[Nausheen Eusuf]

Julie, you are hysterical. Thanks for brightening up my day

Nausheen

[Jeanne G]

Originally Posted by Julie Steiner

Jeanne and Rick: Happy to reassure you that you weren't seeing things (or weren't not seeing things). As you probably know, dyslexia has some big advantages in visual perception, along with the disadvantages. Hence the dyslexic motto: "When life gives you melons..."

I had to read that "dyslexic motto" far too many times to get it. (Methinks Julie's just messing w/ us now that she knows our Achilles heel, Rick). Are there really advantages, big ones even? Please do tell me more.




p.s. Lightning Bug, I think you are onto something and Julie's started a helpful trend (even though it's freaking out my dendrites).

Jeinner G.

[Simon Hunt]

Julie--You might enjoy this joke, although you've probably heard it:

Did you hear about the dyslexic agnostic insomniac? He stayed up all night wondering if there really was a dog...

Somehow your post also reminds me of an old SNL fake-news story, something like this:

"In a surprise move, the African nation of Chad has announced that it is changing its name to Brian. In a gesture of African solidarity, Ghana has announced that it will henceforward be called Debbie."

[Julie Steiner]

Originally Posted by Jeanne G

Are there really advantages, big ones even? Please do tell me more.

Four basic cognitive advantages associated with dyslexic processing include:

* Material thinking--dealing with the physical world, spacial reasoning, scaling things up or down while maintaining ratios, being able to mentally walk through or flip 2D representations as if they were 3D, etc. (Often this translates into artistic abilities. Also, a lot of physicists are dyslexic.)

* Interconnective strengths--quickly seeing "the big picture" and being able to integrate disparate pieces of information into a broader understanding; also the ability to identify gaps, such as needs that are not being met (a huge advantage for entrepreneurs, who are in the business of developing products and services that did not previously exist in the market).

* Narrative strengths--spotting large-scale patterns and relationships between concepts, and connecting those dots to make stories. (Which explains why so many successful authors, poets, and comedians are dyslexic; clearly, storytelling and proofreading are two different skill sets.)

* Dynamic reasoning--recombining information in new and interesting ways; using episodic simulation to predict future events from past ones; generally thinking outside the box. Obviously, these qualities are associated with innovation and creativity in every field.

These talents are not necessarily all found in the same person, but dyslexics tend to have at least one of them.

"This ability to turn things inside out and see them from shifting perspectives is probably something that allows me to write the poetry I write."
--Philip Schultz, winner of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, in this video.

[Rob Wright]

Julie,

You are funny! I've bought those toner cartridges. I missed an NEA grant (I'm positive) because of the lousy print quality of the forms.

And… being a Steiner, think of all you illustrious antecedents: George, Max, I'm sure there are others.

[Jeanne G]

Thanks for the info Julie. I've noticed some of those things, but didn't know they were related. The 1st ones are definitely not my strengths. Just thinking about spacial stuff triggers it. Judging distance, or north, east west, south, fuggedaboudit. Thank God for digital car compasses now.

I was feeling guilty for hijacking your thread w/ the dyslexia stuff, so finally kicked my butt to do a write up, bare and share thing on it and started my own.

Jeanne

[ross hamilton hill]

Rudolph Steiner was a great teacher and religious leader. Steiner schools are highly regarded in Australia.

[R. Nemo Hill]

I must confess, I felt closer to you when you were a Stoner.

Nemo

[Julie Steiner]

Just picture me with a beer stein instead of a bong, Nemo.

[R. Nemo Hill]

Ah, that might do the trick!

Holiday Cheers,
Nemo