Snowden August 21, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Blogging, Humor, Life Balance, Mindfulness, People.31 comments
What if they are watching every step we take?
What if they are reading, saving, and collating our e-mails, library cards, movie queues, blog posts, account data, fitbit readouts, grocery store purchases, etc.?
What if they keep track of the books we read and the movies we watch?
What if they eavesdrop on our conversations and use facial recognition software as we window shop?
What if they watch us while we’re sleeping and know when we’re awake?
What if they know when we’ve been bad or good . . . and decide to tell Santa on us?
Hmm . . . “let’s give them something to talk about.
A little mystery to figure out.”
Let’s do something wild and crazy and unexpected.
Let’s be who we are and say what we will because . . . we can.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Shibal Biyong and Tangjinjaem August 9, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness, People.22 comments
What’s Shibal Biyong?
It’s a “fuck it expense” ~ an unnecessary indulgence that keeps you from giving up entirely. The expression originated in South Korea in 2016:
[I]n South Korea, a generation of frustrated young people is reclaiming the idea of frivolous expenses—from cab rides to expensive sushi—as a psychological survival tool dubbed shibal biyong.
* * *
A shibal biyong is an expense that might seem unnecessary but that helps you get through a bad day. It’s the $20 you splurge for a cab home instead of taking the subway after you’ve been denied a promotion or the comforting but expensive sushi you buy after you’ve been berated by your boss. The term implies that you might as well make yourself happy right now because your prospects in the long term seem bleak. Buy that nice coat, because you’ll never get on the housing ladder. Eat that steak, because you’ll never save up enough to retire.
* * *
Inequality and a sense of economic despair have taken a fierce toll on South Koreans’ mental health. Nearly half of all deaths among South Koreans in their 20s are due to suicide, compared with just under 1 in 5 Americans of the same age. The country’s overall suicide rate was the highest among OECD countries from 2003 to 2016.
The title of a recent South Korean bestselling book, I Want to Die, but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), captures the essence of shibal biyong.
* * *
If South Korean millennials are squandering their money, it’s not because they’ve lost touch with reality. Quite the opposite: For many of them, short-term consumption has become a rational choice maximizing the utility of money based on a realistic assessment of the future.
* * *
“Shibal biyong and tangjinjaem [squandering fun] are symbolic endeavors responding to social problems via individual consumption,” said Alex Taek-Gwang Lee, a professor at Kyung Hee University in Seoul. “As saving cannot guarantee the future, unlike in the past, the idea of investing in the present rather than the future gains strength.”
* * *
Koreans have begun blowing their money not out of ignorance but out of common sense. A small pleasure now is better than a promised future contentment that will never come.
To read more: Why Young Koreans Love to Splurge (Foreign Policy)
Aah . . . that’s better!
Excitement At Our Local Publix! July 30, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Food & Drink, People.41 comments
Yesterday, BFF and I headed to Publix (“where shopping is a pleasure”) to get groceries.
On arrival, we noted throngs of people milling about the perimeter of the parking lot. The parking lot proper had been cordoned off with yellow crime scene tape. Ambulances, Police Cars, and Fire Trucks populated the almost empty lot as officials scurried about with walkie-talkies.
“Hey, BFF. It looks like there’s been a bomb threat.”
“You think?”
“I do. Why else would they cordon off the entire parking lot?”
As BFF continued to drive toward the scene, we saw a van emblazoned with “Bomb Squad” on the side, confirming our suspicions.
At the perimeter of the scene, we asked a police officer for a quick recounting.
All he would say is that a “suspicious package” had been found near the entrance to Publix and that they had evacuated all the stores in the shopping center. He thought the stores would be reopening “soon.”
We decided not to stick around. Instead, we headed to the Island Publix to stock up on essentials.
This morning as we were walking up to the pool, BFF saw this headline in the Bradenton Herald paper sitting in our neighbor’s driveway:
Suspicious Package outside Bradenton Publix turns out to be a Water Bottle
Curiosity satisfied, we continued to the pool where we found an empty water bottle leaning up against the pool shed.
We did NOT call the bomb squad since the empty bottle was not adorned with wires or otherwise connected to an incendiary device.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Take This Job . . . And Shovel It! July 16, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, Humor, People.34 comments
At my annual health and wellness exam, I asked my primary care physician about InSure ONE vs. Cologuard vs. a full blown Colonoscopy.
