THE UNSEEN GENOME
Well. . . . . after attempting to assist TGG with studying for his biology test tomorrow, I've realized something about him. He thinks in concepts and ideas, not details and tedium (is that a word?).
For example:
Me: (reading from the study worksheet) What is the antisence RNA and its affect on the cell to express its protein?
TGG: Ummm, (looking at his notes for the answer) Oh yeah, RNA have a complimentary sequence. (then he goes on to explain that it has to be single stranded, and on and on and on . . . ).
Me: Okay. Next one is. . . . What is the importance of riboswitches? Where are they found?
TGG: (silence) Ummmm . . . . (looks at his notes for the answer) Okay, they are located inside all of the genes, and they produce protein. (then goes on to explain that they need a target and that they work with changes in the environment and on and on and on . . . . ).
I suggest using flash cards in the future. He looks at me like I'm nuts. He suggests that it's been 30 years since I had to take a high school biology test and I probably can't remember how difficult (read annoying) it is. Well, that's probably true. However, it's too bad he was asleep when I was often staying up until 3:00 in the morning to do my course work while getting my Master's Degree in Psychology and trying to remember the details of Freud, Gestalt, NLP, and Carl Rogers and their therapeutic interventions.
I guess the bottom line is, if you engage TGG in a conversation about the Unseen Genome and talk about gems among the junk and going beyond DNA, he'll probably surprise you with his keen intellect and knowledge about the whole thing. Just don't expect him to get an A on the test because he seems to find the details annoying.
Does this run in the family?
EXPATRIOT DREAMS
Even though the rains have stopped, the mudslides have not. Hence, this morning's trip hom from MHS took two hours, thanks to a mudslide at Topanga. While stting in the Behemoth, limping along at 1/2 to 1 mile per hour, I seriously considered moving. Just leave L.A., get out of the mess. Then I thought, hmmmmm, why stop there, just leave the country. There are a number of interesting places to live, so why not go to Italy? The people are nice, the food is fantastic, the countryside is gorgeous, and the culture rich and interesting.
Yep, ciao!
A BIG OUCH ACCORDING TO MR. B
The Hungarian Nanny likes to watch E! Television Network, while she sits on the sofa and folds clean clothes. Mr. B decided to join her and became mesmerized by the show being broadcast, "Dr. 90210". A woman was undergoing breast augmentation and liposuction. Mr. B stood transfixed, in a complete trance watching the tube, then began to whine. I explained that she was undergoing surgery, the doctor was being very careful, and that she was asleep and couldn't feel anything.
Mr. B was not impressed. He walked around holding onto his left breast for awhile. Fortunately, he became distracted when it was time for the Hungarian Nanny to leave in her Ford Escort. He loves to watch her start the engine.
I guess Mr. B will never have plastic surgery. Fortunately, he's so handsome that it's a non-issue.
VITAMIN BULLETS
Don't you hate it when you take a whole handful of vitamins and supplements, and the last one or two get stuck in your throat for what seems like forever???
Then, when you hiccup or burp, all you taste is that nasty vitamin taste. Even drinking scalding hot tea won't melt the stupid thing. How is my stomach supposed to digest something that nearly boiling water can't conquer?
I don't think that Mrs. I/O has this problem, as I've observed her taking her stash of vitamins. Rather letting one or two get stuck in her throat, her gullet immediately expels them with radical force right back into the sink or her hand. It makes an awful noise too. Then she gamely tries again. I'd give up at that point, but she's always been a little braver than me.
Talking about this is making me a little naseous.
