Urban Legends

I think I may be coming down with No.2 son's cold. He's felt better today, but has now developed a hacking cough which kept him awake last night. Poor fellow. A few weeks back I was hatching a tentative plan to do the short course of the Three Counties Challenge with him, but that has now been long abandoned.

It felt good to be back working on my core software today after a long gap, although it hasn't been easy picking up the threads again. It's been somewhat slower than I would have liked. Went up to White Wells again for another walk/jog, this time about 50:50 of each. I felt nothing while I was jogging, but did just feel a bit of tightness while walking back from town this evening. I don't think it's anything to worry about but it does suggest that the caution I'm applying is appropriate.

With so much time on his hands at home I've managed to get No.2 son into this blogging lark. He has problems with spelling (inherited from my mum I think), but has a good way with words. He's quite surprised me with his turn of phrase and the depth of his thinking. In one of the entries that he wrote today he referenced this 'fact' that we only use 3% of our brains. I picked him up on calling this a fact and I'm happy to report that he took that on board and changed the wording. Some such percentage figure is often to be seen quoted in respect to the capacity of brain power that we actually use - totally without a hint to any kind of context or evidence - to the extent that it has entered into our culture as some kind of received wisdom. But it belongs to the realm of urban legend. By being quoted and repeated so often, it starts wearing a counterfeit cloak of authenticity It really bugs me that people accept this kind of thing with so little questioning. I told my lad that his mother may use only 3% of her brain (because I think he picked this up from her), but I certainly use 100% of mine, on a good day anyway! He thought that was funny. And he thought that his mum would find it funny too!! I hope to have made a point that will stick.