Tag: Random

Desultory Notes – November 24, 2023

The very first psychiatrist I ever saw when I was a kid had a plaque in his waiting room that said, ‘Please be relatively open to an adequate day.’ – Seen on twitter

“My advice is, don’t spend money on therapy. Spend it in a record store.” – Wim Wenders – Seen on twitter

When you ask someone for the truth about themselves, you may get the truth, or part of the truth, or none of the truth, but you will certainly get what they would like you to think is the truth. – Roger Ebert

found in this book:
Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever
Matt Singer

Desultory Notes – Week of November 17, 2023

At the 9:15 mark, in answer to a direct question posed by interviewer Woodrow Wyatt about the “practical use of your sort of philosophy to a man who wants to know how to conduct himself,” Russell replies:

I think nobody should be certain of anything. If you’re certain, you’re certainly wrong because nothing deserves certainty. So one ought to hold all one’s beliefs with a certain element of doubt, and one ought to be able to act vigorously in spite of the doubt…. One has in practical life to act upon probabilities, and what I should look to philosophy to do is to encourage people to act with vigor without complete certainty.

Bertrand Russell: The Everyday Benefit of Philosophy Is That It Helps You Live with Uncertainty

Dmitry Portnoy
Studio City
It’s only after seeing this production that I felt I understood anything about a play I’d thought about for more than three decades. Turns out when a brilliant director and cast perform it with the commitment and humility it demands, it sheds its clown nose and begins to speak.

AWS
philadelphia, pa
I was completely captivated by this production – wonderfully directed and a master class in acting by the whole cast. This is probably the best thing happening in NY theater at the moment (if not for the entire season). I feel very privileged to have seen it.

Chip
Greenville, North Carolina
My all-time favorite graffito:

“Back in a second.” — Godot

‘Waiting for Godot’ Review: Old Friends Falling in and Out of Sync
Michael Shannon and Paul Sparks star in Arin Arbus’s pandemic-delayed production at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center.
(From the comments)

“Competition happens at the bottom, people at the top are collaborating ” – via  twitter and instagram.

I think it was Faulkner who once said that when you strike a match in a dark wilderness it is not in order to see anything better lighted, but just in order to see how much more darkness there is around. I think that literature does mainly that. It is not really supposed to ‘answer’ things, not even to make them clearer, but rather to explore – often blindly – the huge areas of darkness, and show them better.

Jonathan Coe
from introduction to:
A Heart So White
Javier Marias

Tom Waits Interview

Q: What’s heaven for you?
A: Me and my wife on Rte. 66 with a pot of coffee, a cheap guitar, pawnshop tape recorder in a Motel 6, and a car that runs good parked right by the door.

Q: What’s hard for you?
A: Mostly I straddle reality and the imagination. My reality needs imagination like a bulb needs a socket. My imagination needs reality like a blind man needs a cane. Math is hard. Reading a map. Following orders. Carpentry. Electronics. Plumbing. Remembering things correctly. Straight lines. Sheet rock. Finding a safety pin. Patience with others. Ordering in Chinese. Stereo instructions in German.

Q: What remarkable things have you found in unexpected places?
A:
1. Real beauty: oil stains left by cars in a parking lot.
2. Shoe shine stands that looked like thrones in Brazil made of scrap wood.
3. False teeth in pawnshop windows- Reno, NV.
4. Great acoustics: in jail.
5. Best food: Airport in Tulsa Oklahoma.
6. Most gift shops: Fatima, Portugal.
8. Most unlikely location for a Chicano crowd: A Morrissey concert.
9. Most poverty: Washington D.C.
10. A homeless man with a beautiful operatic voice singing the word “Bacteria” in an empty dumpster in Chinatown.
11. A Chinese man with a Texan accent in Scotland.
12. Best nights sleep-in a dry riverbed in Arizona.
13. Most people who wear red pants- St. Louis.
14. Most beautiful horses, N.Y.C.
15. A judge in Baltimore MD1890 presided over a trial where a man who was accused of murder and was guilty, and convicted by a jury of his peers… and was let go- when the judge said to him at the end of the trial “You are guilty sir… but I cannot put in jail an innocent man.” You see – the murderer was a Siamese twin.

http://www.tomwaits.com/press/read/15/TOM_WAITS_TRUE_CONFESSIONS/

Pitching in to Fight Ticks – Reddit Trades Come Together

Tick Advice – Just noticed a minute ago, unsuccessful in getting out and there is some pain.

