Alright, it's been a couple of days since the Kickstarter snafu. I posted a bit on it on my Facebook.
I have decided that since social acumen can be built just as a bicep or a career can, I might as well talk a bit about it.
A lot of his statements sound creepy when taken out of context. Everyone can sound like a jerk or an asshole or a creep out of context. Quoting without context is the new lying. It's easy to spin statements into full-on misogyny. And it's easier to than ever since we record everything.
I'm not defending Ken. To be clear I think there is good pickup and bad pickup. I haven't placed Ken yet because I haven't read all of his series.
I figure, since people are clamoring for his guide (as evidenced by the money her received) I might as well help lonely men out.
Ladies, the rest of this is directed at men. Not that you can't use it.
Alright. The secret to gaining social acumen and getting a girl
1) Approach everybody
2) Amplify good moods/fun
That's pretty much it.
I have a friend who suggests that men do not approach women for 2 years. I disagree. I think that this doesn't solve the fundamental problem nerds and geeks have.
And that problem is we never learned to talk to people like people. And we never learned to talk to women like people, either.
Yup. talking to women as if they are actual people. The mind reels at it's simplicity.
Women are people too. They have wants, needs, insecurities. They have bad days.
A woman sitting on the train after work does not want to be hit on. She does, however, want to have a pleasant ride home.
Is your conversation going to make her time more pleasant?
I hate to say this, but for a lot of us geek, wanna-be-Casanovas, the answer is no.
You have to learn small talk. You have to learn how to casually start conversations. You have to learn to "play it smooth., so to speak.
And the only way to do that is to talk to anybody about anything.
So talk to men, women. At a bus stop, talk to the people. On the bus, chat up your neighbor. Chat up men and women. That's important. You are learning to hold casual conversation, to be comfortable reacting to and engaging people.
You are not learning to pick up women. The days of routines and rote actions has sailed my friends, you have to improve you now.
Now, our first 100 or so conversations may be awkward. So what. Michael Jordan was not the best player when he started at 14. Just keep learning how to talk to people, and eventually you'll be ready for the next step.
If people want to hear more, I'll focus more on how to hold casual conversation. If that goes well, we can talk about flirting.
But for now, your Mr. Miyagi of love says: Talk to 10 people a day, for 30 seconds. Talk about the weather, the game, whatever. Hell, if that's too hard, just go up to 10 random people and say hi and walk away.
I could talk forever on this subject. Maybe Next post will be a FAQ of common arguments against talking to people.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Sunday, June 16, 2013
In the early morning, with no place to go.
It's hot as hell where I am. Makes sleeping hard on a man. Went to bed at 2:30 and woke up at 4:30. Felt fine, really. I am sure I'll feel it later. But for now, i took the opportunity to apply for a job and look up getting a US passport. It's something I should have done long ago, but never bothered to. Let's be honest, kittens. Your narrator never thought he'd get a chance to travel outside the US.
Well, with this last application, it's entirely possible that where he is building what he is building will be built in another country.
While you parse that sentence, I shall continue.
So after applying I was full of pent up energy. I had not worked out on Saturday, being too sore and, well, too lazy, quite frankly. My legs were stiff and I was sweating like apig a hippo in flannel. I figured it's better to sweat to burn calories. So I hopped on my bike and pedaled my fat ass to Starbucks to journal, draw and read.
Did I mention that my lappy and my car died? Then I got an abscess in my jaw.
I tell you, kittens. I have been keeping a right positive attitude. I may have tilted slightly this last week. Just a bit. a few manly tears may have been shed. Many curse words were said. My naturally Pollyanna attitude may have just slightly been shaken.
So now I have "upgraded" from a gas guzzling POS car to a fat guzzling bike. It's for the best. I have a lot of tummy to burn off. About 294 thousand calories worth. I find numbers like that meaningless. So let's try this:
About 1730 cake pops. Yikes
As confections or cakes go, it's not bad. No fructose and no Hydrogenated oils. But I wouldn't recommend more than one a week.
Sunday mornings, by the by, are magical. The people are firndlier. The atmosphere calmer.
Finally, today's list:
Why MKE hates bicyclists
1) Few trails.
