![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Writer's Block: Fashion Bug
Jun. 8th, 2012 02:24 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
Waistcoats and cravats. Rowr.
Waistcoats and cravats. Rowr.
Writer's Block: Mommy Mommy
May. 15th, 2012 01:15 am[Error: unknown template qotd]
Memories of my mom? What, you expect me to come up with any that don't involve hospital beds and breathing tubes?
Fuck you, LiveJournal. Fuck you right in the bit bucket.
Memories of my mom? What, you expect me to come up with any that don't involve hospital beds and breathing tubes?
Fuck you, LiveJournal. Fuck you right in the bit bucket.
Writer's Block: Ticket, Please
Apr. 27th, 2012 08:24 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
Wow, this question reeks of privilege.
Wow, this question reeks of privilege.
Writer's Block: Educate Me
Apr. 5th, 2012 03:50 am[Error: unknown template qotd]
More philosophy and critical thinking; more psychology. Less emphasis on team sports and more on other fitness-related activities.
More philosophy and critical thinking; more psychology. Less emphasis on team sports and more on other fitness-related activities.
Writer's Block: National Pi Day
Mar. 16th, 2012 06:54 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
For some reason, only the first twenty-eight (past the decimal point) seem to be able to stick in my head. I've tried to cram in more digits multiple times, and they never took. I wonder if I've lost some kind of plasticity or something.
For some reason, only the first twenty-eight (past the decimal point) seem to be able to stick in my head. I've tried to cram in more digits multiple times, and they never took. I wonder if I've lost some kind of plasticity or something.
Writer's Block: Ready for Your Close-up
Feb. 28th, 2012 01:54 am[Error: unknown template qotd]
The plot I dunno about, but I always kinda figured Janeane Garofalo would play me.
I haven't been keeping up with Hollywood lately, though; is there anyone up-and-coming who'd be more appropriate?
The plot I dunno about, but I always kinda figured Janeane Garofalo would play me.
I haven't been keeping up with Hollywood lately, though; is there anyone up-and-coming who'd be more appropriate?
Writer's Block: Just Say No!
Feb. 27th, 2012 02:10 am[Error: unknown template qotd]
Correcting people's grammar in public. I mostly manage to only do it in private these days.
Correcting people's grammar in public. I mostly manage to only do it in private these days.
Writer's Block: Freewill vs. fate
Oct. 8th, 2011 05:36 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
...Why ask this about love in particular? Either we have free will with regard to everything, or we don't.
...Why ask this about love in particular? Either we have free will with regard to everything, or we don't.
[Error: unknown template qotd]
Ohgods. The town I grew up in had this pizza place that served all kinds of specialty pizzas, including one with mashed potatoes and gravy and one with angel hair pasta, chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing. I've been missing those for years. *sigh*
Ohgods. The town I grew up in had this pizza place that served all kinds of specialty pizzas, including one with mashed potatoes and gravy and one with angel hair pasta, chicken, bacon, and ranch dressing. I've been missing those for years. *sigh*
Writer's Block: 9/11
Sep. 12th, 2011 12:58 am[Error: unknown template qotd]
Since I wasn't directly affected, and neither was anyone I knew at the time, it doesn't much matter, does it?
We now return to your regularly scheduled not giving a fuck.
Since I wasn't directly affected, and neither was anyone I knew at the time, it doesn't much matter, does it?
We now return to your regularly scheduled not giving a fuck.
Writer's Block: Teenage dream
Apr. 9th, 2011 04:37 am[Error: unknown template qotd]
I imagine I'd say something like "Hey, it's great to see you but, um...what are you doing on my doorstep?"
Seriously -- my first boyfriend was a sweetheart and I often wonder how he's been all these years (it's been at least a decade since we spoke), but I also suspect we never actually had all that much in common. If I ran into him again, I imagine it would be nice to catch up, but I'd want to keep it fairly brief; our conversation might get awkward in the same way a blind date would if it dragged on too long.
