Gimbles and Gymbals

Cover of The Jabberwocky

“‘Twas brillig and the slithy toves

did gyre and gymble in the wabe;

All mimsy were the borogroves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son.””

from Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

—Fenn knows someone who has the entire book of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland memorized.

Gyroscope with arrows (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Thanks to Toby’s video, I got to enjoy Forrest Fenn’s book signing event in Taos last month at Moby Dickens. Fun and, as always, fascinating to hear the man himself. He reminisced,recited poetry, and remained cryptic when it came to where the treasure lies.

Gyroscope-9-4 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

New insights? Yes and no. “Fling” was new to me, but then I have no trouble in finding clues in everything he says or writes. I suffer from mental gyrations following each and every post. Tabasco? Mace? Curlers? Head spinning.

Also, hearing him talk about the deal he made with his granddaughter regarding med school expenses reminded me of conversations I had with Intrepid.

As high school graduation approached, her friends were all getting piercings and tattoos up the wazoo. She was inclined to follow suit, until I asked her if she wanted help with college. A deal was struck.

She got early acceptance into the only school she applied to, (UW-Madison

English: University of Wisconsin “Sifting and Winnowing” plaque Located on Bascom Hall, University of WIsconsin Photographed July, 2002 by Daniel P. B. Smith. Copyright ©2002 Daniel P. B. Smith. Licensed under the terms of the Wikipedia Copyright. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

) ((I was very jealous.))

One time, when she was home on break, she asked what would happen if she got a tattoo.

Me: You’d turn that gift into a loan.

Her: Oh.

Me: Anything you want to tell me?

Her: No.

At one point in those years, she was set to join the military because they would pay for med school and she’d get good experience. I suggested she wait until she got accepted into med school before taking that route, because once she joined she may not get the choices she expected. Or something like that.

So, she waited. Got into med school and through it, on student loans. Now, this was a surprise to me— the interest rates go up the higher your level of study does. Undergrads, the lowest, and med/dental students the highest, like 7 to 8 per cent. How, I wondered, could this be, in a time when banks pay you virtually nothing on your savings?

Early forms of stethoscopes. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Well, she is now in a 5 year residency, and owes about twice what our first home cost. I think there are underserved areas that are willing to trade tuition for services, kinda like Rob Morrow’s character ending up in fly-in Alaska in Northern Exposure. She does love to travel.

About the tattoo(s)? She’s now old enough to know what forever means (longer than the life of her loans), and if she wants the rod of Aesclepius indelibly inscribed on her body, she’s earned the right to choose it.

Aesclepius (Photo credit: santanartist)

{{Note to self: Let Dal know that, if by a slim chance my entry won his contest over at Thrill of the Chase, not to ship the prize. I need a way to convince Mr. W that I have to return to Santa Fe!}}