LESSON THREE: A Gage of Randomness

WALK ON: You could spend a lot of long random walks listening to audio books about George Washington. One recent biographer estimated that there are over nine hundred works about this American icon. Give His Excellency (2005) by Joseph Ellis a listen. From impetuous, debt ridden youngster to father of his country, you get it all in just 352 pages. That means, if you are listening on the move, you can go from Georgie to Mr. President in just over fourteen hours. 

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​GAGE YOUR INTEREST: On the other hand, there is almost nothing currently in print about General Thomas Gage. Well, to the victors go the biographers, I suppose. John Richard Alden wrote General Gage in America, Being Principally a History of His Role in the American Revolution (1948) but it is out of print. So, readers must be satisfied with Bonnie Hinman’s General Thomas Gage: British General, a history book for young adults that summarizes his life in a mere eighty pages of large font. More suitable for short jaunts than long walks. 

General Thomas Gage: British General (Revolutionary War Leaders)

General Thomas Gage: British General (Revolutionary War Leaders) [Bonnie Hinman] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Details the life and accomplishments of the British general who ordered 700 soldiers to march to Concord to destroy the patriots' supplies and organized the British assault on Bunker Hull.

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DON’T GET FOOLED AGAIN: Need more for your reading list? Then include Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets (2005), Nassim Taleb’s landmark work urging us to never mistake luck for skill and to always expect the unexpected. 

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​GO NATIVE: Finally, add The Last of the Mohicans (1826) to the list. James Fenimore Cooper’s classic novel takes place during the French and Indian War, where Native Americans allied with both sides in a fight to maintain their traditional way of life. By the time the novel was written almost seventy years later, it was becoming clear that they hadn’t succeeded. 

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GET SOME DIRECTION: Washington loved camp music, believing that “agreeable and ornamental” tunes were a necessity that officers should provide their men. But it wasn’t all waltzes and show tunes. Eighteenth century armies used the music of a fife and drum corps during the commotion of battle to control the movement of troops. Musician Don Francisco demonstrates how to keep long walks a bit less random.

Music in the Revolutionary War

Biography of George Washington Key Facts The Man & Myth Martha Washington Family French & Indian War The Revolutionary War Building the Constitution The First President Slavery

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GET IN THE SPIRIT: If you can’t get enough of the fife and drum or just want to jazz up your next July 4th barbecue, queue up The Spirit Of ‘76: Music for Fifes and Drums.  

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DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE: Watch the The Patriot (2000). Mel Gibson plays Benjamin Martin, who is reviled by the French for his alleged atrocities during the French and Indian War, a secret he had hoped to carry to the grave with him. Yet, he must ally himself with the French to achieve independence. Sound familiar? Enjoy what is basically Braveheart set in South Carolina and without the kilts. Even the enemy is the same. Will those British never learn? 

DOODLE LIKE A YANKEE: Drawing, or doodling, is more than just a random time waster. Studies show it can aid concentration and productivity as well as providing an outlet for your everyday creative impulses. So, grab a pencil and sketch and scribble when you can. Check out a few examples on Pinterest by searching for "random doodles." 

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