Helen Fisher at the Goog

Works and Process at the Guggenheim on Sunday night focused on Emotion and Motion. More specifically, on sex, how it gets expressed, and the extent to which ballet can capture it. We love these events at the Guggenheim, not least because of the wine, sandwiches, cookies, and nuts they lavish on us afterwards. But, once again, as much as I loved the lecture by the incomparable Helen Fisher, one of America's leading biological anthropologists, and the three short ballets put on by the Paris Ballet Theater, I couldn't quite make out the connection between the two. Oh, but who cares, really? Fisher was fascinating, particularly when she told us about her latest research regarding the four sexual temperaments - Explorer, Builder, Director, and Negotiator - and revealed that the Northeast is just loaded with Negotiators and the South, on the other hand, simply riddled with Builders. If you want to know more about what she means by these temperaments and even take a little test to determine your own predominating tendencies, go to the following link: http://www.chemistry.com/whyhimwhyher/. Also, the short ballet segments that they featured were beautifully done.

For the record, it turns out that at this point in my life I am an EXPLORER/negotiator, with the Explorer personality type predominating. My primary, Explorer traits are that I am:
* Novelty seeking
* Impulsive and spontaneous
* Curious
* Creative
* Flexible
* Open-minded
* Energetic
My secondary, Negotiator traits are that I am:
* Seeing the big picture
* Imaginative
* Intuitive
* Verbal
* Empathetic
* Trusting
* Introspective

What neither of these sets of traits refer to are my lack of discipline, tendency to daydream, inability to stay focused on a consistent exercise program, difficulty putting ideas into action, and adoration of cheese, any kind of cheese.