It wasn't so long ago that being a geek was considered a bad thing. 

You remember? Needed to throw an insult at someone but couldn't really think of anything? You called them a geek. It was an all-encompassing phrase for someone who was less than cool.

That all started changing around 2007 with the release of shows like The Big Bang Theory. Those shows put geeks and nerds at the forefront and made it suddenly acceptable to a geek. 

And did the geeks ever rejoice! 

Today is Geek Pride Day around the world. A day to celebrate how much you enjoy something. The thing about geeks and fandoms is it really is all encompassing. A geek is someone who is an enthusiast or an expert in a certain field. Any field. Cars. Sports. Science Fiction. Computers. Video Games. Food. The Royal Family. All of the above. 

Actor Simon Pegg summed it up quite nicely. "Being a geek is all about being honest about what you enjoy and not being afraid to demonstrate that affection. It means never having to play it cool about how much you like something. It's basically a license to proudly emote on a somewhat childish level rather than behave like a supposed adult. Being a geek is extremely liberating."

So let that child out!

A post showed up in my social media feed that really explains the power of being a geek.

"So, I'm what people would consider a geek. I have too many fandoms to name and am always slightly shocked when people say they have never seen or aren't a fan of my fandoms. I frequently have people tell me how much time they spent outside as a child and, subsequently, how little tv they watched."

"So let's clear some things up. I too spent a lot of time outside. Time spent trying to learn different sports that I watched with my parents and grandparents. Time spent pretending to chase the creatures and critters I would never see in real life, animals that were brought into my life by the likes of Steve Irwin and the Kratts brothers. I searched for alien species from galaxies far far away in places no man has ever gone. I was a mermaid, a princess, a superhero, a warrior....whatever I wanted to be but didn't think I could be until I saw them on the screen."

"Some days you couldn't play outside (six months of winter people), so you watch TV. And you learn about science with the likes of Bill Nye and Popular Mechanics for Kids. You learn about issues your parents hope you never face with the (highly troubled) students from Degrassi. You test your brain after supper with Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. You wake up and turn on the news to learn about more than what's right outside your front door."

"Yep, I watch a lot of Science fiction and fantasy. Because it introduces your mind to what's possible. To think outside your tiny little speck in the world. To pick up a book and learn more."

"We went to other worlds. Other parts of our world. Places and feelings far away from our small town barriers."

Whatever your fandom may be, today is the day to let your geek out!

So, with that said, may the odds be ever in your favour, live long and prosper and, of course, may the force be with you!