May 2013
34 posts
1 tag
Trivia, 5/24/13
Previous Answer: Neither. Giraffes and humans both have seven neck vertebrae. Question: Which Jackson sibling is the youngest?
Perspective
Here is a sentence from the website of a well-known NYC university. “Some perspective employment opportunities after graduation…” I wonder what a perspective job would entail. Is it art? Working on using perspective to educate others? Providing perspective for those who lack it? Surely not the perspective that would allow someone to realize that that’s not what the...
Equality
In case anyone thought I spent too much time making fun of “Twilight” and other female-centric idiocy, let it be known that I think the “Hangover” movies are just as awful. Loud spectacles with nothing in them worthwhile. Even with actors I like. Just terrible. Stop it.
Stop Drinking Soda
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nC6HZR6BrK4/UR3kVYrQf9I/AAAAAAAAIjo/i6bN_fwDr9E/s1600/sugar-content-of-soda.jpg
1 tag
Trivia, 5/22/13
Previous Answer: There are several species of jellyfish that are basically ageless. But koi (the fish) can live up to 230 years, and tortoises up to 200. Question: Which animal has more bones in its neck - humans, or giraffes?
The Fan
I am absolutely terrible at handiwork. My girlfriend built my bookcase because I knew I’d mess it up. She built my new fan, too. I’ve long since accepted this about myself. I bet if I finally live alone or with a partner I’ll have to fix things here and there. But I know not to do it if I don’t have to, because it will break. But my fan was.. a bit off. This is not her...
The Little Things
I would say that one of the biggest benefits of having a solid salary is that the little unexpected moments are not reasons to panic. Yes, I’m good at budgeting, but you can do that at any income. I just buy more things now. But when you have an unexpected expense - and you will, because life - you have to rearrange a whole lot of things if you’re skating a thin edge like I was for...
On the Occasion of My Tenth High School Reunion
In just a few hours I’ll be attending the above event. I’m excited, even though I was an angsty mess in high school. I’m excited to have a job I can speak of proudly, to be in good shape physically, mentally and emotionally, and to generally be someone I am happy with. The interesting thing is, reunions are for, you know, reuniting, but according to the RSVP list, most of the...
Lucky
One of the great joys of the new level of stability that I have is that when I check my accounts, because I’m good at saving, I always have a bit more than I expect to have. The stress of wondering how many hours I will be assigned has abated, and I really can relax. This is something most people on earth will never feel, and none of us who feel it should ever take the first level of...
Trivia, 5/16/13
Previous Answer: F. Scott Fitzgerald. (Think about it.) Question: What kind of animal has the world’s longest lifespan?
Yoga, Week Two
Another week of yoga. I did slightly better this time. I held the balance, and although I didn’t even know how to start trying the shoulder stand because it makes me feel like I’m going to break my neck, it was a good experience. Aside from the stillness aspect, which I fail at, the issue is that it reminds me of the many many years when every athletic activity led to me feeling...
NY Sucks?
NY sucks if you are impoverished, not a fan of crowds, or prefer to drive everywhere. If you need nature next to you, it’s not the city for you (or, most of it isn’t). And if you really hate winter or muggy summers, it’s really not the worst place (plenty are worse), but sure, it might not be for you. That said, it’s a northeastern American city. The weather is going to be...
1 tag
Trivia, 5/12/13
Previous Answer: It’s a cat. LOL, cats. Question: It’s Mothers’ Day. Mariska Hargitay’s famous mother was killed in a car accident when she was a child. Who was she?
1 tag
Progress!
There are enough LGBT folks getting married these days that it’s regular enough for me to judge them for getting married too young. Now that’s progress. :)
1 tag
Trivia, 5/11/13
Previous Answer: Bhutan, which forbids mountain climbing. Question: What did the makers of Monopoly replace the iron with?
Trivia, 5/11/13
Previous Answer: Bhutan, which forbids mountain climbing. Question: What did the makers of Monopoly replace the iron with?
Useless Lessons
When we complain (and rightly so) about the American school system, we point to places like South Korea or Scandinavia, where education is, to some people’s view, perfect. But we should really be comparing ourselves to ourselves, and not just with standardized test scores. South Korean high school students are abjectly miserable and not very skilled at socializing in a mature manner. When...
Useless Lessons
When we complain (and rightly so) about the American school system, we point to places like South Korea or Scandinavia, where education is, to some people’s view, perfect. But we should really be comparing ourselves to ourselves, and not just with standardized test scores. South Korean high school students are abjectly miserable and not very skilled at socializing in a mature manner. When...
Trivia, 5/9/13
Previous Answer: Femur. Question: What country possesses the world’s highest unclimbed mountain peak?
Stillness
I’m very very bad at being still. I don’t have ADD or ADHD. I am very good at focusing, but my kind of focus is running a long distance or writing a paper quickly. But today I tried something I’ve long been somewhat afraid of, and it didn’t go very well: yoga. Yoga requires stillness and calm. It feeds off and provides inner peace. I used to laugh it off somewhat, but...
1 tag
Trivia, 5/8/13
Previous Answer: Tea! Question: What is the thickest bone in your body?
Social Formation
Think about how much of how you socialize begins to form in high school. The music you get really into, the movies you like, the social crowd you’re a part of, it all has a hold on you as an adult. Sure, we grow up and change a lot, but those times are so formative, to our benefit or detriment, much as we hope to fully divorce ourselves from them. Even if we manage to transform ourselves,...
