So how is everyone coping with the
freezing weather this year? I always forget how cold it can get, because the summers are boiling. Every year, I'm tempted to buy some gloves. But then I think that it's kind of silly, because I equate gloves with absolutely freezing snowy weather. Heh, totally random topic.
I am now officially on holidays. What to do? You would think that I would post more, considering I have much more time on my hands... but that's not going to happen.
And congrats to Jo for her new job! Bringing home the bacon!
And now I'll leave you with the interview of Steven Lewandowsky (a.k.a. memory/jury lecturer) that's taken from the Psychos newsletter. I thought that they was really random questions, but I like the one about Dr Phil and the Super Nanny!!
Hi Steve, thank you for taking the time to chat with "The Inner Truth", here are just some psychology-related questions to find out what's going on inside your head...
So tell us, what first got you interested in psychology?My mum and my aunt were both practicing psychologists and did a lot of work with children. Somehow it never entered my mind that I could be anything other than a psychologist (well, as a boy I did entertain careers as a fire fighter, truck driver, pilot, and Bob the Builder, but most of those eventually fell by the wayside, although I did spend several summers as a student trucking over Europe).
You have taught at many universities around the world; what are your favourite and least favourite things about lecturing at UWA?Most favourite: The first-year lectures in the Octagon and supervising billiant PhD students.
Least favourite: Dealing with administrative trivia that have no bearing on the quality of teaching.
If you could meet any psychologist from history who would it be and what would you ask them?Herrmann von Ebbinghaus (of nonsense-syllable fame), and I'd ask him why he didn't die of boredom memorizing all those lists.
Why do you think show's like Dr Phil and Supernanny are so successful?I can't tell because I have never watched either. In fact, I don't really watch TV at all. But if I had to guess it's probably because they are shallow and uninformative opiate for a populace struggling with the consequences of globalization.
Rumour has it you have been seen hanging from cliffs around Perth - do you have any interesting climbing stories?It's not a rumour, it's the truth. I do hang from cliffs a lot, although I actually try to climb them (with modest success). I took up climbing as therapy against my excessive fear of heights. Don't really have stories...
On your website you have a link to the Narrogin Gliding Club, how did you get involved in gliding in the skies above Perth?I always wanted to be a pilot (see answer to first question). One of the principal reasons for coming to Australia was to take up gliding. I am a little less active now than I used to be, but I still instruct and fly my own glider whenever it's too hot to hang from cliffs.
Thank you for you time!
