Few people know this about me: all the time, almost daily, I'll have random names just pop into my head. Apropos of nothing. Completely unrelated to any thought process, like a misfiring of the synaptic region that contains the name.
So I was backing up the car a few days ago and the name "August Chanute" just flew in out of nowhere. Obviously it was subconcious, because his real name is Octave Chanute. I knew of him from the help he provided the Wright Brothers in their quest to build and fly a powered aircraft. What I didn't know, I just learned on Wikipedia: he was a tad at odds with the brothers because he believed in sharing all information about aviation freely, and the Wrights wanted patents.
I think I'll keep this quote as a neat summary of why I think my love of aerospace can facilitate the greater peace:
"Let us hope that the advent of a successful flying machine, now only dimly foreseen and nevertheless thought to be possible, will bring nothing but good into the world; that it shall abridge distance, make all parts of the globe accessible, bring men into closer relation with each other, advance civilization, and hasten the promised era in which there shall be nothing but peace and goodwill among all men."
-Octave Chanute, Progress in Flying Machines
And as if that weren't enough to endear him to me, I gather that he loved Chicago. He was responsible for the Chicago Stock Yards, and passed away there in 1910, seven years after the Wrights' first successful flight.
Random names pop into my head too, and the thought is usually followed with, "Eric, who is that?" to which he usually knows the answer.
Posted by: +mojan. at October 10, 2006 09:33 AM
Interesting. Never heard of this guy. His quote, his optimistic hope that flying machines would bring bring people into closer relation with one another, and hasten a promised golden age of peace and goodwill. Fantastic, right? You never hear anyone talk like that anymore... except maybe a few naive fools (myself included ;-) about the internet.
We need to bring back the fire and the passion and the belief in something grand and good in humanity. This in spite of, or maybe because of, the monsters lurking in our baser instincts.
Posted by: doctor vince at October 11, 2006 02:52 PMI remember 'seeing' those random thoughts, words, and ideas pop into your head. You'd get this glazed look in your eyes, tilt your head and Daddy and I knew you were off into another world. This started happening at about 7 weeks old. Glad to know it continues to this day! Keep dreaming those dreams son and keep those cogs a'turnin'! Love ya, Mama and Dad
Posted by: Mom at October 12, 2006 11:30 AMrandom names pop into my head all the time. and random words and phrases -- especially if they come from other languages and/or sound funny. and i usually find myself mouthing them or even saying them out loud w/o knowing it. glad to know i'm not alone. :)
Posted by: nas at October 12, 2006 03:31 PMMoj: doesn't hurt havin' him around, does it? ;)
Vince: I'm surprised you haven't run across him. Ever heard of Otto Lillienthal? They were contemporaries. And if the golden age of peace is fantastic, then label me naive right now. Whether the internet or space travel, we alone, as humans, have the choice to use our tools for unity or selfishness.
Mom: I still get that glazed look. And I suspect it shall continue as long as I inhabit this body. ;) Thanks for the encouragement, as always.
Nas: I knew I liked you for a reason. ;) Seriously, I'm glad to know we have this in common. My sister used to pester me relentlessly when I would mouth things unconsciously after I said them to make sure I hadn't misspoken. Siblings in randomness. :)
Posted by: george at October 16, 2006 10:41 PMbtw, i forgot to tell you. the reason you thought "august" instead of "octave" is that the roman emperor octavian was known as augustus (it was his title). so the 2 names were probably associated in your head -- as they definitely are in mine. which is why i understood the association in your head when i first read the post. but i forgot to tell you in my last comment. so there it is -- you and i have even more common method to our madness than you thought. :)
Posted by: nas at October 17, 2006 06:00 PMWow. I would say, "Get out of my head," but it appears you're there to stay. Well played, Mrs. Kourosh. See? We knew we were fated friends from the beginning. ;)
Posted by: george at October 18, 2006 12:17 AM