Acceleration

I want to insert a brief story here, because my readership seems to be slightly up and I feel, on such an occasion, like re-introducing the blog and the way I think. I've attempted to insert the Third Rail Theme itself into the sidebar, but to no avail; instead, I want to tell this egotistical story that has greatly enhanced my self-definition.

My bachelor's thesis in anthropology attempted, with varying degrees of success, to combine a few disciplines to examine the director Peter Brook's work. (That project is why I attack any mention of the word "universality.") My advisor, the best college instructor I had the good fortune to know, and my seminar group offered a detailed critique of my third draft that demanded a bit more action than I felt capable of taking. I groaned.

"No, no, it's good," said my advisor, a white South African man of British descent (it's important for you to imagine the accent). "I like how you're throwing things together."

I looked at him.

He looked back at me, clearly exasperated. "Throwing things together like a particle accelerator, not like . . . a mess!"

Which I have taken, and hope I'll continue to take, as a compliment, a goal, and a challenge.