Things about which (I am embarrassed to say) I know nothing

I like to think of myself as a generalist, or someone who knows a little bit about a lot of things. But I know there are gaps in my interest and experience. Some topics are just so uninteresting to me that I have ignored them completely. For example:

Algebra
I decided long ago that I was never going to need it. However, I was an excellent student of plane geometry.

Jazz
I like music I can hum along with. The improvisational nature of modern jazz confuses me. Maybe I'm just not smart enough to get it.

Tent Camping
Yeah, I've slept outdoors (once, I think) but never inside of a tent. Is it fun? Am I missing anything?

Astronomy
I've heard of Hubble. I know the names of the planets. That's about it.

I am easily overwhelmed while shopping for a new computer

It's time to upgrade. This rickety old Gateway and its state-of-the-art Windows 98 operating system just doesn't do it for me anymore. Despite my best clean up efforts, we're infected with spyware and adware (Jack, stay away from those file sharing and gaming sites!) and I'm sure I've deleted several essential registry keys which might explain why the computer chooses to reboot itself randomly.

I've never been an expert on hardware so I've invested countless hours during the last several days at www.dell.com kicking the tires on some new machines.

I'm worried. Have I picked the right combination of components? Am I paying too much? Should I buy a Mac? Will I forget to save some essential files?

It was so easy to buy a car. Honda. New. Reasonably-priced. No, I don't need to see the engine or how to open the trunk because I've owned five or six Hondas already in my life.

Why can't computer buying be this easy?

Get thee to a poetry reading

My friend Eek! is one of the masterminds behind InKY. So go already.

Movies I hate ...

After the Oscar nominations were announced I started thinking about my favorite movies and also about the movies I hate. Here's my list (in no particular order):

Terms of Endearment (1983) Whiny and wimpy. I wanted her to DIE already.
Dressed to Kill (1980)Frightening misogyny. Gives transexuals a bad name.
Saving Private Ryan(1998) Just like every other WWII movie but this time with horrific special effects. The 20 minute violent sequence at the beginning had no redeeming value.
Cast Away (2000) Meaningless drivel. Tom Hanks spends a few years on a desert island and learns nothing.
Walking Tall (1973) The first movie I ever paid to see and walked out of.
The Scent of a Woman (1992) This movie ruined Al Pacino for me.
The Piano (1993) Women were supposed to "understand" this movie. I didn't get it.
Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) One more reason why I hate Richard Dreyfus.
Chasing Amy (1997) Kevin Smith's wet dream about lesbians, featuring a disgusting Ben Affleck.
Shrek (2001)Tasteless and lowbrow animated garbage.
There's Something About Mary (1998) Grown men love this movie. They think it's funny. It's not.