05/07/06
Addicted to Comics

Welcome to this week’s Nerd Condo Newsletter, where we dignify and deride the weekly happenings of the uncool. A note to tenants: The building's internet connection does not specify apartment numbers. The next time the manager's door is busted in at 4 A.M by a Dateline reporter looking for child predators, the entire building will lose internet access for the three weeks leading up to the Snakes on a Plane premiere.

Okay, so I'm pretty sure I get the whole nerd thing after all this time. The basic idea is, 'Hey, when I was a kid I didn't have any worries and all I had to do was wake up on Saturdays to watch Saved by the Bell, keep up on the latest issues of Spider-man, and find the coolest places to ride my bike...How do I retain that into my 20's and 30's??' So why is it that, fifteen years later, I'm obsessing more over these childhood ideals than when I was a skinny, oversized-glasses geek, even though I'm much closer to 30 than 13. Most likely, it's an attempt to retain the carefree lifestyle that came with being a responsibility-deficient little dude. But it's so easy to lose focus of the small pleasures in life when you're constantly bombarded with bills, meaningless squabbles, work, and time spent not playing video games. Seriously, as future generations take positions of power (starting with me), there should be hours set aside for activities to let us feel like kids again. I'm not just talking about calling in sick so you can play the latest edition of Madden. I'm saying we should have mandatory laws giving each person time to accomplish a childish task for the day. Right now, for most of us, that time is called "Lunch Break." Look, I've been to the comic shop on Wednesdays around 1 pm, and been witness to hordes of scrambling (sometimes smelly) geeks grabbing the latest releases and speeding back to work. Hell, they don't even have time to discuss their conflicting feelings of Brett Ratner and the X-Men. They're in and out. Back to grasping rungs as a ladder climber.

Maybe this whole clinging to childhood thing is, well, childish. The point of life is to grow up, experience new things, become an adult, and pass your wisdom to children. But I think one of the most important things in life is that innocence of the world. Moments of discovery that can get lost in the shuffle of cubicles and insurance payments. It's necessary to find a passion and cling to it, and for most of us, passion lies in memories. It's impossible to recreate your childhood and your memories, but it's very easy to continue the spirit of being a kid. Which is probably why the little things, like comics, video games, whatever, become so important. Keep collecting, obsessing, and getting into heated debates about teaser posters for X3. Just don't forget to pay your bills.

If you're having trouble balancing nerd life with the real world, seek counsel with Guerrs@thedeckingcrew.com.

03/10/06 - Grouchy Oscars
12/13/05 - Christmas Present
11/10/05 - I'm Sith of this Shit!
10/25/05 - WWE Want Our Classic Storylines Back
10/18/05 - What the Fog?
10/11/05 - Lord of the Head Ring?
10/5/05 - Whedon Need No Education