efficiency

Been trying to save time when typing things. Maybe people will take advantage of some things I have implemented.

1) say you have a number 02, but you want to put 12. don't delete both the 0 and the 2, just delete the 0 and put a 1 in front.

2) say you are trying to change thursday to wednesday. don't delete the whole "thursday" (you might have guessed), just delete the "thur."

3) like 2 above, when going from december -> september, just change the "dec"

Its been a really sick (depressing) time of work recently and things like this are what keep me trying to get that extra 1%.

wasted time

Theres alot of time in the day as a whole. However, when I get home at night and if by chance there is something going on (god willing) other than watching tv, I would like to do it, but it gets in the way of accomplishing some sort of fitness. This is probably a net gain as far as enjoyment of life goes. But, as far as acquiring any real fitness and results, it dampers the effect quite substantially. The fitness process is very much a cumulative process, where gains in returns are actually increasing. That is, day 3 depends on what you've accomplished in days 1 and 2, and if you don't have day 2, then you can't realize the larger (by day) gains on day 3 without the previous days (in succession). All this is to say, that sporadic fitness results in closer to zero results than most would think. So I think I may have found a solution.

Doing fitness related activities at work. I have been mulling the idea over for a while into what exactly is acceptable in the work place and what is not. Have not really came up with a sure fire plan. But, I tried something in the elevator this morning that I believe resulted in actual fitness. I did push ups against the railing in the elevator on my ride up to my floor. The additional force added by the elevator moving against gravity increased the intensity of this mini workout. Now just need to extrapolate this rough concept into a full fledged workout plan, put it on dvd, and then sell it.

friend

My friend is now my boss (kind of). Meaning he reviews my work etc. Makes for some awkward situations, but I think this is unavoidable given he is now my superior. Nothing crazy he didn't all of a sudden evolve into an asshole, just a little different dynamic when it comes to him looking at my work etc. But I guess everyone waits for the day they have some minions under them to semi-belittle whenever possible.

Built the Model

A quote from an email just sent:

"Robert is the one who built the model and will join our call."

Yes children of the world. One day you too can grow up and be able to derive a sense of accomplishment by creating an excel model.

What would the young Robert think of the "grown" Robert?

Kleenex box

Man, I ran out of kleenex about a year ago. Soon after I went scrounging around for a new box, but there was none to be found. Pride prevented me from asking others. Some 12 odd months or so later, I was in dire need of a regular supply of the things as I have been a tad bit under the weather of recent. Come to find out, there was about 20 or so boxes in the supply room in plain view. I could have sworn I had looked there before, but there they were, right in front of my face.

Money.

(Also, enchiladas ended up just being things (e.g. chicken, beef) for making tacos. Sorry for misleading everyone.)

Lunch

Looking forward to it very much so. It appears to be mexican food. Enchiladas I believe. They have been sitting there for rougly 40 minutes, I do not know why I haven't left to eat already. Been trying to eat healthier so I will not stuff my face most likely. This will help in alot of areas, but one major one is that it means I have to eat dinner every night. Most nights do I eat dinner? Yes. But on those that I do, I eat it pretty late - which from my understanding is not the best way to do it. However, eating an earlier dinner and/or being hungry earlier in the night presents a particular issue - does one eat before the gym? Or, is one pretty hungry during said gym workout, and thus perform less than optimally because of lack of energy (amongst a litany of other lackings)?

Something I am going to have to debate throughout my life I see.

lady bug on the window

Been having frequent - slightly intense - dreams recently about high school. Not sure the root of this evil, and not sure if it is even at all evil. But I am sure of it. I know also, that I am revisiting teachers, friends, and situations from high school that make me feel sentimental in the dream - not so much when I wake up. I'll see my friends, not sure if they know me or recognize me (not that I can't interpret their feelings toward me, just that I cannot remember my dream to that type of precision). I know that I feel a little animosity, and that I feel distance from them. It is as if there is constantly things going on that I am not privy to - whether it be purposefully or not. I also know that I am routinely being confronted for things I have done. Some of them are unfavorable acts, while others are humane gestures that end up being misconstrued as quite the opposite. We went on a rafting trip in my most recent episode. The scant pieces I remember are being on a rafting trip with people who really weren't my close friends. This is poignant I believe for many reasons, but mainly because I never have been "rafting" and never particularly had the desire to. The classes I continue to revisit are those which were the most cantankerous (thus the most memorable?) and I keep seeing my weaknesses as they were some seven or so years ago.

So I pose this to you, my readers, my friends, my inspiration: What is the meaning of all this? Why now? What in my life is conjuring up these previous times in my life that were not particularly relevant to my life as it is now? Or is it? Are these days passed in the friendly confines of my secondary education more formative than the elite education I received in my higher education? Have I regressed as a man? As a human?

