Southern – Page 2 – Mostly From Memory

Diabetes: A Health Topic

“November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Maybe you could a talk on Diabetes for us.”

I was asked to speak at the Senior Center about Diabetes because November was Diabetes Awareness Month and that would be a good “Health Topic.” When the lady said that over the phone I had a flashback to the fifth grade when I was assigned a body system to do a research report on. I don’t remember what my assignment was, most likely because my Mother probably got carried away “Helping” me, but I do remember Amanda Giovanni’s* topic. She was assigned the respiratory system. There came a day when we were to present our projects orally and with visual aides before the entire combined classroom of 4th and 5th graders and more importantly before Mrs. McManus and Mrs. Battle. I’m sure I did adequately on the oral portion, and my Mom’s artistic hand on the visual side either landed me some extra points or counted against me depending on whether or not my teacher’s were fooled into thinking that I had mastered the art of hatching and cross-hatching at the ripe old age of ten.

I wish Amanda would’ve had a little help from anyone. The poor girl was unprepared. When it was her turn to stand and deliver, she held up a crumpled piece of wide ruled paper with a pencil drawing of a pair of quickly drawn lungs. I can remember her anxious posture while standing before her peers. I have transcribed-from memory-the entirety of her presentation.

“My report is on the Respiratory System. Our lungs help us breathe. Without our lungs, what would we do?”

Utter silence fell over the room. I think we all learned a lesson far more valuable than any fifth grade research could tell us about the respiratory system. It was Mrs. McManus who broke the silence. She was disappointed that the child was unprepared, but there was also an element of understanding of what the girl may have been experiencing at home. Not everyone had a Mom who would drive to the BP gas station right after church to get a piece of poster board and then come home and free hand the circulatory system with H Encyclopedia Brittanica opened to Human Body while you were tucked in bed.

“You’ve had weeks to prepare for this project. You could’ve asked me for help.”

I want to say we had a whole month to procrastinate on this project. I haven’t changed all that much since 1996. I still wait til the last minute on a lot of things because I work better under pressure.

Work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion.

-Parkinson’s Principle

So here I am in the prime of middle-age, writing a quick article instead of researching Diabetes. I’ll get around to it-I’ve still got plenty of time. But I did think about just drawing a picture of some cookies covered by a general prohibition sign and saying something like, Diabetes is bad. 0/10 would not recommend and just hoping for the best. I might not get asked back, but I would almost guarantee that someone in that room will probably still remember that speech vividly in 30 years.

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.

An AI Assistant’s Performance Review

Since the AI Assistant comes with my WordPress website, they are essentially in my employ and are subject to an annual performance review, which I have decided to share with you.

I must confess. I have been asking for a little help with writing from an assistant: Artificial Intelligence Assistant. You do not have to convince me that this intelligence is artificial. Since the AI Assistant comes with my WordPress website, they are essentially in my employ and are subject to an annual performance review, which I have decided to share with you.

Good afternoon AI Assistant. It is time for your annual performance review. First, let’s take a look at your job description together.

AI Feedback on Post: Check for mistakes and verify the tone of your post before publishing.

Lets start with the positive. I appreciate that you always perform your work in a timely manner and are available around the clock. I have noticed that your feedback on my articles frequently use phrases like deeply reflective, introspective, and heartwarming. Thank you. As a words of affirmation person that means a lot to me.

Now for the negative. Sometimes I wonder if you understand my humor. It seems like you have missed the tone on quite a few articles and I am not sure that you are familiar with the concept of satire. We need to work on that. My audience is not computers, and their intelligence is real. So when I write something humorous or satirical, I don’t need you to suggest that I change it to be more inclusive or offer suggestions to resolve the issue. What I really only need from you… is spell check. If your comments weren’t so absurdly entertaining I would have let you go a while back. Lets take a look at some specific feedback that you have given me for various articles.

Rich People Things

When reviewing this article you stated “The content is written in English.“

This is the kind of feedback I expect from a fifth grader writing a book report with a word count requirement.

“Consider focusing on a specific theme or topic to maintain reader’s interest.”

Ok, that one stung a little.

“Develop a clearer structure or storyline to guide the reader through your thoughts.”

I’ll have you know, that my thoughts are not clearly structured. I’m trying to make the reader think.

“Try to incorporate more descriptive details to make the narrative more engaging.“

The Cyclist’s Guide to Evading Dogs; or Dog Stories for Practical People

Now in your defense, I’m not even sure my audience will understand what is satire and what is genuine feelings in this article. And for once, I don’t want to offend a dog owner. That’s why this article is not published.

The content contains valuable personal experiences and tips for dealing with dogs while road cycling. It provides practical insights and a reflective narrative that resonates with fellow cyclists. To enhance the impact of the content, consider including additional safety measures or alternative strategies for peaceful coexistence with dogs on the road. Additionally, incorporating a concluding summary or call to action regarding responsible pet ownership may further engage the readers.

