Well, I made it. One year, 100 posts! And as the calendar year ends tonight, it seems like the perfect time to reflect on the year that was. Way back on January 1 I wrote out some resolutions for myself. Let's take a look back and see how well I did with those.
1. I want to read at least one new book each month
I didn't quite accomplish this, but I came close. I finished ten books and am in the middle of another one. I'm counting this as a victory because it's more books than I've read in a long time. I plan to continue this resolution moving forward, especially since I got a lot of new books for Christmas.
2. I want to write at least 100 blog posts
Well, as the title of this post states, I did it! I proud of myself for doing this. It was fun to write so much. I want to continue writing more posts. In fact, I have a few ideas for posts that I didn't get to this year, which means I already have stuff to write about heading into next year. I'm also planning on starting a new blog dedicated to my pin collection, so I'll be writing a lot for that as well. I hope you all continue to read this blog and my new one, and share it with your friends too!
3. I want to start exercising more. I'm not exactly sure what that means, so we'll see how this one goes.
I'm not sure I can say I really accomplished this. I did start making more of an effort to go for walks during my days, so I guess that's something. I haven't really done much else though.
4. I want to stop cussing. I have no real reason why I want to do this, or how, but I feel like it would be a positive change.
I didn't do a good job with this at all. I still want to get better with it. I feel bad when I cuss. I don't know why, but I do. It's hard when everyone around you cusses, though. But I shouldn't make excuses, I just need to do it.
5. I want to cross at least one thing off my Life List. Obviously, more than one would be great, but I'm not trying to get crazy here.
I did this! I taught a college class, which was on my list. It may be the only thing I crossed off, but my goal was at least one and I did that. Next year I'll aim for two!
6. I want to hang some pictures in my home office. This isn't much of a resolution, but I figure if I write it down here I will be more apt to do it.
Well, I did just hang one picture in there yesterday. I guess that's something.
7. I want to talk to friends and family more. Too often I wait for people to contact me, so I want to switch that up a little and be the one to initiate the contact.
This was a source of contention with me all year. I tried to be better with this, but I got the feeling that the majority of people didn't really care to talk to me and were put off by me trying to talk to them. Based on my experience this past year, I have no desire to continue trying to do this because I got the feeling that many people just don't care that much about my friendship. If I'm wrong, maybe they will be the ones to initiate the contact this year.
8. I want to gain some self confidence and learn to like myself a little more. This is probably the biggest and most important thing I want to accomplish this year.
One thing I realized this year is that I do like myself. I think I'm an interesting person. I'm kind, sincere, and genuine. I'm funny and quirky and weird, but that's what makes me stand out. I think, however, that I've been putting too much stock into what other people think of me and that's what has been bringing me down. I can't figure out why others don't seem to like me. I know that I am very introverted and it takes me a while to open up to people, but I feel like people don't take the time or give me a chance. And it seems like those that do don't appreciate the depth of my personality. So basically what this means is that I'm going to continue to be me and others can either accept that or not. My new resolution is to try to not get bothered when others don't seem to want me in their lives. It's a crappy feeling, but I need to work through it and focus on myself and the relationships with people who do seem to care. And if you really value me as a part of your life, show me, don't tell me.
9. I want to do something every day to make at least one person smile. I'm not sure how I'm going to accomplish this, or how I will even know if I make it happen, but I'm going to try. So don't be surprised if you get a random message from me or if I call you just to tell you a joke or something.
I started the year making a concerted effort to do this. By the end of the year I was just trying to do things to make myself smile. If that made others smile as well then great.
10. I want to floss more. I know we all say this after going to the dentist, but this time I mean it. I heard that you can add six years to your life just by flossing! That didn't mean much to me before because I thought the world was going to end this past December. But clearly that was a hoax, so now I have more reason to floss.
I actually did get better with this. I still don't floss as often as I'd like, but I'm doing it more than before, so that's something. Hopefully I continue to improve.
Well, overall, I really thought this was a crappy year. I know that just because the calendar is changing doesn't mean anything else will change, but psychologically it will be nice to be done with 2013. I hope 2014 is better and I'm already looking at ways to make it better. Thank you to all who continued to read my posts this year. I hope you keep reading in the future. Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Sunday, December 29, 2013
The Secret Life of Adam Davi
"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is one of my favorite short stories. I loved it when I first read it and I loved teaching it. And James Thurber is one of the most gifted authors I have ever read. I'm currently rereading one of his books of short stories and loving every minute of it. The centerpiece of the book is "Walter Mitty" though. And with the new movie adaptation out in theaters, it has been nice to revisit the story. I think the reason I like it so much is because I can relate to Walter.
Walter Mitty daydreams about being in heroic and dangerous situations. He fantasizes about escaping his boring, pedestrian life. I can understand that. I often daydream myself. In fact, I probably daydream an unhealthy amount of the day. My fantasies are a little different than Walter's though.
Sometimes I fantasize how my life would be different if I had made different choices in life. I create all these different alternate lives for myself based on changing one decision from the past. Sometimes I fantasize about the future and what exciting things I might be doing, like being a college professor or a published author. Sometimes I fantasize about telling off my old principal. I hate that guy. Sometimes I fantasize about being friends with famous people and attending red carpet premieres and awards shows. And I fantasize about being able to talk more smoothly with women. That would be nice.
I don't do all of this necessarily because I am unhappy with my life like Walter Mitty appears to be, but I do often think my life could be better. And sometimes it's just my way of motivating myself to make some things better in my life. Either way, it's my way of escaping into another world, a secret life as it it were. Most of my fantasies are based somewhat in reality, unlike Walter's which are purely fantastic. My secret life is more about envisioning a better me, not a different me. I like me, but I know I can be better. Sometimes I'm just afraid, though. And that's why I fantasize, because sometimes that's easier. But I hope it inspires me a little too. Walter Mitty, on the other hand, fantasizes to escape the doldrums of his life. He isn't happy or confident and imagines himself in positions that exude confidence and heroism. I haven't seen the movie yet so I don't know how consistent that version is with the original story, though. Either way, I'm excited to see it. And I think we all probably have a secret life. Some of us probably escape into it more than others. But I think it's healthy and we should all probably acknowledge our secret lives a little more often.
Walter Mitty daydreams about being in heroic and dangerous situations. He fantasizes about escaping his boring, pedestrian life. I can understand that. I often daydream myself. In fact, I probably daydream an unhealthy amount of the day. My fantasies are a little different than Walter's though.
Sometimes I fantasize how my life would be different if I had made different choices in life. I create all these different alternate lives for myself based on changing one decision from the past. Sometimes I fantasize about the future and what exciting things I might be doing, like being a college professor or a published author. Sometimes I fantasize about telling off my old principal. I hate that guy. Sometimes I fantasize about being friends with famous people and attending red carpet premieres and awards shows. And I fantasize about being able to talk more smoothly with women. That would be nice.
I don't do all of this necessarily because I am unhappy with my life like Walter Mitty appears to be, but I do often think my life could be better. And sometimes it's just my way of motivating myself to make some things better in my life. Either way, it's my way of escaping into another world, a secret life as it it were. Most of my fantasies are based somewhat in reality, unlike Walter's which are purely fantastic. My secret life is more about envisioning a better me, not a different me. I like me, but I know I can be better. Sometimes I'm just afraid, though. And that's why I fantasize, because sometimes that's easier. But I hope it inspires me a little too. Walter Mitty, on the other hand, fantasizes to escape the doldrums of his life. He isn't happy or confident and imagines himself in positions that exude confidence and heroism. I haven't seen the movie yet so I don't know how consistent that version is with the original story, though. Either way, I'm excited to see it. And I think we all probably have a secret life. Some of us probably escape into it more than others. But I think it's healthy and we should all probably acknowledge our secret lives a little more often.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Making the Best of an Unfortunate Situation
I was driving home from Phoenix to Tucson today when traffic on Interstate 10 came to a complete stop. For those of you who have never made that drive before, you are pretty much just driving through the middle of the desert. When you get stuck, there is no alternate route. You are just stuck. Unfortunately, this has happened to me on a couple of occasions. Typically, one of two things causes these stoppages: construction or an accident.
I knew things were bad when we were stopped and the truckers got out of their trucks to talk to each other. A few minutes later, a police car, ambulance, and fire truck all went racing by. It was definitely a bad accident. I texted a friend who did some research and called me back with the grim news that there was a crash and the freeway was going to be closed until just after 5:30 while they cleared everything. It was right around 4:00 when she called. So I set in to sit in my car for at least an hour and a half.
Well, I wasn't about to get out of my car and wander around, although many others did just that. So I tried to find other ways to entertain myself. First, I made a video of me singing and dancing to "What is Love" by Haddaway. Why? Because it came on and I thought it would be funny. Then I continued to sing along to other songs in my car, and not quietly I might add. I got a few weird looks and that made it worth it. Next I made another Blair Witch Style video which I thought was funny. Both videos can be found on Instagram and Facebook. And finally, I wrote a couple of haikus.
Stuck on the freeway
Making funny videos
I want to go home
Brownies and root beer
Now I really have to pee
There's too many cars
All this managed to kill the time until we got moving again. Now, none of this is meant to make light of a clearly serious accident. I didn't know the severity of the crash, and I still don't despite searching for info online. I hope everyone involved is OK. But like the title of the post says, I was just trying to make the best of this unfortunate situation.
I knew things were bad when we were stopped and the truckers got out of their trucks to talk to each other. A few minutes later, a police car, ambulance, and fire truck all went racing by. It was definitely a bad accident. I texted a friend who did some research and called me back with the grim news that there was a crash and the freeway was going to be closed until just after 5:30 while they cleared everything. It was right around 4:00 when she called. So I set in to sit in my car for at least an hour and a half.
Well, I wasn't about to get out of my car and wander around, although many others did just that. So I tried to find other ways to entertain myself. First, I made a video of me singing and dancing to "What is Love" by Haddaway. Why? Because it came on and I thought it would be funny. Then I continued to sing along to other songs in my car, and not quietly I might add. I got a few weird looks and that made it worth it. Next I made another Blair Witch Style video which I thought was funny. Both videos can be found on Instagram and Facebook. And finally, I wrote a couple of haikus.
Stuck on the freeway
Making funny videos
I want to go home
Brownies and root beer
Now I really have to pee
There's too many cars
All this managed to kill the time until we got moving again. Now, none of this is meant to make light of a clearly serious accident. I didn't know the severity of the crash, and I still don't despite searching for info online. I hope everyone involved is OK. But like the title of the post says, I was just trying to make the best of this unfortunate situation.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Why Buy a Vowel?!
I was watching Wheel of Fortune tonight, and it's been quite a while since I've watched an episode. But I have to say I was getting quite frustrated while watching. The contestants on the show kept buying vowels! I can't figure out why people would give away the money they've earned to buy a letter that may or may not help them solve the puzzle! In my mind, it's a flawed approach. You're making money spinning the wheel and guessing consonants. Don't give it away for vowels.
Now, I know there's some of you out there thinking that vowels can help you solve the puzzle, which helps you keep control of the wheel. And you might say that if you're not spinning you can't go bankrupt or lose your turn. But I'm not buying any of that (pun intended). You should be trying to maximize your winnings, and buying vowels is not the way to do that. If someone can show me a study that proves I'm wrong then I might be willing to concede, but until then, I'm sticking to my guns. And if I ever end up on Wheel of Fortune, I'm not buying any vowels!
