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SubscriptionsSites I Read
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| Look Like a Team
Like most people, I'm pretty careful at who I give money to on the
streets. Really the only people I give handouts to are kids
selling candy to raise money for baseball or basketball uniforms.
As someone who's played organized sports since childhood, even now
years after college, I realize how important it is to have uniforms for
your team. No matter what level you're at, I believe it's really
important for you to look your best. Clean, color-coordinated
uniforms with a logo go a long way in showing the pride you have as a
team. It shows you not only respect the game you play but also
care about the team concept. I'd much rather be on a team of
scrubs with uniforms than a team wearing scrubs.
And beyond sports, I've always felt it important to dress the part
whatever you're doing in life. That's why I don't mind wearing
business casual clothes at work. Even when I need to wear a suit,
I have no complaints. Most people hate "dressing up" for whatever
reason. They think it's constricting and uncomfortable. I
actually find work clothes to be the opposite. Don't really know
why.
I think part of it was going to a prep school freshman year in high
school and having to wear a sports coat and tie everyday. And
another reason might have been my infatuation with a particular
fictional character. In high school and college, I was a fan of
the X-Files and loved Fox Mulder. Mulder always wore a suit and
trenchcoat. I wanted to be like him. I also liked his hair
style. My mom even wanted Todd and me to get a haircut like
Mulder. "Train your hair!" Try that I may, I could never
match his do. Asian hair just isn't the same as Irish hair
(I think Mulder is Irish--I know a Mulder and she's Irish).
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| It's All in the Wrist
For some reason my wrists have been hurting a lot. I can't
remember any incidences where I injured them or put excess strain on
them. They don't hurt when I'm doing normal things like
writing, typing, or eating. But during my hockey games, it hurts
to shoot the puck. And when I'm swinging the baseball bat around
the house (well, not around the house like a maniac, but in a
controlled batting stance with enough clearance around me), it really hurts. Guess I gotta live through it.
And I guess it didn't help that I met two people last week who gave me
bone-crushing handshakes. I'm a fan of firm handshakes, but what
does a gorilla-grip handshake accomplish? We're meeting each
other, not starting a street fight or a walk off.
Do it, Hansel!
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| Personal Statement
I haven't blogged in a long time. And when I do, I blog in
spurts. When I lived in NC I used to blog a few times a
week. Now, ever since I moved back to Chicago, it seems like a
few times a year. Wonder why? Part of it is the fact that I
really don't have much to share or because I've been so busy.
There are exciting things that go on in my life, but is it worth
sharing? I think about a lot of things--philosophical things,
things of value, and sometimes stupid, random things too. But are
they worth sharing? In the end, I guess I'm still finding my
voice that's appropriate for a venue like the world of blogging.
Like Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) said in Chasing Amy,
maybe I'm just waiting for "when I have something personal to
say." Or maybe I really don't need a reason to blog. For
example, this blog I just wrote...
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| Do Not Pass Go, Go Straight To Jail
On weekday mornings, I listen to Eric and Kathy, a popular radio show
(101.9 on the dial). Most days they're pretty entertaining, but
sometimes they can come off as very shallow and ignorant. After
telling a few Brokeback Mountain jokes here and there (maybe not
necessarily this morning but in general), Eric said that it was
"refreshing" to hear the leader of a prominent gay activist group say
that people shouldn't be ashamed to tell Brokeback Mountain jokes
because they ease the tension that homosexuality stirs in a homophobic
society.
I particularly didn't like how Eric (a straight man) referred to that
leader's comments as "refreshing"--it seems like he was waiting for a
license or a free pass to tell homophobic jokes without
repurcussion. Along the same line, it's like saying "My gay
friend thought it was funny." If you're just rattling off
offensive jokes like they're nothing, then you're still contributing to
the problem. You're not doing others or yourself a service
besides getting a cheap laugh.
As they say, there's a kernel of truth to every stereotype.
Offensive jokes count because they often play off of stereotypes.
So by telling these type of jokes, you're just about as guilty as
someone who just blatantly stereotypes other people. It is better
if you're telling these type of jokes around people who truly know
right from wrong (or at least have strong moral compasses).
And I'm not saying I haven't told an offensive joke before. I've
told many a bad pirate joke. When I get to the gates of heaven,
whoever's checking people in is going to make me confront and apologize
to some real pirates. And we're not talking about mp3 downloaders
or the professional baseball team.
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| Give It Up
Lent starts tomorrow. For the third straight year, I'm giving up
soda. Well, the first year I did it was only for 20 days.
Even though I cut the trial in half, the effects were still pretty
significant. Prior to abstinence, I drank soda by the
liter. In graduate school at Ohio State, I literally drank a
six-pack each day. But after the 20-day run in 2004, I was
drinking more water and not missing soda all too much. I may have
blogged about this back then.
Anyhoo, this year I'm also giving up two more things: one Lenten
promise is personal while the other is more of a group promise.
The personal promise is giving up fried foods, deep-fried foods more
specifically. Healthwise, it's a good thing to abstain
from. I've actually felt a little tension around my chest cavity
a few times lately. That can't be good no matter how old you
are. So goodbye McDonald's french fries and cheap Chinese
food. But as you say to friends, "This isn't goodbye, it's see
you soon."
The group promise is with my colleagues at work. We tend to go
out a lot for lunch (or order in). To help each other save money,
we decided to give up going out for lunch during Lent. We're
going to have to make an exception when we travel to DC for a
conference starting next weekend, though. I guess that doesn't
really count because we're not technically "at work". You can't
really bring leftovers from your hotel room.
And the peculiar thing with all this is that I'm not Christian.
In the end, though, trying to give up a vice is always a good thing,
right?
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