Pure genius

Who remembers Rockhound, Steve Buscemi’s character in Armageddon? In the film, he was a genius who graduated with a PhD. in his teens, published in prestigious journals in his early 20’s, and, in adult life. developed into a disturbed individual with peculiar, sometimes violent, tendencies.

Well, let me tell you – these people exist. For real.

One of the many things I enjoy about my work are the chance encounters I have with genius.

This morning…. I spoke with a guy (who will remain nameless to protect the guilty) who received his first PhD (in mathematics) at the age of 19, went on to attain 2 more PhD’s by his mid-20’s (in something really hard, like physics), taught for 5 years at a string of universities like Cornell, and worked for General Electric, before deciding to quit his job, take art classes at night and bike cross-country while trying to make a name for himself in political cartooning. WOAH!

He’s the exception, not the norm.

Libya pays dues

Libya formally accepts the blame, almost 15 years after Pan Am flight 103 was shot out of the sky over Lockerbie, Scotland.

Meanwhile, around the world, airline and airport security continue to top list of concerns.

Digging for answers in the past

I’ve often wondered what it would be like to traipse across the globe like a female Indiana Jones, mining for ancient trinkets and the buried treasure of everyday life long forgotten.

What did Heinrich Schliemann do when he realized he’d unearthed the walls of Troy? What a thrill it must have been to rediscover Pompeii.

Well archaeologists are at it again – digging deep to reveal the ancient city of Pozzuoli in Italy.

Meanwhile, in Rome, a group of 35 archaeologists are excavating to determine whether Caligula really was a megalomaniac or if his whims were widely exaggerated after his death.

The verdict = he was off his rocker.

“It’s like someone — a president or a king or you know, Bill Gates — turning St. Peter’s into their entrance hall,” Darius Arya, one of the directors of the excavation, said during a break from the dig in the Roman Forum in the heart of Italy’s capital.

I sometimes wonder what future archaeologists will think of us when they unearth our cities.

Internet and video stores push Penthouse publisher towards chapter 11

You know times are bad when porn loses money.

“Founder Bob Guccione narrowly missed losing his Penthouse Mansion, one of the largest private homes in Manhattan.”

Girls’ weekend in Savannah

I know what y’all are thinking… Savannah? In August? I’ve got to be nuts, right?

Well, that remains to be seen – but the flight is confirmed, the rooms are booked, and I will be joining my best friend in Savannah over the extended Labor Day Weekend. Woohooooooo!

We’ve been planning a weekend getaway for months – but for one reason or another, haven’t been able to confirm anything til now.

See, as T-Bone wisely pointed out in today’s cliche post, it took me a while to realize what I had until it was gone.

I’ve been extremely fortunate in my life. I’ve always had that one best friend. That elusive creature who didn’t compete with me for a man’s affection. Or grab the Jones of New York skirt marked down 80% out of my hands while I wasn’t looking. Or try to sabotage a presentation to look better in front of the boss.

The friend who, after hearing for the millionth time that he’ll never find anyone better than me, still pats my arm and nods – without rolling her eyes. You know – that one friend you never phone before dropping by. The one who would meet you out for wine or coffee at 10:00 p.m., just because. The partner-in-crime who had your back, pushing you towards datable candidates, while dragging you away from potential trainwrecks.

The one who tells you straight up when you’re being a b*tch.

Well, she moved away a year ago – leaving me with many well-intentioned friends, but no one who just “gets it.” It’s been quite an adjustment for me. I never realized how good I had it, until I didn’t have any local best girls left. Local is the key.

So even though August isn’t the most ideal time to lounge around in Savannah, I’m really looking forward to that southern hospitality Adam’s always writing about while meeting people on the River Walk, shopping, doing the cemetery ghost tour, and, of course, chatting late into the night over bottles of wine.

100 things

This morning, Buzz challenged his readers to include wishlists and the “100 things” list – to provide a little insight into who we are. Buddha already beat me to the punch with his list.

It was much harder coming up with things than I thought it was going to be……

100 things about me

1. Chocolate is my favorite food.

2. Seafood/shellfish are my next favorite.

3. I live to travel.

4. In another life, I worked at a flight school and spent my free time in the sky.

5. In yet another life, I was a photojournalist with my home in a sack.

6. My first camera was a plastic Yogi Bear instamatic with roll film.

7. I shoot with Contarex, Nikon, and TLRs now.

8. I have a Sanyo camera phone, but am resisting the urge to buy a digital camera. I love spending time in the darkroom processing film, working with chemicals, playing with different types of paper, and developing photos.

