Here's a thought: Let's say you want to be known as the person who coined the phrase [put your original thought here]. How do you establish ownership of an original turn of phrase the way "telecosm" has been attributed to George Guilder or the dreaded "paradigm shift" to Thomas Kuhn? Would publishing to a Blog be sufficient? It beats paying the Writer's Guild of America ten bucks to register something - only to have it last for 10 years before they pitch it. But Blogs are editable. Can the publish dates be altered? Is there a place to archive original thoughts that establish proof of ownership?

Here's one for you: What should we call the Guilders and Kuhns of the world? "Coin Droppers".

And another, based on a prediction I have about where digital imaging advances will take our society. There is already a widespread belief - especially in Germany - that the WTC attack of 9/11 was all fakery. I predict that in the next 10-15 years we will see a rash of such cynicism in the world as our ability to digitally create or alter reality becomes so indistinguishable from that reality that there will be a growing sense among otherwise rational people that much of what they experience or are told is fact is just a mirage. The Matrix is real; history is false; that sort of thing. What do you call this phenomenon? Digicism. Remember, you read it here first. Unless none of this is real... hmm...

Lots of silence since my last blog. Blame it on my last one - the Baby Rap. Taylor came in at 10 lbs. 2 oz. and has been growing ever since. Daddy took a real job at Pfizer to deal with needing things like health insurance and formula. Can it be that more than 2 1/2 years have passed? I guess I can sum it all up with this song I wrote a few weeks ago...

Cool Daddy

Since my early days I have tried to find ways to fit in with the happening crew
But whatever my plot, cool I was not – didn’t matter what I’d do
I was always on the outside – every day just another blow to my pride
And to tell the truth I was a total goof – it’s true… Boohoo!

Fast forward to now and I’ll tell you how this Big Daddy came to rule
I was handed a son but was nearly undone by Sippy Cups, diapers and drool
But as my boy began to grow in time I came to know
To my surprise in my son’s eyes I’m COOL!

Because I can blow bubbles and I can juggle three balls
I can fix him a snack – let him ride on my back
I even let him scribble on the bathtub walls
I can laugh like Tigger (Hoo hoo hoo hoo!) – make a splash in the pool
To the rest of the crowd I ain’t too proud to admit I play the fool
But too my son I’m the King of Fun ’cause I’m a Daddy kind of cool!

Now every day in most every way we stick together like glue
And after his nap he’ll get up on my lap when it’s time to watch The Book of Pooh
He thinks that I’m a rock star when he sees me strumming on my guitar
And I’m a happening cat when I Jungle Book scat like King Louie and Baloo…
(or, when he’s old enough to sing along: And we’re happening cats when we Jungle Book scat…)

Hey! Da-zop bah no-dey! Hot ta-dee gla-na-da dot don nohn! Hen-a-ba-ba-det doot zah-bah doo-bo day ga-bom, pa-do be-day, za-bohn, za-bop bop bah-bey! Hab a doo dee! With a reep bon nah-zah! Heb-a doh bah-doy! With a lah bah zee-nee! Whad’ll-a-dup! Vhood’ll-a-bup! Zeed’ll dop! Zoo-dee! Oooo! Ooooh! Eeeee! Eeeee! Eeeee…

…And so you see-he-he – He wants to be like me-he-he
And though it’s clear to everyone here I’m really quite the fool
So what I can’t recall a single Beatles song
I can name every Wiggle and sing along
At least for a while he’s hip to my style
I’m as hep as they get with the tricycle set
I said to my son I’m A-Number-One
’Cause I’m a Daddy kind of cool
I’m a Daddy kind of cool!

© 2003 Ross D. Martin, MD, MHA
9/13/03