the Wakefield Doctrine

Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)

Thomas: Dude! No. Way.
Jesus: Way!

Thanks go out to Kristi for keeping the doors open and the lights on.

Say what you will about social distancing, it, at least the literal form of it currently being forced upon society, has by definition, never been a factor, here in the blogosphere. Not to say there is a needed comparison between the ‘sphere and the ‘real’ world with it’s touch ‘n feel special effects. It’s simply that relationships and friendships, as so many other things in life, begin in the mind/heart. This virtual world is a place of thoughts and feelings, ideas and intuition. Heck, this ‘hop is the perfect example. Lizzi took an idea that (she) found beneficial and did the fundamental ‘right thing’. She shared it with others. As the old saying reminds us, ‘A virtue shared is a virtue multiplied’.

Enough with the thoughtful insights* My Grats for this here week here:

1) Phyllis

Photo from 2019
Walk will be enjoyed today, just warmer clothes.

2) Una

3) the Wakefield Doctrine

4) my co-hostinae: Mimi, Lisa, Pat, Dyanne 

5) weather and video technology

6) the Hobbomock Chronicles. This week we have Episode Fourteen

7) being a clark in a time of maximum stress to scotts and rogers. Welcome to the Outside. A word from an inhabitant: its not as bad as it might feel. The world is no different, only ‘the feel’ of it. As the Doctrine reminds us: the path to self-developing oneself requires that we examine (and accept) how we relate ourselves to the world around us. Not, as I always follow this statement, ‘how we relate to the world’; but how we relate ourselfs…. (Hint: it totally requires acceptance of the good and the not-as-good-as-we’d-prefer-anyone-be-aware-of that dwells within us all.)

8) THIS SPACE AVAILABLE

9) staying in the real estate business, it is deemed essential in my state. lets me go to the office just as always. of course, the office is closed and empty except for a part-time admin. (Do I hear ‘OK! So how is this any different?’ lol. well observed, Ms. Cynthia.

10) Secret Rule 1.3

* was it enough to counter-balance the photo caption? lol

music

Two selections: One for us older lifeforms and one for hardcore Eastersaurians**

** meant to evoke something from the Old Testament, Ezekiel or one of them guys, didn’t quite work. Makes me think of Land of the Lost (Will Farrell and Anna Friel 2009)

*

Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)

Hey! Sister Margaret Ryan fans! So, this morning I was working on the next Episode in the Hobbomock Chronicles and needed to check the spelling of the name of the company that Lilani Gometchikov was employed by prior to creating AcumenRe with Stephen Eddington. Well, I went into ‘Home and Heart’ (my Sister Margaret Ryan WIP) and came across the following scene. It’s an example of one of the unexpected pleasures of writing stories, i.e. crossover between the stories and their characters.

… the company? Bernebau Company. Owned by Cyrus St. Loreto

“Miss Clarieaux? There’s a Genevieve Novak on line 6.” Anya looked up from one of five LCD displays that lined two sides of her desk, the solid-state battlements of a 21st Century castle. Her office overlooked Lake Michigan. Her official title was Administrative Assistant and the digital tendrils of one of the largest IT companies in the world, came together in her office. In the unlikely event that she needed to write a resume, her current responsibilities would fit into two grammatically incorrect sentences: Make certain nothing hindered the goals of the CEO; solve any problems that threatened the Omni Corp.

Tapping three keys in a certain sequence and all screens, except one, went dark. The last display went momentarily black, then returned to light having all the appearance of a mirror, complete with a gilt frame that would have made a certain fairy tale queen purse her lips in envy.

In the flawless, if not virtual, mirror, was the flawless, if not cosmetically enhanced, beauty of Anya Clarieaux. Her icy blonde hair framed a face that, at a social distance, was an attractive twenty-something professional woman. And she was that.  A professional woman. Her appearance to one who had the fortune (or misfortune, depending on the circumstance), to be closer than ‘social distance’ was more complicated. There is an interesting category of timeless sayings that have endured through the ages, despite having two decidedly opposite versions; ‘God lives in the details’ and ‘The Devil is in the details’. Either would apply were one to imagine what Anya Clarieaux truly looks like, ‘up close and personal’.

