Hey Everyone,
Not the real crack, like ghetto, shoot-em-up, and brew-it-in-the-basement crack (I don't know anything about crack except that it seems to often relate it to black people... which is racist).
I'm talking about my personal crack:
StumbleUpon
Which is basically the best way to discover new things that you're interested in. They also recently redesigned your website to show you what topics you most often like. My major topic is Arts & History, which accounts for 25% of my stumbles.
I'm really classy.
Emma
PS The word of the day is affable, which means showing warmth and friendliness. As in waitresses must always be affable, even when the people they're serving are total douchecanoes.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Menu Anxiety?
Hey Everyone,
So I have a self-diagnosed psychosis. It's called (in my mind, although there may be an actual disorder name for this) Menu Anxiety.
The symptoms of menu anxiety (played out between Freud and I):
Me: This new restaurant seems really good!
Freud: Why, yes. It does.
Me: I wonder what I should get?
Freud: The Caesar Salad looks quite nice.
Me: Yeah, but you can get Caesar Salad anywhere.
Freud: What about this fancy sandwich?
Me: Oooh, fancy sandwich... But then again I do like caesar salad...
Freud: Or this fabulous soup?
Me: Hmmm? Soup, sandwich, or salad? Those are all boring options! I want to try the exciting things on the menu!
Freud: What about this exciting menu thing?
Me: Ew, that looks weird.
Freud: Or this one?
Me: Ooh, looks good. But maybe I will just stick with a sandwich.
Waitress: Would you like anything to drink?
Me (In my head): I forgot to look at drinks!
Me (Out loud): I'd like Sprite please.
Freud: Just water for me, thank you.
Me: Ok, so I can get soup, salad, sandwiches, or some variety of fancy menu thing...
Freud: Are you going to want dessert too?
Me: Probably, so I shouldn't get something too big. Or if I do I could take it back to my dorm and eat it for lunch tomorrow.
Freud: Well the waitress is returning.
This is the point where the anxiety sets in:
Me: But I don't know what I want yet! What if I order something and regret it? Or what if I never come to this restaurant again? I don't want to order something boring! And you're paying, so I can't order anything really expensive!
Freud: I'm dead. Price isn't really an object in your imaginary conversation with me. Just pick something.
Me: Shut up Sigmund.
Freud: I'm sure whatever you choose will be great.
Me: BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT! THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT LIFE CHANGING DECISION!
Freud: You're mother didn't brush your hair enough when you young.
Me: Whatever.
Waitress: What can I get you this evening?
Me: I'll just have generic sandwich #2
Freud: I'll have some caviar, foie gras, and oysters.
Me: Ew
This dialogue (excluding the last part where I freak out) has occurred with my family members and my boyfriend. Is Menu Anxiety really a problem? Nope. Is it a little bit like over thinking everything? Yes. Yes it is.
Emma
PS The word of the day is circumlocutory, which means using more words when fewer would do. As in, politicians can be obnoxiously circumlocutory. Also, my explanation of Menu Anxiety was rather circumlocutory.
So I have a self-diagnosed psychosis. It's called (in my mind, although there may be an actual disorder name for this) Menu Anxiety.
The symptoms of menu anxiety (played out between Freud and I):
Me: This new restaurant seems really good!
Freud: Why, yes. It does.
Me: I wonder what I should get?
Freud: The Caesar Salad looks quite nice.
Me: Yeah, but you can get Caesar Salad anywhere.
Freud: What about this fancy sandwich?
Me: Oooh, fancy sandwich... But then again I do like caesar salad...
Freud: Or this fabulous soup?
Me: Hmmm? Soup, sandwich, or salad? Those are all boring options! I want to try the exciting things on the menu!
Freud: What about this exciting menu thing?
Me: Ew, that looks weird.
Freud: Or this one?
Me: Ooh, looks good. But maybe I will just stick with a sandwich.
Waitress: Would you like anything to drink?
Me (In my head): I forgot to look at drinks!
Me (Out loud): I'd like Sprite please.
Freud: Just water for me, thank you.
Me: Ok, so I can get soup, salad, sandwiches, or some variety of fancy menu thing...
Freud: Are you going to want dessert too?
Me: Probably, so I shouldn't get something too big. Or if I do I could take it back to my dorm and eat it for lunch tomorrow.
Freud: Well the waitress is returning.
