listening and re-listening
I went to pack my bag for karate tonight and found that I forgot to wash my gi after class last Thursday. Its odor may have helped me in my first sparring matches which I should have taken part in tonight, but I think olfactory knockout doesn’t qualify for points from the judges.
Listen: Radiohead, “15 Step”
Down, up, back in the middle, down tomorrow, and then who knows what. It’s been a while since I’ve posted here, but I didn’t forget how to log in. Life has simply been more real than usual.
So, a few hypertextual things which will hopefully keep you busy until I’m back again, which should hopefully be before the leaves turn color:
- How much do you need to spend on a propane BBQ? We finally replaced the clunker we’ve had since we moved to Ottawa in the summer of 2001, picked up secondhand from some Asian guy’s backyard in Bell’s Corners. It was advertised in the paper or something – his wife, who barely spoke english, explained that they only used a wok and had no use for a barbeque. The whole experience seemed positively exotic and big-city at the time. Needless to say, the new grill is pretty damn good, and the old one is going out in our yard sale this weekend. I’ll be happy to take five bucks for it, no tank included.
- Why the push-up belongs in your fitness routine. I’m pleased to say that I score somewhere in the “excellent” to “superior” range nowadays, at least according to this chart (push-ups performed per minute). This was not the case as recently as six months ago. So that’s good.
- Why aren’t roads made out of plastic? Or, more to the point, why do we put up with expensive and dangerous potholed streets year after year? Surely there must be a better way.
- How to beat carnival games. I hope I’ll have the chance to try a few of these this summer.
And finally, NASCAR and Earth. The conversation never really gets anywhere, which is unfortunate. I’ve always wondered what kind of impact dumb pastimes like car racing might have on our environment – some real numbers would be useful, I think.