courtesy of my blog: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com
Just updating. I'm kinda dizzy. And very tired. A few theories....
A) I am cutting back on my sugar intake, and my food intake at night. When there is no food in the stomach to feed the body, the body goes to the stored fat, at least that's the plan. Perhaps the dizziness and tiredness is me getting used to the toll on my body.
2.) Perhaps it's HFCS withdrawal. The only sugar I'm taking in is the natural fructose from fruits and veggies, and cane sugar. If HFCS is a toxic substance to which I'm addicted, this is my withdrawal.
D) I'm getting used to the first week back from vacation, and I'm sleep deprived. However, I'm used to this schedule, I never felt tiredness to this extent before. (For the record, I'm not getting killed here, but I'm feeling an effect.)
or
$) Flu's going around. I could be getting sick. Which my not eating at night can't be helping.
I DID do a little research which I'll share. I checked out Wikipedia, and the Corn industry's website , What strikes me is that the Glucose/Fructose content in HFCS is comparable to Table Sugar. The only difference is that Carbon atom joining the Glucose to the Fructose in Sugar, which doesn't exist in HFCS. By the way, it's replaced by Chlorine in Splenda (Sucralose) so if messin' with that cabon atom is bad, why aren't we looking at Splenda?
I'll keep researching, and being hungry. I'll try indulging during the day, so that I'll not be hungry at night. Yeah, good luck with that. Maybe if it IS just an adjustment period, it will pass.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
HFCS Free - Week 1
courtesy of my blog: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com/
I've been hearing about the ills of High Fructose Corn Syrup for some time now. As a Pepsi Lover, I'm very skeptical about this. Here's my logic: Sucrose is table sugar; Fructose is the naturally occurring sugar in fruit. Fructose is often recommended OVER sucrose.
I recall an especially aggravating episode of Lazy Town, a children's show about Phys. Ed. and exercising and healthy habits. I hate the show in general, I find it annoying, but I don't mind my daughters watching it because of its important curriculum. (Unlike Yo Gabba Gabba which seems to have no curriculum other than "children are stupid, let's talk down to them.")
The episode in question involved Sporticus, the main character, who is sort of a superhero. I say "sort of" because his super power seems to be the ability to do amazing gymnastics and run around a lot. Teach my daughter gymnastics, and she could be Sporticus, which may just be the point. Anyway, his Kryptonite is revealed as being sugar. Sugar, meaning sucrose, candy. Robbie Rotten, the villain, replaces his apple with an apple made out of candy, and BAM, he loses energy and collapses. They save him by bringing him an orange which is healthy, and he comes out of it.
Encouraging kids to make healthy food choices. Good. Identifying the culprit as sugar, BAD. Why? Because the thing which gives you energy from fruit IS SUGAR! The difference is that it is fructose, not sucrose. Now certainly I don't expect a show aimed at preschoolers to make a distinction between the two molecules, but at least don't mislead them by saying SUGAR is bad, just that the wrong type of food is bad.
Anyway, my point is that there is a distinction between fructose being good for you and sucrose being bad for you. And yet, in sodas, the kind with high fructose corn syrup is bad, and the kind with sucrose (like Pepsi Throwback and 7up) is better for you. Our idiot Governor, David Patterson has even suggested that sodas with aspartame, and sucralose are better for you, but I KNOW that's not true. Aspartame (Nutrasweet, equal) leads to headaches, memory loss, stroke and memory loss. Sucralose (Splenda) is, so far, considered safe, because it doesn't absorb into your system at all; but it's only a matter of time. Plus Sucralose is made by replacing the Carbon atom that holds together the disaccharide Sucrose with Chlorine...
So, even though I don't subscribe to the idea that HFCS is deadly for you, I know the acids in soda can't be good. And certainly, to drink it as much as I do can't be good either. So, this Lenten season, I'm doing an experiment. My "fast", as it were, will be to give up Pepsi, and all other soft drinks, and also to give up snacking after 9pm.
I'm doing this for religious reasons, as a fast, giving up something I love that is a vice, but also to see what difference it has on my health in general.
So far, it's been a week. I've been drinking lots of coffee to compensate for the caffiene buzz I used to get from my Pepsi at lunch, and dinner, and twice before bedtime. Other than missing it, and breaking bad habits, all I can say is... I REALLY want a Pepsi. I think there was a little low level addiction to it. In Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock talks about food addiction. It's what makes you crave McDonalds, and feel better after having eaten it. Maybe Pepsi and HFCS is the same way.
