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Sunday, October 19, 2008

Science Dweeb

"My theory of evolution is that Darwin was adopted." ~ Steven Wright

Yep. You're looking at one. Science dweeb.
But this one had very nice eyeshadow on today. It was her first visit to the brand spankin' new California Academy of Sciences, practically in her backyard, in Golden Gate Park. She thought this outing was definitely worth dressing up for.

She's been loving this place since she was like six or seven years old, and especially was a big big admirer of the two-headed snake (it's dead now, sadly). And then the building was damaged in the 1989 earthquake, and the city slooooooowly designed and built a new one.

And now it's finally open, beautiful and perfect and crawling with lots of other science dweebs of every age.


You really don't know about the whole dinosaur fetish, but she's had it since she was about three years old and her mom used to take her in her little stroller to the Smithsonian.


Seeing a giant T-Rex looming overhead gives her such a thrill, still.

There's a very large and important exhibit on climate change, global warming and the rapid extinction of plant and animal species.

It's incredibly moving, impressive and depressing. And a must-see for anyone who wants to keep living on this planet, and not under a rock.

Downstairs in the Steinhart Aquarium, she found some friends who wanted to say "Howdy!" to you guys.

Like the...

Pacific spiny limpsucker

We don't know who this is but he lives with the limpsuckers.


The albino alligator

Waxy monkey tree frogs


Sea anemones and starfish.

OMG! Seahorses!

A tiny male homo sapiens reading an important book.

***

The science dweeb did not get to go to the planetarium or the rain forest aviary today.
The lines were a little too long and she was already too overcome by it all to continue.

So she had to retire to her fainting couch to recover.

Ah. Soon, soon.

26 comments:

christina October 19, 2008 at 4:43 PM  

You should hear me over here. Oohh, ahh. The alligator looks cold, though I am sure he wasn't, right?
: )

Tess Kincaid October 19, 2008 at 5:20 PM  

Wonderful pix. And your eyes are entirely too big and just too amazingly blue.

tangobaby October 19, 2008 at 8:02 PM  

Hi christina,

I assure you, the alligator was not cold. But he probably wanted a snack.

heh heh

Hi willow,

Thank you! ;-)

Anonymous October 19, 2008 at 8:41 PM  

that tiny lipsucker looks like errol flynn don't you?.... you have the best adventures right in your own backyard!
XO

you gorgeous woman you!

tangobaby October 19, 2008 at 8:43 PM  

Ha ha, robin bird! You're following me around emma tree!

You're so funny!

xoxo

Anonymous October 19, 2008 at 11:41 PM  

Seahorses are so strangely fascinating. The albino alligator is beautiful, although I have a fear of alligators, crocodiles and sharks, I cannot help but find them beautiful and fascinating. (My fear of sharks came from watching Jaws at a very young age and I've had regular occuring sharks nightmares for the past 25 yrs as a result LOL)

A Cuban In London October 20, 2008 at 2:37 AM  

Nothing beats a good science museum. My children love the one in London.

Greetings from London.

paris parfait October 20, 2008 at 5:37 AM  

Fantastic photos! The one of you shows you in all your gorgeousness. xoxox

Red Shoes October 20, 2008 at 7:23 AM  

Dinosaurs are the BEST. I've thought so since I was a wee thing and wanted to be a paleontologist when I grew up.

Let's go for a cocktail at the Moss Room, with its gorgeous living wall...but do we go to the planetarium before or after? :)

A Cuban In London October 20, 2008 at 7:35 AM  

Hi, TB, thanks for passing by my blog. I just needed to let you know that it's a 'he' :-). Nitin is one of the foremost experimental musicians in the UK today and I am a devoted follower. He just released his seventh (or eighth?) studio album and according to the reviews, he has pulled it off again.

Greetings from London.

Dutchbaby October 20, 2008 at 7:54 AM  

Tangobaby, I think you can choose just the right shade of lipstick for the spiny-looking fish who shares a tank with Errol Flynn.

I am headed there this Friday with my book club; it will kick off our Fall Adventure. Thanks for the sneek peek.

My Castle in Spain October 20, 2008 at 10:22 AM  

oh...i never saw albino alligator...he looked a little bit sad, poor little one ! too lonely may be ?

so...tomorrow..are you heading to the rain forest aviary ?
:-)

Relyn Lawson October 20, 2008 at 11:16 AM  

That science dweeb is without a doubt one of the most gorgeous women I know. Life just isn't fair.

All those pictures are wonderful, but I am especially swooning over the self=portrait and the t-rex photos.

I just love your science dweebish tendencies. My husband is a science dweeb, too. Although I never thought to call him that until you dubbed yourself one.

Can't wait to see your photos when you get to the planetarium (Can you take photos there?) and the aviary. Happy Monday.

Wayfaring Wanderer October 20, 2008 at 12:03 PM  

Albino alligators are freaky......I've seen one in person before.....I couldn't stop staring at it!




*came over from bird tweets.

diana murphy October 20, 2008 at 2:50 PM  

A splendid day, Mr. Peabody. Please tell me that the spellbinding Foucault pendulum is still there. When I was a kid, my nascent superstition was advanced by that thing. I considered it a touch of good luck to witness a peg (or two) getting knocked down during a visit.

Clearly, you have perfected the art of eye makeup application. Glory be.

