{OT} A Rare Evening For Nizo
ip...@ptd.net
featured author Cindy Ross, her husband and their two children whom,
together, hiked the length Continental Divide and The Appalachian
Trail(among others places).
The children, now 8 and 12 years of age have been doing the trails since the
youngest, the boy, was still in diapers.
The four of them, with a team of packed llamas, bury themselves in the woods
and on the trails for the summer months.
In all it was a fascinating hour of live TV, especially with the included
insights, perspectives and values demonstrated by the children.
The absolute highlight, for me, was when the host asked the twelve-year-old
girl how she managed to get along without play-station, email, and AOl. She
didn't know what he was talking about. Although she recognized the names,
she didn't have a grasp of the concepts. When he later asked her what she
liked best about her experiences she said, "Everyday is a different
backyard". I was blown away by these kids.
In a gadgeteer world of "have to have it all now" here were two kids who, in
my belief, know more about life than most people twice and three times their
age. No TV, no extraneous gadgets in their lives, no "on-line", and both in
the top section of their respective classes.
The family's next excursion will be a bicycle ride throughout Ireland.
A great evening culminated with some Schurch Mogano fired up in a GRC and a
slow ride home as a better person for having been in the right place at the
right time.
Nizo
Two of Cindy's books that document her family's excursions:
- Journey on the Crest: Walking 2600 Miles From Mexico To Canada
and her latest,
- Scraping Heaven: A Family's Journey Along The Continental Divide
Ian Rastall
>A great evening culminated with some Schurch Mogano fired up in a GRC and a
>slow ride home as a better person
And then ... <ahem> ... getting online and telling us. :-)
<running, ducking>
ip...@ptd.net
> On Thu, 10 Jul 2003 03:40:58 GMT, "ip...@ptd.net" <ip...@ptd.net> wrote:
>
>> A great evening culminated with some Schurch Mogano fired up in a GRC and a
>> slow ride home as a better person
>
> And then ... <ahem> ... getting online and telling us. :-)
You got that right, I-Man,
Ya' gotta understand, I'm not nearly as together as these kids. They're
probably at home now planning their next trip while I'm here sending dots
and dashes into space.
There's the "walk-the-walkers" and then there's the "talk-the-talkers"
These kids get there nourishment from life, while an idiot like me . . . .
Nizo
> <running, ducking>
>
> Ian
Ian Rastall
lifestyle where a person exists without any of this technology and
information overload, not to mention MTV, blue jeans styles, designer
drugs, etc. etc.
There's a song I heard someone play once at an open mic. I can't
remember the lyrics exactly, but it's something like, "throw away your
tv, move out to the country, and find Jesus on your own", or something
like that. (I know it's a real song, but I don't know by who.) That's
always appealed to me. My high school girlfriend led that life. She's
now saving the world in Bolivia, while I'm here at the computer 24/7.
But there's all kinds of experiences, Nize, and one is not necessarily
more real than the other. It's all about our choices, and how we treat
people, not how uncluttered our environment is ... IMO.
Hope you are well, buddy,
Stephen B.
a game pad or PC mouse. These kids have moms and dads that knock themselves
out to make their life interesting, but since they've gotten computer
obsessed, they might just as well leave the kids in front of it and go away
without them for the summer.
-Stephen B.
<ip...@ptd.net> wrote in message news:BB33A8DB.D947%ip...@ptd.net...
ip...@ptd.net
I-Man said:
> My high school girlfriend led that life. She's
> now saving the world in Bolivia, while I'm here at the computer 24/7.
Yes, but you are putting in a very productive 24/7.
Computers and you are a natural synergy. You have demonstrated that quite
remarkably.
As for Nizo, the time is drawing near for recapitulation.
Nizo
Never wear a hat decorated with coelacanth's droppings.
Ian Rastall
>Yes, but you are putting in a very productive 24/7.
>Computers and you are a natural synergy. You have demonstrated that quite
>remarkably.
Thanks!
>As for Nizo, the time is drawing near for recapitulation.
Stand firm. Don't let the electrons get you down!
Frenchy
and totally during that time. We spent an entire evening talkin' and reading
by flashlight. It was great. 'Course we freakin' hip hip hoorayed when the
TV came back on and without my internet I felt like I was livin' in a cave,
I was sweatin' like a freakin' mamaluke without the air conditioner,
couldn't make a pot a' coffee or cook nothin'...ya' know what? I was gonna
say it was really kinda' nice for one day, but it actually sucked, big time.
