Thinking Space

All writers in Op Ed are here to inform and acknowledge issues of importance to our communities, however these writings represent the views and opinions of the authors and not necessarily of The Advertiser.

By Linda Nidiffer

Where do you do your best thinking?  With whom do you think the most creatively?  Do you think these are funny or weird questions?  I believe these are important questions because we as a society do not seem to be thinking at all.  Have we come up with any solutions to problems lately or is everything broken?

When working on my master’s degree I would put the kids to bed and grab a pad and pen and put Tom in charge.  Of course it was after dark but I would walk the neighborhood and let my mind take off into its own journey.  I solved many assignment problems as I wandered the familiar streets dashing from streetlight to streetlight so that I could jot down the germ of an idea.

Then in the wee hours I would begin writing and typing.  This was on the cusp of the home computer.  When I finished my paper, I took the draft to my best buddy, Sue K, for a reading.  Sue K. was once an executive secretive secretary for a major big wig.  She never had the opportunity to go to college, but she is one of the smartest women I know.  She would correct typing errors, spelling errors, and just flat out tell me, “This makes no sense!”  She was and is my most trusted advisor.

I also had some really good creative thinking in the shower.  Lesson plan problems were washed away with my shampoo.   Taking notes was a difficulty so I would shout a Tom to, “Write this down.” He would shout back, “That makes no sense.”  My response would generally be, “Just write it down.  I’ll explain later and write it down so I can read it.”  Jeesh, men!  Sue was much easier to deal with!

Now I think on my porch.  My cats and the birds are my most trusted advisors; they have never led me astray.  They want to know where our legislators and judges go to think their best thoughts.  The porch sitters have theorized that the people in Washington breathe bad air and drink tainted water because they are all a little screwy.  They weren’t as screwy when they were in their home states but after a few months in the nation’s capital kablam! Certifiable!  I have visited Washington a few times.  It is a nice place to visit. Heck, I even had breakfast in the senator’s dining room and sat on the senate floor.  It is all very impressive.  I am still not that important but after eating and sitting in those important places maybe you get to thinking you are better and more important than everyone else.  Maybe they forget that they are the humble servants of their constituents.  This past week proves to me that all of our humble servants need to find a better thinking place and my porch is available and I will happily tell them when their thinking is crap.