Accepted , rejected and objective

Accepted , rejected  and objective

My youngest Maddy daughter was filling out her application for  O’Connell Prep  School ,and among all the items listed for information gathering and questions asked were the following questions which gave pause for thought ,not wanting to repeat the traditional items of sports , school activities and groups and clubs it provided a chance for her and myself to reflect on ourselves as we really saw ourselves [using additional sheets paper if required ].So we each filled out our own versions of form together .Below are several points that caused us to both rethink in a nontraditional way thoughts  and our views of ourselves.

Describe yourself : [Not wanting her to do the …I am a good softball player and team leader which was already listed under the sports line , I thought about myself and came up with the following that fits in the 8 lines of space available]

I am unapproachably friendly. I am deliriously sane. I am normally crazy. I am rapturously unhappy. I am joyously angst-ridden. I am trendily outdated. I am consciously carefree. I am drunkenly devoted to sobriety. No. I am soberly committed to drunkenness. I am educated, but not snooty; a home-lover, but not a home-body. I am funny, but not a comedienne. I am religious, but not pious. I am set in my ways, but not set in concrete. I am confident, but not obnoxious. I am a bit romantic, but not sappy. I am smart, but not smart-alecky. I am  witty, but not at wit's end. I am reliable; but not predictable.

What are your assets and liabilities? [ Again not wanting her  to list team leader , captain of teams etc, but wanting her  to understand who she really is and give a insight into who her father is  , I came up with the following ]

I’m very creative both intellectually and artistically, but can't spell and often use inappropriate, but similarly sounding words to complete thoughts that might otherwise be profound.

What do you enjoy doing? [Again not wanting to list activites that are already described from the  many pages in the form with addition information listed on extra pages ,I looked for an answer that fits in the 4 lines provided on the application]

I Love to  laugh all the time, I enjoy laughing at the absurd, I enjoy laughing at my thoughts sparked by something completely unrelated, I enjoy laugh at texts that, sent to someone with a shadier disposition, might not be so funny, and I laugh at myself for laughing, among other things.

After smiling and reviewing her answers as compared to mine , we together sign, folded and placed a stamp and mailed out the application [s]…….Did I ever tell you I am also very forgetfull ,  I tend to forget minor details until I don't, and then I forget to forget them  again. I also enjoy hearing stories again for the first time….and this story will be told over and over again in my  house thru the years as the time …..my youngest  M got accepted in O’Connell Prep school and her father didn’t …..LOL…..you see when I sealed the envelope I enclosed both her copy and my copy of the application we were filling out….30 some years  after being accepted , graduating and now being rejected ,I can’t help but smile and think  life is still good on my island and at www.amigomovil.net .

Congratulations to my eldest Daughter  and to all seniors from the STEM program at Ball High Prep academy  and thanks to Dr Ricks for a job well done . Molly  good luck in the future and in farmacy or is it Pharmacy [ I don’t know I forget] school [ you already knew I couldn’t spell…lol… ]

Thoughts on Creativity

Creativity By Mike Nixon

Can creativity be created?  I personally find that creativity is a fickle mistress.  When moments of creativity hit, they can be motivating and uplifting.  In the sometimes long droughts between truly inspired thought, it seems that there has never been an original idea.  But, can innovation and ingenuity bedeveloped to the point that they are “on call” when the need arises?

Merriam -Webster describes creativity as “the skill and imagination to create new things”.  Skill – I like that – a skill is something that can be learned and developed.  But the second part of this definition is more problematic.  Imagination is that spark of genius that we are born with, something innately within us that singularly defines us and brands us as unique in this world.

While this psuedo-definition of imagination may be somewhat true, on further thought, it may be incomplete at best.  I wonder that skill and imagination are not so easily divorced as would appear on the surface.  Malcomb Gladwell is one of my favourite authors.  I believe he would take a different perspective on this topic.  In his books, Blink and again, peripherally, in Outliers, Mr. Gladwell would have us look at common (and not so common) occurrences differently.  Is our intuition (Blink) and our “overnight success” (Outliers) a God-given gift or talent bestowed at birth or are they more closely related to proficiency that can be developed?  It think the latter.

Let me give an example.  My wife's birthday was approaching.  As I get older, I am no longer satisfied buying the perfunctory flowers, perfume or other worn-out cliches of a present.  I wanted something creative to show my appreciation of her value in my life.  I wanted to celebrate the time that Anne and I  fell in love (I know, sappy, but true.)  In essence, I wanted to be creative.  But, what to buy or build or do?  One night, I noticed that when she bored of my excessive automotive how-to's and Science Channel documentaries, she retreated to her laptop and a quick game of Classic Ms. Pac Man.  You see, when we were first dating, we would often spend time by frequenting that late 70's hangout – the Video Arcade.

So the seminal idea was born.  I would find a vintage Pac Man arcade game and present it to her as a present.  But – you know what? - those things are big.  Where is it going to fit into our living room without it looking out of place like a fraternity dorm room.  (I say that because I had an Asteroids Arcade in my room...)  No, that definitely wouldn't work.  Maybe the “cocktail table” version of the arcade was a better solution.  Next revelation – those things are expensive.

Maybe I can build one...  There are myriad options and examples on the internet these days.  I secured plans and spent hours looking at examples.  I finally determined that I would not have the time/space/perseverance to complete this task.  But, the idea would not go away.  The cocktail table was a vast improvement but would still be covered by a tablecloth in the corner of the living room.  This would prevent the occasional spontaneous play that I wanted to encourage.  Something different would have to be “created”.  I wanted a classic arcade play but in a fixture that was on display for the world to see (I'm dramatic that way.)  I wanted it to be art.

