tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post2483473443229342190..comments2024-03-25T11:49:21.281-07:00Comments on The Splintered Mind: Memories of My FatherEric Schwitzgebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-34519180614729438022019-08-22T22:19:30.944-07:002019-08-22T22:19:30.944-07:00I was in his abnormal psychology class when we ate...I was in his abnormal psychology class when we ate chocolate worm cake. It was a little crunchy but very delicious. He had a long talk about alternative protein sources (which digressed in the best possible way) and agreed that bugs were completely underutilized. I always had a great time in all of his classes. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01812051092249872829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-86200574898071961862015-03-30T14:53:19.246-07:002015-03-30T14:53:19.246-07:00Wow -- thanks, Teresa, for that terrific story!Wow -- thanks, Teresa, for that terrific story!Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-84423225810289070632015-03-30T14:36:13.131-07:002015-03-30T14:36:13.131-07:00I am a 1983 graduate of Cal Lutheran and I recentl...I am a 1983 graduate of Cal Lutheran and I recently learned of Dr. Gable's passing. I am so very sorry. I posted on the obituary page and I will briefly share a funny story about my first class experience with him, Psych for Living. After a test, Dr. Gable (Schwitzgebel at the time) would allow us to argue our point on a particular test question we got wrong. If our argument seemed valid he may give partial or full credit on the test question. These were often lively discussions but on this day as I went through my test, I noticed that one answer was left correct when, in fact, he should have marked it incorrect. I waited until after class and approached him, pointing out the error that was not in my favor and which would ultimately lower my grade if changed. Dr. Gable just gave me this big smile. (I will never forget his smile...it looked like he was surprised and delighted at the same time) and simply said, "thank you". The next day at the beginning of class he proceeded to talk to us about integrity and honesty and then pointed out that while everyone was asking him for credit, I did the opposite. Well you can imagine, I was sinking into my desk, mortified, flaming red with embarrassment, yet proud that he acknowledged me and valued my choices. Then he called me up in front of the class and bestowed upon me a Peaches and Herb record album in recognition of my character! Peaches and Herb!! Ha! I loved it! My friends teased me and called me a suck up but I never forgot that day nor the professor who cared so much. I took more classes from him than anyone else at CLC. Currently I teach high school students with a mental health diagnosis and severe behavior disorders. I would have loved the opportunity to have some more of those lively discussions or just ask him questions! What an amazing teacher, role model and an inspiration. My deepest sympathies on the loss of your dad.<br />Teresa (Iverson) Powers<br />CLU Grad 79Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15209763825695886196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-11261618339217429822015-01-30T14:05:36.679-08:002015-01-30T14:05:36.679-08:00Transplanting some comments from Facebook:
Dan Ge...Transplanting some comments from Facebook:<br /><br />Dan George: "and he sold his car to a kid for 25 cents!!!!" [Yes, I remember his saying that sometime around 1970 he drove up to two teenagers loitering on a streetcorner and offered them his car for 25 cents. One backed off, figuring he was up to something. The other got the car for 25 cents, title forms and all.]<br /><br />Another one from me: Mom was out of town and we went over to the neighbor's for dinner, bringing a bundt cake as dessert. We had four different icings: unflavored, cherry cough syrup, Pepto Bismol, and Hall's throat medicine. Everyone rated the icings. Cherry cough syrup came in first, then Hall's, then unflavored, then Pepto. When we revealed what was in the icings, the neighbor teenage girl said "Ew! I think I'm going to be sick!" Dad said, "Then have more cake!"<br /><br />Mark Badstubner: "Dr. Gable never let the boring confines of reality get in the way of discovery. During interim of 1991, he was obsessed with (among many others things), developing something he called "Flavor-wave." His goal was to have some kind of seasoning packet you could put into the microwave with other food and it would flavor it - the absurdity and the wonder of that idea have stuck with me. Also, my favorite part of his office in the chicken coops was he had this big picture of baby that he had placed into one of his hanging plants. It was so weird and random. Oh - and I'll always remember dropping by his house unexpected and him answering the door in a kimono. Great memories of a wonderful man."