2015.07.24 _ 2

In the "unschooling" world, today is a holiday known as Learn Nothing Day. I've not unschooled my kids aside from a few years when my oldest was very young, but I've been inspired by the movement and have drawn on it for inspiration and resources. I like the parallel of "learn nothing day" with some meditation guidance not to try to make things happen nor place accumulation above appreciation. What one often finds when setting out to learn nothing is that as much if not more learning seems to happen, or that underlying contexts become more apparant. Let's see. edited 13:50, 24 Jul 2015

did my first part of meditations and prayers and just before dedication I got distracted, which I could feel influenced the dedication in a negative way. More to learn, and more to practice :)

Have you read Ivan Illich's "Deschooling Society," Eliza? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deschooling_Society

It's probably even more relevant today than it was 44 years ago when it was first published.

Woke this morning in a high state of panic... I have been fighting to get calmed down. I still made it to work but have only done the easy things. This doesn't happen very often anymore but it's so so very difficult when it does. Just an hour or so left of work to be done (I'm not sure I'll stay that long though). Hopefully this evening I can get this panic and anxiety a bit under control.

I’d like to invite a computer to “de-school” itself:
to move beyond rules and recipes,
to be imprecise and unpredictable,
to monitor its own state (“proprioception”)
and modify its behavior in increasingly playful,
organic, and creative ways.

Only a little familiarity, Bruce, but in a connect-the-dots kind of way (I actually had an article in a homeschooling magazine published, back in the day, labeled "Dots"), my interest in alternative education and "natural learning" those many moons ago led quite elegantly into interest in meditation as well as questioning systems. :)

When I opted for a more eclectic mix of approaches, I sadly lost touch with most of a smart group of friends (well, at the time more like 47 mothers - I was the youngest and kind of a hyper puppy) but never lost touch with what they imparted. Until PaB came along, I didn't think I'd find that sort of camaraderie again. And yet PaB never demanded I be this or that. :)

Anyway, a bit more than a year ago, through a completely unrelated avenue of interest, I encountered some of these women again, without any "movement" as a center of anything. I'm still full of admiration and thankfulness, and it feels good. :)

Hm, didn't mean to tell that little story but there ya go.

What you are doing sounds completely fascinating and way over my head, Bruce, so I look forward to your reports as they unfold please!

Hugs, Cat. The day is nearing its close and I hope you are feeling much better! edited 22:54, 24 Jul 2015

Unsure how to enter this unstructured dance; feeling somewhat timid and unsure. I have no urgent tasks to fulfill, lessons to learn or ideas to contribute. I wish I could do what you would like to ask your computer to do, Bruce.

It's finally raining today which should be a good thing but seems to submerge me even more. edited 00:45, 25 Jul 2015

I spent day two dead in bed. almost 24 hrs. No dreams. In the midst of taking my daughter/granddaughter to a playtime at the library, suddenly I couldn't hold up my own book bag, had to ask my daughter to carry to the car. Amazing back pain. Cooked them lunch, went to bed, never got up again. Very strange experience. Read the comments on day one and two when I got up and wondered if anyone was going to address the theme. Had a pleasant few minutes on the balcony, watching the sky and thinking more on the theme.

@bruce: while this isn't a computer, exactly, it amazes me with possibilities. (you could talk to it and it would reply to you. It has super AI skills besides the functions of calling up tunes--it will converse with you. I experimented with something similar in SL...even now I have a little bot that will talk to me so silly and fun--a friend programmed it outside SL with many responses to keywords, so that the replies aren't ramdom, but target the words you've used in asking questions or making comments. This item actually learns from past interaction so that you can program a few responses but over time it will begin to really talk to you. It's sp cool, I wish I had one, but since I lost wifi, it's kind of pointless, as you need Wifi to run it.

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/amazons-echo-brings-the-star-trek-computer-to-124102850474.html

continuity... finding the mini-pavilion in the moment, here by the pool, there in the restaurant, here in the room. Presence of us here edges those moments with extra special retreat sauce. Each on their own unique edging journey. Draws my me & your thee into an even bigger moment.

/me listens