Information is not knowledge..... Einstein
I carry in my brain a ridiculous amount of useless information. Odd bits and items that I read tend to stick; I couldn't tell you what I did last Thursday, but I can name the four Monkees and that one of their mothers invented White-Out, that sort of thing...yes, as I said, useless.Being a teacher, I felt it my role to pass along as much of this knowledge as I could. I love the idea that someone could benefit from what I have learned or know. It has been a learning process for me to understand not everyone wants to hear my tidbits of trivia. In this way, I identify with the Dr. Spencer Reid character on Criminal Minds (not that I have an eidetic memory like he has); I mean the way he gets cut off or the others say ' not now, Spence' when he is fervently wanting to share some facts or figures. That has happened to me and I have learned to keep quiet often in social situations as a result. I have especially had to practice staying quiet when I know someone is saying something incorrect.
I think, like Spence, my intentions are good; I am trying to be helpful. It is not about being boastful and there is a reason I know this. I grew up with a younger sister who is Mensa smart and a younger brother who is multi-talented with academically gifted being just one of his talents. I always knew what being really smart meant and I wasn't it. As Confucius said real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance, and I have always been overwhelmingly aware of all there is yet to learn. Sometimes when I was older, I would joke about being 'the oldest and slowest academically of three children'. For the record, I am very proud of my sister and brother and love being in their company which is always stimulating and interesting. Just cannot play Trivial Pursuit with them; when it's their turn, the game is over.
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