Did you even read the article? I am at war with the dogs. I am not interested in peaceful coexistence with dogs on the road. I thought this article made it clear.

These dogs are a lot happier than the dogs I wrote about. And they are running the wrong way. Not to mention the cyclist is on the wrong side of the road.

If all the dogs were this lazy and happy I wouldn’t have written the article in the first place. And the dogs wouldn’t have bitten me. I will overlook the cyclist on the wrong side of the road because of the flower pot in his lane.

Controlled Burn

The content shows a strong sense of nostalgia and storytelling, effectively conveying the excitement of setting and tending a fire. However, it might be beneficial to include a brief disclaimer or safety note regarding controlled burning to promote responsible practices. Additionally, providing insight into proper safety measures could further enhance the piece. Finally, considering the potential influence on readers, it’s crucial to emphasize the importance of adhering to local regulations and safety guidelines when engaging in controlled burns.

I worry about your reading skills sometimes.

Communication: Implicit & Explicit

The content demonstrates a clear understanding of the significance of high and low context communication, using various examples to illustrate the cultural differences. To improve, consider summarizing the key points for easier reader digestion. Additionally, providing specific real-life scenarios relating to high and low context communication would make the content more engaging and relatable for the audience. Consider incorporating actionable advice for individuals dealing with high and low context communication differences in their personal or professional lives.

Easier reader digestion?

Radio Kid
This kid looks like he is playing a video game and not really listening to the radio. I quite like this image though.

Happy Mother’s Day

At first glance this looks like a nice picture until you see the little boy and wander what is he doing with that third hand.

This looks like Hallmark hired Norman Rockwell to make a Mother’s Day card and paid him by the person. I like to think that figure outside is dad waiting on everyone to come take the family pictures.

I asked you to make it look like Norman Rockwell painted it. This looks like Shania Twain got hired for a Martha Stewart Ad.

The personal reflection adds a heartfelt touch to the piece. To enhance it, consider adding more diverse perspectives on motherhood to make it more inclusive.

What do you mean by adding a more diverse perspective on motherhood? What if I only have one perspective? After all, I only have one mother. You’ll have to ask another writer if you want another perspective. Make it more inclusive? Did you even read the essay? Motherhood is an exclusive club. No exceptions.

Additionally, offering practical tips or insights for mothers could further engage readers.

That’s just what a mother wants to hear on Mother’s Day: parenting tips-nay-mothering tips from a freelance writer man. I might as well publish a How To book for Mothers and sell it.

Quite honestly, AI Assistant, you fail me in the one area that I really need you: catching basic grammar and spelling mistakes. We’ve got to work on that a little better.

Disclaimer

I want it to be clear that my inspiration for writing is genuine and AI does not write articles for me. Why would it? I am not getting paid for this and there is no pressure to produce.

One of the reasons that I write is to share emotions and personal thoughts with whoever wants to read them. Writing is cathartic for me. I think this is one of the reasons that the AI Assistant doesn’t fully understand me. How can something soulless understand someone who is baring their soul?

AI seems to scare some people. Maybe I should be scared too, but I’m not. I view it like any other tool that has come along through the ages. Honestly, I have found very little use for it while writing other than its entertaining feedback. I have been running the AI assistant whenever I complete an article mainly out of curiosity, but I don’t think I have ever taken a suggestion from its feedback. In fact I often vehemently reject AI’s feedback which is what this whole article is about. This is my website, and I put a lot of effort into what I write on here. If AI were writing the material on here I would feel like a big liar.

Something that I am concerned about is how hard it is getting to be to tell what is written by a human and what is written by a robot. This is a problem that teachers are facing with students on writing assignments.

In one sense it is flattering to have someone tell you, “I started a blog and had AI write a few articles about ________ in the style of Zane Wells.” But it is also a little creepy to think about.

What strange times we live in.

AI Art Gallery

One interesting feature that the AI Assistant offers is generating an image based on what I have written. I am really curious how people visualize what they read. I have a friend that tells me he struggles to see a picture in his mind when he reads. I don’t think that there is anything wrong with him. It doesn’t seem to bother him-how would he know any different? But it bothers me. So I have curated an AI gallery for a few selected articles. I have laughed quite a bit at these images.

Every once in a while I get this message when I ask AI to generate the image.

An error occurred while generating the image. Please, try again! We’ve encountered an error. Possible content policy violation. Please try again.

I attribute this to AI not really understanding human emotions, and humor.

Devil In The Ditch
This is pretty much how the game is played.

Kindergarten
I like the presence of cowboys.

Play Houses & Tree Houses
I like the depiction of Lindsay stuffing a bean up her nose.

Skipping School
I want to go wherever this is.

Uncle Dave
I want to see someone drive that truck.

Snow
I think the AI Assistant thinks I grew up in the 1940s.

Clearing Land
There isn’t enough toil and misery in this picture.

Bad Influence
This looks like a the cover of an epic book.

Bargain Town
This is pretty close to what the real Bargain Town looked like.

