ten things i think i think

1. I think this Grantland article is good reading for any bored sports fan. It's basically a rambling conversation with several different important sports topics but the cool part is that I basically agree with everything that is said. From comparing Tiger & LeBron to Britney Spears & Lindsey Lohan to wondering how Jordan would handle the social media attention of sports figures today or predicting the effects of the Concussion Era of the NFL, this story is interesting....at least to me.

2. I think I can't remember where I found this (see below)...but it sounds about right.

"Here's my entirely charming analysis of the whole Democrat vs. Republican debate: Imagine if you will a clogged toilet. The person that clogged it walks out of the bathroom embarrassedly and leaves. The Democrat and Republican both have to defecate and see the clogged toilet. The Democrat's solution is to buy a new clog-proof toilet and hire a plumber from across the country to put it in. Sure it'll cost a lot but we'll get a new toilet that won't clog and that plumber and the toilet manufacturers get paid. The Republican's solution is to simply continue using the toilet until it's too full to sit on, because at that point he'll just use someone else's toilet, probably China's, and let someone else deal with the mess. What we need is for someone to go in there and snake the drain, but nobody's willing to get their hands dirty."

3. I think Giving Keys would make nice gifts for Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa (do you get gifts for Kwanzaa?). It seems like a cool concept....another one of those "Pay It Forward" type of things that seem to be popping up everywhere.

4. I think this is probably the first time you have ever seen Super Moonwalking!!! This should replace all of the stupid equestrian events at the Summer Olympics. I mean the horse is the freaking athlete and what does it get? No medal, no Wheaties box, no fame....only alfalfa....or whatever it is that horses eat. Even the alfalfa is dependent on not breaking a leg on a hurdle and being euthanized. But anyways, Super Moonwalking!! I can't wait until I see someone doing this in Seattle.



5. I think this is an interesting quote: “If my step-dad didn’t treat me like his son, I wouldn't have had any father at all.”

Some guy said this at work the other day and I guess I just never really thought about it before. He was talking about how single people in their 30's are always looking for a relationship with someone who doesn't already have kids and why he thinks it is stupid. What I think he was getting at is that there are tons of deadbeat dads out there, leaving tons of kids without father figures in their lives. If the mothers of those children are having a hard time with relationships because they have children, it is those children that suffer the most.

6. I think this is my new favorite music video. This video has it all; bikinis, super soakers, booty rockin everywhere....and the hottest pool party since Jagged Edge asked Where The Party At?. I'm pretty sure this kid is the son of Reggie from The Nutty Professor (see hair at 1:17 mark). Joking aside, I feel bad for the future of this poor kid.



7. I. Think. It. Is. Funny. How. Stupid. Things. Become. Trendy. For. No. Apparent. Reason. At. All.

8. I think this is the most embarrassing/sad/pathetic baseball quotes ever but is a great example of why I am a Red Sox fan. The quote was following a Mariner's 13 inning loss to the A's in which Felix Hernandez got yet another no decision after only allowing one first inning run over 7+ innings. It's also a good example of why celebrating the amount of wins a player has, in any sport, is dumb. It's completely out of an individuals control in a team game, regardless of talent.

"I knew once they scored a run I couldn't give up another one or I might lose the game in the first inning." - Felix Hernandez

9. I think I wrote a bunch of crap about this TED Talk yesterday but apparently forgot to save it. I also think I'm too lazy to explain/re-remember what I wrote before so I'm not going to. But here's the video.



10. I think trying to learn Spanish is confusing. It would be a lot easier to have someone fluent in Spanish be able to explain certain rules to me so I'm not trying to memorize so much but overall it is going pretty good. It's funny that my son is able to tell me specific words or correct my bad conjugations or incorrect pluralizations. Anyone wanting to learn a language FREE, here is another Duolingo shoutout. I only go on there for maybe an hour a week but I am already learning a lot....seems like a pretty good program.

ten things i think i think

1. I think I am glad I started reading books again and am actually enjoying it a little. I still don't think I will read unless I have nothing better to do, but it is slowly creeping up the list of things to do when I am bored. In fact it has just surpassed trying to swallow my tongue and trying not to think about polar bears.

2. I think it is interesting how kids come into the world with no biases, no concept of segregation and no thoughts to treat others differently because of their sex, race, wealth, religion, weight, sexual preference, etc. Is it society's fault that this happens? If you took 20 kids that looked like they could pose for a workplace diversity ad and forced them to grow up in an MTV's Real World style environment, would they continue to look like the kids from Captain Planet or would they split up and turn into groups of this, this, and this. What got me thinking about this was a great article I recently read telling a story of a mom who watched her daughter quickly befriend a poor girl with one arm and no shoes. If kids are able to put all things aside, why can't adults?

