice, I had no idea that they even existed - thanks M, you're a greater geek than I'll ever be). I also love my geeky tshirts, and all the books I recieved, especially my new copy of The Science of Discworld, which nicely combines two of my favourite things.

So, I'm sorry I'm different, but I am. This is what I love. I'll be spending my Christmas break in bliss - since I don't have exams to study for, and my boss has mysteriously disapeared - I'll be tawling wikipedia, learning Russian, playing with my NAS Drive, reading about science, playing old videogames, thinking up get rich quick schemes, learning about robotics, finding interesting music and generally geeking out. Reality TV won't be on my scedule, nor will gossip magazines or chart music.

One day the geeks will rule the world, mark my words. Join us, we've got robots, and sometimes we go to Space!