Salt Life

Bumper stickers are a mystery to me. You would think that you could tell a lot about about a person by what kind of bumper stickers they have, but really you can only tell that they are bumper sticker people. And that is the mystery for me: is this bumper sticker accurate? I’ve always thought it would be funny to put bumper stickers on the vehicles of unsuspecting Wal-Mart shoppers at random. But I cannot bring myself to act upon these low juvenile thoughts. Although it does prove the point that a sticker does not necessarily define an individual. It is simply a label that has been applied by the driver. Or perhaps by hooligans in the Wal-Mart parking lot. You can label a jar of peanut butter chicken noodle soup or hominy but it will just be mislabeled peanut butter.

The label that I am most suspicious of is Salt Life. Especially if I see it on a car a long way from the beach. I have a hard time reconciling Salt Life bumper stickers and Tennessee license plates. How much of the Salt Life can this person really be living? People that are indeed living the Salt Life are probably on boats-or golf carts- and certainly not sitting in rush hour traffic seven hours from the coast. But we as people feel like that the bigger the sticker the more true it is. You’ll see a whole back window of a truck letting everyone know that the driver of this Silverado in Fort Payne, AL is living the Salt Life.

When I see a vehicle with a Salt Life sticker I usually make up a story for that driver. And then I imagine that story as a bumper sticker in place of Salt Life.

I went to the beach on vacation in 2016 and we chartered a fishing boat and I caught the biggest fish in my life and I really enjoyed my trip.

I go to Gulf Shores every year for this conference at work and I think it would be cool to live there.

I go fishing every year in Pensacola with my cousins and that is the only real fun thing that I do since my divorce.

I went to Panama City for my Senior Trip last year.

I am thinking about launching my own bumper sticker enterprise: Realist Bumper Stickers. Among other things we will offer a more accurate alternative to Salt Life. It is going to say: I Wish I Lived On The Coast. Alas, they probably wouldn’t sell. Bumper stickers are not the media of facts, but of ideals. We put them on our cars to in an effort to convince ourselves that things are not as they are but as they could be.

How to Acquire Taste

Have you ever wondered what it takes to acquire a taste? People are always eating weird stuff and telling you how good it is and then you work up the nerve and taste it and it tastes exactly how you thought it would taste: nasty. I tried Goat Head Soup once and it was as bad as it sounds but better than it smelled. My friends-who had grown up eating it- were just wearing it out, laughing at me. They had acquired a taste for this through early introduction. When you’ve grown up eating something weird all of your life you don’t know it is weird.

Its good if you like it.
Bo

Fried chick livers and gizzards was the first acquired taste for an odd food by early introduction for me. I don’t remember not liking them, or even realizing that most people don’t like them. I still wonder why a lot of people don’t like them. I just remember having them from time to time and Dad being real excited. If you put enough ketchup on anything fried you can make it taste good. But now I genuinely enjoy eating chicken livers, even though I know it is like eating the oil filter out of a car. And part of that is nostalgia. I eat chicken livers and I am transported back to the old kitchen and I can hear the sizzling iron skillet and the happy voices interrupted by bursts of laughter.

Sometimes nostalgia will make you acquire a taste for a dish that was always around but you never ate as a child. This happed to me with sauerkraut. I never really bothered with sauerkraut as a kid and my parents never tried to force it on me. But it was around quite a bit. I just ate the ribs, pork-chops, or weenies that were usually cooked in sauerkraut. I rarely if ever, just went in for a big bite of nothing but kraut. I think I was out of high school when I first helped Nonna make some sauerkraut in the churn. Uncle Freddy used to help her. I remember him sitting on the hearth and packing the cabbage into the churn with the wooden dasher that Nonna would get on to us grandkids for playing with. He was recently gone. I think that is why I wanted to help her. Here was a recipe and ritual that I felt like I need to learn. It turned out to be fairly simple. I don’t know how y’all’s family made sauerkraut but Nonna just used cabbage, salt, and water. You grate the cabbage as fine as you like and then layer it in the churn, packing it down with that wooden thing and salting each layer. Then you cover the top layer with a few whole cabbage leaves and make sure it is covered with water. Then you set it in the well-house to rot for a few weeks. After it is sufficiently fermented you can it. Then you eat it. If you have a taste for it.

There is no accounting for taste.

After helping make the sauerkraut, I really wanted to like it just out of nostalgia. So I tried it again with an open mind. I don’t remember if I liked it right away but I pretended that I did until I didn’t have to pretend any more. Sauerkraut is the gateway dish to acquiring strong taste. Or is it coleslaw? If you can learn to like coleslaw, then you can learn to like kraut. If you learn to like kraut you can learn to like kimchi. If you can like kimchi, you can like just about anything.

I’m not sure if this is what the Koreans intended, but I like kimchi on my hot dogs.

