44; renaissance men

There have been a number of persons in history who could be described as renaissance men or women. Jefferson, Da Vinci, Franklin, Leibniz, Buckaroo Banzai.

Banzai is a rock n' roll neurosurgeon astrophysicist, whose popularity has lead him to become a comic book hero. He also has traveled into the 8th dimension.

Not quite as impressive as Banzai but perhaps of greater realistic concern is Dr. Brian May, former rock musician with Queen whose thesis 'Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud' was accepted earlier this week, pending a few minor revisions. Apparently Dr. May intended to become an astronomer before joining Queen 36 years ago. He wants to continue his research now since he was keen to study "some pretty spectacular stuff".

Yes, the night sky is filled with some pretty spectacular stuff.

(Quick Query: Does everyone else have the same problem typing that they write 'brain' instead of 'brian'? Dr. Brain does sound pretty cool, though, even though they'd have to be a lame villain in Saturday Morning Cartoonland. Many cartoon villains seem to have some obsession with brains, large brains, talking brains, angry evil word-domination-aspiring brains. But what does this mean? Do we, as humans, have some hard-wired fear of our own brains? The brains of others? And why do babies feel comfort being rocked to sleep? These are just some of the thoughts that keep me up at night. That and all the spectacular stuff in the sky.)

In other news: I'm headed up to Maine through Monday. I'm excited to be going and staying in Acadia, which I hear tell is a very beautiful park, one of the most so in this country. Also I've never been to Maine, so I can check it off the list. Do other people have these lists? I mean, it seems fairly common for people to want to all 50 states, right? Or they have a list of countries they need to go to before they die. Sights they must see. As they say: Places to go, people to see, doctorates to receive. Little did you know these postings are a segue into journalism is a segue into publishing is a segue into politics is a segue into Supreme Ruler Of The Earth and Protector of Venus (TM). Perhaps I'll throw some teaching in there as well.

Off to pack for points North.