<br /><br />Tim Zeddies: "When CLU was in the planning stages to build a new chapel around 1990, Kirk was a faculty member on the building committee. After patiently listening to the other faculty and administration voice ideas for space designations, he calmly asked, "So where are we going to put the human brain?" Apparently, his humorous urging for more thoughtful discussion and allocation of resources went largely ignored. For me, however, Kirk's question epitomizes how he would promote self-reflective awareness and growth in others: never in-your-face or challenging, but a gentle and often humorous invitation to grow and develop."<br /><br />Jeanette McMullin King: "Me: 'Why do you have the drug smugglers hot line number posted on your microwave?'<br />Kirk: 'Just in case.'"<br /><br />Loren Geeting: "my freshman year, I took a break from midterm exam studying with some friends and made chalk body outlines all over campus. Next day people we're talking about it like it was some kind of protest or major statement. It wasn't. I remember a student asking Dr Gable what he thought of it and he said 'Whoever made those needs to be locked away immediately after they take a few art classes to improve their technique.' He was one in a million."<br /><br />Leslie Denoff-Sanders: "Oh, this is really too bad. He was truly one of a kind and a fantastic educator. I will NEVER forget him bring black bin liners full of freeway trash into class, or the way he would sometimes take a box of matches and open the box, turn one round to face the other way, and then begin the class, never to explain why he did this!! He was one of the most interesting and entertaining teachers i have ever had the pleasure to have. I do hope he and Dr. Barb are together watching out for all of us!"Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-51655360496303280192015-01-29T14:16:51.509-08:002015-01-29T14:16:51.509-08:00Thanks for the kind words, everyone. Smef: please...Thanks for the kind words, everyone. Smef: please feel free to email me about the question at the end of your comment.Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-58083815381441061242015-01-28T12:56:37.739-08:002015-01-28T12:56:37.739-08:00Wonderful post, one feels as if one had known him ...Wonderful post, one feels as if one had known him and I feel inspired to copy his openness towards young criminals or his unconventional approach (beware, students of the next semester!).<br />Further point: I have a somehow similar situation, since my parents were in the Academia and since I deeply admire them also as professors and intellectuals, but I always feel at odds in paying such open tributes, just because I feel shy about sharing so much of my private life. How did you deal with that?<br />smefnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-90373228154826188062015-01-27T10:06:54.991-08:002015-01-27T10:06:54.991-08:00Eric, this is a very fine and moving tribute. So ...Eric, this is a very fine and moving tribute. So many great stories. I first met your father in 1986 when he came to visit you in college and have had many great talks with him over the years. He was always eager to provide helpful or inspirational advice to someone who was very unsure what he wanted to do with his life. We've had many talks about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) over the years, and he was very much an archetypal ENTP, but with a strong compassionate element. I wish I could have talked to him more.Dennis Leenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-66417785162277737472015-01-24T13:28:31.912-08:002015-01-24T13:28:31.912-08:00What an inspiring portrait, although it was writte...What an inspiring portrait, although it was written for such a sad occasion. My condolences. Even though I have never met your father, it is nice to be able to remember him through these stories. And since I am currently preparing for next semester's course, reading this does incite me to include some goofy & memorable activities.<br />Take care.Sylviahttp://www.sylviawenmackers.be/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-75587104210043316562015-01-24T03:52:44.182-08:002015-01-24T03:52:44.182-08:00Eric, That's a terrific and moving tribute to ...Eric, That's a terrific and moving tribute to your dad! I think his creativity, zaniness, scholarship, and passion for life was motivated by his close-to-death heart operations at the Mayo Clinic when he was in his early 20s.<br /> A letter I wrote to him a day before his death read, in part: " Your spirit resonates through the consciousness of the many people you touched..." Eric, you clearly have that spirit and the talent to keep it going.