In my talk at HP Norway, I covered my history as a calculator enthusiast. I got my first calculator (a TI-57) when I was 13 and my first HP calculator (HP-41CX) a few years later. I started collecting as an adult, and in 2008 eighty-nine of my ninety calculators got toasted when the building where we had our offices burned to the ground.
A couple of months before the fire, the Norwegian national TV interviewed me and showed my collection. Lots of people saw it. Shortly after the fire, the TV host Petter Skjerven came back to do a “part 2” where he asked me how I felt after the fire. We were standing in the ruins when I told him I felt great.
A couple of weeks before the fire, I had a dream where I had all HP-calculators ever made in mint condition. That saddened me – because the game was over. You see, the point about collecting the calculators, apart from actually using them, is to COLLECT – not to HAVE. So, I had 8 years of fun behind me when the fire struck. And then I had at least 8 years of fun ahead. It felt great. After that second show, people started sending me their old calculators. And now I am almost beck where I was. Except my HP-01 is hard to replace. And my HP-37E had the lowest serial number recorded. Priceless. Oh well. I started to rebuild my collection, and I have calcs now that I never had before – like the gifts I got from HP after my talk; an HP-70, an HP-25C and an HP-10. All rare items.
One important personal point I touched upon in my talk was how I am driven by feelings. The feeling for the unknown, the feeling of learning something new, of discovery, of the vast sea of interesting knowledge, the thrill of learning Einstein’s theory of relativity before I got my first calculator, the excitement of making a self-modifying program on a TI-59 that I borrowed from a friend of mine. The joy of synthetic programming on an HP-41. And the nerve wrecking feeling of reading aloud when I was in high school. The thrill of girls, of the first job, of travelling abroad, of meeting with interesting and amazing people. The emotions, the fun. This is what drives me. And collecting old calculators rejuvenates many tingling, captivating and entrancing rushes. I love it.
This a big reason why I make music, artwork, meet and talk to new people, travel, read, play, point my telescope to the stars and live life as I do. I am a feeling-junky. This is also why I blog.
Geir Isene - uncut 
The journey IS the destination.
Precisely.
Like with sailing. What a feeling.
Simple, profound! What worthwhile purpose for existence does not include love? Thanks.
Right.
And it is related to this: https://isene.me/2013/11/30/like/
It sure is, Geir. just by moving into ‘those’ shoes, you CAN be it, like it, even “love?” it. The results that played out on that linked post, proved it possible! 🙂
Hot stuff?
Geir, if by any chance you don’t have an HP23-C I’d be glad to donate mine to your collection. I get feelings similar to what you described from finding old tools and cameras, but calculators: not so much.
You mean an HP-25C?
If so, yes please! The one I got from HP needs a lot of work after battery leakage.
My mistake. The model # doesn’t show on the calculator, but I dug out the manual and it’s an HP-12C. Still yours if you want it, including the manual.
To Geir
Yes…it is YOUR blog….please PLEASE LIFE……
Marianne. Life? Lived over 8D’s, every ‘one’ of which consists of the core unit of ‘1’ (one) ’embracing’ another ‘one’, and another ‘one’. Whether an electr’one’, prot’one’, automat’one’, or zogatr’one’, you gotta get it ‘on’ I mean, that’s the whole point, i’nit ?
Just how ‘on’ to you intend to get? May as well ask: ‘How far can I cause ripples to spread, from me ?'(‘one’ viewpoint!) And all the others, similarly motivated, similarly captivated, asking endlessly for a similar answer, in this eternally fascinating game, you called ‘LIFE’??? Caught up in this myriad of mystique, Angelique, we find the magique of lipstique, or intrigue of Rodrigue, playing it’s role, in moving from ‘one’, to two, and as a result, three, and so ‘on.’ 🙂
—just my brief touch, on elements of, “The Factors”
—just also, my encouragement for YOU to carry’on’ with your missi’on’
—remember, the ‘feelings’ lead the way! Follow ’em! (even if only just for ‘f’on’) 🙂
…..forever in-tune…..