P90X: A Discourse

Just had a great discussion on the merits of the "P90X" system I thought I would share:

[The benefits of P90X] for me, its (for the time being) providing a nice boost
bc for the last year have not been able to increase "effort" "variety" or "diet" on my own
my own weaknesses
most of the same reasons of getting a trainer
the only sig>0 effect would be its advice from an expert
to properly train all muscles
which of course is knowledge that could be acquired in other ways
but p90x is a (****) vehicle to provide or help motivate a lot of the factors necessary toward reaching higher fitness[.]

(Editor: conversation was continued below after a brief break)

but there certainly is some value in going to the gym bc u a) are going somewhere b) you are with other people (who can i. be hot (not at ballys) ii. be entertaining iii. make u a little bit less depressed for being alone)
last note: main thing i like about p90x is its continuous
thing i tend to do at gym, which is bad for me, is all the breaks
i find my best workouts are when breaks are limited
im in complete control....but if somenes not pushing me i tend to take breaks

and at gym sometimes u gotta wait on machines/weights
walk around etc
p90x...no breaks
pretty sick

(Editor: one final edit, I believe...)

yoga was the hardest one thus far
and i nearly passed out on 2 of the other ones (for perspective)

Just want to thank the anonymous contributor for a solid scientific analysis.

Indie Music

How I feel right now:

Des yeux qui font baiser les miens,
Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche,
Voila le portrait sans retouche
De l'homme auquel j'appartiens

Quand il me prend dans ses bras
Il me parle tout bas,
Je vois la vie en rose.

Il me dit des mots d'amour,
Des mots de tous les jours,
Et ca me fait quelque chose.

Il est entre dans mon coeur
Une part de bonheur
Dont je connais la cause.

C'est lui pour moi. Moi pour lui
Dans la vie,
Il me l'a dit, l'a jure pour la vie.

Et des que je l'apercois
Alors je sens en moi
Mon coeur qui bat

Des nuits d'amour a ne plus en finir
Un grand bonheur qui prend sa place
Des enuis des chagrins, des phases
Heureux, heureux a en mourir.

Quand il me prend dans ses bras
Il me parle tout bas,
Je vois la vie en rose.

Il me dit des mots d'amour,
Des mots de tous les jours,
Et ca me fait quelque chose.

Il est entre dans mon coeur
Une part de bonheur
Dont je connais la cause.

C'est toi pour moi. Moi pour toi
Dans la vie,
Il me l'a dit, l'a jure pour la vie.

Et des que je l'apercois
Alors je sens en moi
Mon coeur qui bat

how I feel today

Tall and tan and young and lovely

The girl from Ipanema goes walking

And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah

When she walks, she's like a samba

That swings so cool and sways so gentle

That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ooh

(Ooh) But I watch her so sadly

How can I tell her I love her

Yes I would give my heart gladly

But each day, when she walks to the sea

She looks straight ahead, not at me

Tall, (and) tan, (and) young, (and) lovely

The girl from Ipanema goes walking

And when she passes, I smile - but she doesn't see (doesn't see)

(She just doesn't see, she never sees me,...)

fan on my desk

Thank you friend. For being mine.

It is of the Homles Brand my fan is. Adjustable angle, adjustable speed, it does it all. My desk allows it to perpetually attach itself - much like the barnakle-dock relationship. I suppose the desk appreciates the coolness it receives on the hot days, and the fan appreciates the security that the maple provides in exchange. What do I offer the fan in exchange for it's unwavering service? At a first approximation - nothing at all. But a more nuanced analysis reveals that I am quite an entertaining performer for it. I provide this fan laughs, smiles, tears, exaltations and vulgaries. What is most entertaining to the fan however, is that it must use its imagination to guess exactly why I go through these scale of emotions. It cannot see what is on my computer screen; which is the root of one hundred percent of the cause of any and all of my emotions at work. It cannot hear what my boss may tell me in his office. It cannot hear the thoughts in my head, or feel the feelings in my heart. But, because of this the fan must have created for itself, an embodiment of everything that makes up my personality, as directly a function of my expressions, that is quite certainly of more interest, than I truly am.

For that, you are welcome fan. If you were privy to my screen, and my phone, and my body, you would know that I am far less of interest, than the man you think you know.

half-time performance

Went to the Clippers - Heat game last night. Was a great game. But I want to highlight something particularly special that happened. It happened at half time.

The lights dimmed. A man in black leather pants, and a black fishnet cut off shirt (with strips of leather across the chest hiding his nipples) appeared holding a large cube frame (approx 15x15), one of the sides which was fence material. He crouched in the middle of said cube frame, and then it started. Trance music pounding. He detaches the face of the cube which was composed of fence and starts twirling it around as if it were a clothes hanger (he was pretty strong looking, well tanned, and pretty big arms). He spun this partition of fence over his head, in front of him, behind him, alternating around him, and even with only one finger.

