Two weeks ago, I went with the boyfriend and my friend, Elizabeth to see our favorite podcasters and comedians–Nerdist (Chris Hardwick, Jonah Ray, and Matt Mira)! (Behind them are Elizabeth, myself, and Philip/the boyfriend). They did their live show at the South Side Music Hall and it was great! I’m lucky enough that I can listen to their podcast while I work, but I usually have to stifle my laughter to stop weirding out my coworkers.
I think of myself as mildly nerdy. I love Harry Potter, I’m catching up on Doctor Who, I like reading business books, I’ve got the glasses, and I’m good at Trivial Pursuit. Chris Hardwick wrote a book, “The Nerdist Way” and in it he argues that “nerdiness” does not necessarily mean an affinity for science and Star Wars, but rather an obsessive approach to a subject. Which leads me to think–am I a design nerd? I could learn more about the Eames, I understand fabric properties, I can draft like nobody’s business (but hey, I’m here to design, not draft!)
But here’s how I’m design nerdy: details! I love the details! I love figuring out how to build the crazy things we design and how every piece intersects. Show me some wood joinery, I die (a la Rachel Zoe)! Last Sunday, Philip and I had lunch at Schlotsky’s (not a place I associate with great details) and they had plastic laminate tables with PVC edgebanding. But not just any edgebanding, the exact kind I had been looking for on a project. I couldn’t find any image online and I couldn’t describe it properly to anyone (many failed attempts). I took a picture with my phone and blabbed on and on to Philip about the pros and cons of plastic laminate countertops and the different ways to to finish the edges. He’s a really great guy to listen to my crazy.
The moral of the story is be kind to nerds. They have a wealth of information they would love to share with you. And find your nerdiness–you know you have one!
Marie Durrett 