Now, I know there's some of you out there thinking that vowels can help you solve the puzzle, which helps you keep control of the wheel. And you might say that if you're not spinning you can't go bankrupt or lose your turn. But I'm not buying any of that (pun intended). You should be trying to maximize your winnings, and buying vowels is not the way to do that. If someone can show me a study that proves I'm wrong then I might be willing to concede, but until then, I'm sticking to my guns. And if I ever end up on Wheel of Fortune, I'm not buying any vowels!
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Totally Geeking Out
I know it's kind of late on a Saturday night and you might be wondering why I'm writing a post right now. But I just had to share my star gazing experience tonight. First, let me say that it overcast and rainy all day long today. So when I drove home after eating dinner with my parents tonight I didn't expect to see a clear sky when I got out of my car. But what a sky I saw! It had completely cleared up and the stars were out in full force. One of my favorite things about living in Tucson is how dark it is, making it great to star gaze. I looked up and saw Orion right away. That is the easiest constellation to spot this time of year. But off in the east was a really bright star. I immediately thought that it was way too bright to be a star. It had to be a planet. So I busted out my planisphere to check what it might be and there should be nothing that bright in that area. My planet theory was starting to make more sense, but I didn't know which planet. My initial guesses were Venus or Jupiter, as they are usually the brightest and easiest planets to spot. So I took to the internet to try to find out more. I came across this guide to the five visible planets in the month of December. http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn-mercury
Jupiter seemed to be the right choice. So I went back outside with my planisphere to do some more research and confirm my assumptions. I lined everything up and sure enough that appeared to be Jupiter smack dab in the middle of Gemini. Even though I don't have a telescope, it was still cool to look at. That is, until I started to feel the fact that it is 40 degrees outside. Then cool became cold and I went back in. And I should clarify, I do have a telescope but I don't have a tripod to set it up on, which makes it hard to use. Any way, if you get a chance to go check it out either tonight or another night, you should. And look for Venus around dusk too!
Here's what I could be seeing if I had a working telescope.
Jupiter seemed to be the right choice. So I went back outside with my planisphere to do some more research and confirm my assumptions. I lined everything up and sure enough that appeared to be Jupiter smack dab in the middle of Gemini. Even though I don't have a telescope, it was still cool to look at. That is, until I started to feel the fact that it is 40 degrees outside. Then cool became cold and I went back in. And I should clarify, I do have a telescope but I don't have a tripod to set it up on, which makes it hard to use. Any way, if you get a chance to go check it out either tonight or another night, you should. And look for Venus around dusk too!
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
TV Characters Who I'm Most Like
As I watch a variety of TV shows I start to notice some similarities between myself and a few of the characters in the shows I watch. I'd like to stress that I don't think these characters are exactly like me or that I'm exactly like them, but there are some characteristics that we share. For those of you who know me well, you may agree or disagree with my view of myself. For those who don't know me well, you may learn something, good or bad, about me. So I present to you my list.
Chandler Bing - Friends
There are many similarities between me and Chandler. First, we both make jokes when we're uncomfortable. I don't know what it is, but it's just easier to give a sarcastic comment or crack a joke in uncomfortable situations. Second, we both have difficulty talking to women. There were many times on the show when Chandler fumbled with his words when talking to women or had issues trying to flirt. That's pretty much my life. Although he ended up marrying a hot chick. Based on recent events I don't see that in my future. But here is a video of Chandler moments. See if you can picture me in any of those situations.
Jerry Seinfeld - Seinfeld
In high school people used to joke that my best friend and I were like George and Jerry from Seinfeld. Not much has changed since then. Much like Jerry, I'm very observant of things around me and like to point out and idiosyncrasies. Also, I have a lot of cereal in my house. And I've been known to make up nicknames for people. These aren't all Jerry quotes in this clip, but see if you can see me in the ones that are.
Sheldon Cooper - Big Bang Theory
There are multiple reasons I think I'm like Sheldon. First, we both love trains. One of my goals in life is to ride a train across country, as well as take various other train rides around the world. I don't collect trains like he does, but I love to ride trains. It's so much fun. Another reason is that back in college I had a routine for my lunches. Each day of the week I had a specific thing to eat for lunch. For example, Wednesdays were ham and cheese sandwich day and Sundays were frozen burrito days. Finally, I know a lot of useless facts much like Sheldon. Unlike Sheldon, however, I don't subject my friends to long stories surrounding those facts. At least I don't think I do. I like to think I just spew out the fact and then I'm done with it. (All the Sheldon videos on YouTube are really long, so I don't want to subject you to those, but if you watch the show, see if you can picture me in it.)
Shawn Spencer - Psych
The main and only reason I think I'm like Shawn is because he makes obscure references to 80s and 90s pop culture. Those of you who have spent any time with me know that I do that a lot. In fact, at the camp I volunteer at some of the other counselors last summer kept a tally for how many references I made that people didn't get.
Well those are the characters that stand out to me as being most similar in at least one fashion to myself. What do you think? Am I really like any of them or is it just in my head?
Chandler Bing - Friends
There are many similarities between me and Chandler. First, we both make jokes when we're uncomfortable. I don't know what it is, but it's just easier to give a sarcastic comment or crack a joke in uncomfortable situations. Second, we both have difficulty talking to women. There were many times on the show when Chandler fumbled with his words when talking to women or had issues trying to flirt. That's pretty much my life. Although he ended up marrying a hot chick. Based on recent events I don't see that in my future. But here is a video of Chandler moments. See if you can picture me in any of those situations.
Jerry Seinfeld - Seinfeld
In high school people used to joke that my best friend and I were like George and Jerry from Seinfeld. Not much has changed since then. Much like Jerry, I'm very observant of things around me and like to point out and idiosyncrasies. Also, I have a lot of cereal in my house. And I've been known to make up nicknames for people. These aren't all Jerry quotes in this clip, but see if you can see me in the ones that are.
Sheldon Cooper - Big Bang Theory
There are multiple reasons I think I'm like Sheldon. First, we both love trains. One of my goals in life is to ride a train across country, as well as take various other train rides around the world. I don't collect trains like he does, but I love to ride trains. It's so much fun. Another reason is that back in college I had a routine for my lunches. Each day of the week I had a specific thing to eat for lunch. For example, Wednesdays were ham and cheese sandwich day and Sundays were frozen burrito days. Finally, I know a lot of useless facts much like Sheldon. Unlike Sheldon, however, I don't subject my friends to long stories surrounding those facts. At least I don't think I do. I like to think I just spew out the fact and then I'm done with it. (All the Sheldon videos on YouTube are really long, so I don't want to subject you to those, but if you watch the show, see if you can picture me in it.)
Shawn Spencer - Psych
The main and only reason I think I'm like Shawn is because he makes obscure references to 80s and 90s pop culture. Those of you who have spent any time with me know that I do that a lot. In fact, at the camp I volunteer at some of the other counselors last summer kept a tally for how many references I made that people didn't get.
Well those are the characters that stand out to me as being most similar in at least one fashion to myself. What do you think? Am I really like any of them or is it just in my head?
Thursday, December 12, 2013
My Guide to Finals Success
As finals descend upon many students and schools across the nation I thought I would be kind enough to share my guide for a successful finals season. While finals are a source for a lot of stress and anxiety for most students, I never felt that way. I always treated it like just another series of tests. And I always fared pretty well. So here are some of my secrets.
1. First, I utilized the library. I love the library at UA. It's quiet and devoid of many of the distractions of home. And for the first couple of years I was there, there was a big hole outside that I could stare into while I studied. It was very calming for some reason. But the bottom line is to find a place that is quiet.
2. Now I didn't spend all of my study time in the library. I did do some at home. And when I was home I always had a jigsaw puzzle going during finals week. Puzzles help me relieve stress. So I would work for an hour or so and then take a puzzle break. It would help calm me down and get me refocused. Then I could go back to studying with the right frame of mind.
3. As you study try to create the frame of mind you want to be in while taking the test. I recommend a calm state of mind. Recall of information is a lot easier when you can recreate the conditions that existed when you learned it. That's why studying in your bed or when you are excessively stressed out isn't a good idea. So if you find yourself excessively stressed, stop, and get yourself calmed down.
4. Eat comfort food. Mine is pasta.
5. Before I went to take any final I would always play the theme to Rocky to pump me up.
Seriously, if that doesn't get you jacked up to go pass your finals I don't know what will.
6. Before going into the classroom I made sure to pick up a Daily Wildcat, the school newspaper. Remember, this was before the time of smart phones. But I would sit and read the paper or do the crossword before the test. I would not do any last minute studying. I figured if I didn't know it by then, I wasn't ever going to know it, so there was no sense stressing myself out trying. Don't think about the test until it gets passed out. Center yourself first.
7. And finally, when all my tests were done I would go home and blast Ode to Joy.
It's a good feeling.
Well, that's it, those are my keys. Will I guarantee that you will pass all your finals if you do these things? No. But I do think they will help. If finals are an especially stressful time for you, maybe it's time you try something new. If nothing else, hopefully this at least puts a smile on your face.
1. First, I utilized the library. I love the library at UA. It's quiet and devoid of many of the distractions of home. And for the first couple of years I was there, there was a big hole outside that I could stare into while I studied. It was very calming for some reason. But the bottom line is to find a place that is quiet.
2. Now I didn't spend all of my study time in the library. I did do some at home. And when I was home I always had a jigsaw puzzle going during finals week. Puzzles help me relieve stress. So I would work for an hour or so and then take a puzzle break. It would help calm me down and get me refocused. Then I could go back to studying with the right frame of mind.
3. As you study try to create the frame of mind you want to be in while taking the test. I recommend a calm state of mind. Recall of information is a lot easier when you can recreate the conditions that existed when you learned it. That's why studying in your bed or when you are excessively stressed out isn't a good idea. So if you find yourself excessively stressed, stop, and get yourself calmed down.
4. Eat comfort food. Mine is pasta.
5. Before I went to take any final I would always play the theme to Rocky to pump me up.
6. Before going into the classroom I made sure to pick up a Daily Wildcat, the school newspaper. Remember, this was before the time of smart phones. But I would sit and read the paper or do the crossword before the test. I would not do any last minute studying. I figured if I didn't know it by then, I wasn't ever going to know it, so there was no sense stressing myself out trying. Don't think about the test until it gets passed out. Center yourself first.
7. And finally, when all my tests were done I would go home and blast Ode to Joy.
Well, that's it, those are my keys. Will I guarantee that you will pass all your finals if you do these things? No. But I do think they will help. If finals are an especially stressful time for you, maybe it's time you try something new. If nothing else, hopefully this at least puts a smile on your face.
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Blanket vs Throw
My mother tried to school me on the difference between a blanket and a throw tonight. I still don't understand. I asked her if she had a blanket I could borrow that would fit a queen bed. She wondered why I didn't have a blanket, and I told her I did, but it wasn't big enough for my bed. She answered, "Oh, so you only have a throw." I was confused and said I just had a small blanket. She tried to tell me that was called a throw. We playfully argued back and forth for a few minutes about it. I still maintain that it is a blanket. In fact, I would say all throws are blankets, but not all blankets are throws.
It's much the same with squares and rectangles. All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. Also, all watches are clocks, but not all clocks are watches. All boulders are rocks, but not all rocks are boulders. It turns into a fun logic game. What other examples can you think of?