I'm going to check in on this blog from time to time to see how I do, and if I notice any positive, or negative effects. In theory, I should lose some weight. HFCS is directly linked to childhood obesity, and eating lots of carbs and then going to sleep couldn't have helped my fat levels.
In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my water! Wish me luck!
I've been hearing about the ills of High Fructose Corn Syrup for some time now. As a Pepsi Lover, I'm very skeptical about this. Here's my logic: Sucrose is table sugar; Fructose is the naturally occurring sugar in fruit. Fructose is often recommended OVER sucrose.
I recall an especially aggravating episode of Lazy Town, a children's show about Phys. Ed. and exercising and healthy habits. I hate the show in general, I find it annoying, but I don't mind my daughters watching it because of its important curriculum. (Unlike Yo Gabba Gabba which seems to have no curriculum other than "children are stupid, let's talk down to them.")
The episode in question involved Sporticus, the main character, who is sort of a superhero. I say "sort of" because his super power seems to be the ability to do amazing gymnastics and run around a lot. Teach my daughter gymnastics, and she could be Sporticus, which may just be the point. Anyway, his Kryptonite is revealed as being sugar. Sugar, meaning sucrose, candy. Robbie Rotten, the villain, replaces his apple with an apple made out of candy, and BAM, he loses energy and collapses. They save him by bringing him an orange which is healthy, and he comes out of it.
Encouraging kids to make healthy food choices. Good. Identifying the culprit as sugar, BAD. Why? Because the thing which gives you energy from fruit IS SUGAR! The difference is that it is fructose, not sucrose. Now certainly I don't expect a show aimed at preschoolers to make a distinction between the two molecules, but at least don't mislead them by saying SUGAR is bad, just that the wrong type of food is bad.
Anyway, my point is that there is a distinction between fructose being good for you and sucrose being bad for you. And yet, in sodas, the kind with high fructose corn syrup is bad, and the kind with sucrose (like Pepsi Throwback and 7up) is better for you. Our idiot Governor, David Patterson has even suggested that sodas with aspartame, and sucralose are better for you, but I KNOW that's not true. Aspartame (Nutrasweet, equal) leads to headaches, memory loss, stroke and memory loss. Sucralose (Splenda) is, so far, considered safe, because it doesn't absorb into your system at all; but it's only a matter of time. Plus Sucralose is made by replacing the Carbon atom that holds together the disaccharide Sucrose with Chlorine...
So, even though I don't subscribe to the idea that HFCS is deadly for you, I know the acids in soda can't be good. And certainly, to drink it as much as I do can't be good either. So, this Lenten season, I'm doing an experiment. My "fast", as it were, will be to give up Pepsi, and all other soft drinks, and also to give up snacking after 9pm.
I'm doing this for religious reasons, as a fast, giving up something I love that is a vice, but also to see what difference it has on my health in general.
So far, it's been a week. I've been drinking lots of coffee to compensate for the caffiene buzz I used to get from my Pepsi at lunch, and dinner, and twice before bedtime. Other than missing it, and breaking bad habits, all I can say is... I REALLY want a Pepsi. I think there was a little low level addiction to it. In Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock talks about food addiction. It's what makes you crave McDonalds, and feel better after having eaten it. Maybe Pepsi and HFCS is the same way.
I'm going to check in on this blog from time to time to see how I do, and if I notice any positive, or negative effects. In theory, I should lose some weight. HFCS is directly linked to childhood obesity, and eating lots of carbs and then going to sleep couldn't have helped my fat levels.
In the meantime, I'm going to enjoy my water! Wish me luck!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Bearing Witness to the Truth
I have a word or two to say about the upcoming "Healthcare summit."
First, I'll go in depth with this in a later Blog entry, but I've adopted a philosophy and a point of view lately that has worked for me, in sorting out the events of the world. At the risk of misusing the words of Jesus Christ, I call it "Bearing Witness to the Truth."
Most of what we worry about, and get worked up about, especially in Politics, is based not in reality, but in a perception of reality. These perceptions are often imagined, and they are often fed to us through political propaganda; oops, I mean, the media. If one could sort through all that and get to the truth, issues are much easier to work through. I mean what's really true, not what people say is true.
