Who is the maven&meddler anyway?
I’ve always had trouble focusing.
My bucket list is far too long. My hobbies are too many. My interests are too varied.
After a lot of self examination, I discovered that the essential threads were those of a maven and a meddler.
Maven: Malcolm Gladwell used it (‘mavens’) in his book The Tipping Point (Little Brown, 2000) to describe those who are intense gatherers of information and impressions, and so are often the first to pick up on new or nascent trends.
I know a lot about a lot of stuff …from the intense focus on my former high visibility volunteer position in the Civil Air Patrol, anything to do with food/eating/dining/cooking and how it all relates to culture, and the creative spirit. I can help you score an incredible deal on a new refrigerator, whip up a restaurant quality meal on the fly, tell you the right way to adjust your car mirrors and then recommend a color palette for the exterior of your house with advice about getting a good paint job and why you might want to consider swapping your god fantasies for a more rational worldview - while discussing the latest political dish.
I’m a data bank on two short legs.
Lt Col Cynthia S Ryan, the ‘face’ of the search for Steve Fossett, Public Information Officer and minor historical footnote in her own right.
Meddler: One who is meddlesome in the pursuit of satisfying an unquenchable curiosity.
Meddling is one of my hobbies. Always has been. I started writing letters to the President at age nine. Way back when, I joined the American Indian Movement (AIM) and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in the same year. Later, as a Humanist and skeptic I am compelled to meddle when confronted by the irrational. As a survivor of Stage III breast cancer, I’ve meddled in changing the way breast cancer diagnosis and care are delivered in my home town. I’m an incurable letter to the editor writer. On this blog site I hope to change the perception of being a meddler from the purely pejorative and give it the sense that I have, that of caring enough to get involved.
New Years Eve, 2008, with my husband, Ron
You should also know that my husband is an incurable meddler, too.
So here is a blog, that hopefully, will satisfy the whole which is greater than the sum of the parts.
Enjoy. Be feisty. Add to the knowledge. Ask questions. Contribute.
Most of all, don’t just sit there.
Cheers.
Cynthia Ryan
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Favorite Movies:
‘Pirate Radio’, ‘Casablanca’, ‘Oh, Brother, Where Art thou?’, anything George Clooney, anything with Peter Sellers or Peter O’Toole, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, anything Hitchcock, anything Star Trek, anything by John Huston, and pretty much anything documentary.
Favorite Television:
‘Boston Legal’, ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, any ‘Star Trek’ except Deep Space Nine, ‘Carnival’, ‘Northern Exposure’, ‘Archie Bunker’, ‘Andy Griffith’, ‘Seinfeld’, ‘Frasier’.
Favorite Music:
Old Timey, French pop from the 1950-1960-s, real Western/Cowboy, Motown, Classic Rock 1950’s-1970’s, some techno-pop, movie scores from western classics, ‘lounge’, R&B, American pop 1920’s-1960’s, Swing, Big Band.
Favorite Fragrances:
‘Joy’ (Parfum or Eau de Parfum) by Jean Patou, ‘Jicky’ (Eau de Parfum) by Guerlain, ‘Fracas’ and ‘Bandit’ by Robert Piguet (either in Eau de Parfum)
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FINE PRINT: You should already know the following, but let’s not assume anything.
I love free expression. I loved George Carlin. I’m still praying to Joe Peschi to bring him back.
But if you think this is the place to just use obscenity for the thrill of it ( those of you who aren’t too mature), or inform us of your perverted bigoted neo-conservative nonsense … well take it somewhere else, alright? Go preach to your own choir.
I can guarantee you that I will come down like a ton of bricks on intolerance, predjudice, bigotry and just sheer hateful meaness. If you can’t make your arguement in an otherwise thoughtful, rational manner then go elsewhere.
Those are much in the way of rules, so please… be challenging in your ideas but keep it civil.