9.18.2010

Embrace Your Inner Geek

I want to share something that I found quite a while ago and enjoy very much. I encourage you to try it out. Its fun and doesn't take too long. Its a geek test at http://www.innergeek.us/geek-test.html. Don't worry, its not a test of knowledge or anything like that. Its just a list of Geeky things people do that you mark off to determine just how much of a geek you are. Some of the things on the list will not surprise you at all, while others are just things you may do an not even notice it.

Post Your Score as a comment!

My score: 32.84133%
My Classification: Total Geek
I don't think I scored too badly. There are a lot of crazy things on that list. That being said, I am still not totally happy with my score. The classifications are listed at the bottom of the geek test: Geekish Tendencies, Geek, Total Geek, Major Geek, Super Geek, Extreme Geek, Geek God, Dysfunctional Geek. I would like to be more in the Geek God category, or at least an Extreme Geek.

Awesomely enough, the Geek test provides a list of topics to blog about, while educating myself and you about different aspects of Geekdom.

I'll start today with the very first question on the test: I have programmed a calculator in math class.
In the 10th grade, Math was my very favorite class. My friend Jacob and I were the only students in the class that could stay awake in out 7:30 am class, and apparently the only two students that understood what numbers are. Anyway, I did really well with math on my own, but decided to purchase a TI-89 calculator to 'spice things up'. Now, the TI-89 calculator is different than most graphing calculators. Most people think that it will just do all the math for you. That isn't really true... I always learned how to do the math without the calculator before I learned how to do it on my 89. I guess the idea that the calculator will do everything for you came from the fact that you can Program it to do ANYTHING you want.

I read the entire manual (another item on the Geek Test list!) and learned how to do absolutely everything. In class, after I learned the concepts, Jacob and I were done with assignments before the 15 minute daily lecture was over, then POW, we'd start up one of several games I had downloaded or programmed on my TI 89. That calculator could run Final Fantasy, Chess (even with awesome AI) and 3D mazes. I made a few battleship games and word games, nothing too fancy.

Code Sample:
Graphic() 
Prgm 
Clrdraw 
FnOff 
Setgraph "Axes","Off" 
RplcPic ts Loop For B,1,4 For E,158,1,-1 
StoPic d,0,1,E,77 
RplcPic d,0,0 RplcPic #({"O1","TS","O2","TS"}[B]),0,E 
If Getkey()=264 
Goto Out 
Endfor 
Endfor 
Endloop 
lbl Out 
Clrdraw 
Setgraph "Axes","On" 
DispHome 
FnOn 
Endprgm
The language I used to program is BASIC. The program I most enjoyed using and writing was one that solved the Quadratic equation. That really sped up my assignments. I had lots of fun with my TI 89, but for obvious reasons it was never allowed on tests. Thank goodness I actually knew the math too :)

9.17.2010

Suit Up

A new Challenge! I'm pretty excited for this one. I may or may not continue or restart my water experiment during my new challenge, but I haven't decided. It didn't seem to change my weight, but I think I was better off drinking only water. Soda doesn't hit the spot like it used to.

So, anyway... My new challenge is at http://hundredpushups.com/. The basic gist is that withing 6 weeks following the program at that link, I will be able to do 100 consecutive push-ups. I am interested to find out how tough I can get. Remember, I am not in shape at all right now, but I hope this helps get me motivated.

There's a little twist: My friend Sam is doing the program at the same time. Its a contest of sorts, to see who can complete 100 push-ups after only six weeks. I will be doing the initial test this weekend, and then starting the six week challenge (among other exercises etc) on Monday September 20. Bring It!

9.13.2010

H2No

Water. That's all I drank for two weeks (minus a glass of Kool Aid and two glasses of milk). The results are in, and I have to say, I'm surprised. No, I didn't lose 100 lbs, or even 10. I don't even think I lost any weight come to think of it. This morning I weighed in at 221 lbs, which is about a pound less than when I started. But that isn't the whole point of my 'experiment'. I want to be healthier. I want to be strong and I want to look GOOD. (I'm a long way from that right now).