When I lived in Madison, I couldn't kick a n octogenarian hippy without tripping on a bike trail. You never had to take main roads to get anywhere. The Milwaukee sprawl dwarfs Madison, but I find that none of the trails direct me to the places I need to go. This is great when you want a leisurely bike ride. Not so good for getting to work.
2) Cars.
When I lived in Madison, I found the drivers to be somewhat sympathetic to my plight. I am on a vehicle that weighs in at around 30 lbs, huffing and puffing like an asthmatic corgi, with no external armor. Here, in MKE, it's a crap shoot. Some drivers will kindly pass with a wide birth. Some will zip by so closes as to brush your back hair, and some, I believe, will go out of their way to give you a love tap.
3)Weird hills.
OK, so Madison has hills, but they never seemed as bad as here. Except for Monroe street, most of the hills in Madison are short and sweet. Or I imagine they were.
Now, I don't really want to classify as a hill what amounts to a berm with delusions of grandeur, but it is graded as an incline for a mile.
I dunno, maybe I was in better shape in Madison, but fuck my tubby ass with an iron poker it was brutal.
Normally I would source my conclusions. This is not always useful to you, dear readers.
One last bit. Wish your dad a happy Father's Day. Unless he was a grade A dick. If his grade in Dickhead 101 was a B or less*, give him this one day, K? I normally don't like holidays. I must be getting sentimental in my dementia.
Cheers all.
*He'll never get his masters if he doesn't apply himself.
Well, with this last application, it's entirely possible that where he is building what he is building will be built in another country.
While you parse that sentence, I shall continue.
So after applying I was full of pent up energy. I had not worked out on Saturday, being too sore and, well, too lazy, quite frankly. My legs were stiff and I was sweating like a
Did I mention that my lappy and my car died? Then I got an abscess in my jaw.
I tell you, kittens. I have been keeping a right positive attitude. I may have tilted slightly this last week. Just a bit. a few manly tears may have been shed. Many curse words were said. My naturally Pollyanna attitude may have just slightly been shaken.
So now I have "upgraded" from a gas guzzling POS car to a fat guzzling bike. It's for the best. I have a lot of tummy to burn off. About 294 thousand calories worth. I find numbers like that meaningless. So let's try this:
About 1730 cake pops. Yikes
As confections or cakes go, it's not bad. No fructose and no Hydrogenated oils. But I wouldn't recommend more than one a week.
Sunday mornings, by the by, are magical. The people are firndlier. The atmosphere calmer.
Finally, today's list:
Why MKE hates bicyclists
1) Few trails.
When I lived in Madison, I couldn't kick a n octogenarian hippy without tripping on a bike trail. You never had to take main roads to get anywhere. The Milwaukee sprawl dwarfs Madison, but I find that none of the trails direct me to the places I need to go. This is great when you want a leisurely bike ride. Not so good for getting to work.
2) Cars.
When I lived in Madison, I found the drivers to be somewhat sympathetic to my plight. I am on a vehicle that weighs in at around 30 lbs, huffing and puffing like an asthmatic corgi, with no external armor. Here, in MKE, it's a crap shoot. Some drivers will kindly pass with a wide birth. Some will zip by so closes as to brush your back hair, and some, I believe, will go out of their way to give you a love tap.
3)Weird hills.
OK, so Madison has hills, but they never seemed as bad as here. Except for Monroe street, most of the hills in Madison are short and sweet. Or I imagine they were.
Now, I don't really want to classify as a hill what amounts to a berm with delusions of grandeur, but it is graded as an incline for a mile.
I dunno, maybe I was in better shape in Madison, but fuck my tubby ass with an iron poker it was brutal.
Normally I would source my conclusions. This is not always useful to you, dear readers.
One last bit. Wish your dad a happy Father's Day. Unless he was a grade A dick. If his grade in Dickhead 101 was a B or less*, give him this one day, K? I normally don't like holidays. I must be getting sentimental in my dementia.
Cheers all.
*He'll never get his masters if he doesn't apply himself.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Beans, beans, They're good for your heart.
Quick update friends!
Food. We've taken care of the most important part of living in your car. That is Internet. Now we must tackle the next struggle. Food and water.
Right now, I have a modest income, so food is not quite the problem it will be in a few months. But without a kitchen, cooking becomes problematic.
If well prepared for your adventure, you can purchase a camp stove or create a solar oven. Lacking the funds or the space for one, you are going to have to improvise.
