Whatever.
Part of what kept me so busy last week was the fact that the Governor of this great state of Kentucky, Steve Beshaer was coming to visit UK and was going to take a tour through SCoBIRC (the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center) where I work. This meant that the lab had to get cleaned up, not an easy task since I hadn't had time to eat lunch all week, much less go around a clean. But we managed to get it all done, and I was even working (gasp!) when he came through so he could see that we actually do work in our lab. I didn't figure on getting to speak to him. After all, it was a quick 15min tour and I'm just a lowly peon in the science world; nobody worth noting.
However, I didn't count on my boss being the one giving the tour and he, of course, wanted to show off his lab, so I got introduced as they walked by. My boss also felt inclined to mention that I was from Glasgow, KY since I am the only native Kentuckian in the lab. When he asked me to confirm this, I figured that there was a much better chance that the Governor had heard of Fancy Farm (which is where my family is from), so I mentioned that as well. Needless to say, since it was a bunch of politicians, I got the expected response.
Now, if any of you don't know, Fancy Farm, KY is the home of the World's Largest One-Day Bar-b-que known as the Fancy Farm Picnic which takes place every August. It is really a fund raiser for the local catholic church, but what it is best known for is being probably the premier political gathering in the stated of Kentucky. It has, in fact been said that if you want to hold any political office in Kentucky, you had better campaign at Fancy Farm. So, it is not surprising that a group of men who hold political offices in Kentucky, knew exactly where Fancy Farm is what goes on there. (I wrote about Fancy Farm here.)
So, when I mentioned Fancy Farm, the Governor seemed all to eager to talk to me about it. Maybe it's because his eyes were staring to glaze over from all the science talk (I know mine do sometimes) and he was glad to finally understand something that was being said to him. Not to imply that Beshear isn't an intelligent man (I'm sure he is), but my boss has a tendency to forget sometimes that not everyone is as well versed in the sciences as he is and so he has trouble explaining things to your average non-science person. Anyway, Beshear made some joke about good bar-b-que to which I had to reply that my family has the bar-b-que things down quite well since they are the ones that cook it for the picnic every year. This prompted his reply that "Oh yes, I knew I had heard the name Carrico before. I've met lots of Carricos down in Fancy Farm."
So, the Governor of Kentucky knows my name. Well, my family name anyway. Which I have to think is pretty darn cool. And he has very very blue eyes. Very blue. And he is very short. But then so in my boss and so was Dr. Todd (UK's President) who was with them as well. So, who knows. Perhaps at some point in the future, I will get to meet the Governor again and he will remember me as that Carrico scientist with the family that bar-b-ques at Fancy Farm.
And just a quick update on the list, I got to check off #12 this weekend when Dad and I went over to Mammoth Cave and went for several hikes. It was a beautiful weekend and I really enjoyed getting to spend some time just me and Dad. That rarely happens any more.
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