Revisions, Reposts, Randomness--and a Word on Seeing Through Illusions

After a night full of bizarre dreams, I've at least got one thing going this morning--no headache. And I've got a second thing going, too--no work. I plan to spend today at home, relaxing, reading, maybe going for a walk later. True to form, I'm going to be a bit lazy and not write a "real" blog posting. What follows are links to some things that might bear re-reading, as they've slipped down the old archive list and out of sight to all but the intrepid explorer of these pages. And I'm throwing in a few random things just because.

First--I've met many new people virtually and in-person, and visited many new places in the last few months, and have gained a wider readership of this blog. While this has many positive attributes, it's also led to some awkward communications at times. So, I will re-run for you a slightly revised:

Guide to Brigid For the Romantically Perplexed


John Foxx hadn't been blogging for awhile, but now he's posting to The Quiet Man blog again. This is one of his recent posts on the microphone, Frank Sinatra and crooners in general, and the illusion of intimacy generated by singing into a microphone--and the close-up photo.

Frank Sinatra...and the Close Up

I notice a trend these days in John's writing--the theme I'm seeing has to do with how illusions are created and how they impact others. The other message I get from his writing and public speaking these days is that one never really "knows" someone with celebrity (presumably himself included)--we only know the outer illusion that makes us think we know. Well, if one hasn't met said celebrity in person (and by that I mean having a conversation, not just being in the same room), that would certainly be true. On the other hand, I would suggest that even the most well-crafted illusions and disguises are not fool-proof. There are two ways to see through illusions--one involves intuition, the other observation. Mind you, this would be an in-person observation, not something you could tell from any broadcast source. Maybe I should take a couple of paragraphs to explain.

First, intuition. I can only speak for myself here, but when I meet anyone in person, I get one of two sensations--a warming over the heart area, or a knot in the stomach. This has nothing to do with attraction, with what I think I know about the person, or anything else. The first sensation tells me I am dealing with a good, trustworthy person--not the type to stab you in the back when you turn around. The second sensation tells me I'm not, and should probably avoid this person at all costs. There have been cases when I've met an apparently good and kind person, and gotten the knot in the stomach. Later, it comes out that this person is indeed NOT trustworthy, and naturally everyone is shocked. Conversely, I've met people in a terrible mood, but if I have the first sensation, I know that it's only a terrible mood, and my next meeting will be better.

Second, observation. Kinesics is a much-neglected field among just about everyone but fake psychics. It should not have such a sordid reputation. Everyone presents what they consider their best face to the world, or at least the face they want people to see. Kinesics are those unconscious body movements that we make, that tell more about what we are thinking than the smile on our face or the words that come out of our mouth. It could be a look in the eyes, the position of one's arms, whether someone steps towards or away from you--and even more subtle things. If you're not convinced, consider that magician Aleister Crowley could cause someone to bend to his will (e.g., causing a man walking down the street to suddenly fall down for no reason)--not by "magic", but through a superior understanding of kinesics and the workings of the unconscious psyche. Words can also give someone away--the proverbial "Freudian slips", and other things that we say unintentionally when our guard is down for whatever reason.

OK, enough about that. (And just for the record--I've had the "first sensation" over the heart area when I've met Foxx, Steve, Rob, and Karborn. They're all good folks.). For more on illusion and deception, you can re-read my response to another of Foxx's postings:

Smoke and Mirrors

And now for some randomness:

Speaking of broadcasts, Cracked.com has this amazing post on unexplained broadcasts:

Five Creepy Unexplained Broadcasts

Here is something that confirms my life-long beliefs about the stock market (and perhaps everything else):

Monkey Outperforms 94% of Russian Bankers on Stock Portfolio

This is why printers suck:

Why I Believe Printers Were Sent from Hell to Make Us Miserable (from The Oatmeal)

This is my cat:




This is a LOLcat. My favorite in the last 2 months:





Thank you, and have a pleasant day.