Geek Cred!

[xombiekitty]

What do you own, what have you done, or what can you do that you think gives you geek cred?

For myself I think the following apply:

• Started playing tabletop RPGs at age 8
  
• Started collecting comics at age 15 (although I read them previous to that)
  
• Started LRPing at age 16
  
• Have watched & read many sci-fi and fantasy tales throughout my life
  
• While late to fandom conventions, I have been encouraging others to attend instead of hiding my affection for them for the last 3 years!
  
• Through conventions, meeting, getting photos with, & getting autos from a huge range of celebs
  
• Have read and understood far more than I expected of Stephen Hawking's A Brief History Of Time
  
• Have been an extra in a fan-film
  
• Massive addiction to technology, & love high spec pcs & tvs, & taking part in Alpha, Beta, & RC projects
  
• Lover of Sierra adventure games
  
• Most importantly, I adore my fellow geeks and enjoy just rambling on for hours with them about all things geek
  

If I think of any more I'll come back and add them
Would love to know what other people can claim for geek cred... SDCC or DragonCon, etc, type event attendance, owning screen used tv/movie props, cosplay, etc... anything at all!

[Truth]

You are a true geek, xombiekitty...like there was any doubt!!

I was a geek before the word 'geek' was invented.

I read, and loved, comics from the age of 8/9 until my late teens. I didn't have anyone to share this with and always felt a bit embarrassed buying them.
I have watched many sci-fi shows/movies. Loved the Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits and then along came the original Star Trek ...hey I'm old! I was in sci-fi heaven!!

I was excited when the original Superman movie came out and will still happily watch it! I used to watch the original TV series!

I read sci-fi books in the 60s and was enthralled with the Space Race.
One of my fondest geek memories was seeing the Apollo 11 astronauts when they came to Australia. I (and a couple of thousand others!) sang Happy Birthday to Michael Collins.

I have a collection of newspaper cuttings from the Moon missions.

I love shows about Science especially anything to do with space exploration.
I did a basic computer programming course (part of a Maths course) in 1971!!

OK..that sounds geeky enough for now!

[ZenBubble]

Wow - I'm impressed.

I can normally claim to have more IT experience than anybody ina room, having written my first code at age 8, and being about to celebrate my 37th birthday later this month, but having studied BASIC coding in 1971? I am IMPRESSED!

My geek credentials:

I write the Sci Fi update and run the AV presentations for Austrek and First Contact Conventions.
I run a bi-weekly Star Wars RPG (using the Mutants and Masterminds rules) for the President of Star Walking (Hi PJ!)
When Xombiekitty and I got together, we had a combined bank account before we had a combined comic collection.
I work in IT.
I (currently) own at least 6 different console gaming systems.

-Chris

[Truth]

Now I'm IMPRESSED! Writing a program at 8!! I've taught 8 yos who have trouble writing a sentence...in English!

I wish there had been more opportunities, computer-wise, at the time.

Thankfully, our Maths lecturer was a geek (may geeks live long and prosper!). We would hand write the program and it was then typed onto cards. The cards were placed in order and 'fed' into the computer which was about 5 metres long and about 2 metres high!

[Cybertron Ax]

I review,toys and movies on youtube. Plus I have Star Wars figures MOC hanging on my wall.

[Baralier]

I was a geek before the word 'geek' was invented.

Oh I seriously doubt you're that old. Maybe a geek before it's modern definition was coined but not before the word was invented

[Baralier]

Hmmm, distinction between nerd and geek is still open for debate but we'll forge ahead!

Had the nickname "Medieval" in primary school.
Made my first horror costume (with Mum's help) at age 9. I now have a separate wardrobe just for costumes.
Introduced RPGs to my High School (a Catholic school during the whole D&D is evil scare of the 80s)
Attended my first gaming Con aged 14
Made first stop-motion Super8 movie at age 15
First SF Con aged 16
Committee head for 2 conventions (one of which was a Trek one)
Committee member for at least 12 conventions
A personal library that is just shy of 2000 books, not including magazines and newsletters. Yes it's been catalogued.
Historical re-enactor
Movie nerd
Trivia King!
I run a weekly Audio Drama streaming radio programme.

[ambivalence]

Not a geek or a nerd; I just like science fiction and the people who watch it. I know little trivia, hold no qualifications, and only boast a limited collection.

Sure, I watched science fiction before I knew the word for it. I wore glasses, chose books over balls, and understood computers. That said, I did did those things to be with people of a similar disposition. This is why I am club based; I can be with people who understand me. Outside the clubs, people think my interests seem childish and work people constantly mock me regarding the clubs - even the fact I run one.

So, while holding no backing to claim Geekness; this casting does feel like home.

[Truth]

I was a geek before the word 'geek' was invented.

Oh I seriously doubt you're that old. Maybe a geek before it's modern definition was coined but not before the word was invented

You forgot to mention that you 'channel' The Black Adder perfectly!!

[Cybertron Ax]

I just earned more of a Geek Card,I have been in skype call with Garry Chalk.

[xombiekitty]

I was a geek before the word 'geek' was invented.

You're a trailblazer

I read, and loved, comics from the age of 8/9 until my late teens. I didn't have anyone to share this with and always felt a bit embarrassed buying them.

At least you won't ever have to feel embarrassed around fellow proud geeks

One of my fondest geek memories was seeing the Apollo 11 astronauts when they came to Australia.

That would have been very cool

When Xombiekitty and I got together, we had a combined bank account before we had a combined comic
collection.

Hey, we had to know it was forever before we combined our collections

I review,toys and movies on youtube.

I really liked your "50 things I own" vid

Introduced RPGs to my High School (a Catholic school during the whole D&D is evil scare of the 80s)

Impressive

I run a weekly Audio Drama streaming radio programme.

