# What is your favorite geek/nerd possession? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163 "2007-10-18T13:53:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Anduinel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Anduinel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduinel)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2007, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/121 "2007-10-20T09:48:24Z")
Man, the threads that get you to delurk… I guess mine would be a collection of sketches I’ve gotten from comic-book artists over the years. They’re mostly of my OCs, but I’ve got one of Northstar signed by John Byrne and “autographed” by Jean-Paul that I just adore. ---
**Author:** ![Fozzie\_Bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Fozzie\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fozzie_Bear)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2007, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/122 "2007-10-20T13:38:33Z")
Robot Arm - All the quadro-triticale is gone. Miller - The day my dust balls start squeaking when you squeeze them, I’ll call up NASA to tell them about the new life form under my bed. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2007, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/123 "2007-10-20T21:38:05Z")
I still have my old Colecovision, along with the Zaxxon, Subroc and Donkey Kong cartridges. I have a complete set of “The Library of Valuable Knowledge” that a great-great aunt bought in 1913. But probably my bestest, nerdiest possession is a poster of “NASA Space Travelers” with all crews from Mercury 3 through STS-51L. It’s autographed by Charles Walker, a McDonnell-Douglas engineer, and NASA’s first industrial payload specialist. McDonnell-Douglas had an F-15 on display on the St. Louis riverfront as part of the 4th of July celebration, and they were also handing out these posters, as the space program was a proud part of their heritage. Anyway, I went to grab a poster, and Mr. Walker was one of the employees standing there, giving them out. I said something brilliant like, “Hey! You’re Charles Walker!” (I was about 30 at the time.) He and the other MD employees started laughing when I requested his autograph, but he signed it for me. Apparently, I was the only stranger who’d ever recognized him. My friends rode me the rest of the day for being a space cadet. ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/124 "2007-10-20T22:58:29Z")
When I was a kid it would have been the stuffed tribble and the pair of Hobbit feet - I made both of those. Now days it would be the original issue of ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide’ signed by Adams, the small key chain size once-working ST communicator, the Alucard gloves from ‘Hellsing’ and my astounding Pikachu collection of about 40 types. Nothing wrong with a little geekitude. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/125 "2007-10-26T00:44:55Z")
I’ve been asking this question of my geeky friends. The best answer so far is “you”. My own personal geekiest thing is my Kukri, or machete, which my brother, the zombie fighter, gave me, with a copy of the zombie survival guide, in case the dead walk the earth. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/126 "2007-10-26T01:27:40Z")
It’s a tie between the [Xemu Xeno](http://www.infinitygc.com.au/shop/images/alienlamp_wtype.jpg) lamp I got as a gift a few years ago, or my [Blix](http://cgi.ebay.com/Blix-the-Alien-Baby-Halloween-Prop-Life-Size-New_W0QQitemZ270175580586QQihZ017QQcategoryZ99977QQcmdZViewItem), which seems to be hard to find these days. the box claimed it was designed by the X-Files prop studio, ftr. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/127 "2007-10-26T01:59:26Z")
[QUOTE=kenghisghan] My own personal geekiest thing is my Kukri, or machete, which my brother, the zombie fighter, gave me, with a copy of the zombie survival guide, in case the dead walk the earth. [/QUOTE] A kukri in and of itself is not especially geeky. Having it in case of zombie attack is pretty geeky though. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Rosewater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mr.Rosewater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Rosewater)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/128 "2007-10-26T06:00:47Z")
I have a complete set of first printing (British first edition) Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, all signed by Adams. Also the true first edition paperbacks of the first four. Also, tapes of the radio series (not first, but purchased at the BBC store). Also, a first edition of the published transcript of the radio show. Also, the first release boxed set of the TV show (the one that came with a copy of the book)(not The Book, unfortunately) Also, for completeness’ sake, a DVD of the recent movie. I think the only thing I am missing is the LP release of the radio show, which I’ve never seen, but is advertised in the back of the first book. I also have first printings of his other books, but not signed. Oh, and I also have a change of adress card Douglas Adams sent “me”. (He sent it to someone who used to live in the house I was living in, who, apparently, was not as thoughtful.) You might say I am a bit of a Douglas Adams geek. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/129 "2007-10-26T07:07:03Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Rosewater] I think the only thing I am missing is the LP release of the radio show, which I’ve never seen, but is advertised in the back of the first book. [/QUOTE] I used to know someone who had that. Has a rubber duck on the cover. Seem to recall the vinyl being red, but I may be mis-remembering. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/130 "2007-10-26T14:10:28Z")
I’ll have to remember to ask my son (18 y.o, HS sr.) what is his fave geekity. I know he’s got communicators (Star Fleet and Kingon). In addition to all of his D&D paraphrenalia, I think he is especially happy with his “Oogy Boogey Man” dice. He’s gone through various painted miniatures phases. Has tons of books about D&D, Star Trek, Star Wars, Serenity… And just to add on an entirely different layer of geekitude, he is a Rev War military re-enactor with all of the accutrements! I’ll try to remember to ask him tonight which is his proudest possession. ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/131 "2007-10-26T14:38:54Z")
