Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Back in the Saddle
I've finally kicked my double ear infection, and I celebrated by biking in to work for the first time in several weeks. Here are some thoughts:
1. In the last two weeks, the weather has changed significantly. The temperature this morning was 33 degrees when I left the house. Two weeks ago, I was wearing a tee or a jersery if I was feeling sassy. Always athletic shorts. Now there are leaves everywhere, and the sun is hiding somewhere beneath the surface of the lake. It is cold and dark.
2. Biking creates an intense windchill. I rode in with what I thought were appropriate layers: moisture-wicking fleece beneath a hoodie, track pants, and biking gloves. I've grown a walrus suit over the last few years, so the top and bottoms kept my core warm, but with my bike zipping along at 14 mps, my fingers froze from the breeze. I'll need to pick up some gloves before I ride home tonight.
3. The riders on the road today are a friendlier bunch than the fair-weather commuters. I get the nod or a "good morning" from most people on the trail.
4. I tried to be efficient this morning, so I brought all my clothes for the week with me along with a towel for showering at work. When it came time to shower, only cold water came out despite the cold valve shut completely off and the hot cranked all the way to the left. I jumped in, rinsed, jumped out and stood shivering, glad as hell that I had decided to get back on the saddle.
1. In the last two weeks, the weather has changed significantly. The temperature this morning was 33 degrees when I left the house. Two weeks ago, I was wearing a tee or a jersery if I was feeling sassy. Always athletic shorts. Now there are leaves everywhere, and the sun is hiding somewhere beneath the surface of the lake. It is cold and dark.
2. Biking creates an intense windchill. I rode in with what I thought were appropriate layers: moisture-wicking fleece beneath a hoodie, track pants, and biking gloves. I've grown a walrus suit over the last few years, so the top and bottoms kept my core warm, but with my bike zipping along at 14 mps, my fingers froze from the breeze. I'll need to pick up some gloves before I ride home tonight.
3. The riders on the road today are a friendlier bunch than the fair-weather commuters. I get the nod or a "good morning" from most people on the trail.
4. I tried to be efficient this morning, so I brought all my clothes for the week with me along with a towel for showering at work. When it came time to shower, only cold water came out despite the cold valve shut completely off and the hot cranked all the way to the left. I jumped in, rinsed, jumped out and stood shivering, glad as hell that I had decided to get back on the saddle.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Bottomless?
If you pay $3 for bottomless chips and salsa at a kitchy Tex-Mex place, there should be a constant rotation of chips. As soon as you're 2/3 done with the basket, a new one, hot and fresh.
But my neighborhood joint sucks. You have to try to get a server's attention as they run to and from the kitchen. Then they look at you like you're crazy for asking for more chips. I paid $3 for what? Crappy service and an empty basket? When it comes to Mexican restaurants and chips, this is not a one-and-done, especially when you've paid for something that most places give away.
But my neighborhood joint sucks. You have to try to get a server's attention as they run to and from the kitchen. Then they look at you like you're crazy for asking for more chips. I paid $3 for what? Crappy service and an empty basket? When it comes to Mexican restaurants and chips, this is not a one-and-done, especially when you've paid for something that most places give away.
Truthers
Ok,
I've been a little busy and haven't been able to post. But in the last few days, I keep hearing about 9/11 Truthers. A friend even invited me to join the "9/11 Truthers Suck" Facebook group.
In this morning's blog, Althouse included this awesome picture of a Truther disrupting a guest speaker on Islamo-fascist awareness while violating several fashion laws.
I don't know anything about the Truthers, but if they all dress like that dude, I've seen enough to know they suck.
I've been a little busy and haven't been able to post. But in the last few days, I keep hearing about 9/11 Truthers. A friend even invited me to join the "9/11 Truthers Suck" Facebook group.
In this morning's blog, Althouse included this awesome picture of a Truther disrupting a guest speaker on Islamo-fascist awareness while violating several fashion laws.