If you want to acquire a taste for sauerkraut, I suggest that you try ribs and kraut. Which was one of Nonna’s frequent dishes. Braise some ribs in a large skillet-make sure you season them however you like. Then once you have the ribs seared on each side you pour a whole jar of kraut in the skillet and then rinse the jar and add that water as well, you don’t want waste any of that kraut essence. Then you cover and let those ribs simmer in that kraut until they are done. Then you eat everything. And honey them is some of the best ribs you’ll ever have. That’s what Nonna-who had also been present at all of the family barbecues where dozens of hogs gave their life for our holiday weekends and I once made myself sick eating barbecued ribs-told me when I asked her about the recipe for ribs and kraut. This is one of my favorite dishes. And I may not like it more than barbecue ribs, but I like it as much.

Ribs and Kraut. I could eat some right now.

You can also acquire a taste for something just because you are feeling adventurous. If you want to like bleu cheese try it on a Ritz cracker with a little drizzle of honey. This is the kind of thing that rich people serve at Christmas parties. Or people like me just eat at their office desk.

You can logically and accidentally acquire a taste. Sardines are a good example of this. If you want to like sardines, you have to first get serious about eating healthy and exercising. Then you’ll start doing a lot of research about foods that are good for you and all that nonsense and you’ll soon discover how healthy sardines are for you. And you’ll get a can of sardines just to try not because of how they may taste, but because you know that they are good for you. And you’ll close your eyes to eat them, and realize that they aren’t half as bad as you thought they would be. Then you keep eating them because you’re on a diet, and the next thing you know you have acquired a taste.

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Psalm 34:8

Some things cannot be described or explained, they just have to be experienced to be understood.

I have lost culinary credibility due to my many acquired tastes and now some of my closest friends no longer trust my food recommendations. This is simply the high price of have a refined palette. It isn’t easy be cultured among a bunch of friends with the taste preferences of prepubescent cave men. I used to be just as picky as them though. Until one day I was hungry. I was visiting my brother at college and for dinner they served chicken fettuccine alfredo with mushrooms. And there were a lot more mushrooms that chicken. But because I was genuinely stomach growling hungry I just ate those mushrooms like I had been eating them professionally for years. And I liked them. And I still like them. Even so, if they’d have been serving pork brains and eggs I’d’ve probably acquired a taste for them that day.

My mom used to tell us this story when we said we were hungry and then refused whatever she offered. “You aren’t really hungry” she would say. Then we’d hear it again.

When I was a little girl I was at Fat Momma’s house-or was it Aunt Dale’s? I wish Mom was here to tell it again.

“I’m hungry.”

“I’ll make you a tomato sandwich.”

“I don’t like tomatoes.”

…real hunger doesn’t take a break…

“I’m hungry.”

“Baby all I have is a tomato sandwich.”

“…Ok. I’ll try one.”

Then Mom would tell us how good that tomato sandwich was and how she still loved tomato sandwiches.

The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet. Proverbs 27:7

Thanks for reading! I’m fixing to go make an egg salad and anchovy sandwich.

Books of 2023

I was cutting my hair this week and some of the pieces of hair stuck to the scissors. So I turned the water on and just washed it down the sink. I was instantly transported back to my childhood living room with various members of the family sprawled out on every available piece of furniture and the floor. Each lounger with their own unique piece of literature. The Sunday Comics, a National Geographic Magazine, a novel from 1902, an Encyclopedia. There was “The Reading Chair”, one of the only pieces of furniture that Mom ever bought brand new. It had an ottoman, a side table and lamp. This chair must be surrendered to an adult. The same rule applied to the couch. This fixture that allowed the most seating was most commonly yielded to Dad, who occupied his territory in the supine recumbent position. There was no noise save for the steady rustle of turning pages, and the occasional internal laughter that manifested itself often in shaking and catching of breath. It was not uncommon for a reader to address the entire household with an impromptu reading of a passage selected for the edification of he that hath an ear.

“Archeologist find intact hair on a 3,000 year old mummy.” Dad read from his text.

“Y’all quit washing hair down the drain.” He gave the practical application and then slipped back into his silent reading.

I smiled and decided to not wash any more hair down the drain as I recalled this scene.

So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. Nehemiah 8:8

I still enjoy reading. I still believe that it is important. I have a habit of reading my favorite books again and this year I reread Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, and Hie To The Hunters by Jesse Stuart. I also enjoy audiobooks.

Sometimes you need to read something to just escape the present tasks that are pressing in upon you. So you choose to read something light and entertaining. Then there are books that truly challenge your thinking, cause deep introspection, bring fresh ideas, and promote a positive change in your life. This is the kind literature that I am interested in reading. Here are some books that I read this year that fall into that category.

Atomic Habits by James Clear

I am late to the party on reading this best seller. To say that I was inspired by this book is a gross understatement. I am persuaded that our daily habits have the power to shape our identity. I strongly recommend this book. The one takeaway that I would like to share from this book is concept of identity based thinking. You can think your way into a new behavior and vice versa.