Unknown October 20, 2008 at 5:36 PM  

oh, sounds like a lovely day my dear dear most stylist science dweeb!

and speaking of dweebs, i am a font dweeb as i absolutely love that climate poster!

i've been wanting to get there since it opened, thanks for the little virtual tour. i am now most eagerly anticipating a trip!~

tangobaby October 20, 2008 at 10:25 PM  

Hi carol,

You poor thing. I guess swimming in the ocean is not an option for you.

I confess I don't have much of a fear of alligators and things with teeth, but that is because I am at a comfortable distance, as it should be! This fellow didn't move a muscle the whole time I watched him.

And he had RED eyes! Crazy.

Hi a cuban in london,

I bet your museum is wonderful, too. I'm glad your kids have one to explore.

And I realized that Nitin was a man right after I left that comment for you...I looked him up.

I know a lot more about dinosaurs than world music. Perhaps you can help educate me on the latter!

;-)

Hi paris parfait,

It was much easier getting a good shot of the little fishies than of me. They are definitely more photogenic and don't require any special tricks to make them look good.

Hi red shoes,

I wanted to be a paleontologist TOO, like until I was about 15!! You just blow me away.

Let's definitely have a date for drinks there. Just tell me when. I have a membership card now...

Hi dutchbaby,

Have a wonderful time up here with your pals. Do try to get there early as it's still so very crowded, although hopefully on a weekday it won't be as bad.

I can't wait to hear about your visit.

Hi lala,

The alligator was quite large (perhaps the distance made him look small) and he certainly had that rock all to himself. There was another alligator in the tank but I get the impression that they are not too cuddly.

I will try to go back to the rainforest aviary soon. They also had a whole part about Madagascar and baobab trees and lemurs so of course I thought of you!

Hi wayfaring wanderer,

Thank you for making your way over here via robin! ;-)

Yes, the albino alligator is quite memerizing. There used to be a baby one at the SF Zoo for a time and he had bright blue eyes and looked exactly like he was made out of white chocolate. This one looks a little less friendly, but still very interesting.

Hi relyn,

You are so sweet, but here is my secret to successful self-portraits: 1. crop out the parts of your face you don't like, and 2. overexpose your photo so you can't see any lines or wrinkles!

See, it's easy!

I don't think I can take photos inside the planetarium but I'll try to describe it for you as best I can. That was the part I wanted to see most of all, so next time I will get tickets in advance. If I can take a photo for you, I will for sure.

Hi d i a n a m u s e,

OMG! Next to the two-headed snake, the pendulum was my next favorite thing (oh, besides the dinosaurs). So yes, you'll be happy to know that it's still there and still knocking down pegs.

It was my memories of that pendulum that later inspired me to struggle through Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum, so see, you are not alone!

And yes, I have to admit that I have a talent for the eyeshadow when I put my mind to it. But I was lucky, I learned from the best in the business.

Hi octavine,

I am sure you are one of the cutest font dweebs going. I am definitely a font appreciator but I don't know enough to be a dweeb.

Promise me, promise me that if you end up coming out here, you will be my guest at the museum. I have a membership now and can take you for free. That would be so special!

;-)

julochka October 20, 2008 at 11:56 PM  

i adore the limpsucker.

if only for his name.

and his cute little face.

thank you for sharing!!

tangobaby October 21, 2008 at 10:29 AM  

Hi julochka,

Actually my most favoritest name of a fish is the sarcastic fringehead.

I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP.

They have them at the Monterey Bay Aquarium:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcastic_fringehead

Sometimes I feel like a sarcastic fringehead.

Elizabeth Brinton October 21, 2008 at 12:49 PM  

TB, You have to be the most beautiful science dweeb ever.
Kind of makes up for the really disturbing white alligator. Yikes.
SO
E

P October 21, 2008 at 3:08 PM  

Hi Pretty!

Nancy Ewart October 21, 2008 at 3:48 PM  

If you are a dweeb, you are the most beautiful one that I know. Plus the photos are a knock out. I haven't had the stamina to brave the long lines at the new museum but I will! I will. But first, I get to see a preview of the new Afghanistan show at the Asian -plus have written up two new shows that I saw this week. SO - let's sound a cheer for both the Science Dweeb (very pretty) and the Art Deweeb (very productive).

tangobaby October 21, 2008 at 10:00 PM  

Hi Elizabeth,

I might be the only science dweeb you know! And I'm glad I look better than the alligator!

LOL. I'm playing with you. If you were here, I'd give you a big hug right now for the lovely compliment. Thank you!

Hi p,

Can I call you Pupusa P now? (Please say yes.)

Again, I'll credit this photo to the judicious use of overexposure and strategic cropping.

xo

Hi namastenancy,

I think we make a mighty good dweeb pair, what say you?

AND I am crazy excited about that Afghanistan exhibit! Just looking at the beautiful banners all over town is making me crazy. If you go first you have to tell me all about it!

ikkinlala October 22, 2008 at 9:03 PM  

I'm envious!

Amanda October 24, 2008 at 7:07 PM  

I'm in love with the albino alligator!

Mari March 19, 2009 at 7:24 AM  

Oh, the Waxy monkey tree frogs are soooo amazing! I also love the seahorses. Last summer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, an employee told me they would be swapping out the big jellyfish exhibit for a seahorse exhibit. I can't wait to see them!
Oh, and that picture of you, my you are gorgeous. Wow.