Have you been somewhere so quiet you could hear your spine and neck muscles move as you turn your neck?

Chopper: "The French like to eat a lot of very fresh food, it's a concept that people here in America don't really have."

Me: "Maybe that's one reason the French typically live longer than Americans."

Chopper: "That's one reason, the other is out of spite."

For some, me included, gifts are mainly a symbol. For others, the substance/object matters more. Can people really say that they value these two aspects of gifts equally? Surely people lean to one side more than the other.

Why would someone who is applying for a job at a respectable financial services company note on their resume that they partook in cannibalism while traveling through Papua New Guinea? If word of that got out and went through the company, no one may want to be near them.

The idea of cannibalism is revolting to me. I'm trying to understand why.

A line I heard sung from the Christmas Carol "Silent Night" -

Holy infant so tender and wild

Why is it that something I found stupid 5 years ago (SNL's Celebrity Jeopardy) cracks me up today? Is it because I've become less sophisticated in my tastes? Or is it because I've become more Americanized and can now appreciate the humor?

It's not because I've recently met someone that has actually been sworn at by Sean Connery. This person unwittingly nearly hit Sean Connery with a golf ball at St. Andrews (Scotland).

A prediction/hope for 2006 - The requirement of authenticity for celebrity success.

In the past one only became famous for their job, achievement or birthright. But for quite a while now many celebrities have earned their status simply by exposure, name recognition and ability to draw attention. Anyone with considerable media attention becomes a celebrity. Some personalities are deeper than others and people will start to care more about this in 2006.

I get this a lot:

"You studied psychology? Do you always analyze people you meet?"

I don't. What's the point? Treating people like academic exercises makes the interaction less human. Besides, you can't accurately determine much about someone without asking personal questions and with observing their behavior on only one occasion.

"Carry a pen, if anyone tries to mug you stab them in the eye."

I tend to always carry a pen. But I think this is rather extreme.

"Happiness is a warm gun" is a song by the Beatles. On the surface, it's a disturbing line. Are they talking about the joy of killing? On a deeper level, with the gun as a metaphor, the line can be quite profound. The instrument or object that leads to happiness is double-edged, for it also carries the potential for loss and suffering. Our joys can also burn us (if we overindulge, for instance).

I'm not sure what they intend the song lyrics to mean. It seems quite random to me.

Movies are often made about animals that are powerful and awe-inspiring. Examples are LION KING, SHARK'S TALE, SEABISCUIT (a horse), FREE WILLY (killer whale), BLACK BEAUTY (horse). There are also a lot of movies about animals that are cute/lovable - BABE (pig), BEETHOVEN (dog), BENJI (dog), etc.

But are there any that star other kinds of animals? How about one with a goat or an antelope? It's interesting how certain animals are more likely to carry storylines for us than others.

I ate an orange that I pulled out of a roast chicken's behind. It tasted good. It was warm, citrusy and slightly bitter.

"How the hell are you so chill about this??"

I'm a pretty calm, centered person.

Why do people like to bare their teeth (aka smile) when they're being photographed? A lot of the time it's contrived: people aren't usually engaged in a conversation or activity just before the photo in which they were smiling. Does their smile show that they are happy?

What I also think is contrived is the "attitude" or "tough-guy" pose. You know what I'm talking about. This, typically, is where the person is frowning a little, with their head leaning back, sometimes to the side, and their eyes not as wide-open as they normally are. What is this really about? Do people have to show they are oppressed and troubled by something? Is it a positive thing that they look intimidating? Are they unhappy? Why do they act so uptight?

If I don't like artificial smiles and tough-guy poses, what do I like? What connects with me? Naturalism. I think people can look a lot more refined, thoughtful, glamorous and majestic in a photograph if they aren't grinning. If it's done right, I find that a lot more attractive. But most people who smile in pictures do it because they (and others) think it makes them look better.

I hardly ever show teeth. My smile is like the Mona Lisa's. Although, when I was a kid I used to grin and make silly faces. I was often told that I "spoiled the photo" - that, too, partially explains my current aversion to showing teeth.

When questioning someone, try not to "stack" them - i.e. ask multiple questions at the same time. The person you're talking to may not answer all of them and you may miss valuable information.

When asserting, don't include a parenthetical statement in the middle of any sentence. The focus on what you say either side of the parenthetical statement will be less and thus the power of what you're trying to assert diminishes.