Mr. Clear also references a book called Talent is Overrated, which provides research that supports the importance of practice over natural propensity toward a task. I have noticed this over the years with children that may quickly grasp the concept of guitar or a piano, but that alone is not sufficient to make them a master. There is no avoiding practice. The practicers usually advance.

This is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel J. Levitin

I am fascinated by the brain. I enjoyed my psychology course in college so much that I would have changed my major but I did not want to lose my scholarship to study business. Levitin is a neuroscientist and musician. He writes that music in the brain almost behaves like a language. For example, you use one part of your brain to play music, and a different part of your brain to speak English. What is interesting to me is that you must use a third part of your brain when you put musical concepts into English. This explains why some people can play an instrument but struggle to tell someone else how to play. Or why someone may speak English and Spanish but have a hard time teaching one or the other.

This book convinced me of the importance of early music education. Whether or not a child becomes a great musician is not the issue, although early music education will certainly work in their favor toward mastery. More significantly is that children who took early music lessons scored better in other subjects as well. In short learning music makes you a better learner.

This book is continuing to challenge and inspire my thinking and musicianship. It has also prompted me to seek out and listen to How Music and Mathematics Relate by David Kung and Bach and the High Baroque by David Greenberg. Both of these are from the Great Courses series offered by the Teaching Company. I highly recommend This is Your Brain on Music to every musician.

Reflections on the Revolution in France by Edmund Burke

Unless you have a firm grasp on the history of the French Revolution as well as English history, you will be totally lost if you pick this book up. Mr. Burke was writing to his contemporaries about current events now two centuries removed. This book made the list because Edmund Burke makes me want to be a better writer. I will warn you that his rhetoric may seem boring or stuffy to many modern readers, but I found myself not only agreeing with him-he was pretty accurate about The French Revolution-but admiring his writing style. It made me question my writing style. Am I consistent? Am I clear and coherent? What would make someone want to read something I wrote?

I don’t have all the answers to these questions but I did ask ChatGPT to describe the writing style of zanewells.com.

The writing style of Zane Wells is characterized by its thoughtful, reflective tone and his ability to seamlessly blend humor and introspection. The website’s content often explores complex or abstract topics, but does so in a way that is accessible and engaging to a broad audience. The author’s prose is typically well-crafted and evocative, employing vivid imagery and sensory detail to bring his ideas to life. Additionally, the writing is often marked by a sense of curiosity and wonder, with the author frequently expressing awe and appreciation for the natural world and the mysteries of human experience. Overall, the writing style of Zane Wells is distinctive and memorable, reflecting a deep sense of thoughtfulness and an abiding sense of wonder about the world around us.

Not quite Edmund Burke, but I’ll take it.

The Great Debate by Yuval Levin

I read this book because I wanted to know more about Edmund Burke. Levin addresses the question of why there is clear division of major political, moral, and social issues between the American Left and Right. For example, if someone is pro-gun rights they’ll probably be also be pro-life. Levin endeavors to get to the heart of why these generalizations or stereotypes ring true. At the foundation we find the argument between the liberal Thomas Payne and the conservative Edmund Burke. Levin proposes that what someone thinks about the origins of human government-God ordained, or human ordained-has a profound impact on what they think about many of the current issues today.

I have read Common Sense by Thomas Payne as an adult and a teenage student in AP American History. I can appreciate that he wrote in a manner that was accessible to uneducated people and no one can deny his influence on the American Revolution. Yet the more I study about his concepts of human government the less I agree with him. This is not to say that I fully agree with Edmund Burke on every issue. I can say that this book was very thought provoking and I will probably read it again in a couple of years. And I encourage every American to read this book.

Surely You’re Joking Mr. Feynman by Richard P. Feynman

This was recommended by Audible because of a string of audiobooks I had listened to about the Manhattan Project, in which Feynman played an important role. Aside from hearing his name, I wasn’t really sure who Richard Feynman was. This is essentially his autobiography. I learned to appreciate his sense of humor. I found myself laughing out loud at some of Mr. Feynman’s experiences. If you remotely enjoy physics, the Manhattan Project, or good storytelling, then you will enjoy this book.

A key takeaway from this book is The Feynman Technique, a method of independent learning.

Choose a concept to learn
Teach it to yourself or someone else
Return to the source material if you get stuck
Simplify your explanations and create analogies

After I finished this audiobook I pulled up a few of his lectures on YouTube and was impressed by his manner of teaching. I also learned a little bit about Physics. I recalled some of my favorite teachers throughout my academic journey. The best teachers loved their subject material, but they also had a strong sense of connection with the student.

I recommend this book to all of my teacher friends.

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin

I have been eyeing this book for a while since you cannot discuss the Manhattan Project without discussing J. Robert Oppenheimer. This Pulitzer Prize winning biography is able to go into such fine detail because this man’s life was closely scrutinized and documented by the FBI. This work left me with a deep sense of the cruelty of politics.

To read the biographies of great men is to take a close look at their lives and in doing so take a broad look at world history during their lifetime. In seeing J. Robert Oppenheimer we see World War II, the dawn of the atomic age, the birth of the Cold War, and American politics of the mid 20th century.

