Quoted from Pinball-is-great:* I like pinball (playing/cleaning/fixing/dis-assembly/re-assembly/ordering parts/buying-selling machines)
* Also enjoy reading and learning about pinball.
* I have a degree in mechanical engineering.
* Earlier this year I went to TX Pinball Festival.
* Quite comfortable hanging out with pinball fanatics just as much as with other "normal" people.
* Would rather spend $1000 on pinball or other outdoor activities/hobbies than on a cruise ship vacation or season tickets for sporting events.
Guess I'm a bigger social nerd than I realize. How high is my nerd factor?
Guess I'm getting older (51 now), .... don't care as much now about what others think about me compared to when I was younger.
Seems to me like there is a lot of great people here on Pinside.
Cheers,
Mike
+1000 for this post. I'm 42 and it took a while to get over "what other people thought of me." I don't do drugs, I don't drink a lot, I don't watch a lot of TV but I DO have a kick ass hobby. I've been around long enough now that I recognize names and faces at shows, love talking to people there etc. Pinball has brought me a host of new (and really smart) friends. Yes there are some a-holes but they're easily avoided.
I'm jealous of Mike's degree in mechanical engineering. I can follow elementary engineering but honestly my brain gets tied in knots trying to figure out the advanced material.
BTW here's a "nerd test." Is this guy a nerd or not? I thought "YES" until I saw that his mask was made of a Miller High Life box. Hahahaha that's actually pretty funny.