It's much the same with squares and rectangles. All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. Also, all watches are clocks, but not all clocks are watches. All boulders are rocks, but not all rocks are boulders. It turns into a fun logic game. What other examples can you think of?
Monday, December 9, 2013
Full House Episode Trends
I've been watching a lot of Full House lately, and I've noticed a few trends across the episodes. Before you judge me for watching copious episodes of Full House, I recommend you give it a shot. It really is a good show, and it was on for eight years so people must have liked it for a reason. But for as long as it ran, they managed to recycle a lot of ideas. Here are just a few that I noticed.
The Episode Where One of the Girls Gets Mad at Joey or Uncle Jessie and Refuses to Talk to Him Ever Again
This one has been done a lot. There was the time Joey grounded DJ and she got mad. There was the time Stephanie thought Joey threw away Mr. Bear and got mad. There was the time Uncle Jessie yelled at DJ for taping over his jingle and she got mad. There was the time Joey sent Michelle to the Principal's office and she got mad. There was the time Uncle Jessie was mean to Michelle and she got mad. I think you get the picture. No matter what happened to make the girls mad, though, everything resolved itself by the end of the episode and there was a lot of hugging.
The Episode Where DJ has to Have a Big Sister Talk with Stephanie or Michelle
Every now and then there is a crisis that Danny, Joey, or Uncle Jessie can't handle. That's where DJ steps in. There was the time Stephanie was upset because she had to bring Joey to a mother daughter sleepover. There was time DJ wanted to move into her own room and Stephanie got upset. There was the time Stephanie was going to go out joy riding and DJ had to intervene. I'm sure there were some episodes with Michelle too, but I can't remember them. Again, the episodes ended in hugging.
The Episode Where Uncle Jessie Feels Old or Apprehensive
There was the time when Uncle Jessie tried to relive his glory days as Doctor Dare. There was the time he didn't think his music career was going to pan out to anything. Actually, there were a lot of those times. There was the time where he actually just felt apprehensive. Again, the rest of the family made him feel better and then they hugged.
The Episode Where They Reminisce About Pam
These episodes are typically on the more sad side, but at least once each season there is an episode where they reminisce. You can probably guess what happens at the end of the episode.
The Episode Where the Family or Someone in the Family Gets to do Something Only Because They are a TV Family
Sometimes TV families get to do things that most normal families wouldn't ever have the opportunity or luck to do. Like the time DJ won a night with the Beach Boys and the whole family ended up on stage. In fact, the Beach Boys made a few appearances and even jammed with them in the basement. There was also the time the family ended up in a parade at Disney World. And the time Danny and Becky hosted the pregame show at the Super Bowl. And, again, more hugging.
I could keep going but I think you get the point. But don't let this deter you from watching the show. It really is good.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Greatest Sports Finishes of All Time
After this past weekend's Iron Bowl finish, there has been a lot of discussion about great sports finishes. As an avid sports fan I felt it necessary to get my two cents in as well. Obviously the discussion has to start with great college football finishes, but I wanted to discuss great finishes in other sports also. The issue becomes how we discuss the plays across sports. I'm not sure there is an answer to that, but at least I can go sport by sport and list what I think are the greatest finishes in each sport.
NCAA Football
Iron Bowl 2013 - This instantly makes the list as 109 yard missed field goal returns for touchdowns to end a game don't happen every day. Or even every decade for that matter! I can honestly say I will always remember where I was when watching this game. Unbelievable stuff, especially when you consider the magnitude of the game.
Stanford-Cal - The band is on the field! The band is on the field! I don't even think I need to say anymore about this one. Probably the craziest finish to a game ever.
NCAA Basketball
There are a lot of games to choose from here, mostly because the NCAA tournament provides so many opportunities for buzzer beaters. I chose game magnitude as a way to differentiate between the many choices.
1983 NC State - Lorenzo Charles' dunk off an airballed shot attempt by Dereck Whittenburg won the National Championship for NC State. It's one of the more indelible images in the history of the sport.
Christian Laettner beats Kentucky - Every time I watch this highlight I still can't believe that this play actually worked. Knock it down! It was an incredible play and incredible shot that sent Duke to the Final Four. It's quite possibly the pinnacle of buzzer beaters in college basketball.
Tyus Edney coast to coast - I'm including this one because I remember watching it and growing up in LA, this was the biggest of deals. It helped propel UCLA to a national title. And it's one of my favorite sports moments.
NFL
The Catch - Montana to Clark in the back of the end zone. We've all seen the highlight. We all can't believe the pass made it to Dwight Clark. But it did and it will go down in history. Plus it was against the Cowboys and I always love seeing them lose.
Immaculate Reception - If you watch the highlight of the play even the announcer gave up on it initially until he saw Franco Harris running down the sideline. Talk about a fortunate bounce and an amazing way to end a game.
Music City Miracle - This one gets an honorable mention because it caught everyone off guard, from the Buffalo Bills to the fans. Some will still argue that it was a forward pass, but no one can doubt that it was an incredible finish.
NBA
The Shot - Jordan's shot over Craig Ehlo is one of the lasting images of the NBA. It probably also started the legend that is Michael Jordan.
Magic Johnson's skyhook - A game winning shot against your arch rival in the NBA finals over three of the tallest players on the court. It doesn't get more clutch than that. Another indelible image in NBA history.
MLB
The Shot Heard Round the World - The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! Bobby Thompson's home run off of Ralph Branca in a one game playoff to determine the NL champion is one the most iconic home runs of all time. And it's also one of the most iconic calls of all time as well.
Kirk Gibson - He could barely walk, let alone hit. He wasn't even on the bench for most of the game. There is no way this should have ever happened. But it did. And when Gibson launched a 3-2 slider from Dennis Eckersley into the Los Angeles night he became the author of, what I think, is THE greatest sports finish ever.
So this is my list. It is in no particular order and I'm not attempting at this point to compare plays across sports. Although, Gibson's homer has to be number one. I know I've left a lot of great finishes off the list, so please tell me what I forgot. And if you have thoughts about cross sports rankings, please share those as well.
NCAA Football
Iron Bowl 2013 - This instantly makes the list as 109 yard missed field goal returns for touchdowns to end a game don't happen every day. Or even every decade for that matter! I can honestly say I will always remember where I was when watching this game. Unbelievable stuff, especially when you consider the magnitude of the game.
Stanford-Cal - The band is on the field! The band is on the field! I don't even think I need to say anymore about this one. Probably the craziest finish to a game ever.
NCAA Basketball
There are a lot of games to choose from here, mostly because the NCAA tournament provides so many opportunities for buzzer beaters. I chose game magnitude as a way to differentiate between the many choices.
1983 NC State - Lorenzo Charles' dunk off an airballed shot attempt by Dereck Whittenburg won the National Championship for NC State. It's one of the more indelible images in the history of the sport.
Christian Laettner beats Kentucky - Every time I watch this highlight I still can't believe that this play actually worked. Knock it down! It was an incredible play and incredible shot that sent Duke to the Final Four. It's quite possibly the pinnacle of buzzer beaters in college basketball.
Tyus Edney coast to coast - I'm including this one because I remember watching it and growing up in LA, this was the biggest of deals. It helped propel UCLA to a national title. And it's one of my favorite sports moments.
NFL
The Catch - Montana to Clark in the back of the end zone. We've all seen the highlight. We all can't believe the pass made it to Dwight Clark. But it did and it will go down in history. Plus it was against the Cowboys and I always love seeing them lose.
Immaculate Reception - If you watch the highlight of the play even the announcer gave up on it initially until he saw Franco Harris running down the sideline. Talk about a fortunate bounce and an amazing way to end a game.
Music City Miracle - This one gets an honorable mention because it caught everyone off guard, from the Buffalo Bills to the fans. Some will still argue that it was a forward pass, but no one can doubt that it was an incredible finish.
NBA
The Shot - Jordan's shot over Craig Ehlo is one of the lasting images of the NBA. It probably also started the legend that is Michael Jordan.
Magic Johnson's skyhook - A game winning shot against your arch rival in the NBA finals over three of the tallest players on the court. It doesn't get more clutch than that. Another indelible image in NBA history.
MLB
The Shot Heard Round the World - The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! Bobby Thompson's home run off of Ralph Branca in a one game playoff to determine the NL champion is one the most iconic home runs of all time. And it's also one of the most iconic calls of all time as well.
Kirk Gibson - He could barely walk, let alone hit. He wasn't even on the bench for most of the game. There is no way this should have ever happened. But it did. And when Gibson launched a 3-2 slider from Dennis Eckersley into the Los Angeles night he became the author of, what I think, is THE greatest sports finish ever.
So this is my list. It is in no particular order and I'm not attempting at this point to compare plays across sports. Although, Gibson's homer has to be number one. I know I've left a lot of great finishes off the list, so please tell me what I forgot. And if you have thoughts about cross sports rankings, please share those as well.
Sunday, December 1, 2013
I'm Having Fun and I Don't Care What You Think!
I've decided recently that I am going to do things that are I think are fun despite what people may think of me. Now, I know what you're thinking, I've always done that. But I've really held a lot back because I was afraid of what people might think. I've always been a quirky guy. I know a wealth of useless information. I love reading interesting online articles on a variety of subjects from history to science to current events. I collect pins. I want to bring back the woolly mammoth. I love going to museums and zoos and even libraries. I know at least a dozen different versions of solitaire. The list goes on. And for much of my life I've let the weird looks and eye rolls hold me back. But no more! I just need to do more things that are fun and make me smile. And if other people don't get it or want to judge me, then that's their problem. I want people to like me because of my quirks, not in spite of them.
So all those articles and videos that I've held back sharing before, will now be shared. That's why I actually started making the singing lunchbox videos instead of letting the idea die in my head. (If you don't know what those are, try following me on Instagram, and look for them to make their Facebook debut soon.) And this is why I'm deciding to make all my Facebook posts for the next month song lyrics. I just think it will be fun to do. And next month I think I might do movie quotes. As an extra added twist I plan on inviting people to guess the song and movie that the quotes come from, just to try to spread the fun. I honestly don't expect many people to participate, if any do at all. I have also decided to start on ongoing game of License Plate Bingo. I want to see how long it takes me to find all fifty states. Anyone who would like to join me in this game and make it a competition, let me know. I know it sounds silly, but it also sounds fun.
And that's what I'm all about right now, having fun. I need to make myself smile more, and the only way I know how to do that is by being my quirky self. I hope that some of you will appreciate that, but can understand if you don't. And feel free to join me in some of my wackiness and play along with some of my games if you so desire. And if you think anything I'm doing is silly or stupid, you're probably right, but I don't care because I'm doing it because it makes me smile. Hopefully it will make a few of you smile as well.
So all those articles and videos that I've held back sharing before, will now be shared. That's why I actually started making the singing lunchbox videos instead of letting the idea die in my head. (If you don't know what those are, try following me on Instagram, and look for them to make their Facebook debut soon.) And this is why I'm deciding to make all my Facebook posts for the next month song lyrics. I just think it will be fun to do. And next month I think I might do movie quotes. As an extra added twist I plan on inviting people to guess the song and movie that the quotes come from, just to try to spread the fun. I honestly don't expect many people to participate, if any do at all. I have also decided to start on ongoing game of License Plate Bingo. I want to see how long it takes me to find all fifty states. Anyone who would like to join me in this game and make it a competition, let me know. I know it sounds silly, but it also sounds fun.
