::A Geek in Korea::

This was inspired by the article: Things to do before you die, Geek Edition. It turns out I’m well on my way to completing this list.

1. Visit Akihabara

I went to Tokyo for this exact reason. It’s extremely geeky. Actually, most of the people are bordering “Nerd/Otaku/Complete Social Outcast”. This place exists as the nexus to 1000 different geek subcultures that could only survive in this weird environment. Once you walk into a huge, multi-level comic shop and see an “Adults Only” section filled with the strangest fetish items ever, you’ll weep. It’s something to experience once.

2. Attend A Meet* (To Do)

I haven’t exactly done this. When I was big into the online Mst3k community, I never went to a convention or anything. I’ve been to comic conventions, but I didn’t know anyone there before I went, so it doesn’t count.

3. Meet An Online Friend and “Hit” it Off

Done this. Less said about the experience, the better.

4. Earn the Title of 1337 In An Online Game

I’ve played games to a high level before. I rarely stick around to be a “elite” player because something shiny distracts me and I move on to something else. My high level Lich in Nexus War was pretty 1337 though. I could farm an entire hospital for corpses without lifting a finger with my army of zombie slaves. That was pretty cool, but not really worth the effort and time to get there.

5. Design, Implement, or Suggest an Idea That Someone Else Uses.

I’ve done design, and implementation of databases. I’ve done elaborate data modeling both in college, as well as for theory in a few jobs. I’ve designed a database for a college radio station, but it didn’t go into production and regular use. (My group sucked.) If I ever get around to learning how to actually code well, I’d be able to do this more easily.

6. Be First In Line For A Product Launch

Nintendo DS. Launch. I was staking out various vendors all over the city to find one. There was no line to speak of because no one else knew what it was. I’ve waited to be on a roller coaster on the first day it was available to the public. I’ve caught midnight screenings of movies that were opening first in Korea.

I’ve never done this for profit, and usually people who insist on this get nothing but lame, “FIRST!” bragging rights. I’m more likely to sneer at someone that camps out to attach importance to an item than I am likely to do it myself. (Seriously, people were camping out for The Phantom Menace. That HAD to hurt.)

Results:

With this post, I’ve firmly established my geek credentials. Nevermind I’ve written on a website called “A Geek in Korea” for six years now.

I’d like to add a few more on the list:

My additions:

7. Log a World Famous Site on a GPS device

Yeah, everyone in Korea been to Seoul, but do you know how far away Seoul is from any point on the Earth? What about Cape Town? Tokyo? The Great Wall of China? I’ve got them all on my GPS. I do this on every vacation.

8. Finish an entire series of novels, movies, or games by an author or company

Sure, you’ve read the Lord of the Rings, but have you read the Lord of the Rings, but what about The Silmarillion? The other novels the person made? Short stories? Collected works? Letters?

I tried to do this as a child with Rohl Dahl. I even read short stories and his adult works to try to complete the list. I’m close to doing this with Kurt Vonnegut. At one point, I read all the Buffy the Vampire novels available. (This is one of my deepest, darkest shames.) This is a LOT easier when the company, or person in question, is dead.

9. Convert a friend into a fan of a geek television show, or OS.

I’d recommend Battlestar Galactica. It’s worked on two coworkers so far. I also made a few people fans of Buffy, and Mystery Science Theater 3000 in college. Don’t be pushy. OS Advocacy can work here too. I’ve gotten two people using Ubuntu Linux the same way.

10. Create a list of geeky things to do, then do them. The post them on your blog.

I totally just did this.