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View Full Version : Escaping "geekdom"/gaming. Would you do it?



newbDM
2009-05-28, 04:04 PM
Has anyone else they need to escape "geekdom", and all the related stereotypes (many of which are surprisingly true...)?

I broke off from my two year long group about a month ago, and I have not heard from my other group for a bit longer (DM work issues). At first it, and having no college classes, left me extremely bored.

Since then my younger brother and his girlfriend have been teaching me how to workout and body build. I have begun socializing a bit more, and am looking for more common and popular activities to fill my time and meet people.

It seems to me that the more I try to get away from the stereotypical "ronery" mold the people on here are known for, the better things are going.

As for when I feel an urge for some hack-and-slash with minimal plot/roleplaying, I have picked up a few strategy RPGs at Gamestop. At least video games are a more common and popular form of geekdom, and the male-to-female ratio is a lot better...

woodenbandman
2009-05-28, 04:07 PM
No not really. I don't feel the need to conform in that way. Besides, I'm like 6'4" so nobody messes with me.

skeeter_dan
2009-05-28, 04:12 PM
I do just fine balancing my "geekdom" and other areas of my life, thank you very much. I play DnD once a week with my wife and some good friends, leaving me plenty of time to pursue other interests. I play/coach soccer, have a band, write poetry, and watch the Vancouver Canucks (RIP Canucks season).

I have never felt the need to escape "geekdom" and consider DnD to be a part of my relatively healthy social life.

lisiecki
2009-05-28, 04:16 PM
Has anyone else they need to escape "geekdom", and all the related stereotypes (many of which are surprisingly true...)?
As for when I feel an urge for some hack-and-slash with minimal plot/roleplaying, I have picked up a few strategy RPGs at Gamestop. At least video games are a more common and popular form of geekdom, and the male-to-female ratio is a lot better...

No.

I'm not a geek. I happen to play roleplaying games.
Im not sure how the male-to-female ratio is better when you don't interact with the other players, but the people i currently play with are 50-75% female

Zeta Kai
2009-05-28, 04:17 PM
Well, I am happily married with a young child, & my lovely wife forces me to be social with non-geek friends. So, between that & my son's activities, I have achieved a good balance. Although not by choice, really; my ideal weekend is spent doing geeky things non-stop. :smallredface:

afroakuma
2009-05-28, 04:18 PM
There's something other than being a geek? :smallconfused:

Shpadoinkle
2009-05-28, 04:20 PM
Not really. Aside from not having a job, my life is pretty much fine the way it is, as far as I'm concerned.

lord_khaine
2009-05-28, 04:22 PM
i dont considder myself a geek just because i spend my spare time playing d&d and WoW.

also, a lot of what "normal" people spend their time on is just so boooooooooooring.

KBF
2009-05-28, 04:27 PM
No.

I'm not a geek. I happen to play roleplaying games.
Im not sure how the male-to-female ratio is better when you don't interact with the other players, but the people i currently play with are 50-75% female

Don't get defensive, please. If you aren't a geek, then I doubt that this thread is for you.

I'm only 14, and I don't think I'm smart enough to qualify as a geek, but since my gaming group split up it has been a bit easier to socialize. It's hard to avoid DnD when mentioning your hobbies if you are playing every week. And yes, you do need to avoid it. There are people out there who are very.. Weird, who all seem to play DnD. Being forward about it is usually just creepy, sadly enough.



also, a lot of what "normal" people spend their time on is just so boooooooooooring.

Sports can be so fun though... :smallfrown:

Dogmantra
2009-05-28, 04:33 PM
There's something other than being a geek? :smallconfused:

I was surprised too...

SurlySeraph
2009-05-28, 04:34 PM
You can work out and have a social life while being a gamer.

DM Raven
2009-05-28, 04:37 PM
Whatever floats your boat guy, though it's sad so many people buy into the "geek/uncool" steriotype which is causing them to miss out on some really fun experiences.

Truth is, you can be a geek and bodybuild if that's what you want to do. (I know people who do both.) You can be a geek and still get tons of really hot women. (Again I know several people who do.) Or you can be a hardcore geek and devote your time to nothing but "Geeky" stuff. Any choice is fine as long as you can support and maintain your lifestyle. Who gives a damn what other people know/think of you. Manage your time and lifestyle as it suits you and let others do the same.

Movie stars play D&D.
Rock stars play D&D.
Famous sports figures play World of Warcraft.
Rappers play RPGS.

It takes all kinds, and putting time into something you enjoy doesn't/shouldn't identify who you are as a person.

<3

mistformsquirrl
2009-05-28, 04:40 PM
I am what I am, I couldn't change if I wanted to - and frankly, I don't want to.

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-05-28, 04:54 PM
I am what I am, I couldn't change if I wanted to - and frankly, I don't want to.+1.
I game. I enjoy gaming, I have no desire to stop.
I post online. I enjoy interacting with people in a situation where I can block those that really annoy me, and avoid people who are idiots, I have no desire to stop.
I don't exercize, I have no desire to start, especially since even when I did, I never gained any muscle.
I don't date, which I really have no desire to change, and has nothing to do with my geekery and everything to do with my past.
I am a geek, I enjoy being a geek, I will remain a geek for as long as that continues to be the case, and I honestly have no problem with any of that.

kyoten
2009-05-28, 04:55 PM
I must say I agree with DM Raven on this matter.

derfenrirwolv
2009-05-28, 04:59 PM
He's escaping boys. Get the tranq guns, the net, and the d20's.

This case looks serious, we may need some minis to paint..

The_JJ
2009-05-28, 05:02 PM
Eh. I understand with the underlying need for socialization, and the occasional need to drop the stereotypes and the stigma.

But hey, you can have your cake and eat it to.

Do whatcha want, no more, no less.

Pie Guy
2009-05-28, 05:11 PM
Hooray for geekdom/geekiness!

All my friends are geeks, why would I want to stop?

Stormageddon
2009-05-28, 05:16 PM
He's escaping boys. Get the tranq guns, the net, and the d20's.

This case looks serious, we may need some minis to paint..

HAHAHAHA! That just made me laugh really hard!

Dixieboy
2009-05-28, 05:18 PM
He's escaping boys. Get the tranq guns, the net, and the d20's.

This case looks serious, we may need some minis to paint..

Hail to the king baby.

