Sunday, May 29, 2011
Last Day
It's my last day of freedom. I go back to work tomorrow. Sure, it's work-from-home, but the honeymoon sleep-in-til-noon phase is over. Back to the real world tomorrow.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Gratefulness
Had this at the back of my mind for the few days: Gratefulness. It's an emotion or sentiment most of us don't practice or access in ourselves enough. We have a lot to be really grateful for, but, for some reason many of us (myself very much included), tend to focus on the have-not. ugh.
Something I hardly think about anymore [see?!] is the fact that we used to have smoking in indoor public places, like restaurants and malls. It's been a long while since there hasn't been, so it's easy to take it for granted.. just like we take for granted a lot of things in life we could find ourselves grateful for that might help us find a better state of mind when we find ourselves filled with negativity.
I found a this good quote just a minute ago:
"Isn't making a smoking section in a restaurant like making a peeing section in a swimming pool?"
How true.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Cheering on your home team
The Canucks are on their way to the Stanley Cup finals. Hooray!
But I find it funny when I and my friends exclaim: "WE WON!"
.... sure, fans play a role in supporting a team, which psychologically helps the team players, not to mention the financial viability of the team (players pay for merchandise, game tickets, etc which allows the team to prosper in whatever city they're in), but really, WE didn't win, the players and coaching staff won. It comes off as quite egoic to take ownership of success when the achievement does not belong to us, doesn't it? I mean, it's win-win for players, team management, and fans when a team does well (not to mention a big win for pubs and other businesses that benefit from good team performance and an extended season), but let's not go overboard. Attaching oneself to a high-status team or individual is a way the ego strengthens itself. But to be a mature person, shouldn't one, if they label themselves as a 'fan' of a team, stay loyal to that team even when they lose or do poorly? Moreover, idolization (being a 'fan'), is, in my opinion, one of the greatest plagues of the last 15 years in popular culture. [see: twitter, american idol, etc]
But I find it funny when I and my friends exclaim: "WE WON!"
.... sure, fans play a role in supporting a team, which psychologically helps the team players, not to mention the financial viability of the team (players pay for merchandise, game tickets, etc which allows the team to prosper in whatever city they're in), but really, WE didn't win, the players and coaching staff won. It comes off as quite egoic to take ownership of success when the achievement does not belong to us, doesn't it? I mean, it's win-win for players, team management, and fans when a team does well (not to mention a big win for pubs and other businesses that benefit from good team performance and an extended season), but let's not go overboard. Attaching oneself to a high-status team or individual is a way the ego strengthens itself. But to be a mature person, shouldn't one, if they label themselves as a 'fan' of a team, stay loyal to that team even when they lose or do poorly? Moreover, idolization (being a 'fan'), is, in my opinion, one of the greatest plagues of the last 15 years in popular culture. [see: twitter, american idol, etc]
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Car
I've been a bad car-owner. Sure, I give my baby insurance, gas, and occasionally new windshield wipers - but maintenance I neglect. Turns out I owe my car well over $1000 in repairs and upkeep. New muffler, tires, wheels - oh yeah, and a new front passenger-side axle (at some point, likely during my accident, mine got busted and I've been driving on it ever since). That, plus a major tune-up, new rear brakes, and even more.
I actually feel pretty good about it, though. I feel like I owe it to my car; she's been good to me, and has yet to let me down. Yesterday had a new muffler installed, Saturday brings new tires and wheels.
I actually feel pretty good about it, though. I feel like I owe it to my car; she's been good to me, and has yet to let me down. Yesterday had a new muffler installed, Saturday brings new tires and wheels.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
College-Crack Basketball Slaves
Interesting new episode of South Park tonight.
Eric Cartman starts a lucrative 'Crack-Baby Basketball' League. He literally is making profit from the spectacle of tiny, ill infants fighting over (and pushing around) a ball of crack. The 'sport' is an instant internet sensation, and Cartman hires Kyle (a jew) to be his chief financial officer, and even gets a deal with EA sports for the video game rights.
