Dorks, nerds and geeks

The dictionary defines these three as being almost synonymous. Perhaps in days gone by they were… just like in days gone by you could say “I work in IT” and people would know more or less what you do for a living.

But nowadays these three have differentiated to quite a degree. They’re still related, but quite separated.

Dorks are defined by their social ineptitude. In a school context, these are the kids who are frequently ostracized, and even victimized by the jocks or the in crowd. These are the kids that are embarrassingly overweight, plagued with acne, athletically incompetent or suffer any number of other maladies that make them undesirable. In a work context, these are the people nobody wants to be caught in the break-room with. They’re offensive and make people around them uncomfortable – through no fault of their own, that’s just how it is.

Dorks make a habit of indulging in any number of obscure hobbies, frequently including computer gaming, Role-Playing (such as Dungeons and Dragons), Card gaming (Magic the Gathering)… and more intelligent ones may well get involved in things like hacking… just about anything to keep them out of mainstream society and in the company of either themselves or other dorks. These hobbies are like a life-line to them… they will cling to them and devote themselves to them because it feels as if their very survival depends on it. Perhaps it does in some cases.

Nerds are a different animal. Nerds are generally not as socially inept as dorks. They are able to interact quite comfortably with other people. What sets nerds apart is a certain “squareness”… as a rule, nerds are efficient, neat, orderly, conservative and bound to routine. Because of this conservativeness, nerds are reluctant to get involved in many of the more rowdy activities partaken in by mere mortals, and as a result tend to be excluded from the in crowd.

Something nerds usually have in common with dorks is their lack of athletic prowess, which can often be a problem in school, but later in life diminishes.

Geeks have elements of nerd and dork in them, but they have other qualities that distinguish them from the other two… making them more than just a hybrid.

Geeks often start out as either nerds or dorks, but usually possess an ability that is marketable to their peers - most frequently a keen intelligence – which allows them to transcend that to a certain degree.

Geeks are the ones who will help the jocks with their homework, or pirate the latest games or music from the Internet for them. Things that jocks have no ability or interest in doing for themselves.

So rather than feeling like social outcasts, geeks tend to be more of the opinion that they are reserved for a higher purpose. There’s a certain degree of confidence that comes from that ability.

Although being any one of these three can be very difficult, I’d rather be a nerd or a geek than a dork.

In fact I used to be a dork. All through primary school and much of high-school I was one. But I believe I’ve gone through my pupa stage and have emerged as a beautiful butterfly (read: geek).

I still retain many of my dorkish ways, such as my penchant for obscure hobbies. But as a pure dork I was miserable. Much of my childhood was clouded by depression. Although I still taste that darkness from time to time, for the most part I’ve rid myself of it.

So it is with pride that I declare my geekishness. I wear it like a cape at a costume party. It’s a part of who I am, and I love it!

Almost there

This weekend I'm moving.

I've rented a house with fellow bloggers Hide and dukenuke and we take occupation on the first of the month.

Despite the fact that I'll still be in the wrong city on the first of the month, and some recent political issues with my house-mates, I'm really looking forward to it.

Where I am now was the first place I've lived in since moving out of my parents' house a year ago. I've been sharing a flat with an old buddy.

It just became unreasonably impractical to stay there... it was too far from work, and just about every other aspect of my life.

So now we're moving to Northcliff. Closer to work, most of my friends and the center of everything in Joburg.

Plus I'll be sharing my new home with two of my best friends. And I hope it will be exactly that for the three of us: a home.

Friends who need you, and how not to deal with them

Friends who need you, and how not to deal with them@Everything2.com

Yeah, I've been there. In fact I've been most of the characters in this story: the narrator, the sad friend, the friend from the UK and even the lover.

I don't know which was hardest.

Found on a dating site profile

Yes, I'm back to trawling dating sites.

This morning I found a profile which really caught my eye, this is what it said:
(apologies, but it's too long to translate. If you don't speak Afrikaans, sorry)