I don't know anything about the Truthers, but if they all dress like that dude, I've seen enough to know they suck.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Kids These Days
When I was 12, I did not know how to buy a condom nor what to do with it. Sex ed was not very thorough in my schools, to be sure, but no one seemed too worried; none of us would be having sex any time soon.
But fast forward a dozen years, and I can understand why a middle school in Maine made birth control available to its students. Kids at that age are strangely in the know when it comes to sex--for those of you in doubt, go to a middle school cafeteria and listen carefully. Yet most middle schoolers (and far too many high schoolers) are completely clueless when it comes to safe sex and preventing pregnancy.
Some parents complain that schools should not have the right to "push" contraception upon the kids. They could argue that sex education is a family issue, and thus the decision to begin taking birth control should be a private one. I don't disagree with the idea that families should discuss sex nor do I think schools should wholly relieve parents of the burden of "the talk." And finally, not being a doctor, I can't say for sure that birth control is good for any woman. Nonetheless, I do worry about a couple things if we were to leave sex ed entirely up to parents:
1. Some parents refuse to give their kids enough information about their bodies and sex to make healthy choices. I can count the number of times my mom or dad ever discussed sex with me on my nonexistent third hand. How do you expect little Johnny to know how to take care of business when his dad's too shy to utter the word "penis?"
2. Lots of people assume that because adults know that it's a bad idea to have sex at such a young age, kids will too. Kids don't share all the same sensibilities that their parents were raised with. And shame just isn't what it used to be.
When my mother was 13, a pregnant girl would have been removed from school and sent to live with an out-of-town relative. Most people would have felt that the shame of a baby making babies was enough to justify an exodus.
When I was 13, they encouraged pregnant girls to leave school when they began to show; they could catch up when they could. No one discussed these girls with us, and everyone in school agreed that being 13 and pregnant was bizarre. Sure you had to hide those girls away to make sure the others wouldn't catch "baby fever" (not a scientific term, but definitely noticeable among teenage girls), but the sense of shame, though, just wasn't as intense as in my parents' generation.
As a teacher in an inner city school, I witnessed 2 of my students drop out of school to have a baby. The other kids thought that that was the coolest thing. They had no clue how to prevent pregnancy nor avoid catching STIs, but they could all get down with the idea of getting a boyfriend and "getting my baby."
3. Not all parents think getting pregnant at 14 is bad. Honestly. They were born when their moms were 15. In some parts of our country--mostly the parts ignored by white christians opposed to sex education--there is no sense of shame at having a child without a husband or a high school diploma. What 30 year old new grandmother is going to shame her child for following in her footsteps?
Now you can argue--correctly, I think--that these parents have set a terrible example. But who should set the example then? This is the question at the heart of cyclic poverty. Can education overcome entrenched destructive behaviors? We'll never know if we're never allowed to try. Birth control for middle schoolers may not be safe, but withholding or giving incomplete information about sex because one finds it personally uncomfortable or morally unattractive is ultimately much more dangerous.
But fast forward a dozen years, and I can understand why a middle school in Maine made birth control available to its students. Kids at that age are strangely in the know when it comes to sex--for those of you in doubt, go to a middle school cafeteria and listen carefully. Yet most middle schoolers (and far too many high schoolers) are completely clueless when it comes to safe sex and preventing pregnancy.
Some parents complain that schools should not have the right to "push" contraception upon the kids. They could argue that sex education is a family issue, and thus the decision to begin taking birth control should be a private one. I don't disagree with the idea that families should discuss sex nor do I think schools should wholly relieve parents of the burden of "the talk." And finally, not being a doctor, I can't say for sure that birth control is good for any woman. Nonetheless, I do worry about a couple things if we were to leave sex ed entirely up to parents:
1. Some parents refuse to give their kids enough information about their bodies and sex to make healthy choices. I can count the number of times my mom or dad ever discussed sex with me on my nonexistent third hand. How do you expect little Johnny to know how to take care of business when his dad's too shy to utter the word "penis?"
2. Lots of people assume that because adults know that it's a bad idea to have sex at such a young age, kids will too. Kids don't share all the same sensibilities that their parents were raised with. And shame just isn't what it used to be.
