Header image
#0129
Things I worry about

I've previously included in my blog a wonderful entry written by my daughter Sara in honor of my 70th birthday, called Sara's birthday gift. Sara had previously given me another touching gift, around 1997, possibly in honor of my 55th birthday. It's a framed collage that I've kept hanging in my office since then - here's a picture of it:

Plaque given to me by Sara

The things Sara chose to highlight all tell a lot about me, of course. Here are the individual items, enlarged. Because the written text can in some cases be a bit hard to read, I've reproduced it under each image:

I make up complicated systems to solve simple problems
I make up complicated systems
to solve simple problems
I have piles all over my room, especially next to my BED
I have piles all over my room,
especially next to my BED

I look out the plane window and wonder about the wing structure
I look out the plane window and wonder about the wing structure

I comment on the problem which arises when McDonald's gets past '99 Billion Served' on their signs
I comment on the problem which arises when McDonald's
gets past "99 Billion Served" on their signs

I enjoy puzzles in the newspaper, and even worse, SAT math problems!
I enjoy puzzles in the newspaper,
and even worse, SAT math problems!

I am not physically able to shorten my explanations
I am not physically able
to shorten my explanations
I take apart a broken luggage lock and try to put it back together
I take apart a broken luggage lock
and try to put it back together

I've been known to turn on my computer as soon as I wake up in the morning
I've been known to turn on my computer as soon as I wake up in the morning

I'm starting to be disgusted by CORN
I'm starting to be disgusted by CORN

I'm interested in learning more than two languages
I'm interested in learning more than two languages

All of my characteristics that Sara worried about inheriting are right on target. Although I'll eat almost anything, I don't like the taste of corn. I don't know where Sara stands on the corn issue these days, but it wouldn't be surprising to find that food likes and dislikes might have an inherited aspect.

It now seems quaint to note that in 1997 it was a bit unusual to turn your computer on first thing in the morning. These days, of course we check our computers first thing in the morning. Turn them on? They were probably on all night. We may carry them with us everywhere in the form of a smart phone (Sara certainly has one, but I don't - yet).

I wonder if Sara also inherited a propensity for blogging, something which didn't exist in 1997 (is there a "blogging gene"?). Sara has multiple blogs - here are some of them, as of May, 2012:

Innovation on earth (highlights Sara's travel)
Globe twisting (extensive - explore it)
Mali mania (a trip to Mali, in West Africa)

And Sara also may have inherited my love of travel - she's traveled more widely than I have, and she's a lot younger. As I write this entry, she's in Turkey, having recently flown from the Cappadocia region to Istanbul. She's shown below in a photo taken from the Goodbye Cappadocia entry in her Innovation on Earth blog, which documents Sara's travel for the benefit of her students back at the Innovation Academy, where she teaches. You can click on the photo to zoom out and enlarge it (return here with your browser's "back" button).

Sara in Cappadocia, Turkey

Footer image
#0129   *FAMILY2

Next in blog     Blog home     Help     Next in memoirs
Blog index     Numeric index     Memoirs index     Alphabetic index
© 2012 Lawrence J. Krakauer   Click here to send me e-mail.
Originally posted May 3, 2012

Bottom image