NERDY AND PROUD OF IT

It has been a long standing pastime no matter where you are in the world to make fun of people who are lovers of sci-fi shows. We are the strange, barmy people. We are that little group of people who it is fine to treat with contempt and derision. I used to be one of those people who felt that way. If anyone said they were a sci-fi fan especially a Trekker (fan of Star Trek if you were wondering), I avoided them like they had the plague. Mainly because there are people who get way to involved in their hobby to the exclusion of all else. I dated such a man (not a sci fi fan, something else) and it was the most miserable four years of my life. However, there can be an equal balance between your hobby and your life. Most fans of sci-fi are those people and not the obsessive fans others believe them to be. I watch science fiction, but only to relax on an evening, not because I'm obsessed with it. For the most part I don't give it a second thought.  

My opinion of sci-fi changed when I turned on the TV one Tuesday night and Peter Davison, who I had always liked, was on wearing the weirdest outfit I had ever seen, until Colin Baker came along, that is. 

I thought this looked weird, until....

.....I saw this!

When I then saw Maurice Colbourne from Howard's Way I was even more confused. Then I saw something that is familiar to even the most reluctant TV watcher. A dalek. I was watching a Doctor Who story called Resurrection of the Daleks. And when I got to the cliff-hanger, I really wanted to know what happened next. Sadly, the character of Tegan left in this story, before I even got to know who she was. And as Turlough left in Planet of Fire which followed, I didn't get to know him either. So, my first companion was actually an American botany student called Peri Brown. 

That began my love of Doctor Who, and eventually was followed by Star Trek's various incarnations, Red Dwarf, and thanks to Don, a love of Andromeda, which is partly why my Twitter name is Trance Dance Gemini. 

Of course, 'nerds'(forgive me) are not just sci-fi fans. We love anime and manga, gaming, and we love to have our head in a book. People say nerds are weird for going to conventions, sometimes in a costume. Why? Why is that any different to going to a football or soccer game on a weekend? Is the stadium not your convention, and your team scarf or sweater your costume? Are you not cheering on your heroes of sport as we are cheering our heroes of well, nerdiness? Yes. There is no difference. So to vilify a nerd is not only inaccurate, it's stupid. 

Yes, there are some people who take their fandom slightly too far. The young woman who thought turning up to jury service in a Starfleet uniform to be perfectly acceptable is one example. But most of us are just fun loving who like to watch our manga and our sci-fi. We love it and we are unapologetic about it.  

Here a few things I love:

Doctor Who:

Favourite Doctor: Peter Davison/ Colin Baker

Favourite stories:  Caves of Androzani (Davison) Mark of the Rani (Baker)

Favourite quotes : He sees the threads that bind the universe together and he mends them when they break", "To some, small beautiful events is what life is all about".

  

Andromeda         

Favourite Story : The Pearls That Were His Eyes, and the teaser of The Ties That Blind.

Favourite Quote : To hell with the odds. All that matters in life is that we try (from The Things We Cannot Change)

Manga

Favourite Manga: Battle Royal, Case Closed, The Prince of Tennis, Kabuto, One Piece.

Favourite Anime:  Case Closed The Prince of Tennis, Full Moon 

Weirdest Anime :   Kanazuki no Miko (Priestess of the Godless Month)

Gaming

Favourite console: 3DS

Favourite games: Anything featuring Super Mario/Luigi, PilotWings Resort, and Go Vacation (love the horse riding and the skateboarding!)

I'll leave you with a tune for anyone who like me is a nerd and proud of it!