Photos of readers

December 23, 2019 • 2:15 pm

Today’s reader is John O’Neall, clearly an ailurophile. His notes are indented:

I hesitated very little before I picked this of me engaged in a favorite and quite typical activity. At my age, this is considered exercise, especially getting back up. It’s too bad people say cats don’t like to have their tummies rubbed or to be rubbed against the grain. Benny loves it — obviously.

Since retirement, I have re-become a student, but without formal courses. That’s where I’ve learned all the biology I know— from WEIT, Darwin and more. This is a pic of my desk. Benny does not think it’s study time. The two books are on quantum mechanics and quantum field theory (I was a physicist prior to 1973 and many, many things have happened since then); the magazine, an article about Denisovans by Jean-Jacques Hublin, a colleague of Svanta Pääbo in Leipzig.

John has several websites:

Travels with Siv: http://sjoneall.net/
Natural universe: https://natural-universe.net
DEVA Europe: http://deva-europe.org/
O’Neall Genealogy: http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~joneall/
SIv’s sketches: http://siv-sketches.net/

18 thoughts on “Photos of readers”

  1. At my age, this is considered exercise, especially getting back up.

    Looks to me you could knock out 20 one-armed push-ups while you’re down there, John, you put your mind to it.

  2. The left arm, not to squish Benny. Although knowing kitties, he’d probably like to get on your back while you’re doing the push ups🙀

    1. I will read it. Thank you. There is a book on the subject of approaching old age which I loved (read 3 times), that is Daniel Klein’s Travels with Epicurus, a laid-back analysis of old age, but not what he calls old old age. It all takes place on a Greek island, so if you have one of those handy, it’s for you. Much more laid back and digestible than the works of one philosopher well-known (but perhaps not well-loved) to readers of this site abd who promotes what seems to me a rather aggressive form of Stoicism. Klein obviously prefers Epicurus.

    1. It’s virtually impossible without the sound effects. Bill Cosby had a very funny routine on this years ago. I also read that it makes sense to look around to see what else you can do while you’re down.

        3. Billy Connolly recently alluded to the need to grunt when getting up, and went on to suggest three rules for the elderly gentleman:

          1. Never miss an opportunity to go to the toilet.

          2. Never waste an erection, even if you’re on your own.

          3. Never trust a fart.

  8. Nice kitteh and nice reading materials; it’s never too late to learn.

    Judging from your interest in the Denisovans and the Leipzig lab, may I recommend David Reich’s 2018 book Who We Are and How We Got Here. The subtitle sums it up nicely: Ancient DNA and the new science of the human past. I found the book immensely interesting and easy to grasp for a genetic amateur like myself. I also enjoy science books with maps and charts and diagrams.

      1. I’ve read it twice already and agree entirely with your assessments. And it is not just the science and what it says about nationalities and racism that is fascinating, it’s the personal touch Reich brings with his reflections on Ashkenaz jews like himself and his family. Perhaps my favorite book of 2019.

  9. Cool John! And” Never to late to learn.

    I only started to learn to play a musical instrument at age 36. I’m actually pretty good now (after years of practice).

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