Of course this is abhorred - and typical of Cartman. But then Cartman (or, the creators of South Park) make an interesting comparison: College athletes. The largest problem with Cartman's crack-baby basketball is he created the rule early on that the 'players' (babies) could not be paid. Of course, with the millions he was making off of them, should he not compensate the babies? Of course he should - but then again, shouldn't Colleges pay their athletes, especially when, in the US, sports teams are a driving force of income, and draw for enrollment, for the school?
It's an interesting point - students spend time and risk injury playing sports for an institution that heavily profits from them - and colleges and universities owe them nothing. Of course, many of the best athletes get full-rides based on their athletic achievement - but receiving this sort of compensation is not guaranteed. Cartman related this kind of work to Slavary; Hilarious.
Eric Cartman starts a lucrative 'Crack-Baby Basketball' League. He literally is making profit from the spectacle of tiny, ill infants fighting over (and pushing around) a ball of crack. The 'sport' is an instant internet sensation, and Cartman hires Kyle (a jew) to be his chief financial officer, and even gets a deal with EA sports for the video game rights.
Of course this is abhorred - and typical of Cartman. But then Cartman (or, the creators of South Park) make an interesting comparison: College athletes. The largest problem with Cartman's crack-baby basketball is he created the rule early on that the 'players' (babies) could not be paid. Of course, with the millions he was making off of them, should he not compensate the babies? Of course he should - but then again, shouldn't Colleges pay their athletes, especially when, in the US, sports teams are a driving force of income, and draw for enrollment, for the school?
It's an interesting point - students spend time and risk injury playing sports for an institution that heavily profits from them - and colleges and universities owe them nothing. Of course, many of the best athletes get full-rides based on their athletic achievement - but receiving this sort of compensation is not guaranteed. Cartman related this kind of work to Slavary; Hilarious.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Poop on the Path Less Traveled.
Walked around the mountain with Jordan on this beautiful day. Good workout - maybe only to show how out of shape I am. No problem walking around it, of course, but my muscles get stiff and cramp easily these days.
Something worth doing is taking the path less traveled if you're ever in the forest. Of course, if you're in a forest where you're sure you can't really get lost. J & I ended up taking a path that led to where neither of us are sure quite where, and then out on to a street we didn't (and don't) know the name of.
On the way, though, we found this:
We didn't bother looking inside.
Something worth doing is taking the path less traveled if you're ever in the forest. Of course, if you're in a forest where you're sure you can't really get lost. J & I ended up taking a path that led to where neither of us are sure quite where, and then out on to a street we didn't (and don't) know the name of.
On the way, though, we found this:
We didn't bother looking inside.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Summer & Used Shows
The summer is quickly approaching and all my regular TV shows ended either last week or during this upcoming week. What ever will I do?
A few years ago, during work training in the big city, while staying at a hotel, a (former) coworker I didn't like much introduced me to the TV show LOST, and I was hooked. I spend the rest of the summer addicted to it - I 'acquired' the rest of the first season from him, and rented the remaining seasons en-mass. I watched over 3 seasons in a single summer. It was great diversion.
Since I'm moving to the big city in about a month, and will be away from my normal group of friends, and therefore may live somewhat of a more hermit lifestyle, I'm wondering if it might be worth it to invest in a back-dated ("used") TV show: start from the beginning (thanks, Interweb), and watch every episode.
The problem: what show? I'm a picky about my TV (and have cut down a lot in my TV-viewing in the past year), and nothing I've seen via my semi-TV-addicted parents has struck me as worth getting into. Then again, I'm willing to be pleasantly surprised.
A few years ago, during work training in the big city, while staying at a hotel, a (former) coworker I didn't like much introduced me to the TV show LOST, and I was hooked. I spend the rest of the summer addicted to it - I 'acquired' the rest of the first season from him, and rented the remaining seasons en-mass. I watched over 3 seasons in a single summer. It was great diversion.
Since I'm moving to the big city in about a month, and will be away from my normal group of friends, and therefore may live somewhat of a more hermit lifestyle, I'm wondering if it might be worth it to invest in a back-dated ("used") TV show: start from the beginning (thanks, Interweb), and watch every episode.
The problem: what show? I'm a picky about my TV (and have cut down a lot in my TV-viewing in the past year), and nothing I've seen via my semi-TV-addicted parents has struck me as worth getting into. Then again, I'm willing to be pleasantly surprised.
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