Congrats on escaping nerddom, now i am afraid we must hunt you down before you spill all our secrets. :smallamused:

penbed400
2009-05-28, 05:27 PM
I do just fine, then again I multi-classed. I'm a jock 1/ geek 2/ class clown 3. I have to get less experience because I haven't leveled up my jock in a while so it's half experience. Frickin' multi-class rules. But yea, I'm popular and cool. At least I know a lot of people and they like me...that defines cool right?

Gorbash
2009-05-28, 05:38 PM
I have begun socializing a bit more

And you play D&D all by yourself? Darn it, I was under the impression that D&D is played with 3-5 friends where you joke around, chat, act, share fun experiences and generally have a good time. Man, was I wrong.

How is D&D not a social event? :smallconfused:


All my friends are geeks, why would I want to stop?

+1. Although, I'd say that all of my best friends are geeks, perhaps because of that. Although I would classify myself as a nerd. :smallbiggrin:

I'm just not sure how in the world is being a geek/nerd is so time consuming. To my knowledge, most RPG groups meet at best once a week, for sessions lasting 4-8 hours. That's less than an hour a day. I guess if I stopped gaming I'd have 50 extra minutes each day to do what exactly? Clean my room? Study a bit more? Point is, time spent gaming doesn't actually stops you from doing anything non-geeks do, aside from dedicating one night a week at best for a session. Worst case scenario, you skip a trip to the club/bar/whatever. I'll take a D&D session over that any day, thank you very much.

I also work out at the gym, although not on friday/saturday nights, so this might shock you, but D&D doesn't stop me from doing that either.

lord_khaine
2009-05-28, 05:41 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by derfenrirwolv
He's escaping boys. Get the tranq guns, the net, and the d20's.

This case looks serious, we may need some minis to paint..

HAHAHAHA! That just made me laugh really hard!

me to :smallsmile:

Starscream
2009-05-28, 05:43 PM
I am a computer scientist and engineer. Giving up on a perfectly fun hobby isn't going to affect my geekiness one iota. I bleed binary.

And since when is being a geek bad? I have plenty of friends, some great hobbies, and have dated several women who were stunningly gorgeous.

The fact that I own polyhedral dice and enjoy comic books has done nothing to cripple my social life. Giving up on my interests to "fit in" would make me a lot less happy.

Tsotha-lanti
2009-05-28, 05:45 PM
Three of my four-person group have been gaming for about 15 years, and one for about 10. All of us have trained in various martial arts (one competes nationally in a full-contact MArt and starts fights in bars), and two of us do/have done weight training. All of us like to go out and get smashed on occasion.

None of this seems to stop us from getting together and gaming. (Although moving from high school into college, then from college to careers, and starting families has cut down on our time - both for gaming and everything else.) We're all total nerds (into RPGs, computers, anime, webcomics, SF, all of it) - it's just that it doesn't stop us from having balanced lives.

If you're a "ronery nerd", it's not the fault of RPGs. (It might be the fault of CCGs, though...)

I'm proud of my nerdiness, but I also try to take care of myself.


also, a lot of what "normal" people spend their time on is just so boooooooooooring.

Tell me about it. Work, get home, sit your ass down in front of the TV until midnight. How do these people not just blow their brains out?


Movie stars play D&D.

To put too fine a point on it: Vin Diesel plays D&D since he was about twenty.


Also, since this is probably mostly a concern for teens anyway: you're all doomed to be awkward until you grow up. That'll probably happen after age 18, around the time you get to college or an equivalent level school, or get a real job. It'll probably take a few years. It really doesn't matter if you game or not.

Epinephrine
2009-05-28, 05:54 PM
To the OP: Whatever makes you happy. I think you suffer from some illusions about what playing a game entails, and about life.

D&Ders you know may be complete losers, how would I know? But that's not necessarily even close to the norm. The group I play with are all happily married, working fun jobs in their fields. Of the group, three play sports other nights of the week.

Being a happy person, content with life is independent of being a geek, and is independent of playing D&D.

You can be a content geek who doesn't play, a miserable non-geek who does play, or pretty much any combination. Life is what you make of it.

Haven
2009-05-28, 06:41 PM
I'm very confused as to why you would ask people on a D&D forum if they want to give up playing D&D. Although I suppose that if I ever signed up for, say, a "Flat Earth Society" forum, my first post would probably be "Hey guys, have you ever thought about the Earth being round?"

Weimann
2009-05-28, 06:47 PM
I would certainly not want DnD to be my sole occupation, of course. A mixed life is a good one, and I see no reason to take away an aspect I enjoy.

Naturally, that isn't to say I couldn't enjoy a life where I don't play games. Just that at this point, I don't see much reason to stop.

Alleine
2009-05-28, 07:07 PM
Has anyone else they need to escape "geekdom", and all the related stereotypes (many of which are surprisingly true...)?

No. In fact many of the stereotypes aren't true in my experience.
Like the majority of this thread, I find absolutely no need to stop what I consider to be one of my most fun and social hobbies. The second one being fencing, which is over for the school year.

If you have a problem with being a geek, or think there's something wrong with it, then there might be a deeper problem, but who am I to judge? If you want change, change. I am perfectly comfortable with what I do, and most people don't even take me for a 'geek'. I also generally choose to hang around people who don't like to throw around unnecessary labels/judge people based on such labels.

Rhiannon87
2009-05-28, 07:08 PM
If your personal experience has been that gaming/geekery has been negative for your social life (or just your life in general), that's your decision, but that kind of sucks for you. Gaming and geekery make up a lot of my hobbies: D&D, videogames, various sci-fi fandoms, stuff like that. It's fun. It's something I do with my friends. We've been gaming for years and see no reason to stop. Why the hell would I want to?

AslanCross
2009-05-28, 07:46 PM
I'm a geek who spends hours in Starbucks with his laptop doing nothing but gaming or designing encounters. Yet I have a respectable job as an English teacher. I do my best to work out at least five times a week and can run over 7 kilometers/4.7 miles in 40 minutes. I'm an active member of my church.

I don't try to break out of stereotypes for social reasons. I just prefer to balance my life that way. I don't consider geekdom to be a trap. I think it's good to be different in a world of conformity.

Set
2009-05-28, 07:47 PM
Has anyone else they need to escape "geekdom", and all the related stereotypes (many of which are surprisingly true...)?

Nope. Anyone who is gonna judge me based on some feeble stereotype, rather than on *me,* isn't worth my time. I'm sure as heck not gonna change who I am or live a lie and pretend to like stuff that I could give a fig for (or to not like something that the herd calls uncool), to please people who don't respect who I am or what I like. What's the point? It's the social version of getting breast implants, mutilating yourself for the approval of others, who, if their approval was worth your time, would have approved of you without making you change yourself into something else.