And that's what I'm all about right now, having fun. I need to make myself smile more, and the only way I know how to do that is by being my quirky self. I hope that some of you will appreciate that, but can understand if you don't. And feel free to join me in some of my wackiness and play along with some of my games if you so desire. And if you think anything I'm doing is silly or stupid, you're probably right, but I don't care because I'm doing it because it makes me smile. Hopefully it will make a few of you smile as well.
Friday, November 29, 2013
James Bond Film Rankings
In honor of the James Bond marathon taking place this weekend, a tradition that I partake in just about every Thanksgiving, I've decided to put together a ranking of the 23 Bond films. Let me stress that these rankings are just a personal opinion. So if you don't agree, that's fine. I'm always up for a good discussion so let me know where you think I screwed up. But let's get to it.
1. Goldfinger
This is the best and probably most well known Bond movie. Everything about this movie is great. The villain, the girl, the story, the action, it's all awesome.
2. Thunderball
This is another great film. Even audiences think so, as this film, when adjusted for inflation, is the highest grossing Bond of all time. Plus, this movie has my favorite Bond girl, Domino. She is absolutely gorgeous.
3. Dr. No
Being the first Bond this film has some flaws, but it holds together really well and is a good introduction to the franchise. We get a quality villain and good story.
4. Skyfall
This has been by far the best of the Daniel Craig Bond movies. And it is one of the best overall Bond movies as well. Everything about it was absolutely entertaining.
5. The Spy Who Loved Me
The best of the Roger Moore Bond films. Great chemistry between Bond and XXX. Yes, the Bond girl's name in this film is Agent XXX. Plus, we are introduced to one of the greatest henchmen in this film, Jaws.
6. From Russia With Love
For some reason this film rarely plays on TV. And it's a shame because it is one of the better Bonds. In fact, this is Sean Connery's favorite Bond film.
7. Casino Royale
The first Daniel Craig offering is very good and highly entertaining. A great start to a new series in the franchise.
8. Live and Let Die
As the first in the Roger Moore series, this film is admittedly silly. But the action is really good and Solitaire, the main Bond girl, is gorgeous. Plus, it has arguably the best title song.
9. You Only Live Twice
This film features the first appearance of Blofeld's face. It also features Charles Gray, a future Blofeld, in a different role, which always confuses me when I watch this movie. While this film is still good, you can tell that Sean Connery was getting disinterested in the role. He is still the best, though.
10. The Man with the Golden Gun
This film is widely panned as one of the worst Bond films. While I understand the issues critics have with it, I still find it entertaining. I like the dynamic between Bond and Scaramanga.
11. Moonraker
Another silly Bond that seems very much inspired by the success of Star Wars. This film marks the return of Jaws and features another favorite Bond girl of mine, Dr. Holly Goodhead.
12. Goldeneye
The first and best of the Pierce Brosnan Bond films, this was a welcome return after the disaster that was Timothy Dalton. I have mixed feelings about Brosnan as Bond, but this was a good film.
13. Diamonds are Forever
This marked Connery's return to the role after a one film hiatus. It's not his best work, but it holds up OK.
14. For Your Eyes Only
I like the villain in this film and some of the action scenes are very good, but there's something about this movie that just seems flat.
15. Octopussy
As a kid I loved this movie, but as an adult I see how ridiculous it is. Bond is a clown, literally, in this movie. The Bond girls, however, are top notch and make up for some of the shortcomings.
16. A View to a Kill
Christopher Walken is at his over the top finest as the villain in this film. But Roger Moore feels too old to play Bond. This is still a watchable movie, but it could have been better.
17. Quantum of Solace
My biggest issue with this movie is that it is difficult to watch as a stand alone film. You almost have to watch Casino Royale right before watching this, which seems to go against the pattern of the Bond films. Don't get me wrong, it's a good movie, but I have to rank it lower because of the sequel issue.
18. Tomorrow Never Dies
This isn't a bad movie, but it isn't very good either. Brosnan is still pretty good as Bond, but we start to see the issues that plague the final two Brosnan films creep into this one.
19. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Plot wise, this movie is OK. But I can't get past the staleness of George Lazenby's Bond.
20. The World is Not Enough
Three words: Dr. Christmas Jones. There was very little to like about this movie.
21. Die Another Day
There was even less to like about this one. This was awful and in all honesty may very well be the worst of the Bond films. It's a shame that Brosnan had to go out like that.
22. and 23. License to Kill and The Living Daylights
How do you judge either of these films as being worse than the other? Timothy Dalton is by far the worst Bond and he makes these movies altogether unwatchable. Story, villain, and Bond girl wise, they may not be the worst, but Dalton is and these have to be ranked last.
Well, I hope you enjoyed my list, and are enjoying the marathon that is on. I know I am.
1. Goldfinger
This is the best and probably most well known Bond movie. Everything about this movie is great. The villain, the girl, the story, the action, it's all awesome.
2. Thunderball
This is another great film. Even audiences think so, as this film, when adjusted for inflation, is the highest grossing Bond of all time. Plus, this movie has my favorite Bond girl, Domino. She is absolutely gorgeous.
3. Dr. No
Being the first Bond this film has some flaws, but it holds together really well and is a good introduction to the franchise. We get a quality villain and good story.
4. Skyfall
This has been by far the best of the Daniel Craig Bond movies. And it is one of the best overall Bond movies as well. Everything about it was absolutely entertaining.
5. The Spy Who Loved Me
The best of the Roger Moore Bond films. Great chemistry between Bond and XXX. Yes, the Bond girl's name in this film is Agent XXX. Plus, we are introduced to one of the greatest henchmen in this film, Jaws.
6. From Russia With Love
For some reason this film rarely plays on TV. And it's a shame because it is one of the better Bonds. In fact, this is Sean Connery's favorite Bond film.
7. Casino Royale
The first Daniel Craig offering is very good and highly entertaining. A great start to a new series in the franchise.
8. Live and Let Die
As the first in the Roger Moore series, this film is admittedly silly. But the action is really good and Solitaire, the main Bond girl, is gorgeous. Plus, it has arguably the best title song.
9. You Only Live Twice
This film features the first appearance of Blofeld's face. It also features Charles Gray, a future Blofeld, in a different role, which always confuses me when I watch this movie. While this film is still good, you can tell that Sean Connery was getting disinterested in the role. He is still the best, though.
10. The Man with the Golden Gun
This film is widely panned as one of the worst Bond films. While I understand the issues critics have with it, I still find it entertaining. I like the dynamic between Bond and Scaramanga.
11. Moonraker
Another silly Bond that seems very much inspired by the success of Star Wars. This film marks the return of Jaws and features another favorite Bond girl of mine, Dr. Holly Goodhead.
12. Goldeneye
The first and best of the Pierce Brosnan Bond films, this was a welcome return after the disaster that was Timothy Dalton. I have mixed feelings about Brosnan as Bond, but this was a good film.
13. Diamonds are Forever
This marked Connery's return to the role after a one film hiatus. It's not his best work, but it holds up OK.
14. For Your Eyes Only
I like the villain in this film and some of the action scenes are very good, but there's something about this movie that just seems flat.
15. Octopussy
As a kid I loved this movie, but as an adult I see how ridiculous it is. Bond is a clown, literally, in this movie. The Bond girls, however, are top notch and make up for some of the shortcomings.
16. A View to a Kill
Christopher Walken is at his over the top finest as the villain in this film. But Roger Moore feels too old to play Bond. This is still a watchable movie, but it could have been better.
17. Quantum of Solace
My biggest issue with this movie is that it is difficult to watch as a stand alone film. You almost have to watch Casino Royale right before watching this, which seems to go against the pattern of the Bond films. Don't get me wrong, it's a good movie, but I have to rank it lower because of the sequel issue.
18. Tomorrow Never Dies
This isn't a bad movie, but it isn't very good either. Brosnan is still pretty good as Bond, but we start to see the issues that plague the final two Brosnan films creep into this one.
19. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Plot wise, this movie is OK. But I can't get past the staleness of George Lazenby's Bond.
20. The World is Not Enough
Three words: Dr. Christmas Jones. There was very little to like about this movie.
21. Die Another Day
There was even less to like about this one. This was awful and in all honesty may very well be the worst of the Bond films. It's a shame that Brosnan had to go out like that.
22. and 23. License to Kill and The Living Daylights
How do you judge either of these films as being worse than the other? Timothy Dalton is by far the worst Bond and he makes these movies altogether unwatchable. Story, villain, and Bond girl wise, they may not be the worst, but Dalton is and these have to be ranked last.
Well, I hope you enjoyed my list, and are enjoying the marathon that is on. I know I am.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
My Thanksgiving Playlist
As I was driving home from work today I started thinking that there aren't really any Thanksgiving songs, at least none that I'm aware of. So I thought it would be fun to put together a Thanksgiving playlist based on the songs on my iPod. I didn't really put the songs on here based on their content. I really just looked at the title. So in all reality many of these songs have no relevance to Thanksgiving other than a title. So here's my list:
"Be Our Guest" - Beauty and the Beast soundtrack
This one seems the most fitting for obvious reasons.
"Hungry Eyes" - Eric Carmen
Seeing all the food definitely gives me hungry eyes.
"Sweet Potato Pie" - Domino
This song really isn't about pie.
"Flava in Ya Ear" - Craig Mack
I prefer the flavor to be in my mouth, but still.
"November Rain" - Guns N Roses
Thanksgiving is in November after all, and sometimes it rains.
"Holiday" - Madonna
What? It's a holiday!
"Honey" - Mariah Carey
Honey seems like an appropriate Thanksgiving Day food.
"Hungry Heart" - Bruce Springsteen
Much like having hungry eyes, when you love the food you get a hungry heart too.
"Hunger Strike" - Temple of the Dog
Hopefully, you're not on one during Thanksgiving.
"I Want it All" - Warren G
All the food, that is!
"Peaches and Cream" - 112
This sounds like a good dessert.
"Juicy" - Notorious BIG
The turkey is juicy!
Again, these are just songs that I pulled from my iPod. I'm sure there are more fitting ones, so feel free to share what songs you think should be included.
"Be Our Guest" - Beauty and the Beast soundtrack
This one seems the most fitting for obvious reasons.
"Hungry Eyes" - Eric Carmen
Seeing all the food definitely gives me hungry eyes.
"Sweet Potato Pie" - Domino
This song really isn't about pie.
"Flava in Ya Ear" - Craig Mack
I prefer the flavor to be in my mouth, but still.
"November Rain" - Guns N Roses
Thanksgiving is in November after all, and sometimes it rains.
"Holiday" - Madonna
What? It's a holiday!
"Honey" - Mariah Carey
Honey seems like an appropriate Thanksgiving Day food.
"Hungry Heart" - Bruce Springsteen
Much like having hungry eyes, when you love the food you get a hungry heart too.
"Hunger Strike" - Temple of the Dog
Hopefully, you're not on one during Thanksgiving.
"I Want it All" - Warren G
All the food, that is!
"Peaches and Cream" - 112
This sounds like a good dessert.
"Juicy" - Notorious BIG
The turkey is juicy!
Again, these are just songs that I pulled from my iPod. I'm sure there are more fitting ones, so feel free to share what songs you think should be included.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Why Do We Listen to Sad Songs When We're Sad?
