I have a confession. It's a little embarrassing and many of you may not know this about me. Then again, maybe you will, because I'm learning to embrace it as I get older. Okay, deep breath, here it is.
I'm a total geek.
Yep. Zero coolness over here. Not sophisticated, totally silly. Very, very geeky.
It all started with the reading. I started reading young and for whatever reason, I gravitated towards the fairy tales. My little sponge brain wanted to read about Narnia, not for the allegorical principles, but because there was a whole different world on the other side of that dang wardrobe!! And there were talking trees. And talking animals. A magical beverage that could cure any illness or wound. And best of all, whenever life got exceptionally dull for the Pevensie children (or relatives of theirs), they found a way back into Narnia and adventures ensued. I loved it all.
Then it just got worse. My dad was a sci-fi fan. So I got to stay up late and watch Star Trek and have Star Wars marathons. The first truly scary thing I remember from childhood is being wildly freaked out by the Borg. I was fairly certain that they were going to come into my bedroom and assimilate me without emotion. I know more random Star Trek facts than is strictly healthy, although I have a long way to go before I fall into the trap of deciding it's a good idea to learn Klingon.
I kind of thought I'd grow out of it after a time, that I would become a bit more sophisticated with age and begin to prefer more realism. Then I watched Battlestar Galactica, Firefly and Doctor Who.
Well, there goes the neighborhood. I'm officially obsessed. I have a Tardis keychain and multiple Doctor Who shirts. You can't say that I don't know how to commit.
My favorite books are fantasy. People know that I am addicted to reading and one of the questions I get asked most frequently is "What's your favorite book?" Honestly, I really hate answering that question, because I don't have "a" favorite book, I have a whole list of favorites, and it's for a slew of different reasons. But in generally, among my top 10 semi-rotating favorite books, probably 6 of them will be fantasy. And I don't like to admit that because, in general, people are as judgey when it comes to books as they are about anything else, and people give me funny looks when I tell them I love fantasy. I think they're expecting something a bit . . . deeper. Which makes me feel apologetic, and then slightly irritated.
I've also wonder why I gravitate towards it. It's all fiction and completely unrealistic. When I've spent some time pondering it, it always comes back to this one fact for me . . . I love a good story. I don't usually care what medium it's presented in, whether books, movie, tv, or a play. I'm riveted by a fascinating plot. And part of what makes sci-fi and fantasy so wonderful is that there are no boundaries or rules. The only limit to what can happen is the imagination of the story teller. I love the experience of getting inside someone else's imagination and immersing myself in their story. And there are some exceptional writers in the fantasy genre. One of my favorites is Patrick Rothfuss. Good gracious, that man can craft a story. He is a word smith. He is a master of world building. Another favorite of mine is Robin McKinley. Not all of her books, but some of my all time favorites are Beauty, The Blue Sword, and The Hero and the Crown. There are some authors that just write in a way that makes you think they might have an open line to your brain, the connection is so strong.
One of the best things about fantasy/sci-fi is that they can talk about all the "big issues" we deal with in the real world, but from a unique perspective. You can read about racism, poverty, gender equality, discrimination, depression, violence, the environment, and a host of other things. But it's presented just slightly askew, on another planet, or an alternate world, with a different set of rules and a different set of issues. Maybe it's racism between blue people vs. gold people. Maybe women rule the world and men are oppressed. Maybe emotion is outlawed. Whatever concept the author or storyteller takes and runs with, it gives you a different perspective on all the same things we deal with. And I love to try and think outside of my own little box.
Now, that being said, I love things that aren't geeky. Plenty of things. But I love spending time with my equally geeky friends and discussing plot points of Doctor Who, Firefly, Star Trek, Patrick Rothfuss, and many other fabulous geeky things. It's a true joy to relish the geekery together and enjoy the simple pleasure of discussing a good story that sprang out of someone else's imagination.
After all, to quote the Doctor as he said goodbye to a sleeping Amy Pond, "I'll be a story in your head. That's okay. We're all stories in the end. Just make it a good one, eh? 'Cause it was, you know. It was the best." What I take from that is that if you like something and it brings joy, fun and a new way of thinking into your life, however silly, you should just embrace it and enjoy the ride.
