I may not have a love of Star Trek or Star Wars or Starbursts that includes costumes and fan fiction, but I am a nerd, nonetheless.  I am a pop culture and politics nerd.  My versions of insane celebrities are Glenn O’Brien and Jim Himes.  If I meet these people, I’m reduced to a shell-shocked super loser who can’t stop smiling like Jack Nicholson from “The Shining” while my blank mind tries to come up with something witty (it never does).  I recently saw Graydon Carter exit an elevator, and it took every sane bone in my body to not be Creepy McCreepstein and follow him to his destination.

I have a desperate love for all things politics and pop culture, with knowledge of things so obscure, even my closest friends have to reel me in sometimes (“GUYS this is just like in that episode of Four Kings when-”  “Sammie.  Shut up.  No one gets that reference.”).  But I will say this, I am proud of my nerdness.

Historically, nerds have always been given a bad rap (Urkel, Screech, Carlton from Fresh Prince, every Star Trek superfan on the planet, that creepy blogger kid from Glee), but recently, it has become the cool thing (the other Glee kids, Ugly Betty, Dwight Schrute, and Carlton…I love him).  Because, let’s face it, everyone’s got a little nerd in them. Even those “jocks” that were responsible for Glee-style dumpster flingings.  Have you ever seen one of them meet a sports idol or rattle off statistics of the Giants from their 1973 post-season?  Because I have, and I have to say, that “bro” crap melts away when they’re giving the same creepy look to the members of State Radio that you were giving that Lucky editor that one time you recognized her in the street.

What I’m saying here is there is no better time to be a nerd!  Embrace your inner geek!  The feeling of joy I get when I find something like the Sam Adams remix of “Heads Will Roll” is comparable to what I imagine seeing your child for the first time is like.  I love all things music, movies and sports, so why do I have to be ashamed of my geekiness?  Honestly, if everyone just embraced their little quirks that they think are so embarrassing, the world would be a much happier place.  Trust.

After all, being passionate about something (no matter how geeky) is way more fun and interesting than just sitting there trying to fit in.

So bring on the suspenders and the huge glasses (but in a non-ironic sense.  I’m a nerd, not a hipster), and live long and prosper, fellow nerds.

This week, I’m counting down the ten craziest technologies. Whether they’re crazy in the “what the f&!# way” or crazy in the “I need that NOW” way, I’m listing them all, from social media to iPhone apps. Gen-Y has access to the wackiest and most innovative technology right now and here’s my “Weekly Ten” take on all of it:

10. Twitter Peek
How have we reached this point? A device solely for Tweeting? The end is near.

9. Last.Fm
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: if you’re a music junkie like me you MUST get last.fm. You can download an app for your computer that scrobbles (crazy jargon!) whatever you’re playing and can show the world what you’re listening to. I love seeing what my friends are jamming out to. Last.Fm also creates a personal radio station for you that kicks Pandora’s butt by a mile. Love it.

8. Skype
Phone calls, video chat and texting. All in one and it’s international. You can even place calls thru Skype via the wifi on your iPhone. It’s a little buggy, but still pretty cool to call your friends abroad. FOR FREE.

7. DJ Hero
Okay, maybe it’s not revolutionary, but I’m so beyond excited for this it’s not even funny. Finally, I can create mashups of my very own! Hopefully I’ll be better at this than the drums on Rock Band. And hopefully this won’t give me those awful foot cramps like the drums on Rock Band.

6. Texts From Last Night
Yes, you can share every drunk text. In the world. And read everyone else’s. And read the ones that apply to your lives. Get them on your iPhone and even on your Twitter. TFLN is EVERYWHEREEE!

5. Farmville
I don’t know what it is but I don’t like it. However, Newsfeed lets me know that a huge amount of my Facebook friends are happily plowing away on their internet farms. Cool?

4. Google Wave
Kinda awesome concept, impossible to understand at this point. Get it together, Google!

3. BBM or Ping! app
If you have a Blackberry, you have a special messaging system for you and all your Blackberry friends. iPhone rebuttal? Ping! iPhone users exclusively chatting with other iPhone users. What is it about smartphone people that makes them so damn entitled to their very own messaging system? I don’t care – I love ‘em both.

2. Twitter
Okay, so maybe not brand new, but definitely newer than Facebook. Twitter rules. I’m not ashamed to admit it. I love following the constant updates from Perez Hilton to my fave haircare brand to my best friend. All in one. And the microblogging gives me the nitty gritty as opposed to all the the overshare of Facebook.