’tis a blessing, that needeth no dressing… 🙂
yes…naked truth…playing with itself in different forms….can be with no distance too
……Ooooooh yessssss, baby! 🙂
The kids still know the secret…one of my students showed me this song to listen to this morning…. i wanna live sharing the TRUST…
…Geir, you are right. It’s all Placebo (= to please). You want to explore feelings….here are some more songs some students shared with me…..out
of the Grace of Free Will…..it’s a miracle how deep kids can feel…and keep reminding us of doing the same….as Christmas is coming I asked them about some
of their present favourites….here they go, listen……
What a truly beautiful way to say: “I d-u-p-l-i-c-a-t-e YOU! 🙂
yes…and Geir provided the space in his blog where it can also happen….underneath duplication is the joy-sorrow of compassion….the experience of true feelings without the filters of the social veneer….the innocence of our commonly shared Heart….
thank you racing for communicating out of that place….i feel that YOU-Heart in all of your communications…
yes….living by the Flow is adamant in telling the Truth and only the Truth…when
one is not doing that the Flow makes one face the Truth…it is LIFE which IS providing this space…the forever PRESENCE in all its manifestations called Geir,
Marianne, Calvin, marildi…..the ONE-TRUTH-LIFE….
I’m not taking the piss twice here, M! intended response to your above post is nestled below, (left)
Pee’s in a pod? 🙂
Do not get you. You mean two peas in a pod? Do not understand the context either.
Of course I mean “peas”.(and I counted 4 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂 in your pod!) The “artistic” spelling (pee) just a carry over from the ‘piss’ series of dfns. offered earlier. Are you a happy chappy now?? 🙂
Yes! But with this speed it may happen that there will be no pod….so we will end
up with ‘naked’ truth dancing….which, as I am looking at it maybe our ‘future’ in
a no-time-no-universe-transparent-playground….by ‘we’ I mean all beings…
Yes! I am a happy chappy when another can duplicate me like you AND allows oneself to be duplicated like you….which to me communicates a no-fear=love
condition towards Life as Life…
BTW, Marianne, I’d like to fill in a gap, if poss. Students? Brief background on your professional activity appreciated. ( just in general terms, is fine too 🙂
Students aged 14-18 in a school, there I am also a teacher-trainer for university students. Students, in a private way, aged 10-70. I ‘no-teach’ English, from beginner
to business, law etc. ‘No-teach’ means that I have never had the consideration of
being a ‘teacher’. Basically communication by carefully chosen words on a gradient of frequency-use and graded skills. I live in Hungary in a city of 160.000
people, which was the European Capital of Culture in 2010 (you may check Pecs on
You Tube). I am also interested, where do you live and what do you do? Only if you
don’t mind telling it. (country, profession, hobbies…)
Gee, Marianne, most interesting to have the blanks filled in. Appreciated. Totally different to what / where I imagined. I sense, also, the immense sense of satisfaction, you must derive from your approach of ‘no-teach’.
To reciprocate, I live in Durban, South Africa. I run a maintenance business, from a large storage complex facility, in which i have part ownership, and manage and thereby have enormous freedom and option to do as I please, in a really low cost business complex.
The area, unfortunately, is now caught up in a criminal impasse, ie, has been overtaken by uncontrollable gangs, who have now driven away the once vibrant, peaceful residents of the area. Selling up and moving, is not an option, at present, as potential buyers are intimidated by the situation. So it’s a catch 22, with hostile take-overs, the orders of the day. GRRRRR! 🙂
As an artist, I have also established a trophy manufacturing mini-factory within the complex. I firstly sculpt the figurines, in clay, then make mass production moulds, to supply the country, with trophies to order.
Apart from that, I keep fit, and still help others with advice on training and nutrition, as a former gym owner. Time spent with my family, and friends, and staying current with my one time adrenalin fixation,( motorcycle racing) is also important to me, as well as reading, product development (as an inventor), and generally doing what we’re doing now — (blogging & philosophizing!) Oh and did I mention being an involuntary “auditor,” to so many, whom I encounter daily?? (guess we’re ALL stuck with THAT one, hey??) 🙂
Thanks for the chat, Marianne, more later, now back to PT and the “fun”, if you please. 🙂
ritb39
Thanks racing! ( I love calling you racing if you don’t mind me calling you so).