The buzz surrounding the healthcare debate involves many accusations on behalf of those opposing the plan. Aw let's face it, I mean the Republicans. (I'm sure there are some exceptions, I just wish they would voice their actual position.) These "concerns" involve socializing healthcare, adding to the budget, raising taxes, forcing people into healthcare plans they don't want, etc. But the big concern is that Republicans accuse the Democrats of railroading this bill through without considering the opposition's point of view, or the will of "the people." (Teabaggers screaming the republican point of view.)
So, this Thursday, Obama proves them wrong. In his State of the Union Address, he promised to listen to the Republicans. If they have a better idea, he'll listen.
Fox News, Talk Radio, and Republicans everywhere are calling it a trap. Guess what? IT IS a trap! The evil plot is to get them out there, on camera, in front of America, and reveal their big ideas for Heathcare reform, and Obama is counting on Republican Opposition having NOTHING. Or whatever they have, he's counting on Democrats countering their every idea with exactly why it won't work. Gotcha!
Unless... the Republicans are right. What if Healthcare reform is a bad idea, and Obama is simply leading us down the road to Socialism and endless amounts of debt? What if the Republicans can get this done with Tort Reform, and eliminating malpractice, and all the other ideas they have? Well, then, let's bear witness to the truth. Republicans, bring your A game to this summit. Cross your t's and dot your i's, plan out your whole case, and publically embarass your opponent in front of millions of people.
So that's what will happen Thursday, either the Republicans will have their say, and make their voice heard, which will prove that they were wrong about Obama's agenda; or they will fall on their face because they are wrong about Obama's healthcare plan. So which would you rather be, right about healthcare and wrong about Obama, or wrong about everything?
Or, assuming everyone involved has America's best interest at heart; And the healthcare issue is genuine and needs to be addressed; And a compromise between the two plans can be met, use this as an opportunity to do that. I'm actually in favor of the last possibility. Government is meant to be a meeting of the minds where all points of view can be brought to the table, and real results can be accomplished.
I wouldn't mind a little public humiliation, though.
First, I'll go in depth with this in a later Blog entry, but I've adopted a philosophy and a point of view lately that has worked for me, in sorting out the events of the world. At the risk of misusing the words of Jesus Christ, I call it "Bearing Witness to the Truth."
Most of what we worry about, and get worked up about, especially in Politics, is based not in reality, but in a perception of reality. These perceptions are often imagined, and they are often fed to us through political propaganda; oops, I mean, the media. If one could sort through all that and get to the truth, issues are much easier to work through. I mean what's really true, not what people say is true.
The buzz surrounding the healthcare debate involves many accusations on behalf of those opposing the plan. Aw let's face it, I mean the Republicans. (I'm sure there are some exceptions, I just wish they would voice their actual position.) These "concerns" involve socializing healthcare, adding to the budget, raising taxes, forcing people into healthcare plans they don't want, etc. But the big concern is that Republicans accuse the Democrats of railroading this bill through without considering the opposition's point of view, or the will of "the people." (Teabaggers screaming the republican point of view.)
So, this Thursday, Obama proves them wrong. In his State of the Union Address, he promised to listen to the Republicans. If they have a better idea, he'll listen.
Fox News, Talk Radio, and Republicans everywhere are calling it a trap. Guess what? IT IS a trap! The evil plot is to get them out there, on camera, in front of America, and reveal their big ideas for Heathcare reform, and Obama is counting on Republican Opposition having NOTHING. Or whatever they have, he's counting on Democrats countering their every idea with exactly why it won't work. Gotcha!
Unless... the Republicans are right. What if Healthcare reform is a bad idea, and Obama is simply leading us down the road to Socialism and endless amounts of debt? What if the Republicans can get this done with Tort Reform, and eliminating malpractice, and all the other ideas they have? Well, then, let's bear witness to the truth. Republicans, bring your A game to this summit. Cross your t's and dot your i's, plan out your whole case, and publically embarass your opponent in front of millions of people.
So that's what will happen Thursday, either the Republicans will have their say, and make their voice heard, which will prove that they were wrong about Obama's agenda; or they will fall on their face because they are wrong about Obama's healthcare plan. So which would you rather be, right about healthcare and wrong about Obama, or wrong about everything?