Ons almal kom op 'n stadium in ons lewe wanneer ons 'soekend' is .. Soekend na iets ... Soekend na Iemand.
En net so,is ek ook hier in Cupid se sitkamer. Opsoek na daardie "iemand".
Iemand wat my beste vriend ooit wil wees.
Iemand wat vreugde in sy hart sal he oor my.
Iemand wat my wil leer ken.
Iemand wat alles met my wil deel.
Iemand wat my vertrou.
Iemand wat die reenboee in my oe sal raaksien.
Iemand wat my sal my pamperlang.
Iemand wat my gevoel sal respekteer.
Iemand wat my leer van liefde.
Iemand wat by my wil leer van liefde.
Iemand wat dink omdat mars so naby was, dat hy 'hom" hier by my kom aflaai.
Iemand wat dink as hy nie my nou gryp nie, dat dit dalk eers weer oor 226 jaar sal gebeur.
Iemand wat vir my die mooiste wit rose in sy sterk arms aandra.
Iemand wat die voordeur klokkie onverwags kom lui.
Iemand vir wie ek kan wag om my te bel.
Iemand met wie ek my toekoms mee kan bespreek.
Iemand wat hoop ek kry nie te koud of te warm nie.
Iemand wat my saggies sal soen.
Iemand wat deel van my kan word.
Iemand wat my deursettingsvermoe kan admireer.
Iemand wat kan lag as hy aan my dink.
Iemand wat my kan vergewe.
Iemand wat brand om my stem te hoor.
Iemand wat die Here dank oor my.
Iemand wat my drome met my wil deel.
Iemand wat die wolke van die toekoms saam met my wil raam.
Iemand wat wat my hart wil voel klop.
Iemand wat my laat weet hy is daar vir my.
Iemand wat my geheime kan bewaar.
Iemand wat my toekomsplanne sal help inkleur.
Iemand wat my leiding kan gee en saam met my die storms kan deur sit.
Iemand wat my kompas wil wys waar ‘Noord’ regtig is
Iemand wat besluit het 'hy' wil ook nie meer alleen wees nie.
Iemand wie se maat ek in siel kan wees.
Iemand wie se anker ek kan wees.
Iemand vir wie ek persente kan toedraai in die mooiste blinkste papier..
Iemand vir wie ek hartstogtelik kan sing.
Iemand wie nie sal wegskram as ek hom wil vashou en my wang saggies teen syne druk.
Iemand vir wie ek kan omgee.
Iemand vir wie ek 'n koppie tee kan aandra wanneer hy moeg is.
Iemand wie ek kan vertrou.
Iemand op wie ek trots kan wees.
Iemand aan wie ek die heeldag kan dink.
Iemand wat ek na kan verlang.
Iemand wat by my ‘wil’ wees.
Iemand oor wie ek bekommerd kan wees en hoop dat hy altyd veilig is.
Iemand wie se hand ek kan vashou, en saggies op sy skouer kan leun.
Iemand waarvoor ek gereeld 'n wavrag vol plesier voor sy hart se deur kan gaan aflaai.
Iemand vir wie ek altyd kan vergewe, en wie dankbaar is vir my vergifnis.
Iemand waarvoor ek die Here kan dank en loof en prys.
Iemand in wie ek kan glo ek onvoorwaardelik kan liefkry.
Iemand waarvoor ek kan wens ek die tyd kan stop net vir hom.
Iemand waarvoor ek kan lief wees net soos hy is!
Iemand wat gek sal wees as ek hom komplimenteer.
Iemand wie se geheime ek kan bewaar.
Iemand vir wie ek kan optel, so hoog dat hy ver in die toekoms kan insien.
Iemand wie se beste ek in sy mooi hartjie se binneste kan uithaal.
Iemand wie ek tot in sy wortels in kan liefhe.
Iemand wie ek kan help om al daardie plooie van die verlede uit te stryk.
Iemand wie ek vir niks sal wil verruil nie.
Iemand vir wie ek mooi blomme in sy tuin kan gaan plant.
Iemand wie ek kan bewonder.
Iemand vir wie ek ruimte ook kan gun.
Iemand wie se voete ek kan soen.
Iemand vir wie ek die enigste disa op die hoogste bergkruin kan gaan pluk.
Iemand wat alles sal probeer verstaan en waardeer.
Iemand vir wie dit alles sin maak ...
Iemand wat ‘n vroulief aan sy sy wil he ..
Iemand wat hoop ek vind HOM..

If she didn't live so far away I would have contacted her. But I hope she finds what she's looking for.

Skunk Anansie - Weak

Lost in time I can't count the words
I said when I thought they went unheard
All of those harsh thoughts so unkind
'cos I wanted you

And now I sit here I'm all alone
So here sits a bloody mess, tears fly home
A circle of angels, deep in war
'cos I wanted you

Weak as I am, no tears for you
Weak as I am, no tears for you
Deep as I am, I'm no ones fool
Weak as I am

So what am I now I'm love last home
I'm all of the soft words I once owned
If I opened my heart, there'd be no space for air
'cos I wanted you

Weak as I am, no tears for you
Weak as I am, no tears for you
Deep as I am, I'm no ones fool
Weak as I am

In this tainted soul
In this weak young heart
Am I too much for you

In this tainted soul
In this weak young heart
Am I too much for you

In this tainted soul
In this weak young heart
Am I too much for you

Weak as I am
Weak as I am
Weak as I am
Weak as I am, am, am

Weak as I am
Am I too much for you...

