Month: June 2017

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Scrolls of the Souls – Parsec’s Top 5


 
I’ve never considered myself a “book worm”. It’s not that I dislike reading, but it’s a significant time commitment whereas watching a TV show or even a movie can be done in 1-3 hours. You can’t really multitask while reading a book either (which is a good thing). That said, I do find immense value in reading.

The truth is that once you’ve completed your education (high school, college, etc.) you have little exposure to “passively” learning new things. At the very least, a “variety” of new things. No one is making you learn anymore. Yes, you may learn things for your job or a hobby, but you don’t get the wide exposure to ideas or concepts that you once did.

It took me many years to realize that I really wasn’t learning much any more and, therefore, not growing as a person. To combat this issue, I turned to audio books as I would always have time for them while traveling to/from work.  I exhausted the interesting CD-based audio books at my library and stumbled on the app called “OverDrive.” OverDrive provides an extensive, free catalog of ebooks and audiobooks. Go check it out.

In contemplating my top 5 books, I felt a little biased towards books that I have read (or listened to) within the last few years. Probably because they are fresh in my memory. Here’s my list:

(1) Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. If you ever feel that life has got you down, read this book. So much more amazing than the movie.

(2) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. There is a reason why this book is so prevalent in schools. It is a classic.

(3) The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss. I can honestly say that this book changed my outlook on a number of things like work, money and retirement. I wish I read this book 10 years ago when it was first published.

(4) Freakonomics by Steven Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Like nothing you’ve ever read, trust me.

(5) Anything about Abraham Lincoln. I’m a sucker for Abe Lincoln books such as Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin and Killing Lincoln by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard.

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Sense of Humor

I was watching various stand-up comedians on Netflix the other day. I could pretty much tell which acts would appeal to me in less than 5 minutes. This caused me to think about the nature of “humor” – why do some people find certain comedians or types of humor appealing while others do not?

I think that sharing common experiences with the comedian dramatically influences if we find them funny, but there is certainly more to it.  For example, I find Jim Gaffigan to be extremely funny, probably in large part due to our similar experiences as parents. However, there are other comedians who are parents, but I don’t find them as funny.

Humor seems to be granular – you may laugh at some jokes by your favorite comedian, but not necessarily all of them, whereas another fan may find those to be funny. Can this be explained?

I plan to look into the science of humor – if it has actually been studied.

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Chiropractors, are they worth the hype?

Hell yes!  I am an athlete, and even if I wasn’t I would still be physically active for at least an hour and a half each day by choice.  I love working out, eating healthy, and improving my health.

Yet, everybody, athlete or not, active or not, understands the aches and pains of everyday life.  A tight back, a painful shoulder, and a tweaker knee are all common inconveniences that many of us feel on the daily.

The majority of us — young or old — can wake up in the morning and feel something that hurts or is out of place.  We can stretch, ice, take Motrin, but at the end of the day it only gets worse.

The solution: A trained professional who makes a few adjustments and your feeling better.

I will be the first to admit, I was skeptical.  First visit…….. CRACK!!!!  I’m sure they could hear my back popping in the next town over.  (Disclaimer: This is not a joke).  5 hours later, I couldn’t bend over I was so sore.  He had cracked my neck, popped my back, and re-aligned my hips.  The next day I woke up and realized that my back wasn’t tight.

I will gladly take a few hours of soreness in return for an overall better feeling body and day of the week.  For anybody who is debating whether it’s worth the price, I am here to tip the scale.  Try it once or twice and see for yourself.

– Buzz

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iPads at the Dinner Table

Why? Why? Why? and Why?  It doesn’t make any sense to me.  Yes, I am not a parent.  Yes, I am still going to rant.  Dinner time is the time of day where family gets to spend time together and reflect about the day.

I remember playing Tic-Tac-Toe with my grandmother with crayons on little scraps of paper as well chopsticks (the game) with my sister (I always won).  So why do kids need tablets just to get through a half hour dinner now?  Netflix, games, and ignoring everybody else in the new norm, someone please try and explain this to me.

Thank you for reading my random rant.

– Buzz

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Disconnected: How it feels to be separated from society for a week.

Written: May 29, 2017 (3 days after the impact)

I recently received a concussion.  It sucked.  A lot.  Memory loss, headaches, and nausea are a few of the symptoms I experienced.  The doctor told me that all concussion cases are unique to each individual. Someone in the same situation may experience a completely different set of symptoms.

Written: June 1, 2017 (6 days after the impact)

What is very similar in nearly 100% of concussion cases is the treatment.  A minor case requires the person with the injury to avoid physical activity for a minimum of a week.  The reason is because when a person does an activity that raises their heart rate; the rise in blood pressure is immediately felt in the brain.  A major case will most likely require the injuree to avoid nearly all activity, both mental and physical.  In addition, anybody with a concussion regardless of the intensity is told to avoid electronics for at least a week or more depending on the severity.

I was fortunate to only receive a minor concussion.  My symptoms included memory loss of around 15 minutes before the impact, and 50-60 minutes after the impact (at least that’s what I was told).  At the time of this writing, it has been about six days since the impact and I still have memory loss.  I’m also battling headaches and random nausea, however, it is getting better.  

Despite my injury, I was able to turn a horrible (and boring as hell situation if I am being totally honest) into a positive one.  I have gone without most technology for nearly a week now and it has been invigorating.   Netflix, programming (my hobby), social media, or reading on a tablet.  I have traded them all in.  I have been playing board games, completing a puzzle (Rue Francis), reading physical books (which I like better anyways), and even coloring (yes I get it-I’m acting like a little kid).  It’s funny though because doing these activities which are technology free, I have been far more relaxed and it has helped me escape the stress of being injured.  

Anybody who is reading this and relates to being worried or stressed about something that we cannot control should take a tip or two.  If you’re getting headaches, discomfort, or you’re bored then change-up what you are doing in your free time. Instead of bingeing on the latest episodes of “13 Reasons Why” or catching up on “Game of Thrones,” how about picking up the actual book?  Grab a puzzle (they are actually pretty cheap from Barnes and Noble), go for a walk, draw in a coloring book (my favorite).  I am confident that these will all have a positive influence on your overall well being.

If you need a book recommendation check out our other posts:

  • Titles of the Souls: Parsec
  • Titles of the Souls: Buzz

Or feel free to email us at oldsouls100@gmail.com.

I hope I’ve convinced you (yes I am trying to make you do something) to use a little less tech for an hour or two!  If you have anything to add, please drop a comment below.

– Buzz