Sciread77 - Plinky Answers

A Reality Show I'd Try Out For

2011-12-12T10:16:28-05:00

I've always wanted to be on The Amazing Race. I'd also like to compete in any number of the shows on Food Network.

Living in Other Countries

2011-12-12T10:15:11-05:00

I would certainly like to. I'd love to try living in England, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Australia, Russia, and Singapore. Possibly Japan or New Zealand.

I'm not sure how long I'd stay; probably a year or two in most of them. I'd probably move to Norway permanently.

I Wish I Were Fluent In...

2011-12-12T10:11:32-05:00

Many.

Icelandic, so I could read the Eddas and other Nordic mythology in the original language.

Spanish, beyond my limited capacity, because it would be practical to know.

Arabic, because it would help me understand a large number of people much better.

Mandarin, again, because it would open up a whole world to me.

Italian, because it's one of the languages of my ancestors.

Irish Gaelic, again because of roots.

French. Culture, history, and to converse more than pleasantries in the native tongue of my cousins.

Greek. Culture, history, and general awesomeness.

German, to better enjoy future time there and in Austria.

Russian, because the language sounds awesome and has a lot of great culture and history behind it.

Those are the main ones.

Daylight Saving Time

2011-12-12T10:04:25-05:00

No. I think that we lose far more productivity adjusting our biological clocks to time changes than we gain in energy savings. I say that we stick to regular time and just be done with it.

Personally, it screws up my sleep schedule with every change. Even the good change (setting the clocks back) makes me feel off and disoriented for the first couple of months.

On Silence

2011-12-12T10:01:13-05:00

Not unless the circumstances are likewise uncomfortable.

I think that silence in general is a beautiful thing, and I need it sometimes. In the chaos of life, especially in our highly connected culture, I need a break. sometimes, you just need time to think without being distracted. I don't think or carry conversations well when the TV is on or when music is up loud. I enjoy having time to relax, process things, and experience the more subtle parts of life that get drowned out by all the noise.

Silence gives you the opportunity to hear the noises your home makes, learn the sound of a neighbour's engine, and hear your own breathing.

First rule of relationships: Be sure to be your own person, make time for yourself, and be honest about your own needs.

2009-04-12T11:51:52-05:00

Be sure to be your own person, make time for yourself, and be honest about your own needs.
It's easy to get lost in the throes of emotion. Yet as attractive as the whole "two becoming one" concept is, taken too far it is devastating to a relationship. You do not want to wake up one day and find that you're acting like someone that you are not, unable to function without the other person in the relationship, have really traded your life goals for theirs, etc. Be your own person, and be honest about it with yourself and your partner.

It is important to have time apart as a couple. Failure to recognize that you have your own goals or that they differ significantly will lead to resentment over the long term as you begin to realize that you've given up too much. Or, your significant other might resent following too much of your life if that's the way things are tipped.

The way to combat this is to be your own person, and let each other know. That way you can compromise, building your relationship together and growing as individuals as well.

I have goals, ambitions, and dreams. To give all them up in the name of a relationship might lead to short-term excitement, but in the long run it would lead to deep discontentment. I will not ask someone to give up all their dreams and ambitions either. There is a point in which you must compromise and be your own, separate self. After all, there is some truth to the old proverb "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Learn how to argue.
Stick to the point at hand. Do not deviate from the topic to your partner's other faults, failures, or separate issues. It is counterproductive.

If you are angry and emotional, it is probably a good idea to take some time to cool down first. A productive argument will usually involve more logic, reason, and tempered emotion rather than fiery, biting tongues. Your goal is not to be a robot; rather, it is to express your emotions, needs, and concerns to your partner while actively listening to his or hers. It may get heated sometimes but a good argument helps resolve problems, not tear down your partner.

The fact is, anyone in a long-term relationship knows their partner's weak points. The idea is to figure out what works for you as a unit, not hurt or tear down the other person.

Hurt feelings are inevitable at times. Keep apologies at the ready and mean them too.

Love each other, whether you feel like it or not
The fire of romance cools down. The in-love feeling will eventually wear off, and that means that you are left with the person that is (hopefully) your best friend. Yet that's not the end. Successful couples that stay together and are generally happy with their relationship realize that it is possible to fall in love all over again. But this isn't something that just happens to you, it takes work.

Do little things that will make your partner feel loved. The key here being your partner. Get to know each other, and learn how to make the other person feel loved. This may be touching, listening, thoughtful gifts, helping with work or chores... if you continue to love (the verb) someone, then you can rekindle romance time and time again. At worst, you do nice things for one another.

There are plenty more rules.
I just don't want to get into them.

Keeping in touch from Overland Park, KS to Mississauge, ON

2009-04-08T10:55:32-05:00

We met over the Internet, stayed in touch over the Internet, and took a lot of trips to see one another. We had similar interests and a lot of fun on our vacations together.

My favourite ways to communicate are through touch and text (email, IM, phone, however). While the touch made it difficult long-distance, the text part of it was great. I have difficulty remembering too much from conversations and what I hear. However, if I read something once it sticks with me forever. In that way, we were on the same level.

We also made phone calls, starting in our adolescence, whose bills often ran into the "You're grounded from the phone forever!" range. The length of these calls decreased as we grew older and the novelty wore off.

