Monday, July 8, 2013

The Horta In My Den

Yes, I'm a scifi nerd, and proud of it.  When other little girls watched "Little House on the Prairie," I watched "Star Trek."  When they began dating, I joined the school chess club. By the time "V" the original series aired, I have no idea what the average girl was watching on television, but it wasn't that.  Then I spent every spare moment reading the entire series of books, which I greatly enjoyed as a kid.

So, it's really not THAT odd that when I see my 7 year-old covered in a blanket, huddled in a mound, inching his way across my floor, the first thought in my mind isn't that he looks like a rock or snail. On the contrary, my first thought is that of a Horta, the intelligent rock-like silicone-based life form in the original "Star Trek" series. 

And so it goes.  As you may imagine, making small-talk is not my strong suit, as I think often that my brain is just wired differently from that of many people, and that's okay with me.  When going into awkward social situations (like a party where I don't know people well and may be expected to make the obligatory small talk) I now come prepared.  If it's a sufficiently casual setting, I can wear my "Darth Vader: Who's Your Daddy?" t-shirt.  That's a great conversation starter.  Otherwise, I take my cell phone, loaded with a wallpaper of my favorite actor, Steve Byers of Syfy's "Alphas," wearing a goofy Christmas sweater.  That also helps direct the conversation towards any number of topics from science fiction films, to Christmas, to sewing, to the many other roles Steve has played.  Yes, the key is to come prepared, and as a scifi geek, I find a little advanced preparation goes a long way.

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