So forget what I was gonna say. Niz, I love ya' man, but I ain't climbin' a
freakin' mountain an' I ain't shittin' under a tree for nobody.
--
Frenchy
http://www.frenchyspipes.com/
"Stephen B." <boz...@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:beirdi$5jg9k$1...@ID-163917.news.dfncis.de...
bitte...@webtv.net
Ian
That song was done by John Prine.
Michael
Ian Rastall
>That song was done by John Prine.
Thanks, I remember now. Do you know the lyrics offhand?
buck12ga
books,now that I can't hike,I still love the concept.
Until recently,my late winters were spent hiking, alone, scouting for
deer sign for the next season.I covered most of the Wayne National and
Perry State forest around my home,here in Southeast Ohio.Man,I miss it so
badly.The majestic trees,the beautiful scenery,the aroma of the decaying
leaf litter.
There is a rock face, deep in the forest,the rock has a Lewis Wetzel
signature,it says Lewis Wetzel, 1814.I believe Wetzel was in a New
Orlean's jail in 1814.Wetzel wouldn't have considered my part of Ohio
wilderness by 1814 and there were no longer Indians to kill.The signature
isn't authentic but it certainly is a beautiful spot.There are giant
white oaks above,I hope no one finds them.Their acorns feed my deer.
buck
GRCPIPES
woods....
i love that!
cheers
d
<ip...@ptd.net> wrote in message news:BB33A8DB.D947%ip...@ptd.net...
ip...@ptd.net
Buck said:
> Damn it Nizo,I wish I had seen that.Maybe I'll get around to reading her
> books,now that I can't hike,I still love the concept.
Buck,
I'll check today to see if I can get you a copy of the show. I'll get back
to you.
Nizo
BiggHobbit
>girl how she managed to get along without play-station, email, and AOl. She
>didn't know what he was talking about. Although she recognized the names,
>she didn't have a grasp of the concepts.
To be honest, Nizo, my good friend, I pity those children. They are going to
live their lives out in the 21st century and like it or not, this is going to
be the century of the Internet. If they are not computer literate, if they
cannot use a computer as easilly as you or I can use a phone, they are going to
be left behind in this world. A "get away from it all" vacation is fine but
they should not be so insulated from modern life by getting back to nature,
that they are sociolgically and economically cut off and disadvantaged when
they are not in the woods.
With my four kids, I got them on the computer as quickly as I could. I got
them to regard the computer as another type of tool and now they are more
capable users than I. Their feet are on the right course for the future -
which is more than I can say for those two unfortunate children.
ip...@ptd.net
>> twelve-year-old
>> girl how she managed to get along without play-station, email, and AOl. She
>> didn't know what he was talking about. Although she recognized the names,
>> she didn't have a grasp of the concepts.
>
> To be honest, Nizo, my good friend, I pity those children. They are going to
> live their lives out in the 21st century and like it or not, this is going to
> be the century of the Internet.
Perhaps they will follow the example of their parents using in sparingly as
a necessary tool for writing, databasing, etc. I'm not certain that the
internet is all that vital. Like the cell phone, we certainly can
manufacture a list of why we "need" to have one then, to fulfill our
prophecy, become dependant upon it. Some folks now feel that you truly can't
exist without one. Those are life style choices. Beyond business, I have
little use for regular phones let alone strapping myself down with an
umbilical cord. If I'm beyond the range of hearing the ring of a regular
phone, I see no need to be annoyed.
> If they are not computer literate, if they
> cannot use a computer as easilly as you or I can use a phone, they are going
> to
> be left behind in this world. A "get away from it all" vacation is fine but
> they should not be so insulated from modern life by getting back to nature,
> that they are sociolgically and economically cut off and disadvantaged when
> they are not in the woods.
These are not neurotic folks with a Walden Pond fixation. They are folks who
derive their greatest joy from those things in life that most people have
forgotten, cast aside, taken for granted or are too "busy" for. They in no
way insulate themselves from the fabric of society as they do the hollow
aspects of that fabric.
> With my four kids, I got them on the computer as quickly as I could. I got
> them to regard the computer as another type of tool and now they are more
> capable users than I. Their feet are on the right course for the future -
> which is more than I can say for those two unfortunate children.