What kind of message is that anyway? "I'll only hang out with you if you lie to me, and pretend to be someone else." Yeesh. Also, entitlement much? What makes that person's friendship so darn precious that I should make a sacrifice of my own self to burn on the altar of their approval?

In my experience, the 'cool kids' have an overabundance of deeply insecure people who spend too much time worrying about what other people think of them. Some could use some self-confidence, perhaps the sort that comes with learning to approve of *yourself* and to allow the opinions of people who don't know you to slide off of your back, like the meaningless chatter it is.

There's six billion-ish people in the world, and hundreds of thousands of them (perhaps even millions) like the sort of stuff I like and don't look down their nose at me if I say that Iron Man was the coolest movie ever. Those who want to look down their noses at gamers, anime fans, comic-book junkies, sci-fi fans, etc. can go be friends with each other and point and whisper about what losers, geeks and nerds we are.

I've got my own people to hang out with, and we've got more interesting stuff to talk about than them.

It's my life. I'm in no rush to 'escape' anything.

Faulty
2009-05-28, 07:49 PM
I dislike a lot of geeky stereotypes and people who fulfill them. When people use interney slang when speaking outloud or wear shirts connected to video games, I'm really put off and feel the need to distance myself from them. I enjoy video games, D&D, fantasy novels, etc, but I find that making it who you are is very off putting and lame.

Gorbash
2009-05-28, 07:53 PM
wear shirts connected to video games

Why is that any different from people who wear t-shirts connected to music bands?

Rutskarn
2009-05-28, 07:56 PM
I feel no need to escape or belong to anything. I'm Rutskarn. That's what I am.

That's not a subculture, or a set of stereotypes, it's a collection of interests and personality traits. Most of those are stuff described as nerdy.

So if you need to label me, use "nerd". That works fine for me.

Lappy9000
2009-05-28, 08:01 PM
He's escaping boys. Get the tranq guns, the net, and the d20's. Wouldn't d4's be more efficient in keeping someone from running away? Sharpened d4's?

Eldariel
2009-05-28, 08:13 PM
*shrug* Stereotypes never applied to me in the first place, so no; if I don't fit a stereotype, I don't really need to escape it either. Besides, what do I care about peoples' attempts at simplifying people because they don't want to go through the trouble of getting to know the person instead of just lumping him into a group?

EDIT: By "not applying", I of course mean that I don't squarely fit into any.

Rhiannon87
2009-05-28, 08:14 PM
Wouldn't d4's be more efficient in keeping someone from running away? Sharpened d4's?

I think the d20's are for the attack rolls and fortitude saves against the tranq darts.

valadil
2009-05-28, 08:33 PM
Back in college I periodically felt the urge to go do other things. It wasn't that I didn't want to be a geek. I just had to prove to myself that I was a geek by choice, not by default. I still go to the gym, but other non geek activities bore me. Well, the gym bores me too, but it's kinda necessary.

Wafflecart
2009-05-28, 08:37 PM
I do sometimes, but it's because of World of Warcraft, not DND. I'm somewhat addicted to WoW, and have quit for months at a time before, but I never have anything better to do with my time. So I go back...eh, oh well.

It's weird...the more I don't want to play WoW, the more socially acceptable it becomes in my town...jocks are playing it, as are preps...weird...If I seriously thought quitting DND would significantly alter my life for the better, I would do so, but, like quitting WoW, it wont unless I take initiative (doesn't usually happen) and get out and socialize.

Lappy9000
2009-05-28, 09:09 PM
I think the d20's are for the attack rolls and fortitude saves against the tranq darts.Nonsense! He clearly meant to use the dice as a literal weapon.

elliott20
2009-05-28, 09:48 PM
I've always been a geek. I just got better at being MORE than just a geek.

The clincher? I started learning how to do social dancing. (Salsa, specifically)

got pretty good at it, actually. Well, good enough that I managed to end up married as a result of meeting someone doing it. :)

But really, the dancing was just a means of drawing me out of my own head and my shell. It's one of those self-actualization things where you realize that your hobbies don't define you, but your hobbies can help you channel a part of you that you didn't know you had.

Josh the Aspie
2009-05-28, 09:50 PM
*comes back from my Martial Arts class I assisted in* Mmmm? What now?

:P

ObsidianRose
2009-05-28, 09:55 PM
Not at all. As the stereotypical RPG gothboy, my social circle outside of gaming still games anyway. When I go to conventions for the concerts, I grab a fistful of dice in between. I go on dates after gaming sessions, I'm in a good shape, and I'm still a hardcore gamer. It's just one aspect of my life, and I don't mind it at all.

Olo Demonsbane
2009-05-28, 10:03 PM
+1 to a freakin lot of people

Also, I kinda have multiple lives...ish...things. I have a life at school with my school friends, where very few people even know that I play dnd (I dont hide it, I just dont bring it up at all), and a life with my friends outside of school/on the forum/designing TPKs etc. You dont have to be considered a geek/nerd/whatever even if you game. If you are around people that think gaming is geeky...then just dont play next to them. This philosophy lets me get on by pretty well.

...That was a stream of conciousness that didnt really make sense. And Im not trying to sound agressive or anything :smalltongue:....

EDIT: Keep using [...] to much!

Crow
2009-05-28, 10:11 PM
Who gives a damn? Seriously, nobody cares if you are a geek. Weightlifting and bodybuilding are not mutually exclusive with "geeky" activities. I have never felt the need to give up my geek ways, and if I were to do so, I would guess my life would not get better. Why should I give up something I enjoy, just to escape a stereotype?

Thurbane
2009-05-28, 10:39 PM
I've always been one of those geeks able to pass for a norm - I'm a big guy, and sometimes get mistaken as a biker. Having said that, I've never really shied away from my geekdom, so it's a bit of a non-issue for me.

I do have one friend (and current member of my D&D group) who is mortified of anyone outside of our gaming circle discovering he plays D&D. He's a tradesman, and amateur sportsman, so to pass him in the street, the last ting you would think would be "geek".

The rest of my gaming buddies have varying levels of geekdom, but most aren't partiucarly asahamed of being geeks anyway. :smallsmile:

Tsotha-lanti
2009-05-28, 10:49 PM
I've always been one of those geeks able to pass for a norm - I'm a big guy, and sometimes get mistaken as a biker. Having said that, I've never really shied away from my geekdom, so it's a bit of a non-issue for me.