You know those times when you're feeling sad or depressed? Do you ever listen to music to make you feel better? If you're anything like me you do. Except, I realize that I tend to listen to sad music when I'm sad. The songs don't necessarily make me feel better, but exacerbate the feelings of sadness. I can't imagine I'm the only one who does this. In fact, I know I'm not. But it got me thinking why we do that. I mean I have a full playlist on my iPod that I will play just when I'm feeling down. These are some of my go to songs when I feel sad.
TLC - "What About Your Friends"
Soul Asylum - "Misery"
2Pac - "Me Against the World"
Big Boi - "Tremendous Damage"
Smokey Robinson - "Tracks of my Tears"
Because I have these songs on my iPod they sometimes come up when I shuffle all, even if I'm not listening to that specific playlist. But if I'm not sad I don't necessarily want to listen to them because they make me sad. So I started to wonder why I listen to these songs when I'm already feeling sad because they don't make me feel less sad. It's really a backwards way of doing things. I do the same thing when I'm angry. I have a playlist full of angry songs that just fuel my anger. I think, though, that I, and perhaps we, do this because I feel like the artists can relate to how I'm feeling at the time and it's nice to know that others have felt the same way. At least I think that may be why I do this. What do you think? All in all, I'd probably be better served listening to songs like this when feeling down to try to pick me up.
Bobby McFerrin - "Don't Worry, Be Happy"
Aqua - "Happy Boys and Girls"
I probably won't though, because during times of sadness it often feels easier to wallow in my misery than to try to get out of it. Who knows, though, maybe just writing this post will inspire me to do something different. And maybe it will inspire you to do the same.
TLC - "What About Your Friends"
Soul Asylum - "Misery"
2Pac - "Me Against the World"
Big Boi - "Tremendous Damage"
Smokey Robinson - "Tracks of my Tears"
Because I have these songs on my iPod they sometimes come up when I shuffle all, even if I'm not listening to that specific playlist. But if I'm not sad I don't necessarily want to listen to them because they make me sad. So I started to wonder why I listen to these songs when I'm already feeling sad because they don't make me feel less sad. It's really a backwards way of doing things. I do the same thing when I'm angry. I have a playlist full of angry songs that just fuel my anger. I think, though, that I, and perhaps we, do this because I feel like the artists can relate to how I'm feeling at the time and it's nice to know that others have felt the same way. At least I think that may be why I do this. What do you think? All in all, I'd probably be better served listening to songs like this when feeling down to try to pick me up.
Bobby McFerrin - "Don't Worry, Be Happy"
Aqua - "Happy Boys and Girls"
I probably won't though, because during times of sadness it often feels easier to wallow in my misery than to try to get out of it. Who knows, though, maybe just writing this post will inspire me to do something different. And maybe it will inspire you to do the same.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Enhancing My Creativity
Every day I try to go for a walk around campus while at work. I do this for two reasons. First, to add a little bit of exercise to my day so I'm not just sitting at a desk for eight hours. And second, to break up the monotony of my day by giving myself something new to think about each day. This helps me continue to think creatively.
I've read multiple books by Keith Sawyer, a creativity researcher. His latest book. Zig Zag, details eight steps to enhancing creativity. I highly recommend it if you get a chance. One of the things he talks about in the book is that in order to think creatively when you need to you can't restrict yourself to only think creatively at those times. You have to practice creativity and constantly train your creativity, much like your muscles and your education. Step three of this process is Look. This step challenges you to look differently at various things.
So I've decided to use my daily walks as a way to Look differently. Every day I challenge myself to look for something different and try to do something with what I've found.
- Some days I try to look for different shapes and notice where I see those shapes and try to determine if there is a pattern to where I see the shapes. (In case you were wondering, there are very few circles to be found at UA.)
- Some days i give myself a particular color to look for and pay attention to all the places I see that color.
- Some days I notice all the people who are using their phone and try to create stories for each of them about what they are saying, texting, listening to.
- The other day I tried something new and tried to look for random letters. At the end of the walk I took those random letters and tried to create different phrases and words.
Invariably, I often find myself distracted by other things along my way only to find myself finding something that triggers my mind back to my goal. It's a really a fun way to spend 20 minutes a day. And it's a challenge to come up with new things every day to challenge myself with. But ultimately, I think it helps keep me thinking creatively more consistently.
I've read multiple books by Keith Sawyer, a creativity researcher. His latest book. Zig Zag, details eight steps to enhancing creativity. I highly recommend it if you get a chance. One of the things he talks about in the book is that in order to think creatively when you need to you can't restrict yourself to only think creatively at those times. You have to practice creativity and constantly train your creativity, much like your muscles and your education. Step three of this process is Look. This step challenges you to look differently at various things.
So I've decided to use my daily walks as a way to Look differently. Every day I challenge myself to look for something different and try to do something with what I've found.
- Some days I try to look for different shapes and notice where I see those shapes and try to determine if there is a pattern to where I see the shapes. (In case you were wondering, there are very few circles to be found at UA.)
- Some days i give myself a particular color to look for and pay attention to all the places I see that color.
- Some days I notice all the people who are using their phone and try to create stories for each of them about what they are saying, texting, listening to.
- The other day I tried something new and tried to look for random letters. At the end of the walk I took those random letters and tried to create different phrases and words.
Invariably, I often find myself distracted by other things along my way only to find myself finding something that triggers my mind back to my goal. It's a really a fun way to spend 20 minutes a day. And it's a challenge to come up with new things every day to challenge myself with. But ultimately, I think it helps keep me thinking creatively more consistently.
Monday, November 18, 2013
My Pet Peeves - Things People Say
There are some things that people say that really drive me up the wall. I'm here today to share those sayings, and hopefully influence you to stop saying them. Of course, in reality, some of you will probably just say them more when you're around me just to drive me nuts. Well, that's a risk I'm willing to take.
1. Starfish
This may sound silly, but THEY'RE NOT FISH! I hate it when people refer to starfish. The proper nomenclature is Sea Star. I understand the need to call everything in the ocean a fish, but just stop it! SEA STAR! Learn it!
2. Muscle Memory
OK, let's get this straight, muscles don't have memories. So stop referring to muscle memory. It just doesn't exist, and frankly it sounds stupid. Again, just stop it.
3. Could care less
If you "could care less" about something that means you do care. If you want to show that you don't care about something the correct phrase is "couldn't care less". Think about it. It makes sense. If you already care as less as possible then you couldn't care less than that. If you could that would mean you exhibit some form of caring already. So all you have to do is start using that extra contraction to show how little you care.
4. Funner
I know this is technically a word, but I hate it. It just doesn't sound right. In fact, I think it sounds stupid. I prefer to use "more fun" when talking about something that is more fun than something else. Funner just sounds ignorant to me. But, again, I know it's a word so I can't hate people too much for using it. But I will.
And then there's this:
Supposably? Supposedly? I know the difference, but do you? This one actually makes me laugh more than it frustrates me. I attribute that to Friends.
But what about you? What phrases or things people say drive you bonkers?
1. Starfish
This may sound silly, but THEY'RE NOT FISH! I hate it when people refer to starfish. The proper nomenclature is Sea Star. I understand the need to call everything in the ocean a fish, but just stop it! SEA STAR! Learn it!
2. Muscle Memory
OK, let's get this straight, muscles don't have memories. So stop referring to muscle memory. It just doesn't exist, and frankly it sounds stupid. Again, just stop it.
3. Could care less
If you "could care less" about something that means you do care. If you want to show that you don't care about something the correct phrase is "couldn't care less". Think about it. It makes sense. If you already care as less as possible then you couldn't care less than that. If you could that would mean you exhibit some form of caring already. So all you have to do is start using that extra contraction to show how little you care.
4. Funner
I know this is technically a word, but I hate it. It just doesn't sound right. In fact, I think it sounds stupid. I prefer to use "more fun" when talking about something that is more fun than something else. Funner just sounds ignorant to me. But, again, I know it's a word so I can't hate people too much for using it. But I will.
And then there's this:
Supposably? Supposedly? I know the difference, but do you? This one actually makes me laugh more than it frustrates me. I attribute that to Friends.
But what about you? What phrases or things people say drive you bonkers?
Saturday, November 16, 2013
TV Theme Songs That Constantly Play in My Head
Do you ever go through your day and just start singing or humming a random song? I'm sure you do. It's pretty normal. But do you ever get random TV themes stuck in your head? I do. And most of them are older shows, some of which I haven't watched in years. Why the theme song is constantly in my head, I may never know. But this is a list of the most popular themes that play in my head.
The first theme on the list should come as no surprise to those who know me. It's The A-Team. This really should just be my theme song because I listen to it and hum it so much.
The next song that I find myself singing regularly is a little bit more obscure. It's the theme song to Dragnet. I haven't seen this show in ages, but for some reason the theme song has stayed with me.
Up next we have The Little Rascals. Even though this show is older, I feel like the theme song is pretty well known to most. Well, maybe not. I'm just trying to make myself seem less odd.
This next one is a little more current, but not by much. It's Duck Tales. Those who grew up with the Disney Afternoons can probably understand this one.
Finally, we have a classic 80s sitcom
I'll admit that I have many of these songs on my iPod which could be why I get them in my head. But they play in my head constantly and I find myself humming them while working just about everyday. I can't explain why, but they usually make me smile so I'm good with it.
The first theme on the list should come as no surprise to those who know me. It's The A-Team. This really should just be my theme song because I listen to it and hum it so much.
The next song that I find myself singing regularly is a little bit more obscure. It's the theme song to Dragnet. I haven't seen this show in ages, but for some reason the theme song has stayed with me.
Up next we have The Little Rascals. Even though this show is older, I feel like the theme song is pretty well known to most. Well, maybe not. I'm just trying to make myself seem less odd.
This next one is a little more current, but not by much. It's Duck Tales. Those who grew up with the Disney Afternoons can probably understand this one.
Finally, we have a classic 80s sitcom
I'll admit that I have many of these songs on my iPod which could be why I get them in my head. But they play in my head constantly and I find myself humming them while working just about everyday. I can't explain why, but they usually make me smile so I'm good with it.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Things I'm Thankful For
Today at work we had a Thanksgiving potluck. While we feasting we went around the room and said what we were thankful for. I shared a few things, but there are many more. I know over the next few weeks there will be many posts like this, but my list will probably be much more enjoyable for you to read. So, without further ado, here it is.
Root Beer
Pie
The A-Team
Natalie Portman
Space Mountain
In-n-Out
Baseball
My car
My pins
Natalie Portman
Star Wars
Magilla Gorilla
Time Machines
Bobbleheads
Grand Canyon
Jurassic Park
Secret Squirrel
James Bond
Mystery Novels
Zoos
Museums
High Fives
Natalie Portman
Grape Ape
Disneyland
Slurpees
Slinky's
The University of Arizona
College Basketball
Twinkies
Natalie Portman
Ice Cream
Marvin Gaye
Beyonce
Goofy
Being able to see the Wright Brothers plane!
Phillie Phanatic
Ding Dongs
Groundhog Day
Animaniacs
Lasagna
Natalie Portman
Funny videos on YouTube
Churros
Having close friends that I can count on (although, I wish they lived closer)
French Fries
Gummi Bears (the candy and the cartoon)
Reese's Pieces
E.T.
