I am a nerd. A geek. A fanboy. I know where to get a lightsaber. I’ve watched all four versions of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” My desk has a Jawa on it. But I’m not ashamed any more, because this is the Golden Age of the Nerd. Because of mainstream brands like “Harry Potter,” “Avatar” and the upcoming “Tron: Legacy,” the nerds are inheriting the earth.

The terms NERD and GEEK are actually cool now. GEEK culture has become POP culture. To be a GEEK is a status symbol now — a stylish archetype that the super-hip put on like a pair of horn-rimmed glasses or vintage high tops. Even hot actresses like to hang out at Comic Con and brag about how “nerdy” they are. Yeah, Jessica Alba. You’re a total nerd. I think in high school, you and I would have been friends. Oh wait, did I say high school? I meant “in my teenage dream world.”

When I was younger, the word NERD really meant something. Something horrible.

See, the REAL nerds can still remember the sting of laughter behind their backs. The smirks on the faces. The moment that one of your buddies discovers your “Greatest American Hero” Trapper Keeper notebook or your “Labyrinth” soundtrack cassette.

But for some reason, I wouldn’t give up the Nerd Life. At the risk of being a social outcast, I continued to stock up on action figures – which are NOT DOLLS, ladies, no matter what argument you use! I still wore my Star Wars T-shirts, the kind with the rubber transfer that makes your chest all sweaty. Because that stuff is my escape pod. It’s the candy-coated shell that makes all of the dull stuff bearable. Especially in high school.

Sci-Fi nerds are so strong, we’ve got our own channel. Although I think the SYFY Channel doesn’t really cater to the upper-crust of the fan base. Aside from “Battlestar Galactica,” most of the original programming on SYFY is geared toward the dumbest of basement-dwellers. Have you seen the SYFY ORIGINAL MOVIES? Man, that is some B-Movie monster poop. Most of them are great examples of how to make a movie with the least possible effort.

SYFY movies always have a one-word title: MINOTAUR. CYCLOPS. YETI. INFESTATION. SUPERGATOR! Oh yeah. “Supergator.” See, if a title isn’t SCIENCE FICTIONY enough, you can always take TWO words and jam them together to make one crazy NEW word. That creates great titles like EARTHSTORM. ICE-SPIDERS. MEGASNAKE. MAN-SQUITO! I’m telling you people, these are REAL titles. You can look them up! There is a movie on there called MEGAFAULT! You know who’s “megafault” that is, Syfy? Yours.

Go ahead and laugh. Laugh at the nerds. But chances are, you’re a super nerd yourself. Just about something else.

I like to say that EVERYONE is a nerd. It just depends on WHAT your poison is. Could be sports. Could be Def Leppard. It could be those home shows on HGTV. Doesn’t matter. Once you know you’re a nerd for something, you can embrace your nerdiness. You can find fan clubs, chat rooms, or kindred spirits out there who love the stuff you love.

And why are some obsessions more legitimate than others? Sports fans love to make fun of guys who stand in line for six hours to see “Return of the Jedi.” But they’ll decorate their cars, wear the foam fingers, paint their bodies, and put aside weeks and weeks of their lives for their favorite team. It’s the SAME THING, guys. Just different uniforms.

“Yeah, but the game I’m watching is in REAL LIFE.” Is it? Because the fighting stops when the whistle blows, and the whole thing is brought to you by Doritos.

It’s okay! Hey, name your firstborn child Payton Manning. Put up a Justin Timberlake poster at work. Start a scrapbooking club. I don’t care. Be the NERD you want to be! Because whatever your THING is, whatever you obsess over, once you feel comfortable waving your freak flag, it allows others to wave their flags too.

So yes, I like to wear goggles for no reason. I own an X-Wing crash helmet. I can tell the difference between a Dalek and a Cyberman. And I’m proud of it! Nerds of the world, put your hands up! Now for pete’s sake, go outside and get some exercise and sunshine.