I've been joining forums online that deal with particular areas of my own life. I have my geek/nerd communities, my goth communities, my music/concert communities, my anime communities, my SCA communities, my CSI/forensics communities, my computer communities, my Sims 2 communities, and recently my crytozoology community. Why do I have so many different communities under my profiles? Because that's me. I'm into so many different things and follow so many different types of lifestyles or hobbies, that I can talk or mainly read other opinions and views in those communities. Most of the time, I'm a spectator, just peeking in every now and then, see what's new, how one person found what link, who had what question. Other times I've spoken out, agreed or disagreed with the topic, helped a fellow geek in the ways of love, gave my opinion about the latest episode or movie, just been a participant in it all.

Recently in three communities I'm in, and I'm sure its happened before, I've just ignored it or whatever, there have been arguments over the definition of the subculture of that particular group. Its happened with Digital Divas, Geeks Unite, and now of course, Nocturne.

I will admit though, the first two, I had a part in. In most, if not all, communities that I'm in, we have complained about the camwhores and spammers that basically clog the members page with half-naked girls and stupid "add me" or "click me" posts. And I agree, some of these people should be moderated in their activity on this site. I'm surprised Tom doesn't get into trouble for having half-naked women all over the place. Some parents down the road may do something about it, but that's off topic.

This is a hot topic for a lot of people who consider themselves outside the norm. Actually I think people who are inside the norm constantly talk about this in order to make sure they are still "in". But anyway...

Ylbissop and myself had gotten involved in a debate on one of these communities over such a thing. What he said was very true. Basically there are labels yes, but in fact we are all of those labels one way or another. He always likes to say that he is PART jock. Even in my latest profile I've created, I state that I am multiple labels and I have friends that can range along those labels. In some way or another, we are a pie graph, if you will. There is a part of every girl that is a shop-a-holic in one way or another. There's always some thing that we just love shopping for, be it shoes, clothes, guns, swords, whips, toys, etc. (I'm only speaking from a female perspective here since I have that experience. If some guys out there want to throw in their own example, much appreciated.) At different times of my life, I may embrace one piece of that pie graph over another. It just happens that I want to be more country today, so I'll put on my Dixie Chicks and yeehaw! my way home. And other days I'll feel more emo, so I'll listen my Sensitive mix.

Ylbissop, wirian and myself were discussing a while back the differences between nerd, geek and dork. Why? We are just that way. We came to find out that each of us had our own views of what each label represented. There's a certain stigma we place on it. But the best part about it all was we weren't putting each other's views down. We were amazed that each other had a different perspective and welcomed the challenge of thinking differently about it.

This is the part that people miss. It doesn't matter how you view things, as long as you are willing to listen and possibly understand other opinions on what labels mean. You may find the other person's view hypocritical or even pig-headed, but as long as you just listen and not force your own opinion onto them, it'll be a good day.

I feel that everybody lives in their own little universe. We have our own little way of labelling and categorizing people and events. We shift things around based on what we have learned or experienced. Its a constant, moving, changing ball of atoms. Some may find themselves in a cluster of other universes while others are left alone. Then those who are alone may find other universes that are alone or even join one of those ready-made clusters. Its all just changing, shifting, one universe may leave a cluster for another, or just to be alone. Its the way things work. Makes life interesting sounding, right? (That's if it made sense at all.)

I guess I'm just trying to say that I'm me, and me is a lot of different things. You can label me how you want, but I'll still be me. Just don't judge me or try to change me because you feel that what you believe to be the way things should be is the way it is. As long as I don't mock or intentionally bother your little universe, then just leave me to my own. And maybe you'll understand that in a small way, you have a little bit of Cheebs inside of you.