This has been the longest week ever. I'm sure I've said that before. Many times. But this time it is extra true. Therefore I'm wasting my free time by indulging my addiction to PopCap's Big Money. I have a sickness, and I'm willing to admit it. That must count for something. To my credit, at least I'm listening to TMBG's John Henry, which I realized I've never actually listened to before. I know, I know, there's something (additional) wrong with me. But now I'm feeling very much more cultured.
TMBG has a distaste for the label 'geek rock', I know, but... let's face it. We've all seen there fans. Plus, you know, we are their fans. And we don't kid ourselves about the whole geek thing, so maybe they shouldn't either. But it's gotten me thinking... a co-worker of mine has a son that will, no doubt, be a geek. Or, at least, I hope so. Cuz right now he's just a momma's boy and I'm hoping he evolves a little bit (and soon). But I feel like kids like him need a little direction. Like a reading list, and a must-listen music list, movie must-sees, things like that. You know, the things that many geeks have in common. Things that you understand if someone loves, that is a signifies a certain common ground. "The Holy Grail", TMBG, things like this. Things that I'm quite certain his mother has never heard of.
This is an issue fairly close to my heart, mostly because I grew up with so few geeks. I had no idea how many things I enjoyed were enjoyed by a lot of other people, of a certain type. Meeting the Bad Guys was a rather eye-opening experience that I had much too late in life, if you ask me. Of course, not having geek friends has made me somewhat of a general sort of geek, rather than a geek for any one particular *idiom, sir? idiom*. I am not a book geek, a game geek, a computer geek, a sci-fi geek, a music geek, or any other type of geek that would get me on tv, but I do enjoy all of those things more than most. Plus there's the general sarcasm and witty repartee that comes from being friends with geeks (as opposed to dorks or nerds). So... there's that benefit (in my mind, anyway). All that said, I feel a strange compulsion to reach out to this kid (who is honestly one of the most pathetic creatures I've ever encountered... he calls his mother I would estimate 15 times a day) and give him a mix cd and an internet connection and a Flying Circus box set. Of course, I don't even have the later, so I'd have to buy two, and that would get expensive... What I'm saying is I think this kid needs a sponser. And there are probably lots and lots of kids who do. So we should set up a Big Geeks program to match young (obviously) potential geeks with successful geek role models. I'm sure aLo could come up with a perfect logo. Too bad that MSN money-giving-away contest is over -- I'm sure Mr. Gates would have loved this idea. Better than stupid fucking foam parties. Which just goes to show you a computer does not a geek make.