Sympathy Up and Down
As I spend more and more time working with seniors, I find that, while a handful of them are miserable bastards, most of them are kind and giving and simply want a place to go or something to do now that they have extra free time. Some of them really just want a hot meal, as we do serve many low-income (or even homeless) folks. It has made me far more sympathetic towards seniors who need extra...
Wardrobe
Again, wading into luxuriating in privilege territory, so acknowledging this up front. I’ve never really cared much about fashion. My parents have always wanted me to, but I was always a jeans and t-shirt guy, or maybe a button-down when it was colder. For much of my (nascent) adult life, I really didn’t know how to dress. I wore clothes that were ill-fitting or cheap, and mostly...
Trivia, 5/4/13
Previous Answer: About six. Yet you still feel that fear when you swim in the ocean, don’t you? Question: After water, what is the second-most-consumed drink in the world?
Technobabble
For a while on Wednesday and yesterday morning, my office email system was dead. It’s back up now, but we all just sort of chilled out/freaked out until it was righted. You might think I’m about to rail against the dangers of technology. But no. It was odd to have a forced reprieve, but the fact is, technology really does make our lives better and easier when used well. It is a...
Busy/Productive
I have a long list of things to do today (some fun, some not) with time constraints. But that just means I’m going to have to be efficient and productive. Yay!
1 tag
Trivia, 5/1/13
Previous Answer: Mosquitos! Ha. Question: Okay, so how many are killed worldwide by sharks every year?
April 2013
46 posts
Gross: Addendum
Note: none of my previous points apply to violence or anything like that. Shunning someone for being gay or what have you is “gross” no matter if it is custom or not. But we can be relative when it comes to snot because we do similarly gross things.
Trivia, 4/30/13
Previous Answer: Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network. Question: Which animal (aside from humans) kills the most humans every year?
Gross
So much of what we find off-putting or abhorrent is merely the fact that it is quite foreign to us. Sure, some things are (or should be) foreign to everyone (bestiality, say), but I want to talk about one specific dichotomy that was brought to my attention recently. Now, when I was living in Asia, people would spit everywhere (except the subway for some reason). Loogies were flying. I never got...
To Paraphrase
…if kids got assaulted at McDonald’s as often as they get assaulted at church, there wouldn’t be anymore McDonald’s, and you’d be charged with negligence for dropping your kids off there. And the people who committed the assault wouldn’t be getting sent to a different McDonald’s in Ireland.
Going Home Alone
I think something that needs to be taught to a lot of young men is that you do not HAVE to score for a weekend or a night or a party to be successful. Building friendships and building your damn self are more important than getting laid. This is not to be anti-sex, mind you, but it’s anti-pressure. It’s a lot, lot, lot harder to be a young woman (or a transperson), let’s just...
Trivia, 4/28/13
Previous Answer: “Seinfeld” is about a comedian getting his material. Question: I’m sure you know that “YES” plays Yankees and Nets games. But what does “YES” stand for?
Dinner Party Times
It’s coming. It’s approaching. It’s growing closer by day. It will soon be time for me to prefer food and wine to a raucous party as the default for a weekend out. I will still occasionally do it up. My family has a big party every so often, and I’ll still grab my energy together for Reunions and my birthday/New Year’s. But the Dinner Party Times are coming. And...
Trivia, 4/26/13
Previous Answer: Tokyo, the current champion. Question: “Seinfeld” was always called a show about nothing, but in various interviews, both Seinfeld himself and Larry David have admitted that the show is actually about something. What’s it about?
Nuts
I can’t say I’m ever planning to swear off beer altogether or go vegan or some such, but as you may well know, I’m a fitness nut, which suits my somewhat aggressive personality. (“Somewhat?” you’re saying. “Somewhat??!” Shut up.) But I wonder if it’s possible to push myself this hard (or, as hard as I did, and will again, during the training...
1 tag
Trivia, 4/24/13
Previous Answer: London. Question: And then what replaced it?
I really wish...
…that we lived in a society where the first thing you think of when you hear the word diet is “the foods you choose to eat” and not “how you are depriving yourself.”
1 tag
Trivia, 4/23/13
Previous Answer: Taft. Question: NYC was the world’s largest city for about 4 decades in the 20th Century. When it took the top spot, which city did it replace?
"You're So Pretty!"
My girlfriend and I have noticed that facebook comments on female pictures almost inevitably devolve into compliments regarding the beauty of the women in the pictures. Go look, you’ll see how common it is. As another friend chimed in, this is a double-edged sword. It’s nice to feel sexy and to know others feel the same about you. But on the other hand, it reduces someone to an...
Craigslist Personals
Sometimes I go onto CL personals to make myself laugh or if I want to make someone else laugh. And it’s funny the standards people have while posting on Craigslist. Look at this one: ”Looking for a tall man with long hair. Surfer dudes or rocker, as long as your tall and your hair is nice and long. Must be 6ft and up!” YOU ARE ON CRAIGLIST, LADY! I’m not single, but...
1 tag
Trivia, 4/22/13
Previous Answer: 9 (Jaws, Raiders of Lost Ark, ET, The Color Purple, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Munich, War Horse, Lincoln) Question: Who was the only President to serve as chief justice of the Supreme Court?