I'm somewhat reticent about postings with "real live people" in them, since I am painfully aware of how things can get misused or misappropriated. But, here goes anyway. (W.C.Fields used to say "Grab the bull by the tail and look the situation in the face.")
Eddie Fisher. Nice guy. Really nice guy. I have found almost all successful people in show-biz are very nice, but he stands out as an exceptionally nice guy. Unfortunate that, because of addiction problems, parts of his life are a blank for him. I still have the autobiography he gave me - too bad he didn't autograph it.
Eddie liked to talk to the audience during his show. And I mean talk to them. Not scripted stuff, but monologue/conversation. (It was engaging to listen to him. He was very easy to talk with, at least backstage. And a nice voice too.)
Anyway, the owner of the club would have none of that talking-to-the-audience stuff. He was paying good money, and he didn't hire Eddie to talk to the audience. (If he wanted that, he would have hired Woody Woodbury - again.)
So here's Mike (the owner), from 30 feet away, telling Eddie (a genuine honest-to-goodness star) in a fairly loud voice:
"Don't talk Eddie. Sing!"
Repeatedly.
(And he wondered why business was not so good.)
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
How can you tell when they're hurt?
Curious Goldie http://curiousgoldie.blogspot.com/ asks the question: "When your kids are little, you can tell when they're hurt - they cry and wail. How can you tell if your teenager is hurt..."
Of course she was referring to physical hurt, but I wondered: what about psychic hurt? I have suffered a fair amount of it, as I suppose ASpies do, along the way. When it happened, did anyone besides me even have a clue? I don't think so. (Thanks a lot dad.) It still happens - idle comments, attempts at humour, asides, helpful (supposedly) hints that come across as criticisms. Am I being paranoid. Or is it that many people are just plain mean-spirited and that's how they bolster their egos?
I don't take those things very well. I mean, I remember them. A long time. Basically forever.
But it brings me back to the first question - how can you tell when you, as a parent, have psychically hurt your child? Dunno. Wish I did. Just hope I didn't do it too often. Scars are not pretty things.
Of course she was referring to physical hurt, but I wondered: what about psychic hurt? I have suffered a fair amount of it, as I suppose ASpies do, along the way. When it happened, did anyone besides me even have a clue? I don't think so. (Thanks a lot dad.) It still happens - idle comments, attempts at humour, asides, helpful (supposedly) hints that come across as criticisms. Am I being paranoid. Or is it that many people are just plain mean-spirited and that's how they bolster their egos?
I don't take those things very well. I mean, I remember them. A long time. Basically forever.
But it brings me back to the first question - how can you tell when you, as a parent, have psychically hurt your child? Dunno. Wish I did. Just hope I didn't do it too often. Scars are not pretty things.
A Must Read - for Leftists!
Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books, Random House, 2004, 356 pp.
Assuming, of course, that IQ is above room temperature.
Assuming, of course, that IQ is above room temperature.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
ASpie Eyes.
As long as I can remember, I've been sensitive to bright lights. And some fluorescent lights. I've been wearing sunglasses since I was old enough to get some for myself. Were it not for the "public image" thing, I would often wear them indoors as well. But, as they say in show biz- you're always on stage (something that a lot of newcomers in the business would do well to remember). Sometimes I think the image can be a little flexible, and I keep my shades on when I'm inside. (I guess some people expect that sort of thing from a musician anyway.) I don't need to do that at home, because we keep the light-level lower than most people. 60 watts instead of 100 - that sort of thing.
And fluorescents. Geez. Some places I just cannot be in for more than a few minutes, or I get a headache. And twitchy. And just generally claustrophobic - and that can happen even in large indoor spaces. Just must get out of there!
I was convinced for many years - after searching for a possible cause - that these reactions wer a result of smokey "smudgepot" fires at camp when I was in Scouts. We made outdoor fires with lots of smoke to keep the mosquitoes at bay. Well, it kept the bugs away somewhat, but it made the eyes smart, too, along with the mosquitoes. I always thought those fires were the cause, even though the connection was unproven.
Hah! Now I know better.
And fluorescents. Geez. Some places I just cannot be in for more than a few minutes, or I get a headache. And twitchy. And just generally claustrophobic - and that can happen even in large indoor spaces. Just must get out of there!
I was convinced for many years - after searching for a possible cause - that these reactions wer a result of smokey "smudgepot" fires at camp when I was in Scouts. We made outdoor fires with lots of smoke to keep the mosquitoes at bay. Well, it kept the bugs away somewhat, but it made the eyes smart, too, along with the mosquitoes. I always thought those fires were the cause, even though the connection was unproven.
Hah! Now I know better.
Friday, January 26, 2007
ASpie Scripting hints.
Just a passing thought - something I have found that helps. Quite a while back I discovered that "scripts" are a functional method of dealing with NT's. So I have developed a few of them on my own. A couple for the grocery store, a couple for the Tim Horton's, etc.
So here are 2 (yes 2, count them, 2) BIG tips:
1 - MAKE IT SHORT. When engaging in a social scripting situation (e.g. at the counter in the fast-food joint of your choice) don't elaborate, don't expound, don't talk too much. Keep it short. Make sentences short. Keep the total exchange short. Most of this is phatic discourse anyway, so they aren't really interested in what you have to say. They don't really care how you are. Your existence is tangential to theirs at best.
2 - LET THEM HAVE THE LAST WORD. NT's feel much better about you, and themselves, if they get in the last word. Works like a charm. Even if you have more to say - Don't. Even if there IS more to say - DON"T.
Both of these two hints take some practice - I know they did for me. And they are easy to forget. But with these two tricks, people may actually think you're "normal" - aka like them. It makes practical life skills (an expression borrowed from Montessori) more do-able, and social situations much easier, quicker, and painless.
Plus, now and then you can throw in a little extra just to confuse the NT's. That can be fun.
So here are 2 (yes 2, count them, 2) BIG tips:
1 - MAKE IT SHORT. When engaging in a social scripting situation (e.g. at the counter in the fast-food joint of your choice) don't elaborate, don't expound, don't talk too much. Keep it short. Make sentences short. Keep the total exchange short. Most of this is phatic discourse anyway, so they aren't really interested in what you have to say. They don't really care how you are. Your existence is tangential to theirs at best.
2 - LET THEM HAVE THE LAST WORD. NT's feel much better about you, and themselves, if they get in the last word. Works like a charm. Even if you have more to say - Don't. Even if there IS more to say - DON"T.
