2nd Blogoversary!

Wow, this blog is two years old! So I guess I’m obliged to post something. Hmm…

In the past few weeks, I’ve been listening to only one album on my iPod — A Different Light by Sherwood.  And so far I’m still addicted!  It’s interesting how their lyrics would speak of themes that are sad, but instead of the music highlighting the sadness (like Dashboard Confessional, for example), the music is upbeat and  larger-than-life.  The refreshing musical take truly puts the themes under a different light, that sometimes you’d find it makes your heart smile.  The album is well-made so it’s best to listen to it from the first to the last track, but my favorites are Alive and I’m Asking Her To Stay.  If you like Mae (Suspension and Ready And Waiting To Fall) and Jack’s Mannequin (Dark Blue and Resolution), I highly recommend this album.

You know you’re a nerd when..

In our office it is customary to bring packed lunch, which you usually have to heat up in the microwave oven first before eating.  Naturally sometimes you have to queue up to use the microwave. So sometimes people share.

And each and every time I see this, I wonder: Does the food heat less if there’s other food inside the oven?

Come to think of it, yes! I would assume that given the same power and time setting, the microwave oven will output the same amount of energy regardless of the load (that is, the amount of food inside), so by the law of conservation of energy, the larger amount of food would heat less because it needs more energy to heat up!

Well, that’s unless the microwave is intelligent enough to measure the amount of load first, and then adjust its output energy accordingly..hmm..

Geek, Nerd or Dork?

(thanks to John Deeth for the image)

I’ve seen these three terms used interchangeably, and while I’ve always known at the back of my mind that they have differences in meaning, only now did I go out of my way (read: Google) to find out exactly what they mean.

Well, not exactly.  As they are slang terms, there’s no formal official definition. There are variations in the meanings depending on the source and usage (see below).

Nerds - in general, technically bright but socially inept (Whatis.com).  A nerd per se likes knowledge more than the average person, but has difficulty dealing with people. When used in this sense it tends to mean a way of life and a love for knowing things.
_____  nerd –  Means a specific kind of nerd. For example, band nerds (as in marching bands) and word nerds (like David Cook).  But when used in this way, using “_____  geek” instead of _____  nerd” would usually result in the same meaning, whereas the prefixless usage would usually be more distinguishable.

Geeks – In computers and the Internet, a person who is inordinately dedicated to and involved with technology (Whatis.com). Some would say these are simply nerds specialized in technology, but then in this usage the term “geek” does not carry the “socially inept” connotation as much as the term “nerd” does.  And lately it seems there’s more respect for geeks than for nerds, and it’s more of a compliment to be called the former than the latter.
_____  geek – When used in this way, the meaning changes considerably, and usually becomes indistingiushable from “_____  nerds.”  For instance, Star Wars geeks know everything there is to know about the franchise that sometimes it affects their way of life, and this results to them being outside the mainstream.

Dorks - It seems there is much less uncertainty in what this term means. Aside from the rare instances where it could be an endearing term, it’s generally an insult to be called a dork.  Dictionaries say dorks are stupid and dull, and some sources add that dorks actually think they are cool.  However sometimes it’s fun being around a dork because they don’t take themselves too seriously, and it’s common to see people act like dorks just for the laughs.  But then some dorks have so low EQ (aka Emotional Intelligence) that it’s hard to not be irritated by them.

three-letter acronyms part 2

When I die, instead of “R.I.P” on my tombstone, I want..

BRB… or GTG

or DND

or AFK.

Got this from my brother’s YM status.

Webcomics

I’ve found that reading webcomics is a great way to pass the time, and can also be a source of pretty good laughs. Here’s the list of webcomics I’ve been following:

1. xkcd – I really have to mention this first because it’s my favourite — it appeals to the nerd in me.  The tagline “A webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language” pretty much sums it up.  Here’s one of my favourite strips. Don’t forget to read the mouseover text on the comic strip (there’s one on every strip)!  Humor: 8 (10 for nerds. ). Art: 8 (it’s pretty good even for stick figures)

2. Least I Could Do – Of all the webcomics I’ve read, this made me laugh the most. It’s been updated everyday since 2003 and has changed illustrators twice, and it’s been funny since day one.  Click here for a more detailed review. For best results, start at the beginning! Here’s one of my favourites.  Humor: 10. Art: 9 (I miss the other artist who did a considerable amount of pin-ups. Hehe )

3. Looking For Group – I got into this primarily because I played World of Warcraft before, but I’m still into the comic long after I quit the game.  I think non-gamers would still enjoy the comic, especially the awesomeness that is Richard. Humor: 9 (10 for WoW players). Art: 10.

4. Girls with Slingshots – “Two girls, a bar, and a talking cactus,” the tagline goes.  I got hooked as soon as I’ve gotten to know the cast — it’s great how the supporting characters are just as interesting as the main characters. Humor: 8 (Would have been 9 or 10 but I’m not a big fan of the cactus).  Art: 9 (there’s not enough stips about Jamie! )