3. I think I stole this from the same place I stole the title for this post from, but I like it so I'm putting it here anyways. It's part of a commencement speech from Ted Koppel to the University of Massachusetts.

"More than ever before, we live today in a world of instant reaction, constant judgment and corrosive partisanship. Political debate is a wonderful thing; but partisan shrieking is corrosive and destructive. If we are to find solutions to the challenges we face, we have to relearn the virtues of compromise. If we are going to deal intelligently with the problems we confront, we need time to pause, to consider and reflect. But our media, news and social, are intolerant of anything but an instant response ... Rather than using information to illuminate the world, though, we consume it like fuel. The more we burn, the faster we go. The faster we go, the less we see and understand. We slow down only for the accidents along the side of the road; and the biggest accident still lies ahead.

Only, I fear, when that occurs -- only when the combined impact of too many unemployed, too many foreclosures, too much debt, exacerbated by two undeclared and unfunded wars; only when the human and social costs of a crumbling education system and a flawed health care system, leave us wondering where and why we lost our footing as a nation, will we come to realize that WHAT is communicated to us is vastly more important than the medium by which it is conveyed.

... One day, most Americans will point at us in the news media and say: "Why didn't you tell us? Why did you encourage all that bile and venom? Why did you feed us all that trivial crap, when so many terrible things were converging? And no one will be happy with the answer. Least of all, those of us who offer it. "What we gave you," we will say, "is what you wanted."

At this critical juncture in your lives, then, let me urge you -- no, let me implore you to want more. More substance, more real information about important issues, more fairness, more objectivity, more tolerance for views that differ from your own. You have a truly magical array of media at your disposal. Use them well."

4. I think TED talks are great. I found the one below interesting for a lot of reasons, but mostly because it made me rethink my opinions on capital punishment and give more thought to our terrible prison system. The speaker, Bryan Stevenson, describes his views on our current system of punishment and why it needs more attention. He describes our country currently defining the opposite of poverty as justice rather than wealth. The part that struck me the most is when he says that the character of our society will ultimately be judged by how we treat the poor, condemned and incarcerated. I don't know if that is true or not, but it is interesting to me. It is easy to punish someone for a crime without trying to solve the actual problems of why the crime was committed in the first place. The general ignorance that we give to this question of Why? may very well be what defines us.



5. I think I was inspired by someone who was inspired by someone who was probably inspired by someone else. I read a blog post recently about a friend who is approaching 30 and is making a list of 30 things to do before she turns 30. She is doing this based on inspiration from a blog post about someone else that is doing it. So basically what I am saying is that I am going to make my own list of 30 things to do before I turn 30. Inspiration is one of the most contagious things out there. It causes people to do things they wouldn't normally do just because someone else did it and I think that is awesome.

6. Another great TED talk by Peter Diamandis about technology and the advancements and possibilities of our world. I'm sure this guy is making tons of money from books and other crap related to this, but it's hard to argue with his points.

I sometimes wonder about the consequences technology could have on the world, but that is the problem, nobody knows for sure. What are known for sure are the positive results and endless possibilities technology has given us.



7. I think I wish I had listened to Reggie Watts earlier. For those who have never heard of him he is a musician/comedian who spent a lot of time in the Seattle area but now lives in New York. He does the whole impromptu beat box looping song making thing kinda like Beardyman if you have heard of him. The comedy part and complete randomness is what I think sets Watts apart. I like weird stuff, so if you do to then definitely check out Reggie Watts.

8. I think I am getting sick about the stories surrounding the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal. They messed up and they got punished, but still there are daily stories about it. Would it be okay to at least wait until football actually starts 3 months from now to talk about the stupid Saints?

9. I think this article on fox news about the extinction of japanese people might be the single stupidest news story I have ever read/seen. I check out Fox News sometimes to make sure that my opinions aren't being created out of reluctance to seek opinions that differ from my own, but crap like this makes me not want to. Side note: I like how it says "fair & balanced" below the Fox News logo but I only go there because I know that it isn't.

10. I think if there were a pill people could take to ensure a great day I might buy it. I was looking at old pictures from when my kids were in the 1-4 year old range and each photo looked like they were having the best day of their lives.....well except for Alyssa crying because she was scared of Santa. My son had a great day yesterday, which paired with the pictures, got me wishing he had those days more often. The movie Brain Candy was made 16 years ago, yet we still don't have this pill. It's time to quit wasting time trying to make bigger, thinner 3D TV's and making 10G cell phones and start making medicines that trick people into being happy. I don't even care if there are a couple of flipper babies.

Anyone who knows me well knows I'm joking, but it's hard having a child who is so easily frustrated by the things most people don't think twice about.

ten things i think i think

1. I think this is a nice quote "The illusion of freedom of the press is perhaps more damaging and dangerous than knowing that you are being lied to and that everything you hear is censored." Here is the article it came from.

