Congratulations to Nerd Nite, the excellent night out at Teatro Zuccone.

Talks about rock tumbling, Star Wars prop replicas, and astronomy marked the evening as what it could be, at its best: a showcase for the passions of individuals. [If the talk on Fan Fiction fell short, it only fell short because the speaker was talking about someone else’s passions, not her own.] I had no idea the energy and the technique involved in rock tumbling. I had no idea the complexity of recreating (replicating) the props used in the first Star Wars movies. And, well, a bedroom designed so that the Big Dipper can be viewed in 3 dimensions from various other stars in the Galaxy, well, wow.

I enjoyed myself, I met a new person, and I felt the passions of others. What more could I ask for $5 admission and $3 for a bottle of Minnesota-brewed soda pop?

Thanks to the organizers, to the Zuccone for hosting, and to the presenters for a great night out.