This is the point where the anxiety sets in:
Me: But I don't know what I want yet! What if I order something and regret it? Or what if I never come to this restaurant again? I don't want to order something boring! And you're paying, so I can't order anything really expensive!
Freud: I'm dead. Price isn't really an object in your imaginary conversation with me. Just pick something.
Me: Shut up Sigmund.
Freud: I'm sure whatever you choose will be great.
Me: BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT! THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT LIFE CHANGING DECISION!
Freud: You're mother didn't brush your hair enough when you young.
Me: Whatever.
Waitress: What can I get you this evening?
Me: I'll just have generic sandwich #2
Freud: I'll have some caviar, foie gras, and oysters.
Me: Ew
This dialogue (excluding the last part where I freak out) has occurred with my family members and my boyfriend. Is Menu Anxiety really a problem? Nope. Is it a little bit like over thinking everything? Yes. Yes it is.
Emma
PS The word of the day is circumlocutory, which means using more words when fewer would do. As in, politicians can be obnoxiously circumlocutory. Also, my explanation of Menu Anxiety was rather circumlocutory.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Sea Creatures?
Hey Everyone,
Last night I had a rather disturbing dream in which a very large (as in the size of a schoolbus) eel (of a species I am googling right now to see if it resembles anything living... it looked something like this) fell in love with me due to the exotic scent of my perfume. It also could speak and was wearing an electrician's outfit...
It was weird.
Then, to increase the weirdness, today we talked about dreams in philosophy. We were discussing Descartes' First Meditation in philosophy.
To summarize Descartes' First Meditation (in a conversation between me and an imaginary Descartes):
Descartes: Knowledge = Absolute Certainty
Me: Can we know anything with absolute certainty?
Descartes: Nope
Me: Why not?
Descartes: We dream and dreams are sometimes indistinguishable from reality, therefore nothing we perceive can be known in absolute certainty.
Me: Ok, what about math?
Descartes: It's based on the perceptions of others and what we've been told.
Me: So math doesn't count either?
Descartes: Nope
Me: Well what about the idea of God (the nice Judeo-Christian one)?
Descartes: God wouldn't make us live this way, therefore I propose the idea of a malicious demon that leads our perceptions astray.
Me: WTF?
Descartes: Basically I'm saying beliefs based on reason and senses are dubious, therefore we can have no absolute certainty of anything. Therefore, we have no knowledge.
Me: So we know nothing?
Descarte: Yep
Me: So we're all fucked?
Descartes: Yep
Me: I hate this class.
Ok, now this does lead back to my dream about the Emma-crazed eel. Descartes states that dreams are indistinguishable from reality. As in dreams could also be reality. To which I say:
REALLY!? BECAUSE I JUST HAD A DREAM THAT A FUCKING HUGE EEL WANTED TO MARRY ME!!!
You may understand my qualms.
Fortunately, I don't have to agree with Descartes' belief and he goes on to say that no one can live with this frame of mind (without becoming a depressed substance abuser) so we may need to lower the standard of knowledge.
I can live with that.
Emma
PS I just found this really cool website called Word Dynamo that's really fun (if you're a word freak like myself) and I am learning ALL the cool words! Like last night I learned altiloquent which means high flown or pretentious. Next time you feel like insulting someone you can call them an altiloquent bitch and feel classy.
Last night I had a rather disturbing dream in which a very large (as in the size of a schoolbus) eel (of a species I am googling right now to see if it resembles anything living... it looked something like this) fell in love with me due to the exotic scent of my perfume. It also could speak and was wearing an electrician's outfit...
It was weird.
Then, to increase the weirdness, today we talked about dreams in philosophy. We were discussing Descartes' First Meditation in philosophy.
To summarize Descartes' First Meditation (in a conversation between me and an imaginary Descartes):
Descartes: Knowledge = Absolute Certainty
Me: Can we know anything with absolute certainty?
Descartes: Nope
Me: Why not?
Descartes: We dream and dreams are sometimes indistinguishable from reality, therefore nothing we perceive can be known in absolute certainty.
Me: Ok, what about math?
Descartes: It's based on the perceptions of others and what we've been told.
Me: So math doesn't count either?
Descartes: Nope
Me: Well what about the idea of God (the nice Judeo-Christian one)?