Both of these two hints take some practice - I know they did for me. And they are easy to forget. But with these two tricks, people may actually think you're "normal" - aka like them. It makes practical life skills (an expression borrowed from Montessori) more do-able, and social situations much easier, quicker, and painless.
Plus, now and then you can throw in a little extra just to confuse the NT's. That can be fun.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Men, Women and Religious Depth
Well, this may be a bit contentious (hahaha hyperbole at its best). But I have some thoughts about religious belief, and the differences between men and women.
I think it can be taken as historical fact that religious personages in virtually all societies have been men. Almost exclusively men. Feminists have usually ascribed this to misogyny - or put more baldly, the oppression of women by men. Unfortunately sometimes true, but that in itself does not explain everything. The reality may be much more interesting.
Warning: You may not like this!
If we go back to our collective roots, the usual division of labour between men and women was that men did the hunting and women did the gathering. (Yes, I know this is simplistic, but grant me the concept as a hypothetical.) In other words, men, because of physical attributes - strength, endurance, et - did the more physical. And, the more physically dangerous. Life was dangerous for all, yes, but men dealt with personal danger, and consequent death, on a regular basis.
Hunting was dangerous in the days when the weapons used by man were not much more than those used by some prey. And possibly less lethal than some used by other predators. Gathering, on the other hand was less dangerous.
Any male, in years gone by, knew that on any particular hunting foray, there was the possibility that he might not survive. Death was always a possibility. Not so for a gatherer, close to home.
Also, hunters deal in death. Fact. To hunt is to kill something, to cause a death. And so men were always close to death, either as potential subject or as creator.
Women dealt with death only after-the-fact, with the prey already killed. Unless by accident or disease, or just bad luck, women only dealt directly with death during childbirth. And traumatic as it could be - and still is in parts of the world - this event happens only sporadically. In comparison to a hunter, who deals with it regularly.
Any combat veteran will tell you that being close to death makes one very spiritual. The joke that there are no atheists on foxholes rings essentially true. It is funny because of its truth.
Given that this state of affairs between men and women endured for centuries and millennia, men acquired an ingrained spirituality that goes very deep. Boys brought up with this culture would acquire the spiritual mindset very early - from personal experience, from habit, and from role-modelling.
It is not much of a leap from this spirituality to the importance of religion, as a formalized version of this mindset. And men would embrace religion as the formalized version of the death-experience they had as hunters. And with the same depth. And this depth manifests itself in deep involvement in religion, in all its historical forms.
Gatherers, on the other hand, experience religion more sporadically, and with less depth, as the death-experience occurs with much less frequency and violence.
The hunter-gatherer difference, and the hunting mindset also explain another interesting fact: men do not go to church as much as women. (I cannot speak to Islam on this one; I do not know the statistics.)
Hunting is a somewhat individual activity. The danger of hunting is personal danger, not group danger. Dangerous prey, or other predators, would not likely kill every member of a hunting group. Also, hunting is generally a quiet activity. (Silence is golden. It also gets you a good dinner.) And so the translation into religious practice: personal religion with some aspects not shared or share-able. And this means less church-going. But not less spirituality.
Gathering, on the other hand, can be done as a large group. In fact probably was often so, since gathering would sometimes involve small geographic areas where a valuable foodstuff grew or was harvested. As grove of trees, for example. This harvesting/gathering would be undertaken by everyone available, to maximize the "take". And this translates into religion in the large - at times everyone. It also explains the rather social aspect of religion for women. Religion is primarily NOT a social thing for men.
SO - Men are more religious than women. But they don't go to church as much as women.
I think it can be taken as historical fact that religious personages in virtually all societies have been men. Almost exclusively men. Feminists have usually ascribed this to misogyny - or put more baldly, the oppression of women by men. Unfortunately sometimes true, but that in itself does not explain everything. The reality may be much more interesting.
Warning: You may not like this!
If we go back to our collective roots, the usual division of labour between men and women was that men did the hunting and women did the gathering. (Yes, I know this is simplistic, but grant me the concept as a hypothetical.) In other words, men, because of physical attributes - strength, endurance, et - did the more physical. And, the more physically dangerous. Life was dangerous for all, yes, but men dealt with personal danger, and consequent death, on a regular basis.
Hunting was dangerous in the days when the weapons used by man were not much more than those used by some prey. And possibly less lethal than some used by other predators. Gathering, on the other hand was less dangerous.
Any male, in years gone by, knew that on any particular hunting foray, there was the possibility that he might not survive. Death was always a possibility. Not so for a gatherer, close to home.
Also, hunters deal in death. Fact. To hunt is to kill something, to cause a death. And so men were always close to death, either as potential subject or as creator.
Women dealt with death only after-the-fact, with the prey already killed. Unless by accident or disease, or just bad luck, women only dealt directly with death during childbirth. And traumatic as it could be - and still is in parts of the world - this event happens only sporadically. In comparison to a hunter, who deals with it regularly.
Any combat veteran will tell you that being close to death makes one very spiritual. The joke that there are no atheists on foxholes rings essentially true. It is funny because of its truth.
Given that this state of affairs between men and women endured for centuries and millennia, men acquired an ingrained spirituality that goes very deep. Boys brought up with this culture would acquire the spiritual mindset very early - from personal experience, from habit, and from role-modelling.
It is not much of a leap from this spirituality to the importance of religion, as a formalized version of this mindset. And men would embrace religion as the formalized version of the death-experience they had as hunters. And with the same depth. And this depth manifests itself in deep involvement in religion, in all its historical forms.
Gatherers, on the other hand, experience religion more sporadically, and with less depth, as the death-experience occurs with much less frequency and violence.
The hunter-gatherer difference, and the hunting mindset also explain another interesting fact: men do not go to church as much as women. (I cannot speak to Islam on this one; I do not know the statistics.)
Hunting is a somewhat individual activity. The danger of hunting is personal danger, not group danger. Dangerous prey, or other predators, would not likely kill every member of a hunting group. Also, hunting is generally a quiet activity. (Silence is golden. It also gets you a good dinner.) And so the translation into religious practice: personal religion with some aspects not shared or share-able. And this means less church-going. But not less spirituality.
Gathering, on the other hand, can be done as a large group. In fact probably was often so, since gathering would sometimes involve small geographic areas where a valuable foodstuff grew or was harvested. As grove of trees, for example. This harvesting/gathering would be undertaken by everyone available, to maximize the "take". And this translates into religion in the large - at times everyone. It also explains the rather social aspect of religion for women. Religion is primarily NOT a social thing for men.
