There is a phenomenon whose reach encompasses far more than its name would indicate.
The self-charging battery phenomenon also appears as the turn it off and wait a second phenomenon, the I think it's sun spotsphenomenon, the it just worked, try it again phenomenon, and lastly, the let's try again in the morning phenomenon.
Certainly there are events in our lives where these phenomena are present. My computer often behaves better after I've restarted it. It might be my imagination, but it seems even happier if it's been off for at least a couple of minutes. I imagine that it's gathering together the powerful forces of nature I'd released previously.
There was a time when sun spots were interfering with electrical who knows what, but somehow it seemed that sun spots were an oft-used explanation when the more likely one would have been the You don't know what you're doing and have really bad luck phenomenon.
I have a magic little light that I use to read books after BrilliantEditor has toddled off to dream land. Most of the time it's plugged into the wall. But there are sometimes, when we're on vacation, for example, when it runs on batteries.
When those batteries begin to lose their power, there's maybe a five-minute window in which the light gets progressively dimmer. I like this. It's better than the lights that get dimmer very slowly so before you know what's going on, you're squinting and trying to find out why the bed's so uncomfortable and then the next morning you realize that there was shoe under your pillow and you'd been wrapped up in the sheets like a mummy.
Nevertheless, because I'm clever, I read feverishly until the light goes out. I might have finished the chapter in time, but hey, luck's running so well, why stop now? Go right on to the next one.
So I turn off the little light. I wait. Then I turn it back on. And it works! Only for a few seconds, but it does work. It works enough to put my book down and find my water glass. I can find my vitamins, even. Or allergy medication.
Still, it does work. The battery has self-charged. It doesn't work for long, but it does work. And why?
I have no idea. I just know it's a very nice thing for batteries to do for us. And, as Labor Day has just come and gone, I say that we should all say thank you to our batteries and ask if they'll share their self-charging secrets.
Posted by dotty at September 2, 2003 10:29 PM