Explorers.

I think explorers are crazy and cool.  All of  the explorers from the past were just that.  Maybe I don't like what some of them did in life but for the most part they all thought:  "What's over there?  I hope I'm the first to find out."  That kind of attitude is awesome.

Do I have some of the explorers traits?  Hell yes.  If NASA were to call me up and say they need me to go into outer space for some reason I will be packing as I'm on the phone.  However, unless we meet some alien race of topless dancers I don't think they'll need my help.  Of course, NASA does all sorts of tests before they light that candle so the danger is quite a bit less than you think.  I would bet money that it's safer to go into outer space then it was to sail across the Atlantic in a Viking longboat.  Makes you wonder about those Vikings.

The explorers that I really wonder about are the spelunkers.  I look up at the stars and wonder what is out there.  Some people look at the ocean and wonder what's under the waves.  These people see a hole in the ground and do their best to squeeze into it.  Read up on caving and cavers and you start to think that they are the repository of the exploring gene.

I think that they are a special kind of crazy and maybe we need some more special kind of crazy in our world.