I consider myself a geek. I'm into science fiction and board games. And I like a lot of the things that geeky people are into, at least to some degree. But I don't go overboard with it. I don't dress up in costume and run around with a foam sword or collect every possible piece of merchandise for Doctor Who (Tardis mugs! Dalek salt and pepper shakers! OK, I have Doctor Who throw pillows, but they were a present.). I have about a hundred board games, but I pretty much only keep the ones that actually get played, even if rarely. I don't have display cases for my collectibles.
Not that I mind if people are really into something. Have fun! Except ... I do mind. And it's not that it's a waste of time (although sometimes I think it is) or that their thing is uncool. It's ... something else. And I can't quite put my finger on it.
Have you had someone corner you and start talking endlessly about something they're really into? Like, they'll hear that you watched an episode of some new show, and they'll launch into a monologue that lasts for ten minutes about the nerdy details that you have no interest in knowing. And they won't pick up on the non-verbal cues that you would like very much to extricate yourself from that conversation. Those people freak me out.
Or, like today. There's a place here in Burbank called Geeky Teas that I just discovered. They've got all kinds of games and geeky artwork and a life-size Dalek. Very fun. And you can go there and play games for $5, plus they have events like tabletop tournaments and Doctor Who screening nights. And the lady who runs the shop is really friendly and cool. And I was looking at the shop and the schedule and thinking what a cool place it is and how it's too bad that I'll never go there.
Because they're weird! I mean, not really. Everyone is nice and friendly and likes to play games. What's not to like? But if I went there ... just showed up and looked for folks to hang out or play games with ...
I'd be one of them.
And I don't want to be one of them.
Why? I don't know. I mean, a guy showed up while I was making my purchase. He seemed to have showed up alone and hadn't been there before and just thought he'd try his luck and try to find people to play games with. And he didn't seem overly geeky - just a normal guy. So, of course I left.
(Mind you, I had just stopped in to grab the game I special ordered, and I had a friend with me who I needed to take home, so it's not like I could have stayed. But the point is that I wouldn't have.)
I dunno. Seems like there's a whole world of friendly, geeky people that I might enjoy getting to know and who like board games like I do, and yet I just can't bring myself to go there.
Why is that?
Hahahahahah
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