TriceraDoctor
Actual doctor here. Not great photo but looks like deer tick. Where in the US are you? If you’re in a Lyme endemic area and it’s been >24 hours, Lyme prophylaxis is one dose of doxycycline. Otherwise the head still needs to come out and the management is just monitoring for flu-like symptoms and rash.

ThinkSquare1257
Yes this. Urgent care physician here. >36 hours is the recommendation from IDSA.

DignanZer0
Construction worker here. I’ve nothing to add other than a thanks for making me think I need to take tick bites more seriously.

Mal_tron
Lawyer here. I’d sue someone. A deer maybe?

NowForrowMyPen
Consultant here. I can build you a powerpoint about the different options you already know about and charge you a bunch for it.

CHClClCl
Project manager. I’ll send you a few emails to follow up on this and extend the timeline by 3 days.

mehx9000
SysAdmin and DevOps here. Have you tried unplugging it, wait for 10 seconds, and plug it back in?

The_stoic_salmon
Data Engineer here. Debug will not help, but maybe you should try untick some parameters. And remember to check if your antivirus is up to date, you don’t want your neural network to be DDoS-ed.

MadMadoc
High school history teacher here. Tons of people used to die from this shit.

United_Pie_5484
Bartender here. Let me pour you a shot of 151 and you can kill the surface germs with it.

lifeoflogan
Casting director here. Who do you want playing “you” in the made for TV movie?

ChaLenCe
Out of Work Actor here: I’m willing to play the part of the Tick.

hugazow
Software developer guy here: let me build an app for that to try to raise millions and move to silicon valley

Update: I’ll make it an Uber for ticks

Elegant-Analysis-782
Social worker here. where are it’s parents? Maybe it needs a hug!

VaticanCattleRustler
Insurance adjuster here. I’ll roll my eyes, curse your profession and myself for choosing mine for the millionth time, then ask what your real settlement number is.

Some Random Facts

Over the past decade, California has added a little over three times as many people as housing units, driving its median home price over $800,000, which is more than twice the national figure.

Legislators Find Way to Let U.C. Berkeley Increase Its Enrollment

The richest 20 percent of people worldwide take 80 percent of all flights, according to estimates by the International Council on Clean Transportation.

Nations Agree to Curb Emissions From Flying by 2050

Since there is only one active official cemetery in Manhattan, the borough’s most popular final resting place may be Central Park — a legal site for the scattering of human ashes.

Where the Bodies Are Buried

Nearly half of all millennials have tattoos, compared with 13 percent of the baby boomer generation, according to a 2015 survey by the Harris Poll.

A 10-Year-Old Got a Tattoo. His Mother Was Arrested.

71 of Our Favorite Facts of 2022
Each day, Times Insider editors scour the newspaper for the most interesting facts to appear in articles. Here are facts that surprised, enlightened or entertained us this year.

Seinfeld Writing Prompts

Kramer gets a ticket for Jaywalking and decides to paint cross walks in the middle of every road. Elaine finds a key on her key ring she doesn’t recognize and becomes obsessed with what it goes to. Jerry and George find out they’ve slept with the same woman and try to find out who pleased her more.

Elaine can’t tell if the Gen-Z girl in her building is complementing or insulting her new bag. George claims he’s a gay man who has had multiple sexual partners to get vaccinated for monkeypox. Jerry is convinced that his new girlfriend draws on her freckles.

Elaine falls asleep with a towel covering 1 side leaving half a tan. Peterman thinks it’s a political fashion statement/Banyan starts doing funeral gigs & Jerry thinks it’s wrong/A cop car keeps following Kramer’s car but never pulls him over/The Wal-Mart greeter always greets everyone except George

Jerry dates a woman that claims to be a food connoisseur and “knows all the best places in NY,” but it’s all chain restaurants. George realizes each waitress at Monk’s brings him something different every time he orders “his usual.” Kramer, with the help of Newman mails himself to a penpal.

via:
RedditWritesSeinfeld

Various Blog Posts about day to day living for a guy in denver – Ask ChatGPT

1. write a random semi introspective blog post about day to day living for a guy in denver

As I sit here on my balcony in Denver, staring out at the cityscape before me, I can’t help but feel grateful for the simple pleasures in life. The crisp, cool air of a fall evening, the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze, and the distant hum of traffic all combine to create a sense of peace and contentment.