What you perceive to be "unfortunate" for those children is certainly a
value judgement based upon your own set of values. Given the choice and the
opportunity, I would have my children explore the world through their
senses, not their desk top monitors.
As you mentioned above about being sociologically cut off, what better way
to isolate people from the word and each other than via play stations, video
games, chat rooms(chat rooms are to socialization as a still-life painting
of a pear is to the real thing), email joke of the day, etc.
The illusion is that we are involved in an actual group dynamic when, in
fact, we are all alone in different places.
Nizo
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."
- Helen Keller
BiggHobbit
In my opinion, not getting your children computer literate in 2003 is making
the equivalent decision of becoming the newest branch of the Amish. Can the
children live happy lives? Yes. Can they truly be a part of society and have
all career options open to them? No.
What all adults using a computer right now have done, is the equivalent of
learning a second language later in life. We can get by, but those who learn
it from birth are going to be much more fluent and at ease using the language
(Or in this case computers).
As to insulating kids by letting them live their lives solely on-line, I am not
for that either. That is one end of the computer use spectrum and the family
you talked about are the other end. I would be much more complimentary of the
family if the kids knew about the internet, AOL and Email and were just chosing
to get away from them for a few weeks. But for them not to know them at all is
deliberately deciding to be backward. Time for them to pull out the black
clothes and hats and the buggies and to get them an enclave near Lancaster, PA.
ip...@ptd.net
Bigg wrote:
> Niz,
>
> In my opinion, not getting your children computer literate in 2003 is making
> the equivalent decision of becoming the newest branch of the Amish. Can the
> children live happy lives? Yes. Can they truly be a part of society and have
> all career options open to them? No.
I am still convinced that this is a viable option, exercised today by many.
>
> What all adults using a computer right now have done, is the equivalent of
> learning a second language later in life. We can get by, but those who learn
> it from birth are going to be much more fluent and at ease using the language
> (Or in this case computers).
This too can also come back and bite you on the ass if it becomes something
that one becomes dependant upon. If I'm operating a cash register that does
all the math for me and if that cash register burns out, I have the basic
math skills to fall back on. There are some schools where students use
calculators as a tool to "develop" (rather facilitate) their math skills.
When called upon to think quickly without these electronic marvels, many
respond as a deer caught in the headlights.
> As to insulating kids by letting them live their lives solely on-line, I am
> not
> for that either. That is one end of the computer use spectrum and the family
> you talked about are the other end. I would be much more complimentary of the
> family if the kids knew about the internet, AOL and Email and were just
> chosing
> to get away from them for a few weeks.But for them not to know them at all
> is
> deliberately deciding to be backward.
You're projecting here, Bigg. Your assumption is that yours is the correct
way and there's is not. I'll get you a copy of the show whereby you, as did
I, may observe first hand these incredibly bright, well adjusted,
healthy-ego, confident and extremely happy kids who are living a life, in a
world, which they thoroughly enjoy.
> Time for them to pull out the black
> clothes and hats and the buggies and to get them an enclave near Lancaster,PA.
Again, the assumption seems to be that this is a bad thing.
Having spent enough time living and working in the Lancaster I can truly say
that those who had the greatest concern about the Amish way of life were(no
surprise here) those who couldn't begin to fathom an existence void of all
those trappings inherent in our "civilized" society. The Amish are doing
okay and will continue to do so. Their basic concern is to not be squeezed
out or encroached upon by those who, through their own misguided values,
fail to understand that they live as they do because they choose to.
How is it that we've come to have a greater understanding of what we think
we need, rather than an understanding of what we don't need?
Nizo (just looking for a soft place to fall)
BiggHobbit
>way and there's is not.
I am assuming mine is right if they are going to be a part of modern society in
the 21st century
> I'll get you a copy of the show whereby you, as did
>I, may observe first hand these incredibly bright, well adjusted,
>healthy-ego, confident and
I would like to see it
.>Again, the assumption seems to be that this is a bad thing.
I think most people in America look at the Amish and think, "How Quaint. How
Backward! Aren't they cute." I think going primitive/rejecting technical
society is a choice that adults should be able to make. But what about the kid
that has the inner talent to be the next Einstein or Edison and spends his life
plowing the soil behind a mule and wondering why he/she does not feel
fulfilled?
I believe in giving children every reasonable opportunity not limited ones.
This family has decided not to give their kids all the opportunities that are
available in the 2000s.