Now I know I'm not the only person who isn't interested in seeing Star Trek, despite the overwhelmingly positive reviews, the exciting trailers, the incessant marketing campaign, and the recommendations from friends who swear that it's the most fun they've had at the movies in a very long time. But it kind of seems like it, you know?

For a while, I tried to feign interest, nodding along as people went on about how psyched they were to see the film, trying to get caught up in the hype by watching the trailers again, etc. But the truth is, I've just never been into Star Trek. I can appreciate it for what it is, and I respect it, but for whatever reason, it never spoke to me. I know that the Star Trek universe has been a life-changing (and, in some cases, life-saving) experience for some people, but I never quite gave it the spin it probably deserved. In some ways I think it's a matter of exposure: my father is a Star Wars geek; Obi-Wan was the hero in my household, not Spock. One of my favorite memories is the day I took my dad to the theater to see Episode III: when the opening credits came on, my dad grabbed his soda and his eyes lit up like a 12-year-old's. It's awesome to see your parents in their geeky element; for a few hours, my dad wasn't an insurance man with bills to pay and meetings to deal with: he was a Jedi.

Anyway, the reason I'm bringing this up is because I actually feel guilty for not being into the new Star Trek film. It's a weird time to be a geek, because, well, everyone is kind of a geek these days, and it seems that the notion of what constitutes a true geek is someone who is into EVERY bloody so-called nerdy phenomenon out there. "I thought you were into that kind of thing," one of my friends said after I admitted my "Whatever, Star Trek" stance, as if being into graphic novels, wearing coke bottle glasses and braces as a kid, and being able to recall passages from The Silmarillion also means you have to be a certified Trekkie. I actually felt, momentarily, like a traitor to all things nerdy.

But here's the thing, you guys. There are many shades to the geek rainbow. Yes, there are Trekkies and Ringers out there, but Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, comic books, graphic novels, vampires, zombies (ugh, and that's another train I'm not hopping on. Whatever, zombies), pirates; all of these things are mainstream at this point, enjoyed by people who may not be "true" fans but who celebrate the existence of such phenomena just the same. Anyone who reads our brilliant sister blog io9 (and you should be reading it—it's great) can see that the science-fiction world is touching all elements of society and that things that were once strictly the property of super geeks are now out there for everyone to enjoy—for better or for worse.

In any case, I'll probably see Star Trek at some point. But I'm not going to feel bad if I miss it. And I'm also not going to turn in my geek card just because I'd rather hang out with Samwise than Spock. And if you don't like it, you can just kiss my Tulkas.

[Image via Natalie Dee.]

"Everyone has annoying habits, and a sizable part of every successful marriage is learning to live with those things each other does that annoy you," writes Wired's Matt Blum. "I think it's safe to say, too, that geeks have some habits that we think are awesome, but that non-geeks find a little...less awesome."

Among the most annoying habits: "using Frak or Klingon, or both, instead of regular swear words," "wearing obscurely geeky t-shirts to normal places," and "needing to watch certain TV shows ASAP to avoid spoilers." My fiance would like to add, "Talking about how much you hate Heroes even though you sit on the couch next to me and watch Heroes every time it's on instead of just leaving the room so I can watch Heroes without having to hear about everything that's wrong with Heroes." To which I say: get back to me when you can agree on giving our someday maybe future son the middle name Olórin. Geek.

10 Annoying Habits Of A Geeky Spouse [Wired]

And it's not just the younger generation: Women over 40 are getting their own site (the nuttily-named Wowowow.com — kinda like your wacky aunt, it makes sense while making no sense!) Now for the bad news:

Women may be tech-savvy, but only 27% of computer- and math-related jobs are held by females, according to Utne Reader. And projects like The 40-Year Old Virgin, Superbad and Beauty and the Geek make being a dorky guy seem okay. Writes Lisa Gulya, "Even if they're not making billions of dollars, the geeky guys are visible, lovable, and have a shot at beautiful women. Meanwhile, their celebrated girl-geek counterparts are nowhere to be found."

Meanwhile, Yahoo is launching a "major new content site aimed at women between the ages of 25 and 54", BusinessWeek claims. The new site's editor-in-chief? Brandon Holley, formerly of ElleGirl and Jane. Any guesses on what the new site will be called? And will the logo be pink?

SXSW: The Bloggies...and the Winners Are! [SDN Program News Blog]
The World's 50 Most Powerful Blogs [Guardian]
Girls And Young Women Are Now The Most Prolific Web Users [Times]
Beauty And The Blogs [Utne]
Sorry, Boys, This Is Our Domain [NY Times]
Yahoo's New Appeal To Women [BusinessWeek]

Mr. Leith believes that men and women simply want different things — not just in their 30s but all the time. "Just ask any man to remember what it was like being a teenager," he writes. A regular, 17-year-old boy may have a crush on a 17-year-old girl in his class, but she may not even notice him. Because she can choose from "not only the coolest 17-year-olds but some of the coolest 18, 19, and 20-year-olds, too. And guys in their early twenties, with cars and motorbikes, and money to buy tickets for concerts and festivals." Leith says this continues for years: "Who dates the attractive 23-year-old woman as she settles into her first job? The 35-year-old who runs the company, that's who. Not the 23-year-old guy who met her at the interview and blushes every time she passes him in the corridor." But, he says, single guys in their thirties are just ordinary blokes:

The guys who were nothing special, the dorks who were passed over in favor of the cool, attractive guys when they were younger. And now, possibly for the first time in history, they find themselves in an unreal bubble. Women are no longer being cautious and picky - they are competing for their attentions. This is a genuine turning point in the history of gender relations. For the first time ever, geeks and bozos have pulling power. Can you blame them, after thousands of years of competing for female attention, for letting it go to their heads?

So what are thirty-something single women to do if the good ones are taken and the ordinary ones are too busy fucking around (with younger women) and buying video games with their hard-earned loot to think about settling down? "Settle" themselves? Because if Leith's logic is correct, 17-year-old boys appear to be the answer, and that can't be right.

Where Have All The Men Gone?, Revenge Of The Geek [Times]

Earlier: Settle For Mr. "Just OK" — While Your "Marital Value Is Still At Its Peak!"

We've seen the perils of tech-obsession firsthand: Earlier this month a reader emailed to complain about a business dinner she attended, where "there was music, champagne, the food was amazing, the setting lavish. But did the men at my table pay any attention? No. They were all playing with their iPhones." And she's not the only one to forfeit male attention to Steve Jobs. Our very own guest columnist, Heather declared herself an iPhone widow last year. "Wherein we used to actually interact with one another during cab rides or walks or, you know, dinner," Heather lamented, "Now I sit there and watch him make love to that damn phone, his unblinking eyes glazed over with rapt-geek puppy love."

But guys aren't the only ones with geek love to go around. My own boyfriend tried to ban laptops after work hours in our household. The first day he made me go cold turkey and I was relegated to answering emails on my BlackBerry in the bathroom. Since then I've maybe gone one night without perusing the internet for at least ten minutes. But I'm not addicted at all! Though if someone destroyed my wireless network I would cut them in a hot second.

"Technology Overload" Can Ruin Relationships: Expert [Reuters]

Earlier: The iPhone is Cool and All, But Can You Stick Your Dick in It?

[Hollywood, December 5. Image via FilmMagic.]