patndoris TechnoGeek

A few years ago, say 2.75 to be reasonably precise - I was not a geek. I was an average computer user. I played a few games here and there…I knew how to do a Google search…I checked my email but that was about it. "Emerging techno geek" was not even in my vocabulary. (For that matter neither was malware - I still paid for Norton back in those days.) My how times have changed!

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It all started with a few relatively innocent games of chess. Chat during the game turned into downloading Yahoo Messenger - turned into a Windows Live Messenger download. I started spending a lot of time in text chat. I was off and running on my way to geekdom. In my zeal to solve all the WLM problems of one of my contacts (for totally selfish reasons) I researched and researched and researched. I learned and I learned. I started to frequent BigBlueBall, and one fateful day I received a private message from this guy named Eagle_Kiwi. He graciously allowed me to type in that first conversation - mainly because I had never hooked up my mic let along think about using it. But that morning was the beginning of the end (OOPS! I mean - of the real metamorphosis).

Within days I was using voice conference on Yahoo. The wonder of Filehippo had been bestowed upon me. (And my yearning for free software has not diminished one iota since that day.) I was meeting new contacts, and expanding my horizons. I practically had a whole new "online family"! I must have done a fairly decent job at sounding like I knew enough to be dangerous about computers at the time. But back them it was sometimes overwhelming. I must truly thank Eagle_Kiwi and Blue Carnation. The both took time to explain programs, answer questions and start me on the road to learning all bout being a geek.

Within months I found myself on staff at BigBlueBall, the proud owner of a website (since I decided I just had to learned HTML and CSS) and less than a year later I’m embroiled in security and malware removal training. I have no idea where it will all go, but I sure hope it never ends. I’m loving every minute of it!

The whole point here is that no matter how foreign it all seems - you too can discover your inner geek. It’s just a quick upgrade from nerd to geek. Just joking! Ouch! Don’t throw things at me - it was only a joke. But seriously, take a peek at this blog post (from CSS Tinderbox) It’s more than a wee bit amusing. I won’t ruin it for you with a teaser. Just go read it and let me know what you think on the matter.