I got cornered by Carin Bondar in Vancouver, and the conclusion of her interview is that I’m the nerdiest non-believer of them all. First teddy bear, now nerd — someday I want an interview to end with the idea that I’m fierce, heroic, and manly.

Not going to happen, I know.

Oh, and I got the dreaded dinner guest question, and I picked Lenin (architect of the Russian Revolution), Darwin (you know him), and Charles XII of Sweden (probably the most impulsive and ferocious leader ever), because they’re all interesting fellows, and the battle at the dinner table would be epic. Charles XII would win, of course. If I just wanted a quiet dinner conversation, it would have been Darwin, Peter Kropotkin, and Aldo Leopold, but my 3 initial picks were designed for maximal chaos.

No, wait…there would be more chaos if I substituted Richard Goldschmidt for Darwin. Need to revise my dinner list now.

Skatje is revealing all of the family secrets! I’m going to have to track her down in far-off Madison and superglue her fingers together…right after I track down all the disgusting boys who are calling her “hot” and thump ’em up a bit.

I was interviewed by Connie Barlow and Michael Dowd for their Inspiring Naturalism podcast. Dowd is the fellow who wrote Thank God for Evolution!, which I reviewed a while back. It was a slightly askew interview, but that made it fun.

I’m still trying to recover. I gave two talks on Friday, one in Abbotsford and the other at Vancouver CFI, which wasn’t hard — it was just fun. And then they took us out for a night on the town, and we shut down two bars, and we only got back to our hotel at almost 4am. This was some kind of record for stamina. I also had the TrophyWife™ with me for a change, and now she’s got the impression that these kinds of late night shenanigans are routine on my out-of-town jaunts.

There’s one preliminary account of the event so far; everything was taped and will probably end up on youtube someday. More photos can be found via Fred Bremmer.

I am pleased to report that the godless heathens of Seattle, including the likes of Ophelia Benson (who, I learned, was once bitten by a gorilla, and thereby acquired the superpowers of strength, ferocity, and calm) and Dana Hunter, know how to close out a bar. Once again, a horde of cheerful chatty atheists had to be shooed out at closing time.

Too many to list showed up, but several of the previously less voluble have agreed to comment more. Here is their chance: introduce yourselves!

One of the giant panels I was on at Convergence is now a podcast at the Secular Buddhist. It’s got me, Bug Girl, Jennifer Ouellette, Lyra Lynx, Maria Walters, Jen Mana, Ted Meissner, Debbie Goddard, Carrie Iwan, and Dave Walbridge, and I’m already worn out just listing them. It was also very well attended: SF conventions are hotbeds of godlessness.

Today it’s family day with a mob of Myerses hanging about and bickering opinonatedly at a picnic. You aren’t invited unless you can show evidence of a recent family relationship; showing evidence that all primates are related is nice, but won’t get you in the door.

Tuesday at 6ish I’ll be at the Pike Brewing Company waiting upon Ophelia Benson. Come on out! Buy us beer! I’m also thinking I might head up there a little early to visit the Seattle Aquarium, since it’s right there in the neighborhood.

Friday at noon I’ll be at Room B101, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford BC. This is a free talk, although the group there would gladly accept donations. I don’t seem to have a topic for this talk, though…but I do hear that Abbotsford is B.C.’s epicenter of fundamentalism, so I’ll probably say inflammatory things about creationism. Whee!

Friday at 7pm I’ll be at UBC Westbrook Room 100, 6174 University Boulevard, Vancouver BC to talk about the role of atheism in science. Hmmm. Both of these are inflammatory topics…will British Columbia erupt in riots? Show up and see. Oh, and this talk is not free: $10. There’s also a fancy pants reception afterwards that will cost $50.

Saturday at 5:00pm on I’ll be attending…my 35th high school reunion with a gang of strange people I haven’t seen in decades. You aren’t invited unless you were also a graduate of Kent-Meridian High School, Class of 1975.

All times not specified will be spent hunkered over a keyboard. Go away, don’t bother me.

Yes. Yes, I must.

Phil is bragging about his Bacon number of 3. Well, well, well. My Bacon number is…

2.

Everyone, please do the courteous, polite thing and overlook the fact that my connection is via the odious Ben Stein.

I’m on Godless Business with a gang of Australians.