It seems like the one topic we never tire of is ourselves. And neither do "they" - the sociologists, poll takers, human behavior specialists and market analysts. "They" - publish an astonishing thirty three thousand studies each year on how we behave. Most of their valuable scientific research is hidden away in professional and academic journals and usually written in impenetrable jargon. "We" the objects of it all, get to see only small bits and pieces, usually filtered thru a talking head on TV, some tabloid headlines from Mars or maybe a shocking self help magazine article.
Because I have the type of personality that maintains thousands of Secrets, I am going to reveal a true event that recently happened to me. You are not going to read about it in any journal, except for right here on Caedes. l thank God it has escaped the attention of the pointy headed intellectuals, who would surely claim my behavior is governed by some type of strange disorder, where of course I would need to seek professional treatment. Have I got your interest yet?
I suffer from Ocular Migranes. What the hell is that?
When an ocular migraine afflicts a sufferer for the first time, they are usually terrified. Am I going blind? Am I having a stroke? Am I going to crash? My first one happened while I was driving. All questions that must be answered. According to professionals, a sufferer of an ocular migraine may be experiencing a migraine aura, a collection of symptoms and sensations that precede or accompany a migraine headache. If it is in fact an ocular migraine, or "eye headache," the visual symptoms are dominant and the headache may not occur at all.
Symptoms appear as:
neon zigzagging patterns
bright flashes of light
shimmering spot or stars
visual dark spots
An ocular migraine's symptoms are often confined to one eye at a time. Images may appear distorted, starting in the center of the image, then traveling to one side.
The image may also become wavy or misty. I suffer from the Neon zigzagging patterns. Its scary and its like a psychedelic neon light show only in one eye. I am experiencing an Ocular Migraine right now as I type this. I do not suffer from any headaches. Lucky me, so Dont feel sorry for me.
The first time this happened, I immediately called my wife on the cell phone, and told her someone had slipped a drug in my coffee, and I was having a psychedelic trip, and to please call the Doctor. Poor woman, she has known me for over 35 yrs and this type of call scared the heck out of her. When stuff like this happens you just speak and not think much about what you say. She asked if I wanted to see a Shrink or an eye doctor? I thought "what the heck type of question is that? I am driving a car under the influence of drugs and talking on the cell phone at the same time - Im going to prison for sure, I was a law breaker. How can I make important decisions while I am High!"
The Smart Wife determined I needed to go see the eye doctor. After the exam the Doctor advised me that I had some eye problems, and I needed to wear glasses. WOW! what a relief. I was not going to prison. But now I gotta wear some stupid glasses.
After I picked up my glasses, my wife asked what would I like to do now? I told her to "drive to the Drug Store", I wanted to buy a Girly Magazine and look at the pictures for their artistic value. I thought for sure she would not mind, because she knows of my Photographic Hobby, and she knows that I surely would appreciate the artistic and technical work that went into creating those pictures. This woman who has known me for over 35 yrs grabbed a sewing magazine she always keeps in the car, rolled it up and Whupped me up side the head. Then she looked at me kinda firm, and said "now what do you see?" I aint stupid, I had just been enlightened. I told her I now see stars and I see value in reading a book instead of looking at a girly magazine. There are times I am positive God has a sense of humor, because the behavior in this event exceeded my wildest dreams. We went to the library where I selected a book on creativity and imagination. Damn pointy headed intellectuals. Why do they always gotta use $25 words. But I read the whole darn thing.
Interesting: Did you know - you may be a Creative individual, if people approach you as thought you are slightly off your rocker. 70% of creative people have some type of disorder, 38% seek treatment. The most common disorder was rated as mild, and individuals with Mood Swings were most likely to be Creative Artists. Also most mood swing people are often successful in Business and Leadership positions. David Perkins of Harvard Univ. wrote that "Creativity has little to do with intelligence, talent or expertise" He went on to write the traits of Creative Individuals - they uncover the aesthetic, they have an obsessive desire for reducing chaos and finding beauty. They have a sense of detachment, allowing them to test and judge creative ideas. They also generate a lot of ideas, some not so good. Creative individuals show a strong interest in discovering and formulating unusual problems and they like to solve problems in unusual ways. Creative people also have a extraordinary capacity for challenging traditional assumptions. Creative people are not stirred by a lure of money, grades, awards or job promotions. Creative individuals are driven by motivations like - curiosity, a need for beauty, a craving for understanding and order that do not move most people. If you are creative, you were made so by life experiences and not born that way. You are more creative if you exercise. Creative individuals are intelligent but intellectually gifted individuals are not creative.
I got all this information just because of some strange events in my life. What do you think, does any of the traits describe you? Do you believe this story or was I just being creative? Do you believe that if you exercise more, you are more creative? - My wise wife just yelled at me, to get off the damn computer and my fat azz. I gotta go exercise.
Moose