14
Nov, 2012
14
Nov, 2012
Good Words to Use
There are some words that seem to have a better effect than others. Here are a few that come to mind:
Develop – Anytime something is in the process of getting done, it’s developing. This is a good word for something that there is no progress happening whatsoever. It sounds like an action word but is really just a stall word.
“Tom, can you update me on the status of this project?”
“Sure, it’s in the development stage and we’ll have some results shortly.”
“Keep up the good work.”
“Tom, why are sales down?”
“The competition is dictating our price level which is hurting sales.” (Notice that this says nothing about any other possibilities like poor advertising, lack of salesman motivation, or weak product, it’s clearly the competition)
Pigeon-holed – Anytime someone is being narrow-minded just tell them that they can’t pigeon hole their thinking. I looked up what it meant in the dictionary and it is seems to mean to place in a small compartment. Basically not being open.
“Tom, we need to devote all our time to selling big box #1.”
“Let’s not pigeon hole our thinking and keep out mind open to other opportunities.”
Next time you find yourself in conversation remember these words and let me know how they turn out.
13
Nov, 2012
Rnningfool
Using the moniker rnningfool was probably one of the best decisions of my life. Mainly because it is so fitting to who I’ve become. Considering I chose this at 13 or so years old, I really have to give myself a pat on the back for the foresight. In my youth the name was directly correlated to being on the track team and putting in lots of miles. Only a fool would do something so pointless as running in circles. As I developed into an adult though I starting earning the fool part as alcohol entered my life. Having almost never touched a drop of alcohol until my freshmen year of college, I was promptly given an underage drinking citation in my 2nd week of school. I followed that up with incidents of frostbite, public drunkenness, public urination, a split lip, and a broken ankle and that’s really only touching the surface of the ones I remember. Needless to say that these are quite foolish and (drunk) running was involved in quite a few. Thus the rnningfool was/is still appropriate.
After a decade of these foolish incidents I’m starting to play the fool in a different way once again. I’m actually leaning more towards the running part and am playing the fool by touching alcohol. People who don’t abuse alcohol don’t really understand what it’s like to drink until you completely lose control. I’m making you aware that when an alcoholic drinks it’s not like they are trying to black out but they (me) just bypass the normal warning signs that non-alcoholics get. At this point of my life I know I can’t drink responsibly. This doesn’t mean that I have a drink and fly off the handle. My tolerance has actually adapted so well that the amount of alcohol I consume is absurd. HOWEVER, this doesn’t mean that I don’t get wasted after hours and hours of drinking. My fundamental problem is drinking for hours on end which if you hang out with me on one of these binge drinking sessions you’ll start to understand. So that being said, my best plan moving forward would be to never touch a drop of alcohol because then the problem would never exist…
…but what fun would that be. I like drinking alcohol. I can’t think of a better time than hanging out, drinking my favorite craft beers and watching and gambling on sports. I know people who read that shake their heads and just put their hands up and say “there’s no hope for this guy.” Hell, I say it myself. But tell me where I’m doing a bad job in life? I have a good job, I stay fit, I get along with practically everybody, and am generally likeable as a person. I earn the right to do as I please. I haven’t made decisions in my life where I effect other people (ie. a wife and family). The only harm I’ve ever done to anyone has been myself. And the oddest statement is that I can think of is that all your life experiences turn you into who you are today. I’ve spent my 20’s partying and living life while still balancing not being a screw up.
So here I sit today and am still trying to be the rnningfool. I have breakthrough news though for one specifically Sam Stortz. As Wayne Merkle stated “he kicked sand in my face.” Now Sam didn’t do this maliciously and probably isn’t even aware of what he said that fueled my fire. What he said was that I’m a lifetime 17:30 5ker and he’s right. In high school I never cared enough. In college I drank too much. Out of college I drank too much. And now is my time to spend a few months trying to break that 17:00 mark. With a 5k time of 17:39 done last October I have about 40 seconds to shave off. I see this as a challenge but I’m fairly certain I can do it. I will be doing the Gobble Wobble on Thanksgiving and will hopefully knock that 17 minute mark on my first try. This will set the Stortz bar for a 5k at age 29 and I know that will be something these guys behind me will have to work for. And with that, the rnningfool will last forever.