[QUOTE=Mr. Rosewater] I think the only thing I am missing is the LP release of the radio show, which I’ve never seen, but is advertised in the back of the first book. [/QUOTE] I have the LP’s. I have the two-LP version of the HHGTTG and the one-LP version of _Resturant_. I want to find someone who can convert these to MP3’s so I can reburn them to CD. I think they’re just fabulous versions - a lot of the cruft has been cut and just the juicy center remains. All the vinyl is black, I just checked. There’s a duck on the front cover of _Resturant_. It has stars in its blue eyes and a “42” stamped on it’s backside. It’s a reference to the starship captain’s never-ending bath. I had no idea they’re rare. (cruft, for example: sentient mattresses) ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/132 "2007-10-26T16:42:00Z")
You see the shirt [Wash](http://www.twoevilmonks.org/firefly/ffimages/season1/109/ff109038.jpg) is wearing in this \*Firefly \* picture? I have the same shirt (no, not the one he’s actually wearing–I wish.) I had it before I ever saw the series, but now you couldn’t pry it away from me. 😃 And I have a Star Fleet Academy Manual a dear friend bought me many, many years ago–it has dress code specifics, diagrams of the Enterprise (not no bloody A, B, C or D), and all kinds of stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/133 "2007-10-26T20:37:26Z")
Geekiest possession: A big-ass black-and-white print (like what the cheapo Starving Artist shows called “sofa-sized”) of Dr. Frankenstein in his lab drawn by Berni Wrightson. It’s a beaut! Totally detailed. I’d see something different every time I looked at it. The print isn’t original but has a real Berni Wrightson autograph. I used to be really into Berni Wrightson. Now I’m not. The thing has been in my closet for like fifteen years and I never put it up. It just didn’t seem to go with the rest of my apartment. I’m gonna sell it at the next flea market I do, because I’m trying to clean out that one closet. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/134 "2007-10-26T20:51:44Z")
One of my favorite pieces of geek hardware is this [satellite antenna](http://www.arrowantennas.com/146-437.html) for making FM ham radio contacts via LEO hamsats. A step up from that in terms of geekiness would be my main [ham radio receiver](http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/amateur/hf/756proIII/default.aspx). My favorite computer-related geek possession would be my copy of [_Haskell: The Craft of Functional Programming_](http://www.bookpool.com/sm/0201342758). I have an Etrex Vista GPSr, which in and of itself is not very geeky except for the fact that I use it to go [Geocaching](http://www.geocaching.com). ---
**Author:** ![krisolov](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/krisolov/32/3724_2.png) [@krisolov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krisolov)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/135 "2007-10-27T01:05:48Z")
probably most of my old D&D books, from the original 3 book set. All the supplements (Grayhawk, Blackmoor, Eldritch Wizardry, Gods, demi-Gods & Heroes, and a copy of Chainmail). Probably not worth much now since my brother and I colored in the few random drawings in the books way back when. I still have most of the dice too. Those would probably be my favorite sentimental posession. I have a Tsolyani-autographed copy of the Book of Ebon Bindings signed by MAR Barker, which is certainly the most obscure bit of geek gaming paraphrenalia I have. ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/136 "2007-10-27T01:35:43Z")
I love my framed maps of Middle Earth hanging on my living room walls. It helps to be married to a geek–he helped me hang the 4X4 foot one and the 3 smaller ones. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/137 "2007-10-27T04:10:06Z")
[QUOTE=Cyn] I love my framed maps of Middle Earth hanging on my living room walls. It helps to be married to a geek–he helped me hang the 4X4 foot one and the 3 smaller ones. [/QUOTE] Ooh, I forgot about my Lord of the Rings chess set, with all the detailed pewter pieces, [like this](http://www.otherlandtoys.co.uk/product_thumb.php?img=images/product_images/LordoftheRings/chess-set_400.jpg&w=500&h=375&ow=500&oh=500). The playing surface is glass and underneath is a relief map of Middle Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/138 "2007-10-27T07:36:35Z")
[QUOTE=Belrix] I have the LP’s. I have the two-LP version of the HHGTTG and the one-LP version of _Resturant_. I want to find someone who can convert these to MP3’s so I can reburn them to CD. [/QUOTE] If you have a turntable [Audacity](http://audacity.sourceforge.net) is your friend for ripping vinyl to MP3 format. It’s freeware, really well-documented, piss-easy to use, and actually quite a sophisticated tool once you get into it: just download it, run a line from your amp into your computer, slap the record on, and you’re away laughing. ---
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/139 "2007-10-29T17:32:40Z")
[QUOTE=Scissorjack] If you have a turntable [Audacity](http://audacity.sourceforge.net) is your friend for ripping vinyl to MP3 format. It’s freeware, really well-documented, piss-easy to use, and actually quite a sophisticated tool once you get into it: just download it, run a line from your amp into your computer, slap the record on, and you’re away laughing. [/QUOTE] Alas (and alack). My turntable’s servo-motor bit the dust a number of years ago (worked fine if you spun it with your fingertip) and I just can’t justify shelling out the big bux for another for three dozen records. Anybody know of a per-disc service? ---
**Author:** ![stanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@stanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stanger)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2007, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163/140 "2007-10-29T18:47:15Z")
I have a couple of things that might qualify for this thread. Marvel Comic No-Prize: I’m not sure exactly what was required to “win” one of these things, but back in the mid 1960’s, I found a continuity mistake in a Spiderman comic book, probably somewhere around the 20-30th issue, and send a letter to Marvel pointing it out. A few weeks later I received a letter from them that contained my No-Prize, which is a legal-size white envelope with a picture in one corner of the Hulks face, and written on the front it says, “Congratulations? Here is your Marvel comics No-Prize!” Of course, the envelope is empty. The second item is a green plastic ring with a snap-in emblem made of green plastic that is the hornet logo for the 1960’s Green Hornet TV show. I think I got it out of one of those old gumball style machines that had all kinds of small cheap do-dads that you used to see in grocery stores. I think they took a quarter. Other than that, all my good stuff is long gone. Those old first year runs of Ghost Rider and Silver Surfer might be worth a few dollars by now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-favorite-geek-nerd-possession/423163.md?page=8)