the bookshelf

Yesterday I said the bookshelf told the story. Today I will explain.

As an overview I will say that in the middle of a move the stuff that made it to my first installed shelf were things that needed little thought to be foremost. Thus the shelf contents clearly have significance to me.

Let’s start with the sign “Think Dangerously”. Can there be any doubt that the person who bought and displays it is non-mainstream? Not average? Liberated? Unafraid to challenge norms?

I placed the artist modeling figure in a ‘walking the tightrope’ stance. That is the balance between seeming normal and free thinking.

I cannot explain my odd head-on-foot Sculpey clay figure in a short paragraph, but that too is like me … inexplicable… not easily encapsulated.

The wizard is understanding average thinking, emotions and oh-so-much more. I often find myself in the wizard position … a cultural oddity able to explain only SOME of what I perceive.

The Constitution booklets should be read and understood, but in average society are not. I have them for ready reference.

California Carnivores instruction sheet explains maintaining alternatives to pesticides for managing pesky little insects. Their instructions for operating my plants is there for reference.

Behind them, my checkbooks attest to my avoidance of the plastic, scanned, electronic, cashless society The Banksters want us to embrace.

In the back of that rack is my slide rule instruction manual. I am reinvigorating my knowledge of this powerful, fine, ancient art.

My Duracel 700 flashlight is among my favorites. Many modern LED lights fill the same niche. Smart people have good flashlights all over the place. Humans don’t do well in complete darkness. LIGHTS OUT will hit without notice. That also relates to the two hand-blown-glass oil lamps on the right side.

My 2-meter HAM handheld radio attests to a high-level prepper mentality. Two way communications are going to be GOLD when Internet and phones go down. People figuring that MAY HAPPEN are heads and shoulders above those who don’t.

The Thesaurus and Dictionary pair attest to my strong belief that WORDS MATTER. As Newspeak takes over the masses, I RESIST.
(Note: the squiggly to the right is an electronic schematic symbol for “resistor”. I often wear that proudly as shorthand for my role in society)

The algebra and trigonometry reference book sits in primary position because math, real mathematics, is a hard, solid science. We can count on it to work perfectly 100% of the time. That is as opposed to the brain muddling garbage they call “new math”.

Next to it for ready reference is “Running Linux”. Microsoft and Apple have around 97% of the personal computing audience, influence and control. Count me in the III % for numerous reasons.

You are unlikely to read the title on the spine of the book next to it, but it is my HTMO & CSS reference. This Internet publishing language is my pulpit. Through it I mount my soapbox and rail against our overlords… my contribution to the resistance.

I could go on to the next shelf segment, but I will now jump to the top shelf – sailing.

A small USofA percentage are boaters.
A small percentage of boaters are sailors.
A small fraction of sailors sail catamarans.
I sailed a niche high-performance NACRA 5.8 catamaran.

Much of me and what I do is like that.
A fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a fraction.
Generations have always had pioneers and explorers.
Count me among them.
I do not apologize for being different.
If you are not abnormal, you need to work on that.

——

This random quote quite appropriately jumped onto my page while I was working this post over:

Unless a man has talents to make something of himself, freedom is an irksome burden. Of what avail is freedom to choose if the self be ineffectual? We join a mass movement to escape individual responsibility, or, in the words of the ardent young Nazi, ‘to be free from freedom.’”

— Eric Hoffer
(1902-1983) American author, philosopher, awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom