Grown-up vs. Geeky?

Despite the growing number of adults who love anime, video games, sci-fi and fantasy, the general public consensus seems to be that these pursuits are immature. Even the open-minded tend to harbor this belief somewhere; I'm guilty of it myself. The clearest evidence is my home. The decor in the living room and kitchen is hardly what one would call geek-chic. It sneaks in occasionally, like the kanji plaques on the living room wall or the pixel-art magnets on the fridge, but for the most part our nerdy art and collectibles are kept to the home office or my crafting space. I can't really explain why I don't want to geek out our whole home. Maybe it just feels too much like a dorm room or bachelor pad without going to the trouble and expense of getting all our artwork framed. Maybe the bold colors that tend to dominate nerd culture don't mesh well with our furniture. Or maybe, just maybe, part of me cares about what people think, no matter how much I tell myself that I don't.

The nerdiness has found another foot hold as we put together the offspring's new "big girl" bedroom. In my effort to gather cute things I accidentally (or is it subconsciously?) ended up with a mostly Japanese-themed room, including a sweet little Totoro print for the wall. Maybe some day I will have the courage to let the geek spread futher; I know I will have 1337 D4ddy's full support if I want to make our kitchen Dr. Who themed (we already have a Tardis cookie jar, after all) or if I suggest covering our living room with anime art. I suppose only time will tell.

New Year...

I haven't been posting for a while here. Partly it's because this nerd-lifestyle blogging is harder than I thought. I think parenthood and other adult responsibilities have forced us to normalize a little. When you can't rush out to buy every Lego set or video game that fills your nerdy heart with desire, the passion can wane a little. Christmas did bring an iPhone into our home, but it belongs to 1337 D4ddy.



I'm also spending some of my time posting at a new blog, to indulge my slightly (but only slightly) less nerdy, Martha Stewart wannabe side. This side of me is not necessarily interested in insider trading and the associated jail time.



But this is a new year. The offspring is older and I owe it to myself to get back in touch with my roots and myself. We have the good fortune of being able to attend Naka-kon again, this time with friends. My mother is bringing my younger brother, and we're trading kids. If I don't have to lug a diaper bag and stroller, it means I can lug a Ball Jointed Doll in full costume instead! I'm looking forward to wearing anime accessories without a toddler tugging on them, too. I might have to take her with us to get autographs though. She was such a big hit with the celebs last year.



Other than taking more time for myself and some home projects, I don't know what 2011 holds for us. If parenthood has taught me only one thing, it is that plans can always change- and often do.