Martin Tsang - Plinky Answers

On Roommates

2012-01-07T01:45:31-06:00

Noise. You can always move their shit out of the way, or even close your eyes if you needed to. But noise is worse.

Staying Warm During Winter

2012-01-07T01:44:38-06:00

Another person, but also just thick blankets and sitting on heaters. Very old school.

A Shorter Work Week vs. Working From Home

2012-01-07T01:44:05-06:00

Working from home is great if you have the discipline for it. Also, unless you have a very specific type of job, it limits your ability to do certain things. A 4 day work week though still gets you out of the house and keeps you sane. I'd rather have that and still have my "weekend".

Top 3 Goals for 2012

2012-01-07T01:42:47-06:00

I was going to start this with a lengthy diatribe about how things important to me are not necessarily important to anyone else, and vice versa, but really, I think I should probably graduate from school. It scares the shit out of me because school is all I've known, but I know I've got to do something about it.

I also want to get more into music this year. Maybe I'll practice and do an open mic performance some time this year.

Also getting a decent job I don't hate in a field I don't hate. That's more life sustaining though.

If I Had Six Months to Kill

2012-01-07T01:34:47-06:00

Freak out? I don't know. This implies that the break is not permanent, like 6 months after you've graduated or retired. Knowing that whatever happens during your break....you're going back to doing what you were doing at the end of it, that both restrains and releases you in terms of what you feel like you can do. You can go on vacation provided you have the funds.

In fact, you've probably got a really good life going on if you can take a break like that. 6 month sabbaticals not stemming from some sort of police investigation?

But really, I would probably force myself into some sort of schedule. Read stuff? Write things? Watch movies and play video games that I never have "the time to".

Home is great for drinks with an old friend

2009-03-22T02:40:23-06:00

It's cheesy, but all my friends tend to gravitate towards my house anyway. We always hang out here, and it's sort of a quasi home base for our goings on. It's probably because I'm a huge lazy person who won't leave the house.

VHS tapes should make a comeback

2009-03-22T02:38:10-06:00

Now I'm tempted to say swords, but I have a huge catalog of VHS tapes. I hate new formats, cause that makes all my old formats obsolete. DVD is dying too, and I don't believe in the HD revolution. The quality isn't different enough to matter, not like VHS and DVD. I also record shows on VHS. No DVR here.

Keys travels with me

2009-03-22T02:36:49-06:00

Heavy pants

Keys
To get into my house. Duh.

Wallet
It has my identification and money.

Bus pass
Free rides to wherever I need to go.

Pen
Never know when I'll need to write down that girl's phone number. I'm old fashioned. Paper and pen always beats out...

Cell phone
My lifeline. Literally, as it has all my emergency contacts in it. I also jot down life thoughts in there. And I tweet from it. When you know someone who got in an accident, and the paramedics didn't know who to call, you start using the ICE system.

A church is the oldest place I've been

2009-03-22T02:33:33-06:00

I've been to many countries in Europe. But it's all a blur to me. I would guess one of the many churches I've seen is probably very old. St. Peter's Basilica? I've been to England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Italy, France, and Spain.

'Something About Mary' was a bad choice to watch with the family

2009-03-22T02:31:20-06:00

I saw it on a Chinatown bus trip to some place. I have a feeling he wasn't aware of what sort of movie it was, but this is one of the first 90's grossout comedies. There is nudity, and not necessarily the good kind. Masturbation, old women breasts, retards and semen. I was with my aunt. My religious aunt, who still thinks words like "penis" are pornographic and tries her hardest to shield me from everything sexual.

Pictures would go in my care package to an overseas friend

2009-03-22T02:28:56-06:00

Pictures
I don't have any friends who would do this sort of thing. If anyone is the sort of person to send care packages, it wouldn't be me. But I think pictures of our "friends" might help. There could be letters updating each other on our lives, pictures of stuff we did to show that we missed them. I know on HIMYM, Ted sent his girlfriend living abroad some New York stuff like the New York Times, H and H bagels, and other New York-y stuff. I've lived in New York all my life and can't think of a single thing. I consider myself a fake New Yorker.

Where's the 'cancel' button?

2009-03-22T02:25:48-06:00

Dwelling on these sorts of things are probably a bad idea. I've done enough dwelling for the rest of my life. Still dwell, I guess. But the prompt is asking, and I have to tell it something.

I wish I could take more risks. I wish I had more stories. I wish I had gotten out while it made sense to. I wish I could have avoided 3 years of foolishness. I wish I had just learned to let go. I wish I had just accepted it for what it was.

I wish I had a different life.

I wish I could get a new life

2009-03-22T02:22:44-06:00

After a year and a half away at college, I'm living back at home, going to a local community college, trying to piece together the rest of my life. I'm still vaguely nihilistic about most things, and I don't want to be. I want to care about things, and do things that have meaning. I want to form relationships that matter and that affect me. I've had my fair share of bad relationships in the past. I don't mean sexual or romantic relationships, but just social connections between myself and others. I've barricaded myself into my own little world, where I don't take risks and envy everyone else.

It's why I'm on Plinky, right? I'm here to write and try to get some ideas down and out of my head. Get some perspective, and perhaps get a knack for this sort of thing.

