December 21, 2007
December 20, 2007
Intense
It occurs to me I've been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) now for about 2.5 years and, in that time, I've learned a lot. But, one of the things I've learned more than anything else is I'm a very, VERY tense person. I never realized it prior to BJJ training. I've always been very flexible, so I just assumed I was relaxed. But, I'm not. I'm tense. Like, bridge cable tense.
Whereas other BJJ students learn early on to relax and basically roll on the mats like cats fighting, every muscle in my body is rigid as hell, so my movements are jerky and unsmooth, and I telegraph my intent about 20 seconds before I attempt a technique.
Thing is, I've noticed it's not limited to BJJ classes. I'm tense as hell even in the workplace. My shoulders are always way more rigid than necessary and it always seems like I'm about to spring from my chair at any given moment.
And I have to wonder: when did this start, because I wasn't always so tense and rigid. I wonder if it has to do with being in an office environment, or whether it's just something that develops over time as I took on more responsibility.
Point is, it's something I've decided to try and alleviate, if I can, through breathing exercises and just plain trying to relax more. I don't know how successful I'll be, but it can't hurt to try.
December 19, 2007
Rules Govern Gift Cards
Ryan says: I successfully used the gift card to pay for an oil change last night, BTW.
Caroline says: You use it for boring stuff, BTW.
Ryan says: I didn't know you were supposed to use it on hookers and blow.
Caroline says: Right, because that's exactly what I expect you to use it on when I mean "not boring."
Ryan says: Well, you do agree "hookers and blow" = not boring, right?
Caroline says: Depends who you are. If you're a pimp, then it's probably boring. Same ol', same ol'.
Ryan says: So, maybe a pimp would consider an oil change pretty exciting.
Caroline says: Depends. Is "oil change" a euphemism?
Ryan says: It certainly could be, when you think about it.
Ryan says: Oil EXchange.
Caroline says: So it's all a matter of perspective.
Caroline says: Is what I'm sayin'.
Ryan says: I don't want to have to consider perspective every time I use that gift card.
December 18, 2007
How Vegas Reached Into My Wallet and Made a Withdrawal
So, I spent a few days in Las Vegas last week on vacation. I'd been to Las Vegas before, so it wasn't as if I was unfamiliar with the energy and excitement of the place. I was also aware that gambling has traditionally played a significant role in the city's unfolding history and ongoing prosperity.
Until my most recent trip, however, I had been of the conviction the ongoing prosperity of Vegas would not consist of my hard-earned dollars. If I gambled at all I'd lose, at a max, maybe $20. Even that mild sum seemed like an unfortunate loss.
Well, for whatever reason, my most recent Vegas experience also coincided with what I can only call a monumental lack of financial control and judgement. I found myself sitting in front of slot machines, seemingly unaware of the money flowing from my bank account to the Vegas vaults.
The gambling fever hit its peak when I ventured on over to the Luxor. For those unfamiliar with Vegas, the Luxor is the Egyptian-themed resort and casino that also happens to be in the shape of a pyramid. There's some superstition surrounding pyramids and their shape, so I have no problem chalking up my own personal financial malfeasance to the wondrous powers of the pyramid. After all, it's better than blaming myself.
At any rate, while at the Luxor, I found myself requiring cash. Thankfully, in Vegas, the second most omnipresent machines (the #1 being slots) are ATMs. You're never 100 yards away from the nearest ATM. In fact, I think I saw an ATM move closer to me at one point, like a tiger croucing towards its prey.
And the thing about Vegas ATMs is--in addition to RIDICULOUS service charges of $3 or more--if you try to withdraw $100, you'll be given a $100 bill. Now, I don't normally deal in $100 bills. Such a denomination is a rarity in my wallet, so when the Vegas ATM churned out a Franklin, I immediately put it into a slot machine for safe keeping.
Slot machines are curious inventions. For example, when you put $100 into a slot machine, the slot machine converts the bill into "credits," which don't really seem that much like money. Oh, sure, I was briefly aware of the existence of a $100 bill that wafted from the ATM into the slot machine, but now I was looking at a bunch of credits. And, since I was at a "penny" slot machine, I was looking at A LOT credits.
"Penny" slot machines are a bit misleading, however. "Penny" indicates the minimum bet you can make, and you'll probably never ever in a million years win betting just a penny. No, to increase your odds, you need to bet on a multitude of pay lines, which can range from nine to 25 or more, depending on the machine. What's more, if you actually want to win anything of substance, you have to bet multiple "pennies" on all those pay lines. The point is, if you bet the maximum on a "penny" machine, each pull of the arm (or push of the "Max Bet" button) can mean a bet of $2 or more, which really drains your "credits" faster than you can believe.
Under the influence of the pyramid mind control of the Luxor, I found myself back at the exact same ATM less than half an hour after my previous withdrawal, and it wasn't until I was halfway through my second $100 bill that I looked at the slot machine screen and thought "What the heck am I DOING?!"
I hurried my way out of the Luxor, only to find myself a couple hours later doing the exact same thing at the Bellagio which, loosely translated, means "Thanks for the $100, Ryan."
After the Bellagio, I did manage to snap back to reality, and any losses after that were minimal by comparison, but for awhile there I think I genuinely lost my mind.
And I can't wait for next year.
Once More Into The Breach
Since 2005, I've generally tried to steer clear of blog and forum commenting, unless I want to yank a chain or mock someone for my own amusement (or commenting where friends and family frequent). My reasons for stepping back from the commenting brink are many and varied, but primarily I was A) Sick of rehashing the same old arguments B) Commented out and C) I realized there was little, if any, benefit or payoff involved, and there was a lot of work involved in something that was, ultimately, basically pointless. More generally, after about 2004, the online commenting community was infused with a whole slew of Internet neophytes who were technologically too inept to start their own online presence and opted to inhabit the comment boxes of others, and the dialogue started to devolve into rediculous nonsense. One need only witness the antics of AngryClown and Peevish over at Shot in the Dark for examples of parasitic, obsessive-compulsive, nonsensical blog commenters.
At any rate, I do occasionally get sucked back into online debate, particularly when it surrounds topics that are currently near and dear to my heart. Take, for example, this Post-Bulletin blog debate over MMA/UFC fighting.
Compared with comment wars I've had in the past with certain bloggers who shall rename nameless, but rhyme with Smoshua, it's pretty tame stuff, but I'm struck by how thin-skinned and pathetic some people are. Honest to God, the world has gone from Internet Tough Guy to Internet Pansy in less than five years.
