Coming Out of the Geek Closet

with Edward James Olmos

I have some amazing friends who can tell you about every episode of Doctor Who from the first Doctor to Peter Capaldi. Many of these same friends can name every single character in the X-Men canon. And they chuckle at the competitive relationship between Batman and Superman imagined in online comics.

I've tried to be that person.

I've watched Doctor Who, and I've enjoyed it. (Allons-y!) I went to see the latest X-Men movie. And I used to own a Batman sweatshirt...back when the Michael Keaton version first hit theaters. But I'm no longer wired to be a full-on geek.

Now, don't get me wrong. I still love the fantastical and the speculative. I can't imagine life without Firefly or Star Wars. I'd be nowhere without Captain Kirk and Admiral Adama. Strains of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog often fill my head. I just can't get into everything that's out there.

I used to be a total fangirl. I went to Star Trek cons and memorized the officers of the Galactic Empire. (I could best most of my pals in Star Wars trivia.) But since I've married and became a mom, I only have time to enjoy the classic stuff I grew up on. This is the foundation of my writing, and when I immerse myself back into the familiar stories of the stars, I am home.

It's taken me some time to accept who I am. I always felt guilty about not knowing the latest thing in geek-dom. (I'd never heard of Guardians of the Galaxy until the movie trailer came out!) But you know, the offerings are as varied as the tastes. I'm glad there's something for everyone.

For me, I tend to lean toward the lighter sci-fi stuff that focuses more on relationships. I qualify this as space opera. That's what I write. It's what I know. These are stories of the heart set among the stars. Oooh, I think I just found my tagline!

So, on a scale of one to geek, I'd probably land around 5.6. I still retain much of my geeky knowledge--the hours spent in my Star Trek Compendium, the difference between Ozzel and Needa, the storyline of the Final Five on the Galactica. I'm one of 84 people who have seen Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension. In the theatre! (Still wondering about the watermelon and lamenting that BB never faced the World Crime League!) And I like consuming new (to me) material. In fact, I just listened to the Star Wars radio drama a few weeks ago. Excellent production!

But I also accept that there are much geekier folks in this world. And for you, I am grateful! You keep the geek world going. Rock on, dream big, and aim for the stars. (Whoa, too many clichés! But you know what I mean.) Or perhaps a simple, "Live long and prosper." No? How about, "May the force be with you." Or "Grab your gun and bring the cat in."

Where do you rank on a scale of one to geek?

---