Monday January 22, 2007

The "five things" meme continues to propagate through the blogosphere, and I've now been tagged by Eric. So, five things about me that many people don't know:

1. I was dismissed from Harvard in the Fall of my senior year for misusing University computer facilities. After a vote of the full Faculty, I returned two years later and finished my undergraduate degree. I believe I have the dubious distinction of being at least partially responsible for the subsequent appearance of rules related to proper use of IT resources in Harvard's Handbook for Students.
2. I was a high school mathlete and co-captain of our math team in my senior year. It was all very geeky and tons of fun. Our team was consistently one of the strongest in Massachusetts.
3. I've been to Burning Man twice.
4. I've been an ovo-lacto vegetarian since 1988. It started as a convenience while dating the woman who is now my wife. But over the years, I realized there's no need to eat animals. And even if I were inclined to eat animals, I'm so disgusted with how they're treated that I just couldn't do it.
5. I asked my wife what things people might not know about me and she came up with three immediately. No hesitation. Since they are all physical quirks, I've bundled them under one item: I can pick things up with my toes. I have a ridge along the top of my head like Ultraman. And I raise my eyebrows every time I eat or drink-- it's like my arm is wired to my eyebrow muscles.

Julia, Bob, Bill, Steve, and Joan -- consider yourselves tagged.

Comet McNaught is no longer visible from the Northern Hemisphere, but it is treating those south of the equator to a marvelous show. The photo below is a long exposure, take from Siding Spring Observatory, Australia. The photographer was Robert McNaught, the comet's discoverer. Additional photos are here.