Mood: content....(thats a first)...
watching: Azu Manga Daioh

any of you ever hear of Dante's The Inferno....a tale of his adventure through the varing levels of hell and description of their trappings?....oddly enough I have devised a similar level...thingy...for nerd like perposes..

the first level, The video game player (purgatory): these folks are pretty normal their nerdocity doesnt have too much of a taint....their able to blend in well with the society around them and still function well said society as well....some of them might actually go on to make video games themselves

the second level, the rpg fan (limbo): a step up from the video game addict, the rpg fan likes to hide in a dark corner of his or her room and play nothing but rpgs.  The hermit video gamer.  Be it MMORPGs or regular ol RPGs this person devotes the majority of their time playing these games to have the best damn stats the game can allow.  The chance of still functioning well in society is havled from the chance of a video game player cause a RPG players might tend RP something at the most impromtu moments...

the third level, the anime fan (gluttonous...has nothing to do with the otaku but thats the third level of hell):  The odd creature known as the anime fan is one who watches the animation that comes from the land of the rising sun.  These people tend to look normal on the outside or just look downright nerdy.  Also they might also tend to be on the brink of broke-ness, probably after buying that boxed set for some series, for the average fan may pay out the ass for something if he or she REALLY wants it, even if it hurts them finacially.  They tend to congregate into groups in their towns sharing their anime collections and go to conventions to converse with others of their kind, spending their money on models, statues, etc.  They have A MINUTE chance of succeeding in society cause of their addictions....   note: those who fall to this level and think they can draw well tend torture those who CAN draw with poorly imitated pieces of ....stuff....

after this level their is now turning back, you are a nerd through and through

the fourth level, the Star Wars fan (prodigal and avaricious): The people are in a class all their own....a devout cult to that which is star wars....forever at odds with the Trekkies.  With their toy lightsabers (or maybe parksabers...if they could afford one) they fight to defend the honor of George Lucas's films.  They too go to conventions robing themselves in elaborate costumes fashioned after those from the movie...sorta creepy people to the outsider.

the fifth level, the LOTR and thereafter fan (wrathful and gloomy):  The level of nerness is the general level for the average fanstasy nerd....again wannabe artists can and do reside under this category as well.  Those who eat, drink, sleep fantasy really tend to ward of the "normal" half of society with their oddly nerd like addictions....though these nerds do tend to make a decent video game or movie once in a while....look at gauntlet legends...that game HAD to be made by nerd for nerds.

the sixth level, The trekkie (the city of Dis): if you fall to this level you should seek help.....like me.  The trekkie is the Star Trek Addict...the devout cult of nerds constantly at odds with star war fans at sci fi conventions.  The ones who die first in these scuffles are the ones wearing the red shirts....The trekkie is also prone to spout of lines from the series and movies, like "he's dead jim" or "live long and prosper" OR yelling "khan" at the top of their lungs for no aparent reason.  They might also attempt to do a vulcan nerve pinch on somebody and fail horribly...and get mugged thereafter.  This is where your taint o nerd should be visible to others..

the seventh level, the serious TCG player ( the violent): These nerds like to congregate with each other and battle it out with trading cards games...usually Magic the Gathering....but it varies.  These people are diehard nerds who are more than willing to drop 80 bucks or more when a new set comes out, buying enough cards to hopefully make a complete set, and pawning off the extra copies to make back the money they wasted buying the cards in the first place.  The can spend hours on end building and tweaking their decks so they can go down to their caves (aka comic book stores) and slap each other around.  Also some of these folks might try to make it in the tournament scene as well....attempting a nerd style fame and fortune.  

The eight level, the D&D person (the Malebolge): You might think this should be higher up in the levels but trust me....if you actually take the time to make up a character and roleplay it out physically with a group of friends with a twenty sided die you should be slapped with the nerd stick....Most of the older gen nerds are the D&D class cause it the thing back in the day.  Go get yo dungeon master.  

The ninth level, the Tabletop gamer (Cocytus): the pinnacle of nerdness.....those who shell out money for warhammer minatures reside on this level.  Your some kind of nerd if you buy even a single minature, and take the to assemble and paint it.  You have no hope of any social standings whatsoever cause your nerd taint wards off even the trekkies.  But it doesnt save you from being stuffed into a locker....

disclaimer: these are my comical opinions on how nerdy one can be...each nerd has their own thoughts and opinions on this sort of thing, trust me....heck I am a trekkie/anime/star wars nut....that plays Magic the Gathering....I'm the one who gets mugged by the gang of klingons AND the horde of boba fetts and the group darth mauls...while being held down  by vulcans and stormtroopers...

I hope you get at least a chuckle out of this...even if it is at its stupidity