1. Knocking Pic
This insanely tech-forward iPhone app just broke today. First ever LIVE picture sharing. I’ve been beta testing this for a while and it lives up to the hype. Yes, INSTANTANEOUS sharing of pictures. No more MMS, no more uploading, live sharing of images. So if you catch your bff’s boyfriend cheating on her, you can instantly let her know; or if there’s a hot sale at Bloomingdales, your friend can instantly show you the dresses on the racks. I love the idea of this, but it’s crazy how far we’ve come with tech. Not to mention, the first 50,000 downloads are free.

Scary thought… live video sharing? We’ll see.

For those not in the know, the San Diego Convention Center becomes a mecca every summer for fans of comics, science fiction, fantasy, and a lot of stuff in between. But even if you’re not a fan of any of those things (or a self-proclaimed geek like me!), Comic-Con has expanded over the years to encompass whatever’s hot in pop culture.

So if you’re going to be in SoCal from July 23-26 and can get yourself a pass, here are some reasons why you should check out Comic-Con (and if you can’t go this year, definitely mark your calendars for 2010):

1.   Check out upcoming films way before they’re released and hear from the filmmakers and cast.
The movie panels are a big hit each year, and 2009 isn’t going to be any different. Dozens of movies are going to be previewed at Comic-Con, but here’s just a sampling of what’s on the schedule next week: Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Avatar, Zombieland, 2012, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (Heath Ledger’s last film), Astro Boy…and, of course, Twilight. Yes, the cast is going to be there. Including RPattz.

Cue fangirl screams.

2.    Sit in on discussions and upcoming season previews with the cast and crew of your favorite TV shows.
Get the scoop on TV’s most popular shows from the writers themselves (and the hott-with-a-double-“t” cast members!). Shows that will be represented include Smallville, True Blood, Heroes, Dollhouse, Family Guy, Chuck, Lost, 24, and Dexter. If I could just see Stephen Moyer, Milo Ventimiglia, Joss Whedon, and Kiefer Sutherland, I would be able to die a happy, happy woman.

3.   It’s not just about the shows, movies, and comics – there’s intellectual discussion to be found!
Comic-Con will be hosting several discussion panels with college professors, writers, and other experts on everything from parody in art to the anthropology of Star Trek. There are a number of panels relating to women in pop culture and comics specifically, so put your thinking caps on, ladies!

4.    Did you dream about being a filmmaker as a kid? Well, now you can learn how to make your own movie, from pre-production to DVD!
Comic-Con is sponsoring a four-day film school seminar taught by professional filmmakers and screenwriters. They’ll walk you through the film-making process and show you how to make your dream a reality at a low cost. It may not be as comprehensive as film school, but for you aspiring screenwriters and directors out there, it’s not a bad way to spend your time at Comic-Con.

5.    It’s like Halloween in the summertime.
Many hardcore fans dress up in costumes at Comic-Con to show their dedication to what they love. Regardless of whether or not you choose to dress up, it’s fun to see all the different costumes, especially the ornate ones. After all, it’s not every day that you see a real-life Hellboy walking around!

6.   Free stuff!
Need I say more?

7.   Three words: Hot. Geeky. Guys.
And no, I don’t just mean the gorgeous actors who will be there to talk with fans and sign autographs. You won’t find more nerds anywhere else, so if you’re like me and love a geeky guy, you’d better high-tail it to San Diego (and take me with you, please!).

Today, July 13th, is “Embrace Your Geek Day.” Here are the top 10 totally embraceable things that we geek out for. And we’re not ashamed to admit it. Online.

10. Harry Potter
Ugh, is there anything sexier than a wizard in glasses? I literally screamed when I saw the preview for “The Half Blood Prince” in theaters.

9. Arrested Development
Seriously, I know every single line to this show. Points if you can do every family member’s imitation of a chicken. (Yeah, I can do that too.)

8. Twilight
Okay, admittedly, I’m not a twi-tard, err, I mean “twi-hard,” but I can’t resist drooling over Robert Pattinson’s perfect hair.

7. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Joss Whedon is a God. Enough. Said.

6. Anything and everything Apple
iPhone, MacBook, iPod. I want it all. I’m pretty sure there’s an app for that.

5. The Sims
Devastatingly addictive. Who doesn’t love building houses, creating lookalikes of your friends and neighbors, and – oh my god I’ve spent four hours straight on this game.