And if he somehow tracked me down and showed up at my house without so much as calling ahead, I'd be kinda creeped out. But then I would be if just about anyone did that.
I imagine I'd say something like "Hey, it's great to see you but, um...what are you doing on my doorstep?"
Seriously -- my first boyfriend was a sweetheart and I often wonder how he's been all these years (it's been at least a decade since we spoke), but I also suspect we never actually had all that much in common. If I ran into him again, I imagine it would be nice to catch up, but I'd want to keep it fairly brief; our conversation might get awkward in the same way a blind date would if it dragged on too long.
And if he somehow tracked me down and showed up at my house without so much as calling ahead, I'd be kinda creeped out. But then I would be if just about anyone did that.
Writer's Block: Around the world
Mar. 26th, 2011 02:48 amAt the most recent Poly Speed Dating event, I realized I was making my post-date decisions in an irrational way. At least some of the time I was checking "no" even when I was interested in someone, under the assumption that there was no point in checking "yes" because the other person didn't seem sufficiently interested; and at least some of the time I was checking "yes" even when I wasn't really all that interested, with the feeling that I wasn't really committing myself because the other person would probably check "no" and let me off the hook.
And of course this was ridiculous because of the way speed dating is set up: If the other person checks "no," it doesn't matter what you check, so assuming they did check "no" is not a useful way to make your decision. If your decision doesn't make a difference unless the other person says "yes," then you've got to assume they will say yes so that you're deciding based on the assumption that your decision actually means something.
This evening, I was thinking of what other situations might be analogous to that, with an eye toward rendering the general principle in more abstract terms. The first analogy that came to mind -- though admittedly not a terribly interesting one -- was the idea of pretending you can't afford to travel and then trying to decide where you would most like to travel to, versus pretending to have won a free trip to a location of your choice and then trying to decide what that choice would be. Clearly, only the second mental exercise is going to give you any information about yourself that's actually useful.
And then came tonight's Writer's Block:
[Error: unknown template qotd]
Dear Writer's Block: If you've started reading my mind, does this mean we're going to get some more interesting questions from now on?
And of course this was ridiculous because of the way speed dating is set up: If the other person checks "no," it doesn't matter what you check, so assuming they did check "no" is not a useful way to make your decision. If your decision doesn't make a difference unless the other person says "yes," then you've got to assume they will say yes so that you're deciding based on the assumption that your decision actually means something.
This evening, I was thinking of what other situations might be analogous to that, with an eye toward rendering the general principle in more abstract terms. The first analogy that came to mind -- though admittedly not a terribly interesting one -- was the idea of pretending you can't afford to travel and then trying to decide where you would most like to travel to, versus pretending to have won a free trip to a location of your choice and then trying to decide what that choice would be. Clearly, only the second mental exercise is going to give you any information about yourself that's actually useful.
And then came tonight's Writer's Block:
[Error: unknown template qotd]
Dear Writer's Block: If you've started reading my mind, does this mean we're going to get some more interesting questions from now on?
Writer's Block: It must be love
Mar. 24th, 2011 05:58 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
He was the new kid in my first-grade class, and I think the crush started when he showed me how to do a proper push-up. Hell if I remember anything else about him except that he was cute. But then again, one of my best friends at the time was pretty cute and I think I had a bit of a crush on him too.
But no, I didn't tell either of them. Until junior high or so, crushes were pretty much just pleasant feelings with a little bit of fantasy to them; they weren't things it would occur to me to act on. And even now, I don't usually come out and tell people I'm crushing on them; I typically just flirt a bit, see if they seem receptive, flirt a bit more if they do, and so on until one of us actually asks the other out, or until it seems clear that that's not going to happen.
He was the new kid in my first-grade class, and I think the crush started when he showed me how to do a proper push-up. Hell if I remember anything else about him except that he was cute. But then again, one of my best friends at the time was pretty cute and I think I had a bit of a crush on him too.
