Life Altering Knowledge

Throughout life we gain lots of knowledge, but certain facts I feel resonated in me much more than others. These facts changed my perception of the world for one reason or another. To extents that I would never see the world the same ever again.

1. Learning indigo was a color in the rainbow. (pre-school)
This happened obviously when I was young, but this I always remembered as changing my perception of how I viewed the world. Up until this, I drew my rainbows with the colors that were available in my pack of eight Crayola crayons: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. These were the colors we learned in preschool. But when I learned about ROYGBIV, it all changed. All of a sudden there was the magical other color which I had been ignoring for years, that I had not even been told about, and which Crayola had not even deemed important to be in the 8-pack, yet had been in rainbows all along! I had felt misled, and couldn't understand how such a critical color was lacking from crayon boxes, from people's general knowledge of colors. Additionally, I could not identify it in the common world. It seemed to have snuck secretly in there next to blue and purple, and was demanding mention.














2. Learning pineapples grow from the ground. (college)
On a hike in Swaziland, we walked through a pineapple patch. When I noticed that the plants on the ground had pineapples growing from their centers, I was in shock. Up until now, I had pictured pineapples growing from trees, like apples, oranges, and peaches. Seeing them grow upward, from plants which looked like pineapple tops was life-altering. I would not have pegged them as growing this way, a secondary belief being that they probably could grow underground like radishes and carrots. To picture something happening in one manner for a long time, and then it being completely wrong, was eye-opening. I believe others could have this feeling when they discover bananas grow upwards, not downwards like you purchase in stores.




















3. Learning you only breathe through one nostril at a time (post-college)
Through the nasal cycle, only one nostril is used at any given time. The nostrils switch off every two to four hours. I couldn't believe that I could go so many years without realizing this was happening! Testing it out, by feeling air blow out of only one nostril during normal breathing, left me speechless. (image source)

Fake IDs for Senior Citizens

Teenagers get fake IDs so they can buy cigarettes. Those below drinking age get fake IDs so they can buy alcohol. But I always wondered if adults in their late 50s and younger 60s get fake IDs that say they are 65. With such a fake ID, they could get into movies, museums, and many other places with a senior citizen discount! Seems like a good idea to me.

Song Request on 96Rock

For the first time in my life yesterday, I called into a radio station and got through for a song request. It was 10 pm on May 26, and it was time for Mandatory Metallica on 96Rock, 96.1 WBBB in Raleigh. The disc jockey said he would play one Metallica song of his choosing, and then two requests.

I heard this and I immediately called in. I got through and was excited to request "Disposable Heroes" off of Metallica's Master of Puppets. The disc jockey said that was the exact song he wanted to put in himself! He asked for my name and location. I was psyched to hear my song play, and even more so to hear him announce who requested it after. After the song ended he started, "That was 'Disposable Heroes'. [my name] in Raleigh and I co-oping on that one there..."

He mispronounced my name though...

Number Within Parentheses Syndrome (2)

Following up on the earlier post, I guess people who hate getting emails must not have NWP Syndrome. They must despise NWPs just as much as I seem to enjoy them.

Also some people leave their Inboxes filled all the time. Unless they are artificially creating a scenario where they get enjoyment from NWP, they probably don't care at all. I also don't understand how they can live like that. My goal every time I go to my email or blogroll is to read all new items and file them as necessary.

Drag Bingo in Durham

Last night attended Drag Bingo in Durham, North Carolina with some friends. I have never been before to either a drag show or a Bingo night. I did not win at Bingo, but I did get pulled up on stage by the drag queen MC for being a cute guy in the audience, and was complimented on my eyes in front of the 300+ people there. Received two free tickets to a future Drag Bingo night, held monthly, so I guess I'll be heading back later this summer.

Drag Bingo has a $17 entry fee and proceeds go to Alliance of AIDS Services North Carolina.

Number Within Parentheses Syndrome (1)

There must be a more technical term for this, but my internet searching has come up empty. I describe what I call Number Within Parentheses (NWP) Syndrome below:

I find it is it incredibly fulfilling when I see a NWP. Example: (1) or (4) or (17)

Perhaps one could call it obsessive compulsive disorder, but I believe more is involved with NWP Syndrome. The reason behind it is email, blogrolls, or any service that alerts you to new items by specifying how many there are by writing the NWP. e.g.



This obsession is enhanced when the NWP and preceding word are bolded. e.g.





Elaborating, typically the word "Inbox" sits alone for periods of time, but when it fills, and I see "Inbox (1)" I get a rush of excitement. No matter where my eyes are on the screen, I can sense the change, and I instantly feel happy. I can't resist checking right away, even just to see what the subject line is. Sometimes I will let the email message sit unopen though, just to see the NWP next to the word "Inbox". I feel satisfied knowing someone has contacted me.

I realized this was more than just simple excitement, and more like an obsession, when I noticed I could reproduce similar feelings, although to a lesser extent, when I emailed myself message. No, I have never done this just to produce such a stimulation, but the times I have emailed myself a reminder or a document, and I see the Inbox go bold with a NWP next to it, I get a quick surge of happiness, before my conscious mind steps in and reminds my subconscious that it is my own message.

This applies to most things that have an NWP. Google of course uses an NWP for many of their products. It does not apply to all things though, such as renaming several files in Windows Exploreer, and they become sequentially numbered with an NWP. e.g. School Photo, School Photo (1), School Photo (2), School Photo (3)

NJ Transit in NC?

I spotted these two NJ Transit buses driving north on I-85 near Henderson, NC. I was driving through here around the same time a week later, and saw two more! I do not know why they would be driving down here. Perhaps manufactured somewhere down south?

Textbook Example Fail

Googling Your Love Interest

Turn-on: When you google your love interest's name and the first page of results has several results about them.

Turn-off: When one of those results is from a police blotter.

Fire Escape Fail