When my mother was 13, a pregnant girl would have been removed from school and sent to live with an out-of-town relative. Most people would have felt that the shame of a baby making babies was enough to justify an exodus.
When I was 13, they encouraged pregnant girls to leave school when they began to show; they could catch up when they could. No one discussed these girls with us, and everyone in school agreed that being 13 and pregnant was bizarre. Sure you had to hide those girls away to make sure the others wouldn't catch "baby fever" (not a scientific term, but definitely noticeable among teenage girls), but the sense of shame, though, just wasn't as intense as in my parents' generation.
As a teacher in an inner city school, I witnessed 2 of my students drop out of school to have a baby. The other kids thought that that was the coolest thing. They had no clue how to prevent pregnancy nor avoid catching STIs, but they could all get down with the idea of getting a boyfriend and "getting my baby."
3. Not all parents think getting pregnant at 14 is bad. Honestly. They were born when their moms were 15. In some parts of our country--mostly the parts ignored by white christians opposed to sex education--there is no sense of shame at having a child without a husband or a high school diploma. What 30 year old new grandmother is going to shame her child for following in her footsteps?
Now you can argue--correctly, I think--that these parents have set a terrible example. But who should set the example then? This is the question at the heart of cyclic poverty. Can education overcome entrenched destructive behaviors? We'll never know if we're never allowed to try. Birth control for middle schoolers may not be safe, but withholding or giving incomplete information about sex because one finds it personally uncomfortable or morally unattractive is ultimately much more dangerous.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Oh, Those Missouri Schools. . .
The Constitution requires at least 25% of the budget go toward education. The state claims they spend near 40% and won't give up another dime, yet schools are complaining that they don't have enough money to provide a quality education! Those jerks. . .
Who needs a quality education when you could work in this place?
Who needs a quality education when you could work in this place?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Teach for UK!
I was reading this article when I came across this paragraph:
"In many of these schools, pupils' progress is hampered by poor basic skills in literacy and numeracy. It cannot be right that 20 percent of pupils leave primary school without a solid foundation in literacy and numeracy," [some official] said.
An article like this would never go in the American educational system. Pretend that statement was being read aloud in a faculty meeting. I can see three words in that paragraph above that would require someone to define and create a context. (Sure, numeracy's important. . .but what is it?)
"In many of these schools, pupils' progress is hampered by poor basic skills in literacy and numeracy. It cannot be right that 20 percent of pupils leave primary school without a solid foundation in literacy and numeracy," [some official] said.
An article like this would never go in the American educational system. Pretend that statement was being read aloud in a faculty meeting. I can see three words in that paragraph above that would require someone to define and create a context. (Sure, numeracy's important. . .but what is it?)
NWO
In this article at MTV.com, the author compares Radiohead's online release of their latest album with one of the biggest moments in modern professional wrestling history (look around the middle of the page).
Come to think of it, that's going to be a pretty obscure reference for MTV's target audience, some of whom would have been infants in 1996. Weird. . .
Come to think of it, that's going to be a pretty obscure reference for MTV's target audience, some of whom would have been infants in 1996. Weird. . .
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
So personal
This article suggests that since Iowans have pressed alot of politician palm, they're getting the special treatment.
We might be special, I suppose, but it's not surprising that a lot of Iowans have made contact with a politician. Go to any county fair, college or gathering of 20 people or more within two years of an election, and a politician will be there, all smiles and handshakes.
Politician sightings are not a rare thing in Iowa, and it's not really worth the ink to print a story saying that it happens frequently. It's like printing a story about the number of sunny days in Phoenix--why waste everyone's time?
We might be special, I suppose, but it's not surprising that a lot of Iowans have made contact with a politician. Go to any county fair, college or gathering of 20 people or more within two years of an election, and a politician will be there, all smiles and handshakes.
Politician sightings are not a rare thing in Iowa, and it's not really worth the ink to print a story saying that it happens frequently. It's like printing a story about the number of sunny days in Phoenix--why waste everyone's time?