Or, assuming everyone involved has America's best interest at heart; And the healthcare issue is genuine and needs to be addressed; And a compromise between the two plans can be met, use this as an opportunity to do that. I'm actually in favor of the last possibility. Government is meant to be a meeting of the minds where all points of view can be brought to the table, and real results can be accomplished.
I wouldn't mind a little public humiliation, though.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Movie Reviews
Courtesy my Blog - http://cjferrara.blogspot.com
I'm off this week. So I got to see a lot of movies; both in the theatre and on video.
Avatar,- I got to see this with my lovely wife, Paula, for our anniversary. AND we went all out, Imax, 3-d, full immersion. BIG mistake. I discovered something about myself, 3-d Imax makes me motion sick. It was something about the full immersion experience that really puts you in the world, and it feels like the whole theater is moving, and... (BLEEEAH!) So, I watched most of the film without the glasses on. It actually worked better. Most of the film is framed in what I could call center stage. It's only when people are upstage or downstage that the image is distorted for the 3-d effects.
As for the film itself, I liked it. The worst criticism I heard was that the plot closely resembled "Pocohantas." I can tell you, the film's plot IS "Pocohantas." However, if Jimmy Cameron had sold this film as a sci-fi retelling of the legend of Pocohantas using state of the art technology, it wouldn't be such a bad thing, now would it? *(Spoiler at the bottom of the blog entry, don't read it if you don't want to.)
And I know that this is the most realistic motion capture technology, but that's sort of like making the artificial sweetener that tastes the most like sugar. It's still VERY fake. The film is a spectacular live action/CGI animated film. You want a great comparison, go back and watch the Abyss (Which I did) and see the difference in SFX.
Inglorious Basterds - I also finally saw this movie I was really looking forward to. I have to say, I was disappointed. This is a good movie, don't get me wrong, but it needs a different title. The Basterds are in less than half of the movie. And what my wife and I, (And I imagine every Nazi-hating Jew-lover) really wanted to see was MORE OF THE KILLING! We wanted to see the scalping in more and more creative Tarantino-esque ways. And give me more dialogue with Aldo Rayne (Brad Pitt) the accent was priceless.
I think the irony here is that what makes Tarantino so great is what killed the movie. Considering the relatively simple plot **(Spoiler Below), it's Tarantino's love of non-sequitir and amazing monologues and dialogue that drag the plot forever. 45 minutes for the resistance operative to meet the Basterd's contacts in a bar and plan the plan. Granted, they are stopped by a meddling Nazi officer, but that could have been 20 minutes with some clever dialogue? Not 45 minutes of going ON and ON with a bar game.... come ON! Get to the scalping! Now, that wasn't a spoiler, but I now won't reveal the ending except to say that it's lame. ***(Below) Pretty good, but not Tarantino's best. Makes me want to see Jackie Brown again to compare and determine which is the WORST.
What did YOU think?
SPOILERS BELOW
* SPOILER - And I don't recall John Smith teaming up with the Powhatans to kick the English's ass! - SPOILER OVER *
** SPOILER - The Jewhunter kills Shoshonah's family, the Basterds go to France to kill Nazis, Shoshonah owns a movie theatre, that Goebells rents out for a Propaganda premiere, and she plots to kill them all, and so do the Basterds, with the help of British Intelligence. - SPOILER OVER **
*** SPOILER - The Jewhunter betrays his whole party for immunity? COME ON! - SPOILER OVER ***
I'm off this week. So I got to see a lot of movies; both in the theatre and on video.
Avatar,- I got to see this with my lovely wife, Paula, for our anniversary. AND we went all out, Imax, 3-d, full immersion. BIG mistake. I discovered something about myself, 3-d Imax makes me motion sick. It was something about the full immersion experience that really puts you in the world, and it feels like the whole theater is moving, and... (BLEEEAH!) So, I watched most of the film without the glasses on. It actually worked better. Most of the film is framed in what I could call center stage. It's only when people are upstage or downstage that the image is distorted for the 3-d effects.
As for the film itself, I liked it. The worst criticism I heard was that the plot closely resembled "Pocohantas." I can tell you, the film's plot IS "Pocohantas." However, if Jimmy Cameron had sold this film as a sci-fi retelling of the legend of Pocohantas using state of the art technology, it wouldn't be such a bad thing, now would it? *(Spoiler at the bottom of the blog entry, don't read it if you don't want to.)
