I can has famous?

It's hard being from Hawaii. Not only because it's as expensive as New York while being--let's face it--a rock in the middle of the ocean instead of the center of the universe, but because we just don't have that many claims to fame.

Hawaii killed Captain James Cook, one of the greatest navigators in the history of the world. Can you imagine showing up to a cocktail party with that on your social resume.

"So what do you do?"

"Kill Englishmen."

Actually, some parts of the world might be okay with that. India, for example.

But it's hard to live in New York and be from Hawaii because no one I meet has any frame of reference for my background.

"Where are you from."

"Hawaii."

"What?"

"Ha-WHY."

"Oh. Wow." Blank stare. Monkey grunting noises.

If I was from California, people might ask me if I've met any celebrities. If I was from New York, I could tell about the first time I was mugged. But people don't know anything about Hawaii. There's no where for the conversation to go.

At least, until the Internet, or the Interwebs as my hero Ben Huh puts it. Who is Ben Huh? If you're not spectacularly dorkish, the name might not call up immediate assocations, so here's a visual aid.

Ben Huh, Hawaii native, invented Icanhascheezburger.com. He's the father of the freaking Lolcats meme. And he's from Hawaii! Take this information, roll with it. Hawaii brought you kittehs.

Oh, and the president. He's from Hawaii, too.

Not as cool.