Admitting it to myself

Heard a song yesterday called, "White and Nerdy" and thought to myself. Am I really a Nerd like that. I know I like certain "Nerdy" things, but am I truly perceived as a nerd by my friends and family?

It was like having to admit to myself I am losing my hair, or getting older or larger as time passes. I then realized, that while it may seem odd, I was not becoming a Nerd, but have always been one. I was at home when I had this moment of clarity, sitting in my office, surrounded by the tell tale signs of Nerddom. Even at this moment and my desk at work I realize it to be true.

Here is why... Just the top 10 items that confirm, I am a Nerd, Geek, McSpazAtron, what have you.

1 As I write this list my MP3 player is playing the soundtrack to Star Trek II the Wrath of Khan. While this alone may not scream NERD, the fact that over half of my music collection is soundtracks should, and that I have every Start Trek Movie soundtrack on this thing.
2 I read more comics then "real" books. And of the real books I read, the last several have been either Justice League books or Biography books on such folks as Rutgeur Hauer and Bruce Campbell.
3 My "Office" is more of a collector’s workshop that happens to have a PC in it. Besides an assortment of action figures, my walls are covered in classic comics and movie posters including my prized ALIENS poster signed by the entire cast of the movie.
4 I have several signed autographs from TV and Movie actors including Marc Singer (Beastmaster and V), Derk Benedict (Face from the A-team and the original Starbuck) Richard Keil (Jaws from James Bond) and Sam Jones (Flash). What makes me a Geek is not only having them but also having some images I got to shoot with them and me making these all “Prized” additions to my collection.
5 I have no tattoos, but if I had to choose right now what I wanted it would be the Superman Symbol.
6 I have a large collection of Strategy Board Games. While this would only make me a geek, the fact that I have 3 different editions of Star Trek Monopoly, and many games based on movies moves it on pure Nerddom.
7 My book library is a pure collection of NERD in print. On my book shelves you will find over 50 RPG books mixed in with Star Trek Novels, Scripts from some of my favorite movies, My Scott’s Guide to the Enterprise, 75+ Graphic Novels, Mad Magazine from my favorite movies, Stephen Hawkings Guide to the Universe (Both print and the Illustrated Version), 2 Encyclopedias (DC universe and Star Trek) and even 1 copy of the Little Engine That Could. I even have Leonard Nimoy’s Biography, “I AM NOT SPOCK” which he wrote shortly after Star Trek ended in 1969. He later wrote I AM SPOCK in the 1990’s rebuking his prior biography.
8 I have over 1000 movies on DVD, and aside from the recent rise in Kids movies (I became a parent in 2003) most of them are Sci Fi films which I have watched hundred of times. Now if I get even an hour or free time from the wife and kids, you can bet Krull or The Thing is on my TV.
9 I still dream about being aboard a Federation Star Ship and feel a sense of personal joy when I see things in today real world inspired by Star Trek. If I cannot be a Starship Captain, then I would vote for being a Jedi. A true Nerd does not choose Star Trek over Star Wars or vice versa, we appreciate both kick ass.
10 Finally, while there may be other examples like my best subjects was math and science, and that before settling on computer support I wanted to be an engineer and took drafting and CAD design in school, my final true symbol of Nerrom are my kids.

Both my girls know who superman is. Both recognize Star Wars before the first title appears. My girls will call out Superman just from hearing the first few seconds of the opening credits. They are as happy watching Batman the animated series or Justice League as they are watching Sponge Bob or Blues Clues. If the true test of a geek is his children, then I have succeeded in passing a little part of that legacy to my kids. They recently saw a preview for the new Tranformers movie, and without saying anything my oldest said, “Daddy look transformers” and proceed to go into my office and point to my collection of transformers toys. Now that just made me smile all over.