My favorite line from 'Office Space'

2009-03-22T02:17:27-06:00

It's a problem of motivation, all right? Now, if I work my ass off and Initech ships a few extra units, I don't see another dime. So where's the motivation? And here's another thing, Bob. I have eight different
bosses right now! Eight, bob. So that means when I make a mistake, I have eight different people coming by to tell me about it. That's my real motivation - is not to be hassled. That and the fear of losing my job, but y'know, Bob, it will only make someone work hard enough not to get fired.

This is basically the attitude I have about a lot of things. It came to mind when I saw the topic, but I don't think it really should be my favorite line anymore. I don't want my life to be like that. Even Peter Gibbons' life got better when he learned to live and enjoy life.

Let me tell you what I do

2009-03-22T02:14:22-06:00

I don't have a job. I'm a student, but I could probably say that my job is to go on the computer and enjoy the internet. I like to think I'm fairly knowledgeable, and could hold my own in an interview. Or at least fake it.

Is the fight in the water?

2009-03-22T02:12:33-06:00

These are two animals who thrive in two separate habitats. If the fight is in the water, and the water is deep and dark, then the shark wins. If the bear can stand in shallow water and chomp at the shark, then the bear probably wins. If they're in a forest, then the shark just dies of asphyxiation. If you have some sort of futuristic battle zone, like Mojo from X-Men, and maybe the shark has a reverse scuba suit, then I vote for the bear. Bear can walk and run, while a shark that can breathe on land can only wriggle and lay there.

This question is too vague,

It sells itself!

2009-03-22T02:08:24-06:00

I've been tempted to buy the Shamwow, but only if it actually did what it said it did. All the reviews I've seen are labeled with some Shamwow pun, like "It's a sham! Wow!". OxiClean is also apparently a sham, as it doesn't really clean anything. It just changes the color of the stain, so you can't see it.

My parents have bought into the whole informercial scene though. We've got mini vacuums and Aqua Globes and all that garbage from those catalogs you get in the mail.

You can call me...

2009-03-22T02:05:27-06:00

Oddly enough, it'd probably be "Can't Make Decisions". I am extremely indecisive, even regarding trivial matters.

My song about California

2009-03-22T02:04:39-06:00

I'd write a song about California, just cause I liked it when I've been there. Of course, everyone and their mother has written a song about California.

Well that depends, is the starer hot?

2009-03-22T02:02:52-06:00

Well, they're sitting next to me, and being a quiet starer. That would most likely mean that I could get some peace and quiet if I needed them to shut up for a bit. Point is, am I allowed to engage the starer in a conversation? If the conversation goes somewhere, then that's great. The other one has a prerequisite of being irritating, so that's an instant point loss. Maybe the starer has something on their mind that we could talk about.

Is the starer hot? Can I only gain something by talking to her? I've always had an urge to start up a conversation with a stranger on a plane. That's why Southwest Airlines always seemed perfect for that sort of thing. Random seats, random people.

A place I "wouldn't mind" being taken on Valentine's Day?

2009-02-10T06:07:54-06:00

Home
I hope that's just a turn of phrase from the Plinky offices. Anyway, even though I am as of the current date perennially single, I don't think anything beats a good home cooked meal. If she's into it, I'd think a meal that one makes for their significant other (not going to say if it should be the man or the woman or whoever) is a pretty good Valentine's date. You eat, you talk, you can watch a movie and keep each other warm on the couch. Just being together should be the most important part, if you're going to needlessly celebrate this "holiday". Enjoy each others' presence.

One particularly cheesy/sweet V-Day move is to promise to take (her/him) to the best (food you are good at cooking) restaurant in town. Circle around the block, and bring (her/him) home for a nice home cooked meal. If you can pull it off...

P.S. Also, sorry about the Ford Museum date, Plinky staffmember. I bet you thought it was sweet, or else you wouldn't have done it.

Why I gave up on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2009-02-02T21:06:25-06:00

Longwinded and unapologetic.

This all starts back when the previous book, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" came out. There was an infamous spoiler posted everywhere on the internet. Trying to finish the tome while knowing the big plot twist was like pulling teeth. There was no risk if I knew a certain character was going to survive/die. My enthusiasm for the series had ended. I've tried to crack into DH, but it's tough. Maybe one day, I'll try to read it and finally finish the series, but I also have comic books to finish reading.

How I'd indecisively go back and forth on, and then ultimately not spend, $1,000

2009-01-30T14:18:30-06:00

Wisely. While I'd love to just hoard the money, this is asking me how I'd spend the money, so the bank is out of the question. I wouldn't be able to blow it on anything too extravagant, seeing as 1000 bucks can't get you "too" much nowadays but 1000 dollars sure would be nice to have. I'd pay some bills, maybe? It seems like a boring answer, but I'm sort of a boring guy. But if I had no bills, I might maybe fly somewhere? Maybe fly to California and just loiter. Or I could use the 1000 bucks to get a decent keyboard or guitar. Maybe pay for some lessons? Then there's always having to pay for school too.

If I had easy access to a helicopter, I'd fly to New York City this weekend

2009-01-30T11:46:04-06:00

I live in Brooklyn, so this is sort of cheating, but Manhattan has some kickass views at night. We can make it so I'm flying with my best friend who is an experienced flyer I trust at night, right? I'd want to see the city at night from however many feet in the air a helicopter goes. Also, I'm pretty sure a helicopter couldn't fly me all the way to the West Coast so I'm sticking with New York City.