Author: Peregrine Arc: An Author's Scratchwork

Writer and artist. Author of Memory Bound.
Take A Book, Leave a Book, Thoughts & Reviews

Blind Spot: Hidden Biases of Good People (Brief Book Review) 📖

Peregrine Arc: An Author's Scratchwork

I volunteered to read this book for work, to better myself and to learn more about biases and how humans think (often erroneously) and why. I found the book very illuminating and a helpful tool to become more aware of my thoughts and mindbugs–a term used frequently in the book. There are also several IATs (Implicit Association Tests) you can take in the book, or online.

I included a presentation from one of the authors and researchers below (Dr. Mahzarin Banaji; the other is Dr. Anthony (Tony) Greenwald.) Stick it out until the end; she ends on a hopeful note. And there’s some witty humor throughout.

Do not become rootbound in your life; do not conform to one pot and cease growing. This is a very sad waste of human potential and a paved road for bigotry. Those with power (of whatever kinds and varieties) use this to control people and persuade through manipulation. It’s a tale as old as time. And I am heartily weary of it, in my country and worldwide.

Dr. Banaji’s work will help break your pot and put you into a slightly bigger one where you can continue to learn and grow. This is my continued life goal, and has been. Like the researcher says at the end, there is great hope to change our biases, to truly allow people to flourish and live freely.

Take care and happy writing. ✏️

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*If you do take the online test (s), please DO NOT share your results below. These are for your own use and should be taken in context of the book and larger body of research. I will be monitoring comments closely as well.

Writing: I've Got Gadgets and Gizmos a Plenty...

Author: Vintage Brooch, Postcards (New Interests)

Peregrine Arc: An Author's Scratchwork

I’ve been trying new ventures lately–everything from listening to jazz music to trying to teach myself skills like sewing (pray for me). One of the most recent interests I’ve developed is one in vintage fashion and keepsakes. I picked up a couple of items today at a vintage & antique store the saint and I visited for the first time (photo below).

Here’s a beautiful postcard (please forgive the bad lighting) that I may begin using as an end or starter card for my Author YouTube channel. In the upper right, I purchased my first vintage brooch. It has a lovely leaf design with a curled tip and is inlaid with (faux) pearls. It’s like a Hobbit going to a gala, am I right?

I sometimes feel I’m intruding into someone’s privacy when I read messages written on the backs of postcards. Here in pencil or pen, love is being freely given between people who are strangers to me; inquiries are made on another person’s safety and health. Everything is written in that eloquent cursive that I love so much. Oftentimes, the postcards are signed with older sounding names: Arthur, Edna, Beatrice, etc. (I made those up as examples, but you get my meaning). It makes you wonder: what happened to these people? Did their trip go well? How did they live? Where did they go afterwards? What did they struggle with in life? What were their wishes and dreams they thought about at night before drifting off to sleep?

As a writer, this can be a bit like lighting a match inside your imagination. Lots of ideas fly around and you can just sit in Wonderland and breathe in the air. The human story; endless possibilities.

Hope everyone is doing well. How’s your writing going? Cheers.

Labrador Lessons, Quick humor

Author: My Dog Curses Out Veternarian Staff (Humor) 🐾

Peregrine Arc: An Author's Scratchwork

My dog cursed out both our vet and our vet tech today. It’s a little known fact that if you translate a dog’s barks, you’ll get language unfit for anyone’s ears. Our vet’s office has been coming out to owner’s vehicles during the pandemic to take the animals in for their treatment; they gives a verbal summary of the treatment at the end.

My dog’s speeches went something like this:

“I told you to get away from this car, you cheap tiara wearing, cat lover who dunks their biscuits in beef gravy and doesn’t share. If you get any closer to MY PERSON, I’ll dig your own muddy grave with my bare paws, you squirrel’s bottom!”

“Please stop barking. I’m so sorry, she usually isn’t like this–“

“And another thing, you blunt toothed canine prancer, spawn of feline, you. You smell disgustingly sweet and clean. When’s the last time you rolled around in poo, or in anything dead and rotting? Does your kind have no decency? You smell like cat and whiskery things that are made to be eaten! Well, today’s your day, lady…SAY YOUR LAST WORDS.”

*Later, in the car ride home…*

“So would you like to explain yourself today? Hmm, oh doggo of mine bosom?”

*Dog gives me the stink eye before leisurely responding from the backseat.*

“They’re all demons and work for Satan himself. If you take me back to that portal of hell and they shove that thermometer into my fluffy bottom again, I’ll take you down with me. And you better expect another pile of throw-up tonight just for sheer spite. Now roll down this window, I need to sniff this funny dog sitting next to us in traffic… HEY, YOU THERE! You’re not a dog; you’re a raccoon in a collar! Hey! Hey! Hey! YOU SMELL CLEAN! HAH HAH HAH!”

That was my day. How was yours? Cheers!