Monday 22 March 1999

Pic of the night: Sleepy time!

Last night, before going to bed, I explored some of the bonus pages of GabGabCamCam, the irrepressible Gabrielle L. Gabrielle's webcam, daily diary, and assorted goodies all in good taste. I also traversed her LinksLinks page: This one simply must be great, because it has a link to my own humble site on it. (Of course, this does not show up in Altavista. Remind me to rant on that another time.) Anyway, there are such goodies as the Love Calculator. Simply supply your name and the name of your love candidate, and the numerological engine will estimate your chances. In fact, I was on the verge of trying this heathen superstition (you people don't really need to know the other name, do you?) when I suddenly noticed that "The Love Calculator has been made by Matthijs Sypkens Smit and Thijs Kinkhorst".
Who knows what name I'd ended up with before I got to an acceptable percentage!

On boredom:
I virtually never get bored anymore, not since some time during my childhood. I'm not sure when, but really long ago. I still remember the feeling though. I have generally credited my enormous intelligence (not to mention the lucky fact that I'm neither blind nor lame, at least not literally). But recently I noticed my best friend, my Supergirl, was actually a bit bored. And with me around, even! (*boggle*) Now, she's actually more intelligent than me (yes, that can happen too) and so there went my pet theory. I guess people simply have different levels of optimal stimulation. (In fact, I've read about that several places. Perhaps another approximate truth?)
I've generally assumed that the brighter you are, the lower your level of optimal input. I have noticed that stupid people tend to like lots of noise. Very loud music in the night, for instance, and movies with lots of shooting and speeding cars and screeching tyres. And loud raucous laughter and howling. If they're really stupid, they will do thrill things like speed driving, burglary, needless fights and stimulant drugs.
Me, when I'm just sitting there with nobody to talk with, I'll generally fall asleep in 15 minutes or less if physically possible. On the bus, on the train, in my own living room, even at work if there's nothing to do. I guess that's a hint that I may need a bit more sleep than I actually get? If I am too rested to sleep, I will generally read (if I don't have a computer nearby) or else listen to music. Or, if I'm really awake, I will start to plan things or reflect on the past or make stories. I can keep several chapters in my head at the same time. (In fact, some of my stories are still there, and have never been written down.) And then there is meditation, prayer and introspection. Usually my "boredom time" is used up way before I get around to being bored. Which is fine by me. Boredom is so ... boring!

A helpful soul on rasfwrj pointed me in the direction of a treasure trove of apochrypical New Testament writings, gospels as well as letters and other writings, most of which I admit was unknown to me. The Seraphim Files will presumably appeal to anyone with an intellectual interest in the main religion of the Western civilization. I am aware though that some of these sources may be disturbing to the less critical reader, who is accustomed to swallowing any story about Jesus with no reflection whatsoever. These may want to read this together with friends rather than alone, so they don't risk contracting any heresy. I've been reading in the Gospel of Nicodemus this evening, among other things I've been doing.