But Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man.

Point numero uno: HOLY PATCHOULI. I MET STEPHEN HAWKING.

Point numero dos: My cats are angry with me for leaving. They're quite flustered.

Point numero tres: WE MADE EYE CONTACT! WE ARE PRETTY MUCH BEST FRIENDS!

Point numero cuatro: The latter part of numero tres is somewhat exaggerated.

Point numero cinco: PLANETS MOVE IN STRAIGHT LINES! SPACE IS WARPED!

Point numero seis: Seriously. It's true. Dr. Richard Epp let the cat out of the bag. In a manner of speaking.

Wrap your brain around that, friends. I'm elated. I'm thrilled. I don't think I've been this happy since I met the literate four and discovered we're all literate and that there were four of us. And that was quite the triumphant moment.

I don't think it gets any better than this. I had the most amazing trip to Waterloo, including antiques and farmers markets and a pound of creme brulee and Professor Hawking himself.

The Perimeter Institute is brilliant. There are chalkboards everywhere, with querys to ghost particles and time. Some are covered in formulas and sketches and the beginning stages of a string theory - quantum loop gravity mash up.

There is a dining area called "The Singularity" and theatres named Alice and Bob. Mainly after the goal of quantum computers to eliminate evesdroppers (Eve) on the communications (love letters) between [point] A (Alice) and [point] B (Bob). More wonderful insight by Dr. Richard Epp...

There were astronauts and physicists and politicians. I sat right behind Honorable Jim Flaherty, minister of finance. I was so close, that with great ease, I could have kicked him in the head. If I wasn't so enthralled with the lecture temptation may have overcome me.

I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful way to start the summer. To the boys who I smashed together, I thank you. To the girls who's ears I talked off, I love you. To the reporters who didn't understand why I randomly brought up cats, well, you'll never really get it. To Parastoo, my fellow winner, you are marvelous and beautiful. And Mr. Hawking, if nobody gives you that English voice synthesizer, I will, damn it.

"We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the universe. That makes us something very special." - Professor Stephen Hawking.