What Is A Geek? Are You One?

The online site dictionary.com defines a geek as follows:

1. A computer expert or enthusiast (a term of pride as self-reference, but often considered offensive when used by outsiders.)
2. A peculiar or otherwise dislikable person, especially one who is perceived to be overly intellectual.
3. A carnival performer who performs sensationally morbid or disgusting acts, such as biting off the head of a live chicken.

Although there may be many individuals out there that are peculiar and sometimes dislikable, and perhaps some that do bite the heads off of live chickens, for the purpose of this blog we will stick with definition #1: a computer expert or enthusiast.

I would also like to add a fourth definition to geek:

4. An individual with an affinity for science and technology in general, including items such as video games, stereo systems, sci-fi movies/shows/stories and more.

So with those definitions in mind, it's time to ask yourself if you are a geek. (And if you're a geek of the live, chicken-eating variety...no need to reply.)

-TQG

The Quintessential Geek Kickoff

Hello,

I am the Quintessential Geek (TQG), and you have reached my blog site. This blog will be all about information technology (IT) and information security, though it will also contain occasional ramblings and musings on other items.

This is the first blog that I've written, though I also have a TechTips site that you can feel free to browse. It's at http://brad.dinerman.com/techtips. As far as the blog goes, I suppose it's better late than never in joining that bandwagon.

Although the profile associated with this blog does include some information about me, you may (or may not) want to know more.

• By day, I'm the vice president of IT for a consulting company called MIS Alliance (http://www.misalliance.com/) in Newton, MA.
• In my "spare" time, I am the president of the National Information Security Group (NAISG, http://www.naisg.org/), an organization with multiple chapters all devoted to the promotion of information security.
• And in my spare, spare time, I'm the father to two wonderful kids and husband to a totally cool, also geekish wife who can slam a tennis ball across the court at any willing opponent (victim). You can check out her Setpoint blog as well at http://setpoint-dd.blogspot.com/.
• I do try to get out sometimes for extracurricular interests. I shoot archery at a local target range and play softball during the summer months.

So, with all those introductions in place, I'll endeavor to make some valuable postings for you all.

Yours,
-TQG