American Gods by Neil Gaiman.
It was a bit light. Nice idea but ultimately not all that deep considering it's supposed to be about gods in general, which is such a vast subject. All the forgotten gods throughout time. Not terrible either. Better than I've ever managed certainly. Shadow was a bit simplistic. Has free time and sits around practicing card tricks. Dead wife says it's like he's half dead and well I guess, yes. Simplistic thought processes. But I enjoyed it as I read it.
Given up on Malazan, just randomly goes on and on in a pretty meaningless way.
Started the Magic Casement by Dave Duncan and LOVE the first page or so. The description of the weather, terrain/geography. At least the first page or so anyway. That kind of detail is so important.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Just about there with the tennis.
Things to do to play tennis well.
Serve:
1. Almost an eastern forehand grip.
2. Toss the ball while doing nothing else. Then raise racquet and take step.
3. Don't worry about getting a ton of spin or jumping up, worry about being very precise. Keep all movements well controlled and worry about getting just the perfect angle.
4. Really try to get the first serve in. Take just a tinsy bit off. Don't try to absolutely kill it. Be precise, With an eastern forehand grip, I'm going to hit it hard without really trying.
Groundstrokes:
1. On return of serve stand facing to the right. This keeps the backhand out in front of the body and at least partially keeps the left foot out in front for forehands.
2. Really try to get turned for the forehand. Left foot way out in front. Can easily hit lots of two hand slice forehand winners as long as I get turned. Use double semi-western grip for slice, drive and flat forehand. Run around the backhand to hit the slice forehand.
3. Try to keep racquet out in front of the body on the backhand. Use semi-western on right hand and eastern forehand going slightly towards continental on left hand.
4. Much better to take long smooth steps than lots of small steps I think...
Cross training:
1. Ride a bike. Way better than running.
2. Do a bit of easy running just to keep back good.
3. Some messing around with a weighted racquet.
Today I was down 3-1 and then won 11 or the next 13 games. Big difference was getting my footwork down. Of course how aggressive and hard hitting my opponent is, plays a role in how good my footwork is.
Things to do to play tennis well.
Serve:
1. Almost an eastern forehand grip.
2. Toss the ball while doing nothing else. Then raise racquet and take step.
3. Don't worry about getting a ton of spin or jumping up, worry about being very precise. Keep all movements well controlled and worry about getting just the perfect angle.
4. Really try to get the first serve in. Take just a tinsy bit off. Don't try to absolutely kill it. Be precise, With an eastern forehand grip, I'm going to hit it hard without really trying.
Groundstrokes:
1. On return of serve stand facing to the right. This keeps the backhand out in front of the body and at least partially keeps the left foot out in front for forehands.
2. Really try to get turned for the forehand. Left foot way out in front. Can easily hit lots of two hand slice forehand winners as long as I get turned. Use double semi-western grip for slice, drive and flat forehand. Run around the backhand to hit the slice forehand.
3. Try to keep racquet out in front of the body on the backhand. Use semi-western on right hand and eastern forehand going slightly towards continental on left hand.
4. Much better to take long smooth steps than lots of small steps I think...
Cross training:
1. Ride a bike. Way better than running.
2. Do a bit of easy running just to keep back good.
3. Some messing around with a weighted racquet.
Today I was down 3-1 and then won 11 or the next 13 games. Big difference was getting my footwork down. Of course how aggressive and hard hitting my opponent is, plays a role in how good my footwork is.
Monday, July 20, 2015
The main difference between good people and bad people is that good people are trying to see the good in others while bad people are trying to see the bad in others.
Trying to see the good in everyone is great, but if you spend your free time with someone with questionable morals, someone who has a track record of treating people badly, sooner or later you'll most likely get what you've earned. No matter that you were just trying to see the good in them; no matter that you were just trying to believe in them; such are nice notions but meanwhile, there were other people that you passed up. People who right here, right now, are good people. Instead you chose a less savory individual. When that person gets around to giving you the same treatment they've given others, you have actually earned it. By picking them in the first place, you have earned it
Trying to see the good in everyone is great, but if you spend your free time with someone with questionable morals, someone who has a track record of treating people badly, sooner or later you'll most likely get what you've earned. No matter that you were just trying to see the good in them; no matter that you were just trying to believe in them; such are nice notions but meanwhile, there were other people that you passed up. People who right here, right now, are good people. Instead you chose a less savory individual. When that person gets around to giving you the same treatment they've given others, you have actually earned it. By picking them in the first place, you have earned it
Sunday, July 5, 2015
S. has decided I'm a horrible person and has blocked and unfriended both me and my wife. She did all this without ever actually speaking to me. Just texting. Texting ugly stuff about not much really. Nothing remotely to justify such a thing. Except I kept asking her to actually speak to me, trying to get her to understand how much it was upsetting me that she was only texting me and refusing to speak to me any other way.
