I’ve yet to find a photo to confirm my suspicions, but I honestly believe I came straight from the womb toting a set of encyclopedias. I’ve been a nerd since Day One.
My mom has a photo of me at about 9 months of age. I’m sprawled out on the living room floor “reading” a book that’s nearly as big as me.
While the other kids were playing with Barbie dolls and Cabbage Patch kids, I was busy playing “school”. There were desks lined up in the garage, and I subjected my siblings and a couple of the other neighborhood kids to Math and English lessons.
I won the school spelling bee in third grade and went on to compete in the regional bee.
I read 2-3 adult novels per week when I was in middle school.
I was in an AP curriculum in high school. I was Editor of the Yearbook. I was involved in student government. I worked a part-time job as a carhop at Sonic, and after closing the store, I’d go home and study until just three or four hours until I had to get ready for school again.
That’s how I misspent my youth. And though some of you would say I was a model child, that’s far from the case. Children should relax and have fun. We don’t have nearly enough time for that once we become adults.
Like many who misspent their youths as I did, I eventually said “to hell with it all” and spent several of my adult years making up for lost time. Dance clubs, bars, piercings, late nights, bad boys…
It got old fast.
Now here I am, having come full circle. After a long day at the office, there’s nothing more relaxing that coming home to my computer and spending several hours reading blogs and writing reviews.
I do still go out from time to time, so if you’d like to hang, just send me an email. Or leave a comment on my blog. Or Twitter me. But please, oh please! Only places with Wi-Fi!
I love being a geek.
If you’d like to participate in a weekly writing challenge, check out Sunday Scribblings.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:12 am
As one of the siblings subjugated to her lessons, I can testify that she is a mean, mean teacher. Stunted my educational growth, she did. Didn’t my desk have psychadelic mushroom stickers on it? I liked the desk.
November 26th, 2007 at 1:25 am
Geeks unite!
We still need to have lunch again sometime…someplace with WiFi, i promise! Email me.
November 26th, 2007 at 9:32 am
I also came from the womb toting a set of encyclopedias.
My mom is still sore and holds a grudge.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Remember Tish, I’m very particular about how people use the terms nerd and geek. A nerd is not necessarily a geek, and vice versa. Nerds typically focus on non technical related fields, geeks on the other hand immerse themselves in technology.
For example: A history professor is definitely a nerd, but a computer programmer is a geek.
You can have a mix of the two (Neeks or Gerds), but they are typically less common.
November 26th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Ahhhh…I’ve often wondered about the difference between Nerds and Geeks. Apparently, those definitions weren’t in my childhood geek dictionary. I’m just a mac geek though. My geekiness is limited in that way.
November 26th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Geek. Nerd. Whatever you wanna call it, “I LOVE BEING A TURTLE!” Oh wait - …
Anyway, isn’t this the best time to be a techno freak!? So much technology, so new, so much coming out! It’s a great time to be alive!!!
November 26th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
+1
BTW, Happy Belated Thanksgiving Ms. Tish! (#):D
November 26th, 2007 at 4:51 pm
I was likewise a well-behaved nerd as a child — and didn’t break bad until my thirties. But I think I got most of it out of my system…
November 27th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
That sounds so much like me growing up. I would read anything I could get my hands on. When I was in sixth grade I was reading college level. I would read just about everything in the school library. When we were assigned the book Frankenstien as our semester project with a set of guestions and essays to do I turned it in the first week and had nothing to do rest of the semester except read what I wanted to. I can’t help it, I’m still a complete nerd.
November 28th, 2007 at 2:37 am
Great post! Breaking out is a good thing, isn’t it? For a while, at least.
November 28th, 2007 at 10:07 am
I’m a nerd with geekish tendencies, while my wife is a geek with nerdish tendencies. Between the two of us, we’ve got most of the archetypical geek and/or nerd traits covered. D&D (me), Star Trek (her) & Star Wars (me), computers (my first was a TI-99a, the Math Counts team (her) and the chess club (me). Name the stereotype and to our shame, we probably did or still do it.
Regarding your point about growing up, we’ve thought a lot about this very topic. Our kids are both in accelerated programs but we really try to give them time to relax and play. Motivating them while stil giving them time to relax and just be kids is a fine line considering how much pressure is on kids both socially and academically. Interesting post!
November 28th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Big deal…I was reading BEFORE I was born…he he:)
Ok, I’m joking. It’s really embarrassing but I just learned how to read 9 months ago. It took 2 hours just to write this comment!
You read “ADULT” novels…at that age? How utterly exciting:)
November 29th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Haven’t spoken in ages… I hope things are okay with you. I’d definitely be up for a spot of lunch, dinner or breakfast (or all three).
Take care, Graham