# Help me score a geek date!

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 26, 2005, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895 "2005-06-26T05:59:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2

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### Author: ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/21 "2005-06-27T19:49:07Z")

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> [@Tracy Lord](#):
>
> Yeah, how embarrassing would that be?
> 
> […]
> 
> As for pictures, oh baby, are we all over that!  
> All right, I’m dropping a line back tomorrow afternoon! Two-day response window, plus I’m starting my summer job tomorrow and I need to prep tonight. Oy!

Okay, here’s the thing:

1. You are cute and you are a redhead.
2. He is a boy.  
Therefore,
3. If you ask him out he will go.

I cannot overemphasize the fact that, as cute as you may think he is, and as nervous as you may be, cute geek girls with actual personality are amazingly rare. You are a girl; you are cute (see photographic evidence); you have a personality (see previous posts); and you are a geek (see SDMB/Browncoat membership cards). He is probably kicking himself in the ass for not getting your number, or whining on a blog somewhere that he didn’t remember to ask you enough questions that he could GoogleStalk you.

GO!!! ASK!!!

Best case scenario the world gets a small passel of geeklings about ten years down the road. Worst case scenario, the two of you go out a few more times, have a nice time, and then decide there’s not really a spark.

He will not turn you down.

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### Author: ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/22 "2005-06-27T20:38:22Z")

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**How to score on a geek date**

Start by wearing a Leia-in-a-metal-bikini outfit. Things should progress from there, and it’s almost certain that you’ll score.

No, wait, that’s not what you asked…  
**How to score a geek date**

+1 point for every Star Wars, Star Trek, LOTR, Cthulu, Buffy, Angel, D&D, Princess Bride, Simpsons or Monty Python reference that is spoken and understood  
-2 points if anyone brings up NASCAR, except to mock it  
+3 points if you have compatible phone/PDAs that allow you to wirelessly send information back and forth  
+infinity points if it turns out he’s a doper  
No, wait, that’s not what you asked, either.

Anyhow, just for the record, this guy:  
(a) has seen _Serenity_  
and  
(b) just got asked out by a hot geek girl.

I HATE HIM SO MUCH!!!

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### Author: ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/23 "2005-06-27T20:57:49Z")

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> [@Tracy Lord](#):
>
> [I’m on the far right here](http://www.adamwhiting.com/SerenityScreening/pictures/Costumes006.jpg), facing Zoe; here’s [Guy Dressed Like Jayne](http://www.adamwhiting.com/SerenityScreening/pictures/IcePlanets017.jpg) and [myself](http://www.adamwhiting.com/SerenityScreening/pictures/IcePlanets018.jpg) attacking a few ice planets; we’re the first three pictures on [this page](http://www.adamwhiting.com/SerenityScreening/strawberry.html); and here’s a [shot of the group](http://www.adamwhiting.com/SerenityScreening/pictures/Browncoats003.jpg) where I look like I have something in my cheek.

**Tracy** those are some gorram shiny pix. Hope things work out OK with GDLJ. Keep us posted.

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### Author: ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/24 "2005-06-27T22:41:03Z")

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> [@Tracy Lord](#):
>
> Would you like to grab a cup of coffee sometime?

“Because it’s been so long since I’ve had anything wasn’t operated by batteries 'twixt my nethers…”

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### Author: ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)
#### Post date: [June 27, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/25 "2005-06-27T23:57:39Z")

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Let me give you one word of warning. You see, I’ve been dating a geek for a year and a half now (we met in Mensa). When I screwed up the courage to give him my phone number after seeing him at various events for a few months and going out of my way to go to things he’d be at, he called his sister and said, “She gave me her phone number. What does this mean?” If it takes him a while to get back to you, he may be asking his sister/friend/equivalent of the SDMB the same question.

