August 5, 2005
-
FRIDAY FIVE
Appetizer
Name 3 people whom you admire for their intelligence.
This is a fascinating topic. I started thinking about famous (probably dead) intelligent people and then I thought wait a minute who do I actually know, and then I thought what does intelligence mean to me. My dad was an early collaborator at Stanford with the designers of the Stanford-Binet IQ test so I know there’s that measure. But just to take a few xangan examples (IMO): (1) Intelligence is eclectic curiosity for all the variations of life exemplified by the deservedly popular Leonidas. (2) Intelligence is the ability to go get answers for all the problems that arise in life and probably having more of them just because it comes with the territory, and this is exemplified by my daughter, turtle_dove who is one of the smartest people I know and who always looks for solutions. (3) Intelligence is focus and passion and creativity, all wrapped up in a nutshell in our most consistent Real Writer, thenarrator, who pulls no punches and lets himself feel and share both hurt and joy.
Soup
What’s the last food you tried that you really didn’t care for.
Actually, I finally tried sushi for the first time in my life that I can recall and maybe it was just a crappy example of it in the hospital cafeteria but I’m sorry I just don’t love the taste of raw fish and cold sticky white rice. I think I can live the rest of my life without trying this delicacy again.
Salad
If you could rename the street that you live on, what would you want it to be called?
I like the name of my street – Nehalem. It’s a Salish Indian word meaning “place where people live.” How simple is that.
Main Course
When was the last time you were genuinely surprised?
When Brad Pitt and what’s her name broke up. Just kidding. Okay when Brad Pitt and what’s her name got together after he broke up with what’s her name. Truth is, not much surprises me any more.
Dessert
Share a household tip.
Sprinkle household cleaning products (like Ajax and/or something sticky) on ant trails. Hopefully when no ants are present but you’ve seen them there recently.
(See origin of graphic here).
Deep Thought:: “One afternoon, when I was about ten, I decided to walk over to the “wrong side of the tracks.” At first I was a little scared. But then I noticed that the yards were nice, and so were the houses. In fact, most of the houses were better than those on our side of the tracks. A lot better.”
Today I am grateful for: Great Spirits
Guess the Movie: “In the world I see – you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You’ll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You’ll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Tower. And when you look down, you’ll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying strips of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway.” Answer: Fight Club, 1999.
Winner: thenarrator.
Hiroshima Spirits, Nagasaki Voices:
Learning from the First Ground Zeroes
by Walter W. Enloe and David B. Willis
“The flash of light. The flash of light was like nothing I had ever seen before. Or since.” – Survivor of Hiroshima, July 2005
August 6 and August 9 are the 60th anniversaries of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the first and so far only nuclear catastrophes ever visited upon humankind. As with other anniversaries it is now time for reflection, in the cases of Hiroshima and Nagasaki especially so, as these two bombings and their aftermath, though with enormously devastating possible consequences for the entire world, seem to be fading from our collective memory, will, and consciousness. (Rest of article here.)
End of Day: 8:45 pm
+ = Finished watching The Story of the Weeping Camel – so fine.
- = Another sleepless night approaches in the 80+ degrees wee hours.
Comments (14)
Oooohhh…I don’t know what movie the quote came from this time (I’ve guessed some of the past ones but too late before someone else got credit!) but it looks like one I’d like to see!!!
And I agree about Brad Pitt…I mean, what pop culture thinks is sooooo important…Brad Pitt and who?!!! WHO CARES!!!
~Laura
For question #1, on Xanga its thenarrator hands down. I’m always amazed at his ability to come up with all the facts and write them in such a way that its understandable. I love to read his responses to political debates. bd47 (when he’s on Xanga) has great political commentary.
2 Salmon – I know its good for you but I hate it.
3 My street name is a number, how boring is that. My favorite street name is Rocky River Road really wouldn’t apply here and I’m still too sleepy to come up with anything better.
4 Nothing.
5 Get a maid.
Gosh, thank you mom, not for the smart thing, for the solution thing. Makes me cry a bit.
The deep thought was cute. I like the answers to your meme.
Wow. Thank you. I feel really honored.
Fight Club
1. You know, I had this strange experience this week. A high school friend I haven’t seen since 1983 called from I-80 in Iowa and said he’d be passing south of me and we should have dinner. So we met in a great (if mysterious) restaurant in Michigan City, Indiana, and talked and talked and he’s still the smartest guy in the room, whatever room, even though he’s had almost zero formal education beyond our Alternative High School, and I was reminded again that intelligence is something amazing to behold. I know far more than three, though. There are so many people. I’m totally attracted to people smarter than me (which is a lot of people, really)…
2. Jeez, I like all kinds of food. But freshwater fish usually disappoint me.
3. My street is a development name, and I hate it. I’ve always wanted to live on something like “Old Post Road.”
4. Surprise? Hmmm. The last big one wasn’t pleasant at all, and I don’t want to talk about it.
5. Always punch a nail hole through that rim of the paint can, so the paint drains back in.
Very good – Fight Club is right!
Good answers.
Well, it’s pretty close to Friday, so maybe I can guess the movie before somebody else does. I read only the first part of your blog and I’m composing my answer to the “three people I admire for their intelligence” question before reading further, and before reading other comments.
I figured, it makes little sense to mention people *I* know but *you* don’t. Well, I suppose I could justify my answers anyway, but still — to restrict the universe to publicly known people, my first three thoughts were Curtis Strange, Steve Allen, and Tim Russert.
Curtis Strange is a 55-ish or 60-ish-aged golfer who plays occasionally on the Senior Tour and who is either a golf analyst on one of the networks or was such, until recently. I used to root for him to win because he always had intelligent things to say, when interviewed. That’s how I decide whom to root for: people whose interviews I enjoy! Sue me.
Steve Allen, I’m sure you remember. He had wit, and a social conscience, and he was one of the last great Renaissance men.
Tim Russert, you probably also know. He hosts NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday mornings. I haven’t been able to see that show, or his other interview programs on CNBC, in quite a while, due to a change in living style that eliminates almost all TV watching. However, I’m sure it’s still true that Tim Russert asks the most intelligent questions of any interviewer alive or dead. His brilliance lies in the fact that he can be interviewing someone he thoroughly disagrees with and/or despises, and still keep that person’s confidence, by framing his questions thusly:
“Some would say that you’re an asshole. How would you respond to that?”
I’ve exaggerated, but you get the idea.
Hmm. This comment is already long enough. I’ll read the rest now, and offer further comment later.
hey, random comment. i was just browsing xangas and thought i would say hey. i hope to hear from u soon. later
jessica
RYC – I once had a Tupperware party and I hate those parties (although I do love Tupperware) because the Tupperware lady looked so much like my mom. Yesterday I was at the grocery store and I had to do a double take because I saw an old guy that looked just like my dad. I guess I should feel pretty fortunate that I have parents who were good enough to be missed.
Your site is always so interesting, eclectic in all the right ways. I have no idea why I haven’t been here more often, but after you commented, I came right in to subscribe. Now I won’t miss out any longer.
Thanks
Haha you get the prize for cracking me up! Lake Michigan! Although we’re closer to the beaches in Chicago they are more crowded, so we make the trip to Michigan City, Indiana. Not too far and we get away from the crowds!
It is a well known fact in the bug world that ants have OCD and hapazardly sprinkling Ajax or other powdery substances in their designated areas pisses them off.
not surprised much myself but I would be by such high regard thank you. Neat street you are living on that alone is worthy of further study…