Descartes: God wouldn't make us live this way, therefore I propose the idea of a malicious demon that leads our perceptions astray.
Me: WTF?
Descartes: Basically I'm saying beliefs based on reason and senses are dubious, therefore we can have no absolute certainty of anything. Therefore, we have no knowledge.
Me: So we know nothing?
Descarte: Yep
Me: So we're all fucked?
Descartes: Yep
Me: I hate this class.
Ok, now this does lead back to my dream about the Emma-crazed eel. Descartes states that dreams are indistinguishable from reality. As in dreams could also be reality. To which I say:
REALLY!? BECAUSE I JUST HAD A DREAM THAT A FUCKING HUGE EEL WANTED TO MARRY ME!!!
You may understand my qualms.
Fortunately, I don't have to agree with Descartes' belief and he goes on to say that no one can live with this frame of mind (without becoming a depressed substance abuser) so we may need to lower the standard of knowledge.
I can live with that.
Emma
PS I just found this really cool website called Word Dynamo that's really fun (if you're a word freak like myself) and I am learning ALL the cool words! Like last night I learned altiloquent which means high flown or pretentious. Next time you feel like insulting someone you can call them an altiloquent bitch and feel classy.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Has the Ratio of Loving Relationships to Unsuccessful Ones Changed?
Hey Everyone,
So as I was making tea (Apple Cinammon Something or Other from Tazo) I was thinking about how relationships in the 1800s (or earlier) when class differences were more pronounced and lines were distinct were very different from our relationships today.
But also, I was thinking about how they are the same.
The general consensus of our society is that the quality of relationships has increased significantly since the breakdown in racial, sexual, and societal barriers over the past hundred years or so. However, has the quality of our relationships really changed?
Historically, marriages were formed in order to form political alliances, combine fortunes, and for many other reasons. Practicality was key. If you were a poor man with many mouths to feed, you attempted to marry your daughter to the butcher. Free meat! (If anyone got the Fiddler on the Roof reference, go you!). If someone had recently let Netherfield Park and they were a wealthy bachelor, you threw your eldest daughter at them with enthusiasm (although anyone can agree that Mrs. Bennet was over the top). In Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie Bennet was a woman out of her time. Her level of literacy and her interest in long walks outdoors pushed the societal norm, which is what both repelled and attracted her eventual husband Mr. Darcy.
But would their marriage really have worked out? How can we possibly know?
Will we ever know if the number of happy marriages has increased? The option of divorce only recently became available (especially to women) and historical record has little to show for what marital happiness was like before the 60s (ish).
So, what do we take away from this? True love is really fucking rare. If you have it (and you realize it) hats off to you.
Emma
PS I may do some more research on this and write an actual cited post that explores the idea of positive healthy relationships (and whether or not more than 2% of the population has them) more deeply. Not that my page has gotten any hits so far :P
So as I was making tea (Apple Cinammon Something or Other from Tazo) I was thinking about how relationships in the 1800s (or earlier) when class differences were more pronounced and lines were distinct were very different from our relationships today.
But also, I was thinking about how they are the same.
The general consensus of our society is that the quality of relationships has increased significantly since the breakdown in racial, sexual, and societal barriers over the past hundred years or so. However, has the quality of our relationships really changed?
Historically, marriages were formed in order to form political alliances, combine fortunes, and for many other reasons. Practicality was key. If you were a poor man with many mouths to feed, you attempted to marry your daughter to the butcher. Free meat! (If anyone got the Fiddler on the Roof reference, go you!). If someone had recently let Netherfield Park and they were a wealthy bachelor, you threw your eldest daughter at them with enthusiasm (although anyone can agree that Mrs. Bennet was over the top). In Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie Bennet was a woman out of her time. Her level of literacy and her interest in long walks outdoors pushed the societal norm, which is what both repelled and attracted her eventual husband Mr. Darcy.
But would their marriage really have worked out? How can we possibly know?
Will we ever know if the number of happy marriages has increased? The option of divorce only recently became available (especially to women) and historical record has little to show for what marital happiness was like before the 60s (ish).
So, what do we take away from this? True love is really fucking rare. If you have it (and you realize it) hats off to you.
Emma
PS I may do some more research on this and write an actual cited post that explores the idea of positive healthy relationships (and whether or not more than 2% of the population has them) more deeply. Not that my page has gotten any hits so far :P
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