nemolit

I've been fascinated with the topic of 'Genius'. Ever since I can remember I've read everything I could lay my hands on regarding the development of people with special abilities. Especially mental abilities. One that has stood out to me was a memoir of the parents of a genius level child. I've read this many years ago but I can remember the general outline of this story. In the Lifehacker article , the contention is made that it's the environment in which such people are raised that creates their 'genius'. If my memory serves me, and it usually does, the child in this particular memoir came from an average house. The father worked in a technical vocation and the mother devoted the same time to this child as she did to her others. Yet, the 'genius' child, expressed himself faster and far more eloquently than his siblings. He had the same upbringing and environment as his brothers and sisters, yet excelled. He read copiously at an earlier age than...

Well it's day four of the advanced accelerated training and I'm beat! Who knew this learning thing had gotten so hard! No wonder teenagers only sleep, eat and... well that's about all they do. Will get back to this blog entry a little later - these breaks are getting shorter each day!

It has been a very long time since I''ve been on instructor led training. Today is day three of a advanced course combining Oracle GRID, RAC and ASM - and I'm exhausted. It's a rapid pace fitting seven days into five days . Our instructor thought that we wouldn't make it all the way, but we are done with the four day course in two and a half. My neurons are on strike. They want to march out of my ear and never come back. Got to pay attention again. Might drop a quick note at lunch.

Anyone using Word 2007 to blog with? I've been using it for a few posts, but have yet to find where I add tags or keywords in to my post. Or does this software pick them out automatically? If automatically, where and how does it find them? If you  know how, please comment on this post and let the rest of us in on the secret. Also, anyone ever get Microsoft and Google Blogger to co-exist. Neither from the Word 2007 on this XP machine, nor on my Windows 7 machine do I get to blog to blogger/blogspot. Seems that BlogJet or BlogDesk will have to suffice there. Please respond here or on my Wordpress blog eclecticatticblog.com

Until quite recently there has been not too many serious side effects to the snow that started falling more regularly during winter in Johannesburg. As Africans we don’t really know much about if but the side effects are currently piling up… Now your work habits are becoming known…

It’s snowing. Yeah I know. For most people it’s no big deal. But I live in Africa. Snow is for the mountains and the high altitudes. Not Johannesburg! It’s becoming a regular occurrence that we might soon have to start buying snow boots, and ski’s. No longer will these be for the affluent few who can go to the mountains to see snow and ski, but for the everyday Jo’burger to get to and from work. 20120807_120931.mp4

There are as many explanations for Monday as their are stars in the sky. Stars in the sky, care about as much about as Monday, as Monday cares about them. That is probably why Nature herself doesn’t put special meaning on a Monday. It comes on it’s own. It leaves on it’s own. Just another day in the millions that have come and the millions that are yet to come. Man in it’s infinite wisdom has put meaning to the day, but this meaning is also not the same around the blue rock on which we crawl. In the western hemisphere the day follows two days of freedom. Where man and woman could do as they please. Rocks, plants, trees and animals live their lives, never bothering with the significance of one day over another. Seasons they know. Knowing when to bound with joy as the bright lights, smells and sounds grows numerous; the new plants for the coming season. Lazing in the sun drenched summer months and stuffing their gullets with the bounty of a season of plenty. Never thinking on the day of ...

What a novel idea, and that is exactly the result I’m hoping for. Spewing forth more words, constructing sentences, until I’ve cowed these words into submitting themselves to my will and actually conveying what has been rattling around my skull to the reading public out there. It has been all of ten minutes since I wrote my last blog post and in that time a read a little more about writing. Writing, as in writing for a living and got an eye on Gore Vidal and Truman Capotes court battle trading barbs. That must have been something truly awesome to behold. All I can say is that I can only relate to either gentlemen through what has been put in print or on film since I’ve apparently developed a sense of, hmmm,… what shall I call it, taste, style no that implies active action, pretension. Yes, that’s it. Pretension! I’ll be pretentious and just gab on about it. As far as my knowledge of Truman Capote goes it’s all based on Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of the character in the movie...

As writers we forget that we are human first, writers second, and if your married, being a writer moves lower down on that list. Add children to this mix and you slide even lower on the priority list. Unless of course you are of the lucky few who actually earn a living by writing then you need to schedule writing in between all the other tasks that you have to attend to. In my attempts at becoming a better writer I’ve read a large volume of material, some of the pieces from great writers, others from writers in the making. Today I’ve read that Gore Vidal had died. Did I know who Gore Vidal was before today… nope. Does that make me a bad person, or worse, a bad writer? Should we not try and learn from the best to improve ourselves. I’d say yes, but since I’ve never read a line, correction, thanks to Writer’s Digest , several quotes from Mr Vidal, but also none of his actual books. I am saved from having to find some of his works since it seems Mr Vidal would have chosen a vocation ins...