[From Bill Powers (2007.03.29.1550 MDT)]
I was getting some pills out of a bottle and realized that I was doing a variation on the E. coli method of reorganization. To fill the 7-day dispenser and get one extra pill (to take now) I have to dispense 8 pills into my hand from the big bottle. Having done this many times I am quite good at it. I shake the pill bottle while watching how many pills have come out, and stop when I count 8.
The action involved in this process is simply to tilt the bottle and shake it. I have no control over which pills come out. All I can do is shake the bottle and count how many have come out, on some occasions having to return one or two. This is truly a way of systematically controlling a perception by means of an action that has mostly random effects.
I'm sure there must be lots of other examples.
Best,
Bill P.