Another road trip
Saturday morning, I didn't receive my expected call from my friend. No panic, I still had things to tidy before showing the home in my search for new roommates. Finally got in contact, he was on the road and heading into Atlanta. I suggested Top Spice for lunch, missed one bus, and decided to walk. Still ended up getting there before him. It ended up being a continuous conversation over the past, philosophy, politics, money, children - everything you really aren't supposed to discuss - over the rest of the trip. Picked up gas and nuts at a Costco on the border of Tennessee. On approaching Nashville, called Raul and Swati to see if either wanted dinner company. Raul called back to tell me he and Lindsey were in California; never heard back from Swati. Grandmother called to ask about pants. Had dinner in an unexpectedly smokey Waffle House at the edge of Kentucky. Landed in Bloomington in the wee hours. In my limited experience with the city, I had seen neither its urban-ness nor its rural-ness; just a sense of suburb. Despite my friend's vacillation, I insisted on an 8 AM wakeup.
As the Courtyard did not include breakfast as part of the deal, we went to Panera. I'm probably more fond of their "souffles" than I should be. Shortly after we sat down, I looked back to discover a line had not only appeared but extended to the door.
As we pulled up to the couple's former residence, my friend admitted that he didn't have the keys. He called his wife, and their realtor, and in the interest of getting something done, opened the garage and started arranging yard stuff. Having seen one too many sitcoms, I decided to try the door in from the garage - and naturally, it was open. We looked over the objects that needed moving, formed a battle plan, and started schlepping post-haste. A few surprises here and there: Mexican jumping drawers, unexpected leftovers, and a laminated cardboard cut. My normal plan of large first was subverted because of a concern about the delicacy of a number of their pieces. As such, the vast majority of the stuff didn't come much higher than three feet in the truck. Unfortunately, this led to something of a pileup at the very end. But we made it fit!
Lunch was supposed to be at their favorite Thai place in Bloomington, but it was closed Sundays. So we stopped over at a new diner he wanted to try, which closed at 3. So we finally ended up at Casa Brava, with fresh and tasty food and ridiculously slow service. Then he showed me one of their favorite places, Half-Price Books, and I seriously overbought media. I keep saying this, but I really need to put the brakes on until I read what I have. Another journey into the night, arriving in Atlanta in the wee hours of Monday.So we have a built-in stimulus-response addiction. On an evolutionary level, it totally makes sense: If foraging, finding a little something means you're more likely to survive.
Extend analogy to scanning social media or surfing the web. We get a hit of dopamine whenever we find "something". Unfortunately, our biology hasn't caught up with our technology, and some people get stuck repeatedly hitting "refresh" for that addictive experience of novelty. What's worse, as karishi pointed out, some companies intentionally exploit this primal tendency.
Part two on social media and essential habits: Debating people on the internet!
So in years past, most people's survival depended on their being accepted by the group. In addition, one's access to resources depended on group acceptance. If another member of the tribe challenges you, the penalty ranges from loss of stuff to death.
Fast forward to a place where anyone anywhere can question (to differing degrees of courtesy and rationality) the validity of your beliefs (or personhood). Everyone's worldview is regularly challenged. While social capital (still a pet project of mine) is important, making a primate threat-display on here is unlikely to have any effect on the target's actual resources... but again, our biology hasn't caught up with our technology, and we see it as an actual threat. And like the previously-mentioned internet addiction, regularly scan for new material. Feel threatened whenever challenged, feel vindicated when we respond instantly, and as always, the hit of chemicals when we find something new.Woo, coffee with crush!Funny seeing the clay reflecting pink off of a white building.Saw an oddly-bent rainbow.I don't feel ready for Argentina yet, but it's less than two weeks away. Studying an average of a half hour of Spanish every day. Still haven't heard about buses or reservations. Changed itinerary to include a visit to Iguazu Falls rather than south to Patagonia. I will be sleeping in Patagonia, but only because that's the name the hotel gave that room. ;9
Related to not feeling ready, haven't checked a lot of things off my to-do list of late. :/ Keep getting sidetracked.
As the Courtyard did not include breakfast as part of the deal, we went to Panera. I'm probably more fond of their "souffles" than I should be. Shortly after we sat down, I looked back to discover a line had not only appeared but extended to the door.
As we pulled up to the couple's former residence, my friend admitted that he didn't have the keys. He called his wife, and their realtor, and in the interest of getting something done, opened the garage and started arranging yard stuff. Having seen one too many sitcoms, I decided to try the door in from the garage - and naturally, it was open. We looked over the objects that needed moving, formed a battle plan, and started schlepping post-haste. A few surprises here and there: Mexican jumping drawers, unexpected leftovers, and a laminated cardboard cut. My normal plan of large first was subverted because of a concern about the delicacy of a number of their pieces. As such, the vast majority of the stuff didn't come much higher than three feet in the truck. Unfortunately, this led to something of a pileup at the very end. But we made it fit!
Lunch was supposed to be at their favorite Thai place in Bloomington, but it was closed Sundays. So we stopped over at a new diner he wanted to try, which closed at 3. So we finally ended up at Casa Brava, with fresh and tasty food and ridiculously slow service. Then he showed me one of their favorite places, Half-Price Books, and I seriously overbought media. I keep saying this, but I really need to put the brakes on until I read what I have. Another journey into the night, arriving in Atlanta in the wee hours of Monday.So we have a built-in stimulus-response addiction. On an evolutionary level, it totally makes sense: If foraging, finding a little something means you're more likely to survive.
Extend analogy to scanning social media or surfing the web. We get a hit of dopamine whenever we find "something". Unfortunately, our biology hasn't caught up with our technology, and some people get stuck repeatedly hitting "refresh" for that addictive experience of novelty. What's worse, as karishi pointed out, some companies intentionally exploit this primal tendency.
Part two on social media and essential habits: Debating people on the internet!
So in years past, most people's survival depended on their being accepted by the group. In addition, one's access to resources depended on group acceptance. If another member of the tribe challenges you, the penalty ranges from loss of stuff to death.
Fast forward to a place where anyone anywhere can question (to differing degrees of courtesy and rationality) the validity of your beliefs (or personhood). Everyone's worldview is regularly challenged. While social capital (still a pet project of mine) is important, making a primate threat-display on here is unlikely to have any effect on the target's actual resources... but again, our biology hasn't caught up with our technology, and we see it as an actual threat. And like the previously-mentioned internet addiction, regularly scan for new material. Feel threatened whenever challenged, feel vindicated when we respond instantly, and as always, the hit of chemicals when we find something new.Woo, coffee with crush!Funny seeing the clay reflecting pink off of a white building.Saw an oddly-bent rainbow.I don't feel ready for Argentina yet, but it's less than two weeks away. Studying an average of a half hour of Spanish every day. Still haven't heard about buses or reservations. Changed itinerary to include a visit to Iguazu Falls rather than south to Patagonia. I will be sleeping in Patagonia, but only because that's the name the hotel gave that room. ;9
Related to not feeling ready, haven't checked a lot of things off my to-do list of late. :/ Keep getting sidetracked.