open loops

it's a fascinating journey travelin' thru life with
an engineer as your partner.

i explained the latest thing on my mind and asked if
he knew what i meant.

'yep,' he said. 'you're using open loop control.'

'open loop??' i sat up.

a NEW phrase!

i jotted it down and asked what it meant.

apparently you can have different kinda control systems.
closed loop is the kind where you do something and then
adjust what you're doin' based on what happens. open loop,
you don't adjust because of the feedback.
(think i got that right......)

so, he says.......you want feedback about bein' a valuable
person. so you do something to get that feedback.
if the people you're looking for it from don't give it to
you, you adjust what you're doin' and try again.
you keep tryin', keep adjusting to get the feedback you're
looking for.

that's closed loop.

open loop would be knowing you're a valuable person,
not looking for the feedback and just headin' off to your
destination without worryin' about adjusting to the feedback.

ho. ho. ho.

this led to a great discussion.

how you need both, but you gotta make sure you're looking
for the right thing from the right source for the closed loop
stuff.

no kiddin'.

we hung up, i turned back to what i was doin' with a smile
on my face.

workin' with bone sighs today.
always therapeutic for me.

was finishing up with my last one.......

'they won't always reach back, she said.
know tho, that there are those who will.
love them.
honor the others.
and believe in what it is you are offering.'

believe it or not,i looked at that and thought
'open loop.'

i'm not exactly sure if it connects for anyone else
but me.

but it did connect for me.

i'm thinking i've been concentrating way too much
on the closed loop stuff. and while there's a place
for that.......think i want to go run hog wild into
an open loop for a bit here!

grinnin'......
and appreciatin' that engineer of mine....