W.I.C.K.E.D. (or nerdy) is good

After three days of puking out my source-of-strength kcals and then some, and many more days of Cary footslogging through the hardest section of flight school thus far, I can actually say facing a shopping mall at Christmastime would seem like a break. This is saying a lot, given that at some strange point in my life, shopping became irrelevant.

The neighbor's winter fantasyland, complete with softly beeping electronic carols, seems nice now.

The seasonal drinks at Starbucks not so stupid.

The Kmart commercial with the wannabe pop song and pseudo people--nope, still don't like it.

In a matter of days, Cary'll be done with Instruments if weather and brain cells deprived of sleep permit. In a matter of days, I'll be splitting from whatever the hell it is I do. And we'll leave flight manuals, Microsoft Office, and social media where they belong: The bookshelves labeled Dreams That Require Work and Overused, Overpaid Trends.

Taking a break from scolding a client for excessive capitalization and exclamation points in Facebook posts, the Code-Dude and I visited the local TBS Comics--where the powers of tightly packed creativity and nerd smell combine to create the quintessential comic book store experience.

Obviously, the real deal is still out there. Those who embraced who they were long before it was cool to. More than simple growing up, I'm sure many learned far before I did that people who hate you or dislike you for whatever reason is moot. Off center in the narrow store was a strip of workbench-like tables, surrounded by patrons propped up on stools. I stole glances at their trading? Playing? Yellow scaffolding for storage hung overhead.

We joined in letting our freak flags fly and began going rack by box, shelf by shelf, unabashed commentary running...

Scott Pilgrim books - 'Cool art' ... 'I feel like I'm six again.'

Japanese graphic novels - 'They go/read backwards!' ... 'Why is backwards so cool?'

Red Wing - 'This looks cool' ... Is he a pilot?' ... 'Why do white covers stand out so much?'

Twilight graphic novel, True Blood Comicon editions, Vampirella - 'Of course.'

The Punisher - 'I can't find The Crow' ... 'It seems like it'd be cool.'

Thor - (whispered) 'What's the difference between Marvel and DC?'

Bat Girl - 'A #1!' ... 'Would be cool to feel like it's a beginning.'

Star Wars graphic novel - 'Ooo' ... 'Ahhh...'

It's official, nerdy has become cool. The thinnest books have become more valuable. Understanding pictures over words means you're just as smart (if not more so). Throw in a malt shop and a Sheldon-esque T-shirt, and you're living a different kind of American Dream. Or is it just nice to talk about something you like with someone who likes it, too?

By the way, anyone a fan of The Maze Runner? (mentioned in last post) I'm tentatively starting book two of three, and... It's just... They always peter out! This is my series theory. (Exception: J.K. Rowling's SEVEN Harry Potters.)

The Hunger Games? Great, right? But the other two? They slowly slid into that chasm of entertainment OCD that makes you finish what you started. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Just too much complexity. Twilight? Too little, especially for an extra movie. Ender's Game? We'll see.

Whatever happened to one-hit-wonders? To Kill a Mockingbird. Black Beauty. Invisible Man. Wuthering Heights. Gone with the Wind. One wonderful hit shouldn't guarantee an author anything but an intern's thoughtful read.

This kind of publishing would be like making the entire basketball team try out each and every year.

But then there's the money. And if I was an author with a contract, I probably might feel differently. hehe

But I'm not. I'm not wondering at what bookstore I'll be doing a reading next week; I'm wondering where I'll be living in three months. And again in a year or so. And again three years after that. But since we don't have a lot of money, this is perfect. Because a sense of adventure is all we have.

I'm realizing it's all any of us have.


*World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department, from The Maze Runner