Mad Midnight Meanderings

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I decided to create this page more for my own attempts at mental clarity than for anyone else’s possible interest.  I am an obsessive researcher – I’ll research just about anything and everything that crosses my mind.  And when I find something I especially like I will usually take copious notes.  And so over the years I’ve accumulated boxes and bags of these notes – often undated and unidentified and all mixed together regardless of subject matter.  So many notes that it would take me another lifetime to sort through.  Many times I’ve tried to create a system – subject “files” to throw these notes into. But I’m never able to stick with it for more than a day and quickly revert to my chaotic ways.

So when I started to put this website together and began to feel a modicum of control over my clearly ADD brain, I came up with… well, maybe… a kind of solution to my annoying inability to keep up with myself.  And here it is:

I can still keep all of the loose notes, BUT if a subject matter deeply interests me – NEW RULE – it goes on this page.  Not in any detail – only enough words to remind me of why it’s important to me.  That way if I want to expand upon it at any point I can either root around for the notes or just find new sources of them on the net.  It might work… or it might not… but so far it feels like a plan 🙂

So, Dear Dianne, and any Curious Visitors, here are the areas of research, or speculation that have long been or currently are fascinating me, as well as the creations that have inspired or simply entertained me – as of Spring, 2026.

Psychology and Art
My latest and most favourite new addition to this page:

Recently I have been introduced to a form of therapy called Internal Family Systems.
It’s not new.  It’s been around since the 1980’s, but somehow I missed it.

Basically it’s a non-pathologizing approach developed by Richard Schwartz that treats psychological issues by understanding the mind as composed of distinct “parts” –
Exiles (the wounded young parts that hold pain, shame or trauma);
Managers (the proactive protectors that keep the system organised and prevent exile pain from surfacing) and…
Firefighters (Reactive protectors that extinguish overwhelming emotions caused by triggered exiles, often through impulsive behaviours).  

This form of therapy then demonstrates how these “parts” can be healed by THE SELF –
the undamaged, confident, calm and compassionate core essence of a person.

What I find so beautiful about this approach is that it focuses on getting to know these parts, having compassion for them as well as gratitude for the protection they provided even if it’s now counterproductive and then, with a lively sense of humour, it focuses on integrating the best of these parts into a harmonious whole honouring each as a valued part of your internal “family”.

And this takes me to the “ART” part.  Many may be familiar with the animated films “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2”.  Based to a great extent on Internal Family Systems theory, these two films create characters for each of many “parts”, i.e.:  Sadness, Fear, Anger, Inner Critic and – my favourite – a Pollyanna character called Joy who desperately and exhaustingly attempts to make the best of everything – no matter what.

In part “2” we get to know – among others: Envy, Pride, Shame and Ennui 😉  And while there is no specific character “the Self”, through the course of these films all of the characters come to respect one another, recognising the positive qualities each brings to the whole and helping each to contribute more effectively to the well-being of the others – rather than fighting each other for control.  It’s a faced-paced, hilarious and touching exploration into all of these characters we have within us, woven into a moving story built around a young girl and then her teenage self as she adjusts to a number of difficult life situations.  And best of all, it’s visually stunning.

I won’t say more about either the theory or the films.  Only that if anyone knows they need help, but cannot afford or do not like more traditional forms of therapy, I cannot more highly recommend exploring Internal Family Systems AND seeing these films – both of which you can experience on your own in the privacy of your home.  Together they create a light-hearted and brilliantly up-lifting way to deal with what may feel to so many like living under the weight of debilitating and soul-crushing inner demons.

SCIENCE
The Memory of WATER, Fantastic FUNGI, the Secret Life of PLANTS
The Fibonacci  Sequence, The Mandelbrot Set and other miracles of the Natural World
SCRHODINGER’S CAT, Spooky Interactions at a Distance
and other mysteries of the Quantum World

 Is it Myth, Theory or Fact?
 The Shifting Perspectives Through Which
We Have Tried to Make Sense of Our World –
Through Geology and Archeological Finds 
Before Recorded History.
 Inspired by a Transformative Year in which 
I taught Pre-History to 7th Graders.  