The life of J. Robert Oppenheimer makes me not want to hold any grudges.

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World by Jack Weatherford

Genghis Khan is a singular example of one man who changed the world. He may not have been a good man, but he was a great man. The lasting impact of the Mongol Empire that followed him can still be felt in the world today. I’m not sure that I want to glean any character traits from Genghis Khan, but I did find his history very intriguing. I was also inspired to begin trying to fill in the substantial gap in my understanding of Asian history. If you read this book and enjoy it, you will probably also want to check out Barbarian Empires of the Steppes by Kenneth W. Harl from the Teaching Company.

Compliments

Are you better at giving or receiving compliments?

I imagine that most people like to have nice things said about them. Especially the Words of Affirmation people. I never remember exactly what my love language is because I never finished reading that book. There wasn’t enough plot for me. However, I have always enjoyed complimenting people. Although my sister-in-law, sister, and even my wife sometimes tell me that I am not very good at it. They say things like, I never know if you are being nice or making fun of me.

Compliments are like bubble gum, its ok to chew on them for a while, just don’t swallow them.

For instance a generic compliment to one of them might sound something like this, “I like that dress.” That is boring, and easily forgotten. To give a good compliment you have to imagine that your 3rd grade teacher is grading you on your effort. “I like that dress” is at best average. It lacks creativity and inspiration. Now try something like, “That dress reminds me of some curtains I saw at a museum exhibit about Japanese textiles.” See how that is more memorable? Some thought went into that. But even my best efforts get responses like Zane, no woman wants to hear that her clothes look like curtains.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 18:21

Maybe I am not very good at giving compliments but I really do try because I believe in the power of words. I believe that words can be a source of inspiration. I believe that words can set a person’s mind in the right direction. This is why I feel compelled to write. But maintaining a blog in the era of the reel to sometimes feels like a lost cause. I must admit that I occasionally wonder if my energy is being wasted. And it is difficult to find inspiration to write when you are questioning whether what you are doing matters.

And then I’ll meet a real live person who has read my blog and they will compliment me on my writing and it inspires me so much that I stay up until 2:45am writing run on sentences because I am drawing inspiration from the power of their words.

Let me back up a little bit. I know that people read my blog because the website tells me these kinds of things. But it uses numbers and I have always thought that numbers were so impersonal. So meeting a reader in person gives me a clearer context for the numbers.

Whenever someone approaches me to tell me that they read my blog I feel incredibly vulnerable. I usually write in isolation so to me it feels like I am merely putting thoughts into words as a mental exercise. Some of the essays that have reached the most people were really not intended for entertainment but were my way of grieving. Many of the things I have written are simply thoughts that will not leave me alone and I only get peace when I release them to the outside world. There is something cathartic about reaching into the infinite and grabbing hold of something and wrestling it into the finite so that others can view it.

I also feel that since no one saw me write it that no one knows that I wrote it. I take refuge in this assumed anonymity. Furthermore, because I feel like that what I write already exists in a perfect form in the infinite, I can only take a small amount of responsibility for making it finite. These personal psychological constructs give me a false sense that no one really reads anything I write.

Whenever you read someones work you get an insight into their mind. In a sense you become familiar with the deepest part of that person. As the reader you also enjoy a sense of real anonymity in relation to the author. This is why I always feel vulnerable when I meet with someone who is a fan of my work because I feel like they can read my mind, but I cannot read theirs. But I can see it in their eyes if they really have read. Maybe they cried with me. Maybe they have the same questions that I do. Maybe they too used to go swimming in the creek with the town drunk when they were kids.

It happened to me last night as I was walking out of the conference center here in Pigeon Forge, TN. They took me by surprise.

“Brother Wells I read your blog and I love your style of writing.”

Whenever something like this happens I just say “Thank you!” But I try to say it in italics because I really mean it and I am otherwise speechless. I always think of something nice to say or questions that I should have asked hours later.

Then they said, “I feel like I know you.” This may be one of the highest compliments I have received on my writing. Complimenting someone involves a going out of yourself in much the same way that writing does. Saying something has the power of putting your thoughts into words and transferring them into someone else’s mind. And you may never know how much your words may help someone.

The Art of Listening

Whether or not you are a musician, how good of a listener are you?

I have worked with a lot of musicians over the years. Most of them have been church musicians that learned to play by ear. This does not always mean that they cannot read sheet music, or lack a strong understanding of music theory. It usually simply means that they do not sight read traditional musical notation in real time. I only know a few people that can sight read sheet music. And they are fantastic musicians. The rest of us have to study traditional sheet music in order to play it.

There is no shame in being a musician who plays by ear. There are even a lot of advantages. For instance when someone has a good enough ear they can listen to a song once and be able to play it. This is also our greatest handicap; many times we need to have heard a song before we can play it. The danger comes when we think that we are good enough to stop listening.