And I know that this is the most realistic motion capture technology, but that's sort of like making the artificial sweetener that tastes the most like sugar. It's still VERY fake. The film is a spectacular live action/CGI animated film. You want a great comparison, go back and watch the Abyss (Which I did) and see the difference in SFX.
Inglorious Basterds - I also finally saw this movie I was really looking forward to. I have to say, I was disappointed. This is a good movie, don't get me wrong, but it needs a different title. The Basterds are in less than half of the movie. And what my wife and I, (And I imagine every Nazi-hating Jew-lover) really wanted to see was MORE OF THE KILLING! We wanted to see the scalping in more and more creative Tarantino-esque ways. And give me more dialogue with Aldo Rayne (Brad Pitt) the accent was priceless.
I think the irony here is that what makes Tarantino so great is what killed the movie. Considering the relatively simple plot **(Spoiler Below), it's Tarantino's love of non-sequitir and amazing monologues and dialogue that drag the plot forever. 45 minutes for the resistance operative to meet the Basterd's contacts in a bar and plan the plan. Granted, they are stopped by a meddling Nazi officer, but that could have been 20 minutes with some clever dialogue? Not 45 minutes of going ON and ON with a bar game.... come ON! Get to the scalping! Now, that wasn't a spoiler, but I now won't reveal the ending except to say that it's lame. ***(Below) Pretty good, but not Tarantino's best. Makes me want to see Jackie Brown again to compare and determine which is the WORST.
What did YOU think?
SPOILERS BELOW
* SPOILER - And I don't recall John Smith teaming up with the Powhatans to kick the English's ass! - SPOILER OVER *
** SPOILER - The Jewhunter kills Shoshonah's family, the Basterds go to France to kill Nazis, Shoshonah owns a movie theatre, that Goebells rents out for a Propaganda premiere, and she plots to kill them all, and so do the Basterds, with the help of British Intelligence. - SPOILER OVER **
*** SPOILER - The Jewhunter betrays his whole party for immunity? COME ON! - SPOILER OVER ***
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Blizzard 2010
Courtesy http://cjferrara.blogspot.com
Well.... it snowed. For real this time. As I write this, I'm at work on a day that everyone else has a snow day. How did it come to this?
Well, last Friday, the rumors started. When I say "rumors," I mean news reports. They started reporting that a huge snow storm was heading for the east coast; worst of the decade; horrible snowy mess; Run for the hills, the flakes is comin'! Many people I knew started planning ahead. "Don't come in to work tomorrow, there's gonna be snow." I cleared the driveway to make plowing easier, and brought the shovels inside; nothing worse than a icy snow shovel handle.
Turns out, Pennsylvania got it, Washington got it, we on Long Island got nothing. To call what we got a dusting would be an insult to dustings everywhere. Turns out the snow storm went south of us, and missed us completely. Again.... You can't predict the weather, and never trust the news. (For more of my thoughts on this topic: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-hate-news-winter-weather-advisory.html) So, I started getting smug and thought of relaying the previous blog post and gloat about it for a bit.
Then we got another winter storm warning. This time on a Tuesday, which would mean the storm would take us out of school. The rumor reports read: "Possible 2 feet of snow," "Blizzards to start tonight, then continue all day Wednesday," "Run for the hills the flakes is comin'!" Most school districts closed school Tuesday evening in anticipation. My Facebook Status read: "Wouldn't it be hysterical if it doesn't snow?"
For the record, this time they were r-r-r... They were r-r-r... they were RIGHT! It did snow all day Wednesday, and well into Thursday Morning. Many people lost power; trees were felled onto the highway; icy conditions made commuting dangerous.
However, we got maybe a foot. What we got was what is commonly known on this planet as... snow. There was an hour or so in the middle of the day where wind picked up to powerful levels, but other than that, anyone going outside would have simply said, "It's cold," or "It's still snowing," not "Run for the hills the flakes is comin'!"