Good luck! I hope it works out as well for you as it did for me!  
CJ

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### Author: ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/26 "2005-06-28T00:25:41Z")

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> [@Cervaise](#):
>
> “Because it’s been so long since I’ve had anything wasn’t operated by batteries 'twixt my nethers…”

“I’ll be in my bunk”

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### Author: ![Kiros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/439d5e/32.png) [@Kiros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiros)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/27 "2005-06-28T01:16:17Z")

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> [@Jurph](#):
>
> Okay, here’s the thing:
> 
> 1. You are cute and you are a redhead.
> 2. He is a boy.  
> Therefore,
> 3. If you ask him out he will go.
> 
> I cannot overemphasize the fact that, as cute as you may think he is, and as nervous as you may be, cute geek girls with actual personality are amazingly rare. You are a girl; you are cute (see photographic evidence); you have a personality (see previous posts); and you are a geek (see SDMB/Browncoat membership cards). He is probably kicking himself in the ass for not getting your number, or whining on a blog somewhere that he didn’t remember to ask you enough questions that he could GoogleStalk you.

As a college student who has seen Serenity and was totally planning on going dressed as Mal if I got tickets to the last round, let me say that everything here is true. Especially steps 1 and 3! You will be fine and have a lovely summer of geekiness 🙂

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### Author: ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/28 "2005-06-28T04:06:40Z")

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> [@Cervaise](#):
>
> “Because it’s been so long since I’ve had anything wasn’t operated by batteries 'twixt my nethers…”

Don’t think I wasn’t thisclose to saying something like “Whaddaya say we make like Simon and Kaylee and SPOILER?” 😉

> [@Lightnin'](#):
>
> Wasn’t that Zoe _amazing_? I swear, she was a perfect white version of Zoe.

They both were! Although Kaylee’s costume looked more difficult to put together, Zoe definitely had it _all_. The look, the attitude, she even bore a relatively strong resemblence to Gina Torres.

To all of you who’ve been paying me the most delightful compliments: You’ve really made my _week_, I promise! Like I mentioned upthread, I’ve just started a new and somewhat energy-sucking summer job, but reading the responses in this thread have really made me feel – well, shiny! You guys ROCK!

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### Author: ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/29 "2005-06-28T07:39:05Z")

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> [@E. Thorp](#):
>
> Yeah, this one has coffee date written all over it.

One must be wary of coffee dates in the Whedonverse. Coffee is a bad luck elixir on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Perhaps our heroes should go for [tapioca pearl](http://goldsea.com/Air/Issues/Tapioca/tapioca.html) drinks instead. Weird but good.

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### Author: ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)
#### Post date: [June 28, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/30 "2005-06-28T23:03:48Z")

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ROADBUMP! ROADBUMP!

PROBLEM: No response to my email as of two days later.  
PROBLEM: My student email account (the one I was using) has a history of hit-or-miss deliveries.  
PROBLEM: I’m an idiot, and therefore don’t have either my “Sent Items” folder enabled or any delivery-check system in place.  
PROBLEM: AUGH I don’t know if my email was delivered or not, AUGH!  
PROBLEM: If it wasn’t delivered, I am rapidly approaching Major Rudeness in my not-replying to his email, and plus I really want to try a date this guy.

OPTION 1: Email him again. “Hey, my email account has a weird history of hit-or-miss deliveries. Did you get my email from Saturday? And if not, would you like to grab a coffee sometime?”  
PROBLEM WITH OPTION 1: “Guy Dressed Like Jayne, after spending two days on a camping trip, checked his email Tuesday night. Upon openning his inbox, he commented, ‘Hey, that cute girl from the Serenity screening! Has asked me out…twice. WHAT A PSYCHO.’”

OPTION 2: Wait. He may be out of town? Or for some other reason has not checked his email?  
PROBLEM WITH OPTION 2: I don’t know if he got it or not! _FLAIL_

I feel like the Mike Favreau character in Swingers, either leaving six million weird messages on the email/answering machine or not getting a shot at all. Ulp!

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### Author: ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/31 "2005-06-29T00:52:36Z")

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Calm down, **Tracy**.

If you didn’t get a bounce, it was almost certainly delivered. Of course, if you think you aren’t receiving mail correctly… maybe you missed the bounce email.  
I’d give it another few days, and then just send a note from a reliable email account (they give them away for free, you know) that says something like:

```auto

Hey, I emailed you a few days ago, but my email has been incredibly
wonky lately, and I haven't been able to receive anything for the past few
days. Here's my new address: <address>

Waiting with the burning passion of my loins,
Tracy

```

And if that doesn’t work, Guy Dressed Like Jayne is truly a moron.

