What the Olympics Reveal About Us

Umm... No.

        "Olympic" is a term that's a little overused nowadays, but often has nothing to do with the original tradition of nude athletes lathered in olive oil performing at Olympia, Greece in honor of Zeus. I've heard people refer to their appetites as Olympic. (again... no.) Modern Olympians, though, are definitely Olympic. If you're empirical over evidence (like me), look no farther than "the fastest man on no legs."

          Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius was born with fibular hemimelia, resulting in two incomplete legs. He received a double leg amputation when he was only 11 months old, and, after receiving prosthetic legs, decided to start playing the South African test of manhood, rugby. After playing for multiple years, he suffered a knee injury, and starting running as rehabilitation. Unbeknownst to him, his coach did not intend for Pistorius to return to rugby. Soon they realized that there was no turning back.

The "Blade Runner" in his element.

         Pistorius, a 400m runner from South Africa, is (at this point in time) the only double leg amputee ever to participate in the Olympic Games. He had already won gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and the 400m runs in the Paralympics, but didn't settle there. He had failed to qualify for Beijing in 2008, but came back with determination to achieve a time of 45.07 seconds in 2011, making him eligible to compete in London. It almost did not happen, though, as the International Association of Athletics Federations banned him under concerns that his leg springs gave him an unfair advantage. It took a revision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (man, these titles!) in order for him to be able to participate in the 2012 Olympics. In London, he made it as far as the semifinals, but by then had earned the support and respect of the entire world. To the world, he has this to say: "You're not disabled by the disabilities you have, you are able by the abilities you have."
     
           So what does this mean for the rest of us? It's easy to dismiss this as some story about a guy who is unlike the rest of us, who does not stand on equal footing, or who just doesn't have anything to teach us. But Pistorius, just like plenty of other athletes who compete in the Olympics, reminds us that a) we can go anywhere from any beginning, and that b) dedication is what gets us there. All of us, with a little bit of inspiration and bucket-loads of perspiration, can hit our goals. No one would've thought of Pistorius achieving what he did.  My mom, as she was watching one of his races, stated that the "Blade Runner" shamed the others who weren't handicapped; in my opinion, I believe he inspired them to push harder.

How to Forgive your Bus Driver

Let's give Larry here a chance.

        Growing up in various public schools, I've had my fair share of ups and downs, bests and worsts with bus drivers and their behavior. There were the shouty ones, the stand-uppy ones, and the call-your-parents-over-nothing sort. I'm not saying that I'm some guru here who's ridden every bus on the Western side of the world (though that would be fun), but I'm hoping y'all can relate here. One thing that I've always had trouble doing since I was 5 has been dealing empathy to the bus driver.
        A few days ago, I was waiting for a bus on a route I hadn't taken before. I was sitting indoors in a Boscov's, and I happened to be the only one at the stop. Two minutes behind schedule, I noticed the characteristic engine noises and waited for the bus to come to a stop and check for any passengers. It did not stop. I went outside, thinking it would just readjust somewhere more convenient, but even after noticing me flail my arms around, it kept making its way out of the parking lot. In the end, I flagged down the bus and got into it a little out of breath, and a little ticked. The driver made no acknowledgement of me, and when I asked what the fare was he only made a subtle gesture to the post. I was not aware the machine did not give change (in my defense, I felt a little rushed), so I lost an extra $3.30 that the bus company probably appreciated. As I went to take my seat, all I received from the bus pilot was a dirty, unforgiving stare.
         So, not that pleasant an experience. But later on, I saw the bus driver conversing with a mentally retarded passenger about sports, after receiving a very pleasant "good day, how are you?" Then, I noticed him lower the bus elevation in order to accommodate an elderly lady. In retrospect, I had been more at fault here than I realized. As human beings, it can be very easy for us to only consider ourselves when we feel like we've been wronged by others. But there's true practice in compassion when we stop to consider how it all feels from the perspective of the waitress, the custodian, the bus driver.
          Bus drivers have to go through a lot. First of all, they get stress out the bum, just considering:

• Constant pressure to be on time
• Traffic, and of course assholes
• Asshole passengers 
• Hardly any assistance from the assholes up top
• Physical assault and crime (by assholes)
• Being, essentially, isolated and alone on the job



Something like this?

