An Asymmetric Game

I think I mentioned this last time: if I thought it would get better, I’d stick around.

As it is: I’ve pretty much decided to give it another semester. Doing so should, God willing, get me a Masters, which would make this not a complete waste of time. I do also think things might maybe kinda get better, so.

Ended up talking with the parents. At least it makes me happy that I know them as well as I do. The most insightful conversation I had was via email with the esteemable Mr. K who made some excellent points: not about school, per se (which is what everyone else was doing) but about deeper motivations, etc. It made a whole load of sense, which has made me feel better about things. I still hate graduate school and probably always will, but at least now I know why (in a deeper know-thyself sort of way).

Through all this I am close to coming to a second conclusion: I’m thinking of taking boxing lessons. Primarily, it would give me motivation to take off these extra stones. Secondarily, being in school is like getting mentally hit over and over–at least physically I can punch back.

Besides, who wouldn’t want to see me get my well-deserving ass kicked? 

There’s only one place I drink the Dos Equis: the great local Mexican resturant. A friend absolutely loves this place and goes at least twice a week. It’s become a habit—or a tradition, if we’re being positive—that we get lunch there after we finish teaching on Friday. Three of us almost always show up and there are a few that occasionally come. Since I’m being a good vegetarian the place has lost some appeal since their vegetarian options leave a bit to be desired. I did, however, have a rice-bean-spinach burrito the size of a baby’s head. The problem is, while I do like beans (probably more than the next guy), refried beans don’t get me all in a tizzy.

What does get me in a tizzy, though, are 32 oz frosted mugs of XX for $3.25 with a lime wedge for garnish. Scrumptious.

I think it’s the amber version of XX. Like most things, I can’t be all that objective about it since I don’t think I’ve ever drank this beer outside of a Mexican restaurant. At very least, I can say it goes down real nice with a basket of complimentary tortilla chips and chunky salsa. Unfortunately, everyone likes the chunky salsa and the blended salsa doesn’t get touched. We’ve taken to asking for our own bowls of chunky salsa at the outset, and there has been far less unhappiness at the table.

So, Dos Equis. Good beer for Mexican food. Better than Corona.

This is what seems counterintuitive: having goals makes things simpler.

Consider: I haven’t cut my hair in over 13 months now, except for a trim here or there. It’s long, a touch over ten inches maybe, and quite long for a guy. (Within the department, it’s only the second longest–I’ve got about 6 inches on the third longest, but am about 10 inches short for the lead.)

Half of me wants to cut it, primarily because short hair is easier to manage. But I like the idea of longer hair and some days, if I do say so myself, it looks really freakin’ good. Of my friends, about 75% of them like it long, but in the minority are people like my sister, who has the best sense of style of anyone I know. So.

My usual M.O. is to get it cut short, grow it out for 9 months, get it cut short again, rinse, repeat. It’s not that I ever regret getting it cut, but if I do, it would take a year to get it back and it’s an investment of time I’m not sure I want to make. There isn’t a clear good here either way.

Now, number 100 on the master list is to get my hair long enough I can donate it to an organization that makes wigs for children with cancer. There’s is a noble goal; mine? maybe not so much. But having on the list makes my course clear and I can stop worrying about whether to cut it or not. I think I need to give it another 4-6 months.

Goals limit options, but since I set the goal, I’m okay with it. In the bad ol’ days, I only realized the first part.

This goes doubly well for my financial goals, though that’s a post for another day.

There was a time I drank a fair bit of PBR. That time was sophomore year.

It generally don’t choose PBR anymore for three reasons:

1) It’s the hipster drink of choice and I have a bunch of contempt for hipsters.
2) I like beer, so I usually choose something of higher quality.
3) Even in its price range, PBR isn’t my favorite.

But I had it the other night since the bar was offering $1 cans and it’s hard to beat that. So I had at least nine, maybe more.

What is there to say about PBR? It goes down like water because it’s a lot like water. Doesn’t have much flavor, though it does have a bite and an aftertaste that isn’t completely pleasant (this is true of all cheap beers, in my experience).

So here’s my basic thought on PBR, though it’s true of all cheap beer: Spend a little bit more and get something with taste, unless the deal is too good. The only real reason to drink beer like this is to get drunk and/or to be able to drink for 8 hours in a row. I try to avoid the first reason and the second is relatively rare. Unless I’m in [the town I grew up in].

[See here for complete list of beers drank for this series.] 

Today was the first day of starting #18: "Become an early riser and get up at a set time every day for two months." I’ve decided that "set time" will be 5 a.m.

The methodology and inspiration for this goal is here. The basic jist is get up the same time every day and go to bed when you’re tired. It makes a certain intuitive sense.