SOCIETY

My Dreams of Perfect Community
through
Lifetime Education in Practical Life Skills, 
the Sciences, the Humanities and the Arts 
Sustainable Architecture, Regenerative Agriculture
And Holistic Health Care, 
…nothing too ambitious…

MIND and HEART

IKIGAI – the Japanese Secret to a Joyful Life.  
IKIGAI means literally “reason to live” or “Your Sweet Spot”  
It can be found at the intersection of these 4 circles:
1. what you love
2. what you’re good at
3. what can support you and
4. what the world needs

I am a teacher who came of age around the time that Woody Allen told us:
Those who can’t do, teach.  And those who can’t teach, teach gym.
 So I was delighted to come across IKIGAI which reminded me that
As a teacher I have been precisely at this intersection for most of my life. 

My Favourite Works by my favourite thinkers:

Erich Fromm’s The Art of Loving / Elaine Pagels’ The Gnostic Gospels 

Edward de Bono’s The Six Thinking Hats / Lewis Hyde’s Trickster Makes the World
“This is Why You Dream” by Rahul Jandial / M. Scott Peck’s The Road Less Traveled
Donald Hoffman’s theory of Consciousness

 Alain de Bottom on “why you will marry the wrong person”
Robert Sapolsky on “why we don’t have free will”, Frederico Faggin on why we do
and Bernado Kastrup on why the dispute makes no sense!

and finally Everything by Yuval Noah Harari (Historian)
Liz Greene (Jungian Astrologer), Naomi Klein (political analyst)
Heather Cox Richardson (Political Historian)

 SHOUT-OUTS TO ALL THOSE
WHO MAKE LEARNING ENTERTAINING, VISUAL AND ACCESSIBLE

ALAIN DE BOTTOM’S “SCHOOL OF LIFE” SERIES: 
Animated humorous shorts of 5 minutes or less which open the door to understanding the many 
challenges to our emotional health and how we can get a handle on them without shame or blame.

ANDREW GENTILE’S “THE WHY FILES” SERIES
For closet conspiracy theorists, this wickedly funny, well-documented and graphically brilliant series delves into the many unexplained
mysteries of existence, attempting to sort myth from fact and theory, while remaining neutral in its conclusions.

MARK WOODLING’S “AFTER SKOOL” SERIES
Brilliant artist asking life’s biggest questions.  
This talented draftsman and cartoonist uses his talents to animate content he believes the world needs to think about. 
In his informative and entertaining documentaries he collaborates with scientists, philosophers, psychologists –
anyone with something to say that he believes humanity can benefit from knowing.

THE STORY OF STUFF PROJECT
This project inspired by its first animated film “The Story of Stuff” continues to expose the many threats to our
environmental and social well-being, along with inventive solutions for combating these threats. 

POETS, PLAYWRIGHTS, and STORIES TELLERS that I LOVE

The Short Stories of KATHERINE MANSFIELD
The Novels and Poetry of THOMAS HARDY’
The Plays of ARTHUR MILLER
The Plays of OSCAR WILDE
The Poetry of TED HUGHES
Kazui Ishiguro’s REMAINS OF THE DAY
E. M. Forster’s A PASSAGE TO INDIA and A ROOM WITH A VIEW
John Irvirng’s A PRAYER FOR OWNEN MEANY
Henry James’s PORTRAIT OF A LADY
Charles Dickens’s HARD TIMES
Kahlil Gibran’s THE PROPHET
Lewis Carroll’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND
A. A. Milne’s WINNIE-THE-POOH

MUSIC, MUSICALS and FILMS I LOVE to come.

Your comments are welcome.  Please contact me at [email protected]