# What is the Nerdiest thing you own? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 20, 2006, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492 "2006-04-20T16:52:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/121 "2006-04-27T00:58:13Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I thought [this](http://mydearangel.ru/slovo/groo.jpg) was a Groo? 😕 No, [this](http://www.groo.com/) is Groo (at least to me). “And now, Groo does what Groo does best!” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/122 "2006-04-27T01:40:12Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > No, [this](http://www.groo.com/) is Groo (at least to me). > > “And now, Groo does what Groo does best!” CHEESE WHIZ ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/123 "2006-04-27T02:20:27Z")
The ham radio license is awfully nerdy…not to mention the horded radios… I have a pretty good collection of Motorola two-way radio encryption gear, too. The 3.5 watt argon laser in the basement doesn’t serve any real purpose. Same for the vintage BMX bike. Nerdiest of all may be the EE diploma… ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/124 "2006-04-27T02:38:09Z")
I’ve also got a couple of business cards from The Bone Room, and a “simulated nuclear fuel pellet” from the Nuclear Energy Institute. That and my Amelie Poulin and Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner figures. Hand-crafted, too. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/125 "2006-04-27T21:24:02Z")
I’ve got about 17 or 18 of things other people listed. I’m not sure what my nerdiest is, but it’s probably due to volume/completeness. such as: My near-complete collection of Ravenloft D&D products (missing 1 module, 2 PC games, the dicepouch and about a dozen minatiatures) My near-complete collection of Highlander: The Trading Card Game cards Massive amounts of Star Wars figures don’t count, do they? Life-size cardboard (and half-lifesize lego) yoda seem downright pedestrian. Autographs are a dime a dozen (Ray Park, Nichelle Nichols, Rene Auberjonois, Sam Kieth, Douglas Adams…) What about a homemade The Maxx costume? 12"x18" Cross-stitch of the Fellowship of the Ring movie poster? ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/126 "2006-04-28T14:24:59Z")
> [@lizardling](#): > > All y’all are way more nerdy than I am – I just have a plush Cthulhu on my test box, and a **Rabbit With Big Pointy** Teeth on my desk. Is it… [this rabbit here](http://www.thinkgeek.com/geektoys/plush/778d/)? (If you follow this link, be sure to check out the “Action Shots”!) Can I say for the record that I am buying one? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/127 "2006-04-28T14:26:19Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > CHEESE WHIZ It’s Cheese _Dip_, you mendicant! 😉 (And don’t even ask about “mulch”…) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/128 "2006-04-28T14:49:26Z")
I’ve got a lot of nerdy things. I have no idea which is nerdiest: A collection slide rules (I used a slide rule up to my junior year of college) A DigiComp mechanical computer A Cosmorama home planetarium A whole shelf of science fiction and fantasy reference books (in addition to a huge number of books) An old copy of the CRC “bible” that’s so small it really _does_ look like a bible A Brass Rat An old _working_ Commodore 2001 computer with the “Chiclet” keybboard and integrated cassette tape drive The old manuals from the Gilbert chemistry sets I had as a kid An Erector set An Opaque Projector that I built myself as a kid The First Fossil I ever Found My eight grade Science Fair Project (including the cardboard presentation boards) All my old Boy Scout patches, badges, medals (in their original cases) and neckerchief slides ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/129 "2006-04-28T15:18:05Z")
Is a lava lamp so nerdy it’s cool, or is it just nerdy? Or just cool? Anyhoo, I gots one. And my cell phone rings to the “Fellowship” theme from LOTR:FOTR. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/130 "2006-04-28T15:52:23Z")
I have a Klein bottle, and a piece of Trinitite. They are on my desk. (For those with SDMB old timer credentials, these, and the piece of petrified turtle crap are the three objects that no one bothered to remote view, back in the day.) ## Tris “In my opinion, there’s nothing in this world, Beats a '52 Vincent, and a red headed girl.” ~ Richard Thompson ~ ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/131 "2006-04-29T05:49:31Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > It’s Cheese _Dip_, you mendicant! 😉 > > (And don’t even ask about “mulch”…) The Sage’s dog hates his name. Speaking of Groo, I have the [issue #1](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Groo_cover_issue1.jpg) from Epic Comics and the collected \*Groo Chronicles \* ---
**Author:** ![Denis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@Denis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Denis)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2006, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/132 "2006-04-29T19:20:30Z")
1. All of Rush’s recordings, save _Caress of Steel_ (somewhat hard to find, that) 2. A souvenir Rush wallet from the _Vapor Trails_ tour 3. A souvenir Rush keychain from the 30th Anniversary tour (with the logo from _Hemispheres_) 4. Ringwraith and Gollum “action figures” 5. The _Middle Earth Atlas_ 6. The first edition _Silmarillion_ with the groovy fold-out map 7. Photo Companion books for FOTR and TTT 8. Various Marvin the Martian objects 9. An assortment of Star Trek and Star Wars tree ornaments (I’ve got the _Gallileo 7_ with Spock’s “Happy Holidays” greeting on it! WOOT!) ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/133 "2006-04-30T00:30:07Z")
Hobbit boardgame circa 1970s Microscopic Space Fleet Fluff Peril Sensitive Sunglasses Button bearing the words “Don’t Panic” in large, friendly letters Orders for the demolition of Arthur Dent’s house Orders for the demolition of Earth Various vacuum tubes Vacuum tube tester 1940’s multimeter labeled in French Rankin Bass Hobbit record Rankin Bass ROTK record A suit of techno knight armor made from junk. The latest version has a hawk helmet and large mylar wings. ---
**Author:** ![Denis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5e9695/32.png) [@Denis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Denis)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/134 "2006-04-30T01:01:41Z")
_Lord of the Rings_ version of Monopoly. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/135 "2006-04-30T01:15:59Z")
2 Tron beach towels A translucent staff. Tap the base on the floor and the LEDs inside the staff flash. A shuttlepod Magellan 3.5 disk holder. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/136 "2006-04-30T01:18:39Z")
How does my Marvin the Martian PEZ dispenser rate? It’s battery powered! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/137 "2006-04-30T01:21:06Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > How does my Marvin the Martian PEZ dispenser rate? It’s battery powered! 😃 IMO The only Pez dispenser which count as nerdy are the following- The giant ones that dispense whole packs of Pez instead of a single candy. Any of the Universal Studios Monsters The psychedelic hand holding an eyeball released during the sixties’ The original golden glow, and silver glow (made to resemble cigarette lighters) ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/138 "2006-04-30T01:28:37Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > The psychedelic hand holding an eyeball released during the sixties’ I apologize completely and unreservedly for that apostrophe. I have no idea what happened. It has not been a good week for me. Back To The OP The Mysterious Green Substance- When I used a newly-acquired copy of the Golden Book Of Chemistry to electrolyze water, I ended up with a green precipitate. Cuprous Oxide? Cupric Oxide? I don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/139 "2006-04-30T01:52:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > How does my Marvin the Martian PEZ dispenser rate? It’s battery powered! 😃 Hmm, Sci-Fi-ish Looney Toon and Battery Powered. This sounds like it Qualifies as a geek Gadget to me. 😃 Jim ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2006, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492/140 "2006-04-30T01:59:46Z")
IMO To be nerdy an item must be- Esoteric in appeal Shunned by the general populace Dificult to obtain- ownership thus representing a significant outlay of time, effort, and possibly money. EG The phasers, communicators, and tricorders owned by so many of us cannot be the supremely nerdesque item of this thread as they are common and easy to get. An actual prop used in an episode or film would be rare and hard to get, and thus far nerdier. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-nerdiest-thing-you-own/353492.md?page=8)