          Now for the physical perks of being a bus driver:



•  A hunch that rivals that of the Hunchback if you're tall
•  A pedal or two that are awkwardly tucked away from you
•  Minimal calorie expenditure from sitting down all day 
•  Very few, short breaks

           The childhood lesson of "taking a walk in someone else's shoes" is so applicable here. When we're not put under the same circumstances as the driver, it's easy to be cold, judging, and inconsiderate. But the easiest way to forgive your bus driver of their transgressions is to simply love them. Love them for getting you where you need to go, for being reliable and cheap, and just for being them! So take a second to understand them, and quit being an asshole and have a nice conversation with them. We all have our good and bad days, and sometimes we could use a little boost from a stranger.
           My bus driver's name was James. He has a wife and two kids, and the older can kick a soccer ball like it's his job. He's been obsessed with the Olympics recently, is voting for Obama, and has been having lumbar pains a lot recently. He plays a mean game of gin rummy. I think you'd like him, and who knows? One day, you might meet him. So will you remember who he is, or will you just pay attention to what he is?


    P.S. Bus drivers are damn good at what they do. I can't even begin to count the number of close turns and snap decisions I've seen them make.

          Have any stories, jobs, or people to contribute? Please do.

How to Solve Sudoku Puzzles

Y u no love Japan?!?!

   
        "Why the (insert swear word here) would I want to do a Sudoku puzzle?" Well, I can't force you to try one out, but virtually everyone I've introduced a Sudoku to said that it was easier and more rewarding than they thought. Yes, I promise, no math! Give it a try, and if you don't feel that sense of accomplishment when you complete one (and yes, you *will* succeed), then sue me.

I repeat, no math!

Your life goal.

What are the rules?

• The numbers 1-9 (including 1 and 9) must all be present in a row, no repeats
• 1-9 must also be in every column, no repeats, no exceptions
• 1-9 must ALSO be in the nine 3x3 boxes, no repeats, no exceptions!
• That's about it.

        If that sounds next to impossible, or somehow reminds you of the matrix, let me reassure you that it's easier than you think. Ready?

     
     
How to Succeed:


         1. Pick out your enemy. Size him up. If it's your first Sudoku, I recommend a beginner or easy puzzle.

You're going down, Websudoku.com.

        2. Use the rules of the game to win the game. What do I mean? Well, if you remember, a number cannot appear more than once in any row or column, so we can use this to imagine lines where 3's cannot go. Like so.

Using the 3's "line of sight" to see where that gets us.

        3. If we look at the box in the center, we can see that it is lacking a three, and that there is only one place for that 3 to go. So, we've solved that box! Go ahead and fill that in, and enjoy a little rush of dopamine.

1 down, 42* to go.

        4. Try that strategy with whatever numbers you like. On the easiest of puzzles, that should be enough. After going through a full cycle of all the numbers, you might want to check for newly forced boxes.

4's, yo.

Using the newly discovered 4's in a chain reaction.

          5. Looking at this situation right here, we can see that in the third row there is only one number missing. After quick analysis, it becomes apparent that the only number missing is 9. So put the nine where it belongs and dance a jig, dingus.

Mad skills.

        6. We didn't forget the rule about 3x3 boxes, did we? If you recall, boxes must also follow the 1-9 rule. Since we found a 9 for the box in the top left corner already, none of the other squares in that box can have a 9. So we can combine our box rule here with our "missing number" strategy from step five, and conveniently place a different nine on the board.

Ooh, purple!

       6.5. Then, we can go back and finish off the column with ease!

          7. I promise, you'll pick up speed as you do more boxes, and after a while you'll be solving these puzzles like this:

Rain Man speeds, it's how we do.

       And this:

Almost there...

