The guests I would invite to a dinner at my house (rules for this version are that they must be living, the guest list is limited to 12, and those 12 must be gender-balanced--and spouses and children are automatically included): Tina Fey (head writer of SNL), Sarah Vowell (author), John Lydon (lead singer, Sex Pistols and Public Image Limited), Bill Watterson (creator of Calvin & Hobbes), Douglas Coupland (author), Moby (musician), Mia Hamm (athlete), my sister Jill (manipulator of the high-tech sector for personal ends and higher-order life liver), Courtney Love (singer, but really what I want is to get some inside info on Kurt Cobain), Alex Rodriquez (athlete who wouldn't add much to the discussion but would thrill my daughter), Ian Michael Black (actor/comedian--the guy saying everything funny on VH-1's I Love The 80's), and Penelope Spheeris (film maker).

I think that evening would be a lot of fun...if we could keep Johnny Rotten and Courtney Love from tearing the place apart.