How to Build a Diffraction Spectrometer
How to Build a Diffraction Spectrometer
by Laura McLaughlin
The most important thing is to devise an encyclopedia of symbols and their corresponding personal meanings.  Assemble archetypes.  Tap into the linked up circuitry of consciousness within a room/without a room.  Set up mirrors at appropriate angles.  Keep a set of variable filters at arm’s length to interchange as necessary:  through dim light, twinkling flame, charcoal screens…thicker linens work best…black and white checkerboard, careful compartments.., through fog, through filmy transparencies that leave no visible alteration but tingle nonetheless, via a sixth sensing of the almost inaudible tipping of a scale held by an archangel or dog; also one must practice flicking off the thought switch and merely transcribing a flow tapped into such as syrup from maple or oak or birch…the toning exercise of sitting in a corner and leaving your mouth hanging open, tongue stuck in place, you wait and watch which words fall upwards and spew from a sour stomach…write furiously as though survival depended upon it, like tumbling into dirt with predator… but remember that hands should remain folded at all times, don’t stop especially when heavy-lidded and rocking for comfort and slicing your way through the cold…
When constructed properly, lasers should shoot into a hard template like teeth, glass should shatter and grates should remember, keys should forget, guns should be toys and also proofreader pens, floors and walls should quiver like trees, creatures prick their ears up at the unexpected counterpoint.
It is customary to express ghost intensity Ig as a magnitude, i.e. |Ig| .
thanks…i like your alien invasion detection devices.
This is awesome Laura. I would build one of these but I’ve been spending the better part of two decades searching for a laser maker that also functions as a shimmy shaker. This made me crack up, “Archetypes? Or horse heads.” Well done though.
Love this. The picture tie-in is wonderful. “Laser Maker and Shimmy Shaker”. Terrific flash.
The drawing came with the poem making it that much better. One of the best we received in the entire lot.
This is so awesome.
Laura, all I can say is that I’m so, so proud of you and gleeful that you are family.
Ray (I know Michelle is going to love it too)
By the way, can youfugure out away to transport me to your Mom’s for Thanksgiving dinner, airfare is thru the roof
heh heh hi faraway uncle finding me on the internets…thanks but methinks your comment was a bit off topic…my older work may be more thanksgiving related..http://www.maltadonna.com/sammy_beckett/pdf/sammy_beckett_single.pdf
This was clearly written by a highly-sophisticated, catathymic, sexual predator who lives in her mother’s basement.
I love this! Now I can show you off, on the internet.