Now I understand why you say ‘alert’. Life is a good teacher to make one recognize
and realize its qualities. Like what you write about yourself, your life…active, energetic, creative and caring warmth is coming through!
I find this type of philosophizing fruitful…wisdom to me is applied knowledge whose
foundation is awareness. As I have experienced it, I have become more aware in certain areas by blogging here on Geir’s blog.
‘All stuck with that’….HaHa….some are aware of it, others aren’t….Life is doing that
whether one is aware of it or not….a big joke, isn’t it? Your body-guard example is perfect..!
Thanks for your warm and witty comments, Marianne. I agree with the whole content, and it is only proper and appropriate, to thank Geir himself, for providing such a cutting-edge, open, insouciant platform, where free spirits (ghosts & demons included) can permeate, appear, and disappear into thin air, at will, (some have never been heard of since!) 🙂 All courtesy of an irritating, clicking, dragging little rodent! (mouse!), with a snarled up, knotted tail! Of course, everyone knows we can! Can’t we? I mean, who sez I haven’t appeared there ‘right in front of you, right now? Uncanny, isn’t it?
And of course, I can confirm you show up right in front of me too, at will! Pretty OT, hey? No MEST body required, to travel large distances. Just a couple of punches of some keys, and and some aberrated dancing of a control freak mouse, and Voila!
……..Yeah, we wish! But it’s a good substitute hey?….This comm’ing on a via?
It’s all about being in comm, sis’, and having the intent (place where you cuddle up on cold, rainy nights!) and ARC & KRC (two triangles, that some some geeky scientists have somehow substituted for the wheels in a bicycle, claiming it rides extremely “smoothly,” at 30 miles per hour. They’re still working on smoothing out the bumps at a lower speed though!) so that life can be, like Geir sez, more about the ‘feelings’ ( yummy ) while you explore ways of having more fun!
I really think I can have that,…. and you?
my bro… the wise who know say it’s all fun, me is not having it now, there’s still much for me to explore and learn to fully understand WHAT they mean by this…
it is easy to be in and permeate this warm space of all possibilities and Free Will
Geir is providing us…thank you Geir! You see Geir, you are also holding up a mirror
for us to see our TRUE FACE in it….LIFE. Funny that throughout this year I have been here I have also had the opportunity to discover and enjoy how many expressions this ONE-LIFE-SOURCE-FACE can have. I also understand why your
mother asked you to look at the stars and your choice of astrophysics. The Universe is All Life, isn’t it? Please answer!
I am just recalling your A-Spiration…as you like proof, I can attest to it that your blog
is the best example for : ‘Giving without thought of reward’. Thank you.
As usual, let’s listen to some music which can inspire more feelings…
Marianne, thanks for sharing how you feel right now…. I really got that. Please check out my latest reply to you on “Pro’s and Cons.” ML ritb39
First though, let me introduce you to another ‘songbird’, who can possibly touch you, in a way that allows you to “feel & have” a beautiful flow, Please meet, my fellow South African singer / songwriter. Google up “Life’s Gift” by Nianell.
thank you, racing…. I am putting it here so that others could listen to it as well
Marianne, nice to be ‘in the moment’, just letting it trickle through, savoring the exquisite beauty. Capturing the scintillating, riveting shapes and formations, that mesmerize the senses. Superb, raw, nature at it’s aesthetic best!
Thank you for this trip ‘through the senses’.
ML, Ray Cing
Feelings eh? Love what you write about it and something I’m akin to. I believe that’s what I get out of blogs and reading what others say. Not all the thinking words but the feelings portrayed, that come across through words that individuals write. Your blog is one of the best for that, without going into detail. So kudos to the ‘feelings’.
Thank you Dee 🙂
🙂 God Yul!