2. I think it is interesting how Ron Paul has been ignored the past few months. Is it because he doesn't have enough cash to constantly keep him relevant with the media? Is there a reason the media does not want him to win the nomination? Is it because people already know everything about him and there is nothing "newsworthy" left to report? I refuse to believe that it is simply because he is trailing too much in the delegate race. That is no reason to completely disregard the only other nominee left. I'm not saying I would even vote for the guy, but it is just another sad example of why our country is failing. This article and this article shed some light on the poor job the media has done of equally representing the candidates.

3. I think this is another interesting quote, kind of in line with my previous thought.

“Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.” - Harry S. Truman

4. I think the rest of this post will have no more politics.

5. I think it's funny that at least one person in my office at work still plays the Friday song every Friday.

6. I think I am going to go without the internet for a week. There is a guy that is going a year without the internet, but I am not that dedicated. It shouldn't be that big of a deal, but it will be interesting to see how much I actually rely on the internet for. I know one week isn't long, but I'll just start with next week and see how it goes from there.

7. I think the NBA playoffs suck. 7 game first rounds are ridiculous and not having a team to root for makes it even worse. Not to mention that I don't think I've actually watched a full game in like 3 years. Would the Kings move up here already!

8. I think this is a funny video. At least those stupid voice recognition things are getting better for those of use who can actually be understood.

9. I think Sounders games are better to watch live than the Mariners, Seahawks, or former Sonics for the following reasons:

- You can see everything that is happening on the field no matter where you are sitting.
- It is more kid friendly before, during, and after the game than any of the other sporting events.
- The cost is significantly less.
- The environment is always hostile towards opponents and enthusiastic for the Sounders. I know the Seahawks games louder and crazier, but I have never been to a Sonics or Mariners regular season game that has the overall crowd excitement of a Sounders game. - The players acknowledge the fans, win loss or draw, after every game.

10. I think I hate automatic flushing urinals. I get that it is cleaner and more sanitary, but I hate not knowing exactly it will decide to flush and having to dodge the backsplash. All new products should be tested by me first before they are allowed to be dispersed amongst the general public. Hmm.....now that I think of it, I think I have the wrong job. I wonder how much a product tester gets paid. Perfect job for a pessimist!

ten things i think i think

1. I think this is an interesting quote taken from an article about current voting options. "...having just two (political parties to vote from) creates a "with us or against us" mentality, encouraging us to exaggerate our differences and deny our similarities. The whole structure is unnatural in today's world and a recipe for disillusionment." - Nathan Daschle. I wonder how long it will take for politicians to recognize this.

2. I think this is a funny reference to one person making a mistake that affects everyone else. "One guy shits his pants and we all have to wear diapers." - Some Random Guy At Work

3. I think I will make my own mock NFL draft this year. It seems like you could throw darts at names on a board and be just as likely to get a Pro Bowl player as a bust, yet teams spend millions on that crap. Weird.

4. I think this article is pretty interesting. It is a supposed former soldier's opinion of the way wars are depicted in military vs. how they actually are. The video game part isn't so interesting to me, but the way he describes the glorification of military heroes is. While I don't necessarily agree with anything that is written, I think it is an interesting perspective of the military. As someone whom has never been in the military is my perspective the one given to me through movies/tv/media and completely wrong? Guess I'll never know.

5. I think controversial art is pretty cool, particular the art related to social issues. Things happen around the world that go unrecognized by most everyone other than those directly involved. Artists bring attention to these issues through controversy. The funny part though is how the same idiots that are against the art help promote it. If they want to show their anger, the best thing to do would be to stay quiet about it. By voicing your anger (the artists intent) you cause it to gain popularity. But anyways, here are some more interesting examples: Urban Grafitti, Jon McNaughton's political art, or some of the stuff by Czech artist David Cerny.

6. I think the hashtags are weird. I think hashtags on Facebook are weirder....especially since Facebook does not support hashtags.

7. I think there is a big difference between being closed-minded and being opinionated. I am very opinionated. I am not closed-minded. I am always open to new ideas, but if I ask "Why?" it takes more than "because" to satisfy me.

8. I think that new movie Bully looks interesting. However, I would like to see a movie through the eyes of a bully instead of the kids being bullied. I think that would have a more resounding effect. I think most people understand that bullying is messed up and that not enough is done to prevent it. I think people understand what happens sometimes when continued teasing goes ignored. I think people know what kind of people are bullied. But the part I don't think people understand is why people do the bullying in the first place. It is most often argued that the bully craves attention, is trying to impress friends or needs to feel better about themself. I think there is more to it though and I think people could relate better to a movie focused on the actual bullies. I am still glad that this movie was made, even without having viewed it.