Moose (especially ones on the loose drinking juice)
Platypuses
Hula Hoops
Marbles
Hammer Pants
Old School Hip Hop
Natalie Portman
Trivia
Saved by the Bell
Legos
Waffles
Milkshakes
Candyland
Shark Week
Koalas
Quelf
Quick Draw McGraw
Baywatch
Natalie Portman
Writing
Arizona Camp Sunrise and Sidekicks
Bacon
Frozen Yogurt
Rainbow Sprinkles
IMAX Theaters
Looking like Brad Pitt
The Godfather
Die Hard
Natalie Portman
Family (even though they forget about me and drive me nuts)
This really is just a small sampling of the things I'm thankful for. I hope you enjoyed reading. Feel free to share a list of your own.
Root Beer
Pie
The A-Team
Natalie Portman
Space Mountain
In-n-Out
Baseball
My car
My pins
Natalie Portman
Star Wars
Magilla Gorilla
Time Machines
Bobbleheads
Grand Canyon
Jurassic Park
Secret Squirrel
James Bond
Mystery Novels
Zoos
Museums
High Fives
Natalie Portman
Grape Ape
Disneyland
Slurpees
Slinky's
The University of Arizona
College Basketball
Twinkies
Natalie Portman
Ice Cream
Marvin Gaye
Beyonce
Goofy
Being able to see the Wright Brothers plane!
Phillie Phanatic
Ding Dongs
Groundhog Day
Animaniacs
Lasagna
Natalie Portman
Funny videos on YouTube
Churros
Having close friends that I can count on (although, I wish they lived closer)
French Fries
Gummi Bears (the candy and the cartoon)
Reese's Pieces
E.T.
Moose (especially ones on the loose drinking juice)
Platypuses
Hula Hoops
Marbles
Hammer Pants
Old School Hip Hop
Natalie Portman
Trivia
Saved by the Bell
Legos
Waffles
Milkshakes
Candyland
Shark Week
Koalas
Quelf
Quick Draw McGraw
Baywatch
Natalie Portman
Writing
Arizona Camp Sunrise and Sidekicks
Bacon
Frozen Yogurt
Rainbow Sprinkles
IMAX Theaters
Looking like Brad Pitt
The Godfather
Die Hard
Natalie Portman
Family (even though they forget about me and drive me nuts)
This really is just a small sampling of the things I'm thankful for. I hope you enjoyed reading. Feel free to share a list of your own.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
The Greatest Scene in Movie History
A couple weeks ago I got into a conversation with some coworkers about the greatest scene in movie history. To me, it's a no-brainer. There is one clear cut winner. But I like to debate and I'm open to hearing what others have to say. Unfortunately, this conversation was left with an "I'll have to think about it" and we never got back to it. But I thought it would be a good idea for a post. I even asked a friend of mine, who's an avid movie fan, for some of his suggestions. He gave a lot of good ideas, none of which I thought could top mine. When thinking about this post I thought about making a list of the top five greatest scenes, but upon compiling the I realized the difficulty of crossing genres, drama versus humor, dialogue versus cinematography, and so on. In the end I thought it best to just showcase the scene which I think is clearly the best of all time.
The baptism scene from The Godfather is absolutely perfect. The dichotomy of the two worlds portrayed, the church and the mafia, reflects the perpetual struggle of good vs evil. It also represents the conflict that Michael Corleone will struggle with as the new godfather. As he is publicly renouncing Satan and his sins, men are carrying out hits that he authorized in order to right the wrongs against his family. It is such a powerful blend of imagery. In my opinion, this is hands down the greatest scene in movie history. I welcome your arguments and suggestions. Did I get it right? If not, what do you think is the greatest scene? Please share.
The baptism scene from The Godfather is absolutely perfect. The dichotomy of the two worlds portrayed, the church and the mafia, reflects the perpetual struggle of good vs evil. It also represents the conflict that Michael Corleone will struggle with as the new godfather. As he is publicly renouncing Satan and his sins, men are carrying out hits that he authorized in order to right the wrongs against his family. It is such a powerful blend of imagery. In my opinion, this is hands down the greatest scene in movie history. I welcome your arguments and suggestions. Did I get it right? If not, what do you think is the greatest scene? Please share.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
I'm Tired...
I'm tired right now. I'm tired of a lot of things. I'm tired of being a nice person and then being made to feel like shit for it afterwards. I'm tired of being taken advantage of. I'm tired of feeling marginalized. I'm tired of doing nice things for others and not seeing any reciprocation. In fact, I'm tired of not even seeing any gratitude. I'm tired of being too trusting and trying to look for the good in people. I'm tired of having to be an asshole to make up for the fact that I was too nice in the first place. How does that even happen?! I'm tired of having to become more calloused just to survive in this world. I'm tired of living in a society that seems to value rudeness over kindness, that glorifies people who treat others like shit, that creates such mistrust in others. I'm tired of reading about another public shooting every week. I'm tired of people posting stories about others doing nice things instead of getting out there and doing the nice things themselves. I'm tired of people complaining about the lack of kindness and civility in the world and not doing anything to be better at it themselves. (Yes, I realize the irony in that last statement.) I'm tired of wondering how bad things have to get before they get better. I'm just really tired.
Today was a roller coaster of emotions for me. In fact, this year has been a roller coaster for me. And, frankly, I don't think I've handled it all that well. Now, I'm just tired. I'm tired of wondering who my friends are. I'm tired of feeling like people are only friends with me when they want something. I'm tired of feeling forgotten. I'm tired of putting in effort with people and not seeing the same effort returned. And I'll be honest, the past few months I've been a shitty friend, mostly because I'm tired. But no one seems to care. No one has called me out on it. No one has reached out to me to see what's going on. It's kind of felt like I don't really matter to anyone. (I should qualify this by saying this doesn't apply to everyone and I hope those who are exempt know who you are.) But I don't know why all of this is coming out now or why I felt the need to write it down and share it. I guess I felt that if I didn't it would continue to stew inside of me and get worse. Not to mention today was just a roller coaster of emotions. Have I mentioned that yet?
I've had to deal with an uncomfortable situation as a result of my being too trusting. At the same time I heard from a lot of people today that I don't normally hear from, mostly as a result of a fluky chain of events that I started. I don't know how to feel about any of it. Even the nice things I've heard from people today have made me feel like shit. And not because I don't believe them, but because I wonder if they were only said as a result of something I said or did and not because they actually mean them. Then I feel even shittier for thinking that! I want to believe that my friends value my friendship and that they believe I'm a good person. And I want them to know that I think the same thing. I try to randomly do nice things or send random messages to my friends just to brighten their day and let them know that I'm thinking about them. I don't get around to everybody, I'll admit that, but I try. I don't see the same attempts from others. I even had a birthday come and go a few weeks ago which most of my friends and family forgot. I can understand if a few people forget, after all people do get busy. But this was the majority of people I know and it hurt a little. I'm probably partially to blame because I don't make a big deal or draw attention to my birthday, but that doesn't mean I want people to ignore me on my birthday. I'm not saying I want a big shindig every year (although every few years would be nice), but at least a text message would be nice. Hell, even a text message not on my birthday every now and then would be nice. As I'm writing this I'm realizing this bothered me a lot more than I thought.
So now I have a challenge for anyone reading this. Focus on doing something nice for people on a more regular basis. Try saying something nice to someone without being provoked by something they say or do. Show gratitude regularly. And don't just do all these things in the next day just because I'm asking you to. Keep doing them six months from now when no one is asking you to. Do these things because you want to. Do these things not because they make you feel good, but because they make others feel good. You never know how much a random hello might mean to someone. Start showing the people in your life that you care about them instead of just telling them. Let's start being the niceness that we want to see in others. Thank you to those of you who got past the rantiness and down to the end. I appreciate your loyalty. Now maybe I can get some sleep tonight.
Today was a roller coaster of emotions for me. In fact, this year has been a roller coaster for me. And, frankly, I don't think I've handled it all that well. Now, I'm just tired. I'm tired of wondering who my friends are. I'm tired of feeling like people are only friends with me when they want something. I'm tired of feeling forgotten. I'm tired of putting in effort with people and not seeing the same effort returned. And I'll be honest, the past few months I've been a shitty friend, mostly because I'm tired. But no one seems to care. No one has called me out on it. No one has reached out to me to see what's going on. It's kind of felt like I don't really matter to anyone. (I should qualify this by saying this doesn't apply to everyone and I hope those who are exempt know who you are.) But I don't know why all of this is coming out now or why I felt the need to write it down and share it. I guess I felt that if I didn't it would continue to stew inside of me and get worse. Not to mention today was just a roller coaster of emotions. Have I mentioned that yet?
I've had to deal with an uncomfortable situation as a result of my being too trusting. At the same time I heard from a lot of people today that I don't normally hear from, mostly as a result of a fluky chain of events that I started. I don't know how to feel about any of it. Even the nice things I've heard from people today have made me feel like shit. And not because I don't believe them, but because I wonder if they were only said as a result of something I said or did and not because they actually mean them. Then I feel even shittier for thinking that! I want to believe that my friends value my friendship and that they believe I'm a good person. And I want them to know that I think the same thing. I try to randomly do nice things or send random messages to my friends just to brighten their day and let them know that I'm thinking about them. I don't get around to everybody, I'll admit that, but I try. I don't see the same attempts from others. I even had a birthday come and go a few weeks ago which most of my friends and family forgot. I can understand if a few people forget, after all people do get busy. But this was the majority of people I know and it hurt a little. I'm probably partially to blame because I don't make a big deal or draw attention to my birthday, but that doesn't mean I want people to ignore me on my birthday. I'm not saying I want a big shindig every year (although every few years would be nice), but at least a text message would be nice. Hell, even a text message not on my birthday every now and then would be nice. As I'm writing this I'm realizing this bothered me a lot more than I thought.
So now I have a challenge for anyone reading this. Focus on doing something nice for people on a more regular basis. Try saying something nice to someone without being provoked by something they say or do. Show gratitude regularly. And don't just do all these things in the next day just because I'm asking you to. Keep doing them six months from now when no one is asking you to. Do these things because you want to. Do these things not because they make you feel good, but because they make others feel good. You never know how much a random hello might mean to someone. Start showing the people in your life that you care about them instead of just telling them. Let's start being the niceness that we want to see in others. Thank you to those of you who got past the rantiness and down to the end. I appreciate your loyalty. Now maybe I can get some sleep tonight.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
American Blackout
This morning I decided to watch the National Geographic special American Blackout. For those who haven't seen it or heard of it, it is a movie about what would happen if a catastrophic blackout left America without power for ten days. It's a rather chilling and disheartening look at what could happen. Parts of it were like watching a bad horror movie. There were times when I just wanted to yell at the characters to "stay inside!" or "don't go down the stairs!" Those parts were really quite stupid. But the movie got me thinking about a lot of things.
First, it got me thinking how long I could go without power based on the supplies I have in my house. I'm not gonna lie, it probably wouldn't be long. I do have Twinkies, though. Watching this does make me want to buy a case of water just to have on hand. I could probably survive on the food I have for ten days, even if it means eating dry pasta, but water would be an issue.
Another issue would be getting in touch with friends and family. I could power my cell phone and probably find ways to recharge it, but the cell phone towers would be down so you still couldn't call or text people. I don't even think you could send email because the Internet would be down. That could cause some problems.