I hate to be the one to tell you, but "big and beardy" is a nerd stereotype. Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, Ed Greenwood, and maybe even Gary Gygax would (have) fit in great at a biker rally if you put them in a leather vest (and removed any hats, as applicable)...

Thurbane
2009-05-28, 11:42 PM
I hate to be the one to tell you, but "big and beardy" is a nerd stereotype. Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin, Ed Greenwood, and maybe even Gary Gygax would (have) fit in great at a biker rally if you put them in a leather vest (and removed any hats, as applicable)...
Oh yeah, I get that. But I've been asked if I'm a biker infintely more times than I've been asked if I'm a geek. I think it's the shaved head and tatts. :smalltongue:

Harperfan7
2009-05-29, 12:37 AM
I used to think that I got too into D&D and fantasy and needed to back away from it. Then I got on an internet D&D forum for the first time and felt ALOT better about myself.

loopy
2009-05-29, 01:10 AM
Has anyone else they need to escape "geekdom", and all the related stereotypes (many of which are surprisingly true...)?

I broke off from my two year long group about a month ago, and I have not heard from my other group for a bit longer (DM work issues). At first it, and having no college classes, left me extremely bored.

Since then my younger brother and his girlfriend have been teaching me how to workout and body build. I have begun socializing a bit more, and am looking for more common and popular activities to fill my time and meet people.

It seems to me that the more I try to get away from the stereotypical "ronery" mold the people on here are known for, the better things are going.

As for when I feel an urge for some hack-and-slash with minimal plot/roleplaying, I have picked up a few strategy RPGs at Gamestop. At least video games are a more common and popular form of geekdom, and the male-to-female ratio is a lot better...

Now, I'm going to preface this by saying if you really feel the need to make a change from your life and don't feel like playing RPG's any more, I'm not going to argue against it.

But having a geeky activity or two is actually kind of appealing to girls, especially when you mix it with some more "normal" pursuits.

My hobbies (and whatever):

-Public speaking
-Soccer
-Dancing (mainly hiphop and shuffling)
-Video games (though my time spent playing them has cut down a lot since I started being more social)
-Raves and the like.
-Boxing
-Clothes and fashion
-RPGs

Now, that is widely considered a balanced social life. I keep playing my RPG's with my group of cool drama-y type mates (and the beautiful girl I just started seeing is interested in learning to play :smallbiggrin:), and don't really talk about it with anyone else unless they ask.

It *is* possible to be a cool geek. Its just the neckbeards that give people a bad name.

MoelVermillion
2009-05-29, 01:13 AM
At this point I think I'm applying gratuitous amounts of bludgeoning damage to a dead horse but nonetheless.

I'm a nerd at heart, my favorite hobbies are video games, role-playing games and magic the gathering. I hosted a LAN party to celebrate my graduation of high school. I DM a campaign nearly once a week and often play in my friend's campaign as well.

That being said I'm also a personal trainer with a huge circle of friends from all different walks of life, I was lead singing in my friends band until we got out of the habit of organizing meet ups, I go to a wide range of social events most of which have nothing to do with being a geek and find myself easily able to fit in at nearly any social situation I am in.

So my personal belief is that there is nothing wrong with gaming, if there's a problem in you're life quitting gaming won't fix it, fixing it will fix it. If you have excess weight you need to get rid of quitting DND won't get rid of that weight, going out and getting rid of that weight will get rid of the weight.

So yeah geeky hobbies are not who you are, they're what you do and as long as you make sure they're not all you do then you can keep them and still have a rich fulfilling life. The same applies to every hobby, make them part of your life, not your whole life.

Tequila Sunrise
2009-05-29, 01:52 AM
I'm living in Korea where D&D is unheard of and 'rpg' refers strictly to online games, so I'm going through geek-withrawal. So I'd like to be doing more geeky things at the moment.

Ceaon
2009-05-29, 02:04 AM
Has anyone else they need to escape "geekdom", and all the related stereotypes (many of which are surprisingly true...)?
I'm sure there are others who felt that need and acted on it. I mysefl, and apparently a lot of others with me, don't.


I broke off from my two year long group about a month ago, and I have not heard from my other group for a bit longer (DM work issues). At first it, and having no college classes, left me extremely bored.
Sure.


Since then my younger brother and his girlfriend have been teaching me how to workout and body build. I have begun socializing a bit more, and am looking for more common and popular activities to fill my time and meet people.
Well, if you enjoy those things more than gaming and geekdom. Good for you! I'm glad you're having a good time.
If you enjoyed geekdom more than those new activities, this could be a case of conformism. It usually is better to do what you like instead of what others want you to like. Or, you know, do both.


It seems to me that the more I try to get away from the stereotypical "ronery" mold the people on here are known for, the better things are going.
That could be perceived as a bit offensive. Like the rest of your post actually. But hey, if things are going better for you, than great!


As for when I feel an urge for some hack-and-slash with minimal plot/roleplaying, I have picked up a few strategy RPGs at Gamestop. At least video games are a more common and popular form of geekdom, and the male-to-female ratio is a lot better...
Sure. But you know that this is just based on other's perception?

Also... what was the point of your topic? Finding other 'escapees'? Showing of? Asking permision?

Edit: As a little bonus: a little motivational poster (http://www.cafepress.com/bawesomeinstead.353571771).

Quincunx
2009-05-29, 03:56 AM
Wrote this last night, deleted it, now see that it is necessary.

Yes, I've also felt the stigma of pen-and-paper roleplaying, like beginning and continuing to play it was a step too far, like deliberately cutting oneself off from the hope of normality. I enjoy playing, but the stigma has not lessened, and even stepping away from the game left the mark of having already lost P&P virginity. I'm never going to not find it screamingly funny when the Mythbusters get caught out by a change of wind, disappear into the smoke, and Adam declaims "You see a thick mist engulf you. . ." (while other fully accredited geeks, who have never touched D&D, wonder why I'm laughing--shaming).

I've tracked this stigma back to the notion of a shared fantasy, with the more real-life care and energy diverted towards it, the more of a stigma I feel. A board game is a game you play with pen and paper and friends, yet it's not accepted as a shared fantasy, and it doesn't provoke the stigma. Picking up sticks and holding mock-swordfights is a shared fantasy, but endorphins and lack of specialized props lessen the shame of it. MMORPGs are a shared fantasy, but it's only meeting up with other players in real life that inflames the shame of it. Anime conventions are a step so far, so much energy and care expended to travel and possibly costume oneself and convene for spectatorship of the fantasy, that I can't even take it. If you feel the need for escape, either look for some activity with more reality to it, or withdraw energy from the fantasy hobby you'd like to keep--be humorous and never serious.

