Out On A Quantum Limb

Barbara: I was never a very science-y, math-y type of person. In fact, in my last years of high school, I scraped by in Chemistry, never took Physics, and completely flunked Math. I know, I know, if I’d had the right teacher or the right method, I might have grasped one or all of these. Believe me when I say it’s one of my life-regrets that I didn’t. Oh, to be mathematically savvy—and more importantly, to believe yourself so!!

So imagine how surprised I was (and still am) when I got an email from a friend the other day asking if I wanted to go with her to an 8-week course on, wait, how did she put it? … Oh yeah, like this: “It is about quantum physics + the metaphysical implications of the findings of theoretical physics.” Officially titled Philosophy and Quantum Physics. I could barely understand my friend’s sentence, never mind understand a course like this, never mind understand why I wanted to take it with every fibre of my being.

Here are some of the other pithy tidbits designed to seduce a plebe like me: The wave particle duality - what is the ultimate reality behind light and matter?
· The Heisenberg uncertainty principle - the consciousness of the observer seems to intrude into the physical world. What does it mean?
· The Schrödinger wave equation - What is its significance?
· Quantum Entanglement - the ultimate connectedness of all matter.

I’m sure there are many of you reading this who can not only get it all, but can argue, delve, debate, trumpet, agree and disagree. But I am not one of you. And yet, last night I took my (as it turned out unnecessary) notebook (okay, unnecessary in that this was designed to be a sit-in-a-circle-and contribute kind of course) and my meek little mind to this actually very comfortable and intimate classroom. There I found myself amidst other curious beings of various aptitudes and began an adventure that I am thrilled and excited to be part of.

I haven’t knowingly been hungering for classes or lessons, although I do remember bemoaning on these very pages that I envied the lesson-takers (thanks, Deb, for that unwitting shot in the arm). And here, a mere week later, the universe has seen fit to offer me a mind-shifting microcosm. And I have seen fit to jump in with both my ears and mind open. Woo-hoo!

I’ll see you on the other side of the Quantum Leap (or, if they make their case, now–– because now and then is all happening at the same time).

Deb: The closest I come to understanding what you're talking about is loving the show Quantum Leap with Scott Bakula. I understood every single word of that show, so, ummmm, just sayin’ I think I would be top of the class!

Barb, I am so so proud and happy for you. Learning! And learning impressive stuff. You have inspired me right back! I may just go out and become an astronaut. Can’t wait to hear more on these very pages!!!! Wait. Is Scott teaching it by any chance ‘cause...

Between A Rock And A Soft Place

Barbara: The other day a few of us were discussing the personality traits of a certain character in our screenplay when a colleague suddenly referenced the philosophy of rock logic versus water logic. Who’d’a thunk this innocent observation would trigger a whole mindblowing epiphany!

I’d never heard of the rock/water logics, so my colleague nutshelled it for me. (PS: This is the kind of stuff I eat up. I LOVE Rubik’s cubing the human mind.) In case you’re like me and you’ve never heard of this philosophy, let me try and nutshell. And if you are familiar with it, I’d love to hear your take.

The idea of rock and water logic was introduced by a guy named Edward de Bono, a respected “great thinker”. This is his official website (I’d say the great thinker could use a great designer, but I digress), and this is a good summary of his thesis. The way my colleague described it, neither logic was better than the other, they just are. You are either a strongly confident “rock”, generally unmoving, sure and certain in the one best choice. Water logic is flowing, adaptable, conforms to its environment. Both logics have their place in our lives. On a team, it’s good to have the conviction of the rock and the flexibility of the water.

(If you read Edward de Bono’s work, he actually says that rock logic is “traditional” thinking. He definitely urges people to think outside the rock, to embrace “lateral thinking”. Too bad my whole epiphany catapulted off the notion that all my relationship problems could be traced to this basic but fundamental difference and that I just had to accept it.)

I can say with utter conviction that I am a water logic person. It can be a wonderful quality, sure. It’s great to believe there are a myriad of solutions to every problem, not just one (or worse, none). BUT I can also say that my adaptability makes me endlessly accommodating—a trait that can bite me in the butt when it comes to any kind of teamwork. I can see the merit of my own choices with utter clarity, but I can also see the merit of EVERY ONE OF YOURS. I’ve been accused of being a pushover more than once, but really, it’s because it ALL SEEMS POSSIBLE.

Also, I’ve butted heads with more than a few rock-logicians in my time. Oh, how they stand firm in their resolve, a resounding “no” to every one of my suggestions. It can be frustrating. It can be exhausting to always, always have to flow around them.

So it was with some relief that I realized we were two logics with the same goal—to get the job done, be it an actual job or an emotional conundrum, in the best possible way. We just have two very different approaches. Both ways do have merit. I’ve had to learn to adopt a bit of rock logic, to decide what I really really believe in so I can defend my ideas when they need defending.

Sometimes the water has to collect in a pool against that rock, and sometimes the rock has to let itself disengage and be carried with the flow.

I know I am, but what are you???


Deb: Well, Barb, I think you know what I am. I am water logic too. And frankly I think it is very unusual for two water logics to accomplish anything as a team.  But we do, don’t we, Barb?

I may have been a bit of a rock when I was younger, a stone if you will.  But over the years I yielded to the flow, which I think is my true path.

When Barb and I work we are all about the compromise. And I mean ALL ABOUT THE COMPROMISE. Does it always serve the project? I don’t know. Does it always serve our joy in doing the project? OH YEAH! So we flow and we flow and we love every minute of it. 

So we … Go with the Flow––You KNEW I had to say it!