But no, I didn't tell either of them. Until junior high or so, crushes were pretty much just pleasant feelings with a little bit of fantasy to them; they weren't things it would occur to me to act on. And even now, I don't usually come out and tell people I'm crushing on them; I typically just flirt a bit, see if they seem receptive, flirt a bit more if they do, and so on until one of us actually asks the other out, or until it seems clear that that's not going to happen.
Writer's Block: Life's lessons
Mar. 4th, 2011 12:36 am[Error: unknown template qotd]
Dude.
You know how they say the common factor in all your failed relationships is you?
Similarly, if more than half your students are failing your midterms, maybe the students are not the problem.
(The really depressing part was when I complained about this to a student in another department, only to find her seemingly unable to comprehend what was wrong with this picture.)
Dude.
You know how they say the common factor in all your failed relationships is you?
Similarly, if more than half your students are failing your midterms, maybe the students are not the problem.
(The really depressing part was when I complained about this to a student in another department, only to find her seemingly unable to comprehend what was wrong with this picture.)
Writer's Block: Into the night
Mar. 2nd, 2011 02:55 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
We talked for hours, about everything.
We talked for hours, about everything.
Writer's Block: The witching hour
Oct. 31st, 2010 07:12 am[Error: unknown template qotd]
Okay, these are the ways I can think of to "celebrate" Halloween:
a) trick-or-treating
b) going to Halloween parties
c) throwing one's own Halloween parties
I've long since outgrown A; B I do plenty of and C I don't do at all, but that's only because I generally go to parties when my friends decide to throw them, no matter what the occasion, and don't generally host my own, no matter what the occasion.
So does it count as "celebrating" Halloween if I go to a Halloween party just because it's a party? Does it make a difference if I dress up?
As for what to like and not like: I like seeing people's creative costume ideas even though I'm crap at coming up with any myself. If I disliked anything about the holiday I suppose it would be the vandalism, but since I've never actually experienced any of that myself, it remains a dislike in potentia.
Okay, these are the ways I can think of to "celebrate" Halloween:
a) trick-or-treating
b) going to Halloween parties
c) throwing one's own Halloween parties
I've long since outgrown A; B I do plenty of and C I don't do at all, but that's only because I generally go to parties when my friends decide to throw them, no matter what the occasion, and don't generally host my own, no matter what the occasion.
So does it count as "celebrating" Halloween if I go to a Halloween party just because it's a party? Does it make a difference if I dress up?
As for what to like and not like: I like seeing people's creative costume ideas even though I'm crap at coming up with any myself. If I disliked anything about the holiday I suppose it would be the vandalism, but since I've never actually experienced any of that myself, it remains a dislike in potentia.
Writer's Block: Above and beyond
Oct. 25th, 2010 06:04 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
From what I can tell, usually there's a funeral. And your friends cry a lot.
Oh, you mean to you? Lemme get back to you on that....
From what I can tell, usually there's a funeral. And your friends cry a lot.
Oh, you mean to you? Lemme get back to you on that....
Writer's Block: Torn between two lovers
Oct. 20th, 2010 01:59 am[Error: unknown template qotd]
Huh. What I wanna know is how many poly people will even bother to answer this question.
Huh. What I wanna know is how many poly people will even bother to answer this question.
Writer's Block: Cheese doodle?
Oct. 11th, 2010 02:39 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
I...don't doodle. I mean, it just never occurs to me to. Do most people?
Heck, let's be methodical about this.
[Poll #1630418]
I...don't doodle. I mean, it just never occurs to me to. Do most people?
Heck, let's be methodical about this.
[Poll #1630418]
Writer's Block: 10/10/10
Oct. 10th, 2010 08:51 pm[Error: unknown template qotd]
Sure. Yesterday was the 9th of October, today is the 10th, and I just bet tomorrow will be the 11th. The numbers don't lie, man.
Sure. Yesterday was the 9th of October, today is the 10th, and I just bet tomorrow will be the 11th. The numbers don't lie, man.