If you are lucky, you'll have a friend like Jen who will let you use her kitchen. Eating healthy becomes a little easier of you can grab some dry beans and maybe a little rice, drop it in a slow cooker, and chow down 8 hours later. By Bean meal works out to 3 dollars a day and will keep you stupid full. It's healthy, vegan, and keeps your insulin from spiking - a plus for those of us with blood sugar issues.
Beans, my friend.. If you can eat them, bully for you. You win. No, it's not the fanciest of grub. But you gave up fancy when you gave up your address.
Now, things get trickier if you can't use a kitchen and don't have a way to cook. You have to eat prepared foods. This can get expensive. And if you were made of money, you'd have that address.
Fast food is right out. Don't even think about it. it's poor nutritional value and excess calories will make you fat and tired. And bulking doesn't make it easier to sleep in your car.
Beans are your friend again, and so is Walmart. Is there anything these two can't accomplish (besides providing well-paying jobs)?
A bowl and a spoon and a 75 cent can of beans. If you make one meal of yours a can of pre-cooked beans, it will give you protein and fiber and keep you full. Avoid baked beans and go straight for the black beans. Add a little chili powder and voila!
Other things to eat are Deli meats, Pepperoni, and Sardines. When choosing prepared meats, make sure to keep your macros. Keto, for example, requires minimum protein, maximum carbohydrates, and some fat. You want to look for a solid calorie to price ratio. Spam, for example, is not that great for the price. Go for sardines instead. On slow carb, be careful how much sugar is in your foods. And don't be afraid to pick up a bag of baby carrots on either. Yeah, they are high in sugar and carbs as vegetables go, but you cannot beat them for fullness factor. I also love raw broccoli and spinach. Just like dieting, continued fullness is important. If you desire fruit, it's actually not that expensive to add an apple or a nectarine.
Eating prepped food will cost you between 5-10 dollars a day, depending on your dietary requirements. Avoid chips, candy, and prepared "junk food" snacks. They are actually not as inexpensive as you think, and they won't provide nutrition.
In the future we shall discuss visiting other cities, and busking. I spoke my friend JP, who's traveled this way, He speaks of the incredible generosity of people. I have experienced some of this, but I do not share his worldview. I have trouble asking for things (Which is 50% of getting things). Hopefully I can break that limiting worldview and try something new.
Food. We've taken care of the most important part of living in your car. That is Internet. Now we must tackle the next struggle. Food and water.
Right now, I have a modest income, so food is not quite the problem it will be in a few months. But without a kitchen, cooking becomes problematic.
If well prepared for your adventure, you can purchase a camp stove or create a solar oven. Lacking the funds or the space for one, you are going to have to improvise.
If you are lucky, you'll have a friend like Jen who will let you use her kitchen. Eating healthy becomes a little easier of you can grab some dry beans and maybe a little rice, drop it in a slow cooker, and chow down 8 hours later. By Bean meal works out to 3 dollars a day and will keep you stupid full. It's healthy, vegan, and keeps your insulin from spiking - a plus for those of us with blood sugar issues.
Beans, my friend.. If you can eat them, bully for you. You win. No, it's not the fanciest of grub. But you gave up fancy when you gave up your address.
Now, things get trickier if you can't use a kitchen and don't have a way to cook. You have to eat prepared foods. This can get expensive. And if you were made of money, you'd have that address.
Fast food is right out. Don't even think about it. it's poor nutritional value and excess calories will make you fat and tired. And bulking doesn't make it easier to sleep in your car.
Beans are your friend again, and so is Walmart. Is there anything these two can't accomplish (besides providing well-paying jobs)?
A bowl and a spoon and a 75 cent can of beans. If you make one meal of yours a can of pre-cooked beans, it will give you protein and fiber and keep you full. Avoid baked beans and go straight for the black beans. Add a little chili powder and voila!
Other things to eat are Deli meats, Pepperoni, and Sardines. When choosing prepared meats, make sure to keep your macros. Keto, for example, requires minimum protein, maximum carbohydrates, and some fat. You want to look for a solid calorie to price ratio. Spam, for example, is not that great for the price. Go for sardines instead. On slow carb, be careful how much sugar is in your foods. And don't be afraid to pick up a bag of baby carrots on either. Yeah, they are high in sugar and carbs as vegetables go, but you cannot beat them for fullness factor. I also love raw broccoli and spinach. Just like dieting, continued fullness is important. If you desire fruit, it's actually not that expensive to add an apple or a nectarine.
