Posted by Racer on June 25, 2004, at 17:06:10
In reply to Less inspired survey for today, posted by Racer on June 25, 2004, at 16:41:13
> 1. If you could have any car ever made, in any condition, to express your goofy side, what would it be? And what color would it be?
>
No question about it, I know this one! An AMC Gremlin from the 70's -- that fits my goofy side to a T. And the color should be obvious, shouldn't it? Lime green, as bright as possible! (I don't remember the whole story, but there was something about AMC putting the Gremlin and the Pacer out in order to force themselves out of business? Whatever, and even if that wasn't true, there's been something about that car since it first hit the road that just -- fits me.)
> 2. Same question, but expressing the way you'd like to be seen by the rest of the world?
>
This is much harder, but the most constant Dream Car for me has been an Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce. Not one of the "classic" older ones, either. About mid-80's, although I did finally get to *like* the last few years' models. {{sigh}} 'Course, you know what to do when your Alfa breaks down, right? (All together now) "Take it to the DEALER!!!" (Yeah, funny...)> 3. Can you cite one arcane or obscure historical event that you're glad you know about, even if it has no real larger meaning?
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This might be too much for me right now, but it's actually the question that inspired this list. Last night, flipping channels, my husband stopped on the PBS docudrama about the de Medicis. (It's not actually his *thing*, so it really surprised me that he left it on.) Anyway, when they got to Guilo/Clement VII and the Sacking of Rome part, it reminded me of a guy called Arrighi -- which I am probably misspelling.(Warning: this is what I can remember very fuzzily, NOT to be relied on for total accuracy.)
Arrighi designed typefaces for the Vatican printing presses, and I think he was a monk or a priest, but can't remember if I ever really knew. He wrote a book about designing letter forms and typefaces and teaching writing. After the Sacking of Rome, he was never heard from again. It's *possible*, of course, that he managed to escape the wholesale slaughter and disguise himself as a peasant/farmer or something -- but how likely do we think that is?
The major players in those events, figures like Michaelangelo, are always brought up in the histories, but Arrighi almost never does. Yet, his influence on our world was arguably as great as Michaelangelo's. Most of the typefaces we've ever seen in our lives are based on the principles he set forth, and it was probably only after the Second World War that those boundaries were successfully extended.
'Course, then it all gets me into the whole "history of literacy" thing, involving the fact that all this happened within about a century of the introduction of moveable type to printing, the extensions of literacy, Luther, and all that. Fascinating to me, but probably not the thing for today, eh? ;-)
> 4. Can you name one -- only one, unless you're inspired by this idea -- *benefit* of your difficulties with mood disorders or traumatic experiences?
>
Yes. Because I'm MUCH quieter and restrained than most of the rest of my family -- though admittedly talkative -- and because I was often very frightened by them, I learned to observe them carefully. Now, no doubt that observation can be called hypervigilance -- and it is. I've got a very easily triggered "startle response" and am likely to be wary much of the time.You know what, though? It's made me more insightful about myself, other people, and animals. Watching them so closely, learning their 'triggers' or 'tells' or whatever, I learned a lot about my own. It makes me good with a lot of animals a lot of the time; it makes me a better teacher, both because I can 'feel' the student pretty well and because I can 'feel' the solution for that student; it's probably the biggest part of what's gotten me through all this nightmare -- even though it's also what got me into it in the first place.
And you know what else? If I could totally erase all the pain involved in all this over the years, but it would mean giving up that benefit? Not a chance, buddy, not a chance.
> 5. A City Council in CA had a debate recently, in which they considered whether or not to ban certain drinking cups at civic events because the manufacture of the material those cups were made from involved the use of a substance called dihydrogen monoxide. Now, this stuff is known to: a> in it's most common state, be lethal to humans when inhaled, even in rather small amounts; b> in it's solid state, prolonged contact will cause considerable tissue damage; c> be a key component of Acid Rain; and d> be used extensively in the production of styrofoam. A survey used in the debate showed that 86% of respondents in a study supported it's use being banned completely. What do you say? Should it be banned?
>
I'm gonna let someone else answer this one. If no one else says it first, I'll tell you my opinion later. And for that person who answers it -- I just couldn't resist, and it is a true story.
poster:Racer
thread:360410
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040619/msgs/360424.html