4 ms·

> Allowing ambiguity to exist means accepting, for example, that I'm not always right, that there are limits to what I can know, that more than one thing may be

by Yhippa 10y ago

> Allowing ambiguity to exist means accepting, for example, that I'm not always right, that there are limits to what I can know, that more than one thing may be going on simultaneously, and that there can be kinds of meaning that are local or individual rather than universalisable. Two weekends ago I did a wine and painting class. They basically blow up a picture of your pet, greyscale it, and put it on a canvas. Using some guidance and some help from the instructor you paint your pet (while enjoying delicious wine of your choosing). I've been heads-down in a full-stack project for months and haven't had a creative outlet and it was very difficult for me to get started with this. I approached it like I did with my programs looking for exact inputs and parameters as to how to go about painting. It was very frustrating because I was falling behind the rest of the class and it looked terrible. At some point I figured out I just needed to "let go" and start painting and trying out different things. I experimented and ended up with something that wasn't perfect but I was very happy with. It's on my wall in my office in fact. I realize that I need these types of exercises to make my mind more plastic. Being so rigid for so long I feel really stresses me out and that releases like this are needed to let the pressure blow out. It takes things like this to get remind me that life really is ambiguous and not nearly perfect like my programs and dev ops processes.

peruvian 10y ago
The whole idea of "right vs left brained" has been extremely harmful. There's probably a lot of "technical" people who never think about doing what you did because they say "that's not my kind of activity".
- avindroth 10y ago
  I dislike "right vs. left brained" as a term to define people. We are all right and left-brained (duh). We can also train our brain; we may be predisposed one way, but we are not predestined to be "right-brained" or "left-brained". I like the distinction when used to denote different modes of one brain. Barbara Oakley talks about them as "focused" vs. "diffused" modes[1]. There are moments of high-presure analysis and low-pressure creativity. The distinction helps to leverage these modes in solving problems. [1]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O96fE1E-rf8 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O96fE1E-rf8
mobiuscog 10y ago
"Let it Go...." To expand a bit on my comment: One of the main problems I hit, with anything not 'rational' is the fact that I endeavour to do things 'correctly'. If I don't get it 'right', then I'm obviously not trying hard enough or doing it properly - it's hard to settle down with something subjective and not worry. Having said that, poetry is one thing I can do. Or at least, something I enjoy writing and for some reason don't worry about whether it's 'right'.
- epalmer 10y ago
  First the wine and paint party sounds fun and a bit stressful. But that is what the wine is for. My kids (they are adults) drag me to Shakespeare plays which I usually dread the thought of it in advance. I usually have a great time because of the twists and turns. I don't draw often because I could get consumed with it. I an analytic, program, do system integration and lead a moderately high performing team. A few years ago I took an art class and realized that drawing is easier than you think if you see it as a journey from bad to better. I can't wait till I retire to get really practiced at it. Then painting is next. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
mbrock 10y ago
One of my favorite little hobbies is to draw portraits without looking down at the paper. Sometimes I do it with care, really making an effort to make my hand trace the shapes I see... but often I do it about as quickly as I can, which induces a different kind of enjoyable flow. It's a well-known kind of drawing exercise, probably popularized by the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and the idea is to cut off the rationally interpreting part of the mind and encourage you to see directly and just kind of directly connect your hand to your visual perception. Yeah, it does feel like a way to let go. It's very fun, and often turns out weirdly brilliant absurd portraits. Try it at parties! I've found that kids find it very fun too.
allengeorge 10y ago
S
kbenson 10y ago
> Two weekends ago I did a wine and painting class. They basically blow up a picture of your pet, greyscale it, and put it on a canvas. Using some guidance and some help from the instructor you paint your pet (while enjoying delicious wine of your choosing). I can't (i.e. generally don't like to) paint, and generally don't like wine, and I still think that's an awesome idea. Just enough structure that those without skill won't be put off, and lubricant to get people to open up a bit.
theseatoms 10y ago
> and not nearly perfect like my programs and dev ops processes. Sarcasm noted.
- Yhippa 10y ago
  Glad someone picked up on that :-)

by Yhippa 10y ago

peruvian 10y ago

The whole idea of "right vs left brained" has been extremely harmful. There's probably a lot of "technical" people who never think about doing what you did because they say "that's not my kind of activity".

avindroth 10y ago
I dislike "right vs. left brained" as a term to define people. We are all right and left-brained (duh). We can also train our brain; we may be predisposed one way, but we are not predestined to be "right-brained" or "left-brained". I like the distinction when used to denote different modes of one brain. Barbara Oakley talks about them as "focused" vs. "diffused" modes[1]. There are moments of high-presure analysis and low-pressure creativity. The distinction helps to leverage these modes in solving problems. [1]: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O96fE1E-rf8 https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O96fE1E-rf8

mobiuscog 10y ago

"Let it Go...." To expand a bit on my comment: One of the main problems I hit, with anything not 'rational' is the fact that I endeavour to do things 'correctly'. If I don't get it 'right', then I'm obviously not trying hard enough or doing it properly - it's hard to settle down with something subjective and not worry. Having said that, poetry is one thing I can do. Or at least, something I enjoy writing and for some reason don't worry about whether it's 'right'.

epalmer 10y ago
First the wine and paint party sounds fun and a bit stressful. But that is what the wine is for. My kids (they are adults) drag me to Shakespeare plays which I usually dread the thought of it in advance. I usually have a great time because of the twists and turns. I don't draw often because I could get consumed with it. I an analytic, program, do system integration and lead a moderately high performing team. A few years ago I took an art class and realized that drawing is easier than you think if you see it as a journey from bad to better. I can't wait till I retire to get really practiced at it. Then painting is next. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

mbrock 10y ago

One of my favorite little hobbies is to draw portraits without looking down at the paper. Sometimes I do it with care, really making an effort to make my hand trace the shapes I see... but often I do it about as quickly as I can, which induces a different kind of enjoyable flow. It's a well-known kind of drawing exercise, probably popularized by the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, and the idea is to cut off the rationally interpreting part of the mind and encourage you to see directly and just kind of directly connect your hand to your visual perception. Yeah, it does feel like a way to let go. It's very fun, and often turns out weirdly brilliant absurd portraits. Try it at parties! I've found that kids find it very fun too.

allengeorge 10y ago

kbenson 10y ago

> Two weekends ago I did a wine and painting class. They basically blow up a picture of your pet, greyscale it, and put it on a canvas. Using some guidance and some help from the instructor you paint your pet (while enjoying delicious wine of your choosing). I can't (i.e. generally don't like to) paint, and generally don't like wine, and I still think that's an awesome idea. Just enough structure that those without skill won't be put off, and lubricant to get people to open up a bit.

theseatoms 10y ago

> and not nearly perfect like my programs and dev ops processes. Sarcasm noted.

Yhippa 10y ago
Glad someone picked up on that :-)