Eating prepped food will cost you between 5-10 dollars a day, depending on your dietary requirements. Avoid chips, candy, and prepared "junk food" snacks. They are actually not as inexpensive as you think, and they won't provide nutrition.
In the future we shall discuss visiting other cities, and busking. I spoke my friend JP, who's traveled this way, He speaks of the incredible generosity of people. I have experienced some of this, but I do not share his worldview. I have trouble asking for things (Which is 50% of getting things). Hopefully I can break that limiting worldview and try something new.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Adventures of a Middle Class Mobo
Hello Again!
My plan was to write more often. I have not. Dear readers, I have done you a disservice. I throw myself upon my lappy! I prostrate myself for your forgiveness.
Or perhaps I just sip my large black coffee.
I have pushed my other projects back to tell you about my latest adventure. I am excited to say that I am a Mobile Hobo, or "Mobo". I confess that i do love that term. I cannot claim credit for it's invention. My friend Don told me it. No idea where he got it.
A Mobile hobo is a hobo who has a car. If we want to get pedantic, a hobo is a wandering worker, car or no. I am actually living the life of a tramp or a bum. Unfortunately, trying to combine "mobile" with tramp or bum makes me sound like a demented octogenarian tapioca junkie. M'tramp. M'bumramp. Tramampum...Mobum.
Trump? No. That would imply I have money to not look like a hobo, but still choose to for reasons of toupee.
Speaking of dressing up. My friend Jes (read her blog here) is a master fashionista. She knows her stuff, and is a master deal finder. Want to look good on the cheap. She can help. She says I would look good in Taupe. I trust her. However, I find the name incredibly vulgar.
Taupe. Say it. Taupe.
So when I lose these last "few" (80) clinging pounds, I shall get something Taupe.
Back to the topic. I am a bum, at least temporarily. I shall go into my justifications in future blog posts, but for the time being I want to give a few first impressions.
1) Early to bed and early to rise, more or less.
I worked out hard yesterday. I walked for an hour, then I did the Arc trainer, then I lifted. I was beat to hell. But I started at 10:30 pm and finished my post-workout shower around 2. Getting to bed that late normally isn't a problem. It usually takes me about a half an hour for me to get to sleep, more in the car. Suddenly it's 5:30 am and light's shining in. I don't want to get too much sun..So that means moving indoors. I got 3 hours of sleep last night.
I'm a little hinky
2) Walmart becomes your friend.
I slept in the parking lot of a local Walmart. The advantage of Walmart is the parking lot is huge. There are plenty of empty spaces to park in. You look exactly like any of the drones working. One person parked right next to me. they either didn't see me or didn't care. And more importantly, when morning comes you can head into the bathroom quickly and take care of business.
3) Kill the lights and put it in neutral...well..park, actually.
These are what will get to you. The lamps in a lot are pretty bright. This discourages crime, but makes sleeping difficult. I solved this by hanging blankets as makeshift curtains. It has the added effect of obscuring me from the curious. Always hit the parking break
4) Internets
We cannot, in this day and age, live without our Cheezeburger Cats. Here is my cursory exploration of local internets.
Starbucks: Internet Speed is good, but it's costly to sit there (about 3 bucks a day). Second best hours (6am to 10pm) and if you go late at night they sometimes give you food they would otherwise throw away.
McD's: Where I write this. Only a dollar for a soda pop or a coffee. Sit all day. Longest hours (5:30 until Midnight). Internet is woefully slow. Especially if some douche-canoe is HOGGING ALL THE BANDWIDTH. I'M LOOKING AT YOU, KID WITH THE HEADPHONES! QUIT YOUR YOUTUBINATING AND STOP CLOGGING MY WEBPIPE!
Library: Shortest Hours (10am to 5pm). Comparable to Starbucks. Cheapest (FREE).
Any other locations that you know of? Send me a line.
5) It's not so bad.
As long as you have a moderate size car, you can sleep pretty well. I have to sleep sitting up - mostly because I normally sleep on my stomach, and until I get a van, that's not an option. So I just sit up on a bank of pillows and stretch my legs out. But it's cozy and so far I am lucky to have cool evenings, few insects, and zero . We shall see if this continues.