Is the truth all it’s cracked up to be?

The last few months I’ve undergone what I like to think of as an awakening, as I have come to embrace critical thinking.

I have called into question many of my previously held beliefs and found them to be false. It’s scary, but at the same time liberating… as if I’m shedding the shackles of society and embracing truth.

For someone like me, it’s cool to do that. I have the intelligence to cope with the fact that there is no supernatural power at work in the universe. I can deal with the fact that I’m on Earth for no reason other than the fact that I am… I wasn’t put here by any creator (be it God, Xenu, Allah, Marduk, Zeus or any other mythological character) other than my biological parents.

But not everyone is able to handle that truth.

Some people feel that they need to have an external purpose… it’s not enough for them to define a purpose of their own. It’s as if they feel overwhelmed by their own lives, and feel as if there has to be someone else at the helm.

I don’t understand why it’s so difficult… surely if you’re the only one who controls your life it makes it easier? Because then everything is your own decision… if you must do something, then do it… there’s no need to pray to ask for permission or assistance.

As euphoric as my awakening has been, I can’t decide if I have any sort of responsibility to share that awakening with others.

I mean, people who subscribe to religious beliefs based entirely on fiction, like Mormons, Scientiologists and Sitchinites… I can show them hard evidence that their religions are entirely fake and have absolutely no basis in reality whatsoever.

But what if they’re happy?

What if their beliefs, no matter how idiotic, bring them comfort and solace in difficult times? Do I have the right to deprive them of that by showing them the truth?

Is it up to me to unplug them from the Matrix, or is it better to leave them hooked up and oblivious?

Is it better to live a happy life based on lies, or a difficult one based on the truth?

Let me put it like this: if your partner was cheating on you, but in such a way that you would never find out. As a result, your partner was happier, which resulted in a more stable relationship for the two of you. Would you want to carry on like that, or would you prefer to know about the infidelity?

It’s the Prime Directive – to not interfere in the natural development of those less advanced than I. But what criteria would I use to decide whether someone is ready to be unplugged?

It’s not as simple as offering them a choice of two coloured pills… offering someone a choice like that already constitutes interference.

(I know what you’re thinking. “How arrogant is this guy to suggest that his beliefs are more correct than mine?” Well the fact is that I don’t have beliefs anymore. Beliefs are things you have when you lack evidence… my world view is slowly reshaping itself to conform to that which can be proven. Saying something is true isn’t good enough… you’ll have to show me.)

Second Officer Swart

As of yesterday I gave up my position as the Dauntless' Chief Science Officer.

I served as CSO for the better part of a year. Although I wasn't as active as I would've liked to have been, it felt good being in the Sciences Branch for a while.

Having spent the first five years of my Starfleet career in the Command Branch commanding an independent ship, the USS Inkosi, it was a welcome break for me being able to serve aboard a ship where the responsibility of keeping things going didn't rest squarely on my shoulders.

But now that I've been made Second Officer of the Dauntless, my former Deputy Chief Science Officer is champing at the bit to get into a Department Head position. So, although it's not a requirement, I'm happy to stand aside and let her do it.

Pity I only got to wear my blue uniform once... but I think I look better in red anyway.

Good advice

Although it doesn't apply to me at all, I got this in an email this morning and thought it sounded like very good advice.

Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will stay awake just to watch you sleep. Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in your sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you. Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, "...that's her."

For those of you looking for this, I hope you find it. It sounds nice.

African Sunrise

This morning I braved the cold and damp to see something I see too seldom.

Two hundred meters or so from my hotel is a nice little beach, somewhat removed from the major commercial ones.

My only company was the occasional passing jogger and my over-active thoughts.

It was rather peaceful, but I was glad to get back to the warm hotel room and the three-course breakfast that awaited me.

It's not so bad, I suppose.

Today I don’t like it here

I’ve never been much of a beach fan. I haven’t set foot on one since band camp.

I’ve decided I don’t like the coast much at all.

If for no other reason than the fact that I’m struggling to breath… the air is so dense and humid here it feels like I’m trying to breath custard!

That’s probably why I haven’t been sleeping well either.

I’m looking forward to going home.