Three thoughts Thursday

Disclaimer: All writing and artwork handcrafted by me.

In my iOS Notes app I have an ongoing note with the title “:Squirrel” in which I save random thoughts, ideas and anything that jumps into my crazy shit brain at any given moment.

One of these mostly erratic entries reads:

Guys don’t look at explosions

That is all. Just this line.

I can’t remember when I decided it was worth remembering. Or the context in which I heard this. But nonetheless, I can recall it hit a nerve. And it still does. Reading it I instantly get the underlying meaning. And how that can be transformed into an interesting way to approach life when it blows up in your face.

Imagine watching a movie:

A gigantic hell of an explosion is filling the screen.
Then picture this guy in front of the fireball. Facing the camera.
Who either is responsible for blowing something up and calmly is walking towards the camera. Or he is running from something being blown up.
The first one may have accomplished a very important mission (or he messed it up big time). And the other one could be escaping a fatal catastrophe at the last minute.
Both of them just got away with their bare life.
Cut.
Story moves on.

What you maybe did not notice: Neither of them is looking back, giving any F about what’s going on or why. Ruminating about reasons or consequences, the scale of the accomplishment, the mess they made or the catastrophe they escaped.

Because: What difference would it make?

It’s blown up. Gone. Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye. Let it be and have been.

Yes, this is a metaphor for your life.

◼️

Just this morning I read through the (always great) Substack newsletter of Austin Kleon and learned that there is a phenomenon called “Aphantasia”.

In short, Aphantasia describes people whose minds are not able to visualize stuff. Instead they experience a constant stream of thoughts and voices in their head. I think of it being mentally blind and living on “Subtitles plus Audio Description”. On a side note Austin tells us, those people get in trouble when having to listen to real people speaking – because there is already “someone” talking to them.

(Segue: This situation feels close to what triggers “ADHD rage”. This burst of anger you feel while being in the zone or on hyperfocus and someone interrupts you. Even by just saying, “Don’t be bothered. Just getting a coffee. Want one? No. Alright. Move on.” It’s my inner Hulk in this situation who struggles to stay calm, knowing this Hulk is really called Sisyphus. My stone rolled all the way done the hill a-gain at „Don’t be.“)

But a totally and way more pacifying aspect of Aphantasia really made me smile. After reading a little bit more about Aphantasia and being sure, that it was not a thing for me, I came up with the thought, that the “A” in Aphantasia probably is a negation prefix. So the opposite of Aphantasia must be being able to actually visualise your thinking.

This then must be called “Phantasia”.

From now on, I will walk on this earth, knowing my imagination and my creativity stems from phenomenon called “Phantasia.”

Isn’t that wonderful?

Home is where you miss yourself, 2014, DIN A3, Pencil and watercolour

◼️

Recently, an employee of mine wanted to use an iPad Mini 5 for drawing. But we were unable to find the pencil. Because it was quite urgent, we did not order it on „Bezo’s“ but in the online shop of the German electronics retail chain Saturn, for my co-worker to pick it up on his walk home.

Already being annoyed that he did not need only a signed authorization, he also needed a copy of my ID – somehow ignoring the fact, he had the actual original printed order and it was paid upfront. But things went really crazy when at the store he was asked to also show his ID – which was, to be honest, outdated and not valid.

Welcome to Germany: So I had to walk there and show them my ID like I had to pick up my son at the police station. Only to finally get handed the frickin’ pencil and then hand it to him, standing right next to me. This extra effort cost us both about an hour.

I could not refrain myself from asking the person behind the counter,

“And you really wonder, why brick and mortar retail is dying?”

He had no answer, but replied

“I just followed orders.”

◼️

That’s it for today. Thanks for reading. You are welcome to leave your thoughts about what you read or anything else on your mind in the comments. My name is Markus Freise. I am a creative entrepreneur (mainly web development, illustration and writing) with a crazy shit ADHD brain from Bielefeld, Germany.