Category: Personal

Uncle Buck’s Niece

The movie Uncle Buck was released in 1989. Like other John Hughes movies, I enjoyed it, but the real highlight for me was the girl played Uncle Buck’s niece, Jean Luisa Kelly. To me, she was nearly the epitome of feminine attractiveness: a perfect mix of cute, pretty, and hot.

Jean Louisa Kelly

Little did I know that I would meet the following smokeshow just a couple of years later. The first time I saw her, our mutual friend was introducing her down a line of people, and I was at the end. By the time they got to me, I had picked my jaw back up off the floor, and tried to play it cool.

Susan

Right after we met, she went to Colorado to get a paralegal certification. She came back. We started talking. We both got jobs working night shift. We spent hours on the phone every night. After four years, I put a ring on it.

I kept thinking that I had seen someone that looked just like her, and I finally put two and two together. I was just reminded of all of this because I just rewatched Uncle Buck on some streaming show, and then I happened to see some of Sue’s old pictures from high school on the floor of the bedroom.

The thing that slays me, to this day, is the fact that she revealed herself to be even more beautiful on the inside, as if such a thing were possible. She’s my rock and my best friend, and I don’t know what I’d do without her.

My Shame is Ever Before Me

Here We Go Again

A couple years ago, I broke free of playing Elder Scrolls Online, for the second time. I had quit before, in frustration of not being good enough to run the end-game content. It annoyed me that there were parts of a game I was paying for on a monthly basis that I effectively could never take advantage of, so I quit.

Then I picked it back up again for a little while, mentally bargaining with myself that this situation was acceptable because there is so much to do in the game besides the vet-level dungeons and trials. But, as a massively-multiplayer online game, it tends to suck you in, and dominate your leisure time, so I decided to quit again. And, since ESO was the only thing I was using it for, I literally threw my 12-year-old, Athlon-XP-based dinosaur of a PC in the trash, as a sort of “burn the ships” move to prevent going back to playing it. Playing ESO on a Mac is basically a non-starter due to crappy performance, so it wasn’t a realistic option.

Then I developed a medical problem that causes me to live with constant pain in my abdomen. That’s a whole book’s worth of another story, but the relevance to this story is that I now spend basically all my extra time playing games. I mean, I was a pretty heavy gamer before, but this is a whole other level.

Bored with everything else, I tried going back to Fallout 4. I couldn’t stand it on the PS5, because it only runs 30 FPS. Bethesda recently released a refreshed version of Skyrim on PS5 with all the Creator Club content, and running at 60 FPS, and it was like a whole, new game. I replayed it all over again, and love it. But I can’t go back to 30 FPS for Fallout.

I decided to buy an Xbox Series X, for several reasons, and waited for Starfield. Then, after the Redfall launch fiasco, Bethesda admitted that Starfield would also be capped at 30 FPS on console. Like I said, I can’t go back to 30 FPS.

So I sold the X, and bought a new PC.

I know, I know.

This one is a loss-leader from Microcenter. Realistically, it’s a $1,000 build, which you can get for $700.

The amount of friction from trying to run Windows again is astounding, and everyone just glosses over it because it’s so pervasive. I’ll be complaining about these things in later posts.

The New MicroCenter in Indy

What is going on?

I went to the new MicroCenter in Indy, and was immediately confronted with this when I walked through the front door. Is this the checkout line? Do I have to grab tickets to inventory, and get them fulfilled at this counter?

No. I asked a girl standing close by what I was looking at, and she said some “YouTubers” were live-streaming doing builds. Sheesh. Seriously? What’s hard about building a computer, especially these days? I’d like to see these guys navigate the dip switches and slots and interrupts we used to have to deal with.

When I checked out, the streamers had people whooping and hollering for some reason. I just wanted to go home, where I spent the next 4 hours configuring what I bought. Story forthcoming…

ChatGPT, Answering the Serious Questions

Can you suggest songs that are similar to Rock Lobster?

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Certainly! “Rock Lobster” by The B-52’s is a unique and energetic song with a distinct sound. While it’s challenging to find songs that perfectly replicate its style, here are a few suggestions that capture a similar blend of upbeat, quirky, and danceable qualities:

“Love Shack” by The B-52’s: This is another popular song by The B-52’s that features catchy hooks, playful lyrics, and a lively, dance-inducing vibe.

“Whip It” by Devo: Known for their eccentricity and new wave sound, Devo’s “Whip It” carries a similar energy to “Rock Lobster” with its offbeat lyrics and catchy synth-driven rhythm.

“Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and The Waves: This song shares the same upbeat and infectious spirit as “Rock Lobster.” It’s a feel-good, pop-rock anthem that’s hard to resist singing and dancing along to.

“Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads: While stylistically different from “Rock Lobster,” Talking Heads’ “Once in a Lifetime” is a quirky and captivating song that merges elements of new wave, funk, and art rock. It possesses an infectious rhythm and thought-provoking lyrics.

“Weird Science” by Oingo Boingo: As a new wave and alternative rock band, Oingo Boingo offers a similar sense of fun and eccentricity. “Weird Science” embodies their unique sound, blending catchy melodies, synths, and a touch of quirkiness.

“Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel: This song is a vibrant fusion of rock, funk, and pop with an infectious groove. It shares a dynamic and lively atmosphere that aligns with the spirit of “Rock Lobster.”

While these songs may not be exact replicas, they capture elements of the energy, quirkiness, and danceable nature found in “Rock Lobster.” Enjoy exploring these suggestions!

Maybe not a great answer, but all of those songs are on my 80’s playlist.

The responsibility is the reward

 

One of the straightest paths to purpose in life is to take responsibility for something (or someone). Becoming a person whose presence and competence benefits others. For both your sake and theirs.

Jordan Peterson calls this the “meaningful burden” in 12 Rules for Life, and downright posits it as an antidote to depression. Echoing Victor Frankl’s famous quote “he who has a why to live for can bear almost any how” from Man’s Search for Meaning.

There’s something inherently counterintuitive about this notion that people who feel overwhelmed by life, or lost in its endless possibilities, might not need a lighter load, but a more meaningful burden instead. It reminds me of the version of burnout that stems not from overwork, but from under-purpose. Sometimes, the answer to “it’s just all too much” is, weirdly, “can I have some more, please”.

Source: The responsibility is the reward

This may or may not be exactly what I needed to hear at this juncture of life. With my ongoing struggle with nerve pain, I will admit that I have fully lost any sense of “why” in my life. I’m going to have to look inside and find one again. The universe is reminding me to get back to the work of reading certain things, like Frankl, which I started, then stopped.

I talk with the doc who led me to surgery again next week, for more options, but I’ve become burdened with the forced acceptance of the notion that I may never be completely pain free in my life again. I should probably start talking to other people similarly affected, to get more perspective on what it’s like to live with this sort of thing long term, but I haven’t wanted to give into the idea that I can’t get free of this somehow.

Since surgery helped quite a bit, I can’t help thinking that more surgery would help more, but there’s a process to follow here, before undertaking something potentially more risky than the procedure I had done before.