Eloel
2009-05-29, 04:35 AM
+
I game. I enjoy gaming, I have no desire to stop.
I post online. I enjoy interacting with people in a situation where I can block those that really annoy me, and avoid people who are idiots, I have no desire to stop.
I don't exercize, I have no desire to start, especially since even when I did, I never gained any muscle.
I don't date, which I really have no desire to change, and has nothing to do with my geekery and everything to do with my past.
I am a geek, I enjoy being a geek, I will remain a geek for as long as that continues to be the case, and I honestly have no problem with any of that.

Thanks for summarizing my thoughts.

Paramour Pink
2009-05-29, 04:41 AM
Just be a closet geek. Go clubbing with friends, but have a small group you also play video games with. No one will ever know. :D

Or you can go the open route, but whatever, my way works for me...

Drascin
2009-05-29, 04:46 AM
I think of it every now and then.

Then I realize just how much fun I'm having by being a geek, and go back to playing Touhou or something :smallbiggrin:.

And I couldn't ever be a "norm" anyway, not a convincing one. I was reading Neverending Story and scientific journals on paleontology (dinosaurs are cool, man :smallwink:) when I was around nine years old. Hell, even before I knew how to read, I loved stories so much I refused to go to bed without my mother reading me a story, and I could make people believe I knew how to read because I knew every single one of the books we had by heart, pages and everything. I've always had decidedly nerdy speech patterns. I listen to things (which, as an aside, I've found makes people rather nervous. They're not used to you actually taking in what they say), and I love learning minute useless trivia.

Being a geek is a part of me, like being dark-haired. It's not all of me, not by a long shot, but it's a significant part. And I love it. If I wasn't geeking it up with RPGs and videogames, I'd be the dude who knows all the baseball results dating to the last ten years, with best pitcher data, or the one who can recognize every model of sports car in the street and give you details on the technology used for its engine. But I find fantasy and sci-fi is much more interesting a subject than most socially accepted ones. Therefore, I keep to them.

'sides, for all the remarks of geekdom being useless I got a full second language (without which I wouldn't be able to post this), and enough tibdits of knowledge from every field to allow me to be interested in almost everything, from being a geek. The drinking parties people my age seemed to favor seem remarkably more useless than that, if you ask me :smallwink:.

MichielHagen
2009-05-29, 04:51 AM
At least video games are a more common and popular form of geekdom, and the male-to-female ratio is a lot better...

The fact that you mention the male-to-female ration is better in a situation where you do not even see the other players makes you more of a geek than you ever where.....imho...

kamikasei
2009-05-29, 04:59 AM
Let's unpack this a little.


Has anyone else they need to escape "geekdom", and all the related stereotypes (many of which are surprisingly true...)?

Now, are you saying you feel you fall in to those stereotypes and want to change, or feel you're associated with stereotypes due to the stigma of the hobby and want to distance yourself from them?

In other words, is this about you yourself (gaming is eating up too much of your time and/or preventing you from developing in other directions, unbalancing your life) or others' perception of you (are you being shunned because you're a gamer)?


Since then my younger brother and his girlfriend have been teaching me how to workout and body build. I have begun socializing a bit more, and am looking for more common and popular activities to fill my time and meet people.

Good for you. But, hmmm. "Common and popular activities"? Obviously, yes, if you want to meet new people it's a safe bet that popular activities will draw a wide range of people and therefore be a good forum, but all kinds of niche activities attract enough adherents to sustain a social life - why spend your leisure time according to what other people prefer?


It seems to me that the more I try to get away from the stereotypical "ronery" mold the people on here are known for, the better things are going.

As above, can you be a little clearer please?

I would strongly urge you not to abandon an activity you enjoy just because others think it's weird. If people you meet shun you because you game, they're handily saving you the trouble of finding out later that they're such shallow jerks. Of course, you may game and be the sort of person others are right to shun, in which case certainly you should try to change and develop and improve yourself. If gaming eats up all your time, if everything you do is linked to it, if you can't hold a normal conversation with a non-gamer without alienating them, if you have no other interests - yeah, that's probably a problem. But there's no reason (aside from practical concerns of finding a group, arranging your schedule, etc.) why you can't exercise if you enjoy it, hang out with new friends, participate in whatever non-gaming activities catch your fancy, and also spend an evening or two a week pretending to be a fantasy hero with like-minded people.

bosssmiley
2009-05-29, 05:03 AM
Since then my younger brother and his girlfriend have been teaching me how to workout and body build. I have begun socializing a bit more, and am looking for more common and popular activities to fill my time and meet people.

It seems to me that the more I try to get away from the stereotypical "ronery" mold the people on here are known for, the better things are going.

As for when I feel an urge for some hack-and-slash with minimal plot/roleplaying, I have picked up a few strategy RPGs at Gamestop. At least video games are a more common and popular form of geekdom, and the male-to-female ratio is a lot better...

Enjoy your descent into fratboyism. Glad it's working out for you. :smallwink:

Me? I'll be doing my own thing, same as ever.

"We're the grown-ups now, and we decide what that means."
-- Randall Monroe

Gorbash
2009-05-29, 05:26 AM
Also:


It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.

And aside from a misguided social stygma, why is being a nerd bad? I don't see Bill Gates complaining. I know we live in a society where those who are different are judged because of it, but if you know you're different in a good way, you definitely need not change your ways, just to improve how people percieve you

Personally, I'm proud of my nerdiness. People can tell that I'm a nerd by my appearance, not sure how, but when I meet new people and say that I'm an IT engineer or something along those lines, I get a 'I figured as much' response. I have shoulder length hair, wear chucks, wooden necklace (and since recently, this one (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v695/Gorbash/My%20Stuff/00024175-297985_400.jpg) also) and just about only colors I wear are olive green and black and I take it as a compliment when people think I'm nerdy.

shadow_archmagi
2009-05-29, 05:34 AM
My father is an english professor and I had LOTR and Redwall and Huck Finn for bedtime stories.

One of my earliest memories is playing some ancient ASCII roguelike. If I feel like I need nostaliga, I can go and find this giant book of notebook paper, and flip to my section that I made when I was playing through King's Quest 3 (and space quest 3) I'd periodically realize I had no idea what something was or how to spell it (blessed text based interface) so I'd have to run to the nearest parent and go "How do I spell telascope? What's a generator?"

