Living with a not-so-geeky paramour

Some, like myself, have been very lucky to fall in love with someone just as nerdy as they are. Chris and I met when we were 14. We played a game of Super Smash Brothers on my brand spanking new Nintendo 64, and it was love at first button mashing! For others, their spouses eyes may glaze over at the mention of "hitting 450 in Jewel crafting in WoW" or "This is a d20, and this is d10, a d12, a d4..." etc. So what can one do when it comes to letting your inner geek show around your lover? You can't expect them to pull up a chair and roll a priest overnight, but here are some tips to easing your partner in, and possibly turning them to the dark side.

Start simple! Movies are a great way to get someone interested in the nerdier side of things, without beating them over the head with it. Beginner level would be along the lines of, Ghostbusters, Avatar, Spiderman 1 or 2, the original Star Wars triliogy (yes, some really haven't seen it yet) In short, give them something that has a great sci-fi/fantasy story that is neatly contained in a 2 hour block. If they show some extreme interest in a movie, you know what direction of "nerd" to move in! Be wary of long drawn out stories like Lord of the Rings It's just a bad idea for newbies, and we're getting into intermediate levels there.

Board games! Simple thing to avoid when choosing a board game: lots of rules. If it takes you 1 hour to explain the rules to your spouse, it's not worth it. They're going to be bored before you ever get to the second paragraph of the 47 page novel. Invite some friends over. Not a bunch, just 1 or 2, and be sure you invite one of HER/HIS friends over. It's good if they have someone to relate to if they don't understand something. Stay away from long winded games like RISK. One thing that I have learned, is that everyone likes zombies on some level or another. I personally recommend Last Night on Earth It has a "short" version of the game for learning the basic rules, and more extended campaigns when you really want a strategic challenge.

When it comes to video gaming, it is often difficult to play with a "newb" and keep your patience in check. Nintendo has gotten a lot of things right recently with the Wii and family gaming. The key is to START SLOW! Don't expect your girl to heal a raid! Check out games like Ghostbusters Wii (great segway if she liked the Ghostbusters movies, eh?) Super Mario Brother's Wii or, dare I say it, the new Just Dance. This will show them that not all video games are super complex, and you can have a hell of a lot of fun with Wii sports!

Of course, you spouse could totally reject all of these activities, and you're left in a geekless relationship. However, all is not lost! This is when you set up "game night" Scheduled time when you can go off and raid, game, or roll a die with your nerdy friends. It's very important that you remember to GIVE back a night so your partner can go out and do her thing too. Keep at it though, there is a geek of some sort in ALL of us!