Comments for pitter Patter http://pitterpatter.souris.us Here are drops of thought, scattering and scurrying across the sands Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:37:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2 Comment on Synchronicity by rogebcn http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=26#comment-744 rogebcn Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:50:49 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=26#comment-744 Dear blogger, I have arrived at your blog through a reference to synchronicity that you posted some time ago, That's how synchronicity works! I am a clinical psychologist from Barcelona (Spain). Since one year ago an experiment that tries to study scientifically the synchronicity phenomenon is available on Internet. If you want to be part of this research, you can go to: http://www.rogebcn.es If you find this interesting, please post about it on the Internet for commentary or make a link on your blog. There is no commercial interest nor interest of any other kind. It's purely research. Thank you, and please excuse the interruption Rogelio Douton Dear blogger,

I have arrived at your blog through a reference to synchronicity that you posted some time ago, That’s how synchronicity works!
I am a clinical psychologist from Barcelona (Spain). Since one year ago an experiment that tries to study scientifically the synchronicity phenomenon is available on Internet.
If you want to be part of this research, you can go to:

http://www.rogebcn.es

If you find this interesting, please post about it on the Internet for commentary or make a link on your blog. There is no commercial interest nor interest of any other kind. It’s purely research.

Thank you, and please excuse the interruption

Rogelio Douton

]]> Comment on On Awareness by Patrick http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=30#comment-694 Patrick Fri, 17 Oct 2008 13:17:28 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=30#comment-694 I think Facebook and Twiiter are really going to be popular. These websites are going to catch on with the "kids." I like to be able to stay in touch with my friends, and make new friends. The internet sure is great! I think Facebook and Twiiter are really going to be popular. These websites are going to catch on with the “kids.” I like to be able to stay in touch with my friends, and make new friends. The internet sure is great!

]]> Comment on On Awareness by Charlotte http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=30#comment-655 Charlotte Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:09:49 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=30#comment-655 I think you are right to identify the pitfalls of having so many little online epicenters of 'ambient' activity! They are like the decentralized Roman city states--will eventually their only connection be mutual wars? Perhaps, alternatively, different chat rooms will develop special drum beats--like African villages of old--and have distinct rhythms wherein the slaves (or mothers) of one tribe communicate horror stories (or recipes) with another (say yahoo! vs. gmail) tribe. Give us a generation or two--of human beings (or, more briskly, of technology)--and I'm sure the human race will have developed some new creative way to hold the virtual village together. Let's just hope it is gentle, and does not require us to spend yet more time in front of a screen! I think you are right to identify the pitfalls of having so many little online epicenters of ‘ambient’ activity! They are like the decentralized Roman city states–will eventually their only connection be mutual wars? Perhaps, alternatively, different chat rooms will develop special drum beats–like African villages of old–and have distinct rhythms wherein the slaves (or mothers) of one tribe communicate horror stories (or recipes) with another (say yahoo! vs. gmail) tribe. Give us a generation or two–of human beings (or, more briskly, of technology)–and I’m sure the human race will have developed some new creative way to hold the virtual village together. Let’s just hope it is gentle, and does not require us to spend yet more time in front of a screen!

]]> Comment on On Awareness by Page http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=30#comment-654 Page Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:24:42 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=30#comment-654 This splintering or further granulation of online social interaction will only affect those that allow it to. Facebooking or whatever may be a good way to keep in touch with certain friends, but letting the extent of your social interactions be limited to whomever uses the same online timesuck social networking sites as yourself is just dumb. If you'll excuse me, I have to go update my status... This splintering or further granulation of online social interaction will only affect those that allow it to. Facebooking or whatever may be a good way to keep in touch with certain friends, but letting the extent of your social interactions be limited to whomever uses the same online timesuck social networking sites as yourself is just dumb. If you’ll excuse me, I have to go update my status…

]]> Comment on Thinking Magical Thinking by Pam http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=29#comment-456 Pam Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:08:08 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=29#comment-456 You know, in re-reading this, the thing that strikes me the most is how *different* my household was growing up. My Dad has always been fond of debating all the different possibilities of how things are -- more really about philosophy than science, I guess, but as a result, I think, I have become a person who has trouble with absolutes. It's difficult for me to accept that something is "right" or the "truth". Huh... The other thing your post brought to mind is my mother, who thinks that "positive thinking" is the most important thing a person can do. I think she believes that changing your thinking about something can change what happens. There have been times in my life when I thought this was true, too -- particularly at times when my cats were sick. For me, it was more that I was afraid if I didn't stop thinking those positive thoughts and praying for their wellness, that they would die. The one "magical thinking tool" I do employ from my mom's repertoire is visualization. I am afraid of flying, so if I'm flying on a plane, I will actively visualize the plane landing safely and imagine myself doing all the things I am planning to do once I land. I have convinced myself that if I can imagine something happening, it is more likely to happen. But, isn't that also scary...? For that reason (the scariness), I prefer to think I have no control over events at all. Huh... You know, in re-reading this, the thing that strikes me the most is how *different* my household was growing up. My Dad has always been fond of debating all the different possibilities of how things are — more really about philosophy than science, I guess, but as a result, I think, I have become a person who has trouble with absolutes. It’s difficult for me to accept that something is “right” or the “truth”. Huh…

The other thing your post brought to mind is my mother, who thinks that “positive thinking” is the most important thing a person can do. I think she believes that changing your thinking about something can change what happens. There have been times in my life when I thought this was true, too — particularly at times when my cats were sick. For me, it was more that I was afraid if I didn’t stop thinking those positive thoughts and praying for their wellness, that they would die.

