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my discretion; the higher-level aspects of my psyche define who I am now. I can send my mind into a
variety of mental or emotional states, yet remain ever aware of the state and able to restore my
original condition. Now that I understand the mechanisms that were operating when I attended to two
tasks at once, I can divide my consciousness, simultaneously devoting almost full concentration and
gestalt recognition abilities to two or more separate problems, meta-aware of all of them. What can't I
do?
* * * *
I know my body afresh, as if it were an amputee's stump suddenly replaced by a watchmaker's hand.
Controlling my voluntary muscles is trivial; I have inhuman coordination. Skills that normally require
thousands of repetitions to develop, I can learn in two or three. I find a video with a shot of a pianist's
hands playing, and before long I can duplicate his finger movements without a keyboard in front of
me. Selective contraction and relaxation of muscles improve my strength and flexibility. Muscular
response time is thirty-five milliseconds, for conscious or reflex action. Learning acrobatics and
martial arts would require little training.
I have somatic awareness of kidney function, nutrient absorption, glandular secretions. I am even
conscious of the role that neurotransmitters play in my thoughts. This state of consciousness involves
mental activity more intense than in any epinephrine-boosted stress situation; part of my mind is
maintaining a condition that would kill a normal mind and body within minutes. As I adjust the
programming of my mind, I experience the ebb and flow of all the substances that trigger my
emotional reactions, boost my attention, or subtly shape my attitudes.
And then I look outward.
* * * *
Blinding, joyous, fearful symmetry surrounds me. So much is incorporated within patterns now that
the entire universe verges on resolving itself into a picture. I'm closing in on the ultimate gestalt: the
context in which all knowledge fits and is illuminated, a mandala, the music of the spheres, kosmos.
I seek enlightenment, not spiritual but rational. I must go still further to reach it, but this time the goal
will not be perpetually retreating from my fingertips. With my mind's language, the distance between
myself and enlightenment is precisely calculable. I've sighted my final destination.
* * * *
Now I must plan my next actions. First, there are the simple enhancements to self-preservation,
starting with martial arts training. I will watch some tournaments to study possible attacks, though I
will take only defensive action; I can move rapidly enough to avoid contact with even the fastest
striking techniques. This will let me protect myself and disarm any street criminals, should I be
assaulted. Meanwhile, I must eat copious amounts of food to meet my brain's nourishment
requirements, even given increased efficiency in my metabolism. I shall also shave my scalp, to allow
greater radiative cooling for the heightened blood flow to my head.