C3PX said:You know, the nice thing about being a geek is that you like what you like, rather than feeling the need to like what others like you to like/expect you to like. I absolute hate watching televised sports, don't care about them one bit. When people ask me what team I like, and and reply with, "Actually, I don't watch sports", they often look at me as if I have just told them I ran over their grandmother with a lawn mower. Sometimes they actually seem offended. I am often given grief for my lack of interest in sports, I have been made fun of rather harshly in the past for not liking them. But I really don't care, because I really don't care for them and can't be bothered to waste my time conforming to what is "normal" (and not liking sports, I have been told, is extremely "abnormal", seemingly to the point that it merits the need for psychological help according to some). I have other friends who don't like sports who actually go out of their way to pretend to like them just to fit in. That saddens me.
C3PX, thanks for writing this. I have never been a fan of sports. It's nice to know other fellow geeks face this too.
I constantly have this issue with in-laws and co-workers. When I mention to someone that I'm not into sports, I'm usually faced with a mix of annoyance and condescension - like I'm a foreigner who doesn't speak their language. Suddenly, it's like they have no desire to talk to me. It's actually pretty disheartening.
On time I heard my mother-in-law ask my wife, in a very serious tone, "Why doesn't Erik like sports?" Like I have terminable cancer or something. But I've learned to accept my nerd-dom, even if others can't.
And BTW, I have that big Millennium Falcon. Paid full price for it too (it was worth it). It's sitting on a table in the kids' playroom, along with the "playable" portion of my Star Wars collection. The "non-playable" portion of my collection is displayed on high shelves in my office. And all the things I collect are opened. I've never had the money or space for 2 of everything.