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### Author: ![Grossbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba8739/32.png) [@Grossbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grossbottom)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/32 "2005-06-29T01:11:35Z")

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Yeah. Possible fouled communication requires at least a week of waiting time to remove any taint of psycho. A week preserves the “you’re hawt, buy me a coffee” eagerness while maintaining a certain necessary decorum.  
Go eight or nine days if feeling cheeky.

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### Author: ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/33 "2005-06-29T05:16:53Z")

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I am far too weak to wait a week. Vince Vaughn would fail me out of his “How To Keep Your Cool and Score” class.

I did, however, with the help of a mixed-gender posse of friends, talk myself into a “You’re so adorable, there’s no _way_ he could have gotten your invitation and not written back! There _has_ to have been some dropped email somewhere along the line!”

So here’s what I did:

TO: GDLJ  
FROM: TRACY LORD  
"Hey – sorry if this goes through twice, but this account has been a little wonky. Did you get the email I sent you on Saturday?

Tracy"

Which, I figure, the “sorry if it goes through twice” is sort of a subtle “yep, this account sure has been wonky!” thingy, and then there isn’t the weird “Do you wanna go out? Huh? Huh? Well do ya?” psychoticness of another coffee invitation.

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### Author: ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/34 "2005-06-29T06:51:25Z")

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> [@Tracy Lord](#):
>
> I am far too weak to wait a week. Vince Vaughn would fail me out of his “How To Keep Your Cool and Score” class.

Bah. Vince Vaughn is a dork who has managed to fool people into thinking he’s cool. We geeks look down on dorks.

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### Author: ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/35 "2005-06-29T09:28:59Z")

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Who knew it was so difficult? My initial reaction to “Help me score a geek date!” was “Yeah, right after you help me shoot a fish in a barrel”.

He might’ve got your email and have quietly convinced himself it was just for s&g. Geeks can’t believe hot chicks would ever be nice to them, a view sadly borne out by reality. It shouldn’t oughtta be this way, but it is. Best of luck!

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### Author: ![righto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@righto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/righto)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/36 "2005-06-29T18:28:17Z")

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> [@Malacandra](#):
>
> He might’ve got your email and have quietly convinced himself it was just for s&g.

I know you’re trying to be nice, but no straight male ( and I say that with 99.9999999% certainty) would assume that, unless they had reason to. In this case, no such reason exists that I can see.

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### Author: ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/37 "2005-06-29T21:33:24Z")

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> [@righto](#):
>
> I know you’re trying to be nice, but no straight male ( and I say that with 99.9999999% certainty) would assume that, unless they had reason to.

I would have when I was in high school. I was very insecure and nervous around girls, to the point of probably missing out on some potential girlfriends. I got over it though.

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### Author: ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/38 "2005-06-29T23:30:33Z")

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Heck YES, baby!

So, Guy Dressed Like Jayne emailed me this afternoon, and cited a “hectic week” as reason for his delay in responding. Let me just say: :smack: :smack: :smack:

However, he also says, and I quote: “I am partial to the coffee bean, and I’m game for a java-inspired outing.” Ah, be still, my heart!

Now, I think I’m going to wait a day or two to shake off the even-somewhat-vaguely-approaching-psycho vibe, but after that: WOOOOOO-HOOOOO!

Okay, today’s, what, Wednesday? I’ll email him back, what, Thursday? Set a date for Sunday?

Yep. Wheeeeeee!

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### Author: ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/39 "2005-06-29T23:32:52Z")

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Also, “s&g”? I am so out of the acronym loop.

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### Author: ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)
#### Post date: [June 29, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-score-a-geek-date/309895/40 "2005-06-29T23:41:20Z")

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> [@Tracy Lord](#):
>
> Also, “s&g”? I am so out of the acronym loop.

Shits and giggles, I surmise. Not that you, being from all I have seen a very nice girl, would do that to a fellow.

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