The Bare Bones About William Hammett

MUSIC: My tastes are pretty eclectic. I grew up listening to the Beatles, the Stones, the Moody Blues—but I especially liked the Beatles. CD technology is here to stay, but I personally think that vinyl records, if in good condition, sound better. On many Beatle tracks, for instance, the "reverb," a slight echo, has been eliminated by the digital re-mastering. Tracks like "I Feel Fine" and "She's A Woman" just don't sound the same.

I also was a big fan (and still am) of Peter, Paul & Mary, not only because of their music, but because of their interest in fairness, justice, and human rights. Check out links on this site to America's Second Harvest and The Make a Wish Foundation. (That's Peter Yarrow, of PP&M, in the picture. I am on the right, grinning rather foolishly.)

These days I also listen to classical music. I have read that listening to classical music can improve performance on mental tasks because the brain has to kick into a higher gear to follow the more complex melodies. Instead of taking Ginko-Biloba, I listen to Mozart!

LITERATURE: I was an English major, and so was exposed to so many different periods and genres at an early age. (For me, twenty-six was an "early age.") I can go from Stephen King to Shakespeare in the blink of an eye. (To Tommyknock or not to Tommyknock, that is the question.) I read Asimov and Arthur C. Clark frequently. If I had to name a single contemporary author that I enjoy, however, it would be Kurt Vonnegut. His satire is unparalleled. I think he's a modern-day Mark Twain (and his physical resemblance to Twain seems uncanny—both obviously used the same barber). I also like the quirky fiction of Tom Robbins and Richard Brautigan. Both of these authors can stretch the language to unbelievable limits. Their prose is good enough to do the limbo or swallow fire at a sideshow. And if you want a really wild ride, pick up Finnegans Wake by James Joyce. The book has no beginning or end, so start reading anywhere! (If you can't understand it, you can always truthfully say at cocktail parties that "I picked up Finnegans Wake." Literally. It weighs about two pounds.)

I also publish poetry in journals around the country and I wish more people would subscribe and support these publications. Poetry has never really been a big seller for major publishing houses, but modern poetry is alive and well if you know where to look for it. There are also some great eBooks of poetry out there. Feeding Ground by Jessica Hartig, The Fragile Thread by Yolanda Gallardo, and Hints and Allegations and Amber Tears and Other Laments—The Cassandra Poems by Becky Barbour may be purchased by contacting WrdWranglr@aol.com. If you think modern poetry is boring, then you haven't read these books. Go ahead—I dare ya!

MISCELLANEOUS: Well, let's see. Boston Red Sox, Green Bay Packers, and quantum physics for starters. (Did you know that quantum theory says we're not really here? Yep, that's right, we're all only probabilities. Electrons can't have both energy and location, so they exist in space only as probabilities.) I also like astronomy, Lionel trains, and black-and-white movies. Fail Safe—now that's a great flick! Shame on you, Ted Turner, for introducing "colorizing." In retaliation, I plan to start a movement advocating the release of The Color Purple in black-and-white.

I also became interested in lucid dreaming a few years back. This is a process by which you become aware that you are dreaming during an actual dream. The dream becomes very vivid after lucidity is achieved, and it is one of the most remarkable experiences I have ever had. Check out The Lucidity Institute website at Stanford University for more info. Lucid dreaming is the ultimate adventure-far more interesting than "worshipping the rat" at Disneyworld. It has many therapeutic applications, but most of all, lucid dreaming is fun! I once played Scrabble with Cindy Crawford—and won!

Finally, I have spent much time contemplating how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, and I'm happy to say that I have found the answer. But this is not the kind of information I can just let out point blank. No way! It would be like the feds telling us that they were perfecting a recipe for mint jelly at Area 51. In fact, I have learned that the Warren Commission also knew the answer to this medieval riddle, but they suppressed it. (I'll give you this hint, however. You first have to figure out what kind of dance the angels are doing. A tango takes up a lot more room than a fox trot!)