The Blog Trip-Tik

There is a backlog of posts sitting in the outbox awaiting some free time for final edits, but instead of tackling them, I want to lay out what lies ahead in the next 5 months for the Root System before the proto-human becomes the Kid

Part I.
My goal is to get a general, but complete, understanding of the brain functions that let each of us connect and root into the world. Which parts of the brain do what? Using what mechanisms? How does a single neuron work? How do neurons transfer information? How do they store information?

Part II.
As the Big Day gets closer, I'll start peering into the emotional and behavioral aspects of connection. When are the critical periods for learning different capabilities or developing certain interests? As the brain wires up, how do the emotional and experiential needs of the proto-human change? How can understanding what is happening in his/her brain help us understand and respond to the needs of the proto-human.

Part III.
Finally, there is the adventure itself. All the obsessed mucking about in neurons and glia and neurotransmitters can't hide that it is a real human being on its way, not a mechanical automaton driven by those chemical and electrical processes. And all the soaring meta talk can't resolve the urgent worry and eager anticipation I, we, feel.

At the end comes the unlearning, when the temptation to go all reductionist and mechanical fades. I am looking forward to those moments when the super-realistic details of parenthood shatter my simulated mastery and control.

Thanks for joining me.