There are some things that bothered me about the movie, too, though. One of the storylines followed a group of people stuck in an elevator. They managed to climb out and end up on the roof of the building, but then got stuck up there. Now, I'm sure there would be a lot of people stuck in elevators across the country if this happened. I'm wondering what the protocol would be to get those people out, or if they would just leave them all in there. And I can't imagine that people would just be stuck on a roof with no way down. In the movie there were no people on the street to yell down to, and that seems suspicious to me. Don't most tall buildings have a fire escape, also? I wasn't buying that.
I also felt like martial law was declared really soon after the blackout. After two days people were shown resorting to killing and looting. I'm sure some of this would happen as panic sets in, but not to the extent that was shown in the movie. At least I hope not. I'd like to think that people would band together and support each other through this. We've seen this happen during Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. People show themselves to be good. I'd hope that would be the case during a massive blackout as well.
A rather humorous, yet sad, scene in the movie involved a couple who, upon securing a can a fruit to eat, realized they couldn't open it because their can opener was electric. When trying to open the can with a knife the man severely cut himself. Do people really not have a manual can opener? I only have a manual one because I've never been able to figure out how to use an electric one. My parents make fun of me for this, but at least I could open cans in a blackout.
Finally, I couldn't help but compare this movie to the Twilight Zone episode, "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street." At the end of the episode (Spoiler alert, but seriously it's a 50 year old show) the aliens who cause the blackout on the street basically say that all you have to do is turn off the machines and wait for the people to destroy themselves. This movie showed a lot of the same things. It would be interesting to see what really would happen. Although, I hope we never do have to see it.
Bottom line, this was an interesting, thought-provoking movie. If you haven't seen it and you get a chance, I recommend it.
First, it got me thinking how long I could go without power based on the supplies I have in my house. I'm not gonna lie, it probably wouldn't be long. I do have Twinkies, though. Watching this does make me want to buy a case of water just to have on hand. I could probably survive on the food I have for ten days, even if it means eating dry pasta, but water would be an issue.
Another issue would be getting in touch with friends and family. I could power my cell phone and probably find ways to recharge it, but the cell phone towers would be down so you still couldn't call or text people. I don't even think you could send email because the Internet would be down. That could cause some problems.
There are some things that bothered me about the movie, too, though. One of the storylines followed a group of people stuck in an elevator. They managed to climb out and end up on the roof of the building, but then got stuck up there. Now, I'm sure there would be a lot of people stuck in elevators across the country if this happened. I'm wondering what the protocol would be to get those people out, or if they would just leave them all in there. And I can't imagine that people would just be stuck on a roof with no way down. In the movie there were no people on the street to yell down to, and that seems suspicious to me. Don't most tall buildings have a fire escape, also? I wasn't buying that.
I also felt like martial law was declared really soon after the blackout. After two days people were shown resorting to killing and looting. I'm sure some of this would happen as panic sets in, but not to the extent that was shown in the movie. At least I hope not. I'd like to think that people would band together and support each other through this. We've seen this happen during Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. People show themselves to be good. I'd hope that would be the case during a massive blackout as well.
A rather humorous, yet sad, scene in the movie involved a couple who, upon securing a can a fruit to eat, realized they couldn't open it because their can opener was electric. When trying to open the can with a knife the man severely cut himself. Do people really not have a manual can opener? I only have a manual one because I've never been able to figure out how to use an electric one. My parents make fun of me for this, but at least I could open cans in a blackout.
Finally, I couldn't help but compare this movie to the Twilight Zone episode, "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street." At the end of the episode (Spoiler alert, but seriously it's a 50 year old show) the aliens who cause the blackout on the street basically say that all you have to do is turn off the machines and wait for the people to destroy themselves. This movie showed a lot of the same things. It would be interesting to see what really would happen. Although, I hope we never do have to see it.
Bottom line, this was an interesting, thought-provoking movie. If you haven't seen it and you get a chance, I recommend it.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Things I Learned from watching The Great Pumpkin
Every year around Halloween I watch The Great Pumpkin. It's my favorite thing about Halloween. Not only has it remained funny after all these years, but it offers some valuable nuggets of wisdom. I've decided this year to compile a list of things I have learned from watching.
1. "Never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker."
2. Signed documents are only valid when notarized.
3. There are three things to never discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.
4. A person should always choose a costume in direct contrast to his/her personality.
5. If you cut too many holes in your ghost costume you are likely to get rocks instead of candy.
6. Dogs have vivid imaginations, and an oddly profound sense of history.
7. Fury of a woman scorned is nothing compared to the fury of a woman robbed of tricks or treats.
8. Hopeless optimists, like Linus, never get the girl.
That's quite a lot of life lessons from a 30 minute children's program. Hopefully you will take these lessons to heart as I have.
1. "Never jump into a pile of leaves with a wet sucker."
2. Signed documents are only valid when notarized.
3. There are three things to never discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.
4. A person should always choose a costume in direct contrast to his/her personality.
5. If you cut too many holes in your ghost costume you are likely to get rocks instead of candy.
6. Dogs have vivid imaginations, and an oddly profound sense of history.
7. Fury of a woman scorned is nothing compared to the fury of a woman robbed of tricks or treats.
8. Hopeless optimists, like Linus, never get the girl.
That's quite a lot of life lessons from a 30 minute children's program. Hopefully you will take these lessons to heart as I have.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Why do smoke alarms hate me?
It's 4 am when I'm suddenly startled out of a good dream by an incessant beeping. In my dream I was James Bond and I was fighting against Jaws (the henchman, not the shark) and some Russians. It was awesome! But, alas, it wasn't meant to be as this annoying beeping prevented me from getting to the end. And what was the beeping coming from, you might ask? What else could it be but the smoke alarm telling me the battery was dead! Of course this has to happen at 4 am! It always does. And why is that? It seems like smoke alarms only beep in the middle of the night. But I digress.
So after being woken up, I decided to find out where the beeping was coming from. If it was an easy to reach smoke alarm I would change the battery and hopefully resume my peaceful slumber. But no, it was coming from an alarm high up on one of my vaulted ceilings. I would need a ladder to reach it and the ladder was deep in the garage. I was not about to exert the amount of effort needed to get the ladder at that hour of the night. So I shut my bedroom door and put on some music to try to drown out the beeps. It didn't work. All I could hear every 30 seconds was, 'BEEP!' So I tried to play some games on my ipod to tire my eyes and make me fall asleep. Nothing. Then suddenly, at around 5:15, the beeping stopped. What the hell?! As happy as I was that it stopped I was pissed that it was ever beeping at all. And now after keeping me up for over an hour it just decides it's done?! Not cool, smoke alarm. Even without the beeping falling asleep proved difficult as I spent the next hour and a half drifting in and out of that half asleep-half awake stage until I actually did have to get up to go to work. And to make things worse, during the half asleep phase instead of picking up my James Bond dream I had an awful dream about being asked to stop coming to camp! (Those of you who know me know how much my camp means to me.) So basically, the smoke alarm kicked my ass in all aspects last night.
But, wait, the story's not over yet! Even though the alarm wasn't beeping anymore, for whatever reason, I didn't want it to start beeping again tonight. So when I got home from work I brought the ladder in, climbed all the way to the top, changed the battery, climbed back down, and was greeted by, you guessed it, 'BEEP!' I almost started crying. Apparently, the battery wasn't sitting right. So I went up and tried again. Still no luck. One more time. Another beep. It turns out that little cord that helps you pull the battery out was getting in the way, so I pulled it out completely, put the battery in, and, as of yet, no beeping. Let's hope it stays that way.
So after being woken up, I decided to find out where the beeping was coming from. If it was an easy to reach smoke alarm I would change the battery and hopefully resume my peaceful slumber. But no, it was coming from an alarm high up on one of my vaulted ceilings. I would need a ladder to reach it and the ladder was deep in the garage. I was not about to exert the amount of effort needed to get the ladder at that hour of the night. So I shut my bedroom door and put on some music to try to drown out the beeps. It didn't work. All I could hear every 30 seconds was, 'BEEP!' So I tried to play some games on my ipod to tire my eyes and make me fall asleep. Nothing. Then suddenly, at around 5:15, the beeping stopped. What the hell?! As happy as I was that it stopped I was pissed that it was ever beeping at all. And now after keeping me up for over an hour it just decides it's done?! Not cool, smoke alarm. Even without the beeping falling asleep proved difficult as I spent the next hour and a half drifting in and out of that half asleep-half awake stage until I actually did have to get up to go to work. And to make things worse, during the half asleep phase instead of picking up my James Bond dream I had an awful dream about being asked to stop coming to camp! (Those of you who know me know how much my camp means to me.) So basically, the smoke alarm kicked my ass in all aspects last night.
But, wait, the story's not over yet! Even though the alarm wasn't beeping anymore, for whatever reason, I didn't want it to start beeping again tonight. So when I got home from work I brought the ladder in, climbed all the way to the top, changed the battery, climbed back down, and was greeted by, you guessed it, 'BEEP!' I almost started crying. Apparently, the battery wasn't sitting right. So I went up and tried again. Still no luck. One more time. Another beep. It turns out that little cord that helps you pull the battery out was getting in the way, so I pulled it out completely, put the battery in, and, as of yet, no beeping. Let's hope it stays that way.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Baseball vs Football
I get into arguments all the time with friends about which sport is better, baseball or football. My allegiances clearly lie with baseball, but many of my friends favor football. The more I think about it, though, the more I realize how flawed their arguments are. The biggest complaint I hear is that baseball is slow. Well, I could say the same thing about football. There are so many breaks in the action in football. First of all, the pace of play itself isn't exactly hyperspeed. There's anywhere from 25-40 seconds between plays complete with huddles, audibles, and substitutions. I'll admit that these no huddle, up tempo offenses are making up for that a little, though. But in baseball a pitch is thrown every 10-12 seconds. At least it should be. Some pitchers work much slower than others. But, still, point for baseball. Then there's the penalties in football. They stop the action and take up time. Plus, officials often have to huddle up to discuss what the penalty is. Baseball doesn't have penalties, and umpire conferences are few and far between. Another point for baseball. Next we have injuries. A football game usually has a few injuries which stop the action. It's understandable because football is a violent game, but it still slows things down. Baseball injuries rarely stop the game, and they don't occur during every game like they do in football. Point, again, for baseball.
So far baseball is winning the pace of play of argument. Here's where it gets competitive, though. Timeouts. In football, each team has six timeouts per game. That's twelve times where the action can be stopped. This doesn't even take into account official reviews, which could add countless more stoppages based on the complicated replay rules that I don't understand. Baseball isn't a timed sport so there are no official timeouts. But managers can stop play to go talk to their pitchers. In fact, catchers can do that too. I don't know the exact average of mound conferences per game, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was around twelve or even higher. And baseball currently only has reviews on disputed home run calls, which don't happen every game. This could change though. Based on this evidence, we'll call this one a draw. Next we have commercials. A football game has a lot of commercials. One of my biggest pet peeves about watching football is after a score, they go to commercial, come back for the kickoff and then go to ANOTHER commercial. Why?! Just get on the field and play. I found a stat that said during an average NFL broadcast there is an hour of commercials. During an average MLB game there is 34 minutes of commercials. Advantage, baseball.
I actually found an interesting article about football broadcasts in which the Wall Street Journal broke down exactly what we see when watching an NFL game. They found that the average amount of time the ball is in play during an NFL game is 11 minutes. 11 minutes!!!! The average telecast devotes 56% more time to showing replays. There are 75 minutes of players huddling, standing around, or just waiting for the action to resume. Here is a link to the full article in case you'd like to read it http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406 Those are some telling statistics though.
