I was telling some friends that I don’t normally go for glamorous women.
Y’see, a female friend of ours was showing us some photos of an old friend of hers. The woman had the figure of a Barbie doll, and our friend said that she looked like a total babe. Personally though, this woman didn’t appeal to me. First of all, while she had an outstanding figure, her face wasn’t that great. And second, I don’t normally go for the glamour gals. Rather, I tend to like the next-door girl kind of appeal.
That’s why I liked Bailey Quarters a lot more than Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP. To be fair, Jan Smithers, the actress who played Bailey, was a great deal more beautiful than your typical girl next door. Nevertheless, this shows how a certain wholesome appeal can be many times more attractive than bombshell good looks.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Sunday, February 08, 2009
She's making a mistake
One of my friends is making a huge, huge mistake.
She was set up with this fella on a date not long ago. After just ten weeks, they got engaged. They planned to get married only 14 weeks after that. That’s way too quick, especially for someone who tends to be as careless with dating as she is.
This woman exercises very poor judgment. By and large, the guys she has dated have been deceitful or otherwise had poor character. Despite her beauty, she seems almost desperate to have the company of a man, and that is frustrating.
The guy she picked seems to be pretty decent in comparison to the men that she has previously dated. However, he does not have integrity, and he should also have known that this relationship developed way too quickly. It is not a good thing.
She was set up with this fella on a date not long ago. After just ten weeks, they got engaged. They planned to get married only 14 weeks after that. That’s way too quick, especially for someone who tends to be as careless with dating as she is.
This woman exercises very poor judgment. By and large, the guys she has dated have been deceitful or otherwise had poor character. Despite her beauty, she seems almost desperate to have the company of a man, and that is frustrating.
The guy she picked seems to be pretty decent in comparison to the men that she has previously dated. However, he does not have integrity, and he should also have known that this relationship developed way too quickly. It is not a good thing.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Free Public WiFi? No!
Please don't fall for those "Free Public WiFi" networks at airports. These are just ad hoc networks that are transmitted from one laptop to another, and they don't actually constitute a free service. They do not help, and they could conceivably be used to infiltrate your computer.
Friday, February 06, 2009
If only...
I am wishing for certain things in my life. I wish that things had turned out very differently, and I am deeply saddened that they did not.
I don’t want to talk about specifics right now. Let’s just say that I wish things were different.
I could also use some more human contact today.
I don’t want to talk about specifics right now. Let’s just say that I wish things were different.
I could also use some more human contact today.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Laboratory instrumentation
I heartily recommend BioTek instruments. Okay, so strictly speaking, I only have experience with their plate stackers, and I have heard that their plate washers perform well. I can tell you, however, that I was pleased with the mechanical design of their stackers, and that they seem to be pretty darned reliable. They even have USB versions of these stackers now, which is a great big plus.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Marital problems
A close female friend of mine is having some marital issues. That really bothers me. I want nothing but the best for her.
She’s wondering if she married the right guy. Personally, I think that she did pick correctly. She did pick well. I wish that she would come to terms with that.
She is one of my closest friends of all time, and I want her to be nothing but happy. I feel for her. Very much so.
She’s wondering if she married the right guy. Personally, I think that she did pick correctly. She did pick well. I wish that she would come to terms with that.
She is one of my closest friends of all time, and I want her to be nothing but happy. I feel for her. Very much so.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
More on dancing
I attended a 60s/70s-themed dance event recently in which a live band was used. I had predicted that the use of a deejay would have been preferable, and frankly, I think I was right. Here’s why.
70s dance music was dominated by disco, and very few bands can play disco music. You’d be hardpressed to find a band that can play such standards as “YMCA” or “Disco Inferno,” for example.
As for 60s music, most of it was not really designed for dancing. By and large, for example, Beatles music wasn’t meant for dancing. There were exceptions such as “Twist and Shout,” but that was not originally a Beatles tune. Don McLean alluded to the non-dancing nature of the Fab Four’s music when he wrote about the sargents playing a marching tune.
