#GeekSpeak: The sometimes random misadventures of @Abby_Cake
<editorsnote> Nerds, meet my buddy Abby. I met her in Chicago at the #20SBSummit, and this chick is raaaddddd!! She considers herself more of a nerd than a geek - but I think she's just all shades of random and awesome. Oh and FTR, the TNTML stance on nerds versus geeks are that nerds are products of a genetic predisposition, and geeks are raised. BOOH-YAH!!! I only have one more thing left to say ... HIT IT ABBY!!! </editorsnote>
#TalkNerdyToMeLover's @Abby_Cake
Geek on geek action is a dangerous thing.
I am a sucker for a guy who can carry on a conversation sprinkled with meme humor and the occasional video game reference. When I met my ex I remember talking about the UI for Spore to a point which may have alienated other males, he didn't run. However, at nineteen, I was oblivious to the deep hole of quicksand I was diving face first into by aligning myself with a much more addiction based gamer.
You see, I think there are several types of gamers. This idea can apply to all facets of gaming, but I specifically play MMORPG's, so that's where my knowledge base lies.
<b>Casual Gamers:</b> this is the category I consider myself to be in. I will immerse myself in an MMO world for days or weeks at a time, writing my character's story and making meticulous notes about synthesis recipes (where my FFXIV peeps at??) But if someone offers me a trip to the tequila bar, I can walk away (and play it drunk later, which we all know is better anyway). There's a balance of social life and gaming.
<b>Scheduled Gamers:</b> these would be the gamers who mark Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 5-9 off their calendar for specific guild or linkshell events. They will be plugged in, Matrix style, during this time, and you will have to work around that, perhaps allowing them to eat dinner at their computer station. This is the category I considered my ex to be in for some time.
<b>Addicted Gamers:</b> forgoing all general physical hygiene, human interaction and general pleasantries to forge ahead toward max level. They will not look up if you pass through a room topless, they will not communicate anything beyond a desire for more energy drinks, or notice if you have left the apartment completely. A true relationship killer. This is the category my ex was actually in, the truth was concealed from me for some time.
I drew that for him in MSPaint back in 2007. It was not regarded very highly at the time of its inception, although now I consider it to be a fairly accurate homage to our 3.5 year relationship.
Being the overly tolerant geek girlfriend that I was/am: I made a schedule outlining which nights were date nights, gaming nights and dinner together at the table nights. It lasted maybe a week. I recall one evening in particular that I cooked dinner for my parents and ex. He got up in the middle of dinner to retire to the bedroom, where he proceeded to engage in a linkshell event (unscheduled of course) with volume on full blast; and I babbled on to my parents like everything was normal (which to me, it was). They, of course, marked it as the beginning of the end.
And they were right. Can two geeks, or two nerds, of the same caliber co-exist without contributing to the others downfall? My ex and I shared some good times online, but I eventually quit FFXI due to his insistence that I was "doing it wrong." I started going out to bars alone with friends because the "linkshell needed him." We argued. A lot. (Although there are many facets which contributed to my requesting a divorce, the incessant gaming was more than a small percentage of our demise).
I am in a relationship now with a wonderful man who finds my obsession with the interwebs somewhat confounding, and perhaps interesting - as I show him the marvels of places like StumbleUpon and these things they call blogs. We are both gamers, but of completely different varieties. We geek out over hobbies, me: blogs & social media, him: guitars & finding car parts on eBay.
He appreciates all my weird qualities instead of competing about them. We fill in the gaps and mesh together instead of butting heads. Because when MMO's become offline argument fodder, it's not okay. THAT'S NEVER OKAY! Just some aggressively friendly advice. Until next time!
xx, @abby_cake
#nerdsunite
Want more from Abby?? Check out her blog over yonder - and don't forget to drop her a follow on twitter!!
