Rhodes Scholar Winner Shocks Us Back to Reality

Every once in a while, Seattlest likes to think that we're living a fairly fulfilled life, what with family nearby, friends we care about, and the occasional prank phone call to this one guy who punched us in fourth grade.

Thank God that the Rhodes Scholars program exists to remind us that we are basically a small piece of shit swirling around in the toilet bowl of life.

They announced the 2007 Rhodes Scholars today, and a 21-year-old Lakeside grad named Keriann Backus is among them. Think you're something special? Buster, you are wrong. Here are the details of Keriann's young life:

Keriann spent seven years of her childhood sailing around the world, later raised guide dogs for the blind, and rode her bicycle across the United States to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. Keri is a bassoonist, a distance runner, and was a research assistant at Rockefeller University.

A P-I article reveals further shaming details: Backus studied in South America last spring, traveling in Ecuador and Peru, and plans a thesis on the effects of the oil industry on the native Huaorani tribe.

Still, watching eight hours of college football on Saturday was a good way to use our time on this Earth, right? Right? Guys?