Sippi Lovin'

It seems that, despite the best of intentions, I am unable to post here more than once every two or three weeks. I do, however, make the time to read up on everyone else’s doings and often wish I were able to offer a more reciprocal friendship. I derive much joy from Ben’s teachings, Tim’s amusing anecdotes, and Aaron’s envious lifestyle, to name a few, but give little back in return. I have always felt that my relationship with Alf was an exceptionally healthy one because we shared and accepted each other’s communicative shortcomings. The shortcomings I speak of aren’t of the mumbling and demure nature, although we share those as well! I envision our friendship as being cryogenically frozen in times like these and restored to its original luster whenever our paths cross again. A lack of correspondence implies, “I’ve been busy,” nothing more. I guess what I’m trying to do is encourage those who do read this blog to remain patient if they can and if not, well, freeze what positive regard is left and wait for my return (whether that be in print or person.)

All things relative, life has treated me well since Michelle’s departure two weeks ago. Naturally, it was great having her down here with me and I did well not to cajole her into TO many evenings of reading. I believe she only finished a single book that week, as compared with the three she finished her first week here last semester! We didn’t get down to experience Marti Gras while she was here, although we envision many more opportunities to do so in the years to come. I am encouraging anyone interested in the spectacle to join us as that seems like my best chance to lure folks to the Deep South. We did, however, manage a day trip to the Gulf of Mexico, which was enjoyable.

My studies continue to be intense as I transition to life as a student. Oddly enough, I have noticed an increasing willingness to embrace the lifestyle since last semester. Unfortunately, this applies more to discussion of the subject matter than actual studying, but I sense I am at least moving in the right direction. Typically there are two weeks in every semester, which make every student question their sanity, much like a distance runner wonders why they ever ran a single step at the 5km mark of an 8km race. That first week just eclipsed and I am much relieved to have it behind me. The second week, of course, is finals week. In the next month or so I aim to have written my proposal for the master’s thesis. After that, I need only conduct the study, write the paper, and defend my work in front of a panel of three cutting professors…I don’t know why I shared that, it couldn’t possibly be interesting for you, my reader, and I most certainly didn’t find it satisfying.

What I did find satisfying, however, was our basketball team’s first win in department history. The win spurred us on to our best basketball of the season in a loss during the second round of playoff basketball. We won playing a 2-3 zone, but it’s likely our opponent wouldn’t have scored had we played no defense at all. More noteworthy, was our second game (yes I know it was a loss) where we utilized the box-in-one, made popular by the notorious Erik Thor Klinker and battled for the entire forty minutes. Yours truly exploded for eleven points (we only scored 36) and was featured as the “one” in their tenacious D.

Before I go, let me impart this nugget of psychological lore. Two weeks ago we were asked to review a journal article by Baumeister and colleagues titled, “Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource?” It was an interesting read and inspired our professor to share a story about his advisor in graduate school who used to be married to the guy. Baumeister is a social psychologist whose research has lent support to the idea that self-control is very much a limited resource that can be regenerated, but only after extended periods of congruence in an individual’s life. For example, he has shown that a participant’s willpower and “stick-to-it-tiveness” is greatly depleted in impossible maze tasks when primed with an exercise where participants were forced to eat radishes instead of chocolate chip cookies, which sat beside the radishes. Well, it appears as if Baumeister took his ego depletion teachings to heart as his former wife claims that in an effort to reserve his mental energies for more worthy pursuits, the man began to eat whatever he desired and soon saw his weight skyrocket out of control. Now that’s food for thought!

I promise there is more to come...perhaps even later tonight, but for now, feast your eyes on this! I found it via Aaron's website and Margret's (Alf's mom) comment. How I miss the boy.

http://www.sinosplice.com/weblog/archives/001531.php