The problem was that we were never truly that close on the levels that matter in relationships. It is very difficult to get to know who someone really is through emails and phone conversations. That comes from consistent, daily contact and nothing can replace that.

'One For the Money' makes me LMAO

2009-04-07T16:21:18-05:00

One For the Money or any of the Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich. I'm a huge fan of the series and read it whenever I need a good laugh.

Demon Haunted World and Confronting the Controversies Changed my world outlook

2009-04-06T10:23:54-05:00

Carl Sagan's Demon Haunted World, along with Confronting the Controversies by Adam Hamilton, changed the way that I began to view the world.

In his book, Sagan describes what he calls a "Baloney Detection Kit." It is, essentially a series of rules on how to apply reason and logic in a philosophically scientific manner.

The book articulated quite a few ideas that I already had, and put an eloquent reasoning behind some of my previous assertions. It has inspired me as a teacher, helped revive my sense of wonder, and guided me beyond some of the misguided and fallacious beliefs and positions that I once held.

Hamilton's book was the first time that I read about a church pastor whose though process actually followed mine. Before that, I was essentially taught certain positions on things. In fact, voting in certain ways got visits from other church members that were 'worried for the souls' of my parents, in my old church. Adam, on the other hand, reasoned how a caring, faithful, and logical person could really come in on either side of the political spectrum.

A day without a cell phone

2009-04-06T10:10:13-05:00

I didn't get a cell phone until I was almost 20 years old. I usually carry mine, but I also take breaks from the stupid thing. I hate being at the beckon call of everyone that has the number.

We used to go a long time without communicating. Convenience is nice, but cell phones make it easy to be rude and needy.

My trip from Kansas City, MO to Lake Huron, ON

2009-04-06T10:03:45-05:00

I was the best man in a wedding in which I wore a kilt on a cruise ship on Lake Huron. I also spent the month visiting my then-girlfriend, meeting my goddaughter, and watching Evil Dead: The Musical.

Meeting my goddaughter was exciting. It happened on a Wednesday. Her father (one of my best friends) was watching her alone while her mother was away and he had an attack of kidney stones. I actually took off in my car, just like in the movies, and traveled at a high speed all the way to the hospital about 100km away. It was pretty awesome.

Especially because he passed the stone before his wedding that weekend. Talk about good timing!

When I started using the Internet

2009-04-06T10:01:37-05:00

When I was 11, the library I regularly visited acquired Internet access.

At age 12, my friend's family jumped online, followed closely by my family. I've been on regularly, almost daily, ever since.

My handiness

2009-04-06T09:59:15-05:00

My roommate and I built our own DDR platform last year. It's pretty sweet and much better than the silly pads.

A close second might be the Squabbitat 3.4, which is a huge extension for my chinchilla's cage.

Here, have a million dollars

2009-04-06T09:50:16-05:00

It'd got to A Child's Hope. It's the Foster/Adoption ministry in my area. I discovered it in my church and it's a rather underfunded cause that I believe in. There ya go.

In defense of my vice:

2009-04-06T09:48:18-05:00

My greatest vice is probably my Internet addiction. I started at age 11, when the computers at the library got access. I would quit if the Internet disappeared. I do enjoy vacations to places without Internet access, but I often go through a day or two of withdrawal.

I love having the entire world at my fingertips.

There have been positive effects, too. Since I started out in chat rooms and often use the Internet to communicate with others, I've developed an above-average typing speed and accuracy in spite of the fact that I've never taken a keyboarding class in my life. Granted, a decent secretary would easily out-type me, but most of the people I've worked with over the years are much slower.

It's been better in recent years, though. Time limits and planned breaks keep it from overly affecting my life.

My first job: landscaping

2009-04-06T09:43:20-05:00

My first work experiences were that of landscaping and home improvement. I mowed lawns, finished basements, modified garages, and built decks. I usually pulled around minimum wage, and it was a great job (or series of jobs, as I worked for a lot of people throughout the years). I worked it as my primary job from age 11 to 17, but continued until I was about 20 as a part timer during the college off-season.

When I get home, I

2009-04-06T09:40:31-05:00

My road-trip mix tape

2009-04-06T09:38:14-05:00

Road Trip by F.O.M.

M.O.R. by Blur

The World Belongs to Us by Informatik

I recommend checking out Evil Dead: The Musical when you're in Toronto, Canada. I saw the show four times last summer, and miss it dearly. I still feel more and more inebriated as the soundtrack progresses. I can't wait to see it again.

2009-04-06T09:36:18-05:00

When I realized I was a grown-up

2009-04-06T09:34:38-05:00

Wait, is this a utility bill?

I'll only ever partly grow up, but I do something that adults are supposed to do like pay bills and put money in retirement accounts.

Making out in Inside an appliance box

2009-04-06T09:32:21-05:00

Internet=Control

2009-04-06T09:29:50-05:00

The Internet is my preferred medium because of the huge amount of control that it gives me over what I see. I like being able to search for news on topics that I am interested in. It also means that I can check out the same story from different sources. Cross-checking lets me determine something closer to the truth than just one newspaper and its biases.

I will miss the old school newspapers if they depart from us. There's not a whole lot like reading the paper with breakfast and coffee. On the other hand, I haven't done that in years anyways, so I suppose that they've been dead to me since 2002.