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00296867120019359004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-7058819321016785682015-01-23T19:00:12.746-08:002015-01-23T19:00:12.746-08:00Thank you, Shecky! Eric was the first, but since ...Thank you, Shecky! Eric was the first, but since he looked weird and smelled funny they had to try again! <br />Sandy Ryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-66051000552132526592015-01-23T17:20:32.273-08:002015-01-23T17:20:32.273-08:00Eric/Sandy I don't know which of you two was t...Eric/Sandy I don't know which of you two was the first (or if you are the only 2 siblings?), but FWIW, I do recall one of Robert's stories to our class had to do with how badly your parents wanted to have children. I'm sure your arrival was greeted with much much joy. :-)<br />"Shecky Riemann"https://www.blogger.com/profile/07065658607024191185noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-47764748690531202842015-01-23T16:37:33.690-08:002015-01-23T16:37:33.690-08:00He was the only person I know who would often ask ...He was the only person I know who would often ask to speak to the store or business manager in order to compliment the job someone was doing. The manager would usually approach with a sad or concerned look, as people generally only ask for a manager in order to complain. I think this positive feedback about employees to their managers should live on. It feels great to do it and when I do, I make a few people's days better and always think of my dad.Sandy Ryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-49107538704561763082015-01-23T12:12:16.597-08:002015-01-23T12:12:16.597-08:00Shecky, thanks for that correction! I'm glad t...Shecky, thanks for that correction! I'm glad to hear that my uncle too was such an inspiring teacher. Not too surprising, since they are so similar in so many ways. I wish I'd had the chance to see Uncle Bob teaching.Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-64880276807063652492015-01-23T12:03:29.423-08:002015-01-23T12:03:29.423-08:00Just a quick note of condolence, Eric, on your los...Just a quick note of condolence, Eric, on your loss. You write that you don't know anyone who brought so much creative fun to teaching... but I DO! -- your uncle Robert. I had him for a single course at the Claremont colleges in the 1970s -- it was the most creative, unorthodox class I ever took, and he often made mention of his twin brother, so I can well imagine what your father was like. Great memories...Shecky R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/09051530022714177592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-51029966483467213162015-01-23T10:51:51.650-08:002015-01-23T10:51:51.650-08:00Wow, such great stories, Brett and Sandy!Wow, such great stories, Brett and Sandy!Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-13990578046842212002015-01-23T10:50:21.817-08:002015-01-23T10:50:21.817-08:00This is beautiful, Brother. I loved that he was t...This is beautiful, Brother. I loved that he was the smartest man I knew, yet was always ready to laugh at himself. He loved to describe his own ideas as "goofy!" I remember being in the car as he was driving on the CLC campus in the 70's. I was in grade school and always watching him carefully to see what he might be up to next. This sunny fall day, he slowed way down for a speed bump, but as we got closer and you could no longer see the bump, he looked around bit puzzled. I always imagined, his brain told him to slow down for the bump, moved on to other, more exciting topics, and then when he came back to be focused on driving, he must have wondered why we were driving so slow. So he hit the gas pedal. It was just in time for the speed bump. We caught a little bit of air. I will never forget his face. First he looked so surprised and then he smiled delightedly. I hope his moment of passing was a bit like that. I hope when he hit this bump, he caught the air and is still flying and laughing at himself with great delight. Sandy Ryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26951738.post-53535652308608375612015-01-23T10:49:43.769-08:002015-01-23T10:49:43.769-08:00From Brett McDougall:
I recall Kirk spinning some ...From Brett McDougall:<br />I recall Kirk spinning some yarn about 'Earthworm Cupcakes'. Apparently he taught a course in 'Abnormal Psych' and wanted to test the students abilities to follow instructions. At the front of the class on his table was a tray of delicious looking, frosted cupcakes. Above it, on the chalkboard, he had written, "Please Read the Instructions, Then Help Yourself to a Cupcake." I am not certain if there were two types of cupcakes frosted differently or just one. Regardless of my clouded recollection, the instructions clearly stated that they read the list of ingredients in the cupcakes PRIOR to eating one. Well, Kirk in his circuitous mind had devised a cupcake made with earthworms that had been cleaned and minced and cooked prior to adding them to the cake mixture. Several students simply took a cupcake and ate them without reading the ingredients. Upon realizing that their classmates were eating worms, the whole ordeal flamed out of control. I do believe that the Dean was brought in by one or more students parents's protesting his feeding their children worms. The situation was dismissed as the course was 'Abnormal Psych' and their students would need to have the ability to focus and discern the fine print in everything as future psychologists and psychiatrists. Long story short, Kirk fed worms to his students and laughed heartily about it.Eric Schwitzgebelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11541402189204286449noreply@blogger.com