I have three bookshelves in my room, all of which are just about full, and my computer desk has (one two three four...) eight books on it at the moment, including Stranger In A Strange Land, Wizard of Earthsea, Counter-Creationism Handbook (I like to debate and live in a highly religious area.), I Can Haz Cheezburger, and "Gobel, Escher, Bach"

I watch Firefly with my sister and Doctor Who with my mother and Monty Python with my father and any one of us can quote any line from Princess Bride or Star Wars (the original three only of course).

I'm a nerd through and through and then through some more. I can't imagine changing or wanting to change. It's tough being in a small town with relatively no one else interested in serious nerdery, and my D&D group is basically just two people I passed a CHA check and convinced D&D was amazing.

As for sterotypes, well, I don't mind them. I happen to find them hilarious! Why else would Big Bang Theory (the show, not the theory) be so lovable? I actually know a guy who looks almost exactly like Sheldon, even down to the alternately arrogant and lizardlike movements. Another of my friends is a huge fat guy with neckbeard who still lives with his mother, browses 4chan regularly, and says things like "I can haz cheezburger?"

I can't wait to get to college, when I'll be able to draw on a much larger pool of people (people who will be smarter and therefore geekier by average too) and therefore many more geeks. I was at Grand Valley University the other day visiting my sister and there was an announcement board and it's like "GVSU P&P RPG Club meeting on tuesday has been moved to wednesday at 3:20"

EDIT: Long term will be good also. Geeks get the jobs that pay better and involve less "work" than others do.

McGonigle
2009-05-29, 05:48 AM
When I’m actually in a place where I can do such I LARP at least once a week, and am generally playing in at least two pen and paper rpg’s. As well as some computer gaming. I regularly wear a tie with the periodic table on it (Generally every time I wear it I get people asking where to buy it from.), and have an enthusiasm for academic work.

On the other hand I do Yoga, swim and cycle on a regular basis. I’m generally highly involved in Student or Youth politics. I have my duke of Edinburgh’s gold award and regularly do mountaineering. I’m a regular member of my universities LGBT society (Okay it has a far number of reasonably geeky people in it.) I spent last summer travelling alone on the other side of the world. I have the social skills to walk into of strangers room completely alone and socialise with people easily. I go clubbing reasonably regularly, and I’m generally complimented on my ability to dance. I have a variety of creative pastimes including writing and baking.

Yes I dedicate a few hours a week to roleplaying, but it hasn’t destroyed my life. To be honest I think I generally live a fuller life than most of these amazing ‘non-geeks’ I’m supposed to look up to. I also don’t see any reason to hide who I am, and I get along just fine.

So what if I can’t join in a conversation about football, I’ve always found it tedious and dull anyway. Oh and I can’t join in on gossiping about celebrities. But I see very little point trying to get on with everyone, some people are just boring when it comes down to it. And to be honest anyone whose close minded enough to dismiss someone because of one activity isn’t someone I really want to be talking to anyway.

And bizarrely of my regular activities, it’s Yoga which is the least social. I go into a room if I’m early I mutter a few pleasantries and then spend the next one and a half hours ignoring everyone, till the class ends where we all vanish silently away.

As for all the stuff about Male to Female ratio I prefer men :p.

Irreverent Fool
2009-05-29, 07:34 AM
If I didn't recognize NewbDM, I'd be belittling you all for your inability to recognize a troll.

As for me? Geekdom is my escape.


Enjoy your descent into fratboyism. Glad it's working out for you. :smallwink:

Me? I'll be doing my own thing, same as ever.

"We're the grown-ups now, and we decide what that means."
-- Randall Monroe
Also, this.

obnoxious
sig

ghost_warlock
2009-05-29, 08:54 AM
Being a geek never stopped me from socializing in the least. It certainly didn't stop me from having a fulfilling sex life. But, then, I'm really more of a dork than a geek, and I do love biology (especially anatomy :smallamused:).

Anyway, I've always been more socially active because of my geekiness than in spite of it. Hell, if I didn't game during college I would've spent every night sitting on the couch watching reality-TV. Truly, that would be a fate worse than any geek stereotype!

So, while my (then) gf was sitting at home alone stuffing her face with potato chips (she refused to game), I was hanging out in the College Center with my friends. And, since we set up our gaming stuff just off the main drag between the cafeteria and the computer lab, I spent gobs of time socializing with the random passers-by as well. Since we were there every Sunday, from about 3pm until whenever we finished (sometimes around 7am Monday), my non-gaming friends and class study partners could always find me easily (I didn't have a cell phone back in those days).

Caewil
2009-05-29, 10:51 AM
Geekdom is a state of mind, young padawan.

Mind you, a significant proportion of the teenagers here say 'Lol' in real life instead of laughing. Make of that what you will.

Roderick_BR
2009-05-29, 03:18 PM
I have a necessity to "escape" from it as much as I have necessity to "escape" from friends, family, work, school...
I mean, you talk about it as if it were a bad thing to like games and have friends that like it too.

Olo Demonsbane
2009-05-29, 03:26 PM
And I couldn't ever be a "norm" anyway, not a convincing one. I was reading Neverending Story and scientific journals on paleontology (dinosaurs are cool, man :smallwink:) when I was around nine years old. Hell, even before I knew how to read, I loved stories so much I refused to go to bed without my mother reading me a story, and I could make people believe I knew how to read because I knew every single one of the books we had by heart, pages and everything. I've always had decidedly nerdy speech patterns. I listen to things (which, as an aside, I've found makes people rather nervous. They're not used to you actually taking in what they say), and I love learning minute useless trivia.

Wait, are you my alternate identity or something? My third word was "paleontology" :smallbiggrin:


It *is* possible to be a cool geek. Its just the neckbeards that give people a bad name.

+Infinity. Seriously people, loopy has it right here. /thread

Froogleyboy
2009-05-29, 04:24 PM
There's something other than being a geek? :smallconfused:

Yeah, the original poster's question confused me.

Starshade
2009-05-29, 05:09 PM
Honestly, i dont know anyone who's ever done roleplaying gaming who feel like escaping geekdom. Those who do, isnt at all good at being geeks.

Only guy i know who ended up needing help for issues related to depression and who got isolated, and could be called a geek, is a friend who's never roleplayed, never done MtG, never did warhammer.

What i think? Geekdom dont exist. Its just interests who dont mix well.

