Found a link to this article on humans being the only animal with a chin. It goes into an evolutionary argument on why it developed. It seems obvious why, because how could we think on the throne without it. In my awareness exercise about differentiating the head and jaw I found that that I use the sublingual musculature differently on the left and right side of the midline. It feels to me the my left side musculature normal posture is more contracted to give the right more freedom and control. In fact in terms of felt initiated movement the left side did not exist but instead reacts subordinately to the right side initiated movement.
To generate melodious sound on the left it feels that I need to be able to allow the left side to vibrate or relax and contract rapidly. In playing with this area I have difficulty in getting the musculature to relax and lengthen. It affects the position of the mandible on the left as compared to the right. It is still developing but in lengthening of the left sublingual musculature the left mandible seems to extend more forward. The angle of the jaw on the left also relaxes and come forwards in response. This then seems to influence the left lateral and then the left posterior musculature of the neck. So in order to use the left sublingual musculature in a differentiated way I find there is a global change of use of the head.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Golf, great escapes, and magic tricks
Golf is such a useless enterprise that I wonder about it's fascination. There have been many books written about the attraction and it's lore. The game has it's own rituals and customs that can get you banned from many a private course and the from public course at least a reprimand. It's expensive and time consuming. It surely is a waste of scarce natural resources on expensive lawn care. It's very frustrating with one moment hitting a great escape shot from an impossible position and the next whiffing on a beautiful lie.
One thing it does provide me with is a fertile ground for playing with the differences in my left and right side, even if it has not improved my bogey filled game. I can put my attention in my left hand and swing the club only thinking of it. In a way the right disappears as I actively concentrate on my left arm's position throughout the swing. My normal however is for my right hand and arm to dominate as I get caught up in the game and the left disappears. Much like a magic trick I actively suppress what I am not paying attention to.
Research suggests these enhancement and suppression processes are mediated by two different populations of neurons in the visual cortex – the area at the back of the brain that processes visual information.
Even though that is suggests that it is only the visual cortex that operates this way in the article, I think that a similar process happens in my speech and communication. I only have perception of the right tongue/sublingual/ throat/ and facial muscles to respond to the speaking communicating task appropriately and the left suppressed disappears. I have spent a lifetime at it so now the left is very difficult to 'find' and initiate movement in these regions.
One thing it does provide me with is a fertile ground for playing with the differences in my left and right side, even if it has not improved my bogey filled game. I can put my attention in my left hand and swing the club only thinking of it. In a way the right disappears as I actively concentrate on my left arm's position throughout the swing. My normal however is for my right hand and arm to dominate as I get caught up in the game and the left disappears. Much like a magic trick I actively suppress what I am not paying attention to.
Research suggests these enhancement and suppression processes are mediated by two different populations of neurons in the visual cortex – the area at the back of the brain that processes visual information.
Even though that is suggests that it is only the visual cortex that operates this way in the article, I think that a similar process happens in my speech and communication. I only have perception of the right tongue/sublingual/ throat/ and facial muscles to respond to the speaking communicating task appropriately and the left suppressed disappears. I have spent a lifetime at it so now the left is very difficult to 'find' and initiate movement in these regions.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Left Initiation System
Still playing with trying to develop a sense of a left tongue as separate entity than the right tongue but have been unsuccessful. What is showing up is much different use of the left side of my head. What I find to be the most interesting is that I don't feel to be moving different pieces of the head individually but a system wide use of the head that feels to be left initiated. The movements are mostly tiny, poorly controlled but feel very strong.
One salient point that comes out of the movement awareness work is that I often have found that I do not move in the way that I believe I move. I'm full of 'parasitic' movements or activations of my musculature that interfere with what I am trying to do. In trying to learn how in my youthful development, I stumbled on a good enough solution and habitualized that pattern. However, I have found even though I may discovered a parasitic movement it does not mean I have found a system wide way of bettering the action. Which leads me to continue the old pattern of movement simply due to the demands of getting things done.
So the movements are interesting even though the 'left' tongue as a separate perceived moving entity remains out of reach.
One salient point that comes out of the movement awareness work is that I often have found that I do not move in the way that I believe I move. I'm full of 'parasitic' movements or activations of my musculature that interfere with what I am trying to do. In trying to learn how in my youthful development, I stumbled on a good enough solution and habitualized that pattern. However, I have found even though I may discovered a parasitic movement it does not mean I have found a system wide way of bettering the action. Which leads me to continue the old pattern of movement simply due to the demands of getting things done.
