Journal Red Warrior's Journal: Jesse, why you wanna rob them trains? Long. Rambling. 14

First things first,
Thank You, "formerly on friend's list". The gift was thoughtful and is appriciated.

Second things second,
Pixie, I'm not a dog person, but I'm glad you got one. The three of you are in my thoughts.

Third thing third,
It would really be nice if the second thing worked a second time. Either way, be of good cheer, person for whom this is meant.

Other things.

I've been back on the diet for a while. Its own JE later. Basically the only change is I've linked the hacker's ("don't eat so damn much") diet with the following principle: "Your meals do not come to you in paper bags handed to you from a window while you are sitting in your car". A simple thing, but with amazing ripple effects. Easier to follow the main thrust of the diet, healthier, better tasting, and more economical. For the record, it doesn't apply to carry-out, but it doesn't seem to need to, as when I decide to take the extra step of getting out of the car, I tend to make better choices (which are often "screw it, I'll make something at home".). I've also started to cook more (and better) at home.

I've also ramped up my martial arts training to a target of ten hours a week. Hit the target week before last, and got in seven hours this last week, which wasn't bad considering I was in a class in Seattle Monday through Wednesday.

Actually, I almost made eight. I took off from work an hour early and trained from 4PM to 8PM, two hours of sparring followed by an hour of focus mitts and body shield (the kind you wear, not the kicking shields), with an hour of traditional training to finish up. Then, I was sitting there at 8PM thinking "I could actually go another hour tonight, and I won't be able to come in in the morning..." I actually could have gone another hour, too. And I would NOT have been able to come in (and do any real training) for the aerobic kickboxing class on Saturday, as I knew all my bruises and suchlike (ref two hours of sparring) would be just coming into their own about then. Anyway, the X and my son were going to spend the night at my house before heading out to visit her brother on Saturday, so I decided to maximize time with my son. Always a good trade. (AND he was talked into letting his mullet die a quick death Saturday AM.)

Slowly, additional exercise is getting added on in the AM. A little Yoga, and a light workout in the mornings (light weights/cardio). I've been considering adding one or two hours a week of (tradional) Judo or Iaido. But I've decided to put off that decision until late August, or more likely Sept. As I have two weeks in Wisconson, and a week of vacation, and a few other things that would make it unlikely that I would make a habit of anything more on my plate.

As an outgrowth of my class, I think I have discovered something highly usefull. While in Iraq, I slept poorly much (but not all, which I now think is significant) of the time, thanks to the lovely 4 inch mattresses we had. Anyway, since I've been back, I've slept better, but not really well. Right after I got back, I bought a new mattress and box springs. A fairly firm mattress, with a pillow top on it. I absolutely LOVED it, and the improvement in my sleeping was fantastic. However, I have noticed since then that I need more sleep than I used to, and I have a harder time getting out of bed (never a favorite pasttime of mine) than I used to, and that my back is continually slightly sore (which I attributed, and still do in part, to all the extra weight I've been carrying around.). And, of course, the getting up tired led to feeling tired throughout the day.

Soooo.... While doing the class in Seattle, I stayed at my Grandparents house in Des Moines. In the guest room/psychodelic suite (My uncle's old room. One wall has the map of middle earth, the others have astrological/"mystic" symbols painted on them. In bright colors.) That room had a really firm/rock-hard bed. I went to bed each night about 11:30PM, and woke up at about 5:30AM, wide awake, fresh, rested, and feeling good. Got home. Returned to my bed, woke up tired.... Fast Forward to last night - Went to bed a little after midnight (Talinom & I watched the Ultimate Fighter season finale. Spiffy.), and since Talinom decided to head home, I went and crashed on the guest room futon. I woke up at about 6AM, feeling rested, refreshed, and not sore (well, except for where I got bruised, which is OK). Of course, it is also Sunday, and not a day that involves going to work. So, I'm going to continue the experiment through this week. If I get the same results as today, I see a new bed, and a big smile in RW's future.

