And If Memory Serves, the First Stage of Grief Is Anger -- Camo-Wearing, "What Do You Think He's Got in That Duffle Bag?"-provoking Anger

The MacArthur Fellows Program awards unrestricted fellowships to talented individuals who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction. There are three criteria for selection of Fellows: exceptional creativity, promise for important future advances based on a track record of significant accomplishment, and potential for the fellowship to facilitate subsequent creative work."

Potential for the fellowship to facilitate subsequent creative work: Check.

Promise for important future advances based on a track record of significant accomplishment: Well, um, yeah, check.

Exceptional creativity: Check (Surely, they're grading on a curve here).

Yet, another year goes by with no genius grant for Loman (and if you're reading this, probably -- no, certainly -- not for you, either).

Okay, let's all take a moment to grieve, a moment to drink heavily, a moment to pass out and then, to start anew. Next year will be here before you know it, people. There're brilliant blog works of genius and wonder to be done, and my guess is they ain't going to be done by laser technologists, sculptors, and maestri.

Besides, being a genius beats working for a living.