You could still dance to a lot of non-disco 70s music, just like you can still dance to a lot of non-dance 60s music. However, they weren’t really designed for dancing, and so the decision to have a live band was somewhat misguided.
70s dance music was dominated by disco, and very few bands can play disco music. You’d be hardpressed to find a band that can play such standards as “YMCA” or “Disco Inferno,” for example.
As for 60s music, most of it was not really designed for dancing. By and large, for example, Beatles music wasn’t meant for dancing. There were exceptions such as “Twist and Shout,” but that was not originally a Beatles tune. Don McLean alluded to the non-dancing nature of the Fab Four’s music when he wrote about the sargents playing a marching tune.
You could still dance to a lot of non-disco 70s music, just like you can still dance to a lot of non-dance 60s music. However, they weren’t really designed for dancing, and so the decision to have a live band was somewhat misguided.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Dancing
I was talking to this female friend about dancing recently. She knew that I’ve tried my hand at swing dancing, and she said, “Yeah, you get me on the dance floor and I’ll be jitterbugging through the night.”
So I asked, “By ‘jitterbug,’ do you mean east coast swing? Or do you just mean…?”
She snapped a bit and said, “You don’t have to get technical! Lighten up!” I think that was uncalled for. I just wanted to understand what she meant.
Sadly, when most people talk about dancing, they just mean getting out there to twist, shake and sway to the music. There’s nothing inherently wrong about that, but I think that people deprive themselves when they think in those terms. Another friend of mine says that she likes “real dancing”—that is, dancing in which you employ specific dance moves and styles. Anybody can shake it around, after all. Moving with deliberate musical purpose, on the other hand, takes more skill – and it is ultimately more satisfying.
So I asked, “By ‘jitterbug,’ do you mean east coast swing? Or do you just mean…?”
She snapped a bit and said, “You don’t have to get technical! Lighten up!” I think that was uncalled for. I just wanted to understand what she meant.
Sadly, when most people talk about dancing, they just mean getting out there to twist, shake and sway to the music. There’s nothing inherently wrong about that, but I think that people deprive themselves when they think in those terms. Another friend of mine says that she likes “real dancing”—that is, dancing in which you employ specific dance moves and styles. Anybody can shake it around, after all. Moving with deliberate musical purpose, on the other hand, takes more skill – and it is ultimately more satisfying.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
The Kids from C.A.P.E.R.
I’ve been thinking about “The Kids from C.A.P.E.R.” lately. It was this short-lived children’s show from the 70s that had some off-the-wall Monkee-esque humor. This was no coincidence, as it turns out. Don Kirshner was involved in the production of both shows.
I read a “The Kids from C.A.P.E.R.” fanfic story recently. Like most fanfic, it was pretty bad. The story introduced a team of female C.A.P.E.R. kids, but these ladies served no useful purpose in the story. The whole story read like somebody’s daydream fantasies committed to paper, with no coherence or overall purpose.
I would love to see this show on DVD, though.
I read a “The Kids from C.A.P.E.R.” fanfic story recently. Like most fanfic, it was pretty bad. The story introduced a team of female C.A.P.E.R. kids, but these ladies served no useful purpose in the story. The whole story read like somebody’s daydream fantasies committed to paper, with no coherence or overall purpose.
I would love to see this show on DVD, though.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Juvenile tactics
DoI have a cousin who had a strange idea of fun. She thought it was absolutely hilarious for her to follow me around, mimicking whatever I did. I'd climb up the stairs; she'd climb up the stairs. I'd sit down on the couch; she'd sit down on the couch. I'd let out a sigh, and so would she.
Mind you, she wasn't a little kid anymore when she did this sort of thing. I can imagine how a five-year-old would find this amusing, but not a pre-teen.
In part, I blame her parents. Her parents should have taught her that this was not polite behavior. Then again, I learned that a lot of adults don't teach their children such niceties. In fact, in my family, they would often blame the child who complained about being mocked or teased. "Be a good sport," they'd say.
