Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.
~ Henry Ford
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Obstacles →
That’s a moiré →
“You don’t need [machine learning,]” Bryan said. “What you need is inverse Fast Fourier Transform.”
~ “Shift Happens” from, «https://www.getrevue.co/profile/shift-happens/issues/moire-no-more-688319»
I stumbled over a blog post, containing a pull-quote where someone mentioned inverse Fast Fourier Transform. (A mathematician named Fourier invented a fast way to do a certain sort of transformation that comes up a lot in science; It’s called a Fast Fourier Transform. There’s also a way to undo that transformation, called “the inverse”. Thus, Fast Fourier Transformations (FFT) and inverse FFT. Well, FFT/IFFT is the first thing I can recall that I could not understand. It was shocking. Every other thing I’d ever encountered was easy. But there I was, 20-some-years-old, in graduate school, and I encountered something that was beyond me. I think I had it sorted about 6 times and every time, the next morning, upon waking, it had fallen out of my head. Holy inappropriately long parentheticals, Batman!)
Anyway. Blog post. IFFTs. Time machine to the early 90s. Emotional vertigo.
…and then I clicked thru to the magnificent post which is brilliant. And then I realized the by-line was, “Shift Happens.” o_O This entire thing. I’m in nerd heaven.
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PS: Sorry, what? Oh, you read my title, heard the Italian word, “amore,” and wanted a, That’s Amore! pun? Okay, here: When an eel climbs a ramp to eat squid from a clamp… Yes. Really.
Far more control →
We have far more control in our lives than many embrace. We create or co-create our experiences in life, and each day is a new opportunity to be fully engaged in the present moment. It’s the present moment where glimpses of our potential are revealed and expressed. A living masterpiece is not drawn on a canvas or etched in stone or inked by pen. It’s the pursuit and expresssion of applied insight and wisdom.
~ Michael Gervais
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Control →
We have far more control in our lives than many embrace. We create or co-create our experiences in life, and each day is a new opportunity to be fully engaged in the present moment. It’s the present moment where glimpses of our potential are revealed and expressed. A living masterpiece is not drawn on a canvas or etched in stone or inked by pen. It’s the pursuit and expresssion of applied insight and wisdom.
~ Michael Gervais
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I disagree with, “[w]e have far more control…” because clearly we actually have no—absolutely no—control. If that strikes you, I suggest you pause. Imagine something you have control of. Now imagine the scenario where your control is taken away. I’m not trying to scare you; there’s nothing here you don’t already know. All of the “control” is fleeting; that’s not actually control. That an illusion of control.
If I could change that quote I’d just quibble with that first, “control,” and suggest it be changed to “choice.” Because the rest of that quote is frickin’ powerful. Literally every person has choices. For me, my “worst case” choices are quite rosy. (“First World Problems” is the meme.) There are certainly people who are literally only able to choose among various evils.
The illusion of control is toxic. But the reality of choice is empowering.
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Daring →
To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself.
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Ancestry with Denys Allen →
What makes genealogical research unique compared to traditional historical studies, and how do these approaches differ in Pennsylvania?
Genealogists uncover micro-histories that reveal intimate details of everyday life in Pennsylvania’s past.
Historians often look at the records of people that are wealthy and famous and own things, while genealogists pursue the stories of just everyday folks.
~ Denys Allen (3:23)
The conversation highlights the differences between genealogical research and traditional historical studies, focusing on Pennsylvania’s unique historical and geographical context. Genealogy often emphasizes microhistories—detailed accounts of everyday life—while traditional history frequently revolves around prominent figures and broader narratives. The discussion explores how Pennsylvania’s rich diversity of religions influenced its records, as well as the challenges posed by fragmented historical documents.
The geographic and political history of Pennsylvania also comes under scrutiny. The state’s rugged terrain and varied cultural heritage led to intricate county boundaries and decentralized records. Efforts by local groups, including Facebook communities, help genealogists connect and share insights. The conversation further reflects on William Penn’s founding principles and their long-term effects on the state’s culture and inclusivity.
Takeaways
Genealogical research—emphasizes stories of ordinary people and their communities.
Microhistory as a tool—connects genealogical research to broader historical themes.
Religious diversity in Pennsylvania—shaped records and marriage practices, requiring specific knowledge for research.
Pennsylvania’s county boundaries—were influenced by political and geographic factors.
Local historical societies—serve as crucial hubs for genealogists in Pennsylvania.
Virtual spaces—such as Facebook groups, foster collaboration and exchange among genealogists.
William Penn’s influence—allowed for early religious freedom in Pennsylvania, creating a unique cultural legacy.
Challenges in genealogical research—arise from the scattered and incomplete nature of historical records.
Resources
Your Pennsylvania Ancestors Podcast — Interviews on Pennsylvania history and genealogical records.
Historical courthouses in Pennsylvania — Repositories of genealogical records and architectural history.
William Penn’s personal writings — Primary source material on his beliefs and founding principles.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Preparation →
To be prepared against surprise is to be trained. To be prepared for surprise is to be educated.
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Designing your life →
So the longer-term challenge is simply designing your life so that you have more of this stuff and less of the fluff. Look at every activity as you go through your day and think, “Is this contributing to getting me a better day—today—and if not, is there anybody in the world who has managed to design this activity out of their lives and still succeed beyond my level?
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Parkinson’s Law →
Ferriss popularized the personal version of Parkinson’s Law, which correctly notes that our work expands to fill the time we give it. The original Economist essay on the topic also embeds an organizational version of the law, which I read to say that if you leave a group, or a team, or a company to operate without sufficient structure, they may converge toward unexpected and unproductive behaviors.
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Pithy sayings are punchy. (For example: Parkinson’s Law states that work expands to fill the allotted time.) But they’re also woefully inadequate; there’s no room for depth or surety. In this case though, it turns out that Parkinson’s Law is based on actual research… into the bureaucracy of the British Navy. Who knew that this pithy little phrase is actually a real model based on actual research. (…uhm, Parkinson, that’s who.)
There are plenty of ways to turn Parkinson’s law into actionable direction: Ship it. Iterate and course-correct. Show me your discard pile. (That is to say, do sub-par work until your work is up to par.) Minimum viable noun. (Which urges one to chop off everything not absolutely necessary in order to get that noun into the world sooner.) All of which, I’m semi-surprised to note, are about constraining the time allotted to do the work. It’s all about moving the goal posts closer.
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Shocking →
Those who are easily shocked should be shocked more often.
~ Mae West
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