So, the result, I guess, is more about the way I feel than the way I look or how much I weigh. To tell the truth, I don't feel much different, nor did I this morning. I did through the two weeks have a desire to workout, but never enough to actually do it. I had a greater desire to see if soda (or a lack thereof) would make a difference. I do want to start working out soon, but it is still going to require some good motivation. One big thing that changed was my desire for soda. I really didn't want it too much considering. And water doesn't taste half bad anymore! I did buy a Pepsi today, but I left it in the car on accident and it took me 45 minutes to go get it. I guess I didn't want/need it too badly.

Chick-Fil-A has it out for me and accidentally made me too many drinks, but gave them to me anyway! Two Root Beers for dinner (don't tell them, but I only drank part of one, and the bigger one is in the fridge getting old already). While I was eating dinner, I actually wanted some water instead of my soda.

So, what is next? I need a challenge! If one of my three readers would please challenge me with something awesome, an experiment or some goal I can prepare and work for, I would appreciate it and I can blog about it. Please comment. If I get comments, I am more likely to blog. :)

9.06.2010

The Chemistry of Wanting

Craving. Hunger. Frenzied desire to survive. Its amazing how we become attached to an idea, or to a need or to something we have come to expect. Addiction is simple the refusal of the mind to acknowledge that what one wants is not necessary. A craving is just a chemical imbalance in the brain that can only be overturned by that one thing the body is currently focused upon. The funny part, the imbalance was created by your brain. At that point your body has fooled itself into temporary addiction.

Its what makes us survive. It is what binds us together. It is what makes us different from the animals. Yes, they crave and they become addicted, but the difference lies in our ability to become addicted to feelings, to crave friendship, love, companionship and approval. We are different because we can fool ourselves into needing things like comfort, organization, fitness, health, mastery of skills foreign to our bodies, and many more tiny things we don't think about. We are addicted. Each of us craves something different.

What do you crave? What have you become addicted to. What are you challenged by? What have you fooled yourself into needing?

I know this is a strange topic and it may not make sense, but as I sat down today, I felt the need to just write. To explain how I feel about my nature. As I have craved Soda, or specifically an ice cold Pepsi, over the las week, I think I have felt the addiction pulling at me. I have felt the craving grow. I know I don;t need it. I know above all else I need to be healthy: for my posterity, for my own safety, and especially for my wife. No one around me is forcing me to be healthy or has made me feel so bad that I've cried or felt like I wasn't good enough. No one has forced me to feel that way. But I still have felt that. I need to be able to protect my family. I need to be able to play with my children for longer than a minute before I inform them that I am simply too tired for play-time today.

I know its kind of weird, but drinking only water this past week has made me want to change other aspects of my life. I want to exercise. I want to be strong. I want to eat better (still working on the addictions and cravings on that one). Don't worry, nothing much has changed in the last week. I still don't like water. I still want a soda. I am still weak sauce and chubby. But I guess the most important thing has changed: my desire to be better. Lets hope that desire turns to addiction and crazing really soon.

9.03.2010

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Well, four days in now and I have to say, This is Freaking Hard. No soda for four days, when I'm used to two liters of Pepsi (at the very least).

After one day of drinking only water, I went down to 221.8 lbs. Not a huge change, and considering how much fluctuation occurs in body weight each day, i may not have really lost any.

But this isn't just about weight or even size, its about getting healthy and feeling better.

On Wednesday Morning I was at 222.0 lbs.

Thursday Morning, 220.4.

Things seem to be going well. I feel good, but I'm tired, but I don't think that has anything to do with what I am drinking. On Wednesday I helped my Dad move a bunch of dirt and I am not as fit as I used to be. We carried 118 5 gallon buckets full of dirt. We shoveled it into the buckets, then hauled it up a ramp and across the yard, and into a truck with a shell. After we loaded the truck we drove to our drop-off and unloaded the dirt. (then we did it all again for another load). Good for health, but I am still sore.

Also, another event I guess, this one is directly related to soda; I had the biggest withdrawal headache. I took a three hour nap before going to bed early. Its amazing how bad I felt when I stopped drinking soda. Its obvious that I shouldn't be drinking something that does that. I am still craving sometimes though, but water is pretty good I suppose. Its an acquired taste for sure :)

I haven't been eating the best, but I never said I was changing that. I also have to note that tonight, Thursday September 2, I drank a small cup of Kool-Aid. It was an allowance at a party so, I don't consider if a failure. I have to allow some give or else I'll just crack and chug a bunch of soda.