Tour de Nerdfighting

Excitement. Then trepidation.

These were my first two emotions when I discovered that John and Hank Green were coming to Third Place Books on their Tour de Nerdfighting. The excitement was perfectly natural. I had been watching the Vlogbrothers' videos for about a year. Read several of John's novels. As a nerdfighter, of course I would be thrilled to meet the two men who brought about the nerdfighter community.

But I was also anxious. I respected John and Hank for their world views, their attitudes toward education, their desire to decrease world suck, their creativity, humor, and many other qualities. My admiration was created via the internet and John's novels... how would the short in-person meeting affect my opinion? Would I like them more, or less?

Turns out that John and Hank had the same worries. While waiting in a lengthy line of nerdfighters and reading through the tour pamphet, I was comforted and pleased by the brothers' answer to the same question I had been asking:

The line at Third Place

"We are also worried, believe me! We also worry about saying the wrong thing to you or that you won't like us or that the weird and exceedingly brief in-person interaction we have with you will make you like us less, or that we will seem tired or uninterested or inadequately grateful for sharing your awesome with us. The whole thing is just weird and awkward, because we can't possibly explain to you how much your support and generosity has meant to us and you can't possibly explain to us any usefulness or assistance you've found in the things we make. It is a very weird situation, but don't worry!"

Embrace the awkward, as my roommate says. And while perhaps a little weird and completely nerdy (we're nerds... it's how we live), the evening was absolutely lovely. 

Hank Sock opened. John read from The Fault in Our Stars... read one of my favorite bits actually:

"Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book. And then there are books which you can't tell people about, books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal" (Green 33).

After the reading, John talked about TFiOS and heroism and choosing your thoughts and cancer. His talk was very meaningful for me. So much so that I am struggling to find the words to accurately describe what it meant to me. I am glad he said what he did. And that I was there to listen.

Meeting and signing

Then Hank performed a few songs (Harry Potter, Doctor Who and Benedict Cumberbatch, all in one song... a fangirl's dream). There was a Q&A time (I'm sorry you got shocked John!). We were all Hankroll'd. More songs. I'm going to have "500 Miles" stuck in my head for weeks.

The signing line was relatively painless and absolutely worth the 30 seconds of interaction with John and Hank. Because I am socially awkward, I stuck to the standard "Thank you" and "I had a lovely time." It felt like enough: being able to express my thanks personally.

One of my life goals is to talk to people. There are seven billion people on this planet and I want to have a personal interaction with as many as I can. Perhaps it's silly but I love the moment when I make eye contact with a stranger and exchange smiles. Or even hellos. Making people real, instead of faces or internet personas. Contact.

The Tour de Nerdfighting made contact possible. Between an author and his readers. Between the Vlogbrothers and their viewers. Between nerdfighters. And it was brilliant.

Thank you John and Hank Green. Thank you nerdfighters.

Stalking the van after getting our books signed