If you enjoy sci-fi, fantasy, gaming, comics, aliens, robots, dragons, mummies, vampires, sultry accents, boob armor, MMORPGs, action figures, reading, science, cosplay, Dr. Who, PBS, word games, math, puzzles, outer space, Xena: Warrior Princess, magic, velvet bags of dice, Lolcats, video arcades, ghosts, tricorders, anime, zombies, Wookiees, ninjas, or Internet memes — OR you are unabashedly enthusiastic about any particular thing in life to the point that your passion sets you apart from regular muggles  —  you are probably a geek.

If you enjoy sharing your passions — whatever they may be — with other geeks in a welcoming, inclusive, intelligent, funny, thoughtful, and above all, friendly environment (either online or IRL), and you have come to this site, you are probably a GWCer.

GWC’s official mascot is the humble, fuzzy Alpaca, which embodies the noble spirit of acceptance and camaraderie in an often-hostile online world. As geeks, most of us know what it is like to get strange looks or to face ridicule because our interests span far beyond the common. We love to imagine what might be, and the GWC community has intuitively shaped itself into a place where we can wonder, dream, philosophize, and make dick and boob jokes. Most importantly: We come to share with each other our enthusiasm for the things we love.

GWC Forum

With over 12,000 threads and 380,000 individual posts, the GWC Forum is a world of its own, filled with discussion and analyses of films, TV, comics, games, and literature (including a monthly book club); geek hobby discussions ranging from fitness to photography, tattoos to paintball, costume design to puppetry, and HAM radio operating to scrapbooking; special areas dedicated to writers and gamers; discussions of favorite series such as Star Trek, Star Wars, Dr. Who, Harry Potter, the Whedonverse, Stargate, and Battlestar Galactica; a “Hive Mind” area to tap into the witty, brainy, and sometimes guttery mindforce of the GWC collective — and much more. Overwhelmed or don’t know where to begin? Don’t worry — there’s a place for you here to share and meet friendly geeks just like you! No matter when or where you start, you are always welcome to join in any conversation. Of course, we recommend starting with the New Members thread.

Frak Parties

Frak parties are the nickname for the get-togethers where GWCers from all over meet online to watch and discuss a particular film, TV show, or other video. Everyone watches in his or her own format and location, simultaneous with the other frak partiers. They can then join a designated forum thread to share real-time online commentary which can range from thought-provoking discussion to quick-witted MST3K-style jibes (especially during classic or B- movies). For more information, check out our Frak Parties page.

Meetups

GWCers often meet through the forum or connect through the podcast, but many of us go on to meet in person — occasions which, for first-timers, are pleasantly surprising with their warmth and exuberance. It’s normal to be a little hesitant to meet an online friend for the first time in person. But our experience has consistently been this: GWCers are fun, honest people who are as remarkably kind and intelligent in real life as they are in virtual space.

Since 2007, GWC communities have attended meetups in cities including San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, Milwaukee, and Dallas, where the GWC crue is stationed, and where we gather each spring for the International Community Meetup. Want to meet other friendly geeks or the person behind those hilarious Tweets? Want to put a face with a voice from the podcast? Attend a meetup — or plan your own — by checking out the Meetups page.

Facebook/Twitter/Google+

Geeks often love online media, and GWCers love socializing with other geeks — so what could be more natural than GWCers connecting via online social networks? The GWC crue isn’t always first to adopt each new medium (just as we often look to the community for recommendations on what to watch and listen to in geek culture), but GWCers can be found on all the major social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. Each medium brings a different method of sharing information, whether it’s a quick note to celebrate a good workout or share a joke, or a more in-depth commentary on the latest technological development or sci-fi movie. Many community members use the letters GWC in their user names; you can also find GWCers by searching for us in others’ circles or friends lists. On Twitter the crue is: @GWCChuck, @gwcaudra, and @RevGWCSean. You can choose one, or dive into all three and participate as much as you want/have time for/can without getting fired.

Flickr

The GWC Flickr pool contains a number of photo albums to which GWCers contribute — many are pictures from GWC meetups and other events, but you’ll also find personal photos of GWCers’ experiences in their hometowns, artistic photos from the photographically-inclined, GWCers capturing their celebrity meetings, pictures from geeky conventions and events from around the world, and more. Join the Flickr pool to contribute snapshots of your world view, or just peruse some of the community’s favorite moments, by heading to GWC’s Flickr pool.