Well, that's it so far. If you liek this, then like it, or follow me. In the future I shall discuss other strategies for going "off grid". Most notably food and income. How do you maintain a diet? Can you live on canned beans alone? Gluten free and Vegan options?
Also, I added to the list of books here
My plan was to write more often. I have not. Dear readers, I have done you a disservice. I throw myself upon my lappy! I prostrate myself for your forgiveness.
Or perhaps I just sip my large black coffee.
I have pushed my other projects back to tell you about my latest adventure. I am excited to say that I am a Mobile Hobo, or "Mobo". I confess that i do love that term. I cannot claim credit for it's invention. My friend Don told me it. No idea where he got it.
A Mobile hobo is a hobo who has a car. If we want to get pedantic, a hobo is a wandering worker, car or no. I am actually living the life of a tramp or a bum. Unfortunately, trying to combine "mobile" with tramp or bum makes me sound like a demented octogenarian tapioca junkie. M'tramp. M'bumramp. Tramampum...Mobum.
Trump? No. That would imply I have money to not look like a hobo, but still choose to for reasons of toupee.
Speaking of dressing up. My friend Jes (read her blog here) is a master fashionista. She knows her stuff, and is a master deal finder. Want to look good on the cheap. She can help. She says I would look good in Taupe. I trust her. However, I find the name incredibly vulgar.
Taupe. Say it. Taupe.
So when I lose these last "few" (80) clinging pounds, I shall get something Taupe.
Back to the topic. I am a bum, at least temporarily. I shall go into my justifications in future blog posts, but for the time being I want to give a few first impressions.
1) Early to bed and early to rise, more or less.
I worked out hard yesterday. I walked for an hour, then I did the Arc trainer, then I lifted. I was beat to hell. But I started at 10:30 pm and finished my post-workout shower around 2. Getting to bed that late normally isn't a problem. It usually takes me about a half an hour for me to get to sleep, more in the car. Suddenly it's 5:30 am and light's shining in. I don't want to get too much sun..So that means moving indoors. I got 3 hours of sleep last night.
I'm a little hinky
2) Walmart becomes your friend.
I slept in the parking lot of a local Walmart. The advantage of Walmart is the parking lot is huge. There are plenty of empty spaces to park in. You look exactly like any of the drones working. One person parked right next to me. they either didn't see me or didn't care. And more importantly, when morning comes you can head into the bathroom quickly and take care of business.
3) Kill the lights and put it in neutral...well..park, actually.
These are what will get to you. The lamps in a lot are pretty bright. This discourages crime, but makes sleeping difficult. I solved this by hanging blankets as makeshift curtains. It has the added effect of obscuring me from the curious. Always hit the parking break
4) Internets
We cannot, in this day and age, live without our Cheezeburger Cats. Here is my cursory exploration of local internets.
Starbucks: Internet Speed is good, but it's costly to sit there (about 3 bucks a day). Second best hours (6am to 10pm) and if you go late at night they sometimes give you food they would otherwise throw away.
McD's: Where I write this. Only a dollar for a soda pop or a coffee. Sit all day. Longest hours (5:30 until Midnight). Internet is woefully slow. Especially if some douche-canoe is HOGGING ALL THE BANDWIDTH. I'M LOOKING AT YOU, KID WITH THE HEADPHONES! QUIT YOUR YOUTUBINATING AND STOP CLOGGING MY WEBPIPE!
Library: Shortest Hours (10am to 5pm). Comparable to Starbucks. Cheapest (FREE).
Any other locations that you know of? Send me a line.
5) It's not so bad.
As long as you have a moderate size car, you can sleep pretty well. I have to sleep sitting up - mostly because I normally sleep on my stomach, and until I get a van, that's not an option. So I just sit up on a bank of pillows and stretch my legs out. But it's cozy and so far I am lucky to have cool evenings, few insects, and zero . We shall see if this continues.
Well, that's it so far. If you liek this, then like it, or follow me. In the future I shall discuss other strategies for going "off grid". Most notably food and income. How do you maintain a diet? Can you live on canned beans alone? Gluten free and Vegan options?
Also, I added to the list of books here
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