Embracing my inner geek

Every now and then I do things that confirm my geek status. Here are two examples.

Apple launched iTunes U a few days ago. I downloaded a history lecture from Stanford University and photography preservation lectures from some other university. I my excitement I told my wife of this great new iTunes feature. When I mentioned we could listen to lectures on our tips up north, she laughed at me. I am used to her laughing with me. But laughing at me, well... that almost never happens. When I asked her what was so funny, she replied that "only you would think this is interesting". Her message was clear. She thought I was a geek. In my defense, the photography preservation lecture was outstanding.

We visited a Borders tonight. I'm reading my way through Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch detective series and needed the next book, City of Bones. I figured it was time to determine the name of the duck or goose I had seen a week earlier at a local park. I flipped through a couple of birding field guides until I found one with a large waterfowl section. I shut out the world around me and started looking at pictures of ducks. My wife joined me after ten minutes. I explained that I was trying to identify a duck. She gave me that look. You know the one. Her eyes go wide, the nostrils flare slightly. She realizes for the thousandth time that she's married a complete geek. I know what she's thinking, but I press on anyway. I finally identify my subject. An Egyptian Goose. Whoohoo. A new species for my birding list.

Now, back to Shark Week.