Tiarnan's pithy view of the world.

Tiarnan, five, often speaks in an impassioned voice. His words are focussed with such intensity, that it would be unsurprising to see them condense in the air, before him. This, of course, given his elvish face and charm, gives him a certain appeal and a definite presence. He is, in short, both watchable and memorable. There is also a gravitas to him and his words, which defies his very modest size.

The other day, for reasons of his own and without a clear indicator of whom he was speaking about, he announced, with great seriousness and the utmost passion:

"They talk and they talk - but they only hear what they want to hear."

Was he speaking about his brothers? Was that the source of his frustration? Was he making an observation about a film he had recently watched? Was he talking about adults, in general? What had he been thinking about before he came to this conclusion?

Unfortunately, I wasn't witness to this utterance and so wasn't there to find out what he was really thinking. It does, however, show certain of his characteristics: his tendency to encapsulate the behaviour of others, in a pithy saying - and his intentness of demeanour which makes his words seem of such great importance. I think he is likely, one day, to be quite an orator and quite an actor - he is already showing the basic skills and disposition of one. Not that alone, but he is one who is most likely to write his own speeches and not rely on others' words.

I shall try to capture more of Tiarnan's pithy utterances. It would be good to have a record of them, for him to find amusement - or amazement - in, when he is much older.

As for Tiarnan's exasperated comment: yes, he is right, of course. Many people talk, without listening to others, or hearing that which they don't want to hear...so his opinion has some worth.

I don't know, Tiarnan, whom you were referring to...but I listen to you and shall continue to do so. After all...it is fun to hear what you have to say!

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To learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 7 and Tiarnan, 5, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.html

I also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

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Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is athttp://www.genghiscan.com/

This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.)

My blog's fourth anniversary.

I find it hard to credit, but, as of today, I have been writing this blog for precisely four years. So, I am wishing my blog a big happy birthday. I hope you do, too.

Now, I had no idea I would still be writing, after four years, when I began...but here I am. I find, now, that keeping the blog has become a natural part of my life, so I can envisage continuing to do so, as long as the writing remains enjoyable (which I see no reason to think it won't be, forever and a day, at least).

It is my custom to do an analysis of the number of visitors over the year, at this point - but that shall wait until tomorrow, when I am able to see the final total number of visitors for the year (at midnight, today).

Thank you to all my loyal long term readers and my newer readers, too, and it is my hope that these more recent ones, become future long term ones, too. I aim to write in the manner that you have come to expect, and hope to entertain and enlighten, in equal measure, as many have made clear to me, over the years, that I do. That, at least, is what I am seeking to achieve, anyway, among other aims.

Thanks for reading.

Please see tomorrow's post for an assessment of the year. Thank you.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 6 and Tiarnan, 4, this month, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.htmlI also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.

You can get my blog on your Kindle, for easy reading, wherever you are, by going to:http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Knew-Too-Much/dp/B0042P5LEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1284603792&sr=8-1

Please let all your fellow Kindlers know about my blog availability - and if you know my blog well enough, please be so kind as to write a thoughtful review of what you like about it. Thanks.

My Internet Movie Database listing is at: http://imdb.com/name/nm3438598/

Ainan's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3305973/

Syahidah's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3463926/

Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is at http://www.genghiscan.com/

This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.)

Fintan's deft rejoinders.

Fintan, seven, is, as I have noted, before, a boy who surprises. He has a disarming manner which lulls one into a sense that all is to be as expected - and then he pounces with one of his characteristic unpredictabilities. If an "unpredictability" can be characteristic, of course.

Today, he bested me, twice, in conversation.

I was discussing reading with him. "Reading is the most important skill in life.", I opined, seriously.

"Reading?", he doubted, openly, "Not walking?", he continued, with one of his little smiles that says so much with so little.

He had me there. I imagined then, a life of utter immobility and compared it to a life of illiteracy. He was right: immobility was worse than illiteracy. The former quite deprived one of a rich life - the latter, however, might not affect one, anywhere near as drastically, if one's choices were carefully made.

He had won, without even trying. I just nodded, a little, in acknowledgement of his point.

Later that day I said: "I am going to buy a dog."

Fintan looked at me, his eyes sparkling, with amusement at what was to come. "You don't want to buy a dog, you should rent one."

Again, he had a point, for we are very unlikely to live in Malaysia for the length of a dog's life: what would we do then, when the time came to leave? He had identified the essential problem with my proposal - and proposed his own slightly whimsical solution.

I like the way he challenges my assumptions, points them out to me and punctures them. He does it so casually, as if, perhaps, it were an automatic reflex with him. I think it is, actually. I think he sees the problem with what is said to him, the moment it is said. He sees the cracks in things - the flaw that should be highlighted for a better understanding of the situation. It is a useful way to think, particularly if developed, as he grows up. It should allow him to avoid many a problem and to act, I should hope, with a certain care and wisdom.

In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy being defeated by my son's ripostes. It makes me smile, to hear him so.

(If you would like to learn more of Ainan Celeste Cawley, 10, or his gifted brothers, Fintan, 6 and Tiarnan, 4, this month, please go to: http://scientific-child-prodigy.blogspot.com/2006/10/scientific-child-prodigy-guide.htmlI also write of gifted education, child prodigy, child genius, adult genius, savant, megasavant, HELP University College, the Irish, the Malays, Singapore, Malaysia, IQ, intelligence and creativity.You can get my blog on your Kindle, for easy reading, wherever you are, by going to:http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Knew-Too-Much/dp/B0042P5LEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1284603792&sr=8-1Please let all your fellow Kindlers know about my blog availability - and if you know my blog well enough, please be so kind as to write a thoughtful review of what you like about it. Thanks.My Internet Movie Database listing is at: http://imdb.com/name/nm3438598/Ainan's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3305973/Syahidah's IMDB listing is at http://imdb.com/name/nm3463926/Our editing, proofreading and copywriting company, Genghis Can, is at http://www.genghiscan.com/This blog is copyright Valentine Cawley. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited. Use only with permission. Thank you.)