Being Geek Chic is the yammerings of a Midwestern nerd named Elizabeth Giorgi. My vision impairment is real, which is frustrating because I really would like to see a 3D movie.
Send questions, requests and ideas to [email protected]. Please put your complaints on a napkin and toss it.
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Note
18th May 2010
Thoughts on embracing your inner geek
Last week, I booked my summer vacation to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Studios. Since then, I’ve been basking in the glory of what this trip will offer me: butterbeer, Buckbeak, Dumbledore’s office, the Room of Requirement - the list is endless. On top of the joy of the anticipation, I’ve been jokingly telling people that the sole purpose of the trip is that I am changing careers and I will be enrolling in Hogwarts.
So what’s the point of all of this? It’s my life hypothesis that we are happier and life is more enjoyable if we embrace the things we love, no matter how unusual or unconventional. Now you might be thinking - well duh, being who you are will always make you happier. That’s true. My point here is different: being comfortable talking about who you are and willingly allowing other people to enjoy your nerdiness with you will make your life more fulfilling and your relationships more real.
Let me explain.
Embracing the things you love and sharing it with the world is not always an easy thing to do, so my first reason for embracing your inner geek is this: discover what you love. In high school, it’s more important that you know how to do the splits than know how to split an atom, but dammit, if you really love the science behind neutrons, protons and those elusive nuetrinos more than you love rhyming in tune with pom pom thrusting - then invest more time studying the things you enjoy - because in the end, it’s good for your mental health.
It’s scary, but dabbling in the unknown can make us more well-rounded and give us a deeper appreciation for the things we love. Case in point: Nick Hornby is one of my favorite authors, but his book “Fever Pitch” has never been one of my top picks from his repertoire. When the 90s British film iteration of this novel was recommended to me on my Netflix Queue, I was hesitant. I thought, “How could a movie about football (aka soccer) fans really be my speed?” After watching it, not only did my opinion of the novel change, but my opinion of my father changed. My dad is an avid NFL fan, and the characteristics Colin Firth embodies in “Fever Pitch” are hauntingly similar to my dad’s obsessive behavior. In taking that chance, I was able to broaden my view of Mr. Hornby and gain a deeper trust for Netflix’s recommendation software.
Enthusiasm is infectious. Science proves it and anecdotal experiences seem to back this up. If you are truly excited about what you love, then don’t be afraid to share your joy with others - no matter how dorky. I have an insatiable obsession with sleep science, so when I discovered the Sleep Cycle app, I was eager to test it out. Not only did this handy app help get me more involved with my sleep patterns, but it provided ample opportunities to talk about the science of sleep with other iPhone users. I’m sure I probably convinced some of my co-workers and friends to fork over $1.99 for the app with my constant tutorials and demonstrations. The point is, life is too short to not be excited about the little things.
Midwesterners love to talk about the weather. No, it’s not some weird thing where we are all meteorological scholars. It’s our conversational reaction, or default, for when we don’t know what to say to someone new or when we’re uncomfortable. The fact is, I refuse to talk about the weather unless I am actually INTERESTED in the weather. If we all just took the time to talk about the things we love and not be so afraid of what “new-coworker-number-three might think if I talk about yoga/quantum mechanics/dark matter/organic gardening/Steig Larsson” then we might actually have real conversations. And in turn, be happy.
