When I play Scrabble, passers-by stop to mumble in amazement at my pedantic prowess. Native Americans gaze in wonder as I show a natural deftness for the seemingly simple, yet painfully subtle talent for shaping flint. Women of the San Blas Islands of Panama have adorned me with untranslatable idiomatic praises as they watched my nimble handiwork; I sketch, cut and sew intricate molas as if they were Raggedy Ann Doll clothes. Children of all ages and nationalities beg me to tell them more of my entertaining stories. I speak 17 languages & dialects, 9 of them fluently. Though I can dance ballroom, swing, and clog with ease and grace, I prefer Balinese folk dances and second-line mambo. I am certified as a multi-engine pilot, a scuba instructor, an underwater welder, and a photogrammetrist. I play the violin, the piano, the guitar, the flute, the banjo, the harmonica, percussion of all kinds, and the hammer-dulcimer… though I prefer to sing.