How Smart are YOU?

Tonight we were gathered round the dinner table when I commented to E on what a nice boy Evan (a new friend at his school) was. E couldn't have agreed more. In his own words: "Evan is super-smart. He's so smart he could break concrete with his brain."

This brings up a good question: just how smart are YOU? I've always considered myself slightly above average, but I confess I have my Sarah Palin moments. Put me on the spot, and I can go either way: insightful and direct or flustered and gibberish.

Unfortunately, there isn't always a correlation between my response and how much I know about the topic being discussed. Most times, I have just enough information to be dangerous--and certainly nowhere near enough information to stand up in a court of law. As discussed on This American Life a few months ago, I am a perfect example of the Modern American Jackass.

My husband, R, reads The New Yorker every day. I envy him. He is able to make this ritual a priority. I truly believe that if you read The New Yorker from cover to cover each week, you get to consider yourself pretty well versed on most any topic. If you can't find The New Yorker, you can substitute The Atlantic or Harper's. Granted, being intelligent is not the same thing as being informed, but being informed is a good start.

I went to a good university, but you can only ride this wave for so long. I'd like to see how I stack up against my peers today, or maybe I wouldn't. Maybe I'd just like to be able to break concrete with my brain.