Nostalgia is the weirdest thing to me. I mean it makes perfect sense... You did something in the past that you enjoyed, and when thinking about it, you want to do it again to get that same feeling.
This sounds great in theory, but in real life is quite challenging to achieve. Most of the time you'll end up getting more depressed trying to replicate the activity. Today I started thinking about an old video game I used to play and how much fun I had. So I broke out the 10-year-old CD (are you kidding me???) and load up the game. Unfortunately the experience is slightly different this time around.
First the game won't load at all of course.. the screen is blank. Oh right, the resolution on computers in 2001 was a *bit* lower than on computers nowadays. 1080p doesn't work so well with Halo: Combat Evolved which was probably designed in the 90's! After resolving this issue I realize that there are about 10 pixels on the screen... Damn, how graphics have improved. The Halo "Master Chief" character looks like he's made up of around 10 pixels. Is that his head or his ass? Who knows!?
Now that I'm through all the technical issues and whining about pixels, I attempt to play multiplayer on the internet. Wow there are actually still servers up. Well that's hopeful. Unfortunately after getting into a server I realize just how terrible the netcode is. People are warping around hacker-style and some ghetto "rockets only" addon is being used. This is not what I remember from playing epic CTF matches on Blood Gulch back in my happy days. I end up leaving the game, frustrated, because the experience just isn't the same. I couldn't even get into a non-full server without some silly mod or with 500+ latency!
Well gaming is only one example of nostalgia. There are much worse examples. I won't even get into thinking about ex-girlfriends because that is probably the most painful (of course you CAN'T duplicate those experiences.) Typically ex-girlfriends aren't really too fond of you after the breakup. They also tend to gain about 100lbs after high school and college.
What this all really comes down to is that as you get older, activities just are not as fun. Life is exciting when you're a kid, but as you age everything just gets more dull. It could just be me, but I have feeling that a lot of people out there would agree about this. Just think back to Christmas when you were a kid. Pretty awesome right? Magical even. After 20 years... not so much. You're probably more worried these days about filing your IRS tax return on time, or not getting pulled over for exceeding the speed limit by 11mph during the drive to work.
Well, I guess all you can do is try to have fun, however you can. Even though life is pretty dull after 20-25, just make the best of it. Try to go on trips and have new experiences. Use the money you make from your boring office job to enjoy life. What else can you really do?
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Our Society Makes No Sense... Work, Work, Work, Die
Ever stop to think about how ridiculous our society is? So you spend the first 20 years of your life "being educated", which mostly consists of being lectured by biased teachers who don't know what the hell they are talking about. Being forced to attend a prison where you need a "hallway pass" just to go to the bathroom. Things have also gotten WAY worse for students since 9/11. At least when I attended school, I had some sense of freedom. No, today schools look like a penitentiary, with security cameras, electronic locks, and even on-site police squads. Wow, way to instill creativity and a sense of freedom into our country's youth.
After all that nonsense feel free to rack up some ridiculous bills attending college. Make it through that and you can hopefully bullshit your way into a job where you actually make money... Oh this is where the real fun begins.
Society then decides that you're going to get paid a ridiculously low sum of money to work on an HOURLY basis at a place of employment. Great incentive to do quality work... Do the bare minimum or work your ass off and you'll make the same exact amount. Brilliant America. Kiss enough ass and you may end up getting a promotion for an additional 5% pay, if you're lucky. Wow..
Meanwhile inflation continues to rise and you'll be lucky to maintain the standard of living you had when you started that job. Oh yes here's $30,000 a year. No here's $60,000 a year. After taxes and living expenses you'll have enough money leftover to get a few drinks at the local pub.
This system is insane.. We all know who's making the money (scumbags at the top) while the rest of us are wasting our lives sitting in tiny cubicles making some manager feel good about himself. We HAVE the technology to make everyone's lives a lot better, but instead we'll waste all our resources fighting among ourselves.
To summarize, people are morons, and it's not getting any better. Sometimes I think I'm from another planet altogether. Do you think people just took so many drugs back in the day that all their offspring went insane? There has to be an explanation for human behavior someplace right?
I'm a computer guy, so I always talk about how technology is the key. However, politics and bullshit holds everything up. Progress cannot happen when the entire system stalls it. How long will it take for society to move forward? I love watching those movies from a few decades ago, where they talk about "Ah yes in the year 2005, when giant spacecraft will be exploring the galaxy, and we'll all be flying around in aircars, etc". LOL yeah right, not on this planet. Instead we'll just pretend that in 2011 our best technology is still the internal combustion engine developed over 100 years ago.
After all that nonsense feel free to rack up some ridiculous bills attending college. Make it through that and you can hopefully bullshit your way into a job where you actually make money... Oh this is where the real fun begins.
Society then decides that you're going to get paid a ridiculously low sum of money to work on an HOURLY basis at a place of employment. Great incentive to do quality work... Do the bare minimum or work your ass off and you'll make the same exact amount. Brilliant America. Kiss enough ass and you may end up getting a promotion for an additional 5% pay, if you're lucky. Wow..
Meanwhile inflation continues to rise and you'll be lucky to maintain the standard of living you had when you started that job. Oh yes here's $30,000 a year. No here's $60,000 a year. After taxes and living expenses you'll have enough money leftover to get a few drinks at the local pub.
This system is insane.. We all know who's making the money (scumbags at the top) while the rest of us are wasting our lives sitting in tiny cubicles making some manager feel good about himself. We HAVE the technology to make everyone's lives a lot better, but instead we'll waste all our resources fighting among ourselves.