Many master musicians have spent years practicing ear training. Remember when you were learning your multiplication tables or when you were first introduced to Algebra? You may have struggled to even understand the concepts and the thought of being able to do these complicated formulas in your head seemed out of reach. But after practice you can probably now do simple math and even Algebra mentally and it feels natural. This is also true for music. For most ordinary humans it takes practice to be able to identify intervals, find your vocal part, or pick out a melody or chord progression. But ear training immerses you into the language of music and after a while things start to make perfect sense.

“Listen!”

This is what my Dad would say from behind a book whenever one of us kids was making too much noise. We would quieten down and strain as if we could hear. Hear what? I never know exactly what we were listening for. Was he about to say something? If we tried hard enough could we hear the book he was reading playing out in his head? It took me a long time to realize that he was simply telling us to be quiet. I catch myself telling my kids the same thing these days.

Whether or not you are a musician, how good of a listener are you? Listening is so much more than a musical skill. At the very least listening is half of communication. Listening is a vital ingredient in healthy relationships. It becomes even more important when we understand that faith comes by hearing.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17

Whenever I take those learning style tests I always score high on a preference for auditory learning. I believe this is accurate. I really enjoy listening to audiobooks. I can recall things better when I give my undivided attention to auditory information. I think that is what makes someone a good listener, the ability to give their undivided attention.

How do you listen to music? Do you like it in the background or full blast?

When I was a teenager listening to music was a ritual. Digital music off of the internet via Napster and Limewire was in full swing, but I always felt the computer speakers sounded weak. I preferred to buy my music in compact disc form from the music section at Wal-Mart. I would bring the unopened CD home, carefully peel the cellophane and stickers off, and insert the disc into my three CD player stereo. I would listen to the whole album straight through in one sitting without any repeats or skips. Doing nothing but listening with my undivided attention. I still think this is the best way to listen to music.

I have a hard time listening to background music. I would rather listen to background silence than barely audible mosquito music. I am drawn to focus on the music and when it is too quiet any disruption seems amplified.

All of this has me thinking about things that inhibit being a good listener.

I tend to get distracted by noise. I have a hard time going to restaurants if the music is too loud, or if there are a bunch of TVs playing different programs. It is very difficult for me to have a conversation while there is music playing. The worst thing is when there are two songs playing at one time. I sometimes wonder if that makes me a bad listener. Perhaps it means I am susceptible to distractions. To some extent I do not have control over external noise.

I can control internal noise. Have you ever been listening to someone talk only to realize that you have no idea what they are talking about because you were thinking about something else? We call this spacing out, or zoning out. If used properly, the ability tune everything out and focus your attention on your thoughts is a valuable skill. But an inability to control your thoughts can also make you a poor listener. It becomes a matter of will. Will you listen to what this person is saying or will you let your mind wonder?

Your attitude is largely controlled by your will and is another internal factor that can an inhibit and an enhance listening. Imagine the worst political figure that you can. If you are like me, you will have a hard time listening to that person say anything. There is an internal block that keeps us from being open to people that we do not trust. Have you ever noticed in political debates that people are always interrupting one another? There is not a lot of listening going on. What we have here is a failure to communicate. There are many deep issues in this example, but a lot hinges on being unwilling to listen.

As musicians, if we really claim to play by ear, then we should understand the importance of listening. We must constantly practice active listening. We must listen to the song to learn what to play. We must listen to the music director for instruction. We must listen to the other musicians in order to play together and not simply at the same time, like two political candidates arguing over one another. This also applies to relationships.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 2:29;3:6;3:13,22

I read something interesting this week in This Is Your Brain On Music by Daniel Levitin. Pitch, loudness, and sound in general are purely psychological phenomena. All of these perceptions are just how our brain interprets air pressure. You literally cannot hear without an ear. This has really been heavy on my mind.

I hope that we can all be better listeners.

Irregular Hours

Even when things were not busy in the office, we pretend they are and look busy.

For the better part of 15 years I have worked the rigid hours prescribed by HR departments of the County and State governments that employed me. 40 hour weeks. 1 hour lunch breaks. 15 minute breaks. Even when things were not busy in the office, we pretend they are and look busy. This is one of the reasons why I started writing. I had to fake being busy. Looking back, my supervisors were pretending to be busy by being concerned that I looked busy. Nobody really verbalizes this phenomenon at work, but everyone understands it.

At my most recent State job, we decided that we would try out four ten hour shifts. The idea was we were too busy answering phone calls during business hours to get any work done. So if we could have a few hours each day to work without the phone ringing we could get the work done. And have an extra day off.

After I made it through the allotted trial period, and consequently the busiest season of the year, I realized that the four ten hour shift was too taxing on my energy when I included my one hour commute and trying to do some important things every day. So I decided to switch back to five eight hour shifts.

I was talking to my coworker about how glad I was to switch back. The conversation went something like this.

“I am glad that I switched back to five eights. leaving the house at 5am and getting home at 6pm was wearing me out. But I might switch back next busy season.”

