Are you my mummy?
(via An Illustrated History Of Gas Masks)
Spite gets a bad rap. I’ve actually found spite to be a great motivator in my life. Before you think I’m some horrible person, I’ve never intentionally caused harm to someone out of spite. I’m not talking about the hateful, malice kind of spite, I’m talking about the, “I’m going to prove you wrong” kind of spite. And I’m not talking about the friendly, competitive, “I’m going to prove you wrong. Ha ha ha.” kind of spite, but the “You suck. I’m going to prove you wrong. You are now my arch nemesis” kind of spite.
If spite could ever take the moral high ground, that’s what I’m talking about. Maybe there’s a better word, in some other language (I bet the Spanish - or maybe the Italians - have a word for this) but spite feels right.
When I was in 7th grade (like every grade in school) I struggled. My middle school was a 3 year school composed of 7th, 8th and 9th grade. I felt like I had barely survived grade school and was completely overwhelmed in 7th grade with all the different classes and all these giant kids everywhere (I was one of the short kids). While they diagnosed me with “learning disabilities” it wasn’t until several years later that they started calling these “disabilities” ADHD. So yeah, I’m so hipster, I had ADHD before it was cool. (Lucky me.) But this isn’t meant to be a pity party, let’s get on to the spiting.
While 7th grade Tac was completely overwhelmed, he met a nice man, who’s job it was to help him through school, it was his guidance councilor.
One day, when my mother and I were sitting in his office and she was explaining to him that the teachers were going to have to make some drastic changes in their teaching styles to accommodate me, (crazy things like write the homework assignments on the chalk board and not just rattle off the list of assignments verbally), he said something that changed my life forever.
He looked at my mom, sitting on the edge of his desk and without looking at me or even acknowledging that I was in the room, said, “Maybe Tac’s just learned everything he’s going to learn. Maybe you should consider Vo-tech or something for him.”
The rest of the meeting was a blur for me. I know my mom got mad, and that we promptly left his office, but I don’t remember if it was the seething, barely controlled rage kind of mad or if she yelled at him (with my mom, yelling is actually the less scary kind of mad).
I did go on to graduate high school, and college and even earned a masters degree, but lot’s of kids in my situation didn’t. there are a lot of kids who don’t learn the same as everyone else and just say “screw it, I’m out.” I don’t think I’m smarter than any of them, so why didn’t I just quit? Why did I continue to go on and struggle through college? Because of spite, that’s why.
Sure, maybe the whole reason I made it through wasn’t just spite, but when things got hardest and no matter how hard I tried I still struggled and worked my ass off to maintain a C average (which usually meant I had to find some way to bring my D up to a C) I would pull from my spite and refuse to let him be right. Even though he has no idea what I’ve managed to do or how hard I’ve worked, I know that he was wrong.
So I love it when people tell me I won’t be able to do something. That something can’t be done. And yes, sometimes they’re right. But almost always, they’re wrong. Dead wrong.
We all have these experiences. I don’t know what get’s other people through them. I don’t know how you overcome the nay sayers, but I know that most people don’t. Most people quit.
I also know that most people use spite in a self destructive way. Usually people use spite as a reason NOT to do something. It’s the childish, “you can’t make me” kind of spite that’s most destructive. And I have that sometimes too, but I know that when I do that, I’m only really hurting myself and not the other person. But by using spite to motivate me to make myself better, I’m neither hurting them, nor myself. I’m just making myself better.
It’s like this book was written just for me. – View on Path.
Of course we are. – Preview it on Path.
The Army’s Secret Weapon Is This Quantum Physicist, Pioneer Of “Ghost Imaging”
Ronald Meyer’s is the most innovative man in one of the world’s most innovative organizations.
The U.S. Army just made Thompson Reuters’ list of the world’s 300 most innovative organizations after earning 300 patents in three years. At least 11 of those patents have Ronald Meyers’ name on them…
Read more about him here.
“using an alternative mathematics” You mean there’s another kind of math? Something tells me it’s probably not easier than the one I was taught.
In all seriousness though, quantum computing really fascinates me.
[video]
[video]
3D Printing is a tool. How you use it is up to you.
3-D Printer Makes A Bionic Ear
Scientists Create Sensor As Sensitive As Real Skin
This Is The World’s First Entirely 3D-Printed Gun
Google Glass solves the need to take your phone out of your pocket at the expense of wearing it on your face.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Glass and why it elicits such a polarizing response from people and this is what I’ve come up with.
Why do they not make Star Wars Lego shirts in adult sizes? on Flickr.
Why do they not make Star Wars Lego shirts in adult sizes?