         8. Fill in the last box with pride, and show everyone in the immediate vicinity your accomplishment! Then, sit back and remark on your logic abilities, and see if you can do another one more quickly.

Brain training games? Pssht, I do Japanese logic brain training.

         

          You may get stuck at points, where finding the next number might take a long while. It happens, just make sure you try different strategies, and look through every possible outcome. If you're looking for more advanced strategy for more difficult puzzles, check out this article.

             

         

                                                                                                 P.S. - The last number was an 8!

6 Ways to Regain Focus

        Humans are bad at multitasking. I still find myself attempting to do twenty things at once, though, and to no avail. If you're crazy like me, you strive to knock out too many goals at one time, and usually make little to no progress in all of them. At times like this, it's important to remember that focus is an essential tool to productivity. Many things can distract us from our goals, such as jobs, occupations, errant thoughts, illnesses, etc. but luckily, we can do something about it. Let me show you what I mean:

Sorry, junk food bouquets don't count.

1. Eat! (Easy enough, right?)
     
         Price-worthy and effective brain foods are simply too abundant to not take advantage of. As long as you know where to look. Research shows that fish, nuts, caffeine, blueberries, and other foods are all good for mental health in their own ways (just check out what the professionals say).

2. Repeat, repeat, repeat!

         Nothing fancy or quantitatively scientific here, just plain determination and willpower at work. When you are constantly reminded of your intentions, it becomes easier to invest more energy into them. It's usually not enough to just think about them, however. Stating your plans for the day again and again as soon as you wake up can help drill you into the driven mood, and writing your ambitions and your reasons down where you know you'll see them often (on your door, desk, car) will help to steer you back on track should you become distracted. You'll find that motivation and inspiration come more readily when you solidly know what you want, and why you want it.

3. Narrow your field of view (literally!)

       When staring down a single task at hand, it can be useful to physically stare at it and only it. Use your hands to block off some of your field of vision. This works since your brain and eyes are so interconnected. Also, over time your mind will associate your hands blocking your peripheral vision to your desire for sharper focus (the Pavlov effect).

Feel the invisible block of wood...

4. Meditate

     Focus follows awareness, and meditation is all about awareness. Meditation has been around for thousands of years, and it's proven to heighten mental function. Plus, it has a way of simply making you feel refreshed and ready for more. Take as few as ten or so minutes and zone out everything in your head. If you can't exactly meditate, or would rather just calm yourself, sites like Calm.com are great! (The page even comes in different versions, and guidance; I thought that was pretty nifty.)

5. Get away from your distractions

      While this may seem like common sense, far too many people (including myself) have issues concentrating when around electronics or noisy people. Just being around a computer or TV, without paying much attention to it, can have detrimental effects on your productivity. Think of the high school student who takes six hours to finish a 15 minute assignment because they were popping in and out of Facebook. The solution for some may be as easy as turning electronics off, but for others it may be necessary to be isolated in an outlet-less room. Figure out what works for you, and stick with it despite the temptations of the modern world.

6. Take a break!

    Sometimes, the best way to increase performance is to stop performing for a little while! According to the Pomodoro Technique, we perform our best in 25-minute intervals, so try taking a relaxing 25-minute bath, engaging in a little walk, or playing Chinese Poker with a few friends, and get back to work later. Just make sure not to slack off for too long. ;)

25 Quotes to Live By

        It's easy to let a bad experience or unfortunate situation get the best of us, but freeing your mind of constraints is essential to getting shit progress in your avocations and priorities done. I find that whenever I need to make a serious decision (Pizza Hut or Dominoes?), or whenever I need some serious motivation, there's a quote serendipitously  there for me. Hopefully, this will be just what you need.

1. "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now." 
-Chinese Proverb

2. "It is a risk to love. 
What if it doesn't work out? 
Ah, but what if it does?" 
-Peter McWilliams

Physicist, life master, and sexy beach babe.

