There’s been a lot of contention lately about what it takes to be a nerd. The arguments range from definitions linked to gender and race to how enthusiastic you are about The Big Bang Theory (which is surprisingly polarizing). Don’t even get me started on Nerd vs. Geek Gate. I only work seven hours a day, I don’t have time!
My favorite definition of nerd comes from author John Green. He says, “When people call people a nerd mostly what they’re saying is ‘you like stuff’ which is not a good insult at all. It’s like (saying) you are too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness."
So let’s celebrate our shared nerd-dom this weekend.
Friday
Magic The Gathering Tournament
Hey planeswalkers, ditch your usual Friday night plans of breakfast for supper and come throw down in the Magic the Gathering tournament. Two Cat’s Comics in West Portal hosts a weekly game night that starts at 6 p.m. and this week the theme is MTG. It only costs $9 to play and that price includes a starter deck. The event is BYOB and the prize for the winners is store credit and exclusive promotional cards.
Saturday
Gotham wasn’t built in a day, but on Saturday local artists and writers are going to try their hand at it. On 24 Hour Comic Book Day, Mission Comics and Art is hosting an event that will last from 11 a.m. on Saturday to 11 a.m. on Sunday (when the comic is unveiled). Registration for artists is closed but you can swing by the store and watch the magic unfold.
Every nerdy kid had a hobby. Mine was writing tortured Harry Potter fan fiction but maybe yours was the art of the yo-yo. At the already nerd-tastic Games Of Berkeley you can learn tips and tricks from ranked yo-yo champion Joseph Harris (aka: Yo-Yo Joe). The event is only $10 and starts at 1:30 p.m. Yo-yos will be provided for those of us who traded their Duncan Butterfly for one of those cool stretchy choker necklaces back in ’98.
Have you ever wondered what super heroes do on their day off? Personally I’ve always pictured Wolverine using his claws to get the last olive out of his Bloody Mary glass at brunch but maybe I’m just projecting. At the Superhero Street Fair the answer to that question seems to be "shake their booty to live music, eat food, and run around in a hamster ball." The fair takes place on Cesar Chavez and Indiana st. starting at 1p.m. Early bird tickets are sold out but you can grab general admission to the fair, which includes a costume contest, animation demonstrations, live music, and the chance to play in a zorb for only $15 big ones.
Sunday
Have your light saber skills gotten rusty ever since your dad caught you practicing them in the garage? Join the Golden Gate Knights, a local coalition of Jedi masters who teach light saber martial arts classes every Sunday. For just $10 you can get a crash course in the art of saber swordplay and also learn Jedi skills like meditation and focus. Light sabers will be provided (you have to make the swooshing sounds yourself) and padawans of all ages and midichlorian levels are accepted.
Were you the kid in the back of the class who scoffed at anyone who didn’t equal you in Springfield knowledge? My friend Alison was, and let me tell you we all thought she was a weirdo. Still we shouldn’t have scoffed because Simpsonssavvy comes in handy at this trivia night, which celebrates one year of Simpsons themed nights at The Knockout. The event will include a screening of episodes, one of a kind t-shirts, and Krusty Burgers for sale. Come and see how smrt you really are!
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Photo courtesy of Flickr user, bobsfever.