There's some merit to saying that people need to learn to be a good sport. However, when the children go out of their way to tease or ridicule others, you need to slap them down. You need to let them know that such behavior is unacceptable. When you respond to these situations by childing the victim and saying "Learn to be a good sport," then you are sending an entirely wrong message. You are telling the tormenters that what they're doing is perfectly acceptable and that they are acting with your blessings. Don't let them off the hook that way.
Mind you, she wasn't a little kid anymore when she did this sort of thing. I can imagine how a five-year-old would find this amusing, but not a pre-teen.
In part, I blame her parents. Her parents should have taught her that this was not polite behavior. Then again, I learned that a lot of adults don't teach their children such niceties. In fact, in my family, they would often blame the child who complained about being mocked or teased. "Be a good sport," they'd say.
There's some merit to saying that people need to learn to be a good sport. However, when the children go out of their way to tease or ridicule others, you need to slap them down. You need to let them know that such behavior is unacceptable. When you respond to these situations by childing the victim and saying "Learn to be a good sport," then you are sending an entirely wrong message. You are telling the tormenters that what they're doing is perfectly acceptable and that they are acting with your blessings. Don't let them off the hook that way.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A vintage Kathy Smith video
So I borrowed this Kathy Smith exercise DVD from the public library. It was titled “Strong, Sleek, & Slim,” and like many of her DVDs, it’s a compilation of three older videos. One of these vids was titled “Ultimate Video Workout,” and it had never been released on DVD before. It’s not hard to see why.
Frankly, this video was kinda embarassing. I love Kathy Smith’s work, but this was clearly one of her earlier and less refined attempts. It’s clearly of 80s vintage, as evidenced by the outfits and the colors, not to mention the dancy and relatively uninteresting aerobic moves. Don’t get me wrong; Kathy Smith is a real pro and I think she’s fantastic. This particular video looks like it came from a time when she was less experienced and had a smaller repertoire, though.
I think that particular video had relatively little appeal, too. One thing that I like about Kathy is the way she creates cardio routines that can appeal to both men and women. Unlike many of Kathy’s later works though, the moves in this video were often distinctly feminine. There were two male performers in this vid, but I think that most men would find its routines to be overly girl.
She did have this very interesting segment in which she and her team built up an extended cardio routine as they pranced around in a parking lot. I have to give her credit for this creative notion. Also, I love the fact that the particpants didn’t seem to be overly choreographed. Oh, they clearly had a pre-arranged sequence of moves, but they also looked like they were pretty much relaxing and having a dance party. Even at this early stage in her career, Kathy already knew how to be creative.
One more comment: One can’t help but notice that Ms. Smith wore an outfit that was tasteful (barring the atrocious 80s aerobic fashions), but that strongly accentuated her figure. Mind you, she’s always had very well-rounded yet athletic curves. In this particular video though, that was much more obvious than usual. I don’t know if it’s because her waistline was a bit smaller back then (if that’s at all possible!), or if it’s because of her attire. I do think that in her later years, she had a tendency to wear dark outfits that de-accentuated her curves. Was this a deliberate attempt to reduce the focus on her figure and emphasize her teaching? I wonder.
Frankly, this video was kinda embarassing. I love Kathy Smith’s work, but this was clearly one of her earlier and less refined attempts. It’s clearly of 80s vintage, as evidenced by the outfits and the colors, not to mention the dancy and relatively uninteresting aerobic moves. Don’t get me wrong; Kathy Smith is a real pro and I think she’s fantastic. This particular video looks like it came from a time when she was less experienced and had a smaller repertoire, though.
I think that particular video had relatively little appeal, too. One thing that I like about Kathy is the way she creates cardio routines that can appeal to both men and women. Unlike many of Kathy’s later works though, the moves in this video were often distinctly feminine. There were two male performers in this vid, but I think that most men would find its routines to be overly girl.
