Geeks & Freaks...er...Nerds

If you've read the blog description you'll know that I am a nerd. Good for you. I want to be clear on that title though, I'm a nerd not a geek.  Don't get me wrong, a majority of my friends are geeks.  Most of them are good people too.  But what IS the actual difference between the two.  I like to spout off my belief that the biggest difference is the individual level of social interaction or lack thereof, but lets see what my favorite nonfiction book says. Ms. Dictionary if you please.  Nerd: "an intelligent (obviously) but single minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit." and Geek: "a carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts such as biting off the head of..." uhhh okay then?... Wrong definition lets try again: "a peculiar or otherwise dis-likable person, especially one who is perceived as overly intellectual"  That sounds better.  I would also like to note that most of the time geeks are associated with technology.  Now that said you might think that by those definitions I fit more into the geek category.  And you'd be wrong.  Mostly because of a key word in the nerd definition; nonsocial.  Blogging is, for the most part, the extent of my social interaction outside the girlfriend.  I can slip into a crowd and start a conversation to avoid awkwardness, but I'd rather read, watch a movie...or take courses on Lynda.com. (great place by the way).  People are messy.  They argue, and in the event they're insecure about their intelligence,(among other characteristics and flaws), they attack and belittle others.  Bleak and pessimistic perhaps, but I've found it to be prevalent in humans.  I'm not saying I'm perfect.  Far from it actually, I'm just as bad when I feel threatened or insecure.  Hence why I prefer the pages of a book to hurtful vocal cords.  I feel the beginning of senseless rambling but I need to finish this entry (it's been waiting for publication for about a week).  So let's finish like this- if you prefer a campaign mode of a video game over online/multi-player, you're probably a nerd.  If you're the sort to go to conventions, stand in lines the night of a video game release, or you frequent trading card game competitions or D&D games, you are likely of the Geek variety.  By no means am I the official authority on this, but I feel that this provides we the intellectually stimulated and inclined with a definite way to determine what we are.  In the end it is ultimately up to the individual to determine what their title is and that decision should be respected.  After all, maybe that carnival performer finds the title "Geek" offensive.

Running Amuck

After a slightly heated discussion I need to vent.  My preferred method for many years now has been a good 30 minute run, though lately I've taken to just shining shoes.  But the subject here is running, not Kiwi shoe polish. Running for real and running on a...wait for it... a treadmill! I have done minimal research to supplement my 6 years of competitive cross country experience so this may be slightly under-informed.  That said I have never "liked" running on a treadmill...I tried it once...30 minutes of staring at a white wall in a hotel gym...BORING! And pointless I might add.  As for running... I enjoy it immensely...when i'm done with it.  Anyone who tells you that they enjoy a burning in their legs and lungs is either insane or a masochist...or both. But the endorphins released and the feeling of accomplishment after a good hard run definitely fall in the "pleasurable" category. 

Now don't get me wrong, running on a treadmill is better than no running at all, especially while maintaining your fitness level.  But you can hardly belt out "Eye of the Tiger" in a gym surrounded by fitness buffs.  They look at you kind of funny.  They're funny looking to begin with but still. "Off-Tread" is much better as you can run away from the people giving you weird looks and share your American Idol Audition with the squirrels.

All kidding aside here's what I know;  Running off-tread can be beneficial to your joints by selecting a more forgiving surface such as dirt or grass.  A treadmill can be beneficial for those who live in the land of no mountains or hills (aka Oklahoma and the rest of the mid-west) by utilizing the incline function.  Running off-tread requires the runner to better develop and maintain balance and control as they are constantly affecting their momentum with each stride.  The treadmill...has hand rails?...which seems more like an inhibitor than anything.

I suppose the point of this Twaddle is that you can not realize the full benefits and pains of running by doing so on a moving black rubber belt.  It is an alternative for supplemental use but if you truly want a great experience, why pay for the modulator when you can have the real console for free? 

The Twaddling Begins...

It should be clearly denoted that the title of this blog is "A Techie's Typed Twaddlings". For those that do not know, the definition of "Twaddling" is as follows: "to talk in a trivial, feeble, silly, or tedious manner;". That said, one should not put too much stock in my ramblings. I've been encouraged to develop a blog for some time now by mentors, instructors and peers alike.  I've decided that in order to preserve any writing ability that I may possess, and in order to share my meaningless and sometimes extensive opinions about current events (often tech related), I should yield to their requests.  So here it is. Read, observe, cogitate, and respond as you wish but do attempt to keep in mind that these are nothing more than the digital ramblings of a technically oriented nerd...yep, A Techie's Typed Twaddlings definitely has a better ring to it.