The one “magical thinking tool” I do employ from my mom’s repertoire is visualization. I am afraid of flying, so if I’m flying on a plane, I will actively visualize the plane landing safely and imagine myself doing all the things I am planning to do once I land. I have convinced myself that if I can imagine something happening, it is more likely to happen. But, isn’t that also scary…? For that reason (the scariness), I prefer to think I have no control over events at all. Huh…

]]> Comment on The Unguarded Moment by Pam http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=23#comment-272 Pam Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:52:07 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=23#comment-272 <p>I hate driving, too. If I have the choice between walking and taking public transit, I'll usually choose walking, but for those situations in which walking doesn't make any sense because my destination is too far or there are time constraints, I do enjoy taking the train. There is something really nice about letting someone else do the driving — and, for me, there is also something refreshing in the camaraderie I feel with my fellow passengers. I like that when I take the train (above ground or under) in the city I see a really wide cross section of the population (although that is becoming less true to an extent because of rising fares). In smaller cities and towns, it seems like only the poorest folks take public transportation (since so often the networks are terribly inefficient and quite inconvenient, you would have to have a significant financial reason to justify the hassle), whereas in bigger cities, public transportation is often the most efficient and logical, as well as the cheapest way to travel. While riding the train, you get a unique opportunity to see how other people live -- to overhear snippets of conversation, to see the expressions on their faces for more than a fleeting second, to see what books they are reading, to see what new gadgets they have, what kind of outrageous outfits they have come up with... It really can be quite an educational and fascinating experience.</p> I hate driving, too. If I have the choice between walking and taking public transit, I’ll usually choose walking, but for those situations in which walking doesn’t make any sense because my destination is too far or there are time constraints, I do enjoy taking the train. There is something really nice about letting someone else do the driving — and, for me, there is also something refreshing in the camaraderie I feel with my fellow passengers. I like that when I take the train (above ground or under) in the city I see a really wide cross section of the population (although that is becoming less true to an extent because of rising fares). In smaller cities and towns, it seems like only the poorest folks take public transportation (since so often the networks are terribly inefficient and quite inconvenient, you would have to have a significant financial reason to justify the hassle), whereas in bigger cities, public transportation is often the most efficient and logical, as well as the cheapest way to travel. While riding the train, you get a unique opportunity to see how other people live — to overhear snippets of conversation, to see the expressions on their faces for more than a fleeting second, to see what books they are reading, to see what new gadgets they have, what kind of outrageous outfits they have come up with… It really can be quite an educational and fascinating experience.

]]> Comment on Loving Hypocracy by Pam http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=27#comment-259 Pam Thu, 06 Dec 2007 23:19:17 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=27#comment-259 I realized the other day that the people I value most in my life I value for their individuality, because they are eccentric and/or innovative, because they are creative thinkers. Interesting that I, too, have always been interested in religion and spirituality, because when you join a religious community, individuality isn't usually at the top of the agenda. In my life, I have more often been prone to befriend folks who like to talk about all of the possibilities. I am mystified by people who think they know all the answers. So, in a religious community, if I'm asked to conform, that's a problem for me. The only reason I wanted to and was able to join the religious community I did join was because it was very clear to me that they valued highly and wanted me to have and acknowledge my own individual experience. But, that said, there's always some compromise involved in joining any group. I realized the other day that the people I value most in my life I value for their individuality, because they are eccentric and/or innovative, because they are creative thinkers. Interesting that I, too, have always been interested in religion and spirituality, because when you join a religious community, individuality isn’t usually at the top of the agenda. In my life, I have more often been prone to befriend folks who like to talk about all of the possibilities. I am mystified by people who think they know all the answers. So, in a religious community, if I’m asked to conform, that’s a problem for me. The only reason I wanted to and was able to join the religious community I did join was because it was very clear to me that they valued highly and wanted me to have and acknowledge my own individual experience. But, that said, there’s always some compromise involved in joining any group.

]]> Comment on Those Dern Jena 6 by Pam http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=25#comment-226 Pam Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:24:44 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=25#comment-226 Wow. I can't believe no one has commented on this yet. Maybe I should put a link to it on my blog... Wow. I can’t believe no one has commented on this yet. Maybe I should put a link to it on my blog…

]]> Comment on What is Government, Anyway? (part 1) by Pam http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=13#comment-18 Pam Mon, 30 Jul 2007 01:42:08 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=13#comment-18 Interesting! Interesting!

]]> Comment on Details by Sarah http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=15#comment-13 Sarah Mon, 16 Jul 2007 18:04:52 +0000 http://pitterpatter.souris.us/?p=15#comment-13 Are you high? :) Are you high? :)

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