> First off, let me say that there's no way I gonna be able to control myself, so I'll get this out of the way first: "Fame! I want to live forever... I want to learn how fly!"

Heh. If you hadn't said it, I would've.

> Seriously, I suppose I agree in principle with your post. I say "in principle" because I've never actually had any fame (yet). Privacy has always been very important to me.

Same for my wife and me -- neither of us has ever achieved any degree of fame, and neither of us wants to. Especially Jacqueline; she worries excessively about the fact that an increase in general recognition means that more weirdos and dangerous people recognize you, too.

> I can't imagine what it would be like to be beseiged by papparatzi, but it must be awful to have your every move so closely monitored.

That's another thing J and I have occasionally discussed: if we ever run into a celebrity, we'll try to suppress the impulse to gawk and wave and demand an autograph. I'd maybe give a quick acknowledging smile and then go on with my business and leave the celeb alone.

Now, having said that, last night we were given the opportunity to test that resolve. We were eating with Jacqueline's parents at a Chinese restaurant when she spotted a very handsome Middle-Eastern-looking man at a table nearby, and thought she recognized him as a local news reporter. The entire rest of the time we were there, Jacqueline kept glancing over at the guy and musing aloud over whether it was or wasn't the reporter she'd seen on TV. The dinner conversation revolved around this guy, and when we left the restaurant and saw a Channel 17 News vehicle in the parking lot, she seemed nearly giddy over the prospect of having dined in such close proximity to a television personality. I tell you all of this not to make a point, but merely to embarrass my wife. ;-)

> Still, I must say that I was similar as a child. Only for me, I fantasized as I read the Encyclopedia Britanica. I always wanted to be known for what I thought and did: a scientist, a great statesman, an author, a composer.

If I felt as though I had any extraordinary talent, I might have the same aspirations. But it's far more characteristic of me to feel afraid that folks will discover that I'm a lot less gifted than they thought I was. Thus, I often try to deflect compliments and downplay the things that I can do sort of well but which aren't really talents (such as sketching). If I had to choose between being admired or simply liked, I'd probably choose the latter because it's easier to maintain that position.

Anyway, since I haven't yet greeted you, Zeitgeist, I'll do so now. I'm enjoying your posts. Also, you have a pretty cool online handle.

To Ellmyruh: I have no idea to what you're referring when you talk about gaining a certain measure of fame. To me (and others around here), whatever you've become famous for would be an incidental point of interest about the person we like just because she's Ellie. Izzat alright? :-)

Iss "Ellie, the red-haired Rinky, you'll go down in his-tor-eeeeee" achar