4. Seth Green
And all of his endeavors. Robot Chicken anyone?

3. GeekStuff4U
I don’t know what this is or what it does, but I approve.

2. Hulu.com
Addictive and full of the best of the best things to geek out to. Missed Andy Samberg’s latest Digital Short? Hulu that sh*t.

1. BO. BURNHAM.
Please, please, please, please marry me.

Melanie currently interning in NYC, taking full advantage of all margarita specials and those blonde summer boys. Stalk her on Twitter: @tinkermellie

Here are a few ideas:

Handy?

If your Sig other is a tinker then a new Swiss army tool set could be just thing. I am constantly trying to find a screwdriver to take something apart. I imagine boys do it more often than me. This little beauty is small, it fits on your keychain and isn’t silly and bulky looking. Pair it with their favorite candy and your sweet smile for a great gift.

Retro Gamer?

Try some sw33t wall stickers! These decals will make any geek think of the hours they spent in front of a screen mashing buttons and killing enemes growing up. Plus they are really freaking sweet. Who hasn’t wanted to live in Mario land?

Something more Traditional?

Maybe you want something a little less unique and a little more mainstream. How about a wallet? It’s something they’ll use and yet still maintains that certain nerdy quality to it.

Still not right?

Well if none of that (or the various sites that those ideas came from) appeal to you there are always T-shirts. You can buy a super unique one form Teefury. They’re only available for one day so chances are no one else will have it. Or you can go to a site like Topatoco. They feature the shirts for great web comics like Dr. McNinja.

Cute Add ons?

Where would a Geek be without his spork? Or a Samurai Sword (kinda) for your warrior?

Or you could just meet them at the door wearing nothing but a ribbon; that one always works. Whatever you get, make sure it’s from the heart.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

And they’re surprisingly date-able.

I sat down the other night with two of my geekiest friends, Patrick and Jeff (not their real names), to discuss geek love. I asked them why a girl should date a geeky guy, and they gave me an intricate look at the geek lifestyle and how it translates into relationships.

First, we lay down the definition of a geek. They explain to me the difference between a nerd, a geek, and a dork. In their opinion, dorks and nerds are both socially awkward beings –– dorks because they’re too dumb and nerds because they’re too smart. A geek, on the other hand, is the perfect specimen.

“How do you approach a girl you have a crush on?” I ask.

“I do that?” Patrick asks back. Jeff explains to me that geeky guys don’t approach girls they like in order to ask them out. Out of a fear of rejection, they try to be friends first. I ask the guys how well this works out, they agree: not well.

Patrick tells me: “In high school [Jeff] pitched to me the idea of Dungeons & Dragons because he said girls would be there.” I ask Patrick if this worked out and he just gives me a what-do-you-think? look.

According to Patrick and Jeff, geeks are the perfect boyfriends for three main reasons: they are sweet, loyal and smart. It only makes sense that the same guy who memorizes a hundred Star War’s alien species will remember every last detail about his girlfriend and her love for all things Gossip Girl. And the imaginative guy that plays games like D & D (Dungeons and Dragons, for all you non-geeks out there) will also be the guy who comes up with adorable date/gift ideas…and maybe some awesome role-playing in the bedroom. Rar.

“God doesn’t give with both hands,” the old cliché goes. I firmly believe this. In my ten-odd years of dating, I’ve learned that the prettier and more charming the boy, the more vapid the boy’s brain. Those of us not blessed with fashion model looks or disarming charm had to develop (gasp!) personalities to compensate.

Geeks have personality in droves, and the coping mechanisms they developed in high school help them considerably in relationships. They weren’t the most popular kids in school (duh), and their after-school activities weren’t considered cool (audio visual club, etc.), so they formed tight cliques with like-minded friends, thus developing their loyalty. Geeky boys also had to rely on humor to survive; who could make fun of them when they were making fun of themselves first?

All the qualities that make a geek a geek also make a geek a good boyfriend. What girl doesn’t want a sweet, loyal, imaginative, romantic, funny guy who can also fix her computer and explain how a supernova forms? So, while you might have been glued to the football field bleachers in high school searching for the perfect boyfriend, now that you’re out of school it’s time to move away from the jocks and towards the geeks.

The relationship will be far more rewarding.

[Photo courtesy of hollywoodjesus.com]