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Strength in Numbers
I went to a medical clinic today, and one of the questions on the intake forms was "Are you Married/Partnered or Single?" The lady at the desk asks the question, and I kind of pause out. I'm not married, but I'm not single either. . .I have a lady friend. . .I live with my lady friend. . .Aren't you supposed to call your s.o. your "partner" in professional settings? . . .
So I tell her that I'm not single, but I'm not married either. "Partnered?" she asks, and then, without waiting for a response, marks the box and moves to the next question. I return to my seat, and ten minutes go by.
Then I begin to wonder. . .By "partnered," could she mean "1/2 of a long term homosexual relationship?" Before I could think it all the way through, I was called in to the examination room.
The intern begins by asking if I have any chronic conditions. I respond that I suffer from fatness. She asks if I exercise to mitigate my weight gains and high BMI score. I respond that I bike to and from work everyday and a couple times a week beyond that. After an hour or so of questions that had nothing to do with my earache, I get ready to leave the clinic.
The intern wishes me good luck and says: "Get better, and get your partner to go biking with you. Strength in numbers!" Then she puts on a serious face, does a fist pump and finishes the gesture by flashing me a strange smile. . .
I ran all this by the lady friend, and she thinks I took the intake question the wrong way. So by my own unwitting admission, I passed as an openly gay man with a double ear infection for a few hours this morning.
So I tell her that I'm not single, but I'm not married either. "Partnered?" she asks, and then, without waiting for a response, marks the box and moves to the next question. I return to my seat, and ten minutes go by.
Then I begin to wonder. . .By "partnered," could she mean "1/2 of a long term homosexual relationship?" Before I could think it all the way through, I was called in to the examination room.
The intern begins by asking if I have any chronic conditions. I respond that I suffer from fatness. She asks if I exercise to mitigate my weight gains and high BMI score. I respond that I bike to and from work everyday and a couple times a week beyond that. After an hour or so of questions that had nothing to do with my earache, I get ready to leave the clinic.
The intern wishes me good luck and says: "Get better, and get your partner to go biking with you. Strength in numbers!" Then she puts on a serious face, does a fist pump and finishes the gesture by flashing me a strange smile. . .
I ran all this by the lady friend, and she thinks I took the intake question the wrong way. So by my own unwitting admission, I passed as an openly gay man with a double ear infection for a few hours this morning.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Freegans
Every morning I pass a group of guys who sleep in lawn chairs outside converted VW busses and scrounge from dumpsters for their sustanence. Until just a few days ago, I didn't realize a word existed to describe them. Now I know.
They're called freegans, and according to a piece on NPR the other day, they're the most extreme type of vegan. They take the minimalist element of the vegan diet and apply it to LIFE.
In the NPR piece a reporter becomes a freegan for a month. The story doesn't ring quite true. In fact, I'm pretty sure she was doing freegan-light, if at all. Listen to the piece. The reportage is suspect if the most significant thing you have to say about nearly eliminating your carbon footprint through non-consumption is that you craved Skittles.
On the other hand, I did learn about the legal aspects of dumpster diving.
They're called freegans, and according to a piece on NPR the other day, they're the most extreme type of vegan. They take the minimalist element of the vegan diet and apply it to LIFE.
In the NPR piece a reporter becomes a freegan for a month. The story doesn't ring quite true. In fact, I'm pretty sure she was doing freegan-light, if at all. Listen to the piece. The reportage is suspect if the most significant thing you have to say about nearly eliminating your carbon footprint through non-consumption is that you craved Skittles.
On the other hand, I did learn about the legal aspects of dumpster diving.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Contraption
To promote comfort at work (and by comfort, I do mean laziness), I've designed a contraption to help me hit the "engage caller" button on my phone. Before, I had to lean forward when I wanted to hit the button. Now, I pick up the contraption and hit the button from a distance of 3 feet.
I used to have to alternate between lounging in my comfy chair and hunkering forward to hit the button. Now I can lean back, grab the contraption, and talk, talk, talk. Yay!
Progress, folks. Tech-no-logical progress.