She did have this very interesting segment in which she and her team built up an extended cardio routine as they pranced around in a parking lot. I have to give her credit for this creative notion. Also, I love the fact that the particpants didn’t seem to be overly choreographed. Oh, they clearly had a pre-arranged sequence of moves, but they also looked like they were pretty much relaxing and having a dance party. Even at this early stage in her career, Kathy already knew how to be creative.
One more comment: One can’t help but notice that Ms. Smith wore an outfit that was tasteful (barring the atrocious 80s aerobic fashions), but that strongly accentuated her figure. Mind you, she’s always had very well-rounded yet athletic curves. In this particular video though, that was much more obvious than usual. I don’t know if it’s because her waistline was a bit smaller back then (if that’s at all possible!), or if it’s because of her attire. I do think that in her later years, she had a tendency to wear dark outfits that de-accentuated her curves. Was this a deliberate attempt to reduce the focus on her figure and emphasize her teaching? I wonder.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Gym jackasses revisited
Earlier, I complained about some jackasses in the gym who like to yell and bark like dogs during our cardio exercise classes. This serves no real purpose, and it's ultimately a mean for them to draw attention to themselves.
Mind you, I like to put some flair into my moves. I like to put some bounce in my steps, and I like to cover a good amount of ground during lateral movements. None of that is for the purpose of attracting attention, though some might perceive it as such. It's all for the purpose of getting a more thorough workout.
Today, I saw an especially egregious example. I was attending this step cardio class, and this one husky guy beside me kept barking like a dog and yelling "Yeah!" or words to that effect. The thing is, half the time, he wasn't even doing the exercises! While everyone else was stepping up and down, he'd be crouching over, but still barking like a dog -- acting as though he were having the time of his life. Sometimes, we'd be doing knee raises, and he would be barely lifting his knees. That didn't stop him from yelling out enthusiastically, though.
Mind you, there are times when I don't have a lot of energy in these classes. There are also times when I don't get the moves right. I would never bark or holler in such circumstances, even if I were the kind of guy who liked to attract attention. Why? Because only a jackass tries to draw attention to himself when he's doing things badly or not making any real effort.
Mind you, I like to put some flair into my moves. I like to put some bounce in my steps, and I like to cover a good amount of ground during lateral movements. None of that is for the purpose of attracting attention, though some might perceive it as such. It's all for the purpose of getting a more thorough workout.
Today, I saw an especially egregious example. I was attending this step cardio class, and this one husky guy beside me kept barking like a dog and yelling "Yeah!" or words to that effect. The thing is, half the time, he wasn't even doing the exercises! While everyone else was stepping up and down, he'd be crouching over, but still barking like a dog -- acting as though he were having the time of his life. Sometimes, we'd be doing knee raises, and he would be barely lifting his knees. That didn't stop him from yelling out enthusiastically, though.
Mind you, there are times when I don't have a lot of energy in these classes. There are also times when I don't get the moves right. I would never bark or holler in such circumstances, even if I were the kind of guy who liked to attract attention. Why? Because only a jackass tries to draw attention to himself when he's doing things badly or not making any real effort.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Yet another rant on Windows idiocy
Okay, once again, I have to rant about how idiotic MS Windows is. Just today, I tried to click on an application window -- in effect, switching from one application to another. And what does my computer do? It slows down to a crawl. About fifteen seconds later, the second application window finally appears.
Mind you, these weren't exotic custom applications that I was running. Rather, these were simple Internet Explorer windows displaying very rudimentary content. Nothing spectacular.
The problem is that Windows insists on doing so much garbage in the background that the OS will occasionally grind to almost a halt for no apparent reason. It's the very definition of bloatware.
Last night, I observed the same problem on another computer. After digging around, I found out that one process was reporting a problem to Microsoft, and had slowed the computer down in the process. Yeah, that's great. It wouldn't be such a problem if Windows was fairly reliable, but it's not.
Microsoft Windows, you stink.