SO - Men are more religious than women. But they don't go to church as much as women.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Heretic (but not Unbeliever)
My thoughts about religious texts, capsulized:
The problem with the gospels (ALL of them) is that they are hearsay. And simply because the witnesses agreed does not make them fact. Any judge can tell you that. (Excepting of course ecclesiastical judges, who assume the truth of their particular gospel of choice. But their a priori assumption does not make them fact either, except within their own particular belief system.)
My G_d may be your G_d, but your truth may not be my truth.
The problem with the gospels (ALL of them) is that they are hearsay. And simply because the witnesses agreed does not make them fact. Any judge can tell you that. (Excepting of course ecclesiastical judges, who assume the truth of their particular gospel of choice. But their a priori assumption does not make them fact either, except within their own particular belief system.)
My G_d may be your G_d, but your truth may not be my truth.
ASpies' Physical Balance?
I am just musing about any connection between Asperger's and physical balance issues. I know my balance is not as good as many others. For a long time I thought, well, we all have different abilities. But I often wondered why; still do.
It took me ages to learn to ride a bicycle. Couldn't balance the sucker. And skating, well, that was always a treat. It was pretty much all I could do to move forward at a snail's pace and not fall down again. Never did learn how to skate backwards - it was totally beyond my comprehension how anyone could do that.
And riding a motorcycle! How did I ever manage to get my license? And to think I put my SO on the back of that thing and we used to go places! I remember being n0rth of Toronto once, and riding into some soft sandy stuff on the gravel road I was travelling. Ha. Front wheel starts to wobble, gets, worse, then the Beemer goes right and I go left, right onto my head. Thank you for the helmet! It hurt to walk for 3 weeks, since my ankles clobbered the carburetor intake pipes on the way off the bike (it was an R60, if you're interested).
I now know that my balance is heavily dependent on eyesight - I use visual cues to retain my bargain with gravity. And yes, I know about the general clumsiness issue with Asperger's. I have some of that too, I guess (stay away from sharp thingies).
Soooooo - I am curious whether it's just my natural klutz ability, or is it a facet of the ASpie thing?
My mind to your mind. Give me your thoughts. (OK, maybe not.)
It took me ages to learn to ride a bicycle. Couldn't balance the sucker. And skating, well, that was always a treat. It was pretty much all I could do to move forward at a snail's pace and not fall down again. Never did learn how to skate backwards - it was totally beyond my comprehension how anyone could do that.
And riding a motorcycle! How did I ever manage to get my license? And to think I put my SO on the back of that thing and we used to go places! I remember being n0rth of Toronto once, and riding into some soft sandy stuff on the gravel road I was travelling. Ha. Front wheel starts to wobble, gets, worse, then the Beemer goes right and I go left, right onto my head. Thank you for the helmet! It hurt to walk for 3 weeks, since my ankles clobbered the carburetor intake pipes on the way off the bike (it was an R60, if you're interested).
I now know that my balance is heavily dependent on eyesight - I use visual cues to retain my bargain with gravity. And yes, I know about the general clumsiness issue with Asperger's. I have some of that too, I guess (stay away from sharp thingies).
Soooooo - I am curious whether it's just my natural klutz ability, or is it a facet of the ASpie thing?
My mind to your mind. Give me your thoughts. (OK, maybe not.)
Thursday, January 18, 2007
ASpie kids and what to do....
I was musing on the subject of what it was like to be an Aspie kid, when there was no such thing. And what it was like having parents that had no clue. Or even less.
I began to ruminate on what I learned about things to do and NOT to do as a parent. Most especially if your child is also gifted. Many are. I think I have some idea, since we have four of them. And they are all different. (They were different from each other even before they were born - never mind afterwards.) Not that I've done everything right (hahaha - bittersweet laughter) but lord knows I tried. Some might say I am very trying. Anyway...
First, be aware that there are many ways to be gifted, and they don't necessarily revolve around IQ. Try to identify the areas of giftedness (I personally prefer the term "talented"). Don't assume your strengths are also theirs. This is an area where nature wins out over nurture. Gifted ASpies are most definitely NOT a tabula rasa for you to mold. Learn something about their talents, and where they can go with them, what they can do. It may be physical, artistic, intellectual...
This will be expressed in some form in their interests (some would call it obsessions). Does it take the form of detail-orientation? Or does it take the form of organization?
Don't get personally obsessed with trying to keep up with them in their interests - you can't! But be interested. In essence, let them know that their interests are valid. They certainly will not be your interests, but, hey, you may learn something interesting also. With me, it was chess, astronomy, baseball (I had a good curve-ball).
Ok, enough - that could be a VERY long book. Be open, that's good for starters.
Second. This is related in a subtle way. Try to make home a "haven", a crib, where it is safe for them and safe for them to pursue their interests. And I don't mean physically safe, altjough that should be obvious.
Psychically safe. Safe from criticism, safe from insecurity, safe FROM YOU. The world is hard enough on an ASpie. They need a hideaway, a warm place as Ronnie Gaylord used to say. Do your best to give it to them.
Discipline is especially hard on an ASpie. The world is often unfriendly, and they make mistakes. They need the security of knowing you won't punish them too. Personally, I never got that. In fact, I got the opposite. And there are memories that will NEVER die. And scars that last forever. ASpies have unusually long memories.
Third, the most challenging - try to help. An ASpie world is its own place, and guessing how to help out can be difficult. ASpies don't necessarily let you in, even though they may want to. They just don't know how, so you will need to do some guesswork. But DO NOT PUSH. (Don't try dragging them either.)
An ASpie's world is different. Get over it. But look for family things that can be done together. They may be exactly "together", but close enough is good enough. Look for ways to expose them to things with a family setting, where they can feel comfortable exploring (see number two above). But don't assume they will explore the things you planned, or in the ways you planned. That's OK. Let it happen. Just watch and protect.
Fourth. Forgive your own mistakes. They will.
OK, enough rambling for now.
I began to ruminate on what I learned about things to do and NOT to do as a parent. Most especially if your child is also gifted. Many are. I think I have some idea, since we have four of them. And they are all different. (They were different from each other even before they were born - never mind afterwards.) Not that I've done everything right (hahaha - bittersweet laughter) but lord knows I tried. Some might say I am very trying. Anyway...
