Artistic Bike Racks, Trust Agents, Impact Equations, Purple Cows And The Joy Of Learning

THE IMPACT OF IMPACT: A shock wave caused by accidentally banging a tray against a table led to the collapse of sweet potato rolls being prepared by Deb for our Thanksgiving dinner, reflected in an arc of partially deflated rolls from left to right.

Hi! Thanks for coming by!

Shock wave creates a Tsunami in the region of an earthquake.

When I left veterinary practice and entered a research career, back in the early 1970s, the first thing I faced was the urgent need to learn new things. I didn’t know what I was doing! My approach to such issues is to read. The first book I picked up when I entered the foreign territory of the a Sheep Diseases Research Institute (now no longer there, but the local pub is, apparently – such fond memories of long debates on arcane aspects of ruminant health) introduced to the fascinating subject of the structure of the central nervous system (Neuroanatomy). Then I moved onto diseases of the nervous system in farm animals, as I was responsible for diagnosing such conditions in sheep and cattle for the whole of Scotland – but I didn’t know what I was doing! So I read, and studied, and learned, and had the time of my life. I had finally found my niche, which involved lots of reading and new insights – I proceded to enjoy a great career as a fairly successful scientist, until the summer of 2010, when I decided that it was time to move on to keep my brain alive – 40 years was enough.

Bike rack made of bicycle parts by a local artist for Johnny’s in Carrboro NC USA. This is all part of the Johnny’s mystique.

Now I am learning brand new stuff all over again,  Internet Marketing and Sales, with the goal of selling my philosophy of safe exercise for better health to those who need it most, or whomsoever will buy it. Learning to be a businessman is a whole new beast, and I have been cutting my teeth on a local establishment, Johnny’s in Carrboro, NC, USA, of which I am a co-owner. My real interest lies, not in groceries and coffee, but in athletics, and especially exercise for older people or those with health challenges, such as my abdominal aortic aneurysm. Naturally I am reading again, having found some great books on Internet Marketing, which resembles science to some extent except that it is more ‘personal.’ I recently completed ‘Trust Agents,’ which changed my direction dramatically and to good effect. This was followed by ‘The Impact Equation,’ an excellent tome filled with valuable advice and insights, including a recommendation to read ‘The Purple Cow,‘ which I am now enjoying just as much as I was enthralled by neuroanatomy all those years ago in that scottish sheep diseases research lab.

So! If I can change, you can change. You are never too old a dog to learn new tricks, for which books are one great resource if you want to dig into a subject effectively. However, if your new trick is to get in shape, books will only take you so far, then you have to get moving!

OK?

-k @FitOldDog