Hi David, I love this post, thank you so much! Why? Because to me - as foreigner or non-native English speaking guy - I understand those terms 'nerd' and 'geek' much better. You describe something I miss in some people: to be passionate, enthusiastic, excited and also proficient/knowledgable at least with ONE passion and topic! In that context my parents were totally nerds: father told me many thing about nature, especially animals, which birdsong is associated with which bird and situation, butterflies and so many other things, my mother told me everything about medicinal herbs, mushrooms (also how to cultivate them) and so many other things. it was totally normal to me. Nowadays my "nerd"-interests are web, music (classical, Beatles, Sviatoslav Richter, my collection of his CDs is now about 300), still butterflies, nature in common, astrology (that's something I acquired myself via interest for astronomy) and some other things. So I don't want to indulge too much in self-adoration, but I have many passions, something which probably makes me interesting to one half population and the other half feels strange about it, as I think that's something "nerds" often experience, isn't it? No, I'm not segregated, but when it comes to my "nerd"-topics, I have often to be careful and have to restrain myself. Did you or ther other nerds here experience something similar? Is such thing inherent to beeing a "nerd"? I don't want to problematize it too much, but that's also a facet or sometimes even downside of beeing an nerd isn't it? And isn't that downside is also part of the very definition of a nerd or geek? Just some thoughts, hopefully to ignite some deeper talk about that. And last but not least: there is a state of nerd too. You can be so much into something that a magical point "flash point" is achieved, is that the center of the nerd?

Hi Wil, I'm very sorry for your loss, to loose a beloved pet is very painful. I experienced the same last September, when I lost my cockatiel. I know, just a bird, BUT he was 30, yes 30 years old!!!, as he died from old age in my hands, so I lived with him since my youth (I verified his age with ring number). I was completely knocked out for some time and crying was the best and most natural thing. Finally I bought a new young one, it really helped, not as a replacement, but it helped to accept that life goes on, a new cycle begins.

Correction to my post above: I've found that @mention functionality, so no changes by twitter there. Regards, Robert

I absolutely understand you Wil and I'm very sorry. I agree it's best to wait until Twitter hopefully resolves the problem. However, there is on odd thing: I registered to Twitter in July this year, so I'm a rather new user. I don't see any @mentions -tab, only @replies, followers, following, tweets, home, direct messages. Did Twitter already switched back at least for new users like me? Even I get spam bot-users at least once a day. I hope this is not also part of DOS-attacks-"strategy" behind it. All the best, Robert