I used to have to alternate between lounging in my comfy chair and hunkering forward to hit the button. Now I can lean back, grab the contraption, and talk, talk, talk. Yay!
Progress, folks. Tech-no-logical progress.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Let's talk dirty to the animals
The times may have changed. 30 years ago, the most illicit conceivable relationship between man and best may have been best captured by the Gilda Radner song referenced in the title. In the song, we gather together as one species to swear at the animals we find around the farm.
But it's 2007 now. And a movie I saw over the weekend shows that dudes are getting together to do something altogether different with the animals. The movie is a documentary called Zoo, and it follows the zoophile culture in the Seattle area. The impetus for the film appears to have been the death of an engineer from Seattle, whose demise came from internal bleeding caused by a ruptured sigmoid colon. How did the colon rupture? A horse.
I don't like this movie because of the filmmaker's decisions on how to tell and show the story; it's sort of like sitting through a really long episode of Unsolved Mysteries. But I knew nothing about the topic before seeing the movie, so I guess I can say I'm more informed.
If you want to sit through a bad film about a hard to understand, make-you-want-to-gag fetish, Zoo may be it for you. Or if you want to punish your parents for making you sit through 12 years of catechism, Zoo may be for you as well. Whatever your take on zoophilia, for me the film reaffirmed that man-beast relations should never go past a good belly scratch and a rub behind the ears.
But it's 2007 now. And a movie I saw over the weekend shows that dudes are getting together to do something altogether different with the animals. The movie is a documentary called Zoo, and it follows the zoophile culture in the Seattle area. The impetus for the film appears to have been the death of an engineer from Seattle, whose demise came from internal bleeding caused by a ruptured sigmoid colon. How did the colon rupture? A horse.
I don't like this movie because of the filmmaker's decisions on how to tell and show the story; it's sort of like sitting through a really long episode of Unsolved Mysteries. But I knew nothing about the topic before seeing the movie, so I guess I can say I'm more informed.
If you want to sit through a bad film about a hard to understand, make-you-want-to-gag fetish, Zoo may be it for you. Or if you want to punish your parents for making you sit through 12 years of catechism, Zoo may be for you as well. Whatever your take on zoophilia, for me the film reaffirmed that man-beast relations should never go past a good belly scratch and a rub behind the ears.
It needs some. . .zazz
After watching 36 hours of the West Wing in the last two days, I can't think of anything interesting to write. So, visual stimulation it is, then.
I present to you the dog my lady friend wants me to get.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Adultalescence
I felt like I was under the microscope when I read this.
Last week's Times Magazine also had an article on TFA. I especially like the part about teachers in training falling asleep during Institute sessions. . .ah, memories.
Last week's Times Magazine also had an article on TFA. I especially like the part about teachers in training falling asleep during Institute sessions. . .ah, memories.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
A Shout Out
I mean this completely in good spirit, but I am so tickled by the pet names I'm called by people who call me at work. Some of my faves:
1. Baby
2. Darling
3. Sweetheart
4. Honey
5. Partner
6. Yunster
7. Chief
8. Asshole
9. "REAL HELPFUL"
1. Baby
2. Darling
3. Sweetheart
4. Honey
5. Partner
6. Yunster
7. Chief
8. Asshole
9. "REAL HELPFUL"
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Questionable Merch
For you fans of NPR's Supreme Court coverage out there, you can now get your very own tote bag:
http://shop.npr.org/product/show/28775
BTW, it's back by popular demand. Awesome.
http://shop.npr.org/product/show/28775
BTW, it's back by popular demand. Awesome.
Marathons
I now have a lot of time on my hands and I think I'll start doing marathon sessions of interesting shows that I never caught the first time around. Here's the menu so far:
1. West Wing, season 3--end
2. House, season 3
3. You Can't Do That on Television
4. Arrested Development, season 2
Anything you all have seen that's worth seeing?
1. West Wing, season 3--end
2. House, season 3
3. You Can't Do That on Television
4. Arrested Development, season 2
Anything you all have seen that's worth seeing?
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