9. If I won a lottery, I would spend most of the cash on hi-tech gadgets.

10. My godmother bought me my first diary for my 7th birthday (it was candy pink with glitter).

11. I have filled over 25 blank books with the nonsense of my life.

12. I used to hate it when my mom would say I was just like my dad. Now I agree with her.

13. My family is scattered across 4 continents and an archipelago: North America, South America, Europe, Africa and the Azores.

14. In addition to English, I can speak Portuguese, a little French and kitchen Spanish, and studied Mandarin in college.

15. I can lead a walking tour of the National Mall from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol Building in 5 hours, counting a lunch stop and two bathroom breaks.

16. For 2 years, as a little girl, I co-starred in a weekend local cable show – a Portuguese version of Sesame Street.

17. I used to watch John F. Kennedy Jr. play soccer when he was a student at Brown U.

18. The ceiling above my bed is covered in constellations and the initials of lost loves.

19. My favorite constellations are Cassiopeia and Orion.

20. I miss looking up into a star-filled sky.

21. Some nights I sit on my roof and watch the planes line up for landing. This usually reminds me of when the sky was empty for 4 months when National Airport closed after the 9/11 attacks.

22. If I were invisible for a day, I’d go to the Natural History Museum and dance naked wearing the Hope Diamond.

23. If I could meet with a character from the past, I would dine with Leonardo da Vinci.

24. If I could wake up tomorrow with one talent, it would be the ability to draw/paint.

25. If I could change one thing about myself, I would give myself better than perfect vision.

26. My two favorite Impressionist painters are Edgar Degas and Vincent van Gogh.

27. My favorite color is cobalt blue.

28. The iris is my favorite flower.

29. I don’t like roses.

30. I don’t like to cook.

31. I’d rather feel too cold than too hot.

32. I love to kiss.

33. Most of the guys I date top 6’0, even though I’m 5’4. I like tall guys.

34. I fall in and out of love quickly.

35. I’ve only been out on two truly bad dates my whole life.

36. I enjoy surprising people with presents.

37. I have successfully thrown three elaborate surprise parties.

38. I was raised Roman Catholic, am familiar with most organized religions worldwide, believe in a higher power, but don’t practice anything regularly.

39. I love basketball (although I prefer NCAA to NBA).

40. I was impossible to be near when Michael Jordan moved to DC.

41. I bumped into him three times.

42. I used to throw things when I’d get mad. I don’t do that anymore.

43. Now I just yell.

44. I used to wear Wonder Woman underoos and tie up the neighborhood kids with my magic lasso.

45. Aside from being born, I’ve never been hospitalized. (no broken bones, no stitches, no aches, no pains, no surgery, etc. etc. etc.)

46. I have never had a cavity or any dental work (aside from cleanings and getting wisdom teeth pulled).

47. I love music and have an eclectic collection of CD’s.

48. I enjoy all types of dancing… club, salsa, ballroom, swing, jazz, ballet, etc. It takes me a while to learn choreography, but once I have the steps down, I’ll never forget the dance.

49. I’ve seen U2 perform live over a dozen times.

50. I’ve seen the Beastie Boys perform live 7 times.

51. I’ve seen the Rolling Stones perform live 6 times.

52. I’ve seen Billy Joel perform live 6 times.

53. I’ve seen Phish perform live 6 times.

54. Nelly Furtado is my cousin’s cousin, but not related to me.

55. When I was 6, I told my parents I wanted to play piano. They bought me an accordion. I still long to learn the piano.

56. I was first chair flute and auditioned for state band my freshman year of high school.

57. My sophomore year I quit the band and joined the drama club.

58. In 1989, I performed in London.

59. The titles and positions that are no big deal to me, are the ones that impress other people most.

60. I force myself to work out. I’m not athletically inclined. Given the choice, I’d lounge by the pool instead of swim in it.