So my alarm went off at 5:02 and I was up at 5:04. After showering I checked my email, rss reader, and made some breakfast (homemade granola). I was going to head into the office, so I checked the bus schedule not knowing when the earliest bus is…6:30am, it turns out, though it was 6:25 when I saw it. So I caught the next bus 25 minutes later. I would have just walked, but it’s really fucking cold outside.

Campus was beautiful this morning. For the first time ever, I did not see anyone between the bus stop to entering my office. Of course, it was 7:15am on a Holiday Monday, so I didn’t expect many. I was working by 7:45 and downloaded all my readings for this week. But–and this shouldn’t really surprise me–there’s a problem with the printer so I can’t print them (and therefore can’t read them, because I hate reading articles online). Because of the holiday, there’s nobody I can get to fix it either.

Nonetheless. I’m starting this task now even though I may lack the disciple to continue for 62 straight days. If it keeps, though, it should give me between a half and two hours extra time a day. This would help me achieve some of these other goals, plus help me out in my course work. Even if it doesn’t do that, though, I should have a better idea of how much sleep I ‘need’ instead of ‘want’ or ‘get’. It might be useful information to have.

Outside of getting my BA and, possibly, going to graduate school, the most important thing I’ve done in the last five years for my long-term benefit was the 60-day fitness Challenge at the gym

Over two months, I started eating right and exercised (usually) 5 or 6 times a week. I lost 23 pounds of fat and gained 4 pounds of muscle and felt physically better than at any point in my life.

These are impressive numbers, I think, but that’s not why it has changed my life. Doing the challenge convinced me that the person I want to be is within reach. This isn’t limited to just physicallity; my recent learning/understand of my finances–and the good changes I’ve made because of it–stems in part from the MBG. Things are not usually as difficult as they seem, and I/You/We can do it.

Found this idea through one of the personal finance blogs I read (The Simple Dollar) though it appears the original is from here. Looks interesting, so I am going to do it. You know, become the person you want to be and all that kinda crap. Follow that second link for a big list from other people. I stole some of my ideas from them. Two of my favorites (since I tend, you know, to identify more with those my own age and those in grad school): here and here. Here’s the "rules":

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

My list is below. It’s very ambitious and I will be very surprised (and very, very happy!) if I can get all of it done in time. In the sidebar will be a link to the master list which will include updates of progress. I will refrain for trying to explain anything on this list at this time, except to point out two things: 1) lofiaudiophile.com is a website me and some friends are starting here soon but isn’t up yet; 2) #27 & #28 are the two hardest and two most important on the list.

THE LIST!!

Begin date: 19 January 2008

End date: 16 October 2010

Food/Health:
(1) Eat completely vegan for three straight months.
(2) Drink no soda for six months.
(3) Do not eat out for one month.
(4) Do 75 push-ups in a row.
(5) Decrease weight to 220 lbs. (Starting weight: 296)
(6) Decrease body fat percentage to 18%.
(7) Cook a vegan dinner for friends.
(8) Make 150 dishes I’ve never made before.
(9) Collect favorite recipes and make a cookbook.
(10) Grow my own herbs and spices for a summer.
(11) Learn to can/preserve.
(12) Enter a cooking contest/competition.
(13) Donate fat-man clothes.
(14) Run in at least a 10K race.
(15) Work out every day for a month.
(16) Eat nothing but raw foods during one month.
(17) Try a polyphasic sleep schedule for one month. (See here.)
(18) Become an early riser and get up at a set time everyday for two months.
(19) Whiten teeth.
(20) Walk everywhere for a month.
(21) Go completely vegetarian (min. 1 year) except for being a “social meat-eater.”
(22) Write testimonial for [gym mentioned above].
(23) Eat a habañero, whole, by itself.

School/Learning:
(24) Get an academic work published.
(25) Be able to read Arabic alphabet.
(26) Be able to read Cyrillic alphabet.
(27) Pass prelim exams.
(28) Defend dissertation proposal.
(29) Become an online tutor.
(30) Get on “excellent” list 4 semesters. [Professors/TAs given an "excellent" rating by their students.]
(31) Read all required and recommended material (sans non-required books) for two classes.
(32) Voluntarily work a 70 hour week each semester.
(33) Get highest Graduate Teaching Certification.
(34) Learn all world capitals & largest cities for each country.
(35) Get someone to pay me to go somewhere more than 500 miles away for something related to school.
(36) Donate $100 or more to my undergrad school.

