# Is it just my age, or am I too much of a Star Trek geek? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 18, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947 "2003-02-18T19:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/1 "2003-02-18T19:47:04Z")
Something happened at work today that has me wondering if I really am too old. I work as a baker(suprise, suprise) at the cafe in our library. From my workstation in the kitchen I can see out to the serving line. I saw a customer in line that I had seen before, a middle aged guy(read, older than me, _I’m_ only 48), who has absolutely the worst looking toupee I have ever seen. Although it matches in color what I can see of the hair he has left, a medium brown, it it sort of fuzzy/curly looking, while his own hair appears to be straight. I mentioned him to our dishwasher, a young man of about 20. And I said to him “it looks as if he has a Tribble perched on top of his head!” Instead of getting agreement with my supremely witty comment, all I got was a blank stare. “You didn’t see the original Star Trek?” “Nope” You really don’t know what a Tribble is?" “Nope” I thought about explaining but decided against it. So is it just me being out of touch with today’s culture? ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/2 "2003-02-18T20:00:52Z")
nah, that guy is just a dork. only cool people like us watch star trek. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/3 "2003-02-18T20:13:48Z")
Well, the trouble with him… aw fuck it. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/4 "2003-02-18T20:15:29Z")
Yes, you are too much of a Star Trek geek. Of course, so am I, so that doesn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/5 "2003-02-18T20:29:32Z")
Speaking of my being a geek, I just now realized I put this thread in the Pit, when I meant for it to go into MPSIMS. If a mod sees this before they see my email, could it please be moved? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/6 "2003-02-18T20:40:11Z")
\<\< hurries to flame Baker for being an Old Fart clinging idiotically to the Ghosts of Star Trek past before the thread gets moved to MPSIMS \>\> 😃 actually, I’m the only one I know who remembers why “He’s dead, Jim” is funny, so scoot over, plenty of room for two, there in the Old Farts Corner ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/7 "2003-02-18T20:54:11Z")
And the response to DDG is “you get his tricorder and I’ll grab his wallet” ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/8 "2003-02-18T21:01:03Z")
So long as they continue to cast such incredibly hot-lookin’ ladies, I’ll be a Star Trek geek. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/9 "2003-02-18T21:13:58Z")
OOh, soft focus sensuality. The budget for vaseline on the camera lens was as much as for special effects. 😉 I do say that fondly but if you want a pit thread that actually touches on ST:TOS join us here [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=163704](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=163704) Note: the thread does not attack ST, but uses it as a tool to flame Jack Chick. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/10 "2003-02-18T21:43:04Z")
I thought even non-Star Trek geeks knew what tribbles were… ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/11 "2003-02-18T21:51:23Z")
You should have said “It looks like he has a Wookiee on his head!” and you would have gotten that nod of agreement that you so craved… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/12 "2003-02-18T21:59:20Z")
Or you could have said he looked like William Shatner. Trekkie points _and_ a vaguely more comprehensible reference. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/13 "2003-02-18T22:07:51Z")
I’m a second-generation Trekkie. It’s not an age thing. Some people just don’t know these things, strange as the thought may be! ---
**Author:** ![Mariachi\_Kitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@Mariachi\_Kitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mariachi_Kitty)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/14 "2003-02-18T22:10:47Z")
I’m 32. Star Trek (yes, the original) was standard Saturday/Sunday TV fare for my family when a.) the Bears weren’t on and b.) a Son of Svengoolie movie – preferably Godzilla vs. some kick-ass monster – wasn’t on. So, I know what Tribbles are, why, “He’s dead, Jim!” is funny and all that stuff. Plus, I love Start Trek in most of its incarnations. The guy you work with is just clueless. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/15 "2003-02-18T22:16:52Z")
He’s a loser. You and our sort are cool. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/16 "2003-02-18T22:24:52Z")
For a while you could reach me via email at [RedShirtedCrewman@HesDeadJim.com](mailto:RedShirtedCrewman@HesDeadJim.com) Then the email provider went under ☹ Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/17 "2003-02-19T02:54:24Z")
Oh, the irony. ---
**Author:** ![zweisamkeit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zweisamkeit/32/4360_2.png) [@zweisamkeit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zweisamkeit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/18 "2003-02-19T03:24:40Z")
Dude, I’m 20 and if you had made that statement when I was about 8, I would have gotten it right away. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/19 "2003-02-19T04:06:41Z")
Well, I’d totally have gotten the remark, and I’m only 27. Then again, I’m such a hopeless geek that I have a strong opinion on wether a Star Destroyer could beat the Enterprise (answer: with both shield generators tied behind its command bridge). So maybe I’m not really the best person to ask. ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947/20 "2003-02-19T04:12:30Z")
I had to explain what a tribble is to my 15 year old sister. ☹ On the other hand she knows why “he’s dead Jim” is funny. So it evens out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-just-my-age-or-am-i-too-much-of-a-star-trek-geek/155947.md?page=2)