3. "A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for."                
-Grace Murray Hopper


4. "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."  
-Albert Einstein



5. "If I'd observed all the rules, I'd never have gotten anywhere." 
-Marilyn Monroe

6. "Amateurs started Google and Apple. Professionals built the titanic." 


7. "All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage and I promise you something great will come out of it.” 
-Matt Damon

8. "Between saying and doing many a pair of shoes are worn out." 
- Indian Proverb

9. "You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams." 
- Dr. Seuss


10. "You've got to dance like nobody's watching and love like it's never going to hurt." 
-Ann Wells


11. "Be careful when a naked person offers you a shirt." 
-African saying

12. “I failed in some subjects in exam, but my friend passed in all. Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the owner of Microsoft.” 

-Bill Gates

13.“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” 

-Eleanor Roosevelt

14. "You can do anything, but not everything."

-David Allen

15. "The most important actions are never comfortable."

-T. Ferriss

16. "If you love two people at the same time, choose the second one because if you really loved the first one you wouldn't have fallen for the second." 

-Johnny Depp

17. "I don't want to make money. I just want to be wonderful." 

-Marilyn Monroe

18. “It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like 'What about lunch?'”

-Winnie the Pooh

19. "If you even dream of beating me you'd better wake up and apologize."

-Muhammad Ali

20. "My music will go on forever. Maybe it's a fool say that, but when me know facts me can say facts. My music will go on forever."

-Bob Marley

21."Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."


-Oprah Winfrey

22. "Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity. Reduce selfishness, have few desires."

-Lao Tzu

23. "Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working."

-Pablo Picasso

24. "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

-Mahatma Ghandi

25. "In three words I can sum up everything I know about life: it goes on."

-Robert Frost

Shit on Your Neighbor

Everybody loves Dinkleberg.

          This is a game that I love to play with a large group of people who "deny" being card players. It's simple, takes five minutes to learn, and despite the title's appearance, is actually appropriate for people of any age. This game doubles as a conversation piece, but beware: you may end up making as many enemies as friends. You may or may not lose your existing friends as well. Sometimes I play this game by myself.

The Basics:

• At least 1 deck of cards, without jokers
• 2+ players; better with more people!
• 3 tokens per person (e.g. quarters, chips)
• Objective: Be the last person with tokens by never having the lowest card.
• The morality of a competitive arse

Gameplay:

1. One player, the dealer, gives one card face-down to everyone at the table, including his or her self.  The dealer rotates each game.
2. The player left of the dealer begins. After looking at their card, they can decide whether or not to trade with the person to their left ("shitting"). Aces are low.
3. If the neighbor has a King, they can reject the trade by flipping it over, and saying whatever derogatory phrase they want. Otherwise, they are forced to give up their card.
4. Each player has this choice until play goes to the dealer. 
5. On the dealer's turn, he or she can either keep their card or take the top card off of the remaining deck.
6. All of the cards are then flipped over, and the player(s) with the lowest value must throw a chip into the pot. 
7. In the case of a tie between two people who are both on their last token, another game is played.
8. The player with the last token gets everyone else's.

Additional Notes:

        Some people I play with play on their honor, in which a person's "honor" (nothing) is their last token. My mama raised me not to throw away my honor that quickly, though.

Clarifications, questions, or comments? Always willing to help.

Simon Sinek with Advice for Leaders

          Oftentimes I've asked the same question that Simon asks in this video: How do companies like Apple outshine their competitors, year after year? Even with technical problems being common, and product reviews not the highest, Apple still manages to sell its products to the masses. Apple has access to the same resources as its competitors, so why don't we feel inclined to buy an mp3 player from Dell, or Gateway? According to Sinek, the answer is that Apple consumers buy the products because they agree with its maxim, its mission statement, and not because they go for the product's features. Just look at one of their commercials, here. Apple promotes keeping family and friends close together by using their products. How could you disagree with human interaction?
           In this video, TED speaker Simon Sinek simply and elegantly orates the power of the "golden circle", and explains how you can use this knowledge in your own life, regardless of what you do.