But life in Denver isn’t always so serene. Like any city, it has its share of hustle and bustle, of long commutes and crowded streets. And yet, despite the challenges that come with living in a major metropolis, there’s something about Denver that keeps drawing me in.

One of the things I love most about this city is the sense of community. Whether I’m grabbing a cup of coffee at my local shop or attending a community event, I always feel like I’m part of something bigger. People here are friendly and welcoming, and there’s always something new and exciting happening.

Of course, living in Denver also has its drawbacks. The high altitude can take some getting used to, and the unpredictable weather can be a challenge at times. But even on the days when the clouds roll in and the temperature drops, there’s something invigorating about being in a place that feels alive and constantly changing.

All in all, living in Denver has its ups and downs, just like anywhere else. But for me, the pros far outweigh the cons. I may not know what the future holds, but for now, I’m happy to call this vibrant city my home.

2. write a conspiratorial blog post about day to day living for a guy in denver

As a resident of Denver, I can’t help but feel like something strange is going on. Everywhere I turn, I see signs of a conspiracy at work, shaping the city and its inhabitants in ways that are almost impossible to fathom.

At first glance, Denver may seem like any other city. People go about their daily lives, going to work, running errands, and enjoying the many amenities that the city has to offer. But if you know where to look, you can see the threads of the conspiracy weaving their way through every aspect of life here.

One of the most obvious signs of the conspiracy is the way the city is laid out. If you look at a map of Denver, you’ll notice that many of the streets and highways form a series of interlocking patterns. Some people say that these patterns are just a coincidence, but I believe they are part of a larger plan to control the flow of people and information within the city.

Another clue can be found in the city’s many parks and open spaces. At first glance, these areas may seem like nothing more than places for people to enjoy the outdoors. But if you look closer, you’ll see that many of them are located near key government buildings or other important institutions. Is this just a coincidence, or is there something more sinister at work?

I may never know the full extent of the conspiracy that is at work in Denver, but one thing is clear: there are forces at play in this city that are beyond our understanding. Whether we like it or not, we are all pawns in a game that is much bigger than any of us can imagine.

3. write a stoned, drug addled blog post about day to day living for a guy in denver

As I sit here in my apartment in Denver, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer awesomeness of this city. The colors, the sounds, the smells… everything just seems so much more intense than it normally does. I guess you could say I’m feeling a little… altered.

But even in my current state, I can’t help but appreciate the beauty of Denver. The way the sunlight filters through the trees, casting a golden glow on everything it touches. The way the wind rustles the leaves, creating a soothing rustling sound. It’s like I’m seeing the city in a whole new light.

Of course, living in Denver has its challenges, even when you’re not… uh… under the influence. The high altitude can be a bit of a drag, and the traffic can be a nightmare during rush hour. But even on the days when I feel like pulling my hair out, there’s always something to remind me of why I love living here.

So if you’re ever in Denver, and you find yourself feeling a little… out of sorts… just take a moment to stop and appreciate the beauty of this city. Trust me, it’s worth it. And hey, if you happen to have any… uh… substances… on hand, that might help too. Just don’t blame me if things get a little weird. After all, that’s just part of the Denver experience.

Rock Star Service at King Soopers / X-Files Reference

At my local grocery store sometimes I hear this over the storewide address system: “Rock Star service at the front please.”

I’m thinking it’s some sort of management promoted worker morale technique. Maybe it’s something else. Maybe I’m mis-hearing it.

Anyway, reminds me of this scene from the X-Files

Mulder enters prisoner visiting room. Eddie Van Blundht is wearing a hat that says Superstar.
MULDER: “What’s with the hat?”
EDDIE VAN BLUNDHT: “My court-appointed therapist makes me wear it. She says it’s meant to bolster my self-esteem.”
MULDER: “Does it?”
EDDIE VAN BLUNDHT: “Not really.”