Mind you, these weren't exotic custom applications that I was running. Rather, these were simple Internet Explorer windows displaying very rudimentary content. Nothing spectacular.
The problem is that Windows insists on doing so much garbage in the background that the OS will occasionally grind to almost a halt for no apparent reason. It's the very definition of bloatware.
Last night, I observed the same problem on another computer. After digging around, I found out that one process was reporting a problem to Microsoft, and had slowed the computer down in the process. Yeah, that's great. It wouldn't be such a problem if Windows was fairly reliable, but it's not.
Microsoft Windows, you stink.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Bariatic surgery as the easy way out
I'm watching this documentary on obesity in America. One of the featured characters is this severely overweight fella who has decided to undergo dangerous bariatric surgery in order to lose weight. His physician and family members have advised against this though, stating that he should first try an exercise program.
His response? "It's hard! Exercise is hard!" He figures that surgery is the easy way out.
I always want to avoid feeling disgust toward morbidly obese people; after all, they are humans too, and some of them have serious physical ailments that prevent them from losing weight. When somebody refuses to even try an exercise program though... well, I find that I can't muster up as much sympathy for that person. That person doesn't deserve to be mistreated, but if he's always going to rely on quick and easy (and potentially dangerous) fixes, then that's his fault.
His sister told him, "Just start some sort of exercise program. Everyone has to start somewhere." He replied, "Surgery is a starting point."
I still feel bad for the guy, but what can you do?
His response? "It's hard! Exercise is hard!" He figures that surgery is the easy way out.
I always want to avoid feeling disgust toward morbidly obese people; after all, they are humans too, and some of them have serious physical ailments that prevent them from losing weight. When somebody refuses to even try an exercise program though... well, I find that I can't muster up as much sympathy for that person. That person doesn't deserve to be mistreated, but if he's always going to rely on quick and easy (and potentially dangerous) fixes, then that's his fault.
His sister told him, "Just start some sort of exercise program. Everyone has to start somewhere." He replied, "Surgery is a starting point."
I still feel bad for the guy, but what can you do?
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew
I remember how much I liked watching The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries when I was a young lad. I could only watch it sporadically, though. We only had one TV at home, and my mom insisted on watching this stupid soap opera instead.
Me, I preferred the intellectual challenge of a good detective story.
Me, I preferred the intellectual challenge of a good detective story.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
So cold
It is so cold. So bloody cold.
I've got this parabolic heating reflector aimed straight at me right now, and it helps. It doesn't provide absolutely even heating though, since I can only point it toward one side of myself. Still, I'm glad that I have it.
What can I say? I don't want to turn the heat up.
I've got this parabolic heating reflector aimed straight at me right now, and it helps. It doesn't provide absolutely even heating though, since I can only point it toward one side of myself. Still, I'm glad that I have it.
What can I say? I don't want to turn the heat up.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Jackasses in the gym
There are a couple of guys who get all noisy during my Monday night cardio bootcamp class. I can't speak for anyone else in the class, but I think that they're pretty annoying. They keep yelling, whooping it up, and barking like a dog. Some would say that they're just being enthusiastic, but frankly, I think that they're just trying to attract attention.
Just today, one of these guys was barking loudly, as though trumpeting how much he was enjoying the class. Even as he was doing that though, he was totally cheating on his squats. He was barely bending his knees, and he was leaning forward rather heavily. Yet there he was, barking around as though he was having the time of his life.
I wish I could confront these guys, but that's a difficult thing to do, especially since there are certain ethnic and cultural issues to consider. In my mind though, I want to tell them: "Shut up!"
Just today, one of these guys was barking loudly, as though trumpeting how much he was enjoying the class. Even as he was doing that though, he was totally cheating on his squats. He was barely bending his knees, and he was leaning forward rather heavily. Yet there he was, barking around as though he was having the time of his life.
I wish I could confront these guys, but that's a difficult thing to do, especially since there are certain ethnic and cultural issues to consider. In my mind though, I want to tell them: "Shut up!"
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