Hey Everyone,
It's finally come to this: the whole world is scrambling to identify as this, that, or the other, and the madness and mayhem has FINALLY reached its way here to the CC Singles Forum!
Yup, it's THAT time to boldly declare what YOU personally identify as!!!
And the choices will include... Well, go ahead and have a look at the poll, pick the ones you most closely identify, and then tell us why you chose them.
This thread idea started off as a joke. Lynx has always called himself "Your Friendly Neighborhood Nerd," and he really means it. His specialty is helping people find tech that really suits what they need and are looking for, and helping them find the most efficient way to run it, and I've watched him act as voluntary tech support for multiple people over the years.
He and I have always had this friendly bantering back and forth in which I INSIST that I am a nerd, but he tells me that I am more of a geek (to which I still vehemently protest.)
It's not because labels matter that much to me, but it's because how kids at school labeled me. I now see owning this label I was given as a way of flipping my own experience with bullying on its head, and hopefully for a good cause. Other kids may have called me a nerd in a not-so-nice way, but as an adult, I embrace that label with pride and am happy to encourage and uplift others who have gone through the same thing. I stick with identifying as a Nerd because that's what others called me, and these days I wear that badge proudly, clear and front.
Unfortunately, unlike Lynx, I'm not a "useful" nerd. I'm completely technologically inept, so the most I can do is be that random annoying person who shows up and starts talking randomly about any and every random annoying subject I've been reading or thinking about. Yes, you're welcome.
I never saw myself as a Geek because it wasn't a term that was used at my school.
But enough about ME -- I would like to know about YOU. And this is not in any way, shape, or form, trying to belittle the pain anyone has gone through by being given these labels. Rather, it's a way, if it's possible, and if the people who'd like to participate are ready, to face those labels head on and see what good we can bring about from them, such as helping others with our stories.
Here's what I'm hoping people will do:
* Please choose what labels you identify with in the poll -- the poll-making feature only offers a certain amount of answers so feel free to add any that aren't included in the list. Tell us what you identify as in the post. You can choose as many answers as you like, but just for fun, I've decided to make this poll public (so you can see who identifies as what.)
* After making your choices (or just being nosy and seeing what other people chose, lol,) come back to the thread and tell us your own definition of the label(s) you've chosen. For instance, what makes a nerd a nerd, and what makes a geek a geek?
* Did you agree with the label you were given? Why or why not? If you were one of the popular people, was it all they say it's cracked up to be? What did you like or not like about how people saw you?
* What do you see yourself as now, being a child of God?
* I realize this thread won't be all fun and games for a lot of people. If you feel comfortable, tell us about your struggles and experiences -- you're definitely not alone -- and we can lift each other up and pray for each other.
Believe me, back in school, I didn't really fit in, and being a nerd was definitely NOT a positive thing -- even in a "Christian" atmosphere -- but as I've grown older, I've learned to take those negative things and most definitely try to turn them into something positive.
How about you?
What's YOUR story?