Hi again, James!  This is a continuation of my previous message:

JB>  You frisky little devil, Ardith! Navigator, eh? I
JB>  don't know if I would have the scruples to do that.
JB>  I've often thought about it too. I think it would
JB>  be easier to be the pilot, than the co-pilot, but
JB>  whatever floats your boat. <"We're not worthy...
JB>  We're not worthy...">


          Well... from what you've told me about your adventures with a
bicycle, I imagine our preferred learning styles are different.  You'd
enjoy the physical challenge of a speed stage in which the objective is to
find out how quickly you can hurl a vehicle around a bend on a gravel road
because you learn primarily by doing.  I was content to take the supportive
role of interpreting maps, watching for landmarks, and calculating how many
light years are in a leap year because I learn primarily by reading &
observation.  I recognize the names of many roads I saw little of, however,
because it was my job to relay the instructions....  ;-)



JB>  "Time the avenger." - C. Hines


          Yup.  I go on being myself, knowing it will probably come into
fashion sooner or later.  I think I've gained some perspective over the
years... [grin].



JB>  I've had to reel myself back from a lot of ideas,
JB>  but I tend to relish that approach, than stifling
JB>  my creativity. Heck, there's enough people to
JB>  shoot you down. Why should I do their job too? 


          Makes sense to me!  I enjoy playing with ideas, and I'm generally
open to further input.  I can see where you may have problems with people
who like to wrap things up more quickly, however... I certainly do.  It's a
classic conflict in reasoning styles.  Here's an anecdote to illustrate
what I mean:

          Dallas & I went to an unfamiliar store to get an estimate on
repairing an old clock my mother wanted my cousin to have.  My mother is
now deceased & my cousin lives on a sailboat with which she's exploring
the southern hemisphere at present... so she's not sure whether she wants
us to sell it or keep it for her. This clock belonged to my grandmother,
who was also her grandmother.  Like other clocks of a similar age it has
the maker's name & city painted on the dial.  I'd grown up with the
clock but couldn't remember the name of the city.  The letters are quite
faded.  As I was holding various pieces while Dallas photographed them I
was able to see it more closely & exclaimed delightedly "Oh...
Barnsley!"  The store clerk bustled up to us, said "That's a
t," and bustled away again.  When I looked even more closely I saw
that it was an l with two parallel scratches just to the right.  I had
recognized the name because my mother used to write letters to a woman in
"Darton nr. Barnsley", and I found the address very amusing when
I was a child.  My grandmother came from within about a hundred miles of
Barnsley. It's listed in the various atlases I consulted at home, too...
"Barnstey" isn't.

          Such details are of no consequence to the person whose mind is
already made up & who has the attention span of a goldfish, i.e. about
three seconds.  I didn't bother to argue with the clerk because I may never
see her again.  She is an extreme example... but I find such examples very
educational.  She could well be the sort of person with whom you often find
yourself biting your tongue, as I do.  I resent being "corrected"
by folks who issue pronouncements about persons, places, things & ideas
without really looking at them.  OTOH, they get irritated with me because
I'm still collecting data after they've lost interest... (sigh).



JB>  I've found the real chore is to locate friends who can call
JB>  you on your crap, and have a good laugh about it later.


          I'd like to think you've just located one... me.  :-))




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+