Humph remembers to forget

Humphrey remembers a great deal: where things are, how to complete daily chores, routes around town, lots and lots of words, and of course people he knows and loves. But sometimes, he forgets things!

The contemplative canine, at Bayview Village

A clever dog celebrates forgetting - that's something Humph learned from City University of New York Professor and theoretical physicist Michio Kaku, who recently made an appearance on The Daily Show to promote his new book, The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest to Understand, Enhance, and Empower the Mind.

What was it he said? Oh yes, that forgetting things serves an important biological function. Those with a photographic memory, Dr. Kaku explained, "forget to forget." While it makes for a neat parlor trick (or standardized exam strategy) to remember every little detail, eventually it's not so great. He claims that rare cases of people who lose the ability to forget become so overwhelmed with information, they can no longer function, do day to day tasks, or even hold down jobs. Rather, a brain is supposed to filter information and forget things that are not necessary for survival.

This got Humphrey thinking about certain types of schooling (readers remember that Humph classifies "schooling" as the bureaucratic counterpart to the project of "education"). When schools have prescriptive, narrow curricula that emphasize fact recall, they are actually requiring students to go against this biological need to forget certain things. Those who do well on (certain types of) standardized tests are remembering things that they will likely forget right after the tests when their brains "remember to forget."

Humph has long subscribed to the idea that those little ones he schools in the daycare will not remember the facts he is required to "deliver" (in Paulo Freire's words, where Humph is required to "fill the empty vessel" of the learner's mind with facts that come from Humph!).

This certainly complicates matters of thinking about schooling, it's purpose and normative ideas about it's structure.

Ummmm....what was Humph just talking about?

Elf et Michelf: A Holiday Tail by Humphrey

Humphrey decided to combine his interests in popular culture and philosophy, and produce an animated video about Michel Foucault and that pesky Elf that sits on Shelves. He hopes readers enjoy.

Humphrey's holiday video, 2014

Getting ready for the holidays

Despite the mountains of work that Humph and his pack have ahead of them, they managed to squeeze in a tiny bit of holiday prep. They don't have a lot of time to fiddle with photography, so these are not Humph's best work.....

There's that fantastic ornament (again!)

The all-white sparkly tree in daylight....

...And illuminated at night!

That's one happy dog (who is out celebrating Hanukkah with his best girl Itzy in this photo - more posts on that special night to come!)...

The fabulous night ended with Humphrey's favorite holiday bedtime story: The Little Shark of Bethlehem Visits the North Pole, composed by a very special author (you know who you are!)

DIY Gifts: How about a money tree?

What do you get for the dog who has everything? How about his or her own money tree?
Rather than the uninspired cash-in-an-envelope, affix bills to a tree (this sparkly one was $1) so the recipient can remove the decorations on an as-needed basis.

It's tough to tie the tiny bows with paws, so dogs, ask your humans for assistance on this craft!

DIY Balloon Boots!

Willowdale is on the verge of more snow, rather early in the season if you were to ask Humphrey. It seems fitting that he share a DIY project with readers. Most dog people know about the utility of commercial balloon boots for dogs - totally water and salt proof, not at all bulky on the feet. Humphrey doesn't care for footwear of any sort, these bother him the least. But, at about $15 for a pack, they're hardly affordable!

His pal Bella turned him on to a much less expensive solution - only about $1 for 3 pairs! Materials needed are a pack of dollar-store round balloons, and a pair of scissors.

Determine where to cut the balloon's based on the wearer's ankle width - they should be snug enough to stay on, but make sure they won't cut off circulation! For Humphrey, the ideal alteration is a cut just at the point where the balloon begins to narrow.

Humph will have his rubber boots ready for the storm - and though he will wear them with great reluctance, they'll make walking possible for him on the cold, salty streets.

Name in the snow

Humphrey has heard of dogs writing their name in the snow, metaphorically - but look what he found last night in the first snow of the season!

He's grateful to his awesome neighbour with the tiny dog feet and excellent literacy skills who did this!

While he has not yet had time to fully engage in holiday decorations, Humphrey has achieved a very small start, and thought he's share some highlights as a prelude of what's to come...

A very flamboyant holiday parrot with rhinestone epaulets blings up the pottery collection 

Birds sitting a decorative garland with lights on the mantle

A new favorite ornament that will eventually take its place on the tree.
It reminds Humphrey of 1980s art sensation Jeff Koons.

The mantle (so far) with the holiday lights on. More to come!