61. I joined the track team as a freshman to chase after the cute, older guys in school.

62. By senior year, I was on the team to tone up for beach season.

63. I love the ocean and spent the first 18 years of my life at the beach.

64. I’ve gained an appreciation for the mountains, but given the choice of mountains or beach, would live on the beach.

65. I grew up in a small town, but have morphed into a city girl.

66. I would like to have a log home in the country someday. After I buy my beach house.

67. I have no pets.

68. I love big dogs: German Shepherds, Akitas, Rottweilers, Anatolians, Siberian Huskies.

69. When I was 9, I was bit by a Doberman Pincher while delivering Girl Scout cookies. I ran home and my mom thought I had been hit by a car (the blood covered uniform mixed with my hysteria led her to that assumption). That was the end of Girl Scouts for me. I was terrified of dogs until I went away to college.

70. I’m not afraid of any animals now. Well… maybe a lion or tiger or bear…. Not afraid of domesticated animals now.

71. I despise shopping malls.

72. I make most of my purchases at boutiques and online.

73. I am cursed with a long memory.

74. This is much harder than I thought. I often underestimate how difficult a task can be – but won’t stop til I’m finished.

75. I am a sprinter, not built for any exercise requiring endurance. My best running event was the 400 (440) and with the exceptions of photography and writing, most of my hobbies and interests are short-lived.

76. I know a lot about many different things because I’ll take an interest in something, live-breath-sleep it for a few months, and then move on to something new and different.

77. Some examples of my discarded interests: the seven wonders of the ancient world; the ten laws of architecture; alternative construction methods to stick-built; Egyptian hieroglyphs; military history and strategies (the art of war); painting techniques used during the Renaissance period; swing dancing (Lindy Hop); playing pool; Italian; ship building; code-breaking; basics of aerodynamics; water colors; Australian wines; and yoga.

78. My new interest is chess.

79. I can be overbearing with all of my opinions.

80. I have an opinion about almost everything and usually have a good reason for it.

81. I welcome the opportunity for debate and listen with an open mind. But I’ll be the first to admit that it takes a lot to sway my position.

82. I enjoy playing devil’s advocate.

83. I am one of the most selfish people I know, but hope someday to change that.

84. Sometimes I’ll say something vicious and wish I felt worse for it, but don’t.

85. Other times I’ll lose sleep over something stupid I did or said and hate myself for weeks.

86. I used to love my car and drove really fast all the time. Now I walk, take the metro or cab it.

87. Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Citizen Kane are two of my favorite movies.

88. Most of my favorites come in pairs.

89. I get really pissed when people assume things about me.

90. I’m afraid of spiders (completely irrational).

91. I like lightening storms.

92. I’m not afraid of the dark.

93. I like feeling on top of the world – love pressing my forehead against the glass of observation decks and looking down.

94. Tallest observation decks I’ve been on – Stratosphere in Vegas; Space Needle in Seattle; Eiffel Tower in Paris; Washington Monument in DC; Empire State Building in NYC; John Hancock Building in Boston; Sears Tower in Chicago; peak of Lagoa do Fogo in Sao Miguel, Azores.

95. The roller coaster wrapped around the Stratosphere in Vegas is boring. Its claim to fame is location – high up – but it does little else.

96. My childhood was bereft of Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, the tooth fairy, Mr. Sandman. etc.

97. On the other hand, my little brother believed in Santa until he was nine.

98. Bookshelves line most of the walls of my apartment. I love to read – fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, biographies, experimental fiction, etc.

99. When I can’t sleep, I start counting, silently, to myself (I never think of sheep though).

100. I’ve always been better with words than numbers.

Calgon, Take Me Away!

Murphy’s Laws are alive and well. It’s one of those days – somehow someone managed to complicate the simplest of tasks (it is almost inconceivable to me and had I not seen it, I would not have believed it) and everyone on the planet is interrupting me with calls.

This was supposed to be my slow day. S-L-O-W.

Instead I’m blogging and getting ready to tear my hair out (at least I have my priorities in order).

Is anyone else having one of those days?

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On a side note, Haloscan has been acting up and not been very reliable. So I’m following S’s example and doubling up on the comments. Sorry for any confusion.

Family matters

My first cousin’s wife just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Two people – with entirely too much time on their hands – started arguing over the nuances between “once removed cousins” and “second – third- fourth – etc. cousins”.

Would that make this bundle of joy my first cousin once removed? My second cousin? Or something else entirely?

And what does that make my dad’s first cousin’s daughter to me? I always thought she was my second cousin.

Does anyone know?