Collie's Bestiary

Interestingly, I recently stumbled across some old high school friends on-line. It was gratifying how pleased they were to find me again (see previous posting re how unlovable I was convinced I was in high school), and I was thrilled to link up with them also. However, I was puzzled at their reactions after my [...]

This morning the radio alarm woke me to the bouncy, upbeat-sounding strains of Bruce Springsteen's "Glory Days." I like the music, although I confess to some dislike/confusion with the lyrics. Are these people actually believing the best days of their lives were in high school, and everything is downhill from there? What a truly tragic [...]

A friend amusedly pointed out that I seem to be educationally following Arthur C. Clarke's "Odyssey" books: I graduated with a bachelor's in 2001, and with my master's in 2010. I laughed when he mentioned it, and later curiously checked. Weren't there supposed to be more books in the series? I was, after all, still [...]

The other really nice display on a 3-dimensional model was of a 19th-20th century shaman in full regalia. I was inordinately delighted by this (much to the continued amusement of my companions), excitedly pointing out the large, flat, bodhran-like drum (unfortunately unpainted with helpful symbols, which made me wonder if it had actually been used [...]

We have the same situation of frustratingly half-told stories occurring repeatedly in the Tech's exhibit. For example, exactly one sentence was dedicated to Genghis' daughters, stating that one of them led a successful conquest of a particular city. Why wasn't there more said about her in the signs? We weren't even given her name! If [...]

Try any of these books for more on this fascinating and amazing era. The Secret History of the Mongols was written a scant 20 years or so after Genghis' death, and is startlingly realistic instead of sycophantically complimentary. The author of the other two books is eminently readable and well researched. I especially recommend the [...]

Thesis has been signed off! Passed with flying colors! Graduation was wonderful! ;) Very sleep deprived. Having occasional weird giggle fits. Conversation with a long-suffering friend on-line: J says "Congratulations at the end of your thesis! Now that it's over, can I ask… what was it about? :)" Collie looks boggled, "About? Er… they're supposed [...]

Laughing Collie has been temporarily replaced by Happy Fun Thesis-Collie. Warning: Pregnant women, the elderly, and children under 10 should avoid prolonged exposure to Happy Fun Thesis-Collie. Caution: Happy Fun Thesis-Collie may suddenly accelerate to dangerous speeds. If Happy Fun Thesis-Collie begins to smoke, get away immediately. Seek shelter and cover head. Do not taunt [...]

Having a unique name, such as mine is, has inadvertently led to a big personal surprise: people from my past are actually contacting me and asking to "friend" me on Facebook! I'm touched and pleased to do so, especially since my memories of high school (as a single example) were of me being an extremely [...]

I'm now on Facebook! I'm finding it a curiously fascinating window onto my own psyche. I've greatly enjoyed trying to find people from my past, but I've noticed some interesting reactions in myself as I do so. First, due to my family having moved so much, city to city, through almost all of my youth, [...]