He did not recommend the InSure ONE test since it only screens for blood cells and not all polyps bleed.
And if they bleed, they don’t bleed all of the time. They just bleed some of the time.
As a result, with InSure ONE, you will get a false negative some of the time. Which isn’t all that reassuring.
He did recommend giving Cologuard a go. Pun intended.
Since Cologuard looks at the underlying DNA of the collected cells, you seldom get a false negative. If the results come back negative, you’re good to go for another year or so. Which is reassuring.
There’s no need to do all the messy prep work involved with having a colonoscopy UNLESS you get a positive result.
Anyway, all of the above got me thinking about what must be one of the least desirable jobs in the medical industry ~> opening up boxes of Cologuard at the lab every morning.
Oh, Poo!
Happy Memorial Day! May 27, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Humor, People.20 comments
Memorial Day weekend always reminds me of Countryside Swim & Tennis Club because that’s when the pool would be filled with F~R~I~G~I~D ice water and kids with no sense would race to the edge and jump in, bobbing around until they turned blue!
But it also reminds me of the Memorial Day parade to the local Revolutionary War cemetery for a graveside service.
The parade included Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Brownies, the elementary school band, the fife and drum corps (dressed in Revolutionary War garb), military veterans, volunteer firefighters, the town’s First Aid Squad, and local dignitaries.
Freedom. It’s a good thing!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Tiggers Bounce! May 23, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Health & Wellness, Life Balance, Mindfulness, People.28 comments
The truth is, you only get to be a victim once.
After that, you’re a volunteer.
To read more: Super-Resilient People Are 6 Times More Likely To Do This 1 Thing (Inc.)
Aah . . . that’s better!
“All In” April 27, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, People, Word Play.29 comments
Have you been watching James Holzhauer as he wows audiences on Jeopardy?
He’s got a photographic memory AND he’s a professional sports gambler who quick with the clicker ~> a lethal combination, especially when combined with his killer smile!
And he’s fearless!
When he lands on a Double Jeopardy, he calmly pushes it “All In” . . . doubling his score.
After 17 appearances, James has won $1,275,587 and he’s still going strong.
To put his performance in context, Ken Jennings won $2.5 million in regular games back in 2004 ~ but it took him 75 games to get there.
Before James, the single highest one day win totaled $77,000.
James has surpassed that record . . . 8 times!
His highest one day total to date ~ $131,127.
Aah . . . that’s amazing!
Do You Need A Digital Will? April 23, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Home & Garden, Life Balance, People.22 comments
With so much of our lives stored on-line, what would happen if you were out of the picture?
Would someone else be able to access your on-line accounts to pay bills, move money, cancel subscriptions, read e-mails, retrieve photos, handle other transactions, etc.?
If the thought is making you ponder (or panic), read this:
Digital Wills: What You Need to Know
Aah . . . that’s better!
Six Little Stories April 21, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Life Balance, People, Word Play.34 comments
{1} Once all villagers decided to pray for rain.
On the day of prayer all the people gathered, but only one boy came with an umbrella.
That’s FAITH
{2} When you throw a baby in the air, she laughs because she knows you will catch her.
That’s TRUST
{3} Every night we go to bed, without any assurance of being alive the next morning but still we set the alarms to wake up.
That’s HOPE
(4) We plan big things for tomorrow in spite of zero knowledge of the future.
That’s CONFIDENCE
(5) We see the world suffering, but still we get married and have children.
That’s LOVE
{6} An old man’s shirt reads: “I am not 80 years old . . . I am sweet 16 with 64 years experience.”
That’s ATTITUDE
Aah . . . that’s better!
Source: E-mail from unknown author (sent by Joe M.)
Hairy Heirs ~ Pet Bequests March 17, 2019
Posted by nrhatch in Animals, Life Balance, People.17 comments
Want to set up a kitty for kitty?
This article on the ins and outs of setting up a pet trust may be of interest to the animal lover in you:
What’s In The Kitty? Pet Bequests Aren’t Only For The Rich And Famous
Special considerations apply if your pet has a l-o-n-g life expectancy, like a tortoise or a parrot.
Knowing your beloved pet(s) will be cared for however long they live may provide you with the peace of mind you need to breathe easy right here and now!
Aah . . . that’s better!
