How has nerdom inspired you?

Michael777

my love of super heroes, anime, and video games actually inspired me when I was in middle school to try to be more like these fictional people I idolized. It put me on the path of taking martial arts, weightlifting and fitness in general, not doing drugs or drinking, and a general desire to better myself in small ways. I suppose It's a good thing I was never a big anti hero fan when I started reading comics in the 90's. Does anyone else feel inspired by our geek loves?

DoctorDoom

Spider-Man inspired me to be funny.

Or try to be :p

Greg

I just wrote about this in another thread.

I had a hard time learning to read. My dad would pick up comics and keep them in his sock drawer and he wouldn't let me have them until I learned to read. There were issues of Spider-Man, Superman and Thor but I wanted the Spider-man book most of all and I remember grabbing a stack of books, sitting in my dad's recliner and staying there concentrating on the words in front of my face until I could read the words out loud.

It was also through reading Spider-Man in the late 70's that helped me to stand up to my bully cousin and his friends and helping others that were getting bullied or picked on. Thor had a hand in that also.

Zhurrie

I actually have a different side to it all, I always loved art and making art and comics and fantasy and escapes like games, etc. all helped keep me inspired and also helped me escape some tougher childhood times at home. I never liked good guys or superheroes or any of that stuff, I liked the bad guys. I liked Cobra, The Decepticons, and comics with a darker slant (still do) and while that could be seen as troubling it allowed me to relate and deal with some darker thoughts and experiences in a safe and good way. I think the lack of this in a lot of today's cartoons and comics is actually for the worse since I know it was a positive thing for me and had a huge impact on my life. My affinity for computers led to a professional job at a very young age and a solid career.

MikeGallagher

Dune inspired me to think deeper and clearer, to see all sides and be better than myself.
Blade runner inspires me to be creative.
Spider-man and Groucho Marx inspire me to use humor as an effective tool.
Dave Cockrum, Butch Guice, Tom DeFalco and Jim Shooter inspired confidence in myself.
Captain Kirk inspires me to be a good leader.

Sonofthor

Comics and superheros did one big thing for me. The helped me to be able to just be ME. I was shy and quite in middle school and then wasnt sure who I wanted to be in high school. Recently I really just accepted who I was with all the comicbooks and geeky stuff and all of a sudden I was just a happy person. I am closer to my brother and we even just started a podcast about comics just to hang out. I have better friends than almost any I have ever had and I have been inspired to let people know that know matter what they are into or what they enjoy that its ok to be themselves and not what others want.

EarthGBilly

I was inspired to always take every opportunity to be splashed with radioactive waste, to allow random lab creatures to bite me, and to try to convince my parents to leave theaters through back-alley exits in the middle of the night.

Thus far, such activities have been for naught. :(

Torchsong

MST3K inspires me to write the comedy I want to write and not worry that every single person will get it, but (to quote Joel Hodgson): "The right people will get it."

Gene Simmons inspired me to pick up a bass guitar and learn how to play. He also inspired me to realize you could like rock and roll AND comics. He also inspired me to realize that freelance ain't free - charge people what you know you're worth for your time and effort.

Any time I can fix or jury-rig something to work, I think of my Dad, who could put McGuyver to shame.

dubbat138

Comics are what taught me to read when I was 4.
Science Fiction and horror fiction is what has made me a person that reads about 2 novels a week.
Science Fiction and Horror are the two genres that turned me into a huge fan of cinema.
Steve Ditko taught me I can love an artist's work ,even though I disagree with him on pretty much everything.
CGS got me to start going back to Cons and got me back in comics after being out of them for close to 5 years.

Grimsister

my love of all things nerd has affected the way I: dress, act, what i watch/play/read and who I date. i refuse to date anyone who doesn't get my pop-culture jokes or obscure movie quotes. that's probably why I'm single right now...