First, be aware that there are many ways to be gifted, and they don't necessarily revolve around IQ. Try to identify the areas of giftedness (I personally prefer the term "talented"). Don't assume your strengths are also theirs. This is an area where nature wins out over nurture. Gifted ASpies are most definitely NOT a tabula rasa for you to mold. Learn something about their talents, and where they can go with them, what they can do. It may be physical, artistic, intellectual...
This will be expressed in some form in their interests (some would call it obsessions). Does it take the form of detail-orientation? Or does it take the form of organization?
Don't get personally obsessed with trying to keep up with them in their interests - you can't! But be interested. In essence, let them know that their interests are valid. They certainly will not be your interests, but, hey, you may learn something interesting also. With me, it was chess, astronomy, baseball (I had a good curve-ball).
Ok, enough - that could be a VERY long book. Be open, that's good for starters.
Second. This is related in a subtle way. Try to make home a "haven", a crib, where it is safe for them and safe for them to pursue their interests. And I don't mean physically safe, altjough that should be obvious.
Psychically safe. Safe from criticism, safe from insecurity, safe FROM YOU. The world is hard enough on an ASpie. They need a hideaway, a warm place as Ronnie Gaylord used to say. Do your best to give it to them.
Discipline is especially hard on an ASpie. The world is often unfriendly, and they make mistakes. They need the security of knowing you won't punish them too. Personally, I never got that. In fact, I got the opposite. And there are memories that will NEVER die. And scars that last forever. ASpies have unusually long memories.
Third, the most challenging - try to help. An ASpie world is its own place, and guessing how to help out can be difficult. ASpies don't necessarily let you in, even though they may want to. They just don't know how, so you will need to do some guesswork. But DO NOT PUSH. (Don't try dragging them either.)
An ASpie's world is different. Get over it. But look for family things that can be done together. They may be exactly "together", but close enough is good enough. Look for ways to expose them to things with a family setting, where they can feel comfortable exploring (see number two above). But don't assume they will explore the things you planned, or in the ways you planned. That's OK. Let it happen. Just watch and protect.
Fourth. Forgive your own mistakes. They will.
OK, enough rambling for now.
Asperger (Hans) quote - Take that, Charles Darwin!
Geek Gab http://www.whitetoque.ca/geek_gab/
had this up, attributed to Hans Asperger. It may not be a correct attribution, but I believe it should be absolute gospel for all educators and psychologists:
“It seems that for success in science and art a dash of autism is essential. For all we know, the first tools on earth might have been developed by a loner sitting at the back of the cave, chipping at thousands of rocks to find the one that made the sharpest spear, while the neurotypicals chattered away in the firelight. Perhaps certain arcane systems of logic, mathematics, music, and stories - particularly remote and fantastic ones - have been passed down from phenotype to phenotype, in parallel with the DNA that helped shape minds which would know exactly what to do with these strange and elegant creations.
had this up, attributed to Hans Asperger. It may not be a correct attribution, but I believe it should be absolute gospel for all educators and psychologists:
“It seems that for success in science and art a dash of autism is essential. For all we know, the first tools on earth might have been developed by a loner sitting at the back of the cave, chipping at thousands of rocks to find the one that made the sharpest spear, while the neurotypicals chattered away in the firelight. Perhaps certain arcane systems of logic, mathematics, music, and stories - particularly remote and fantastic ones - have been passed down from phenotype to phenotype, in parallel with the DNA that helped shape minds which would know exactly what to do with these strange and elegant creations.
It may be that autistic people are essentially different from neurotypicals and that it is precisely those differences that make them invaluable to the ongoing evolution of the human race. If we could eliminate the genes for things like autism, I think it would be disastrous - the healthiest state for a gene pool is maximum diversity of things that might be good.”
It's nice to meet a like-mind, even across the years. (And that's a reference to/from Will Durant!)Mr. Completely and Montana
It seems that this is a day for admiring other blog-posters. Hmm. Well, so be it, or as they say "So mote it be" (if you get that one, be cautious!).
Anyhoo, this little one of from Mr. Completely http://mrcompletely.blogspot.com/
about the "Rules for Entering Montana" is priceless. If only more people elsewhere felt that way, I suspect the far-out-leftist bunch would finally stop doing so much damage.
I especially love the "Don't try to use your imported money to re-make Montana into the image of where you just left. If you feel this need, go back home."
IOW - When you move to a new house, don't bring your old house with you.
Anyhoo, this little one of from Mr. Completely http://mrcompletely.blogspot.com/
about the "Rules for Entering Montana" is priceless. If only more people elsewhere felt that way, I suspect the far-out-leftist bunch would finally stop doing so much damage.
I especially love the "Don't try to use your imported money to re-make Montana into the image of where you just left. If you feel this need, go back home."
IOW - When you move to a new house, don't bring your old house with you.
1911 - In the Beginning (for the Gunnies).
If you're not a gunny, don't bother with this, because you won't get it. But if you are - this is just altogether too good not to post in its entirety. All credits/kudos to the author, Dennis, whoever you are!
And it is written:
In the beginning was the 1911, and the 1911 was the pistol, and it was good. And behold the Lord said, thou shalt not muck with my disciple John's design for it is good and it worketh. For John made the 1911, and lo all of his weapons, from the designs which I, the Lord, gave him upon the mountain.
And shouldst thou muck with it and hang all manner of foul implements upon it, and profane its internal parts, thou shalt surely fail and have malfunctions, and in the midst of battle thou shalt surely come to harm.
And as the ages passed, men in their ignorance and arrogance didst forget the word of the Lord and began to profane the 1911. The tribe of the gamesman did place recoil spring guides and extended slide releases upon the 1911, and their metalsmiths didst tighten the tolerances and alter parts to their liking, their clarity of mind being clouded by lust.
The artisans did hang all manner of foul implements upon the 1911 and did so alter it that it became impractical to purchase. For lo, the artisans did charge a great tax upon the purchasers of the 1911 so that the lowly field worker could not afford one. And the profaning of the internal parts didst render it unworkable when the dust of the land fell upon it. And lo, they did install adjustable sights, which are an abomination unto the Lord, for they doth break and lose their zero when thou dost need true aim. And those who have done so will be slain in great numbers by their enemies in the great battle.
And it came to pass that the Lord didst see the abomination wrought by man and didst cause, as He had warned, fearful malfunction to come upon the abominations and upon the artisans who thought they could do no wrong.
Seeing the malfunctions and the confusion of men the Lord of the underworld did see an opportunity to further ensnare man and didst bring forth pistols made of plastic, whose form was such that they looked and felt like a brick, yet the eyes of man being clouded, they were consumed by the plastic pistol and did buy vast quantities of them.