Money:
(37) Increase networth to $XX,XXX by 1 Jan 2009.
(38) Increase networth by 75% in 2009.
(39) Increase networth by 50% in 2010.
(40) Buy into an index fund.
(41) Open high-yield savings account for emergency fund ($XXXX).
(42) Get a credit card.
(43) Open a Roth IRA (and transfer old retirement account).
(44) Spend no money for 14 days in a row.
(45) Save 50% of main paycheck for five months. (Doesn’t have to be consecutive.) Don’t dip into savings.
(46) Get renter’s insurance.

Music:
(47) Write 555 articles on music for lofiaudiophile.com
(48) Make 10 mixtapes, each for a different person, of songs that make me think of them.
(49) Make 20 single-artist mixtapes.
(50) Learn the bass guitar.
(51) 555 subscribers at lofiaudiophile.com
(52) Make more than $1 from lofiaudiophile.com
(53) Listen to 555 albums on The Guardian’s 1000 albums to hear before you die list.
(54) See Opeth perform live.
(55) Play "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" (RFTT version) live, preferably with a full band.
(56) Go to a dance club and Dance!
(57) Convince a stranger at a music store that they should buy a particular album.
(58) Write a song good enough I feel comfortably playing it for someone else.
(59) Submit song to [local/University’s record label competition].
(60) Make a “definitive” mixtape (i.e. “a history of punk”)
(61) Interview a band/band member/artist for lofiaudiophile.com
(62) Make a list of 250 songs that make me happy to be alive.
(63) Buy a harmonica and learn live the blues.

Reading:
(64) Read Moby Dick.
(65) Read 50 of Time Magazine’s 100 Best English-Language Novels from 1923 to the Present.
(66) Read 24 books for “fun” not covered by last .
(67) Memorize 10 poems.
(68) Join paperbackswap.com and swap at least 6 books.

Drinking:
(69) Try absinthe.
(70) Try and write about 100 different beers.
(71) Buy a shot/drink of the most expensive whiskey/bourbon/scotch at the Bar.
(72) Visit/Tour a whiskey distillery.

Sports/Games:
(73) Attend two professional sporting events.
(74) Visit Lambeau field.
(75) Purchase a Green Bay replica jersey.
(76) Go ice skating.
(77) Beat Final Fantasy X.2
(78) Beat Final Fantasy XII.
(79) Win a trivia contest at [local bar’s] “Drink n Think”
(80) Watch 20 matches during FIFA World Cup 2010.
(81) Find someone to play Chinese Chess with and learn how to play.
(82) Buy a Go board and learn how to play.

Travel:
(83) Go to NYC.
(84) Visit [sister] at college.
(85) Visit Krista in England, assuming she doesn’t move.
(86) Couchsurf for a week in (a)  place(s)  where I don’t know anybody.
(87) Go letterboxing and get at least 25 stamps, including at least one from out-of-state.

Inter-personal:
(88) Go two weeks without complaining once.
(89) Send out Christmas cards.
(90) Go 72 hours without using a computer, TV or music player. Void if on vacation.
(91) Go 48 hours without talking (including typing).
(92) Respond to an online personal ad (via a dating site).
(93) Write 10 companies with criticism (positive or negative) about their product/service.
(94) Write 10 companies about the excellent service I received from one of their employees.

Other:
(95) Leave no dirty dishes overnight for one month.
(96) Write five decent short stories and send at least one off for publication.
(97) Organize and digitize all my photos.
(98) Get a tattoo.
(99) Continue “Inspirational Deadwood Quote of the Week” every week for a year.
(100) Get hair long enough, cut it and donate to Locks of Love (or similar organization).

Meta:
(101) Put $5 in separate savings account for each thing accomplished on this list. Do something fun (not school or investing related) with the money. Donate $5 to some charity/organization for every incomplete item.
(102) Make new 101 for 1001 list when this one is over.

I think I am going to try and continue this blog. The reasons for doing so are (in order), narcissism, catharsis, and a way of keeping in touch with people.

The major drawback, however, is the privacy issue. Now that I am (for better or worse) an academic, these things carry more weight – there has been a lot of discussion in the past about blogs having a negative impact on career prospects.

It’s quite conceivable that I’m just really really paranoid. Even so, the risks are somewhat manageable. I don’t use my real name and I won’t be talking about my school or city by name. Instead, let’s say the city I live in is Zukong Gimorlad-Siragosa, or ZGS, and my school is the University of Zukong Gimorlad-Siragosa, or UZGS.

According the Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson in The Illuminatus! Trilogy, Zukong Gimorlad-Siragosa is “the largest and most central city on the continent [of Atlantis] (but not the capital, because the Atlanteans do not have a government).” Why am I choosing this? No particular reason. I don’t even love this book—it was okay and I respect, a little, why Shea and RAW were trying to do, but I can’t say I really enjoyed it.

So yeah, there’s that. Doesn’t mean I will post any more regularly.