Renaissance fairs attract a certain kind of person.

Geeks. Nerds. (I know there’s a difference between the two; if I go back next year, maybe I’ll figure out what it is.)

I had a nerd-awakening this summer and I was completely unprepared for it.

I played hacky sack.

I visited a comic book store.

I learned at least the names of the super heroes represented on t-shirts worn by my cast mates (a shirt I’d always thought to be for Homestar Runner turns out to be for The Flash. Oops!)

I almost bought a superman hat because all the other pirates coincidentally had matching ones.

And one warm night it early August, just before a meteor shower, I lost my Star Wars virginity.

Yep, I’d never seen any of Star Wars.  My 2 nerdy neighbors (the finest men you’ll ever meet) told me they’d be gentle, popped popcorn, fired up a laptop, and held my hand through Episodes 4-6.  When we were finished, they looked deep into my eyes and made me promise not to watch the “abominations” of 1-3.

I ran around dressed as a pirate every weekend, is any one surprised some “geek” rubbed off on me? Really, you’d be surprise if it hadn’t.  I came back to NYC in a sweat. Not only was I worried I’d forget I left the woods and accidentally pee behind a tree, I was worried my entire identity had changed. What if I was no longer the hip, struggling actor but instead a nerdy, awkward role-player? I’m sorry but that’s no kind of New York cliché especially for the sake of this blog, mine was a valid concern.

Fortunately I worried for naught. I slipped back into New York City life almost as if I’d never left. I feel at home here, I really do. What am I up to? (“What’s up?” As we all love to ask.) I’ve been doing freelance promotions for the past month, making good money smiling and passing out free shit. Sometimes I’m on the street. other times at an event. This weekend I got a great taste of what my life as a “nerdy, awkward role-player” would be like, and made me think twice about dismissing it as a non-New York cliché.  I worked a gig at the New York City Comic Convention (ComicCon) an event I had heard of, but never quite imagined. Turns out it’s quite similar to a Ren Faire, including the prevalence of clevage but not turkey legs.

Here’s another reason I can not be a geek/nerd. My technology sucks. My phone is falling apart and even has a broken speaker so that it doesn’t ring (no joke). But on the bright side, it does vibrate and it does take pictures. Even a ridiculously low resolution picture speaks a thousand words. You’ll really see what I mean next post.