More details

Outside the clubs, people think my interests seem childish and work people constantly mock me regarding the clubs - even the fact I run one.

I will never understand why people do that

So, while holding no backing to claim Geekness; this casting does feel like home.

I just earned more of a Geek Card,I have been in skype call with Garry Chalk.

Cool Are you guys friends, or was it part of a podcast, or both

[Cybertron Ax]

No it was just a normal chat. It was very fun.

[Darth Salem]

Just to be a little controvercial...is the geek tag one that can be self assigned or must it be given by another. (some self proclaimed geeks give me the irrits).

But if I were nominated I would list on my application,
Being called a geek by the other half,
Spending days typing out and debugging the code in magazines into my Vic20 and saving them to tape.
Knowing the Difference between D&D and AD&D and being picked on at school for it.
Spending time on the C64 finding ways to look at stuff NASA had been doing,
Finding ways into the university admin computers using social engineering and NOT changing my records.
Spending more time quoting Monty Python at uni than attending classes.
Spotting the flaws in any movie that uses tech but still enjoying it anyway because it's still awsome.
Spending all last Christmas, fixing the computers/laptops of family, as my present to them.
and of course being unafraid to buy movies that may seem, childish or just plain weird to my parents. and I quote "But cars cant tranform into robots, that's silly...'

[cyspazzz]

I guess I could consider my self a Geek, but I think that it may be up to others to assign me that tag. So here are my creds:-



I got a Star Trek: TMP Record book for Christmas at the age of 9 and was instantly hooked on Star Trek, and almost wore out the record. At the time I thought that Star Trek was only a movie, didn’t discover otherwise till high school when I was finally able to see the Motion Picture, (which I still love and think it was one of the best in the movie series) and discovering from others that there were other Star Trek Movies Wohoo and a series (which I only watched the full original series in 2006).



From a very young age I always loved watching Sci-fi TV series, Lost in space, Planet of the apes, Journey to the Bottom of the Sea, Land of the Giants, Time Tunnel, The Champions, Knight Rider, Quantum Leap, Buck Rodgers and many many others, I never missed an episode.



It the age of 13 I go my first computer a C64 for my birthday which I had been asking for, for over a year. Which started my love affair with computers, and because my PC monitor was also my TV, being sent to my room for punishment was really not a punishment for me, since I spent most of my time in front of it. Then through high school I was able to upgrade my PC to an IBM Comp XT then and AT then a 386 and so on, and frequented the Bulletin Boards, my favourite being Death by Chocolate and Echo Base Hoth.



I discovered fandom at the age of 17 after stumbling on the first episode of Star Trek: TNG on New Years eve 1990 and then a couple of years later wondered in to Minotaur’s to get some Star Trek: TNG Merch and discovering a flier for Austrek The Star Trek Fan Club which I became a member of within the week of discovering them. Have been a member since 1992 a have been a committee member since 2006 and was president from March 2008 to February 2009.



Since 2006 I have been a member of Starwalking, The Dr Who Fan Club of Victoria and Melbourne Science Fiction Club (MSFC), and before that I have been a member of Next Gen, Quantum Leap Fan Club, The X-Files Fan Club of Victoria and Starship Mawson.



I have been attending Conventions since 2004 and befor that had only gone to one convention in 1995. Now I try to attend all the convention I can.



I got in to TTRPG in 1991 started with Cyberpunk and later Cybergen also D&D, GURPS and Car Wars then when I finished high school never had the opportunity to Role play any more. But my first job financed my CCG habit for about 3 years. A few month ago I got back in to TTRPG with a Star Wars RPG using M&M.



So I say to you all “GEEK ME!!!!!”

[Darth Salem]

I suspect the fact we could all be in the same room and have a massive animated argument about something like "How a DrWho Darlek crossover may or may not have been good for ST:TNG" and still be mates afterwards is one test of geek affiliation.

Surprised that no one has mentioned that being a member of this board... but hey...

Now back to making my sci-fi Nerf ray gun of doom.

[Truth]

Xombiekitty...you're a sweetie! You make us feel good about being Geeks!! (we deserve a capital 'G'!!)

Really..'Geek' is just another word for Smart!!



Edit: Sorry, ZenBubble!!....you're a sweetie too!!!

Have you ever read 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'? I read it in about...umm, a while ago!

[Darth Salem]

It's like all the themes...

thought some might be interested in this page that has many many many theme tunes to games. All in one place

Happy times

http://vip.aersia.net/vip.swf

[Lepermessiah]

I have never really thought of myself as a Geek. I was never shy in expressing interest in things I liked and enjoyed. I played football for the mighty Dragons, and later Rugby league for the local Warriors.
I began boxing as a younger bloke and went amateur for a short career of 1 - 1 when I met my vonderfaff partner of 13 years.
My best mate in high school was our GM for our weekly D&D sessions. We mostly shared different friends though I certainly coined to his friends and they have since become and still are some good mates of mine.
I have always been a huge fan of comics and all things fantasy. An uncle of mine left me with approximately 400 Phantom comics when I was a kid. After a 'friend' asked to lend them to read, then moved away and I never saw them again I began to be rather protective over any future comic books obtained.

I love Role Playing. Be it games or in RL I think it's great fun.
I devour books, inhaling the ones I like into my mind like a vacuum!
I still have figurines in boxes if that's geek cred?

I have never really subscribed to any group before. I certainly do not feel obliged to start now (socially). I do however tend to enjoy the company of people with similar interests to myself. I may not have the heightened IQ of the species commonly referred to as Geek, and or Nerd, but I do prefer their company above most.