Tau Zero's Journal: Impressions of a sillypixie

Sometimes people tell you what to say about them. Sometimes they tell you what not to say about them... not that you have to abide by it.

I've never been one to censor myself; it's easier to get forgiveness than permission.

Sillypixie said this in mail:

Tell 'em all i have ______-_ _____[1], I dare ya.... HA!

(no really, don't, that's the last bit of imagery I want in their minds, ewww)

I've always had a perverse sense of humor... but more below.

What can you say about someone after hanging out with them for a few hours and a couple beers? Quite a bit; first impressions can be memorable.

The first impression you get from meeting SillyPixie is... not the impression of a pixie, or someone silly. Neither is the second impression, or the third. The first impression is one of friendliness and openness. The next one that develops over time is of a relentless energy, vivacity, bOunCiNeSs.

But it's not an undirected energy, as her readers know well. She is as much of a doer in person as she is on-line; this is a woman with a mission, no make that two missions, no, make that twenty missions. Give her a hot tub to warm herself to softness and a large butter knife and she'd spread herself as thin as gold leaf trying to do all the things she sees as worthwhile. The inability to actually solve all the problems of her life, let alone the world, bugs her.

She really cares. There is no way you cannot admire that.

As you talk with her longer, you become certain that behind the energy and drive is a penetrating intelligence and deep competence. This is somebody who is not just good, she's DAMN good. She's extremely sure of herself, but not vain; in her field she's got few peers, and she's interested in just about everything else. Even the arcana of applied thermogodda... er, thermodynamics. If it affects her or could improve the world around her, she seems to have an interest in it. You know she'd try to soak up just about anything, if she could just spread herself a little thinner...

She wants to have everything. You wish you could give it to her. If I could clone a few dozen of her and hook them up as a Beowulf cluster[2], I think I could consider it my crowning contribution to humanity.

The last part of meeting SillyPixie is having to leave. It doesn't matter what delights you have ahead; parting is still sweet sorrow.

[1] This footnote is here just so that she can have a genuine "oh SHIT!" reaction when she comes across this JE (did I mention my perverse sense of humor?). I will say that she has the most enchanting eyes.

[2] Like you didn't know that was coming. This is Slashdot.

Wow

[sillypixie]

Phew, I've spent all day alternately blushing & shaking my head in amazement.

It is a little eerie that you could see so much of my soul in such a short time... people don't usually pick up on any of that stuff, you know.

A friend of mine asked me to describe who I was not long ago - and all I could do was to list a bunch of the things that I do, or that I represent. Your description helps me to see myself a lot better than that - thank you so much! Of course, the big question is whether or not to fi

But you still hide some things

[Tau Zero]

Despite my best attempts, I have little grasp of your taste in music nor your sense of paleontological humor.

Re:But you still hide some things

[sillypixie]

Well, I am a girl, you know. It is very important to preserve some sense of enigmatic mystery, doncha know...

Muwahahahahahhaa.....

Pixie

Ah-HA!

[Tau Zero]

So THAT'S why you don't answer your mail!

Re:Ah-HA!

[sillypixie]

That... and the fact that the company I'm onsite with right now blocks yahoo )-:

I'm checking it right now....

(hmm, have I called you a smart-alec lately? can't remember...)

teeheehee

It's all about appearances

[Tau Zero]

I'd rather have you call me a smart-alec than a whiner. What's less becoming than someone pleading "when will you read your mail?"