So the movements are interesting even though the 'left' tongue as a separate perceived moving entity remains out of reach.
Monday, January 18, 2016
Manly communication
Saw a recent story that Apple was buying a facial emotional reading company. I am sure they are aware to a much greater degree than I am of the differences in the sides of face. On the home page of Emotient there is (for now at least) twelve picture of a gal expressing different emotions. Looking at most of them I find the left side to be less expressive than her right side. However here is a picture where if find the left side of a face to be more expressive and probably accurate of the way I believe the person is feeling.
Almost like the right side expresses what he is trying to communicate (this is a bad idea) the left a more undisguised enmity. I don't know if I blocked out the left side of face because I did not want to see the raw emotion or that I found the right side to be a more accurate communicative device of what the person was trying to communicate. I lean to the latter, but as a male there was an unwritten rule when I was young when we were drinking beer and sharing our deepest innermost emotions that we never looked at the others face. In a way to let the other guy have room to not be put down for showing weakness or something not manly. The raw anger in Mr. Cheney's face is definitely manly, but I wonder if to see it is in a way to provoke more anger.
In communication men tend to sit other side-by-side next to each or stand at some distance. Women sit face-to-face with other women or stand closer, indicating a more open and intimate position that help them connect with one another. For men, a face-to-face position indicates challenge or confrontation.
Almost like the right side expresses what he is trying to communicate (this is a bad idea) the left a more undisguised enmity. I don't know if I blocked out the left side of face because I did not want to see the raw emotion or that I found the right side to be a more accurate communicative device of what the person was trying to communicate. I lean to the latter, but as a male there was an unwritten rule when I was young when we were drinking beer and sharing our deepest innermost emotions that we never looked at the others face. In a way to let the other guy have room to not be put down for showing weakness or something not manly. The raw anger in Mr. Cheney's face is definitely manly, but I wonder if to see it is in a way to provoke more anger.
In communication men tend to sit other side-by-side next to each or stand at some distance. Women sit face-to-face with other women or stand closer, indicating a more open and intimate position that help them connect with one another. For men, a face-to-face position indicates challenge or confrontation.
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Na, Na said the gutted fish
I recently resumed my twitter account. It was inactive for about five years after the time I was looking heavily at the housing bubble and the economy that led up to it. There was an old speech by one of the Fed officials back in the 50's who was dissenting about leaving the common guy as a gutted fish. That's the reason for the name. Through the recent activity at Twitter I found this site. Two tweets caught my attention today. I think I will adopt the "Natural Philosopher" label in the future as I am sure not a scientist. (Left tongue firmly in cheek)
The joke on sodium reminds me of my wife's continuing saga. We're having difficulty getting her DDAVP in her plan and had to spend $750 to get about 25 day supply. Tried to get a message to her doc just to let her know and had to run a gauntlet with the medical 'provider' on the phone. We pay about 20k to have the family plan so it does not feel right to shell out more. However my wife's cost probably exceeds the 20K to the system easily.
The joke on sodium reminds me of my wife's continuing saga. We're having difficulty getting her DDAVP in her plan and had to spend $750 to get about 25 day supply. Tried to get a message to her doc just to let her know and had to run a gauntlet with the medical 'provider' on the phone. We pay about 20k to have the family plan so it does not feel right to shell out more. However my wife's cost probably exceeds the 20K to the system easily.
- Do we know any jokes about sodium? Na.
SciencePorn 
Friday, January 15, 2016
The global movement to the left
At various points in my life I have tried to play with reversing my usual ability to wink with either eye. It was always easy for me to close the left and open the right. With some perseverance in the past, I managed to do both which is admitted trivial accomplishment. What is showing up in the use left side of head is that it is a global coordination which is different. There is a strong feeling of all the musculature on the left side stretching first and then the ability to contract and relax in the small new range achieved in the initial stretch. There are echoes of the feeling all the way down my left side including the left side of my pelvis. Again the strength of the movements internally feel to be quite strong but externally are quite small.
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Visual Conformation
Read about the Robber's Cave Experiment in The Evolution of Childhood. As a lay person it reminded me of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment. Being part of a group and conforming to it seems to an almost essential priority of who we are. When I try to initiate movement on the left side of my face I also attempt to stabilize the right side, I often get very annoying reactions from my wife when she sees my face. A large part of it is just our baggage but her reaction at times seems too visceral and immediate to be just that. It feels like our visual communication code is being violated and she is letting me know.
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