eg: Be a Virtuoso Opera Singer; Do Grand Prix Racing; Publish novels as interesting as Gaiman or Straub or Allende or Morrison; Write plays as good as Shakespeare or Sondheim; Influence movies as much as James Cameron or George Lucas; Run a marathon; Compete in the Olympics; Have a photographic memory; Paint as well as Picasso or Magritte or DaVinci; Cook as well as Ramsey, Travel as much as Bourdain; Win the Nobel Prize in Science or Literature; etc.

Some of it can be attributed to physical differences, some that our brains work differently, some is how we were raised, and some is money.

Geeks are by and large more intelligent and interested in a broader spectrum of knowledge, which makes us seem more educated perhaps, but we also spend more time working and learning to get there. And we can’t do it all, so our interests get more attention while other things (in some cases exercise or eating well) get less.

I have worked at it, I have studied, I have read books. I still cannot make anything but basic algebra work in my head. So yes, there are definitely things the “geek-work-ethic” cannot compensate for.

Of course, given a calculator and a set of dice and I will add modifiers in D&D like no one’s business! =)

I fit in well with the crowds, whether intellectual, jock, stoners, musicians… it doesn’t matter.

So I work in IT. I Was the egghead everyone thought would throw off the curve in school. I believe one of the “nicest” things I heard when I was in grade school was ‘walking dictionary’

So yeah, the stereotypes aren’t true anymore. I realized it in my Junior year of high school when my sister told me “I don’t get you. I don’t know whether you’re a geek, a jock, or a stoner.”

Next!

Personally, I find financial responsability the hardest thing in the world… Seriously, I suck at it so bad…

One of the defining features of nerds and geeks, in my mind at least, is a form of mental agility that allows us to come to terms with and master new concepts and activities relatively quickly. As Scott said above, if a geek feels that they need to learn Basketball, you can bet that (barring fitness issues) within a few months you’d have a half decent player on your hands.

Easy. Go up to your favorite geek, find out their favorite TV Show/Movie/Comic Book/ Anime and say the following:

“Oh? I haven’t seen it. Don’t tell me anything about it, because I might want to watch it someday. No, don’t even breathe a word of approval or dismissal. Just stand there and not comment. On the off chance that I DO see it, I will let you know. Just don’t ask me if I’ve seen it yet until then. Don’t even mention it. Ever”.

If you’re an attractive member of the opposite sex, their head might actually explode when you say this. [nods]

— Craig