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Journal nege's Journal: to geek or not to geek 7

Journal by nege

On thing I have noticied about being a geek is that like everything else in life it grows and shrhinks in intensity as time goes on. Usually I will be hardcore geek for a couple weeks (doing coding and web dev stuff and being really active on ./ and buying stuff from thinkgeek) and then wont really be on the computer that much, instead hanging out with friends and family etc. Being more active, working out, watching more movies, and maybe even hitting on girls more (I am usually pretty shy when it comes to that).

So right now I am kind of in the latter mode, but thought I would post anyway just because I havent in a while, and after all, its in my sig.

Other geeks: do you see yourself coming and going through these phases?

It is probably a healthy way to be since I dont really see it as a Good Thing to simply code all the time, or just to watch movies, or just to work on the website. It is good to be social and get out there and be healthy too. I think. Anywhoo, just ramblings from an on again, off again geek. Maybe this means I'm not hard core, but if harcore means never getting married because I'd rather code and not meet women, then no thanks! (I have enough of a hard time meeting them as it is without simply giving up!)

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to geek or not to geek More

to geek or not to geek

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  • What is your definition of "hitting on women"? and how does your social interaction differ from what you quantify as geek to that as non-geek?

    Thanks, just wondering.
    • well- hitting on women i use VERY loosely, in that neither do I hit on them (literally) nor do I ever use those "pick up lines" things. More to the point I would say it means "actually interacting with them in a social setting in which i may not feel 100% comfortable", namely because I am very shy. Hard to get dates when you dont even talk to people ya know? I never really go to bars so the only other method really is to meet through mutual friends it seems, but not if you dont talk! Getting over that shyness will be a hurdle for me, but I am bound to overcome! (i like to stay positive)
      Not sure about the second part of your ? though - I guess I am using "geek" in this post as a verb for "doing geek type things in a computer sense". Certainly one could hang out with other geeks and do geek things (oddly enough I have very few geek friends or even computer savvy ones, so this does not happen too often). Mostly when I am doing geeky things (in geeky phase of course) it means spending a lot of time on my own coding, doing web development, or surfing etc... versus when I go through these non geek phases where I am hanging out with my non geek friends, trying to be social, going to the gym, and getting more involved at work (which is a mostly non geeky job as a project manager, managing IT related projects). For me it just never seems balanced, its always at least 90% of one or the other going on. How is this for you?

      whew. not even sure if I answered your question, but hopefully havent scared you off in the process.
      cheers!
      gene
      • True it is hard to meet people when you don't talk to them. Also, with you having to deal with social norm of, "the guy is supposed to initiate stuff" and shyness, has got to gum up the works. But, do you really want to meet a woman at a bar? There are many other places that would attract a higher caliber of person than the local watering hole.

        And for the second half, I was just wondering how you descern between the geeky and non-geeky. It makes sense, your definition, as everyone has thier own. Personally I like the term intelectual rather than geek. It has a broader meaning, and covers more aspects of life. Being intellectual covers things from movie choice, to museums, to literature, to computer whatnot. Being labled geek, so narrowly defines something that it leaves no leeway for anything else.
        • Oh, definitly not at a bar. I mean social gatherings really (sometimes refered to as parties) where you have some chance of meeting someone with something in common since you are at the same function.

          For what defines geeky, I think I am speaking more of computer stuff here. While there is a lot more to me than that (kind of the intent of the post), I was mostly speaking of time on the computer in terms of "geeky". I have an interest in music and art as well, and like to play the guitar. I would say that it fluctuates as well between practicing regularly, and practicing less often. Is consistency something that is desirable in this case, or is it ok to be on again off again? Opinions?
          • Consistantcy in some things, sponteneity in others, it's the mixture of the two that tends to makes one unique. If you feel the need to practice guitar, do it. If you feel the need to see what your guitar looks like with two months of dust on it, whatever works for you. Personally, I try (try being key, for often it doen't allways occur) to do stuff based on intrinsic motivation, because I want to. If I do things based on the extrinsic, I tend to get resentful towards the person or thing I'm doing it for.
  • Hmmm.....
    Well, if we're talking about time in front of the glowing rectangle with little words on it, then yes, my geek level is intensely variable. If we're talking about level of intensity of looking at the world and analysing it, then, well, occasionally I consciously work to let go but that's always relative.
    My questions to you are:
    how has your Geek Cycle changed over time?
    What is your geek periodicity, how does it vary, and according to what factors? Is this periodicity under your control and if not, what sacrifice in creativity/productivity do you expect would follow if your activities were to become regularized?
    Personally I think that all true creative activity is subject to variable intensity. The only diffference is in how long those periods last.
    Rustin
    • Geek Cycle changed over time?

      I would say that it has not changed much it ranges from 2 weeks to a month per phase. Sometimes I can be quickly jolted into or out of a phase based on external stimulus, such as interaction with others who may have energy around something I am intersted in (some new java technology or something).

      I think the problem with this being periodic is that it can potentially affect ongoing productivity in that when i am in the middle of a project it might not get done as quickly because Im not feeling like it. Therefore, I have been looking into XP, extreme programming [extremeprogramming.org]. Have you used this methodology before?

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