Me at the Skeleton Skurry
12
Nov, 2012
As Shit
One of JC’s favorite phrases is “that’s funny as shit.” He says it in a slow cadence with a lot of emphasis on the “as shit.” I find this pretty funny only because I’ve heard it 100 times and it’s not the phrase that I find funny but the actual meaning of it. As shit just doesn’t make any sense. The other thing is everyone says this. Phrases like “hot as hell” or “cold as ice” are functioning lines. But unless it’s smelly as shit, it doesn’t fly. People do this all the time with the word fuck too. I suppose my point is that as shit is really just a cop out for using your brain to think of something better. This post though is bad as shit.
10
Nov, 2012
Thanksgiving by Nicole Westbrook
2012, what the hell is happening. I found this on barstool and spent 3:38 watching the above video and we can all agree it is reminiscent of Friday by Rebecca Black. This video is an example of the trashiest music to date. Using autotuned 13 year old girls, pop beats, and the stupidest topic for a song are reasons why this makes me cringe. Plus the producer or creepy black guy who is hanging around this video is really, really, really pedophile-ish. Here are some sample lyrics:
December was Christmas
January was New Years
April was Easter
and the 4th of July but now is Thanksgiving
I will say though that a turkey leg as a microphone is original. I think this is a sad example of using children. What happened to days when kids were kids and used their own talents and ability. This is an example of a producer who is manipulating the idea of turning kids into pop stars for his own personal gain. I wouldn’t have a problem with this if the end result was something, for lack of a better word, good. Do you know how difficult it is to get a million views on youtube? This video is actually successful. That’s where I have a problem because it’s bad beyond comprehension. At least when Britney did Hit Me Baby One More Time it was like a real song. Not some two bit operation production youtube company exploiting children. This is bad people, real bad.
9
Nov, 2012
4:25
It’s 4:25 and I’m still at work on a Friday which is just absurd. In one sense it’s good because I have plenty of things going on that keep me busy but on the other it’s 4:25 on a Friday. I know there are people out there who work till 5 everyday on Friday and are bitching about me bitching. However, that is the reality of the situation. I will write though that I don’t have much to write about. As the owner of this blog it’s up to me to come up with material and when I don’t have any, and I haven’t wrote for 2 days or so, you get posts like this. It’s basically putting something up so I don’t feel guilty about going 3-4 days without posting because weekends aren’t typically high post days for me. As a completely random thought, I’m starting to question this no-shave November because I’m put in professional situations from time to time and my opinion is that no facial hair is most professional. Now considering I wear a hooded sweatshirt to work most days you wouldn’t think that would be an issue but I still question it. I’ll update a picture in short time so you can see how a real man grows facial hair compared to Sam’s crustache.
7
Nov, 2012
7
Nov, 2012
Blind Date 2012?
I suggest watching that brilliant 90 seconds so we can try to figure out whatever happened to this show. This was a brilliant, reality TV show that aired from 1999-2005. The Real World was the start of reality TV in 1992 (Survivor for real in 1997) but Blind Date was still a part of reality TV when it wasn’t over saturated. The concept of setting up two random people and filming them on a date wound up being hilariously entertaining. The thought bubbles throughout provided even further amusement by getting insight from the producers after they have analyzed the people. So my question is that why after only 6 years, did Blind Date die?
The concept of filming dates that go wrong should be so simple it shouldn’t die. However, people get tired of the same old thing and this show never really innovated from the simplicity. They needed to start creating mismatches and sending them on dates that they knew were going to be disastrous. Pair up a virgin and a pornstar and send them on a date to a drive-thru and watch hilarious conversation ensue. The bigger answer to the why’d it die question is that once Blind Date got popular, people started acting differently. This show allowed them to be TV stars and that ruined the integrity of the show. Knowing that your on TV creates people acting differently than themselves. So the combination of 6 years of the same show and the show’s loss of reality took it down.