Satisfied her appearance did not reflect her mood too accurately, she typed the caller’s name and read all that was known about one Genevieve Novak. The screen displayed nothing Anya didn’t already know. At the bottom of the profile, in very red font: ‘Current Nexus’ and below that, ‘Sister Margaret Ryan, Novitiate at St. Dominique’s convent, Crisfield MD. *High value recruit (potential)*.’

“Genevieve! How are you? How is Miami? And Leland? Oh, sorry to hear that.” Anya began speaking a measured fraction of a second before the video image appeared on the screen.

Genevieve Novak smiled in return, “Anya. It’s good to see you again. When was it we were last together? At that Charity ball in Savannah, two years ago, wasn’t it? It was Save the Something-or-Other Precious-Whatever.”

“I remember that night! There was a certain Ambassador who did a remarkably accurate imitation of a college boy in love. Siegfried … Siegfried Rachnor, that was his name! He was so determined to make you understand what an influential man he was. I trust he made it home alright.” Leaning forward slightly, Anya made laughing sounds as she watched the woman on the screen. “So, what can I do for you?”

Genevieve smiled, “I’m doing some research on a young woman. She’s creating the beginnings of some negative ripples in our company’s ‘Public Trust’ and ‘Non-negative Reliability’ space. Entirely online, through a surprisingly sophisticated campaign of layered, asymmetric social media programs. Still quite preliminary, no effect on ratings or stock health. However, contrary to the old saying, there is such a thing as bad publicity and the boss said to put a stop to it. One of my background searches shows she interacted with your company last year. I was wondering if it had been a significant enough event to create a record.”

“Sister Margaret Ryan?” Anya lowered her eyelids rather than her voice. She knew the other woman’s abilities well enough to take certain reasonable precautions. A casual observer would not have noticed any change in her demeanor. But then again, Anya Clarieaux rarely, if ever, interacted with casual observers. She smiled inwardly at the barely perceivable intake of breath, more visible than audible on the hi def display.

“You are good.” Genevieve looked to her left, picked up an old-fashioned steno pad and a yellow No. 2 pencil. “But that is what I like about you. Always prepared and always having more information than the other person. So, can you tell me anything about our little nun that I can’t find on the internet?”

“She’s quite a remarkable young woman. Don’t let the Sally Fields get-up fool you. I’d suggest you try to recruit her, but I know her and I know the Bernebau Company. It’s unlikely she’d be interested and besides, your boss likes to keep the inner circle small. He’s not, from what I know, inclined to welcome talented young women into the family. Well, not very often.  ‘Fraid I don’t have much more than that. I won’t insult you by saying ‘be careful not to underestimate her’. For all of her gangly, sound-of-music enthusiasm, she is a deceptively …able girl. If truth be told, and we lowly admins always stick together, I did try to recruit her. She turned me down, of course. It wasn’t a total loss, sometimes getting a person accustomed to an idea involves provoking them. They believe that their rejection is the end of the effect. Of course, the first step in love and war is familiarity. Passion is always there, ready and patiently waiting for the opportunity.

She made a friend when she was out here last year, a homicide detective by the name of Maribeth Hartley. Very competent cop, if not a little high-strung.” Anya made a mental note of the dilation of the other woman’s pupils and continued,

“Sounds like our Sister Ryan is in total do-gooder mode. Don’t expect compromise. Hell, for that matter, don’t expect mercy. But then you and that impeccably-dressed timber wolf, Constantin Szarbo, are not exactly, ‘go along to get along’ types.”

Genevieve smiled at the compliment, “You should talk. If I had half the skill at behavioral control that you exert at the Omni Corp, I’d be in business for myself. You have an entire Board of Directors, as well as that silver fox of a CEO, to keep in line.”

Anya laughed, a graceful shifting of every part of her face except her eyes. “Thank you, darling. But next to your mysterious Mr. St. Loreto, my CEO is Dave Thomas.”

