Thoughts on Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton

It sounds kind of funny that this book could change my life, but I actually hope that it does change my life. I have, of course, been a long time fan of Star Trek: TNG. It is the series that I grew up with, and being a wannabe Trekkie, it is definitely still my favorite. I also remember seeing Stand by Me far too early to see rated R movies. It has also long been one of my favorites. Maybe I saw it on TV. Maybe my parents didn't really feel that there was anything I couldn't handle.  I have known that the book has existed for a while and was always interested to read it, but it is just something that I hadn't gotten around to . . . until now. I have seen a lot of Wil Wheaton lately (namely on The Big Bang Theory and The Guild, which are two shows you should check out if you haven't already done so), so I think it has been a little more at the forefront of my mind.

I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed the book and got far more out of it than I ever thought possible from a autobiographical work. I was not prepared to attain what I consider personal growth out of the book. The book is very candid (as is his blog, I have discovered), a candidness autobiographies often lack. The book itself is an catharsis of sorts: an acceptance of the past, an embracing of the future, and above all a realization that we can all make our own happiness. The book is structured around his blog (which I have linked over on the side bar), which is surrounded by exposition and what the back story is on the posts, as well as what he was sugar-coating at the time. During the book, Wheaton embraces his past as Gordie and as Wesley Crusher, while at the same time, growing through his writing. He goes from a loathing of TNG and conventions to coming to terms and even loving these parts of his past and present.

Any time I read something like a memoir, I find myself comparing myself to the writer, and I think I might relate to Wil Wheaton more than anyone else that I have read. While, of course, I have none of the fame and recognition, I do have some similarities. Wil fights his way through auditions, still aspiring to act. I associate this with my desire and continued attempts at writing, which I still consider my passion, even though I am often lackadaisical about it. I also, of course, associated with the geekiness. I think seven years of working in IT qualifies me. The fact that I understand the Linux commands (and file locations) and source code that sometimes sneak their way into the book can attest to my  geekiness, as well. Wheaton also considers himself a bit of a music aficionado and wants to be like the guys from High Fidelity, which I can definitely relate to. I even happen to like some of the same bands: The Pixies, The Get Up Kids, and Hot Water Music, to name a few.  He also wrote the book when he was 29 and 30 (I am 29 now). I think the only reason that I read biographical stuff in the first place is either to relate to the author or escape into a more exotic life. I didn't find a life that was particularly exotic in Just a Geek, but I found a whole lot of myself.

One other thing that I enjoyed about the book was the development of a writing voice and the realization of a personal connection with the reader. The blogs at first seem very impersonal (hmm, who do I know who blogs like that?), but as he opens up more to the reader, the blog entries become far more exciting to read. I appreciate the point in time in the book where Wil starts to recount past experiences during the filming Star Trek and Stand by Me. His narrative voice while telling stories is very easy to read, and I could relate to all those stories (granted Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner would not make it into my stories). What I have realized is that I also need to dig deeper into myself when blogging; otherwise, no one will want to read my posts and my posts will not end up accomplishing a whole lot.

I recommend the book to all my friends, especially my friends who are geeks, like me.