Queens Resident Crafts Worlds Largest Bouquet

It takes a lot of creativity to re-write the record books over and over again. Just ask Ashrita Furman of Jamaica Hills. He now owns the Guinness Book of World Records record for the most current Guinness world records.
Sound redundant? It should. After all, Furman has broken most of his own records many times over. These include fastest mile on a pogo-stick (12:16, accomplished in England), longest distance somersaulting (12 1/4 miles, along the path of Paul Reveres ride) and now, broken Friday right here in Queens, the record for worlds largest bouquet.
With that mark, his 23rd, Furman broke a tie with the Beatles Paul McCartney as the most prolific individual record-breaker in the worlds most famous keeper of achievements. Guinness, celebrating their 50th Anniversary Edition release this week, features a profile of Furman on page 27. His all-rose bouquet took 24 hours to create, contained 101,791 total buds and was a 73rd birthday present for his guru and spiritual mentor, Sri Chinmoy, whose meditation community is based in Jamaica Hills.
"He is my total inspiration," Furman said of Chinmoy. "I was unathletic and he encouraged me to take athletics in as part of my spiritual life. And these records have been some of my greatest spiritual experiences."
Furman has broken a total of 87 Guinness records (most of which are "re-breaks") and has broken a record on all seven continents (yep, even Antarctica, where he pogo-sticked a 17:45 mile before re-breaking that record in England). He juggled underwater for 48 minutes in New Zealand. He ran a mile with a full bottle of milk on his head in Germany. Now hes training for two new records that likely will not appear as Olympic events anytime soon jump roping on a pogo stick and fastest mile on one leg.
And by now youre probably asking why. "Since I was a kid, I wanted to be in the Guinness book," Furman, 49, explained. "I love the challenge. And its a chance for me to offer my gratitude to [Sri Chinmoy] and do it in a record-setting way."
At this rate, it seems that someday soon Furman will literally be able to say, "Thanks a million."