Julia Sweeney is getting married today. Yay!
She is a major sweetie, and someone who should be a role model for folks everywhere. I met her way back in 2002 or 2003, when I gave a talk in LA. Jim Underdown, who invited me to give the talk at CFI West, told me that Julia had read my book and wanted to have the family and me over for dinner. I was a bit baffled at first– Julia Sweeney? "It’s Pat" Julia Sweeney?
But that first impression, which follows her everywhere, of course, is quickly dissolved when you actually meet her. She is open, honest, funny, sweet, and razor sharp — both intellectually and in her humor. What I find amazing about her is her marvelous sense of wonder, of her need to learn. She’s a self-confessed science groupie. Her husband (still to-be as I write this!) is an X-ray spectroscopist; I met him briefly at a picnic she was having a couple of years ago. I got her alone for a sec and said "He’s a scientist!" like a stereotypical gossiping schoolgirl, and she got this look on her face and said "I know!" — like he was Prince of a European country — and it will always make me smile when I remember that.
Her one-woman shows are incredible, and "Letting Go of God" is an astonishing, funny, and beautiful tale of her searching for meaning in life… and finding meaning in the search. Sorta. You just need to hear it to understand. It’s worth it.
So congrats again Julia. I have no doubt it will be days or weeks before you see this (she has a lot of friends) but just in case: yay!
May 3rd, 2008 at 10:29 am
OT, [humor] BA, I hate you! You keep bringing up these really cool subjects that I have no capability of understanding. Oh FSM, I Guess I must now become a creationist, since I cannot understand science. [/humor] On topic, I wish I could understand even a tenth of the science discussed here.
OT again, I am very drunk so I just hope these comments are able to be translated into english.
May 3rd, 2008 at 10:44 am
I picked up the CDs of “Letting Go of God” a couple of months ago, and it’s one of my favorite things ever. Definitely highly recommended.
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:18 am
Yay and congrats to Julia! Scientist husbands RAWK!!!
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:32 am
Yay! Good for her! She really is a sweetie.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:06 pm
She has a blog. Everyone should congratulate her there.
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:41 pm
As I understand it, the primary qualification to become a spectroscopist is the ability to pronounce it.
Well, that and all the studying and stuff.
Congrats to Julia and her soon-to-be. She’s a great role model for us all.
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Dang, I waited too long.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Phil,
God, you’re such a fan-boy!
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
“God Said ‘Ha!’” is a mesmerizing movie — it’s just her talking for an hour and a half, and I couldn’t look away for a moment. I’d love to see the same thing for “Letting Go of God”.
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
@bigjohn: me too – I’m very fond of this lovely lady. I wish them all the best!
Unfortunately I haven’t got the CD(s)/DVD(s) as they don’t seem to be available in the UK (not last time I checked, anyway) – but I’ve heard plenty of clips from the show on podcasts…
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Well good for her!!!
I still can’t believe “When God Said Ha” was directed by ……….duh………duh………duh………. Quentin Taratino!!!!
Such a good show. I swear I am going to get that and “Letting Go of God”.,
Screw it I’m ordering them now!
May 3rd, 2008 at 9:41 pm
[...] sweeney and her movie According to Bad Astronomy, Julia Sweeney got married today. Couldn’t happen to a sweeter person. More fun for me is [...]
May 4th, 2008 at 6:00 am
Met this very nice lady some years back and was impressed with how down-to-earth and approachable she is. And I am so grateful for her gifts to the skepical crowd (hope to show one of her CDs at our local atheist chapter in months to come). She deserves a great life (especially since there is no afterlife). And it’s about time a scientist had such good luck, dontcha think?
May 4th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
fools condemned by their own ignorance and impotence. Love God and you will live forever. I beg of God to save your lost souls you miserable pack of imbeciles…
May 4th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Oh I love the term “science groupie”… I’ll have to start self-applying that.
May 5th, 2008 at 8:55 am
“…miserable pack of imbeciles…”
You were being ironic I hope?
May 8th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
“Impotence” Project much?
WHO IS THE GROOM? Aaaarrrgghh! No one tells me anything!