I will admit that the moneyball approach to baseball which encourages running deep counts at the plate has lengthened games a bit, but there's still plenty of action to keep the game moving. But the idea that baseball is a slower game than football just doesn't hold any water with me. There are just so many breaks in the action during a football game. That's why I prefer baseball, because things are always moving. Now this is just one argument that people have against baseball. I will look at some others in future posts. Until then, I will enjoy the rest of the World Series.
So far baseball is winning the pace of play of argument. Here's where it gets competitive, though. Timeouts. In football, each team has six timeouts per game. That's twelve times where the action can be stopped. This doesn't even take into account official reviews, which could add countless more stoppages based on the complicated replay rules that I don't understand. Baseball isn't a timed sport so there are no official timeouts. But managers can stop play to go talk to their pitchers. In fact, catchers can do that too. I don't know the exact average of mound conferences per game, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was around twelve or even higher. And baseball currently only has reviews on disputed home run calls, which don't happen every game. This could change though. Based on this evidence, we'll call this one a draw. Next we have commercials. A football game has a lot of commercials. One of my biggest pet peeves about watching football is after a score, they go to commercial, come back for the kickoff and then go to ANOTHER commercial. Why?! Just get on the field and play. I found a stat that said during an average NFL broadcast there is an hour of commercials. During an average MLB game there is 34 minutes of commercials. Advantage, baseball.
I actually found an interesting article about football broadcasts in which the Wall Street Journal broke down exactly what we see when watching an NFL game. They found that the average amount of time the ball is in play during an NFL game is 11 minutes. 11 minutes!!!! The average telecast devotes 56% more time to showing replays. There are 75 minutes of players huddling, standing around, or just waiting for the action to resume. Here is a link to the full article in case you'd like to read it http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406 Those are some telling statistics though.
I will admit that the moneyball approach to baseball which encourages running deep counts at the plate has lengthened games a bit, but there's still plenty of action to keep the game moving. But the idea that baseball is a slower game than football just doesn't hold any water with me. There are just so many breaks in the action during a football game. That's why I prefer baseball, because things are always moving. Now this is just one argument that people have against baseball. I will look at some others in future posts. Until then, I will enjoy the rest of the World Series.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Weird Dreams
Lately I've been having these really weird dreams. A couple months ago I had quite a few dreams in which aspects of my childhood house were showing up in my current house. It was like I was living in my house, but with my old kitchen or my old living room. It was very odd. Even more recently I had a weird dream in which I was living in one of the dorms at UA. But it wasn't the dorm as it was currently built. It was like a futuristic version of it complete with outdoor, glass, Willy Wonka-like elevator. And then I dreamed that I was living in the Full House house. I just find it really bizarre that all these dreams center around where I live. I'm trying to figure out what it all means. When I had the dreams about my childhood house I tried to look up interpretations online and everything I found centered around a longing for simpler times. That sort of makes sense. I'm always longing for simpler times. I have no idea what the other dreams mean. I will admit that I have been watching a lot of Full House lately so that could be the reason for that one. Either way it just seems strange that I keep dreaming about my living situation. I do love my current house, although I do stress a little about paying for everything so that could be it. And I am starting to think about moving out of Tucson so maybe that has something to do with it also. If any of my loyal readers have any thoughts please feel free to share. And in the meantime I will just continue to dream and see how much weirder they may get.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Happy Birthday, Christopher Lloyd!
Today is Christopher Lloyd's birthday, so I thought it would be fitting to honor him by remembering some of his most famous and iconic film roles. He has appeared in many movies, but these are just a few of my favorites.
First up we have the cult classic, Clue. In it, Lloyd plays Professor Plum. For those who haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it. It's very funny. Here's a short scene:
Recently, an episode of Psych reunited many of the stars of this movie for a pseudo reunion/homage. Also very funny.
Another of my favorites was his portrayal of Uncle Fester in The Addams Family movie. He really ended up being the perfect choice for the role and brought great chemistry and excellent realism to the part.
This next role is one of the most underrated performances in film history in my opinion. Lloyd's portrayal of Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit should go down as one of the greatest villain performances of all time. He really is perfect in this role, and Judge Doom is one of the most evil characters of all time. I don't think he gets his due as a bad guy, though, because the movie is viewed as a kid's movie. It was really groundbreaking, though, and I encourage all of you to give it another watch. It'll blow you away.
Seriously evil. And here's a second clip because I like this movie so much.
And finally, Lloyd's most famous role as Doc Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy. I have argued the Back to the Future may be the perfect trilogy. And part of that is due to Lloyd's brilliant performance. We can all quote various lines from the movies and have likely all longed to turn a Delorean into a time machine. I was fortunate enough to portray Doc Brown on Universal Studios' Sound Effects Stage and it is one of the shining moments in my life.
1.21 gigawatts!!!! That's the amount of awesome that Christopher Lloyd has brought to our lives. So Happy Birthday, Christopher Lloyd!!! And thank you for your amazing film contributions.
First up we have the cult classic, Clue. In it, Lloyd plays Professor Plum. For those who haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it. It's very funny. Here's a short scene:
Recently, an episode of Psych reunited many of the stars of this movie for a pseudo reunion/homage. Also very funny.
Another of my favorites was his portrayal of Uncle Fester in The Addams Family movie. He really ended up being the perfect choice for the role and brought great chemistry and excellent realism to the part.
This next role is one of the most underrated performances in film history in my opinion. Lloyd's portrayal of Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit should go down as one of the greatest villain performances of all time. He really is perfect in this role, and Judge Doom is one of the most evil characters of all time. I don't think he gets his due as a bad guy, though, because the movie is viewed as a kid's movie. It was really groundbreaking, though, and I encourage all of you to give it another watch. It'll blow you away.
Seriously evil. And here's a second clip because I like this movie so much.
And finally, Lloyd's most famous role as Doc Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy. I have argued the Back to the Future may be the perfect trilogy. And part of that is due to Lloyd's brilliant performance. We can all quote various lines from the movies and have likely all longed to turn a Delorean into a time machine. I was fortunate enough to portray Doc Brown on Universal Studios' Sound Effects Stage and it is one of the shining moments in my life.
1.21 gigawatts!!!! That's the amount of awesome that Christopher Lloyd has brought to our lives. So Happy Birthday, Christopher Lloyd!!! And thank you for your amazing film contributions.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Personal Mission and Vision Statements
This week in my class we are discussing mission and vision statements. We will be looking at the mission and vision statements of various well-known organizations and then my students will begin drafting their own personal statements. Part of helping my students draft their statements involves me sharing mine. This meant I had to take a closer look at what my mission and vision really is. As a statement of values and beliefs, my mission statement seems very clear to me.
I want to work towards consistently learning new things to improve myself everyday and leave the world a better place than how I found it.
To me that drives my everyday actions. It gives me a purpose and something to work toward. The vision statement is a little more tricky. This is something more specific, more goal-oriented. I'm currently at a loss for a current direction for my life, which makes coming up with a vision statement a little difficult. All the ideas I come up with involve providing opportunities for other people and putting others in the best position for success. What that tells me is that helping others reach success drives my own success. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I do take a lot of pride in helping others and I do feel that I am good at serving others. And that tells me that even though I am frustrated with the state of education in this country, I am still passionate about making changes to make it better. And I'm passionate about it because I want to see others achieve success. So my personal vision is to continue to encourage curiosity and creativity in others so that they may discover and innovate. I will do this by working to put people in the best possible positions utilize their strengths and be successful.
It has been an interesting period of reflection today as I've worked through these two things. I encourage all of you to reflect on your own mission and vision statements. It might be an eye-opening experience for you.
I want to work towards consistently learning new things to improve myself everyday and leave the world a better place than how I found it.
To me that drives my everyday actions. It gives me a purpose and something to work toward. The vision statement is a little more tricky. This is something more specific, more goal-oriented. I'm currently at a loss for a current direction for my life, which makes coming up with a vision statement a little difficult. All the ideas I come up with involve providing opportunities for other people and putting others in the best position for success. What that tells me is that helping others reach success drives my own success. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I do take a lot of pride in helping others and I do feel that I am good at serving others. And that tells me that even though I am frustrated with the state of education in this country, I am still passionate about making changes to make it better. And I'm passionate about it because I want to see others achieve success. So my personal vision is to continue to encourage curiosity and creativity in others so that they may discover and innovate. I will do this by working to put people in the best possible positions utilize their strengths and be successful.
It has been an interesting period of reflection today as I've worked through these two things. I encourage all of you to reflect on your own mission and vision statements. It might be an eye-opening experience for you.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
My Taylor Swift Parody - "32"
As my birthday passed last week and I aged another year, I realized one thing: I'm getting old. Luckily for me, and you of course, writing has no age limitations. So I put my writing skills to the test to offer up a fun, little jab at my aging self. And I thought what better way to do it than through the guise of Taylor Swift song. Her song, "22", is fairly popular, and seeing as I just turned 32, I thought it was the perfect fit. So here is my Taylor Swift parody song, "32".
Here is the original song and video so you can follow along and compare if you'd like.
Let me know what you all think, and, maybe if there's enough positive response I'll consider making my own music video.
It feels like a perfect night to pretend I’m young again
And stay out all night, uh uh, uh uh
It feels like a perfect night to relive my 20s
And search for my true love, uh uh, uh uh
Yeah
We’re balding, old, and fat, and out of place
It’s comical and memorable
Oh yeah
Tonight’s the night we realize we’re too old for this
It’s time
Oh oh!
I don’t know about you
But I’m feeling 32
Everything will be alright
If I can just make it through
You don’t know about me
Nor do you want to
Everything will be alright
If I just stop dancing cuz I’m
32, ooh ooh
32 ooh ooh
It seems like one of those nights
This place is too loud
Too many young kids uh uh, uh uh (who are those old guys
anyway?)
It seems like one of those nights
We go home early and end up achy
What were we thinking?!
Yeah,
We’re sad, pathetic, old, and balding in the best way
It’s radical and memorable
Oh yeah
Tonight’s the night when we forget about the pipe dreams
It’s time
Oh oh!
I don’t know about you
But I’m feeling 32
Everything will be alright
If I can just make it through
You don’t know about me
Nor do you want to
Everything will be alright
If I just stop dancing cuz I’m
32, ooh ooh
32 ooh ooh
I don’t know about you
32, ooh ooh
32 ooh ooh
It feels like one of those nights
What was I thinking?
It feels like one of those nights
Wish I was sleeping
It feels like one of those nights
I feel exhausted
I gotta sleep now
I gotta sleep now
Ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh, yeeeeah, hey
I don’t know about you
But I’m feeling 32
Everything will be alright
If I can just make it through
You don’t know about me
Nor do you want to
Everything will be alright
If I just stop dancing cuz I’m
32, ooh ooh
32 ooh ooh
32, ooh ooh, yeah, yeah
32 ooh ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah
It feels like one of those nights
What was I thinking?
It feels like one of those nights
Wish I was sleeping
It feels like one of those nights
I feel exhausted
I gotta sleep now
I gotta sleep nowHere is the original song and video so you can follow along and compare if you'd like.
Let me know what you all think, and, maybe if there's enough positive response I'll consider making my own music video.
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