Geek.Travel

Unlike my wife who is only an aspiring geek (but being assimilated more all the time), I think that vacation planning is done incorrectly by most people.

It seems to me that the "normal" sequence that most vacation planners use is:
(1) decide when they have free time for a vacation,
(2) find out where they want to go,
(3) find out where they want to stay,
(4) and finally find out what activities are available at that location.

I think this is ass-backwards! I'm a geek. I love my technical job, I spend my free time on the computer when I get home, and I want to spend my vacation doing the geeky things I enjoy.

I believe that the correct sequence of steps to follow when planning a vacation are to:
(1) choose what you want to do,
(2) find where you can find such activities,
(3) find out when is the best time to participate,
(4) and then find out where to stay.

I decided to create this website because I have not found a single-source website to help me plan vacations the way I like. Most ("All") travel websites group information by destinations; this website groups information based on areas of interest.

Go ahead, browse through the directory of geeky places and events and then decide when and where to vacation.

A geek is both intelligent and passionate about a particular subject (usually a technical pursuit). It is a common misconception that geeks are also socially inept, but in actuality they are referring to nerds and not geeks.

The typical Venn diagram (Google: venn diagram geek) used to describe geeks is composed of intelligence, obsession, and social skills. I decided to add two more modifiers: emotional stability and reality/fantasy (the center circle with the dashed line delineates reality from fantasy). This allows for the classification of other closely related characterizations of geeks. Take a look at the Venn diagram and think through the different regions; see if you agree with my naming of each.

Full size (PNG) image of "Geek Venn diagram"

Full size (PDF) file of "Geek Venn diagram"

Below are some other definitions for geek:

• Merriam-Webster: Geek - "an enthusiast or expert especially in a technological field or activity."
• Wikipedia: Geek
• “Although being described as a geek tends to be an insult, the term has recently become more complimentary, or even a badge of honor, within particular fields.”
• “A person who has chosen concentration rather than conformity; one who passionately pursues skill (especially technical skill) and imagination, not mainstream social acceptance.”
• “It may also describe immersion in a particular mainstream interest to an extreme that is beyond normalcy (e.g. sports geek). Of note is that in this definition, there is no reference to being socially inept in the slightest.”
• Urban Dictionary: Geek - “Unlike the word 'nerd,' which is always pejorative, 'geek' often carries a positive connotation when used by one of the group.”

Venn Diagram of Geekdoms

I was having a very hard time developing a hierarchical taxonomy for the contents of this website because many geek genres (geekdoms) could be classified under multiple categories. Developing a navigation menu when the data set is structured non-hierarchically was very hard for me because I kept second-guessing myself. I guess that is one of the drawbacks of being a geek... being a perfectionist.

So after several attempts at classifying the geekdoms into major and minor genres, I had an epiphany. Why not create a Venn diagram and see where they naturally fall!

The geek genres seem to naturally fall into two main classifications, reality (math) and fantasy; bridged by gaming. The major geek genres turned out to be technology, games, and cosplay/anime/manga. And, the minor genres encompassing things like science fiction, Renaissance faire, software programming, and poker.

Because of the limitations of using circles (I didn't want to use ellipses or other shapes), I am sure there are some inconsistencies in the diagram.

The process of creating the Venn diagram made it easier (but still not without making compromises) to develop a hierarchical menu structure for this website. I decided to use higher level classifications, only include categories that did not overlap too much, and were conducive to a travel related website. If you don't find the menu structure intuitive, please let me know.

Full size (PNG) image of "Venn Diagram of Geekdoms"

Full size (PDF) file of "Venn Diagram of Geekdoms"