I flew the Dali Lama a couple of times and he is one of the great men (along with my dad, Dr. King, Mandela, Jesus) I admire most. Actually, not boring at all in person. But I attended one of his speaches in San Fran and it was a real snoozer. A very little about me ... after flying navy jets off ships around the world I taught high school science and math in Oakland. That was a real hoot. Never a dull momment in the classroom. Now I just push the buttons that sets the auto pilot on, occasionally yank and bank, soar beyond the surly bonded skies, to fly folks around in their fancy private jets while making sure there is no ice on the wings, both engines are running and no one falls asleep. This allows me plenty of time at home and about with my four year old son. I enjoy things that take me out of my comfort zone.

Life is a little funny in a way that changes what you really admire in people and desire in yourself. I want to be with people who submerge in the task, who go into the fields to harvest and work in a row and pass the bags along, who are not parlor generals and field deserters but move in a common rhythm when the food must come in or the fire be put out. Of course, I really want to be with someone I can have a lot of fun with, connect spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and physically. I find it helps to not sweat the small stuff. So lick a finger, feel the now.

I will tell you one luxurious thing we could do. We're in our underwear at my small castle in the middle of the Rambouillet forest, 45 minutes outside of Paris. We walk 80 meters and open the big door of the barn outback. We climb into my bi-plane, start the engine and make a trip with the sunset - perhaps we fly to Mont-Saint-Michel for oysters. We can go in our underwear because it's very fancy.