Meanderthalism may be just the tip of the iceberg...

Yup; apparently so.

In a recent post to this blog, I cited an excerpt of a conversation in which I tried to explain what I refer to as my "Meanderthal-ish" traits.

And now, according to a just-published article, "Mess For Success" (http://www.hermanmiller.com/CDA/juggle/0,,155,00.html)

by writer Debra Wierenga on Jugglezine), "meanderthalism" is at least one of the components of how creative productivity can often be fueled by a certain amount of "non-linearity" or, what some might refer to as disorder or even dysfunction.

Ahh, sweet vindication at last... "Amen", I say to thee, brethren. (And thanks, Debra).

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure" - Telpo Lendolotoproj
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Going Dutch (oughtta be some kinda award...)

Okay, I admit to having become pretty jaded about web-design over the last decade. I've (in my secret identity - shhhh!) designed a couple hundred websites for various clients over the last 11 years. I'm frequently been accused of being a purist or minimalist (and occasionally even a design nazi of sorts) for my insistence on sticking to straight, clean HTML, and avoiding such "niceties" as Flash, scripts and clever mouseover "winkie-blinkies" even as I explain to those clients that the search engine rankings they so desperately covet tend to improve when things are kept simple.

From a different, user-oriented viewpoint though, I'm also somewhat bored with most sites that've invest copious amounts of design-time/money in creating pointless 'Bling' (ie: Flash doohickeys) that don't really have anything to say. They generally strike me as the mutant offspring of designers who've managed to sell their clients on how "essential" and "compelling" those sites would be if only the site owner would fork over the extra design time $$ to have them thoroughly "enhanced" (encrappinated) with majick fairy-dust blingification.

Okay, I admit, I'm in a crankier than usual mood today. Or at least I was until a few moments ago when my bro' Brian forwarded me a link to a site (>http://producten.hema.nl/) that made me both take notice with regard to my rant points above and, more importantly, laugh my fool ass off.

I'm not gonna spoil the surprise so, if you'd like to know why, you'll have to visit the site. Not only is it a wackily brilliant Flash hack; it's clever and noisy and silly-as-heck and even a bit anarchistic all at the same time. (in that you can't click any links to go anywhere on the site until it's completed its little meta bombast; you just have to wait 'til it's had it's way with you).

I should point out that I cannot read a word of Dutch but I'd still like to give these folks some kinda prize, whatever the heck the rest of their site might accomplish...I think Rube Goldberg would be proud of these folks!
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TRUTH IN ADVERTISING REVISITED (& questioned yet again)

To wit:

a recent example (above) and it's"target"
(click button below to see)

As you can plainly see from following the above 'link' button, there is clearly no reasonable correlation between the highly seductive (and yes, admittedly, incomprehensible) 'bait' image above and the actual products to be ordered.

And yet, in the modern world of commerce, similar stratagems are foisted upon us incessantly, wasting our precious time, overloading our already overtaxed ability to cope with an ever-burgeoning onslaught of "come-ons", scurrilous pitches for meta-doodads and pseudo-necessities, and an endless spate of snake-oil and sacrilege.

Don't you think? Or don't you? Inquiring mimes wanna know....
(this important message has been provided & funded by the Ecclesiastical Absurdities Foundation for your protection. If you'd like to help us continue our importantly ridiculous work, consider sending us a large cash donation to further fuel our quest for abject luicrosity. Thank you and may Dog speed).
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THE MYSTERY OF INFATUATION...

per esempio:

sometimes, there's just not much more to say...
WARNING:childish, idiotic images such as these have been observed to contribute to brain atrophy and acid reflux disease. Please consume responsibly...Remember (not to forget to remember), the brain you melt might be your own. And while it's highly improbable, you may in fact need it someday
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MEANDERTHALISM AND AMBIVERSIA

EXCERPT FROM A RECENT DIALOGUE WITH AN AUTHOR FRIEND

...anyway, glad you enjoyed the 'meanderthal' and 'ambivert' concepts... Peculiar notions that they be, they are kinda useful somewhat. And yes, certainly, feel free to use them or quote them or whatever. It's always funnish to have a role in introducing new words to the language!

As Elodiah likely explained, the definition occurred during a conversation with my sister some months back when she referred to us both as meanderthals. The word basically describes a weirdfunky sort of 'non-linear' (I prefer to think of it as an "integral") approach in day-to-day routine; much gets accomplished overall, though in what would appear to the outside observer as a randomly chaotic, disjointed (some would say dysfunctional) fashion. A friend visiting me for a couple days seemed quite distraught when observing the order in which I 'ordered' the various tasks of my day (wash two dishes, answer 3 emails, frame two paintings, was another dish, start a load of laundry, hang some art in gallery, return two phone calls, shop for a dinner that was two days away, answer 3 more emails and return two more phone calls and various other etceteras)...Then, said friend was equally flummoxed when she realized the magnitude of what had gotten done during my 'meanderthal-ings".

As for "ambivert" that's another strange but useful one and even kind of a weird double-entendre of sorts. It relates primarily to my own confusion. I think of myself as strongly introverted in having a substantial need for plenty of 'alone' time; time to create, time to work, time to ponder/meditate/whatever. And yet I apparently have sufficient gregarious/extroverted tendencies that come into play in conducting my business. And when that occurs, it's genuine enough (rather than "put-on" by necessity). Hence the "ambiversion" (ambivertigo? ambivertosis?). And to further confound the already dodgy-enough conundrum, I'm not even sure whether I'm "ambivalent" about my "vert"-ed-ness or if whether it's just too "ambiguous" for me to fathom (and hence the "double-entendre" aspect of the whole mess).

Good grief... Likely this is FAR more then you'd ever wanna know about such ludicrous matters but, there we have it, Hope this wasn't too loopy to follow.

If any further clarification might be in order, I trust you will advise accordionly,

Sincerely,

Armando Cuacuazah
Your Parenthetically-challenged Iceman in ThirdStone-land
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NEW VERSION OF PAINTING DISCOVERED

ThirdStone exclusive news flash:

A photo of a second, previously unknown version of a well-known family portrait painting by Flemish Renaissance Painter, Michel Sittow was released today by ThirdStone Associate International Curator, Telpo Lendolotoproj... Mr. Lendolotoproj's speculation is that it was made by the artist as a sarcastic lampoon of what might be assumed to have been 'difficult' clients. Decidedly NOT 'tongue-in-cheek' by any means.

The painting was discovered in a root cellar in the basement of a flower shop located in a several hundred year old building in Istanbul. Found by workmen who had been called to fix a leaking gas pipe when one of the men lost his footing and slipped on the wet floor, subsequently falling against a rotted wood panel covering a long-unused alcove in the basement wall.
(info provided by ThirdStone international Curator, Telpo Lendolotoproj)
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