And so finally she said I was trying to manipulate her, that I wasn't really upset at all. And this was a horrible thing for me to have done and blocked/unfriended.
Why do I pick crazy people to have as friends? Why? Why? Why?
I know why. But I also ought to know that this is what I get. I shouldn't be as upset as I am. But I'm really upset. I'm drive over to her house and sit on her front porch upset.
Because.... it's the breakdown of society. People who have been friends for more than 5 years ending things by text. Without ever having spoken to you about what they're unhappy about.
I try to take a step back... and when I do. It's clearly just a crazy person. And there's nothing to be done. It's not the breakdown of society. It's just yet another person who has some undiagnosed mental health issues. It's not the banal culmination of the history of human interactions. It's just yet another person who has some undiagnosed mental health issues. It's not further proof that we all just can't get along and all friendships are doomed. It's just yet another person who has some undiagnosed mental health issues. It's not remotely a representative sample. I keep picking out the most eccentric people I can find to be friends with. And they all have issues dammit! Never found one yet that was eccentric for the right reasons.
This one kind of takes the cake. She was constantly demonizing people. A 30 something who had never had a significant other. If I had any sense I shouldn't have gotten within 20 feet of her.
I keep trying to find people who are meaningfully eccentric because they disagree with some social norms. Instead I just keep finding people who are incapable of successfully following/understanding social norms.
I have romanticized eccentricism.
The experiences of my life are a skewed sample from which I can draw no meaningful conclusions because I've romanticized eccentrics.
And so finally she said I was trying to manipulate her, that I wasn't really upset at all. And this was a horrible thing for me to have done and blocked/unfriended.
Why do I pick crazy people to have as friends? Why? Why? Why?
I know why. But I also ought to know that this is what I get. I shouldn't be as upset as I am. But I'm really upset. I'm drive over to her house and sit on her front porch upset.
Because.... it's the breakdown of society. People who have been friends for more than 5 years ending things by text. Without ever having spoken to you about what they're unhappy about.
I try to take a step back... and when I do. It's clearly just a crazy person. And there's nothing to be done. It's not the breakdown of society. It's just yet another person who has some undiagnosed mental health issues. It's not the banal culmination of the history of human interactions. It's just yet another person who has some undiagnosed mental health issues. It's not further proof that we all just can't get along and all friendships are doomed. It's just yet another person who has some undiagnosed mental health issues. It's not remotely a representative sample. I keep picking out the most eccentric people I can find to be friends with. And they all have issues dammit! Never found one yet that was eccentric for the right reasons.
This one kind of takes the cake. She was constantly demonizing people. A 30 something who had never had a significant other. If I had any sense I shouldn't have gotten within 20 feet of her.
I keep trying to find people who are meaningfully eccentric because they disagree with some social norms. Instead I just keep finding people who are incapable of successfully following/understanding social norms.
I have romanticized eccentricism.
The experiences of my life are a skewed sample from which I can draw no meaningful conclusions because I've romanticized eccentrics.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Pick out the one person who manages to get fired from a job basically cleaning toilets and pushing beds around at a hospital. A person who has a serious problem in incorrectly assuming ugly things of people. A person who has made it to their 30's without ever having a serious significant other. A person who other than feeling sorry for them, for being so messed up, you like because they're "honest". How do you know they're "honest"? Because they are constantly saying ugly things. Of course all kinds of people could be just as honest or more so who aren't constantly thinking/saying ugly things.... Unfortunately it's a bit harder to tell.
A person who is highly jealous. Who refuses to speak by phone and keeps assuming ugly things by text. You hang out with this person's sister who is so depressed they've stopped going to work and their still too busy just being jealous.
And finally, clearly not honest. Your wife has a baby and they suddenly never ask you to do anything again going on 7 months and they don't admit anything is wrong, say they still want to be friends.
Better people to spend one's time with (just about anyone really): This person's sister. Who has virtually no friends strangely enough, while the bitch has tons. The sister probably lacks confidence to go after people, for one thing. For another she tries to hard to please, perhaps.
The evening coordinator who talks negative about herself.
What about friggin men? Why aren't there any men to be friends with? I've met enough playing tennis. Somehow... it's almost like the puzzle pieces don't fit together.... lol. I had an attraction to the orderly who managed to get fired. Really love the way she looks. This unfortunately has played a role. Kidding myself to think otherwise. Singular looks. Definitely not a barbie doll. Never seen anyone who looks remotely like her. Though I never did anything inappropriate I'm afraid this plays a role.
And could with her sister.
