Sign, sign, everywhere a sign ... and symbols

Not sure why exactly, but the last little while I've been so much more aware of my surroundings, especially during my morning power walks.

Having Valleyview Road almost in my backyard it behooves me to traverse its' 4 km from my place up Crescent Hill to Green Avenue which I affectionately christened butt grind hill or BGH for short. From whence I came the most exciting hills are cloverleaf overpasses, so it's no wonder I continue to be in awe of the spectacular terrain as I take each breathless, sweaty step.

There's no words to describe the peacefulness of walking this route and I feel honoured the grazing mule deer and curious quail aren't bothered by me (and others) passing through. In fact the ambience of being-in-the-country-while-still-in-the-city is even more intense lately as the orchards along the winding lane are slowly but surely awakening after their long wintry nap.

Blossoms, buds and birds in perfect harmony are sure signs of spring!

Speaking of signs, I also observed the above everyday symbols and signs during this 60-minute escape of mine. Wow. Seeing them here in this column is quite an eye-opener.

Well it is for me anyway, because the signs and symbols posted above are just a teensy-tiny smattering of the conditioning in our human brain - the control tower of our being if you will. This is what I see during my insignificant 60-minute walk, so just imagine the knowledge, recognition and interpretation of the signs and symbols stored in our brains during a 24-hour period...then multiply that by years or even a lifetime. It blows my mind.

How do you quantify the amount of storage available in our brains? Hmmm, does the brain store info like computers using megabytes and gigabytes? Or perhaps it's more imagery or memory related connected to neurons and transmitters...billions of them.

The answer my friend is irrelevant, because we humans (scientists included) still, to this very day, don't fully understand the marvels and the workings of that approximately three pounds of tissue that's all in our heads.

Signs and symbols ... just stop and look around you ... they are everywhere. Could it be a pollution of the graphic kind? Is it any wonder then that I often go into what I affectionately call auto pilot and subconsciously block that which I don't wish to see?

Or perhaps that could be a sign of being one year older and ahem, another year wiser.