For the first 20 years of my life I spent most of my time trying to be a part of the cool crowd. Wearing the right clothes, styling my hair like the latest celebrity, trying to keep my hips and ass
in line so I could wear those midriff type shirts and jeans that were so tight one couldn't breath, attempting friendships with the "right' friends, attending school events that made me look fun,
cheerleading tryouts/
practices/games--but somewhere in college I finally gave in to the geek that I truly am. I attended a full-on engineering school, it was inevitable. And it helped that I was a girl in a sea of men, if I could talk, I at least could get a date. I could let my guard down. At least a little.
I was an honor student, preferred books and reading to fashion, and I spent my summers lounging on a folding chair around the fire pit camping and reading. Or writing. Or just the curious one who took every comment to heart--so much so I'd dissect conversations for hours trying to conclude the "real" or intended meanings instead of just taking it all at face value. And that was just the overheard conversations--books or movies required heated discussions! Anyway all this overly geeky stuff has really awarded me in ways I never thought it would. My corporate life as relied on the fact that I can work a computer. That I can TALK the computer language. And hell, that I can communicate regularly with engineers of all types. Particularly of those of the software development and hardware variety (being vague here intentionally). And it is sorta funny now, the years I kept all this stuff to myself has finally paid off.
First--I can communicate better than the engineering crowd. In fact, I am down-right sociable
comparably. Secondly, I can just talk their talk, and then spew it out in the marketing crowd and sound like a
genius. Like I might really know what I am talking about (another secret: most of the time I do!). Who knew
geekiness could bring career growth? And in the end, give me opportunities that are now non-existent to those in the previous cool crowd that now don't have a clue what computer peripherals are (I know, I know, cut them some slack. Not everyone is a computer person. But in my line of work, you MUST be a computer person to survive). Thirdly, I don't need anyone to spell out new product specs to me. Hell, normally I find them myself and internalize them for what I need and that's that. (Read: if you can be self-sufficient, it looks
really, really good for you and your boss).
But this scholarly side of me just benefits me all around. I mean, in the last few years I opted to just let the full me shine through. Who the hell cares what other people think? And the fact that I really did move past my 20s, I don't have time to worry about all the little shit anymore. There's less stress, I can worry about what matters most--myself, family, friends--and move on with it. Who needs to worry about the rest?
Granted, I've been blessed with just as geeky a husband. One that likely made my true geek shine through even more--and one that accepts me for the true geek that I am. And I think that even turns him on a bit (and vice
versa). So it only natural our kids will fall in line as well...
And that is what this LONG
converted rant really is about. Me. Being a Geek. And more
me writing about being a geek,
here at
Geek Girl on the Street. Conveniently enough,
my first post is about carrying on the geekdom, one kid at a time... I'll be writing weekly.
Labels: geekdom, me, writing