For safety's sake, many districts had a 2 hour delay this morning to clear the roads. It's 11:30 now, and most of the road snow has started to melt. Some districts were very nice to their students, whom they love, by granting them another full snow day. (Sigh...) Me? I work for Amityville. Every surrounding district: Copaigue, Massapequa, Farmingdale; are all closed today, but we not only had to go in, but we had to go in ON TIME. No Delay. The commute was hell, I had to dig myself out of my driveway for an hour this morning, which meant I woke up at 5am. And to cap it off... I'm averaging about 40% student attendance. Most of the parents gave their kids a snow day on their own.
So, here I am. Part of me is thankful for my Potsdam training, and is proud that I got up and made a go of it today. But most of me is mad for missing out on the snow day. The few students who DID attend school today aren't doing much, and are out of control because they are under the impression that the rules have gone out the window. My opinion is that we should adjust our schedules, lives, and work days not according to news reports, but rather on actual weather. So, when actual weather calls... what happened?
I hope my daughters had fun today in the snow. I wish I was with them.
Well.... it snowed. For real this time. As I write this, I'm at work on a day that everyone else has a snow day. How did it come to this?
Well, last Friday, the rumors started. When I say "rumors," I mean news reports. They started reporting that a huge snow storm was heading for the east coast; worst of the decade; horrible snowy mess; Run for the hills, the flakes is comin'! Many people I knew started planning ahead. "Don't come in to work tomorrow, there's gonna be snow." I cleared the driveway to make plowing easier, and brought the shovels inside; nothing worse than a icy snow shovel handle.
Turns out, Pennsylvania got it, Washington got it, we on Long Island got nothing. To call what we got a dusting would be an insult to dustings everywhere. Turns out the snow storm went south of us, and missed us completely. Again.... You can't predict the weather, and never trust the news. (For more of my thoughts on this topic: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com/2009/03/i-hate-news-winter-weather-advisory.html) So, I started getting smug and thought of relaying the previous blog post and gloat about it for a bit.
Then we got another winter storm warning. This time on a Tuesday, which would mean the storm would take us out of school. The rumor reports read: "Possible 2 feet of snow," "Blizzards to start tonight, then continue all day Wednesday," "Run for the hills the flakes is comin'!" Most school districts closed school Tuesday evening in anticipation. My Facebook Status read: "Wouldn't it be hysterical if it doesn't snow?"
For the record, this time they were r-r-r... They were r-r-r... they were RIGHT! It did snow all day Wednesday, and well into Thursday Morning. Many people lost power; trees were felled onto the highway; icy conditions made commuting dangerous.
However, we got maybe a foot. What we got was what is commonly known on this planet as... snow. There was an hour or so in the middle of the day where wind picked up to powerful levels, but other than that, anyone going outside would have simply said, "It's cold," or "It's still snowing," not "Run for the hills the flakes is comin'!"
For safety's sake, many districts had a 2 hour delay this morning to clear the roads. It's 11:30 now, and most of the road snow has started to melt. Some districts were very nice to their students, whom they love, by granting them another full snow day. (Sigh...) Me? I work for Amityville. Every surrounding district: Copaigue, Massapequa, Farmingdale; are all closed today, but we not only had to go in, but we had to go in ON TIME. No Delay. The commute was hell, I had to dig myself out of my driveway for an hour this morning, which meant I woke up at 5am. And to cap it off... I'm averaging about 40% student attendance. Most of the parents gave their kids a snow day on their own.
So, here I am. Part of me is thankful for my Potsdam training, and is proud that I got up and made a go of it today. But most of me is mad for missing out on the snow day. The few students who DID attend school today aren't doing much, and are out of control because they are under the impression that the rules have gone out the window. My opinion is that we should adjust our schedules, lives, and work days not according to news reports, but rather on actual weather. So, when actual weather calls... what happened?
I hope my daughters had fun today in the snow. I wish I was with them.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
The Tiddlymaster: a parable about sports.
Two years ago I tried something new. I tried giving a flying fig about the Olympics. I'm one of those guys who really admires the opening ceremonies, or watches the Super Bowl for the Half-time show. Yep, I'm a music geek.
But I tried really getting into the Beijing Olympics. Mainly for my kids. This marks one of those things that we can do as a family. I can use it as a teachable moment to let them know about teamwork, simple math problems, (If Michael Phelps wins 2 more Gold medals, how much pot can he smoke back at the hotel?) and geography (Where IS Namibia anyway?).