And being a deceitful spirit the Devil did make these plastic pistols unamenable to the artisans of earth and they were unable to muck much with the design, and lo these pistols did function.
And the evil one also brought forth pistols in which the trigger didst both cock and fire them, and which require a 'Dingus' to make them appear safe.
But man being stupid did not understand these new pistols and did proceed to shoot themselves with the plastic pistol, and with the trigger cocking pistols, for lo, their manual of arms required great intelligence which man had long since forsaken.
Yet man did not repent of his evil ways, but continued to gloat over these new pistols blaming Satan for the negligent discharges which they themselves had committed.
And when man had been totally ensnared with the plastic pistol the Devil didst cause a plague of the terrible Ka-BOOM to descend upon man and the plastic pistols delivered their retribution upon men. And there was great wailing and gnashing of teeth in the land.
Then seeing that the eyes of man were slowly being opened and that man was truly sorrowful for his sinful misdeeds, the Lord did send his messengers in the form of artisans who did hear and obey the teachings of the Prophet and who didst restore the profaned 1911's to their proper configuration, and lo, to the amazement of men they didst begin to work as the Prophet intended.
And it is written:
In the beginning was the 1911, and the 1911 was the pistol, and it was good. And behold the Lord said, thou shalt not muck with my disciple John's design for it is good and it worketh. For John made the 1911, and lo all of his weapons, from the designs which I, the Lord, gave him upon the mountain.
And shouldst thou muck with it and hang all manner of foul implements upon it, and profane its internal parts, thou shalt surely fail and have malfunctions, and in the midst of battle thou shalt surely come to harm.
And as the ages passed, men in their ignorance and arrogance didst forget the word of the Lord and began to profane the 1911. The tribe of the gamesman did place recoil spring guides and extended slide releases upon the 1911, and their metalsmiths didst tighten the tolerances and alter parts to their liking, their clarity of mind being clouded by lust.
The artisans did hang all manner of foul implements upon the 1911 and did so alter it that it became impractical to purchase. For lo, the artisans did charge a great tax upon the purchasers of the 1911 so that the lowly field worker could not afford one. And the profaning of the internal parts didst render it unworkable when the dust of the land fell upon it. And lo, they did install adjustable sights, which are an abomination unto the Lord, for they doth break and lose their zero when thou dost need true aim. And those who have done so will be slain in great numbers by their enemies in the great battle.
And it came to pass that the Lord didst see the abomination wrought by man and didst cause, as He had warned, fearful malfunction to come upon the abominations and upon the artisans who thought they could do no wrong.
Seeing the malfunctions and the confusion of men the Lord of the underworld did see an opportunity to further ensnare man and didst bring forth pistols made of plastic, whose form was such that they looked and felt like a brick, yet the eyes of man being clouded, they were consumed by the plastic pistol and did buy vast quantities of them.
And being a deceitful spirit the Devil did make these plastic pistols unamenable to the artisans of earth and they were unable to muck much with the design, and lo these pistols did function.
And the evil one also brought forth pistols in which the trigger didst both cock and fire them, and which require a 'Dingus' to make them appear safe.
But man being stupid did not understand these new pistols and did proceed to shoot themselves with the plastic pistol, and with the trigger cocking pistols, for lo, their manual of arms required great intelligence which man had long since forsaken.
Yet man did not repent of his evil ways, but continued to gloat over these new pistols blaming Satan for the negligent discharges which they themselves had committed.
And when man had been totally ensnared with the plastic pistol the Devil didst cause a plague of the terrible Ka-BOOM to descend upon man and the plastic pistols delivered their retribution upon men. And there was great wailing and gnashing of teeth in the land.
Then seeing that the eyes of man were slowly being opened and that man was truly sorrowful for his sinful misdeeds, the Lord did send his messengers in the form of artisans who did hear and obey the teachings of the Prophet and who didst restore the profaned 1911's to their proper configuration, and lo, to the amazement of men they didst begin to work as the Prophet intended.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Fellow Band-Members as Mentors.
I have often remarked that the ideal way for anyone to really learn to be a musician is to work with good musicians. OK, that seems a tautology of sorts, or perhaps just trivially true, but there's more to it than seems.
Much of performing (as opposed to studying) music can not be written down. Some composers think that what's on the printed parts represents about 40% of the actual performance. I suspect the percentage is even lower, especially if one considers the inaccuracy/vagueness of things like articulation and dynamics. (e.g. - how loud is an sfz, anyway?)
So the best, and I think only true way, to learn that remaining 60-70% is by a type of apprenticeship. Working with players who know more, or perhaps just do more, about the actual performing part of musicianship. It's more like osmosis than anything specific. And it happens a little at a time, in sometimes unconscious/subconscious ways.
For instance, I remember quite vividly the time I discovered what it feels like to have a band "swing" or "groove". This concept was always a mystery to me, being classically trained. And I had been working as a pro musician for several years, not really "getting it". Happened one evening in the middle of a tune, nothing special going on, but the drummer had that groove happening, and suddenly things fell into place. Ho! Indescribable - literally. (Thanks Nick Adams, wherever you may be now.)
It's a Zen thing - you know when it happens, but exactly what it is, nobody knows. Miles Davis called it that "special thing". And he got right. So how did I learn it? By osmosis? Dunno. Nothing ever really was said. Just played. But now I know.
A little story to end this meandering:
One evening at the T.H., we had a young sax player subbing - RM, let's say. Still in high school, even. Tons of talent, but inexperienced. The piano player, on the other hand - KC let's call him - had been in the biz quite a while, probably 15-20 years. And he didn't cut anybody any slack. (If you're on the stage, you should pull your weight - otherwise go home.)
The first set was hell for the sax player. KC didn't give him any room - unexpected inversions, ambiguous voice-leadings, you name it. And of course RM was mostly lost, especially playing tunes he didn't know very well.
So the end of the first set, RM went to KC and the whole conversation was as follows:
RM: "Give me a break, I'm only a kid."
KC: "NO."
So at the end of the second set, the conversation continued:
RM: "In five years I'm going to be lot better."
KC: "Me too."
Well, it's been a lot more than five years, and it's all been true.
Much of performing (as opposed to studying) music can not be written down. Some composers think that what's on the printed parts represents about 40% of the actual performance. I suspect the percentage is even lower, especially if one considers the inaccuracy/vagueness of things like articulation and dynamics. (e.g. - how loud is an sfz, anyway?)
