We sure do live in a fantastic era. The world has changed in ways I would never have predicted, and I have changed as well.
The things I never predicted
Some of the events I would never had predicted when I was a child include:
a. The fall of the Berlin wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union
b. A black man becoming president and a woman becoming Secretary of State.
c. PCs becoming so common that it’s hard to imagine life without one.
d. The collapse of the World Trade Center.
e. That I would buy a watch with more computing power (by several orders of magnitude) than in a room-sized computer when I was in college
f. That I would see a city (New Orleans) destroyed by a hurricane and the government completely drop the ball on helping them
The future that never arrived
On the other hand, I had some expectations that didn’t happen:
a. I expected the United States to establish a permanent lunar colony long ago
b. I expected us to send a manned mission to Mars by now
c. I expected someone to build a permanent underwater city
d. I expected nuclear power to become the main power source of the world
Twists, goals, and dreams
My life has had some unexpected twists as well. What I didn’t expect was:
a. Being a widower
b. Becoming a professional bellydance photographer
c. Becoming a complete nut about renaissance faire and bellydance
d. Becoming a serious computer geek
And, of course, I had some goals that didn’t happen:
a. I expected to be a professional, well published author by now
b. My goal when I was in elementary school was to be a professional geologist. I have not pursued that field at all.
c. I wanted to have a huge collection of rocks and gems
d. I expected to be a scientist
But I’ve made some new goals:
a. I would like to find a nice lady and settle down with her
b. To achieve the highest spiritual growth possible in my religion
c. To climb to the top of Mt San Gorgonio
d. To visit and photograph every Renaissance-type Faire in the US
e. To produce a truly huge, extremely professional bellydance event
f. To finish the four novels I am working on, get them published and actually have them sell well
g. To produce a large Renaissance faire
And I have a few places I’d like to travel:
a. I’d live to visit Iwo Jima, Tarawa, Hawaii, Turkey, Egypt, Switzerland, Rome, Iceland, Tonga and Antartica.
b. All of the national parks in the United States
And a few things I’d like to do:
a. To dance
b. To use the rapier (sword fighting)
c. To drum
d. Poser and Bryce (3D graphics programs), and PSP
There are still some people I’d like to meet, well, to really sit down with and have a real conversation:
a. Milla Jovovich
b. Rachel Brice, Mardi Love, Sashi, Ariellah, Zoe Jakes and all of the other big bellydance names)
c. Catherine Zeta Jones
d. William Shatner
e. Lucy Lawless
f. The president of the United States (whoever he or she is)
If I suddenly found myself with five million dollars after taxes, here’s what I’d do:
a. I’d gather up the very best bellydancers and produce a top-notch show
b. I’d create the perfect renaissance faire
c. I’d meet all my religious goals
d. I’d give half of it to charity
e. Help some of my friends meet their goals
f. Put on a truly good masquerade ball
And if I made some real money, say a hundred million dollars, I’d probably:
a. Buy a castle
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