9. I think it's almost time to go to the Rodeo Drive-In! Just gotta wait for something worth watching.

10. I think gratitude is the hardest thing to teach kids and I am not doing a very good job of it with my own. The only logical way I can think of to teach this is to stop giving them things. I know that by giving them things they are more frequently becoming entitled to it, but the risk of being a bad parent in the eyes of my children will likely prevent me from ever doing this. I guess it is my job as a parent to fix this kind of stuff, so maybe I should start.

ten things i think i think

1. I think I have my most interesting thoughts either when I should be falling asleep or right when I wake up from a dream. Too bad I forget all of them.

2. I think all parents should watch the movie Click at least twice a year. It is easy to get caught up in day to day life and lose track of what's really important. Every time I watch that movie it guilts me into spending more time with my kids, which is a good thing.

3. I think this is the most interesting thing I have seen in awhile. Imagine companies changing their business model to reduce spending instead
of gaining profit. Too bad only colleges and government funded projects would invest any time into these types of things, but imagine the possibilities.

4. I think the saying "Even a broken clock is right twice a day" is stupid. What good is something that is wrong 99.86% of the time?

5. I think I hate George Clooney and I'm not sure why. When I see him it reminds me of the scene in Step Brothers when Randy says to Brennan "I don't know what it is about your face, but I just wanna deliver one of these [fist] right in your suck hole". That's how you make me feel George Clooney.

6. I think every time I write one of these I will have a sports related thought dedicated to Delynn.

7. I think this is my sports related Delynn thought; just once I would like to see an NFL draft that is bingo ball machine style . Put the top 64 players names on all of the balls and see what happens. It would be the most exciting thing in draft history....and we wouldn't have to listen to nonstop speculation of who is drafting who and mock drafts and all of that other garbage that happens from January to April. The other cool thing is that since most draft picks don't pan out anyways, the chances of having a good or bad draft would likely remain the same.

8. I think I need to go to a concert soon. It's been too long.

9. I think there was something that really bothered me that I heard a few days ago. Newt Gingrich criticized the president for apologizing to the Afghan government for several Qurans that were accidentally burnt. “There seems to be nothing that radical Islamists can do to get Barack Obama’s attention in a negative way,” Gingrich said, “and he is consistently apologizing to people who do not deserve the apology of the president of the United States, period.” How out of touch is this guy? More than 30 people have died in protests and attacks directly related to the burning of the Qurans. Yes, it was an accident and no, the Middle Eastern countries we keep invading don't apologize for any of the stupid actions they take, but we live in a diplomatic world. Having the mentality of "F you world, we are the United States, we are better than you" is likely what caused a lot of the terrorism we see today. Maintaining that view will not make things better Newt.

10. I tinhk i wlil sotp gtenitg uspet aobut how poelpe splel tihgns. the pruopse of wirtnig is cmomnuciatoin, not pefrectoin.

ten things i think i think

1. I think there will come a day when I regret not taking more pictures.

2. I think it will be cool when equal rights for everyone are expected instead of newsworthy.

3. I think I a big dry erase board the single most useful thing at my work and I need one at home.

4. I think the Colts better hit a home run with their GM/coach/draft this year or they might lose a fan. My 3 favorite players on their team are all most likely gone and it's mostly due to the terrible job their last GM did. People were upset about Bill Polian getting fired after the huge amount of success he had.....the only problem though is the success wasn't due to him. Yes he drafted Manning, but that was a no brainer. Most every decision he made after that (especially the contracts) was pathetic and I'm glad not having Peyton this year exposed it. Now go build a real team Colts before I stop caring about you.

5. I think a 1-on-1 debate between Ron Paul and Barack Obama would be nice to see. I don't really care who would win and in a lot of ways I could care less about who is our next president, but I think that it would be the best opportunity to see a debate where the candidates actually debate a topic rather than fight for votes.

6. I think it would be cool to see music videos be popular again. Musicians are artists and music videos are like the 4-d of art. It's a shame they have taken a backseat on MTV to a bunch of drunken Italians and their pre-orchestrated drama and exploited teenagers with babies that are probably sending the wrong message to young girls.

7. I think the next major scientific breakthrough should be how to be fully functional on limited to no sleep.

8. I think if those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it then I am screwed. I only seem to remember funny things, trivial things, and embarrassing things. Things that make me or others happy, mad, or sad seem to get lost in my brain somewhere and I wish I could find them.

9. I think 2012 is going to be a great year, sorry Mayans.

10. I think the comments section of articles on the internet is hilarious and is usually more entertaining than the story itself. No matter what the topic is, people start an argument with other people they don't know. A lot of the time it has nothing to do with the story at all, but all of the time it makes me laugh.