Both women laughed.

After a moment Anya said, “Hell, you could get any admin position in any company on the planet just by the resume entry, ‘Administrative Assistant to Cyrus St. Loreto’.” Anya noted the passing wistful look, the perfection of her face suddenly but only momentarily fading. “If I get anything new on our little red-haired friend, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

That was fun! A little editing to smooth the tone. (I’m grateful for being at the point that lesser skill by my less-experienced story-teller self does not make me shut my eyes in self-consciousness.)

Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)

Thanks to Kristi for making certain that, in this world of constant change (not all of it sought), there is a place where the basics have remained untouched, the Ten Things of Thankful bloghop.

Thanks to Wendy/Josie for carrying on when the need arose. (Now, I don’t mean ‘carrying on’ I mean ‘carrying on’ in the Kansas’ ‘Wayward Son’ song sense.)

Thanks to Lizzi ‘sine qua non’*

That said, I will cite the following as people, places and things that elicit a feeling of gratitude this week.

1) Phyllis

2) Una

3) Wakefield Doctrine: As tool for self-development, it is without peer. As a way to better understand the world and the people who make it up, it is both fun and effective. Once you’re familiar enough with the nature of the three characteristic realties, you can establish your own predominant worldview and that of those around you. At this point, you can begin gaining insight into how you relate yourself to the world around you and, even better, you can see the world as the other person is experiencing it. Try it, it works and is simpler than you’d think.

4) the Hobbomock Chronicles.  This week, in Episode Thirteen, the sleeping woman awakens. Stop back later today, still working on it.

5) Modern technology. Result ing in the video and ‘editing’ of Number Six (below)

6) Friday afternoon walk and talk (and drive)

7) THIS SPACE AVAILABLE If you have a desire to try this bloghop thing, but don’t have a full post worth of grats (or, you do, but the thought of hitting ‘Publish’ takes you back to third grade and the walk of shame back from the front of the class of twenty-five boys and girls, most of them, recent transferees from William Golding Elementary. You rose from your wood-and-wrought-iron desk with the a careful assurance, spent and entire time getting to the blackboard trying to ignore the future memory of praise and accolades for your excellent report and turning to look over the emotional crossword puzzle of faces in bolted-to-the-floor rows, (‘rank and file’ a part of your mind yammered, throwing interesting facts like confetti in the hands of New Year’s Eve drunk with a watch that ran three minutes fast), “The purpose of this Report is…” you began. The words of the report on whatever you spent the previous three days (and nights) thinking and rehearsing were, mercifully there, and because of this, there were no opportunities for anyone to interrupt the flow of words, the torrent of information. Half way to the safety of your desk and its one-size-will-have-to-do, you hear the teacher speak, “I never noticed, but you walk funny.” There is a moment of silence, not so much restraining and suppressing the reactions following your oral report bubbling up among your classmates, the typical mixture of torture and affection, as a sudden vacuum that sucked the energy from the room, for a split second. Then since nature abhors a vacuum and the power it would have taken to negate the authority (both real and sociological) would not be available to you for, say, fifty years or so, the class breaks out into howls of laughter and torrents of awe at the power of adults,) not to worry. Send in a single grat with your preferred attribution and I will post it here. After erasing the totally-made-up, who-would-recount-such-a-story-if-it-wasn’t-made-up-fiction words and you’ll be right as dodgers.

8) err, that our capacity to remember is constantly being focused (for better or for worse) as we self-develop ourselfs.

9) something , something 

10) Secret Rule 1.3 From the Book of Secret Rules (aka the Secret Book of Rules) that states, simply (and that kinda surprises one) that the approaching completion of (a) list of Ten Things is, in and of itself, something to be grateful for and, therefore, by tradition and practice, the last item can be this over-arching grat.

* one of my favoritest Latin phrases: ‘without which not’

music

An oldie. But I got caught by two lines, on a random web page, and the song has been playing in my head since yesterday morning.

*