So the best, and I think only true way, to learn that remaining 60-70% is by a type of apprenticeship. Working with players who know more, or perhaps just do more, about the actual performing part of musicianship. It's more like osmosis than anything specific. And it happens a little at a time, in sometimes unconscious/subconscious ways.
For instance, I remember quite vividly the time I discovered what it feels like to have a band "swing" or "groove". This concept was always a mystery to me, being classically trained. And I had been working as a pro musician for several years, not really "getting it". Happened one evening in the middle of a tune, nothing special going on, but the drummer had that groove happening, and suddenly things fell into place. Ho! Indescribable - literally. (Thanks Nick Adams, wherever you may be now.)
It's a Zen thing - you know when it happens, but exactly what it is, nobody knows. Miles Davis called it that "special thing". And he got right. So how did I learn it? By osmosis? Dunno. Nothing ever really was said. Just played. But now I know.
A little story to end this meandering:
One evening at the T.H., we had a young sax player subbing - RM, let's say. Still in high school, even. Tons of talent, but inexperienced. The piano player, on the other hand - KC let's call him - had been in the biz quite a while, probably 15-20 years. And he didn't cut anybody any slack. (If you're on the stage, you should pull your weight - otherwise go home.)
The first set was hell for the sax player. KC didn't give him any room - unexpected inversions, ambiguous voice-leadings, you name it. And of course RM was mostly lost, especially playing tunes he didn't know very well.
So the end of the first set, RM went to KC and the whole conversation was as follows:
RM: "Give me a break, I'm only a kid."
KC: "NO."
So at the end of the second set, the conversation continued:
RM: "In five years I'm going to be lot better."
KC: "Me too."
Well, it's been a lot more than five years, and it's all been true.
Another Bike Stolen!
Well, that's it for bicycles. The other morning, I came out to find my last bike had been stolen. Chained and locked, it was gone anyway. And the ultimate insult - the lock was gone too, along with the attached cable. What someone can do with the lock without the key is beyond me.
And I am quite certain who is the guilty party. The son of one my "new" neighbours (just moved in 3 weeks ago) was hanging around, and is pretty much a shifty untrustworthy type. Ya ya I know, stereotyping, circumstantial etc., but you can tell a horse by its colour. And a good bike on her back porch was untouched. (Can't take a family bike you know.)
Once again the stupidity is that the lock was worth more than the bike! Bring me back the %*(*^% lock anyway, ya moron.
And I am quite certain who is the guilty party. The son of one my "new" neighbours (just moved in 3 weeks ago) was hanging around, and is pretty much a shifty untrustworthy type. Ya ya I know, stereotyping, circumstantial etc., but you can tell a horse by its colour. And a good bike on her back porch was untouched. (Can't take a family bike you know.)
Once again the stupidity is that the lock was worth more than the bike! Bring me back the %*(*^% lock anyway, ya moron.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Happy Birthdays!
As is customary for me, I lose track of the actual dates on the calendar! And of course4, along with that goes the acknowledgement at the appropriate time of certain anniversaries - in this case birthdays. Two in fact.
So, to *EP and **EP2, I think of you both a lot, and miss you as much as ever. (No guilt trip intended, just a statement of fact.)
Happy Birthday!
(*Son, in Montreal **Daughter, in Ottawa)
So, to *EP and **EP2, I think of you both a lot, and miss you as much as ever. (No guilt trip intended, just a statement of fact.)
Happy Birthday!
(*Son, in Montreal **Daughter, in Ottawa)
Monday, January 15, 2007
Joke Joke
I love humour that involves/requires wit and intelligence. Just two examples:
An Aspie walks into a hardware store and says to the clerk,
Aspie: I need two four-watt bulbs.
Clerk: Two what?
Aspie: No, four!
Clerk: Four what?
Aspie: Yes!
Thanks to Geekgab: http://www.whitetoque.ca/geek_gab/
This sounds just like vintage Marx Brothers to me - especially Groucho and Chico...
And now here's another, for something totally different:
A biologist, a physicist and a mathematician were sitting in a street cafe watching the crowd. Across the street they saw a man and a woman entering a building. Ten minutes later they reappeared together with a third person.
"They have multiplied," said the biologist.
"The original measurement wasn't accurate," the physicist sighed.
"If exactly one person enters the building now, it will be empty again," the mathematician concluded.
Thanks to Engineering Johnson for that one: http://engineeringjohnson.blogspot.com/
An Aspie walks into a hardware store and says to the clerk,
Aspie: I need two four-watt bulbs.
Clerk: Two what?
Aspie: No, four!
Clerk: Four what?
Aspie: Yes!
Thanks to Geekgab: http://www.whitetoque.ca/geek_gab/
This sounds just like vintage Marx Brothers to me - especially Groucho and Chico...
And now here's another, for something totally different:
A biologist, a physicist and a mathematician were sitting in a street cafe watching the crowd. Across the street they saw a man and a woman entering a building. Ten minutes later they reappeared together with a third person.
"They have multiplied," said the biologist.
"The original measurement wasn't accurate," the physicist sighed.
"If exactly one person enters the building now, it will be empty again," the mathematician concluded.
Thanks to Engineering Johnson for that one: http://engineeringjohnson.blogspot.com/
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Another ... I Say!
I say … and you think … ?
1. Episode :: psychotic
2. Source :: natural
3. Jerk :: beef
4. Introduce :: myself
5. Ralph :: Cramden
6. Stare :: step
7. Cast :: star
8. Scenario :: future
9. Flu :: virus
10. Mad :: Magazine
Friday, January 12, 2007
Hawthorne effect and traffic lights.
I walk a great deal (no driver's licence, thanks to an insurance dispute, but that's a story for another time) , and it gives me time to observe traffic without having to actually deal with it as a vehicle controller.
A while back (several years by my guess) all the traffic signals in town were put on a delayed-green status. This means, as it says, that there is a pause between the occurrence of a red stop light, and the following green for traffic going crossways through the intersection.
The concept is that it will lessen traffic accidents by allowing those drivers needing to proceed through the intersection on a warning yellow to clear the intersection before the onset of the subsequent green. Nice concept. EXCEPT.
Evidently nobody among these traffic designers ever heard of the *Hawthorne effect. And it is taking hold in a big way here. It is rare when I approach an intersection and do not see at least one vehicle going through on the red. Sometimes several.
People just aren't that stupid. They know the green is delayed. So they know they can go through on the red.And it's happening all the time now. After all, their needs are much more important than any silly traffic law or even their own safety. Besides, they know it's safe. Yeah. Right.
