Geek As Citizen: To Play, Dream, and Experiment

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As I previously explored, analyzing where we Geeks fit in as citizens, we’re passionate retainers of information that also apply that knowledge. We aren’t so much pure academics (though many of us are professional academics), nor are we just about doing things and being active.  Instead we’re about the interplay of that knowledge and doing something with it. That’s what we’re inclined to do, frankly, and thus it is also something we can contribute as citizens.

We’re information and application bundled together. Actually considering the whole “passion” part it’s pretty hard to separate them anyway from geeks. Passion is often about getting your hands dirty.

There is however, a flip side to our role of “Applied Knowledge” that is also something we can do in society. Geeks also like to get wild and crazy with our applied knowledge, imagining and trying out all sorts of crazy stuff because it’s fun. In short, the flip side to or applied knowledge is toplay, to dream, to experiment and in short, to at times get stark raving bonkers in what we do.

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Recipe: Spiced Peas And Polenta

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This is a quick dish that you can do a number of ways – honestly it’s more an outline than anything else. Give it a shot as it’s pretty easy.

  • 1 1/2 tsp spread (or butter/oil if you don’t mind the fat)
  • 1 1/4 cups frozen peas
  • Your favorite seasoning salt, curry powder, or about a tsp of soy sauce or your favorite sauce.
  • 1/4 cup quick-cook polenta
  • 1 cup water
  1. Put polenta, water, and 1 tsp spread/oil/etc. into microwave safe dish and cook as per directions until done. Warning polenta stays hot a long time.
  2. Unthaw peas. Add 1/2 tsp spread and a few dashes of seasoning or curry powder as preferred.  If you add sauce, leave the spread out. Mix thoroughly.
  3. Place peas atop polenta. Serve. I usually use use the bowl the polenta is in if possible.

That’s it.

This is a nice, easy dish that, due to the ingredients, has a sweet taste that goes very well with savory and spicy seasonings. You may need a bit of salt and pepper depending on your tastes.

I also found this goes really well with a more bitter side dish – like a Kale salad.  That sweet with the bitter and the kick of the dressing was fantastic!

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, nerd and geek culture at http://www.nerdcaliber.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.

Link Roundup 10/10/2013

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We need a name for this thing.  Where are we?

  • Agendas of SHIELD got picked up for a full season despite mediocre results (and yours truly is NOT impressed).  That’s a bet on Whedon, let’s see where it goes.
  • John Malone wants to compete with Netflix – by banding together cable companies.  An interesting suggestion and a reminder that there’s a lot of power out there that could oppose Netflix.  Will it happen . . . I have no idea.  Could provide a market shakeup – and quite a few job opportunities I imagine . . .
  • Smartphones are getting larger, tablets are getting smaller.  Which suggests some kind of convergence along with a heavy dose of the incredibly obvious.  Also a pain for programmers and media producers trying to deal with the insane footprints.
  • Actually one player in smartphones is Samsung, and they along with other companies in Aisa are targeting Silicon Valley.  Beyond the opportunities in Silicon Valley for employment it keeps cementing the Valley’s reputation (especially as I think it’s splitting a bit between SF and Silicon Valley properly).
  • Maybe you’re looking at a startup, and Amazon wants to support you.  That’s a smart move for them with all the services they provide and the opportunities people need.  May even be useful for you.
  • From success to failure, it looks like Blackberry may end up being taken to pieces.  OK gang, if you’re there you know it’s time to go, and if someone buys a chunk of it that could change opportunities.
  • Game developer?  Valve is hosting a developer-only event for their Steam Machines.  You know you want to go . . . even if you’re not a developer.  Damn it.
  • If Washington doesn’t crash the world economy there’s more hope with a decline in Greek Youth Unemployment, though it’s still pretty bad.

– Steven “Smartphone Tablet” Savage.