Monday, February 06, 2006
Hidden Among Us
I heard this on the radio today and sent it to Bryan (see "Rockin' Monster" below):
The Artistry in Hidden Talents by Mel Rusnov (listen to it--it's only a couple minutes long)
It made me think of all the people who work seemingly technical jobs, and how we may disproportionately base our perception of others on only what we see at work or at school. But who are these people during the rest of their lives?
Then I thought of the people I go to school with now, the people I've worked with, and all the talent, creativity, passion and humanity that may lurk beneath the surface.
I've known bands made up of chemical engineers and microbiologists, a dentist who plays classical piano, a math professor who reads Greek and Russian literature (
in Greek and Russian), a health food store clerk with a PhD in Chinese history, and an administrative assitant who sings arias and Motown, and it makes me curious about my classmates and professors.
Many of my classmates learned early on that I like to write goofy songs since I ususally share odes to cadavers and professors at the annual variety show, but I didn't know until last year that my friend and classmate Catherine played the piano. And I knew Molly plays guitar and sings, but I din't get to hear her sing until last year's show, and still haven't heard her play.
Last semester I found out who the two students with music degrees are, because they both happen to be my surgery partners, and they both happen to play the most difficult instrument in the orchestra--the French horn (waht are the odds?).
I didn't even know that (another) Catherine was a painter until last semester--when I saw her work, I was shocked that such a seemingly quiet person had such a passionate interpretive eye. One of her paintings looked very Impressionistic, and she explained that she used pointy Q-Tips (apparently the kind used for eye make-up) to achieve the effect.
Aside from artistic talents, this made me just wonder in general about all the interesting things people hide about themselves, or what they don't hide that we just don't bother to see.
Kurt raises enough chickens each year that he and his wife never buy chicken or eggs at the store.
Johanna loves reading Cervantes (she even named her dog Sancho) and The Economist.
For fun, Rebecca reads Anne Rice novels and classical plays
in Latin.
Dr. Graves takes weekly tango lessons (yes, with a female dance partner) and Susan sometimes sees him out at the Regent's Salsa dancing night.
Susan and Steph are ballerinas and choreographers.
Dave plays bass and even has an upright bass taller than me.
Dr. Smith loves Harleys and is planning to celebrate his retirement with a road trio with his wife.
Katie is an EMT--in fact, she met her husband over a dead body.
Tamara is a physics T.A.
Allison is a chef. (cook for me, woman!)
What else? Who else? If any of my three readers out there knows something else about a classmate of ours, speak up!
