Growth | Jaunty Dame

The Enemy of Truth

“Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth.”

- Albert Einstein in a letter to Jost Winteler, 1901.

Look at that face! That dapper child was BORN to question authority. (Image source)

Flashback: Parable of the Code Blue

( A flashback to October 27, 2008. Nothing like a good parable for a Sunday morning, eh?)

(“You gosh darn heathens! I’ve got half a mind to let you all drown THAT’S RIGHT I SAID IT.”)

I don’t have a car. For me, getting to Wal-Mart requires at least three hours and [...]

Fluctuations

(Image via Wikimedia Commons)

“The only man who behaved sensibly was my tailor; he took my measurement anew every time he saw me, while all the rest went on with their old measurements and expected them to fit me.”

-George Bernard Shaw Man and Superman, 1903

[...]

Flashback: On Beauty

(At the end of a long day, it’s nice to throw off your clothes, drop your scythe, and lounge on a mountaintop alter with your peacock. Image source.)

The very best thing about blogging is getting to know fantastic people. On November 11, 2006, I posted the following words to [...]

Ten Backpacker Things

While visiting my mother and her boyfriend last summer, I noticed a neat little card sitting on his bookshelf. Months later I was still thinking about it, so I asked Mom to send a picture. Behold!

In case you can’t tell, it reads:

Ten Backpacker Things You Could Do at Home

-Buy only [...]

Martha Beck’s Interview Game

Are you, like me, wondering what the hell to do with your life?

If yes, then play along with Martha:

“First, imagine that you’ve moved forward in time. It’s anywhere from a year to several decades in the future. You’ve just picked up a fresh, new copy of a glossy magazine and — oh, look [...]

Flashback—Too Little Too Late: An Apology

(Originally posted on April 6, 2008…3:27 am. Would I have been this hard on myself during normal waking hours? Probably, yeah.)

In the wake of a recent anniversary, I have spent three days pondering my romantic history.

PAINFUL CONCLUSION: While I am sensible in most ways, where men are concerned, I am an absolute [...]

Identity and Self-Invention

Early yesterday morning, I received a spam message asking “ARE YOU UP TO THE CHALLENGE TO INVENT REBEKAH [SURNAME]?”

Obviously, a well-placed comma would have clarified the question: “Are you up to the challenge to invent, Rebekah [Surname]?” The sender was hawking patents.

But being groggy, I interpreted the question as “ARE YOU UP TO [...]

Martha Beck on What Everybody Thinks

“My clients have a very firm grasp of what Everybody thinks, and they share this information with me almost every day. They say things like:

If I quit my job / have a baby / marry my secretary, everyone will lose respect for me.

I can’t live in a small apartment / geodesic dome [...]

Return of the Cocktail Dress

So… uh… I returned The Cocktail Dress to Ross.

Don’t give me that look!

When I bought the dress, the back vent was stitched shut. I’d hoped that cutting those stitches would give me more wiggle room and prevent the skirt from riding up so badly. MISCALCULATION. Once I cut the threads, [...]