In The Head

I got into a discussion with my buddy John... with whom I've worked since 1977... regarding needing a hearing aid (me and my buddies are getting up there and the topic comes up more often now). For most of us, the noise floor is up, and thus the problem is the signal-to-noise ratio, i.e., tinnitus, a "ringing in the ear."


The reason I use quotes there is that my other buddy Jim had a conjecture that tinnitus is not a hardware problem but too high a loop gain in the brain. I validated that three years ago when I took anti-depressants and my own tinnitus went away. My problem-solving statement to John is that, when the time comes, I will try pills again before I get a hearing aid. Buddy Phil thinks that the tinnitus did not go away... that I just went to la-la land and didn't care, but I disagree. I ran a hearing level test with my bedroom HEPA filter fan level as reference, and I could hear fine with the fan off, whereas now (and before the anti-depresants) it takes two fan levels to drown out the tinnitus.

This begs to ask: What else do we have overgained? Clearly, anxieties, fears and panic come to mind... and surely depression is just a product of exhaustion due to anxiety overgain... but what else?

Seems to me that a lot of life is in the software... it's in the head.

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, just a dam' good engineer.


- © 2010 by Willy

It's In The Hands

Aretha Franklin asked how-can-she-tell-if-he-loves-me in her song "It's In His Kiss." She said we can't tell by looking in the eyes, the face, by an embrace, nor by the way they behave... it was all in the kiss. It made a good song, but was dead wrong. It's all in their behavior, and watching them gives them away.

I believe that you can tell a whole lot about another person by watching their hands and what they do with them.

If she's wringing her hands, she's stressed, but at what? If his arms are crossed and folded, watch out. If her handshake is too strong, she's domineering. If his hand is asking for money or just taking it from your purse, he's a leach you don't want. If her hands are tatooed, she's self-centered and has no room for you. If his hands are on the keyboard or phone and he's ignoring you, you mean nothing to him.

If her hand's index finger is pointing at you, she's transfering blame and life will be hell. If it's his middle finger he's showing you, put some space between you. If her hand is on your butt, she's got a one-track mind and she's no good. If his hand is clenched into a fist, get out now while you can.

If you allow your heart in her hands, you've made a mistake. If your own hands are continuously paying for everything, you're screwing up here too.

If she's using her hands to plant a tree or to perform work, that's as it should be. If his hands are curled around a handlebar, he's having fun, but if it's a golf club, you'll be a widow. If she's giving you a hand, that's terrific. If his hands are resting in his lap, he's relaxed and listening to you. If her hands are laced on her head, she's fun. If his hand is waving at you, he likes you. If her hands are massaging you, you have not one care in the world.

If his hands are praying, if her hands are holding yours gently, or protecting you, or if they are caring and serving hands, or one arm is around your back with hand on shoulder, giving you a hug when you need it... you found a great friend indeed. Treasure this one.

-© 2009 by Willy

Bruised Tomatoes

If a tree falls in the forest, and there is nobody around to hear it, will it make a sound?

This supposedly highbrow question has traditionally been used by the Mensa crowd as a philosophical point of discussion. The snobs actually believe that there is a debatable answer, but any seasoned engineer knows the answer is: yes, it will... but the sound will be different depending on the observer. The observer... the somebody around to hear... is part of the tree-falling event. Period. No further discussion.

Similarly, the person shopping at the grocery store produce aisle squeezing a tomato will bruise it and thus change it. Testing... the shopper... does change the item under test. Think of how many people will squeeze that tomato during a Saturday. And have you noticed the mess by the eggs?

In weapons testing, we have to watch for the testing cowboys jabbering too much on the radio while going thru their checklists, because too much of this might mean that the moving targets could be clear off the test area by the time somebody finally gets to press the trigger. Good thing that testing is not real-life, or our weapons would be worthless. Testing changes the item under test.

In dating and relationships, as one person goes shopping for another, he or she can and do leave a whole lot of bruised tomatoes in their wake, especially if that perfection they are looking for doesn't exist. Or what if they are the tomatoes that hang around just to get squeezed? I've seen this phenomena close-up and note that this world consists mostly of bruised tomatoes. Here, too, testing changes the item under test, and the bruising shows societally.

A solution? Is the bruising worth the squeeze? Give up tomatoes, and, especially, don't present yourself as one. There are sooo many better things to do in life.

And laugh at the squeezed tomato.

- © 2009 by Willy

P.S., watch what you observe!