Millions, or more reasonably tens of millions, of humble, dedicated, productive geniuses have gifted me an enormous array of marvelous textiles, machines and electronic devices for my comfort, delight and amusement. And.. they've provided the music. Whenever I thumb through the literature generated by electrical engineers, electronic engineers, materials scientists or computer scientists -- or whenever I simply look about me -- I'm humbled to see that I'm not 1/100 as accomplished as the truly accomplished. (I've put a lot of thought into it.) My first overwhelming awareness of what's actually out there didn't happen until I was 35, despite having three years of college math and a year of college physics behind me. It's been a regular reoccurence ever since. The complexity and perfectionism throughout the manufacturing sector is perpetually shocking to me. I'm also humbled by the servient workers that I see at the stores, who labor under the clock to my benefit. I've had the enormous good fortune of being self-employed my entire life, and it seems to have been almost entirely play and freedom. I've labored full-time over most of the past 52 years -- I'm sure it's the equivalent of 47 years -- yet I feel that I lead a pampered life which seems to have been simply handed to me. I'm 70. I'll not likely use the rest of my life to try to "make it right"; probably just continue to mostly "play" and relax, and try to make the lives of my furry friends worthwhile. That's the situation as it stands.. My story about Dr. Gershenson, who gave me my best experience at the U of M. home |