To summarize, people are morons, and it's not getting any better. Sometimes I think I'm from another planet altogether. Do you think people just took so many drugs back in the day that all their offspring went insane? There has to be an explanation for human behavior someplace right?
I'm a computer guy, so I always talk about how technology is the key. However, politics and bullshit holds everything up. Progress cannot happen when the entire system stalls it. How long will it take for society to move forward? I love watching those movies from a few decades ago, where they talk about "Ah yes in the year 2005, when giant spacecraft will be exploring the galaxy, and we'll all be flying around in aircars, etc". LOL yeah right, not on this planet. Instead we'll just pretend that in 2011 our best technology is still the internal combustion engine developed over 100 years ago.
What's The Deal With People Driving Giant Trucks and SUVs?
OK seriously what's the deal with all these people driving around over-sized pickup trucks, and in a recession of all times? I remember back in the 90's when they started getting carried away with SUVs.. Remember the Ford Explorer? Oh, then we had the EXCURSION, the SUBURBAN, those ridiculous cars that had like 8 seats in them. Why not just buy a bus?
I had a friend in high school who used to make fun of these giant vehicles with me. He told me that they might as well come out with a "Ford Idiot", the biggest SUV EVER! I had a girlfriend with parents who would have bought one of those in a second. I mean these people aren't even using all the cargo space for anything. It's just a giant empty vehicle for them to drive around for no apparent reason.
Anyway, back to the trucks. It seems like everywhere I go some assclown pulls up in a MASSIVE pickup truck and parks so close to me he has to exit via the passenger side window. Then you have those crazy rednecks who need to back into every damn parking space perfectly as if a panel of judges is watching the exercise.
Similarly those tiny cars piss me off as well. The "Smart Car"? Could it look any more ridiculous? The thing looks like somebody put the "Ford Idiot" into a compactor for a few hours. Well people can do whatever they want.. I'm going to continue driving around my boring looking 35mpg sedan because it's sensible. Everyone else can keep driving around massive pickups like they are going to work at a rock quarry. But we all know they probably work in some crappy office just like the rest of us.
I had a friend in high school who used to make fun of these giant vehicles with me. He told me that they might as well come out with a "Ford Idiot", the biggest SUV EVER! I had a girlfriend with parents who would have bought one of those in a second. I mean these people aren't even using all the cargo space for anything. It's just a giant empty vehicle for them to drive around for no apparent reason.
Anyway, back to the trucks. It seems like everywhere I go some assclown pulls up in a MASSIVE pickup truck and parks so close to me he has to exit via the passenger side window. Then you have those crazy rednecks who need to back into every damn parking space perfectly as if a panel of judges is watching the exercise.
Similarly those tiny cars piss me off as well. The "Smart Car"? Could it look any more ridiculous? The thing looks like somebody put the "Ford Idiot" into a compactor for a few hours. Well people can do whatever they want.. I'm going to continue driving around my boring looking 35mpg sedan because it's sensible. Everyone else can keep driving around massive pickups like they are going to work at a rock quarry. But we all know they probably work in some crappy office just like the rest of us.
Memory Foam Mattress: Sleep Better and Save Money
Recently I started shopping for a new mattress, after my 12 year old spring mattress started sagging to the floor. It's funny because you get used to sleeping on something, and don't realize how terrible it is. My old mattress squeaked and I could feel the supports of it when laying down... not such a good thing. Most mornings I would wake up with a sore back because my bed sagged so much that it provided no support.
So... off to the mall I went, eager to find this new mattress. I was not looking forward to spending $1000+ on something decent, or to moving furniture all over the place in my tiny apartment. Unfortunately, I was only more confused after leaving the mall... So many brands, so many levels of comfort, and then these new memory foam mattresses to wonder about.. Only $3000+ for the nice ones! Wow!
Fortunately after getting home I did some internet research. I was again overwhelmed and confused,until I found this site, which reviews brands and types of mattresses based on feedback from consumers themselves. Wow, somebody really did their homework here..
What becomes obvious almost immediately when reading sleeplikethedead.com, is how memory foam mattresses are superior in almost every way... I was skeptical, so I found one of the most popular brands (Spa Sensations) and decided to do some more research.
Over to Walmart's website I went, where they apparently sold this brand of memory foam mattress. To my amazement, the product received incredibly high reviews, and even better, the price was astonishing... $200-300 for the larger sizes! That's $500+ off of purchasing a major brand name spring mattress. I made my decision almost immediately, and purchased a California King size memory foam mattress from Spa Sensations (again, sold online at Walmart).
The package comes sealed in a box that one person can carry, and once taken out the mattress expands. This makes it incredibly easy to transport compared to a full sized spring mattress. I've been sleeping on mine for 7+ months, and it supports your body very well.. You won't wake up with creaks in your back or stiff arms.. It's firm and supportive.
So I would highly recommend to anyone to seriously look into these knockoff memory foam mattresses. Tempurpedic may have started the trend, but they overcharge big time.. Don't waste your money unless you're an elitist and have cash to throw away. I'm pretty damn picky myself, and the Spa Sensations memory foam mattress is awesome.. Just give it a try, you won't regret saving $500.
PS - Yes I have to thanks a certain friend here who recommended a memory foam mattress far before I ever did any research. I laughed and told him I would never buy one. Time to eat my words I guess..
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