Other stuff: I am exploring some new (or rather coming back to some old) ideas in the areas of philosophy, psychology, and prioritization. I list them as separate things, as that is pretty much the way english works. However, I see them not so much "related" as I see them as "the same thing, looked at from a different vantage point". I may journal about this in less vague terms in the future, or I may not. Schrödinger's promise. :-P

Anyway, the point of mentioning that, if I am not going to go into detail at this time? I have not left the dot (obviously), but I've decided to change my relationship to/interaction with it somewhat. The basic idea is less time spent/wasted and higher quality experience/interactions. I will probably continue to post in my journal about as often as I have in the past. 'cuz I actually consider it to be MY journal, and find value in the process of writing down & ordering my thoughts. Also, because I consider a number of the circle to be my friends [more below] and occassionally like to share my thoughts. Also, intelligent commentary[note emphasis] can often be of use, whether agreed with or acted upon or not. I'm going to continue posting in journals and discusions that I find interesting and feel that I have something useful/valuable/interesting/funny to say. My commenting has also dropped off due to a "was this trip really necessary?" filter, which I impose at the comment/journal preview level. (This is intended help me from engaging in the negative behavior listed in the next paragraph.) As it turns out, many of my comments aren't really necessary. :-0

However, I've decided that if people want to fling poo, they can probably do that just as well without me. Reasoned disagreement? Sure. Heated & emotional & knock-down/drag-out debate? All for it. (in fact, I do like to fight just for the thrill of the fight. But that results in a lot of wasted energy and not much else.) Moderate trolling/tweaking? Sure. Mean-spirited hatefulness? Have a day. Yes, I realize "hatefulness is in the eye of the beholder". But it's my eye to do with as I choose. To quote the T-shirt, "I've upped my standards, now up yours." (said with love, 'course. ;->)

Some have noticed, and at least two (well, maybe one, but I think two) have noted that I recently started pruning my "friends" list. While it's my list, to do with as I choose, I've decided that, since some may have taken it as a slight (I think one did, which was not my intention), I would briefly talk about it. First, I think the "friends" list should have a better name, the "watch+ list" or something. That said, I use my friends list to catalog people whose comments/ideas I find interesting (either in and of themselves, or in how they are expressed - artistic flair, whatever) and whose journals I therefore like to read. The recent (and ongoing) pruning is basically the application of a few filters.

First, I filtered out what appear to be abandoned accounts - those who haven't made any posts in 6+ months. Second, I filtered out people who no longer appeared "interesting", as defined by me. Generally those are people whose journals I tend not to read, and whose comments likewise tend to be skipped over. That doesn't mean anything bad, just not a high level of interest in the posts and/or a very low level of interaction. I consider some of the people who were "unfriended" to be friends (and one is the guy I take my breaks at work with). Likewise, a (small) number of people I have in my "friends" list are people that I don't think I would care for IRL, however, they have interesting ideas, insightful comments, good writing skills, etc. Third, I filtered out people who, IMO (which is the one that counts for this exercise) have a rather high ratio of inciteful comments/journals v. insightful. This was a fairly small group, but was actually the hardest one, for a couple of reasons. A. I actually LIKE a number of these people, think they are good people when you get down to it, and I expect we would get on together fairly well IRL. and B. as stated above, I do like the thrill of the fight. A number of the "unfriended" were selected on the basis of the regularity, length and effort I put into snarky/flamewarrior posts that failed the "Is this trip really necessary?" filter (thereby helping to remove my inclination to fight just because the fight is offered). Oh, and a couple were unfriended because they were/are dicks. :-P If you were unfriended, I was not meant in a negative way, and a sincerely hope it was not received that way. Unless you are one of the dicks. In that case, good. :-P

Now, a couple of comments on recent journals which I feel are related. As FortKnox (IIRC) pointed out, people judge. That's part of being a member of the human race. Judgement/discernment/preference/discrimination (in the correct sense of the word) are inbuilt. It's part of having a reasoning brain. Those who say they don't are either liars (perhaps even to themselves), or have a Jesus/Budda complex (and are lying). Even if you make a policy of "suspending judgement", there is a judgement there that you are "suspending". You are free to disagree with me, but in so doing, you're making a judgement. :-P

