Neither confirmable nor disconfirmable

Think about this, dear readers: If I were a fortune teller on the side, there would be no way for anyone to know.

Perfect Storm of Human Excellence

It's a collision of Olympics and Del Close and Your Fearless Leader is wildly overwhelmed by these things in which she is already unhealthily interested.  Among all the fanfare, I am  currently most obsessed with Becky Kim, and you should be, too.

But think about it!  Improv is thrilling because it's among the most raw and truthful human behavior one can observe.  As for synchro, as Steven Strogatz, another person with whom everyone ought to be obsessed, puts it: "in its most refined form, persistent synchronization can be spectacular" (SYNC, p. 2).  Thus, in one weekend we celebrate two intensely impressive feats of people in groups.

Thus, the intersection of one of the biggest weeks in synchronized swimming and one of the biggest weeks in Improv calls for something special.  Something REALLY special.  And that is ... the one and only Truly Reminiscent moment that will ever appear on this blog (we operate in a spirit of presentism over here, friends.  For more on that subject, read this book.  Incidentally, it was written by my undergraduate dance teacher's mother.  It's also set in China, so there's some Olympic Spirit for you).

On to the Truly Reminiscent:

Once in a synchronized swimming workshop at Michigan a prominent coach came and for an exercise had us do 15 minutes of Improvised Synchronized Swimming.  She played music and told us to do whatever "moved us". We all scattered around the pool and did random things until she turned off the music.  Most of us felt ridiculous, but trusted that she knew what she was doing.  I remember spending a lot of time underwater (they can't see you there).  Finally it ended.  She looked at us blankly, paused, then started talking about something else.  No one ever mentioned it again.

This means worlds shouldn't collide.  That's why Olympics and DCM are stressful.  That's also why I'm intensely grateful the Zebra F-301 Enthusiasts' Summer Spectacular was mercifully scheduled for the week after next.

Always!

Apparently people aren't terribly into serenity and happiness.

I think I am less impressed by the iPhone the more impressive it gets. Insert appropriate chart of decreasing returns, exacerbated by irrational intolerance for everyone having the same thing.

That said, I still can't decide how I feel about gmail. I'll talk it over with my therapist tonight.

Before I go, some new experiences:
1. Riding a camel
2. Getting scolded by a Moroccan woman for riding a vespa on a sidewalk and losing my shoe
3. Riding a vespa on a sidewalk and losing my shoe
4. Having a snake around my neck
5. Having a snake in my eye
6. Buying a cappuccino instead of a latte at Oren's by Columbia. (It was delicious. Taking risks pays off, friends!)