Call NASA

So there are a ton of quizzes being circulated via Facebook these days. In about 13 clicks, you can find out which Disney princess you are (Aurora), which decade you should have grown up in (the 80s, go figure), which city you should live in (Rio? Really?) and which musical you should star in (Rent. Yes, ma'am).

But the one that puzzles me most is one that purports to assign your ideal career. I answered the questions honestly, and I got ...

Astronaut.

What. The. Fuck.

I've been called a space cadet, and I've been accused (on more than one occasion) of being from another planet, but I have never, ever considered anything science. Don't get me wrong, I loved the subject ... I was just never particularly gifted at it. But this quiz result has me thinking.

When you take the idea of space out of the equation (I know, I know, you really can't; bear with me) what you have left, essentially, is explorer. And that, I believe, is exactly what I am. Not in the traditional Magellan-esque sense, but in the "she does crazy things and brings others along for the ride" sense, yeah, that's what I am.

I've always believed I was a little bit Marion Ravenwood (and if you don't know who that is, I'm sad but Google). A little bit Pocahontas. And yeah, a little bit Sally Ride. A modern-day explorer, if you will. I'm an idea person, to be sure, but after the idea comes action, and I always want to be part of the action.

I think we have to tap into our own sense of wonder, and I think that's what the space program does. It causes us to look beyond, to wonder what's up there, and to learn about it. It's that spirit that took over when I registered for my first race, went on my first blind date, and walked into court back in the divorce days. I feel it whenever I ask myself to do something I've never done before, and it's the best feeling in the world.

Is it a career option? No, not really. It's more who I am than what I do, really. But for what it's worth, it really is who I am. Not the space part, but the real, day-to-day, earth-bound part. Because I have to have a "what's next?" and I hope I will always be exploring.

All that aside, I guess I do have a bit of space nerd in my soul. At least, if you consider this post, from August 2013.