The periods ive felt i had issues with being a bit "geeky", is the periods where ive known, not, a single, person, who shared my major "geeky" interests at all. Imagine not being social inept, not being too hopeless, just, being in a place without ANYONE who share the interest, since few play games?

Atm my ambition is to DM, i just find no gamers!

loopy
2009-05-29, 10:32 PM
+Infinity. Seriously people, loopy has it right here. /thread

Sigged. :smallbiggrin:

Josh the Aspie
2009-05-29, 11:30 PM
Yaknow, most people who have sought to "Escape" gaming, probably don't come to these here boards. Also, I am neither a Geek (no biting heads off of Chickens) nor a Dork (I am not a penis, nor a ****). I am a Nerd. That describes everyone from Math Professors to foot ball players who are also engineers.

I have, in the past, temporarily shut off one area of gaming that I disliked. And I have decided to leave RPs before. I'm currently... getting somewhat tired of certain aspects of gaming, and trying to rekindle a bit of an interest in some areas, discover some new. If that doesn't work, I'll just take a break from some of it.

However, I am currently loosing weight on and off (still down net 30 lbs from my peak), gaining muscle, learning martial arts (I was recently the lead for part of a demo at the local Baseball Stadium. My team got huge applause.

If you feel that for -you- it is necessary to stop gaming, then do so. However, since you seem to want to work out -and- roleplay (despite feeling it is a guilty pleasure sometimes, it seems), may I suggest finding a LARP group?

Lappy9000
2009-05-30, 12:44 AM
I've honestly never thought about it :smallconfused:

And the second I leave this thread, I'll continue not to think about it :smallbiggrin:

Mystic Muse
2009-05-30, 01:29 AM
I'm a nerd. my hobbies include magic the gathering, D&D,video games, doing nothing on the computer, watching random TV shows, reading manga, religion, going to the gym and playing different types of sports.
and out of all these the only one I socialise through is magic and D&D. this is because the people I have things in common with are generally the people who play and do these things.

honestly without games I wouldn't socialise at all. all the people I know in my subdivision don't like anything in that list except sports. and sports I only play with my cousins. I hate leagues because they bring out the worst in me. games I can get along with other people with and out of the three types of games I play only one of them is competitive.

in this case escape is UNhealthy. I won't be able to associate with other people because I don't like watching sports and most other things I just CAN'T get interested in.



I'm very confused as to why you would ask people on a D&D forum if they want to give up playing D&D. Although I suppose that if I ever signed up for, say, a "Flat Earth Society" forum, my first post would probably be "Hey guys, have you ever thought about the Earth being round?"


wait a minute here. the earth is round:smallconfused:

Knaight
2009-05-30, 11:47 AM
I generally seem relatively normal to most people, certainly nobody I just happen to meet would think I was into role playing games or such. But I do have a nerdy side, its just not everything, and more importantly, its existence doesn't stop me from functioning in normal society. If I'm talking to somebody else who is openly nerdy, I can do the same, if somebody is interested in political conversation, I can do the same. If somebody wants to talk about celebrity gossip, I don't bother doing the same, as its the single biggest waste of time humankind has ever created. I might start up a discussion on the value of privacy to change the topic however. The point here is that being a nerd or even a geek is only one part of a personality, and certainly doesn't prevent other parts. I'm interested in several sports, despite being interested in nerdy activities. Although given the sports I'm interested in(fencing, archery, slinging, martial arts, etc. and all while being a pacifist), the nerdy activities may have contributed.

Tsotha-lanti
2009-05-30, 11:54 AM
I generally seem relatively normal to most people, certainly nobody I just happen to meet would think I was into role playing games or such.

RPGs and normal are natural opposites? Huh?

Mystic Muse
2009-06-01, 04:55 AM
If somebody wants to talk about celebrity gossip, I don't bother doing the same, as its the single biggest waste of time humankind has ever created.



AMEN BROTHER! or sister as the case may be.

and @^ yeah RPGs are generally considered for nerds only by a lot of people.

shadow_archmagi
2009-06-01, 05:09 AM
AMEN BROTHER! or sister as the case may be.

and @^ yeah RPGs are generally considered for nerds only by a lot of people.

No, the single *biggest* waste of time is those girls who have entire conversations using only pronouns. As in

"Can you believe what she said to him last night?"
"After what he did? I wanted to cry!"
"She is such a bitch and he needs to get over her"
"I saw her with *him* at Mcdonalds last week."

These seem to be the only kind of girl the "popular" crowd attracts. Utterly worthless for all purposes.

KjeldorMage
2009-06-01, 05:52 AM
(seems a bit off topic for this forum) (coughbumpformodscough)

Anyway,

Gaming is my spice that makes my life stew complete. RPG's (and miniwargaming) are an excuse to hang out with the guys essentially. It is being social. It is just the same as poker/insert favorite girl tv show night.

The whole idea of social group struggle is ridiculous. It is a stereotype perpetuated at adolescence where our constant contact with a large amount of peers wants us to power rank how saturated our social experiences are. Those ideas tend to push people into different directions on how they spend their free time. To that end I almost feel sorry for people who are trapped in the "gotta be cool" mind set. It seems so restrictive and unfulfilling.

By accepting who your are, you gain the power to be "cool" in a sense. The entire social interaction system is based off of confidence and conflict. It is the way you say things and interact. By being able to relate to others in a confident positive manner you essentially are able to enact your will upon other people, as most people are nothing but sheep whose lives revolve around their own thoughts. If this offends people so be it but you all are subject to suggestion, even I am as well. To these ends being able to bend people to your will is how you interact the best, so be confident and tout your way of life as the best.

By breaking free of what people want you to do and letting go you live much happier and feel powerful. Example, In college I found a group of like minded people as myself, a fraternity in name only, think animal house only with wilder parties, and a touch of geekery. We always had the best parties because we had an ecclectic mix of people. Girls commented on how they didn't have to worry about being date raped and a lot of my brothers and myself were swimming in attractive, well rounded women that you didn't mind spending time with. When I would got to other parties, I found myself being a complete a-- to all of the "popular" people I could and would just worry about having a good time. Often I would have people flock to me. That kind of power you can take to the bank.

I found that there are a lot of gamers who are loners and way to into it. They eventually find people who are the same way and find ways to be social. Then they do their thing and it's cool. They eventually do the same sorts of stuff that "normal" (god I hate that term) people do.

