Welcome to another Sunday, you know what that means! Heather’s prompts this week had me examine my geeky side. Links of note will be listed under Further Reading.
What is your Geek origin story? (How did you become a geek?)
Sadly, I don’t have an elaborate origin story. I was sort of always one since I was a kid. I joke that I’m the Cartesian product of two engineers, though I’d say genetics played a pretty heavy hand in my geekiness. That, and I was ruined in the womb with NPR and WFMT radio.
What does being a geek mean to you?
Oh gosh. Growing up being a geek wasn’t as celebrated as it is now. That didn’t stop me, obviously. Anyway, today it means liking what you like with extra enthusiasm. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about comic books or fantasy fiction or video games. If it gets your brain all excited and you want to spend your free time doing it, spoiler, you’re a geek! 🤓
How do you express your geeky side?
I used to be big into graphic tees. Lately I’ve been shifting over to geeky accessories, like keychains or jewelry. At conventions I’ll cosplay casually. I try to pick characters I know I can find most of the pieces for in my closet. I fill in the gaps as needed with bits and bobs from thrift stores, Etsy, eBay, or Amazon (last resort). I’ll also make props, but I lean more towards modifying things that already exist vs. spinning up from scratch. My personal favorite is Fix-It Felix.
What are some of your favourite geeky websites and places to shop?
ThinkGeek was a big one until they got bought out by GameStop. Lately I haven’t done a whole lot of shopping, courtesy of pandemic. The biggest noisemakers in my email newsletters are Humble Bundle, Things From Another World, and Etsy. I try to limit browsing Etsy to specific queries, otherwise I’d be broke.
Who are some of your favourite geeky celebrities?
Anyone on Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!, Robin Williams, Dr. Emily Landon (not a celebrity in the conventional sense, but her speech in the opening weeks of lockdown was perfection).
Who are some of your favourite geeky bloggers?
Ok, total copout answer incoming. I only just recently got back into the blogosphere, so right now I’m mainly lurking and getting a feel for the current landscape. Chances are if you’re a fellow geek too, I’ll like you!
