I've heard a quote from Einstein to the effect that if you can't explain something so that a 5 year old could understand it, then you don't know the thing. :shrug: Sorry, but my brain doesn't work that way. I can know a thing and understand it inside my head, and still not be able to explain it outside my head. Hell, you should hear me just trying to have a random conversation with poor Hubs. I get words wrong - substituting the totally wrong word in a sentence and not even realizing it. I stumble. I stammer. I'm a fucking verbal mess about 80% of the time. (Hubs is very patient or he would've divorced my ass ages ago.)
I'm better on paper. I might be able to explain something to a five year old when it's written down, but then the five year old wouldn't understand it because of his reading level. Even then, though, I still substitute words without knowing it. Sometimes, it's simply substituting one homonym for another. Sometimes it's substituting a synonym. Occasionally, it's an antonym, which really screws up the meaning of a sentence. Every once it a while, my brain throws in a word that isn't any of those and has nothing whatsoever to do with the word I had in mind - which I'm usually positive WAS the word I had in mind until I go back and edit. Then I'm all like 'what the hell do I even mean here?'
Thank goodness for editing. Unfortunately, I can't even what I say once it's out of my mouth. Random people I encounter on the outside world often look at me like I'm a moron. That's okay. I can sometimes sound like a moron. I don't let it get to me anymore. Oh, it used to frustrate the hell out of me, but I made my peace with this brain thing ages ago. For the most part... I still have my days of irritation. Again, all props to Hubs and his patience.
I kind of felt bad for the people I worked with. I never told them about my brain damage. I needed the job and I knew I was able to do the job without too much of a problem. And I was right. Occasionally, though, my co-workers had to contend with my long pauses while my brain searched for the right words, rather than let the wrong words pop out. The good ones got used to it, the not-so-good ones continued to let it bother them. The good co-workers learned that when I finally did resumed talking again, I knew what I was talking about. Of course, all of my issues get worse when I'm hurried or stressed or tired - all of which were functions of my job at the time.
And this is why I don't do debates or confrontation, even online. I get all het up about it and then even my fingers betray me. Nope, not worth it. I'm better just dropping an opinion and walking away. This blog allows me to do that. You don't like my opinions, fine. You can walk away, too. But don't try to debate me or confront me. It won't happen. I'll block you and wander off to do something much more enjoyable - like an at-home root canal.
Anyway, I'm just sayin'. Einstein wasn't always right. ;o)
My dad met Einstein once. In college. Said he was interesting but often looked and acted befuddled. I suspect there there was so much going on in his brain at any one moment that the rest of him sort of switched off.
ReplyDeleteI was a debater in high school. I hated it. I didn't want to be a debater or "public speaker." I wanted to act. My speech teacher told me I didn't have to work at acting and I needed to challenge myself. 🙄
I still have the cold. It's now partially in my chest. Ugh. I'm going back to bed soon.
Not much else going on in my life. Have a great weekend!