Yesterday had lunch at Morton's cafe with friend Gill, Isla and their visiting ex-flatmate Francesca, from Italy. A fun time, the conversation took a wacky turn discussing the 'high-heeled boot kicking a stone' shape of Italy. Italy's the only country I can think of that's shaped like something else. Except, I reflected, Britian when it's turned back to front, mirror image. When I've done this in the past using a transparency or whatever, I've easily been able to see in it an upright dog - or someone with a very big nose - hurrying along with a bag of shopping (admittedly it helps when you draw in a few lines). Tell me you see this too! I wonder if anyone else sees strange shapes in countries, right way round or back to front? Or in anything else for that matter (clouds being the obvious one)? I sometimes do. I think it's related to another tendency: when I miss-hear something or am not quite sure what's been said, spontaneously to 'hear' something else it could be. Hmm - the brain's amazing 'creative reconfiguring' capacity. Can generate endless hours of fun.
Or maybe I just need to get out more.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.JPG)
2 comments:
It's just the way our brains have evolved to search for patterns and make sense of the world. That's how optical illusions work and why we see the man in the moon, or Robert the Bruce on Mars. Thre is a mark on the floor at work that always reminds me of a fresh water angelfish everytime I see it. If you go to loch garry, there is a wiew point where the loch looks like a map of Scotland.
As Billy Conolly says "isn't Norway a funny shape!"
Billy
Pattern matching is indeed a great talent! However, clearly God hasn't evolved my brain enough to allow me to make sense of my world... which is very confusing and nonsensical :)
Oh, and yes, you and Anonymous Billy both need to get out more!
Lunch was lovely xx
Post a Comment