It was fun while it lasted, but ultimately, I'm a music geek, not a sports nut. I respect the amount of work and practice it takes to be REALLY good at a sport, and the toll it can take on your body, mainly because I'm unwilling to do it myself. And as passionately concerned as I can get over the outrage that is the Grammys, or the whole Conan/Leno thing, which meant more to me than the mortgage crisis; I can empathize with people who just wanted to hide in a dark room eating pounds of Haagen-Daas, and didn't want to go to work the next day because the Jets lost.
But there's a parable I use which helps to keep things in perspective when it comes to sporting events and outlines my point of view. Some may be offended at first, but please understand that I don't wish to belittle anyone's fandom, or passion for a local team. Heck, for one night a year I'm a crazy, passionate Long Island Ducks fan myself! This is how I see the world of sports.
Imagine the lovely game of Tiddlywinks. It's fun! You use a large plastic chip (the Tiddly) to press down on another smaller plastic chip (the wink. I'm not kidding) in order to flip the wink into a cup in the center. It's a fun game, that with practice takes some skill.
Well, one day people started gathering around a lunch table where some kids were playing Tiddlywinks. They were cheering them on, and the kid who won the game became famous for a day or two. People treated him to ice cream, and went around calling him the "Tiddlymaster." It was great.
An entrepreneur named Timmy realized how popular tiddly winks was becoming, so he decided to have a game at his house, and charged people a dollar to watch. He talked two of his friends, including the Tiddlymaster, into playing and made some money off of the event. This eventually became a weekly thing, and became so popular that the income generated earned Timmy some cool stuff. An X-box, a new bike, etc. This weekly tiddlywinks game became big business.
One week, the Tiddlymaster had to go to his uncle's dumb birthday party with his parents, and couldn't make the game. Upon realizing that the Tiddlymaster would not be playing, some kids left demanding their dollar back. It was clear; if Timmy was going to keep making money off of this, he had to convince the Tiddlymaster to keep playing. So he offered him a piece of the money he brought in. That way, it was worth his while to keep playing for him.
Now, the other players didn't think that was fair, and tried to ask for a piece of the action as well, but Timmy wouldn't have it. Another wise entrepreneur named Melvin spoke on behalf of the other kids and convinced Timmy that the other kids would not play unless they were paid, and since Tiddlymaster couldn't play with himself (tee hee), Timmy agreed to pay each player a piece of the till. In order to keep making a profit, he raised the price to $5 to watch; which people paid, because they wanted to watch their hero play. Some people just gave Timmy $50 for a season ticket to get into all the games.
Eventually, Melvin got smart. He realized that so long as people are willing to pay to watch kids play tiddlywinks, Timmy had to give the players whatever they wanted to keep them playing. To make a long story short, (Too late!) the negotiations continued. Timmy getting as much money as possible out of the people watching, selling souvenir tiddlywink t-shirts, commemorative winks for the kids, etc. Melvin kept representing players, discussing when they would play, how much they would be compensated, and negotiating deals for Tiddlymaster brand snack cakes, and commercial appearances. "When I beat Johnny Iskawitz in the great Tiddly Bowl in 2009, I used Easyflow brand tiddlies... Then I went to Disneyworld." And the fans? Well, the fact that they saw the players getting famous and rich off of the game, they rabidly sought out tickets, and souvenirs and snack cakes and all things revolving around the National Organization of Tiddlywinkers. (or N.O.T.) In fact, small leagues of tiddlywinks started popping up in schools, and the star player became even more popular than even the best triangle player in the band. And the triangle players get all the chicks!
And through it all... they all lost sight of the fact that it's a freakin' game. You can play it with your friends and family. It's supposed to be fun. I try to remember that when I see a football player complaining about his contract, or being revered as a role model. I mean what gave him such importance? He's good at playing a game. Why do we drive kids to the breaking point to make them awesome athletes? Why do some of my students believe that playing basketball is their way out of the ghetto?
For the record, I'm good at playing music. I get a tremendous amount of enjoyment from it. I'd do it for free if I could, and I often have, (especially at CAP.) I try, however to not take myself too seriously as an artist. I've come to just be thankful that I can just do what I love for a living.
But I tried really getting into the Beijing Olympics. Mainly for my kids. This marks one of those things that we can do as a family. I can use it as a teachable moment to let them know about teamwork, simple math problems, (If Michael Phelps wins 2 more Gold medals, how much pot can he smoke back at the hotel?) and geography (Where IS Namibia anyway?).
