Thursday, July 31, 2008

Still coming to terms with geekdom

Anyone that reads here semi-regularly will know that this is a topic on my mind a lot lately.

I had friends drop everything to run to Vegas the day I mentioned that Star Trek: The Experience was closing. If I hadn't started reading Wil's blog, or subscribed to his Tweets, how would THEY have known? Yet, I didn't go. They tried, REALLY tried, but I couldn't justify going into debt for it. Instead they bought me a tribble and communicator badge from TNG. Good enough, no? I just resigned myself to knowing that I didn't know what I was missing and there's the chance it'll open somewhere else... and then I won't have to worry.

I really think I was destined to be a geek really. I am the daughter of 2 Trekkies and my mom is a big Tolkien fan. From the time I was a tiny kid I remember begging to look at her Froud Fairies book or through her jewelry box which contained various silver charms (ones that I'll kill my sisters for when she dies; they can have the opals and pearls, I want the silver unicorn and moon).

Anyway, my personal geek journey probably can be listed as starting when I was like 5 or 6. In my little world D&D was a cartoon (in reruns) that I wasn't allowed to watch. At the time I was told that it was too scary and would give me nightmares. As an adult I found out that Mom didn't want me, the obsessive little thing that I was watching it. The last thing that she needed was a small starting on a pathway to rolling 20s.

She had had a lonely childhood (friends wise, with 8 kids in the family, she was around plenty of people). I think she was trying to spare us the grief. Well, 3 out of 4 of us geeked out anyway. My youngest sister and I had it easier (geeky chicks are worshipped! lol) than my brother though.

Because of my obsessiveness, I'm beginning to think that the geekiness started before that (like just after I turned 3). From the time that I could barely talk, I was all about Rainbow Brite. I, again, didn't know this until I was an adult, but I could barely talk, and talked a blue streak about Smurfs and RB. I saw that happen when my nephew went though his Thomas the Tank Engine phase. it was so bad that my preschool teacher (who hadn't' seen me since I was like 4) remembered it. A few years ago she was at a family wedding (my aunt had kept up with her) and she immediately asked my mom "Where's Rainbow Brite?"

When it started at a point that I can remember clearly would be 21 Jump Street. Mom would watch it, and I remember being glued to Johnny Depp. Judy (Holly Robinson) was cool and all, but I loved Tom. That little tid bit in itself isn't geeky, but because of that, I was led to Tim Burton and Danny Elfman. That also meant that all I wanted to do for my 12th birthday was have my parents take me to see Nightmare Before Christmas.

Then there's Star Trek. I loved TNG! That flowed over to Deep Space 9 and Voyager. When Generations came out, my friend conned her dad into taking us down to Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood and seeing it there (I think) on opening day. Oh and also X-Files (which I'm Netflixing now and loving it!) and Unsolved Mysteries.

Did I mention that I read too? All kinds of things from Anne McCaffrey's Pern books to CS Lewis' Narnia, to Nancy Drew. Let's not get me started on comics okay?

Jeebus how didn't I "know" this before? I always knew that I was weird (and proud of it... popularity was overrated) but sheesh! Then when you throw in band, a passion for musical theater and the Buffyverse... yeah...

Sorry Mom, I never had a chance.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I probably would have never been as big a Star Trek fan as I am today if not for Chris lol... and I LOVE TNG too but Voyager.. that show has us addicted right now and we keep watching the episodes over and over again on TiVo lol

EvaMarieva said...

So I never watched much TV till HS and can honestly say my geekdom came out. I was a huge buffy fan, now a huge whedon fan and Mike got me hooked on star trek. We have actually seen the Star Trek bar at the Hilton and it was fun. I love you honesty and blog posts! now on to making your dream costume.

Pixie said...

@ Lorie- Yeah... it was really good. I don't have cable or I'd be obsessivly watching reruns too. Do you know what it's like to be a geek without the SciFi channel? I've yet to watch Battlestar Gallactica. And I'd love to be able to watch Dr. Who or Torchwood at my OWN house (MIL DVR's them)

@ Eva- Yes! My costume! For Halloween... and Comicon!! :D

Anonymous said...

lol! This made me laugh, Megh. Don't take offense to this, because it isn't a bad thing, but you are all kinds of geek in one little package! Buffy, band, theater, Star Trek...wow!

I, myself, remember enjoying Rainbow Brite as a kid. I haven't relived that part of my childhood yet and I totally should!

Anonymous said...

Okay, sorry, I'm back, but I had to show you this. Check out this printscreen I took while I was making my last comment on your blog!

Lol!


Look at the word verification. ISN'T THAT EERIE OR WHAT?! hahaha! It should totally go on your vanity license plate! =P

Pixie said...

None taken! I'm fully aware that I'm a geek of all trades... it's what allows me to fit in with geeks of all kinds. I'm not into tabletop RPGs... except the Buffyverse ones... and you'll never catch me LARPinG EVER!!