But I'm being a bit hard on myself. Would like to be friends with the cello playing lady at work who is not attractive to me at all. I think she thinks it's inappropriate since I'm male.
Playing tennis isn't a basis for much of a friendship though. I just don't find sporty people very interesting usually. Not much for reading or any arts it seems. I strike up conversations with them all. But no one has shown me anything special. Some nice guys certainly. But not much basis to become friends really.
What is that thing that makes one take it that extra step? Really one has so little free time anyway. The spark of an attraction. Some arcane hobby in common. There is time for so few. It has to be something pretty unusual.
I'm sad I have so few friends. (Bordering on zero.) But if I had a few more I'd have more than I have time for.
A person who is highly jealous. Who refuses to speak by phone and keeps assuming ugly things by text. You hang out with this person's sister who is so depressed they've stopped going to work and their still too busy just being jealous.
And finally, clearly not honest. Your wife has a baby and they suddenly never ask you to do anything again going on 7 months and they don't admit anything is wrong, say they still want to be friends.
Better people to spend one's time with (just about anyone really): This person's sister. Who has virtually no friends strangely enough, while the bitch has tons. The sister probably lacks confidence to go after people, for one thing. For another she tries to hard to please, perhaps.
The evening coordinator who talks negative about herself.
What about friggin men? Why aren't there any men to be friends with? I've met enough playing tennis. Somehow... it's almost like the puzzle pieces don't fit together.... lol. I had an attraction to the orderly who managed to get fired. Really love the way she looks. This unfortunately has played a role. Kidding myself to think otherwise. Singular looks. Definitely not a barbie doll. Never seen anyone who looks remotely like her. Though I never did anything inappropriate I'm afraid this plays a role.
And could with her sister.
But I'm being a bit hard on myself. Would like to be friends with the cello playing lady at work who is not attractive to me at all. I think she thinks it's inappropriate since I'm male.
Playing tennis isn't a basis for much of a friendship though. I just don't find sporty people very interesting usually. Not much for reading or any arts it seems. I strike up conversations with them all. But no one has shown me anything special. Some nice guys certainly. But not much basis to become friends really.
What is that thing that makes one take it that extra step? Really one has so little free time anyway. The spark of an attraction. Some arcane hobby in common. There is time for so few. It has to be something pretty unusual.
I'm sad I have so few friends. (Bordering on zero.) But if I had a few more I'd have more than I have time for.
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
OK. Almost to the end of my tennis experimentation. Two hand backhand with eastern forehand grip. Two hand forehand with semiwestern grip for topspin and slice. Attempting to hit volleys with both hands on racquet in eastern forehand grip. Overheads... I dunno. Maybe eastern forehand. Serves... down to messing with the serve. Experimenting with eastern backhand grip (almost) on the serve.
I've been successfully running 1/2 intervals (60 secs fast/120 secs slow). In the past my right knee couldn't handle this. In general potentially hard on the body. With short very controlled strides I've been ok for a week or two now.
Trying to eat applesauce every morning for breakfast (heated). Been doing so for almost a month now or so I think. Finally found a way to eat fruit. Having just rice, peas and tomato sauce usually for lunch. For dinner I eat out (indian, burritoes/fries, etc) or have good bread toasted with hummus or tomato sauce, or Amy's burritoes, or rice and beans/peas. In other words starting to truly eat healthy. Completely sworn off cheese which causes migraines for me (along with cancer and cardiovascular disease). And being careful of foods with preservatives (migraines). So really eating healthy finally. No salty chips (migraines/kidney stones). No chocolate (migraines). Not too much sugar (migraines). Thanks to migraines I eat healthy now! And I don't get migraines anymore it seems.
Zone One by Colson Whitehead
Recommended by Christopher Buehlman. Called pretentious by hundreds of amazon reviewers. Zombie apocalapse(sp). Not much of a story. Got distracted 52% in and forgot about it. Not sure I'll bother finishing. The main character is dull.
The Better Angels of our Nature by Steven Pinker
We're getting less violent he says. His evidence is convincing. He belabors the point. Stopped 25%. Should skim ahead as it very well could get interesting again.
Went to a book thing in Gaithersburg, MD. Just happened to be there for something else. I loved it. But these things are always so far away and I didn't love it quite enough to drive 4 hours just for it. Maybe someday when Hawthy is older I'll see about any in Pittsburgh... Anyway there must have been 100 published authors there. Only one fantasy fiction guy I think (not counting the children's area). Aire. I got a sample on kindle. It has the memorable line. "'Grandmother', said Annie's granddaughter." And so on.
But I did enjoy listening to this one lady who writes teen fiction go on and on. J did too. Got me wanting to write again. But I haven't. Was so hot though so we left early worried it was bad for Hawthy.