I wonder if there are any statistics showing the numbers of accidents occurring at intersections where this procedure has been in place for a while. I doubt that safety has been improved. Personally I suspect that accidents, when they happen, occur at higher speeds than before, since all the drivers are now "beating the light" with their accelerators at the max. Perhaps now we should institute a "no stop lights" concept. That would improve things too. For a while.
* Named after the General Electric Hawthorne Plant where the first studies were done - basically it says that when changes are made, things get better for a while, then revert back to the previous situation.
A while back (several years by my guess) all the traffic signals in town were put on a delayed-green status. This means, as it says, that there is a pause between the occurrence of a red stop light, and the following green for traffic going crossways through the intersection.
The concept is that it will lessen traffic accidents by allowing those drivers needing to proceed through the intersection on a warning yellow to clear the intersection before the onset of the subsequent green. Nice concept. EXCEPT.
Evidently nobody among these traffic designers ever heard of the *Hawthorne effect. And it is taking hold in a big way here. It is rare when I approach an intersection and do not see at least one vehicle going through on the red. Sometimes several.
People just aren't that stupid. They know the green is delayed. So they know they can go through on the red.And it's happening all the time now. After all, their needs are much more important than any silly traffic law or even their own safety. Besides, they know it's safe. Yeah. Right.
I wonder if there are any statistics showing the numbers of accidents occurring at intersections where this procedure has been in place for a while. I doubt that safety has been improved. Personally I suspect that accidents, when they happen, occur at higher speeds than before, since all the drivers are now "beating the light" with their accelerators at the max. Perhaps now we should institute a "no stop lights" concept. That would improve things too. For a while.
* Named after the General Electric Hawthorne Plant where the first studies were done - basically it says that when changes are made, things get better for a while, then revert back to the previous situation.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Spitting and Epidemics
I am a regular reader of Kim du Toit 's blog
http://www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/tos/
and not so long ago he referenced a posting by his distaff side (or his better half, if you will). http://www.mrsdutoit.com/ee/index.php?/main/single/2715/
Basically it is observations of poverty et al made on a trip to India.
It got me ruminating again (I like that word, sort of bovine in import) about sanitation and public health. Or lack thereof. And the implications for North America.
You see, I like to walk and think. Something about the oxygen that helps the synapses. So here I am walking home, on a main street, minding my own beeswax, when a male (old enough to know better, by the way - 60+) spits on the sidewalk not 6 feet from where I just put my feet. I think to myself - "loser". Then he does it again several seconds later. Now I'm thinking "#$%^%&^". And I'm assuming he did NOT do this on my special account. It was just a habit. (It's a widespread habit in these parts, I suspect primarily because of the "role-modelling" of sports figures, who appeal more to the lower socio-economic groups in any society.)
Question number 1 - how many transmittable infectious nasties were in that *%&%^* of spit?
Seriously, ya think maybe could be?
Question number 3 - how soon until another pandemic?
Fill in your own date.
Anyone who thinks this is third-world stuff (ie of concern only to India) better get a grip.
FWIW, the Chinese had this as a national habit, and pretty much eradicated it. So what's wrong with North Americans? Do we have a societal death wish because the planet is over-populated?
Fine. Just don't take my family along for the final ride.
http://www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/tos/
and not so long ago he referenced a posting by his distaff side (or his better half, if you will). http://www.mrsdutoit.com/ee/index.php?/main/single/2715/
Basically it is observations of poverty et al made on a trip to India.
It got me ruminating again (I like that word, sort of bovine in import) about sanitation and public health. Or lack thereof. And the implications for North America.
You see, I like to walk and think. Something about the oxygen that helps the synapses. So here I am walking home, on a main street, minding my own beeswax, when a male (old enough to know better, by the way - 60+) spits on the sidewalk not 6 feet from where I just put my feet. I think to myself - "loser". Then he does it again several seconds later. Now I'm thinking "#$%^%&^". And I'm assuming he did NOT do this on my special account. It was just a habit. (It's a widespread habit in these parts, I suspect primarily because of the "role-modelling" of sports figures, who appeal more to the lower socio-economic groups in any society.)
Question number 1 - how many transmittable infectious nasties were in that *%&%^* of spit?
Think google.
Question number 2 - is sidewalk spitting a vector for those nasties?Seriously, ya think maybe could be?
Question number 3 - how soon until another pandemic?
Fill in your own date.
Anyone who thinks this is third-world stuff (ie of concern only to India) better get a grip.
FWIW, the Chinese had this as a national habit, and pretty much eradicated it. So what's wrong with North Americans? Do we have a societal death wish because the planet is over-populated?
Fine. Just don't take my family along for the final ride.
Civil Service Exams
I just saw this news item from Xinhua (the PRC news agency).
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-01/07/content_5574158.htm
Very good.
The competition for civil service posts reminds me of the historical "scholar official" principle that kept China with the most durable government on the planet. You may argue about the despotism, and point out many rough patches, but the civil service, Confucian-style, gave China a unique historical stability of government. That is, of course, a big reason why dynasty could follow dynasty without the country fragmenting and falling into the dustbin of history, as so many other have done.
The closest equivalent elsewhere has been the civil service component in the West European countries. The export of the British civil service concept is a large factor in the cohesion of India, which is composed of many many subgroups which otherwise may have gone the route of Balkanisation. (BTW, no negativism is ascribed to that term, it is simply the most convenient phrase available - if you have a better one, please substitute as applicable.)
Anyway, perhaps Chinese cultural history is re-asserting itself, and we will gain have the scholar-officials. China could do worse.
There is a lesson there that should be exported.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-01/07/content_5574158.htm
Very good.
The competition for civil service posts reminds me of the historical "scholar official" principle that kept China with the most durable government on the planet. You may argue about the despotism, and point out many rough patches, but the civil service, Confucian-style, gave China a unique historical stability of government. That is, of course, a big reason why dynasty could follow dynasty without the country fragmenting and falling into the dustbin of history, as so many other have done.
The closest equivalent elsewhere has been the civil service component in the West European countries. The export of the British civil service concept is a large factor in the cohesion of India, which is composed of many many subgroups which otherwise may have gone the route of Balkanisation. (BTW, no negativism is ascribed to that term, it is simply the most convenient phrase available - if you have a better one, please substitute as applicable.)
Anyway, perhaps Chinese cultural history is re-asserting itself, and we will gain have the scholar-officials. China could do worse.
