Whistle while you work...

My brother and I (independently) learned this very strange form of whistling. My spouse calls it the "asthmatic whistle"- it sounds like a very very weak whistle that keeps leaking out along the sides. I find it odd that both my brother and I had learned how to do this independent of each other.

I have taken up the task in my spare time to learn how to properly whistle. I am able to produce some tones that sound like proper whistling but it isn't consistent. I also have a very funny looking face when I do whistle. I start by acting as if I am sucking through a straw. While keeping the tight shape, I slowly stop sucking (I need to do this to keep the mouth form that is the base for my whistling technique). Then I blow through my mouth, slowly open my lips and adjust the lip placement until I get a tone. What i have found is that when I have my lower lip protruding (like some odd monkey pout) or when I have my upper lip protruding (like a very lippy overbite) I can somewhat consistently get a sound.

That's great except I really look doofy. Since then I have started to really pay attention to how people whistle. There teeth-whistlers, shaped-tongue whistlers, perfect-O-lip whistlers, and fingers in mouth whistlers. There is even a whistle language.These whistlers are from La Gomera and are called silbadores.

Sisyphus

That's how I feel these days about my dissertation.
I write. I write. I write.
I make progress up this hill. Then I get feedback and I feel like I am back to square one...okay, maybe square one and a half.

I know, I know, each iteration just makes it better- my arguments tighter and clearer. But I would like to be totally done with at least one chapter already. SHEESH!!!!

I guess it means, done enough to advance it to the next level so I can start the work on it at that level. Maybe I need to reframe my view of this process. It is more like a video game where each new level has new challenges that need to be accomplished.

But the game feels like there are at least 16 levels for each chapter and then when you get to the last level, they tell you there are actually some secret levels that you need to conquer but they don't tell you how many more there are.

sigh....

Okay, Sisyphus has to keep things rolling.