Steven Erikson's Malazan series.
Held off for the silly reason that I didn't want to read military fantasy fiction. Well maybe it wasn't so silly though. The first book is very inventive. Tattersail with her cards. What his name getting his soul but in a wooden doll. Moon's Spawn. But it goes a little overboard with powerful wizards popping up everywhere at the end. And no one person is quite likable enough. Paran almost. But not really. Book two isn't as good but supposedly it picks up again.
So after all these years I think that's it for S. Unless she makes an amazing and sudden turnaround. I became friends with her sister and my wife had a baby. Not sure if it was just one of these things or both. They both coincide with a very sudden and strange change in her behavior. Well I shouldn't say so strange. I've seen her act like this with other people. Why do I pick out the one person who I've ever seen manage to get fired as a hospital orderly? Why do I do this? Is it just that I'm attracted to broken people? That I want to fix them/help them? Or J wonders, do I want "friends" that I can feel superior to/have power over? It's definitely worth thinking about, but I really don't think the latter is the case.
I think perhaps part of it is that everyone is either boring or crazy and I keep choosing crazy. At least J is boring instead of crazy.
It does depress me that she did this. There doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it. But then, it's nice not to worry abut people who keep trying to start shit with me also. I don't think I'm going to choose to hang out with any more crazy people. But as one gets older it gets harder and harder to make any new friends. Not sure I'll every make any more.
I've been successfully running 1/2 intervals (60 secs fast/120 secs slow). In the past my right knee couldn't handle this. In general potentially hard on the body. With short very controlled strides I've been ok for a week or two now.
Trying to eat applesauce every morning for breakfast (heated). Been doing so for almost a month now or so I think. Finally found a way to eat fruit. Having just rice, peas and tomato sauce usually for lunch. For dinner I eat out (indian, burritoes/fries, etc) or have good bread toasted with hummus or tomato sauce, or Amy's burritoes, or rice and beans/peas. In other words starting to truly eat healthy. Completely sworn off cheese which causes migraines for me (along with cancer and cardiovascular disease). And being careful of foods with preservatives (migraines). So really eating healthy finally. No salty chips (migraines/kidney stones). No chocolate (migraines). Not too much sugar (migraines). Thanks to migraines I eat healthy now! And I don't get migraines anymore it seems.
Zone One by Colson Whitehead
Recommended by Christopher Buehlman. Called pretentious by hundreds of amazon reviewers. Zombie apocalapse(sp). Not much of a story. Got distracted 52% in and forgot about it. Not sure I'll bother finishing. The main character is dull.
The Better Angels of our Nature by Steven Pinker
We're getting less violent he says. His evidence is convincing. He belabors the point. Stopped 25%. Should skim ahead as it very well could get interesting again.
Went to a book thing in Gaithersburg, MD. Just happened to be there for something else. I loved it. But these things are always so far away and I didn't love it quite enough to drive 4 hours just for it. Maybe someday when Hawthy is older I'll see about any in Pittsburgh... Anyway there must have been 100 published authors there. Only one fantasy fiction guy I think (not counting the children's area). Aire. I got a sample on kindle. It has the memorable line. "'Grandmother', said Annie's granddaughter." And so on.
But I did enjoy listening to this one lady who writes teen fiction go on and on. J did too. Got me wanting to write again. But I haven't. Was so hot though so we left early worried it was bad for Hawthy.
Steven Erikson's Malazan series.
Held off for the silly reason that I didn't want to read military fantasy fiction. Well maybe it wasn't so silly though. The first book is very inventive. Tattersail with her cards. What his name getting his soul but in a wooden doll. Moon's Spawn. But it goes a little overboard with powerful wizards popping up everywhere at the end. And no one person is quite likable enough. Paran almost. But not really. Book two isn't as good but supposedly it picks up again.
So after all these years I think that's it for S. Unless she makes an amazing and sudden turnaround. I became friends with her sister and my wife had a baby. Not sure if it was just one of these things or both. They both coincide with a very sudden and strange change in her behavior. Well I shouldn't say so strange. I've seen her act like this with other people. Why do I pick out the one person who I've ever seen manage to get fired as a hospital orderly? Why do I do this? Is it just that I'm attracted to broken people? That I want to fix them/help them? Or J wonders, do I want "friends" that I can feel superior to/have power over? It's definitely worth thinking about, but I really don't think the latter is the case.
I think perhaps part of it is that everyone is either boring or crazy and I keep choosing crazy. At least J is boring instead of crazy.
It does depress me that she did this. There doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it. But then, it's nice not to worry abut people who keep trying to start shit with me also. I don't think I'm going to choose to hang out with any more crazy people. But as one gets older it gets harder and harder to make any new friends. Not sure I'll every make any more.
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