Now, you see, one thing that I am not is an artist.  I am an engineer through and through.  I act like an engineer.  I talk like an engineer.  And, most importantly, I think like an engineer.  When I realized it was art that was the goal, I knew I was not the right man for the job.  So I turned to a real artist, John V. Weber.  Anne has wanted one of John's pieces in our home for some time.  So I “commissioned” John to build the artwork that would hold my engineering.  You see I have a secret weapon – John is also my daughter's father-in-law.  So art with a purpose.  And this is the metaphor for which I was searching.

So the terms, art and skill are very much relative.  John's art has a skill that is unsurpassed.  Like a pianist or a singer, his art is practised each day until it is honed to a fine edge.  Similarly, my skill has a certain level of artistic quality – the layout of wire, the location of the controls and the operation of the mechanics.  All developed from the repetitive use and tutelage of engineers more practised than myself.

So, creativity has come to mean the development of ideas and practices to a level that seems natural and spontaneous.  What Mr. Gladwell would describe as conforming to the “10,000 hour rule”.  Some, it seems, get this right and call it “focus”.  Others, fail miserably with obvious me-too products incorporating little thought or effort.  I like to believe that we can all insert some creativity into our world based on our own 10,000 hours of experience.  It is with this insight and challenge that we approach the development of all of our projects at Amigo Movil.

“Children begin by loving their Father ; as they grow older they judge him ; and sometimes, they forgive him ”

Over the weekend , I relaxed from work had a chance to spend time with my  18 yr old daughter . Ok I trapped her ,[ I asked her if she wanted to go to the Boat and hang out for a bit ]once I threw off the dock  lines , and cleared  into the Galveston Ship channel , there was no going back {hehehehe I still cant believe she fell for it }

With rumble of the old diesel  chugging [and smoking away]  , she quickly turned down the Ships radio and turned up the FM radio , but not to some crazy Houston station playing music without acoustic guitars but she tuned into my Texas Country station bringing a smile to  my face  as the sweet sound  of the Zack Brown Band came flowing out of the Cabin. Smiling she came into the cockpit and brought up several cushions to sit on and placed them around the cockpit area.

For 10 minutes or so , we experienced a calm easy silence , the kind that comes from just marveling at the beauty of our island home when viewed  from the water , the stillness almost placidness of the peacefull waters and the expanse of Gods arms in the form of clouds stretching across the horizon , just stearing the boat thru the markers with simple nods to each other reflecting on the many adventures she , her sisters, her friends and I have shared on these  waters .

Finally she spoke to reveal the dangers of a oyster bed near by ,smiling I adjusted course into a deeper part of the channel [thinking she remembers  running on this bed as a young child looking for pearls ]

Then she spoke of not missing the marker red 12 and turning slightly to starboard ,smiling I again made the course adjustments remembering the time she drifted by there on a floating dock loaded with her friends riding the currents with no motor thru the ship channel as only children blessed by Angels can do ,get way with and endure.

Glancing by the airport she commented on the dangers of the shifting sand bars , oyster reefs and false currents near there , Again smiling I adjusted course and thought of her running jet skis thru there and hanging out on the sandbar during the summer months bbq’ing , water skiing and listening to the concert sounds coming  from MoodyGardens .

Coming about , I handed the wheel over to her and moved  forward to the bow to make some adjustments  on the standing rigging, After several  minutes glancing back I saw her comfortably sitting on the Captains peak arms stretched across  the railing , shoes off , feet and toes locked on and around the wheel  steering by feel of the waves and wind  , head held high and slightly tilted into the evening breeze…….Completely at ease ,completely self assured and confident in her own knowledge , ability and course she was setting.

It was a moment of pride to watch her …to see what she has become ….and at the same time bittersweet …. with the realization , that she will be gone in several months of to chart her own course thru  Pharmacy school and life  , requiring or needing very little direction or Fatherly  intervention.{but secretly wishing and hoping she will always come back to ask her Pops opinion}

Settling back in the cockpit , our conversation drifted towards more  immediate subjects such as her sisters , friends , plans for the summer and of course the fatherly question of ….Hey Little bear , what do you feel your role is within yourself and our  family ?    

Responding as her eyes constantly scanned the horizon and then the near closer potential problems to navigation  she said “ To become the best person I am able too ….and  to lead ,challenge  and protect my sisters …..and to listen and heed   the advice from you”

Smiling at each other , we watched the sunset set on the water and I thought to myself … I am glad the argueing phase of our relationship may be coming to an end …I am extremely proud of her and her choices in life ..perhaps she is ready to chart her own course ...If she navigates life as well as she handles the Lost soul thru these waters ....She will be just fine ......  we will still have a few rocky patches but the girls and I are like a piece of fudge…. a little nutty….. but on the whole …full , rich and sweet ….alot like life  which should be savored and devoured , relishing both emotions at the same time ….......... life  is pretty good with the 3 M’s , on my island and at www.amigomovil.net

Viva La Tejas , Forever texas

It's Texas Independence Day! Y'all wear your boots.
176 years ago fifty-nine elegates to the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the Brazos sign the Texas Declaration of Independence without debate. Authored primarily by George Childress, it charges that the Mexican government has become a military dictatorship, ceasing to protect the lives, liberty and property of her people, and declares Texas to be an independent republic.
In San Antonio the Alamo defenders endure another day of shelling as Santa Anna continues to close the noose around the little fort. They only have days to live and will die unaware that independence has been declared......www.amigomovil.net ......Viva La Tejas !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!