College is one of those ways. Also going to a gaming store and hanging out is another. Sometimes they may smell like cheetos and unkempt funk but damn it they have some good adventure/scenario ideas to ste...I mean politely ask for. ;-)

Then there are gamers who use it as a part of their life to exercise that creative itch that burns. It is what makes humans so amazing as creatures. Our ability to reason and to dream. It also allows people to act out on impulses that society restricts. It allows you to go to a world where the only limits are your capacity to think of limits.

When you can sit down and say, "I am a geek/nerd" you feel yourself liberated. Because if you think about it, being outgoing and yourself usually out does trying to "fit in", and makes you more liked by random people. The only time being a "geek" is a liability is in the business world. But as others have pointed out, those people who depend on other's opinions are usually unhappy and/or vapid as they put up a fake facade.

I've seen how someone who is geeky at heart crash and burn when they try to lose that side of themselves. It doesn't work. Just accept and let the good times roll. It is like having a little extra something special that a lot of people don't share that you can hold over them and feel, "those poor bastards" when you realize how much fun, relaxation, and fulfillment they are missing out on.

In fact this is why I started posting here in the first place, I have the gaming itch so bad, and my friends aren't around where I live. So I need to release it in bursts here.

Zen Master
2009-06-01, 09:21 AM
Has anyone else they need to escape "geekdom", and all the related stereotypes (many of which are surprisingly true...)?

I broke off from my two year long group about a month ago, and I have not heard from my other group for a bit longer (DM work issues). At first it, and having no college classes, left me extremely bored.

Since then my younger brother and his girlfriend have been teaching me how to workout and body build. I have begun socializing a bit more, and am looking for more common and popular activities to fill my time and meet people.

It seems to me that the more I try to get away from the stereotypical "ronery" mold the people on here are known for, the better things are going.

As for when I feel an urge for some hack-and-slash with minimal plot/roleplaying, I have picked up a few strategy RPGs at Gamestop. At least video games are a more common and popular form of geekdom, and the male-to-female ratio is a lot better...

You know - there isn't any opposition between the two. I've played roleplaying games - which is a remarkably social hobby btw - and alongside that, I've been boxing to keep fit, and joining various groups for further social engagements.

The fact that you've found something new does not make the old bad. To me, that has the ring of over-compensation - though, not knowing you from anything but the OP, I couldn't say :)

DamnedIrishman
2009-06-01, 10:14 AM
Has anyone else they need to escape "geekdom", and all the related stereotypes (many of which are surprisingly true...)?


I play D&D and I'm not a 'geek'. I just like it, and treat it as I do any other of my various pastimes.

That said though, everyone should go to the gym or do equivalent exercise at least twice a week. That's just plain good health.

Grey Watcher
2009-06-01, 10:27 AM
In my experience, every interest has its own little niche in society, with its own conventions, jargon, stereotypes, and other window dressing. Granted, for whatever reason, in school (at nearly any level), the sports and athletics enthusiasts tend to get a larger amount of attention than, say drama, music, gaming, or academics, but it's still the same sort of subculture. Lately, I move with relative facility between the subcultures of professional opera singers (my chosen profession), amateur athletes (a class or two at the gym, where I am, admittedly a n00b), gamer-geekdom, and a certain amount of the gay community. You hardly need to reject one to be a part of the other.

Thanatos 51-50
2009-06-01, 10:59 AM
Geekdom is not an iron-barred prison of a state of mind. Being a geek, or a D&Der, or an RPer, or whatever title you slap on yourself means practically ntohing. Any traps you imagine yourself in are products of your own imagination.

As many other people have said, it's quite possible, and even probable to be a 'cool geek'.

Mystic Muse
2009-06-02, 04:29 AM
No, the single *biggest* waste of time is those girls who have entire conversations using only pronouns. As in

"Can you believe what she said to him last night?"
"After what he did? I wanted to cry!"
"She is such a bitch and he needs to get over her"
"I saw her with *him* at Mcdonalds last week."

These seem to be the only kind of girl the "popular" crowd attracts. Utterly worthless for all purposes.

you only say that because you don't know what they're talking about you eavesdropping schlect wort:smalltongue:

CountD
2009-06-02, 06:19 AM
If you play WoW or DnD, you are a geek at heart and should not try fooling yourself.

Be proud. I should place a sagely nodding smiley here or something.

darkblust
2009-06-02, 06:37 PM
being a geek or nerd is fun.It gives you something to do,and is amazingly fun.you should be proud of being a geek or what ever u consider yourself.You should be happy to be one of the few people to be lucky enough to play dnd,or wow,or watever geeky or nerdy thing you do.you CAN be social and be a geek,but it can be awkward if you talk about it to 'non geeks'.If it does come up,and they dont accept you for it,then its not worth being their friend.i would never quit geeky/nerdiness.but if you must leave our community,then farewell,and good luck!!!...

shadow_archmagi
2009-06-02, 06:52 PM
you only say that because you don't know what they're talking about you eavesdropping schlect wort:smalltongue:

It doesn't count as eavesdropping if you can hear them from 20 feet away in a crowded room and you're trying very hard to ignore them. If my curiosity is piqued sufficiently, I ask the ??gay?? guy who sits next to me, since he can usually translate.

OverdrivePrime
2009-06-02, 07:18 PM
*peers through thread*

Interesting... did NewbDM ever respond to the roiling cauldron of geek patriotism he stirred up? Or did he just drop the grenade and run? :smallconfused:

Anyway, yeah, I'm with everyone else. I'm pretty damn proud of who I am, and feel no reason to change. I play a multitude of tabletop rpgs, have a diverse group of friends in and outside of gaming, keep up a number of athletic hobbies, work out daily, and am married to a woman who loves me more than any man deserves. Life is pretty damn good... now if only I could find a new job...

I think the hardest part about having geeky passtimes is allowing the social stigma of them to let other people define you, instead of taking the reigns and defining yourself. This is particularly hard when you're a teenager or in your early 20s, as there's so much identity-formation going on.

High-fives to all of you that are rockin' the polyhedrons with pride! http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w219/mwellenstein/Win/rock.gif

Random NPC
2009-06-02, 07:59 PM
Escaping "geekdom"?

HAH! If anything, I've drawn more people into the evil shadows of Nerd-ism. So far, 5 family members, 2 friends, and an ex-girlfriend.

I'm looking into drowning even more people into this hobby :belkar:

Also, being a geek is not bad. If anything, I'm the nerd of the group and still, I'm charismatic. Then again, we tend to attract the type of people that just are not consider "part of the norm".