Adaptability & Mirth Making (A Free-Flowing Mind of MLE(tm) Event)

[mlerules]

I've long prided myself on my flexibility and adaptability, although I'm starting to suspect that the latter's not as good as I'd thought (and hoped). F'rinstance, my LJ posts now appear to me in some fancy funky new format, w/boxes and lots of light blue, making 'em difficult to read and messing w/my mind somewhat. Shouldn't bug me, but why can't folks leave well enough alone sometimes. Those who design product packaging seem compelled to change stuff & things periodically and the time 'tween shifts appears to keep shrinking as well. I often recognize something I want not by brand name, but by package design (visual learner here)...which leaves myself open to trouble when things shift and/or generic brands use darn similar packaging, but I'm aware enough to spot the wanna-be's from the actuals, but I'd rather not have to read so much so closely when buying laundry detergent or cornflakes, preferring to keep my limited brain powers for more interesting things (like the next in the series of Anita Blake Vampire Lover novels...oh, um, guess that's supposed to be Vampire Slayer...whatEVER). I've never before subscribed to the Sherlock Holmesian idea that there's a limited about of brain-space available so it's not worthwile littering the brain w/irrelevant facts (e.g., folks' names, etc.) when more important bits and pieces cry out for attention and retention (e.g., ash types, typewriter type types, etc.). Yeah, stereotyping (or even monotyping)'s one of those (some of those) pattern recognition systems our brains use to shortcut having to deal w/real things and people. I try really really hard NOT to do this, preferring to make up my own mind based on individual interactions rather than categorizing on the basis of a limited number of categories. I'd like to claim this is why I haven't listed anything under Interests in my LJ profile, but it's more laziness...thus once again proving the brain's (or mine at least) capacity for rationalization and justification...and its need for...or so I deduce based on the urge/desire/compelling fact that that's so often what I do/how I think/what happens.

I often ponder things all meta-like. (As an aside, I've gotten mad at myself recently - and saddened, and a tad frighted - at my inability to articulate what I'm thinking (and sometimes feeling, but this tends to be trickier so I don't set my standards nearly so high for it).) This is one such example. Exacerbated by my long-standing rule of Do Not Delete, as in I tend to type what comes to mind rather than try to make it sound good and better and neat and sensible, instead letting the LJ/writing/thinking/journaling process allow/permit/force me to think things through more carefully and hopefully acheive a higher level of clarity. Which works well when it works well but when it doesn't... Well, there you have yet another example of unclear thinking/reasoning/not coming to a satisfactory conclusion - or at least typing/putting into words what I think I mean. Which mebbe means I don't have it fully worked out yet. I'm still a Work In Progress. So I won't worry too much 'bout it. Damn it's nice not worry so much 'bout much of anything these days. Had a nice lunch w/a Dear Friend today. She's the (non-fambily) person I've known the longest. We've known each other for *gulp* 28 years. Damn. That's a hell of a long time. Anyway, we were comparing notes and catching up today and each noted how nice and wonderful it is to be at an age and place in our lives where we really don't give a damn 'bout a mess of stuff we used to sweat so much 'bout when younger, less experience, less mature, whatEVER. Phew!

Best line from lunch...okay, first the set-up: We're sitting by the window at the USC Faculty Club, it's Spring Break so not many other places on campus are open, and my DF's a marine biologist. After 1/2 hour or so of watching all the suits walk by the window on the way to the front door, she leans over and whispers, "It's like March of the Penguins, only it's the March of the Republicans." We demonstrated admirable restraint at not letting the mirth show. Now where in the heck was I? * Reread, scan, gather thoughts scattered to the winds. *

Ah, yes, a Work In Progress. How well am I adapting to the changing circumstances around me? Hmm. Actually, methinks it's better (whether or not more appropriate) to state (think in terms of) how well I am adapting the circumstances around me to fit who I am...and who I want to become. Sometimes (not nowadays in particular but it comes and goes) I worry 'bout stagnating, 'bout not adapting and being stuck (rut issues loom large at times). But now (damn, realizing this is olde news and one of my cycle-throughs...but also that LJ's for ME primarily, as well as whoever comes along for the ride so I'm not worrying, being happy) it's more like I'm in chrysalis mode right now, getting ready to spread my wings, but not there yet. I particularly like this imagery b'c of the flight pattern of the standard flutterby: erratic and off-course and wandering (w/out necessarily being lost), bumping 'round 'tween lovely flowers, collecting pollen, making honey...oops, I appear to have strayed over to the bee motif (currently in full swing w/curtains and valences and pillows and soaps and beads and if I can only find the misplaced MOMA bee pin I've had for years and years but has gone into hiding). The point here is that like the seasons, I'm still laying (gr?) fallow, waiting to blossom...wait, that's the flowers and such that're affected by the seasons. In case nobody's noticed, I've gone temporarily brain-manic after a day spent driving 'round town running errands w/a stop-off for hot (hot hot ouch) spiced chai and to finish M Crichton's "Terminal Man," which has definitely contributed to some of the things spinning wildly through my brain, percolating and drip drip dripping through my fingers onto the page/screen. Is there a limit to how long an LJ post can be? Guess we shall see.

Okay, this won't be particularly coherant, but it's some of the stuff whirling through my mind right now: patterns, pattern recognition, pathways, coursing waters, waterways, bridges, tollbooths, learning styles, contexts, modes of thought/thinking, types of memory, tests of memory, stability, flexibility, settled, the need for chaos as balance for the need for order but also as way of dealing w/the flexibility/change that IS LIFE, novelty/shininess, expanding understanding/knowledge, depth, breadth, triggers. Wow. I feel grand. No caffeine today, if'n you can believe that. (Unless the chai's affecting me like it doesn't usually do.)

And now...and now...what? Whither shall I drift? Blither blather. Done for now. Phew!

EDIT: One of the best things 'bout today was getting my final x-mas present: a gorgeous flowing knee-length black velvet (rubs both ways) cape handmade by my dear friend's mom. Yay!

Comments

[sidhefire.livejournal.com]

*grins* I'm really looking forward to getting to sit and talk with you late into the night at the end of next month!

[mlerules.livejournal.com]

Yeah, since you can apparently read through my entire ramble and remain brave enough to comment w/out fear of triggering another avalanche, it bodes well for good chattings into the wee hours. ;-)