I feel though that someone should bring it back. It’s been away for a while now and people are ready to give it another shot. Problem would still be that the people would know they are on TV but with some better producing, I think this could still be a high rated show. Why I created this post though is a bit of a mystery. I was watching some TV and Roger Lodge popped up and it reminded me of this show. Then I remembered that I actually liked the show. Then I thought the above analysis wasn’t horrible for why the show ended and I decided to write about it. That can happen.
7
Nov, 2012
Obama
Once you go black, you never go back… to the White House. This was a joke I heard from Mitt Romney on Howard Stern. It wasn’t actually Mitt (obviously) but funny nonetheless. I’m not really disappointed or excited, just thinking that this particular nomination doesn’t really effect my life that much. The thing that effects my life the most is me. How hard I work, how much I care, how much I do. That is what dictates how my life turns out, not some presidential election. That being said, I would have liked to see Mitt Romney in office because he is more of a business man and doesn’t give a shit about hurting people to help the bigger cause. Of course he’d never say that but this is what I’d expect from him. As is, I’m prepared for 4 more years of a lackluster economy and slow growth. I still expect shit to hit the fan (like today’s market) because the gov’t created so much money and I’m not sure what is to show for it.
I’m also well aware that I’m so far away from these political issues that I really don’t understand them and I have no right to comment on them. Well, I suppose I can comment but it’s not an educated opinion. The more I live here, the more I want to earn enough money to get away from it. Give me a beach, a broad, a book, a beer and I’m content. I honestly don’t need anything else. If I make enough money that I feel I can comfortably do this, I’m out of here. People need to stop acting like they know what they are talking about. You are so far out of the loop that you essentially know nothing. It’s ok to know nothing as long as you know that.
6
Nov, 2012
Aging
Today marks the 29th year I’ve been alive. Some might see this as a joyous occasion worth celebrating but I’m not sure why survival deserves so much credit. Other people also like to use this as a day to “party” but I essentially treat every weekend like a party and today would be no different. I actually “party” today by not partying. Your friends send you messages like happy b-day and enjoy the day but if it wasn’t marked on Facebook would they even know? Not that this really bothers me but I know who my friends are whether or not they post on my wall or wish me a happy birthday. I’m the last person who would get upset at someone for not chiming in and wishing me a happy birthday. For me it feels just like any other day. 1/365. Age though is a good way to benchmark your life and I want to share some thoughts I have on it.
As you get older, you mature, and store valuable information that you’ve received throughout your life. Today at 29 I can make better informed decisions than I could at 18. One major noticeable change is money. When a company says that they made 30 million dollars this year, I can understand how big a number 30 million is from a dollar sense. At 18, I was grasping how much money a thousand dollars was. Your perspective becomes clearer with more life experience. This is a wonderful thing because it makes life more fun and complicated. This goes hand in hand with the way you think about life because your view should be constantly changing and adapting.
People are always saying how they wish they could be 18 again. I do not. I personally like being 29 and aside from maybe being 26, there is no age I’d rather be than what I am now. This view might change when I hit 35, but for now that’s how I feel. I’m in my same lifetime 17:30 5k shape. I still feel strong and healthy. I’m able to play sports the same as when I was younger aside from seemingly getting injured easier. I have more money and I respect it more even if I still make poor decisions. I can view younger peoples decisions with regard to what’s happened in my life and can take older peoples advice on how to move forward. It’s really a wonderful age.
The obvious thing that I don’t have in my life is any stability or building to a family. With no girlfriend and no place I’d call my own, I’m essentially starting from scratch at 29. There are some people who would be horrified at this. However, this is exactly what I’ve chosen to do with my life and I don’t regret a thing. The obvious pluses are that I have no baggage and haven’t made any mistakes in that regard. It also means I haven’t really lived. With all that being said, I still have, many years of my life to figure this part out. I don’t look at today as happy or sad, it’s just another naturally occurring event.