Such a History Geek!

Geek: n, 2. One accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but regarded as socially inept. When given this assignment, I was a bit skeptical of the use of the word “geek.” I asked myself, “Would being an aficionado about something really make you a geek?” With the help of the American Heritage Dictionary, I was able to think of ways in which I can meet the definition of a geek at times. While I have many interests and can talk a little too long on several subjects, history is definitely something I can be a geek about.
Though it probably isn’t nice, I’m going to point fingers at my parents. It is their fault I am so enamored by history! Of course, my dad had to fall in love with a house nearly a century old. And what can be expected when you’re homeschooled by a cheesy mom who loves to take field trips? As a kid I remember visiting these places: 3 museums in the Columbia area more than once, the Woodrow Wilson home, the Juliette Gordon Low(founder of Girl Scouts) home, various historic places in Charleston, several plantations, old battlefields, and several places in historic Aiken. To be sure there are more, my brain just can’t retrieve them all! Add to it all the fact that family movie night generally consisted of an old movie or a movie about some historical era. From the get-go I was destined to become a history geek.
So how am I fulfilling my destiny today? When I visited my cousin in Charleston this summer, I succumbed to my geeky-ness by excitedly suggesting that we go see the Hunley. Wouldn’t it be awesome to see this really old submarine that they found in the ocean not too long ago?! I mean, they even found old coins and stuff in there! You may be thinking, “YEAH! Why don’t I just shoot myself so I don’t have to go through that torture?” Needless to say, we never did see the Hunley. To bring it home, one of the main reasons I came to Winthrop was its history. It also never fails that I think about visiting historic Brattonsville, or Cowpens, or some other place noted on an Interstate sign while I’m rolling in my VW. Have I fulfilled the definition of a geek yet? I could probably expound….