There is a lesson there that should be exported.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Sunglasses et al
As a sequitur to the previous post, I ran across (okokok, I actually look at it twice a week, same as all the blogs I frequent) a little discourse on sunglasses in another ASpie blog: http://aspiesinc.blogspot.com/index.html
I discovered the virtues of sunglasses also, although I try not to do the "Blues Brothers" thing and wear them too conspicuously. I do however, wear them a lot in the wintertime. I used to think my sensitivity to light was caused by exposure to smudgepots* (at least that's what we called them in boy scouts) when I was 12-13 years old. But I now suspect that it's another ASpie thing.
And the earplugs - hmmm - my son commonly wears ear protection when he walks to university. Ostensibly because of the traffic (he must use a fairly busy street) but I suspect a little ASpie-thing happening there also. Personally I can't do that because it just amplifies my footsteps.
* smudgepot - an open campfire made with a great deal of green wood and leaves, to produce a large quantity of smoke to keep insects away. Very healthy to breathe, too.
I discovered the virtues of sunglasses also, although I try not to do the "Blues Brothers" thing and wear them too conspicuously. I do however, wear them a lot in the wintertime. I used to think my sensitivity to light was caused by exposure to smudgepots* (at least that's what we called them in boy scouts) when I was 12-13 years old. But I now suspect that it's another ASpie thing.
And the earplugs - hmmm - my son commonly wears ear protection when he walks to university. Ostensibly because of the traffic (he must use a fairly busy street) but I suspect a little ASpie-thing happening there also. Personally I can't do that because it just amplifies my footsteps.
* smudgepot - an open campfire made with a great deal of green wood and leaves, to produce a large quantity of smoke to keep insects away. Very healthy to breathe, too.
Apocalyptic Melodrama Disorder
That's a phrase (sound-bite) that just I just ran across in an ASpie blog that I look at now and then.
"Apocalyptic Melodrama Disorder"
That's just too good not to repeat. (I will allow you arbitrary personal interpretations of the meaning of the phrase - ruminate thereon at your leisure).
"Apocalyptic Melodrama Disorder"
That's just too good not to repeat. (I will allow you arbitrary personal interpretations of the meaning of the phrase - ruminate thereon at your leisure).
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Milton Berle and Leonard Sues
Uncle Milty was a real professional. Always a fine show, with great attention to detail, and always a sense of timing and the necessity to make the show move. A pleasure to work with as a pro. And at heart a good guy.
However.
Comedy is very taxing, very nerve-wracking, and in a subtle way (not obvious to the audience, that is) extremely energy-demanding and tiring. And it takes a psychological toll which often needs a release.
For Berle, it took an aggressive form: immediately after every show (or at least 9 out of 10 shows), Milty would call in his bandleader, who at the time was Len Sues, and chew him out for about 20 minutes. And I mean REALLY tear a piece off him. Anything and everything about the show was fair game. It took me a while to realize that the mistakes in the show (which were often imaginary) were not the issue - this was actually Berle's way of releasing all the tension and stress of the just-finished performance.
It was hell for Len. I really felt for him. It's one thing to be chewed out. It's something altogether different to be lashed by a professional; and for things that were either inconsequential or non-existent. And Berle could certainly deliver the nasties when he chose.
Poor Len's reaction- it's part of the job, and it's what he pays me for. And pays well.
Pfah. I still think it contributed to Len's early death. A shame. Nice guy and a great trumpet player.
P.S. - at the end of the week, there was always a case of quality scotch whisky for the band; usually Haig & Haig Pinch. (Ah well, the chicken always comes with the feathers.)
However.
Comedy is very taxing, very nerve-wracking, and in a subtle way (not obvious to the audience, that is) extremely energy-demanding and tiring. And it takes a psychological toll which often needs a release.
For Berle, it took an aggressive form: immediately after every show (or at least 9 out of 10 shows), Milty would call in his bandleader, who at the time was Len Sues, and chew him out for about 20 minutes. And I mean REALLY tear a piece off him. Anything and everything about the show was fair game. It took me a while to realize that the mistakes in the show (which were often imaginary) were not the issue - this was actually Berle's way of releasing all the tension and stress of the just-finished performance.
It was hell for Len. I really felt for him. It's one thing to be chewed out. It's something altogether different to be lashed by a professional; and for things that were either inconsequential or non-existent. And Berle could certainly deliver the nasties when he chose.
Poor Len's reaction- it's part of the job, and it's what he pays me for. And pays well.
Pfah. I still think it contributed to Len's early death. A shame. Nice guy and a great trumpet player.
P.S. - at the end of the week, there was always a case of quality scotch whisky for the band; usually Haig & Haig Pinch. (Ah well, the chicken always comes with the feathers.)
The Interior Policeman.
No, it's not what you think - no psychology/shrinkology here; just a link to a blog that gives a personal side to the thoughts of a serving LEO (Law Enforcement Officer). Very good sir.
http://thelawdogfiles.blogspot.com/
Insightful and intelligent. And honest.
http://thelawdogfiles.blogspot.com/
Insightful and intelligent. And honest.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Family Joys
We are born in another's pain, we die in our own pain. But in between, there is much joy.
I suppose that sounds rather antique, but it sums up what I feel about having family here visiting. And my daughter's choice of a S.O. is good - he's good. And I mean that as a person. Again in the old-fashioned way, I get the feeling that he's a good man. What more can one ask for one's children?
I suppose that sounds rather antique, but it sums up what I feel about having family here visiting. And my daughter's choice of a S.O. is good - he's good. And I mean that as a person. Again in the old-fashioned way, I get the feeling that he's a good man. What more can one ask for one's children?
Monday, January 01, 2007
A book to read - Very Fuzzy Thinking.
Actually, the title to this post is a joke. I just finished a book written by Bart Kosko about fuzzy logic, and some of its practical applications. Not new, of course (1993), but an excellent introduction to the concepts of fuzzy logic. I highly recommend this: "Fuzzy Thinking". Gets a little metaphysical toward the end (I think Bart will grant me the slight tongue-in-cheek there), but everyone is entitled to state their personal beliefs at some point. And it is done in context. It's all good. Perhaps a little heavy for anyone of near-room-temperature IQ, but he does a nice job of making things understandable. Especially for someone with a philosophy degree. (Another joke - son No2 has a philosophy degree.)
OK enough. Family is arriving soon, and I need to get the turkey stuffed and in the oven.
OK enough. Family is arriving soon, and I need to get the turkey stuffed and in the oven.
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