And then something happened that no one thought he would do. He put the large piece of fence down and returned to the cube frame. Will he?! Yes! He started spinning the cube frame (remember each side was about 15 ft!) in his hand as if he were twirling plates. He kept spinning and spinning this thing and oh was it a sight to see! Then he spun it around himself like a hula hoop. Then he spun it behind him and around him and everywhere!!!!!!

And just like that it was over.

Darn

Got up early this morning, so I decided to get a quick game of FIFA in. Opening goal in less than 15 seconds. Sick. Got too confident, it happens to the best of us. Ended up losing... 1-7. Darn

This brings me to the point of this post. The revolving door between Wall Street and Washington, and the one going from Washington to private defense has got to stop. Do I think it is value to have these people who are experts in the field working in regulation/advising the best way to defend our nation? Yes. Do I think the downsides of these relationships outweigh the positive returns? Yes. Do I think it is the only way to keep these respective entities as world leaders? No.

friend possibly leaving

My friend here at work is possibly going to be leaving. I heard through the grapevine that he had an interview a few weeks ago, which he confirmed when he and I got back from our (respective and separate) vacations. It's good for him, because there really isn't much future here. But always sad to potentially lose a friend.

He came into my office today to let me know that he had got a second round interview, and we discussed the merits of it all. Cons: potentially less money. Pros: potentially more money in the future than here, a larger company, probably (probably not) have there birds all in a row (thats not the saying I know), and closer to his home. He is about 37.

I gave him some fatherly advice, to see out this opportunity until a decision must be made, and then make a decision - don't waste time worrying about making a decision that you can't even make yet. On top of things, having an existing job puts you in a advantageous place when it comes to discussing the discrepancy in pay (theoretically). Ill keep you guys posted...

sorry

Sorry for the complete lack of posts recently. There really just isn't much of note going on in my life right now (please realize that this is a relative measure ). Same old same old been going on with me: work, gym, a little reading. What am I reading? Very glad you asked:

Prime Obsession, its just a little book on the Riemann Hypothesis. Yes, I know, I know this is still one of the greatest unsolved problems in mathematics, but the book just seeks to explain the hypothesis in general, and give a background onto the mathematicians who played a roll in and around it. Hilbert says its somewhere around number eight, but it is probably the most worked on issue in the last 200 years.

Look up the zeta function, try to find the zeros (non-trivial of course) etc etc...

Anyway, aside from that just been taking it easy.

pregnancy scares

Actually, something worse.

This morning when I got into work, I was not able to log into gchat. I thought good ol OHS had turned the tides on their policy regarding online chatting. I panicked. I was still able to use AIM, and a follower of this blog helped me stay calm. I accepted the new constructs under which the rest of my life would operate under. And then... it came back...

I'm back yall!!!

cheers (a reference to the show)

Do you have anywhere that you can go that everyone knows your name? A situation where you walk in the door and you are immediately greeted, recognized and acknowledged? In turn you see familiar faces and feel a genuine sense of community and friendship? You share your story, what you've done recently (only in the last day or two because they have seen you a brief while ago) and what you plan on doing that day. You hear what they have planned for the day. You hear about their job, their kids, their friends. You know all of their names, and they know your's. They know that you like two creams in your coffee (no homo) and interestingly enough DON'T like cream cheese on your bagel. Don't have money today? No problem, you can pay tomorrow - they know you're good for it. When you didn't see them in a week there was a real anxiousness, and eagerness to catch up when they returned. "Look a little tired today Al-Akbar (yes progressive), late night at the office?" They notice these things. You notice these things about them.

How about at least a place where anyone knows your name?

No?

Well went to McDonalds today and I experienced this. A real sense of community and connection with others' lives at this place. People just taking it slow, enjoying the day and eachother and being alive. Sippin' on some Joe.

Now to the point...

The Republicans take over the House today. They want to end all this. All they care about is getting rich and richer and even richer. Beg borrow and steal. Don't care about community, helping someone out, and genuine compassion. Any semblance of my description above that remains in America will be gone soon.

talking with friends on the net

Nothin like it. You're on the net. You're friends are on the net. Why not get together and talk about things on the net? Pretty much all day I am on the net talking away with my friends. Nothing much to talk about there. But the best part is that every once in a while, I log on the net when I get bored at night (from not being at work) and chat it up with my friends. Just cant get enough of it. Nothin like cruisin the web looking at things, all the while talking with your friends.

What makes it better? Waking up, going to work, and talking with your friends on the net again that morning.

friend returns

My racist friend from work returned today. Our respective vacations were consecutive, meaning we haven't seen each other in a month or so. Pretty cool to have him back.

He may or may not be leaving the company soon, heard he had an interview recently.

Would suck, but be great for him, if he left.

I'll keep yall updated.

french film review

La Vie En Rose:

Cinematography = 6.7/10

Color = 7.3/10

Score = 9.2/10

Acting = 3.7/10

Art Direction = 1.9

Costume Design = 9.1

Accuracy of subtitles = 4.3