As to the related spate of journals, about whether people may think of/call people by/treat them as certain labels ("ho" being the predominant example), I am going to make my comments here, as they are aimed at the arguements and not for/against any of the particular people arguing. Especially as I find myself disagreeing with people I know, like, and think of as good people and agreeing with people that I would rather cross the street to avoid. ("You" is generic in the comments that follow.) There seems to be a belief that it is not allowed to think of a person as falling into certain catagories, to label them as belonging in those catagories (though certain people seem to think the use of certain words is allowable, or at least not something THEY will condemn, if uttered my certain subsets of the population...), or treating them as a member of that non-favored catagory in personal [as opposed to governmental/employment situations] interactions --i.e. DON'T JUDGE!1!!!. Yes, I am making a point of generalizing from the specific of the "ho debate" to the underlying principles.

Bullshit, and similar comments. This is EXACTLY what is meant by political correctness. It is LITERALLY an attempt at though and speech control and it leads to an inevitable chilling of all speech which is "Considered Harmful". "Considered Harmful" depends entirely on who gets to make the rules. Today. Thought Police are bad, mkaayyy?

I, as a(n allegedly) thinking being am allowed^Wentitled to believe and express anything I take a mind to. The only valid limitation is on ACTIONS, and only actions that cause an actual harm to another. [Point of clarification: You have no right not to be offended. Period. Full Stop. IOW, "You hurt my feelings" doesn't count.]

I have an absolute right to think anything I want about anyone I want for whatever reasons I want, and by whatever criteria I chose. I have a (non-absolute) right to speak those thoughts/feelings using any terminology I find appropriate. The non-absolute part figures in in that I cannot use "fighting words" or otherwise attempt to incite to violence.

Further, I have the (again, non-absolute) right to act on those thoughts/beliefs in interactions with others. The limitation is the same as above (which should not be a surprise, as it is hard to draw a bright line between what is speech and what is action). I may not cause or incite actual harm (feelings don't count). To put none to fine a point on it, If I think you are a "ho", I am free to ask you your rates, not offer to take you out to dinner, and not show an interest in hanging out with you. A necessary component of making judgements (which is part of being human) is freedom to act in accord with those judgements, subject to the limits outlined above (actual harm).

That said, I have standards. I don't believe I've ever actually used that term ("ho"), other than a few christmas-themed jokes. And I have seldom used the longer version, and then never in relation to a particular individual, rather either in relation to the actual profession or a set of behaviours. A person who did use that term towards individuals would be invited to leave, or I would excuse myself, depending on the location. For much the same reason that I prefer that people not use extreme profanity in my journals, and that I attempt to keep it from my posts (though, some is left in this journal, as I feel it appropriate). [Those who know me IRL are aware that that I can cuss a blue streak, when merited.] Everyone in my /. foes list is there for violating those standards of basic decency/civility, incidentally.

Likewise, I would respect someone else removing themselves from my company, or requesting me to remove myself because I violated their standards of behaviour.

HOWEVER, attempting to tell people what thoughts are ALLOWED is beyond the pale. So is telling them "well you can think it, but don't dare say anything that differs from the groupthink, let alone ACT on that belief". Now, might I have a different opinion had the issue been framed as "I think you shouldn't..."? Yeah. ... But it wasn't.

End rant.
Thor has spoken.
No, I don't expect to have changed anybody's mind. Just wanted to state my view. Those who wish to be wrong are invited to continue to be so. :-P

Today's tasks:
Mow the lawn. Check.
Dig out some rose bushes (replanting rose garden over the next few weeks). Check.
Pick some cherries, before the birds finish them off. Check.
A trip to Lowes to get a ladder (in order to pick cherries). Check. Btw, ladders are f'ing expensive.
A trip to Safeway for essentials (beer and, well, actually, just beer). Check.
A foray to Radio Shack for a Coax cable stripper. (the former owner used a non-rotating cable connector for the main cable outlet in the living room, meaning you have to torq the actuall cable in the opposite direction in order to connect it. :-/)
Lay in the sun & work on tan. Check.
Lay in the sun and work on my tan. Check.

Lyric of the moment: "Metaphors were never meant for keeping score."