Mr. Attenborough's Neighborhood

I am guilty of a great many sins, the worst of which may be extreme self-involvement. The number of hours I can spend staring at various workstation screens, entirely consumed by worlds of my own making, is truly astounding. (Not to mention, rough on the eyesight and not really great for one's posture.) While I am immensely grateful for these gifts of creativity, it is also easy to find myself becoming a little too insular.

That is the signal that it's time for a trip to Mr. Attenborough's neighborhood.

Known in the United States as “that funny British man from those nature documentaries that PBS runs during the pledge drive,” our newest , David Attenborough, has more honorariums, let alone accomplishments, than I have the space or inclination to list here. (Again, my thanks to the good nerds of Wikipedia.)

Mr. Attenborough's nature documentaries, such as “Life” or “The Blue Planet” are more than edu-tainment. They are joyful celebrations of the beauty, diversity and horror of what it means to be alive in our world. Infused with the man's own sense of genuine curiosity and endless wonder, these shows inspire the same in the viewer. Painstakingly filmed and, occasionally, painfully unflinching, they are beautifully graphic reminders of the world-wide daily struggle we know as “living.” These documentaries have the power to bring not just the world, but your individual place within it, into sharp focus.

For his many decades of dedication to exploring, explaining and helping to preserve the precious environment we call home, it is my pleasure to confer upon David Attenborough, the title of Yummish Saint.