Small Potatoes
Five unrelated women in a small town give birth to babies with small tails. The prime suspect is a man who can shape shift into whomever he wants.

Radio Garden – Listen to Radio Stations From Around the World

Radio Garden invites you to tune into thousands of live radio stations across the globe.

By bringing distant voices close, radio connects people and places. From its very beginning, radio signals have crossed borders. Radio makers and listeners have imagined both connecting with distant cultures, as well as re-connecting with people from ‘home’ from thousands of miles away.

Radio Garden is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Our dedicated team is hard at work tending to the garden on a daily basis. Planting seeds for the future and keeping the weeds at bay.

Check it out here:
http://radio.garden/

Here’s a couple places I tried out.

Note – I looked up some radio stations in my own neighborhood – Denver, Colorado, USA. What I heard was representative of what I’d hear in my car. So it’s all legit as far as I can tell.

Here’s a reddit post with people talking about some of the cool things they’ve found on Radio Garden:
reddit

Vacation in Video Game Land

reddit
Coworker: So where are you going for vacation?
Me: Taking a week off work to play video games and stay home.

InteractionLess8764 Just describe where the game takes place and confuse the fuck out of them

AxelWasTakenWasTaken Im going to russia as a scavenger. I will murder every other person on my way while collecting some random bullshit to sell it to the flee market, then i come back to my basement to rest after a successful raid…

Meretan94 So im crashlanding on this alien planets full of agressive hippies who HATE pollution. Ill create wmd just to burn down their homes.

RootsNextInKin All the while yelling “the factory must grow” while trying to optimize production lines far more complicated than anything I’d ever do on my job and while also trying really really hard not to fall asleep (again….) because this shouldn’t take too long anymore!

lizurd777 I’m gonna wake up naked on a beach and beat other naked people to death with rocks

CatSidekick Doesn’t work for me. I’m playing Crosscode which is a game about playing a game. It’s a still a great game though

poompt Going to an ill-defined limbo region that may or may not be an afterlife, where I will attempt to murder God so I can become God.

Nochnichtvergeben I’m going to travel the world, get to to know alot of people and integrate myself into their culture. I’ll help some of them sleep better and solve some problems. I intend to keep a low profile.

Desultory Amazon Reviews

This review will not be helpful to anyone but me. I took a memorable girl to see this play. We did not really pay attention to the play. A long time later, I saw this book and decided to see if it was really good. After reading it, I realized that the special part of the evening was the girl and not the play.
Woman in Mind
Alan Ayckbourn

I LOVE this book. Great for those days you need to hate life but love that you hate it.
How Late It Was How Late
James Kelman

The purchase was worth the great memories in college days.
I read this book in college for my African American Literature course, more than 25 years ago. Now my daughter attends the same college and had same professor for the African American Literature class. I lost my original copy in a hurricane. I purchased this copy and had my professor sign and write a few lines about me. It was a great excuse to meet him for coffee.
The Best of Simple
Langston Hughes

It held my interest, but a little too deep for me.
I like the descriptions of the whaling ship and industry.
BUT, come on, dudes don’t make long winded speeches when in life threatening situations.
Moby Dick
Herman Melville

The trick with Cassavetes is to enjoy what you see in front of you, moment to moment, and to stop waiting for something to happen. it already is happening. It’s not a plot twist or plot device, it’s not a message he’s trying to communicate to you intellectually (“see these people and how lost they are … this is my comment on middle-aged married life …”). With Cassavetes what he is always focused on is the human experience, human relationships, and those humans so happen to be his actors. So while you watch this movie, relax, have a drink or cigarette or whatever vice that you do, then do it, and watch a masterpiece of human emotions. Because if you’re not going to enjoy watching humans in all their complexity, if you don’t find people interesting, then don’t even bother watching this film. Go watch something else and then ask yourself maybe you should change your species … because if you don’t find humans interesting, you might as well be an ant or a flower or a computer.
Woman Under the Influence
Gena Rowlands (Actor), Peter Falk (Actor), John Cassavetes (Director)

NOTE – Not my opinions, just some I saw on Amazon while browsing.