It was fun while it lasted, but ultimately, I'm a music geek, not a sports nut. I respect the amount of work and practice it takes to be REALLY good at a sport, and the toll it can take on your body, mainly because I'm unwilling to do it myself. And as passionately concerned as I can get over the outrage that is the Grammys, or the whole Conan/Leno thing, which meant more to me than the mortgage crisis; I can empathize with people who just wanted to hide in a dark room eating pounds of Haagen-Daas, and didn't want to go to work the next day because the Jets lost.
But there's a parable I use which helps to keep things in perspective when it comes to sporting events and outlines my point of view. Some may be offended at first, but please understand that I don't wish to belittle anyone's fandom, or passion for a local team. Heck, for one night a year I'm a crazy, passionate Long Island Ducks fan myself! This is how I see the world of sports.
Imagine the lovely game of Tiddlywinks. It's fun! You use a large plastic chip (the Tiddly) to press down on another smaller plastic chip (the wink. I'm not kidding) in order to flip the wink into a cup in the center. It's a fun game, that with practice takes some skill.
Well, one day people started gathering around a lunch table where some kids were playing Tiddlywinks. They were cheering them on, and the kid who won the game became famous for a day or two. People treated him to ice cream, and went around calling him the "Tiddlymaster." It was great.
An entrepreneur named Timmy realized how popular tiddly winks was becoming, so he decided to have a game at his house, and charged people a dollar to watch. He talked two of his friends, including the Tiddlymaster, into playing and made some money off of the event. This eventually became a weekly thing, and became so popular that the income generated earned Timmy some cool stuff. An X-box, a new bike, etc. This weekly tiddlywinks game became big business.
One week, the Tiddlymaster had to go to his uncle's dumb birthday party with his parents, and couldn't make the game. Upon realizing that the Tiddlymaster would not be playing, some kids left demanding their dollar back. It was clear; if Timmy was going to keep making money off of this, he had to convince the Tiddlymaster to keep playing. So he offered him a piece of the money he brought in. That way, it was worth his while to keep playing for him.
Now, the other players didn't think that was fair, and tried to ask for a piece of the action as well, but Timmy wouldn't have it. Another wise entrepreneur named Melvin spoke on behalf of the other kids and convinced Timmy that the other kids would not play unless they were paid, and since Tiddlymaster couldn't play with himself (tee hee), Timmy agreed to pay each player a piece of the till. In order to keep making a profit, he raised the price to $5 to watch; which people paid, because they wanted to watch their hero play. Some people just gave Timmy $50 for a season ticket to get into all the games.
Eventually, Melvin got smart. He realized that so long as people are willing to pay to watch kids play tiddlywinks, Timmy had to give the players whatever they wanted to keep them playing. To make a long story short, (Too late!) the negotiations continued. Timmy getting as much money as possible out of the people watching, selling souvenir tiddlywink t-shirts, commemorative winks for the kids, etc. Melvin kept representing players, discussing when they would play, how much they would be compensated, and negotiating deals for Tiddlymaster brand snack cakes, and commercial appearances. "When I beat Johnny Iskawitz in the great Tiddly Bowl in 2009, I used Easyflow brand tiddlies... Then I went to Disneyworld." And the fans? Well, the fact that they saw the players getting famous and rich off of the game, they rabidly sought out tickets, and souvenirs and snack cakes and all things revolving around the National Organization of Tiddlywinkers. (or N.O.T.) In fact, small leagues of tiddlywinks started popping up in schools, and the star player became even more popular than even the best triangle player in the band. And the triangle players get all the chicks!
And through it all... they all lost sight of the fact that it's a freakin' game. You can play it with your friends and family. It's supposed to be fun. I try to remember that when I see a football player complaining about his contract, or being revered as a role model. I mean what gave him such importance? He's good at playing a game. Why do we drive kids to the breaking point to make them awesome athletes? Why do some of my students believe that playing basketball is their way out of the ghetto?
For the record, I'm good at playing music. I get a tremendous amount of enjoyment from it. I'd do it for free if I could, and I often have, (especially at CAP.) I try, however to not take myself too seriously as an artist. I've come to just be thankful that I can just do what I love for a living.
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