While staring at my screen as I put together my next post in my noggin, I idly started typing things into Google. Being a technology geek, I tend to use search strings to see what people like me are looking for. I typed “How to be a Geek” into the search box and was actually stunned at the results. The Internet has it completely wrong – and so do you. The definition of the word itself just isn’t right y’all. Being a geek has nothing to do with carnival performers, computer gurus or peculiar people.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: a geek is someone who is passionate about something. There are computer geeks, sure. There are also gardening geeks, motorcycle geeks and word puzzle geeks. Everyone has a passion of some type. I don’t honestly care if you love playing the drums, writing poetry, playing a sport or simply sitting next to the ocean while staring into space. Those things which are you most involved with and excited about are what make you a geek.

I hate seeing the geek label being used in a derogatory manner more than I explain. Those who don’t know any better assume that a geek is someone who hides behind a computer screen, has no social skills and is unkempt. Sure, there are people like that out there somewhere. There are also those of us who have vibrant lives outside of our online world, who are obsessively clean AND who know how to converse in social settings.

Being a geek of any type is something to be proud of. Proclaiming yourself as one means simply that you truly care about whatever it is you’re doing. You love it… you eat, sleep and breathe it. You LIVE it. Can anyone explain to me how in the hell embracing our passions is a bad thing?

A geek cannot be stuffed into one tidy little description. When I polled Twitter to find out how all of you define this term, one answer stood head and shoulders above the rest. Kristijan said that “A geek is someone who would never succeed in defining “geek” in 140 characters or less.” Right on!

What type of geek are you?

How to Be a Geek

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Being the gadget-lover that I am, I have been on the cookout for the Geekiest rice cooker out there! I finally found it, and I love it! It’s the Zojirushi Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer. I bought it in the stainless steel finish, to match the other appliances in my kitchen. It’s easy to use, Geeky enough to make me happy, and makes delicious rice!

There are several different ways I can cook my rice, with just the touch of a button. I can choose to change the consistency from soft to medium to hard! I can even change up the type of rice I cook: white, sushi, porridge, brown, and quick cooking! There’s a built-in timer if I want to watch the minutes go by, and it comes with a rice spatula and measuring cup. A rice spatula what?? I’ve never even heard of one, but apparently I need it!

I love to eat rice, flavored in many different ways. This handy new Geeky cooker makes it ten times easier on me to make sure that I cook it to perfection.

[awsbullet:zojirushi rice cooker]

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World’s Geekiest Rice Cooker

I got this MySpace message a few weeks ago from Jonathan:

I just saw your YouTube video from last year talking about BATG. It’s funny because I was on the 5th season of the show. Don’t know why you’d turn down the show just because you’re married. You know it’s not a dating show, right? On my season one of the guys and at least two of the girls were in relationships when they went on the show. It’s weird that casting contacted you about being on the show since you were already somewhat famous. Some of the beauties have had some fame before doing the show but none of the geeks did.

Yeah, I was contacted twice to be on ‘Beauty and the Geek.’ Each time, Ponzi gave me the look (which meant I was explicitly forbidden to do anything with any other Beauty). Jonathan continued:

By the way I used to watch you on TechTV. What exactly caused your departure? I visited the TechTV studios back in 2002 after you had left and an intern said they had you hidden in a closet. LOL! Couldn’t get a real answer.

They wanted more beauty (fluff), less geek. ‘Nuff said.

Anyway… Jonathan wrote me back today, with a small request I was more than happy to pass along to fellow geeks:

I know this may be a lot to ask but could you get your fans to help out a fellow geek? As you know I was on season 5 but that season started out with an ill-conceived format change that was Beauty vs the Geek instead of the normal Beauty and the Geek format which meant the geeks as a team competed against the beauties. It was mean-spirited and culminated with me being eliminated by not getting picked by a beauty when they reverted to the normal format. Not getting picked is a geek’s worst nightmare of course and a major hit to your self-esteem and that also meant that myself and the guy eliminated before me are the only two geeks in the history of the show to not get partners. Season 6 has been announced so I’m trying to get brought back so I can get the full experience. There are three ways people can help me out in my quest to get back on the show.

They can vote for me daily at RealityWanted. I have a petition to bring me back, too. People can also email, write, or call 3Ball Productions (the company behind Beauty and the Geek) and demand they bring me back for season 6.

Well, here’s to hoping you make it back – or that 3Ball lets me keep my two balls by letting Ponzi and me star in Season 7 or 8 (we’ll even settle for 9).

My Geekshake Brings All the Beauties to the Yard

• Two minutes ago, I put away a USB cable – thinking I didn’t need it there anymore. However, as it turned out, I still required it for charging a device. Without thinking, I was mentally searching for an Undo button.
• Earlier this evening, Sean and I were discussing a plugin for better del.icio.us blog integration. In an instant message, he keyed in “re:del.icio.us” and I read it as “re.dic.ulo.us.”
• I had a dream last night that Ponzi got me a handful of USB grommets for my new home office.

Signs That I’m a Geek