Robert Burns 1759-1796

Rabbie Burns certainly got it right in his famous poem “To A Louse, On Seeing one on a Lady’s Bonnet at Church.”  You probably remember the first two lines of the last stanza as well as I do:

O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!

And now, of course, through the magic of photography and video and computers and other technologies we take for granted, we can indeed see ourselves as others see us.  And, speaking for myself, at least, it’s always a shock!  And not especially pleasant.  I don’t think I want to be a movie star when I grow up!

Eric Wiegardt at Pacific County History Forum, October 4, 2023

I’m referring just now to my latest appearance on YouTube in Michael Lemeshko’s video of The Pacific County History Forum.  Granted, there are still some technical  problems that Michael is working out, but I fervently wish that we could re-do last week’s History Forum in its entirely — at least my part!

Couldn’t we just eliminate all my uhs and ahs for starters?  And what about my rubbing of arms and legs as I sat listening to Tucker and Eric?  It took me a moment to realize that this was an unconscious response to being cold.  There was no heat in the schoolhouse and though it was a pleasant day outside, it was not especially warm.  (Granted, as a “California Girl” at heart, I’m seldom comfortable if the outside temperature falls below 75° which is was, for sure, that October morning.)

Plus, no doubt, the sluggish circulation of old age was a factor.  It puts me in mind of my complaint to my doctor some years ago — probably 7 or 8, for I was still in my 70s.  I told him I was always cold and his response was “it’s just the perception of being cold.”  Well… yeah!  That’s what feeling hot or cold or well or sick is all about, isn’t it?  But I knew that he was trying to reassure me that my temperature was normal and I didn’t have some dreaded condition or ailment.

Tucker Wachsmuth at Pacific County History Forum – October 4, 2023

But back to that video.  I also vividly recall what Marta’s dad said to me after I had been in a bad automobile accident:  “And what did you learn from your experience?”  What I learned from seeing the video was to try to avoid being filmed in the future and to bundle up no-matter-what when outside my comfortable 72° household and to work on not umming and ahhhing when I talk.  And, in a worst-case-scenario, just don’t watch the video.

On the other hand, our Moderator Dayle Olson and the other two speakers, Tucker Wachsmuth and Eric Wiegardt were terrific.  No hesitancies.  No extremity-rubbing-to-encourage-circulation!  No problems.  I suggest you just watch their portions of the viideo which can be found by searching on Pacific County History Forum YouTube.