Just about a week to go! I hope you are looking forward to meeting in Bolton, as I am. We now have a good looking group of 50 conferees from a wide background, as you can see on the web site (go to people >> participants).
The conference book has been laid out and looks good. It is uptodate with all who had joined the conference by late Saturday night.
We should be in for an interesting and exciting time.
SIGNING UP
Let me ask you again to indicate any special needs, if you want to formally present your paper proposal (in the case that you made one), and if you want to come to the dinner. Also, whether you want to attend the tutorials we are offering. This should be done by noon, UK time, on 24 July. Thank you.
EXTRA TUTORIAL
I have been asked to give a tutorial on the subject of ”Objects”. These were the invention of my cybernetics PhD of 40 years ago and have remained strangely obscure. I am currently looking into whether this could be done before the post-conference begins on Friday 2 August. There will be no need to sign up for this one.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT: A CONVERT’S STORY!
Some of you may think that the request to make a musical instrument and bring it with you is a terrible imposition. One attendee just wrote to me thus:
I had this initial annoyance at the request to make a musical instrument: however ”one more thing, I’m feeling imposed on” has shifted to engagement and enjoyment! So thank you. Thank you for both the enjoyment and the bemusement at my own shifting in position.
I replied:
I’m glad you did it. There are 3 points to this request. It gives us something to do together at the start, and something we have made to talk about. It gets us involved in making (acting), which most academics have forgotten all about, and in this is preparation for the conference. And it’s about enjoyment. When people don’t let go, don’t release control, they don’t get that type of enjoyment: but it’s at the root of creativity.
I hope you’ll give it a go, suspending disbelief (and irritation!). We will be talking about and playing our musical instruments at the start of the conference. I made mine today entirely out of household items we had at home. It’s called ”The Bipluck Doubledogophone”.
OTHER PARTICIPANTS
Please also check and add comments to the Expressions of Interest and paper proposals of other participants (people >> participants on the web site). Doing this helps us start not as strangers!
AND FINALLY…
Finally, I think you might enjoy this link sent to me by the same person who wrote to me about the imposition turning out to be enjoyable:
http://www.apple.com/designed-by-apple/
Best Wishes,
Ranulph
PS this message will also be posted on the conference blog.
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