“They probably won’t let you.”

“Why not?”

“Because that would be too much like making your own schedule and they don’t want that.”

This conversation rattled me. For years I had wanted a job with regular predictable hours and now I had one. I had hated showing up to work to check the schedule and seeing that some boneheaded manager had me working on a church night. Or worse, being sent home because they were cutting hours. Now here I was working like a borrowed mule for three months out of the year, never seeing an end to the work. Then for nine months doing 15 hours of work per week and pretending to look busy for the other 25 hours. I wondered how productive I could be if I in fact did make my own schedule.

It was not long after this that I left that job. No hard feelings. No bitterness. No parting shots. But this conversation helped me make the decision to leave. When I was offered a new job one of the most attractive aspects was that I would indeed make my own schedule. So now I work irregular hours. And it is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

I never could make any money. I was always too busy working.
Perry Wells

Open For Business

There aren’t many things that I have done that have been more fulfilling than teaching music.

My parents bought me my first guitar. I kind of forced them into it by signing up for guitar class at school. I didn’t learn a whole lot about playing guitar in that class, but I got a refresher on music theory. Eventually a proper flat-picker wandering into our church and showed me how to read tabs and chord diagrams, the major scale, how to play Bluegrass rhythm in G, and one Tony Rice lick before he told me, “I can’t show you anything else. If you really want to learn you will.”

In one sense, being told it is time to sink or swim really motivated me to learn. Conversely, I still had so much to learn and I had to learn it the hard way. Not having a teacher forced me to be a scholar. Learning how to learn on your own is what teachers really mean when they say you need to study. I have been studying guitar for over twenty years. As the physicians say, I am a practicing musician.

Learning to play guitar did wonders for my self confidence as a teenager. As an adult it still amazes me that I can play. This skill has also opened significant doors in my life.

Earlier this year the Lord delivered me from my one hour commute to work. The first things I did was start teaching guitar lessons again. There aren’t many things that I have done that have been more fulfilling than teaching music.

Get something in your life that God can bless.
Pastor Jeremy Wilbanks

Pastor has been saying that a lot lately to the church. It is one of the reasons that I wanted to start teaching again. I also feel like I need to put some of things I have learned while studying business in college into practice. Most significantly, I feel a responsibility to help musicians avoid having to learn the hard way. And God is blessing it.

Here are the answers to some of the frequent questions I get asked about learning guitar.

Should I start out on acoustic or electric? Choose the one that you want to play. You won’t be motivated to practice the acoustic if you really want to play electric.

What age do they need to be to learn? The youngest that I have successfully taught was seven. As long as they can pay attention and have enough hand strength to fret a note I can work with them.

Am I too old to learn? You are never too old to learn.

So if you or anyone you know is interested in learning guitar or bass guitar please send them my way.

zanewells@yahoo.com

The Kind of Person I Want to Be

Loving people is something that is hard to fake.

I took a group of Young People to Youth Camp a couple of weeks ago. I am just now getting over the jet lag from staying up until 3am every morning. If everyone had as much fun as I did then I think we could call it a smashing success. We had to convince a couple of them that it would have a good time if they went. Some times it takes years before I can talk someone into trying something new. But even the Hobbits who left the Shire this week seemed to have a great time.

I noticed a young man at camp who had the peculiar characteristic of being endearing to everyone he spoke with. What makes people like this so magnetic? They are not necessarily popular because they are cool, although I guess you could say that many of them are cool. And maybe that is the only way we know how describe them because it is hard to articulate what they really are. It is more that cool. Not all cool people make folks feel good about themselves. These are popular because they make people feel special. They make you feel like that they sincerely care about you.

I have this ongoing quest with a dear friend to crack the code behind being the kind of person that I am trying to write about. A person you makes other people feel special. There is a question about whether or not this quality can be learned, or is it a gift that you either have or you don’t. I tend to think, or at least hope, that it can be developed. I believe that to be this kind of person, an endearing person, you really have to love people. Loving people is something that is hard to fake. Not that people cannot be faked into believe that you love them. But if you don’t love people, faking it is not going to be enjoyable. And it will be obvious to most of us. People can sense fake. People do not like fake.

Loving people is something that we are commanded to do. So that strengthens my hope that it can be learned.

There was a man in the book of Acts named Joses, but the everyone called him Barnabas. Barnabas means the Son of Consolation. When you give someone consolation, you make them feel better. It could also be translated Son of Encouragement. I just imagine that Barnabas had the kind of characteristics that I noticed last week. This is the man that connected with the newly converted Paul and introduced him to the Apostles. What was that conversation like? He was the pastor of the church in Antioch, where they were first called Christians. There is a strong chance that many of the congregants had relatives who were murdered at Saul’s orders. Barnabas believed in the young John Mark even after Paul lost confidence with him. Barnabas also understood sacrificial giving

There are a few people in my life that have played the roll of Barnabas in that they make me want to be better at everything that really matters. This is the kind of person I really want to be.