When I first contemplated writing this article, I honestly wasn’t too sure about it. “What could I possibly contribute when all of the real nerds will be writing them?” was my knee-jerk reaction.
See, I have long thought of myself as something of a “casual nerd”. A “nerd lite.” The “Diet Coke” of nerds. But then I realized something. While it may be a little heavy on the cheese, the magnitude of our nerdiness is not what matters, but the sheer existence of the nerd quality that lives deep within our psyches.
There is no right way to nerd! So, in the spirit of inclusion and show-and-tell, here are my seven nerdy things, in no particular order!
7 Nerdy Things You Need in Your Life
[bs_smart_list_pack_start][/bs_smart_list_pack_start]
NO MONOPOLY ALLOWED
Of course, I must address my burgeoning board-and-card game collection! It’s small, but steadily growing. So far, my favorites are: Dragonwood, Munchkin, and Spell Smashers! I like to explore all sorts of different games, but I think I tend to lean toward the less-serious and humorous games.
I’d love to know what your favorite games are, so holler at me! And no, Monopoly is not allowed in my house.
ALL OF THE BOOKS
I love to read and collect books! I love to hold an actual book while I read it, mark up the pages with notes, and soak in that sweet old book smell. I like everything from fantasy to historical nonfiction to horror (any Stephen King fans out there?), so if you are a book lover, we should be friends!
WRASSLIN’
Yep, that’s right. I’m a closet wrestling fan. The campier, the more over-the-top, the more ridiculous, the better. I only discovered the joy of this particular beast a few years ago, when my Adam (click here to read HIS 7 Nerdy Things!) mentioned watching The Undertaker as a child. He showed me some YouTube videos.
Fast forward to 2018, and I’m still tickled by the whole concept of professional wrestling. 90s and early 2000s WWE is the best WWE. And if you disagree, you will REST…IN…PEACE. Just kidding.
(See how how wrestlers follow the D&D alignment system.)
POOH CORNER
Since the dawn of time, I have loved everything Winnie-the-Pooh, beginning with this beautiful book that my sweet father picked up for me on a business trip when I was still an ankle-biter. This is one of the first book-worlds that I ever found myself lost in. Even as an adult, the clever wording and amazing representation of a child’s imagination gives me the warm fuzzies all over again.
My collection has grown to include more books, movies, a plethora of stuffed toys, two tattoos, and all you see before you.
SHELL YES
Winnie-the-Pooh might be my true love, but before Pooh Bear, there was Leonardo. And Raphael. And Donatello. And of course, Michelangelo. And many, many pizzas.
My favorite cartoon growing up was without a doubt the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I would sit in front of the television and eat cereal out of my Mikey-shaped cereal bowl (complete with arms, legs, and a head) while wearing socks with Donatello’s head on the cuffs, then go searching for something around the house to stand in for my nunchakus.
Now, since I am a responsible adult, I get to settle for letting them collect our spare change.
SWISH AND FLICK
This is one of my favorite souvenirs from our honeymoon trip to Disney World/Universal Studios: Snape’s and Voldemort’s wands!
The Harry Potter series has been a part of my life since I first read the novels in middle school. I devoured them, and the movies came out, starting the mania all over again. As an adult, I’m still hooked.
Not shockingly, I sometimes like to use them in pretend duels, typically with my dog, Walter. Harry Potter helps me keep my middle school self still somewhat alive, and I love it for that.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Yes, friends. I like snow globes. I’m a big, fat nerd for Christmastime. When the obnoxious music starts playing and the light displays go up, I am in my true element. So, my shelf will never be without a snow globe to remind me of my favorite time of year, when I feel happiest.
So, you Scrooges out there better avoid me from about November – January!
[bs_smart_list_pack_end][/bs_smart_list_pack_end]
So, back to the (originally) cheesy part; I hope you enjoyed my list, and I’m really interested in reading yours (yes, I’m talking to YOU, precious nerd reader!) and talking to you about them! If you want to talk about one of these things, or maybe have a suggestion for something you think I’d like, reach out!
I might not be the loudest nerd in the slack channel, but I’m there, lurking away throughout my workday. DM me, find me on Twitter, Instagram, or any of those other social media platforms. Because that, I think, is the point of all of this. Let’s be friends!
Tabletop Takeaways: Tips for Dungeon Masters with a Narrative Spin