Random Rants #63: These Rants Don't Run

[warpus]

Rant: I've been so distracted lately. I don't know what's causing it or why. I've just been having a hell of a time concentrating on doing my work. I keep pushing it off and slowly working on it. In tandem with this seems to be daily headaches and drowsiness whenever I try to work on stuff.

Tends to go away when I either finish the work or decide to put it down. I don't understand what's going on.

I've had this issue for months now, my attention span is very short for some reason, I'm not sure why. As a result I'm finding it very tough to focus on tasks at work and stay "in the zone" and just plough through stuff and get it done. I find myself snapping out of stuff too easily and getting distracted way too frequently.

No headaches on this end though, maybe you should go see a doctor?

 

[Takhisis]

What sort of miserable excuse for a human being would sponsor this bill?

A politician.

 

[Arakhor]

I would hope that it takes a special kind of louse to do such a thing, rather than just a run-of-the-mill politician.

 

[Borachio]

I can almost see where the bill is coming from, though. Just too many men are escaping their duty of providing financially for their off-spring. The intent is to make them pay, by insisting mothers name them.

Even so, it is certainly a misguided effort.

 

[Arakhor]

Especially when it then refuses the baby a birth certificate and the mother state benefits. That's just petty and vindictive.

 

[Commodore]

Just peed all down my leg and had to change my pants. I was going in the toilet like any adult human normally does, but apparently it split into multiple streams; one of which was aimed directly at my pants without me even noticing until I was done and my pants brushed against my leg and I felt the wetness.

At least I was at home and not out in public. It's the small victories that count, right?

 

[Daw]

It is incredibly odd. I've never really been like this before. Always did my homework/work straight away so I can concentrate on doing the stuff I want to do.

However now it's like a struggle to even start on stuff, and then when I begin it takes twice as long as it should.

Maybe I'm just tired of the routine after having been four years at it. I don't know a way to get myself together just for the rest of the semester though. I mean, it is just work. The work last semester was so much harder...

I suspect the part I bolded is the answer.

At the uni they taught us that there is a most fundamental principle of teaching is the principle of feasible difficulty. The studies go much less effective if this principle is not followed and the damage to efficiency may even be irreversible. And yet, this principle may only be fully followed in practically non-achievable ideal circumstances, so it is screwed constantly, sadly.

Here it is: the task assigned to a student must be a) feasible, and b) difficult. Simple as that.

But to practically work, it requires that all students in the group are of equal baseline level of skills and knowledge, and they progress at the same pace. All of them. Otherwise you can't work with the group as a group and give the same task to them all. And even if this teacher's wet dream came real, the teacher must able to figure out that level and that pace accurately to assign the task accordingly. If not, the task will turn out too difficult (unfeasible) and thus demotivating, or too easy (not difficult) and thus unchallenging and uninteresting, which is demotivating again. So, trickier as it seemed, right?

So in reality some students get behind the group, and some go ahead - and then risk falling behind through demotivation and loss of skills.

tl;dr - You worked much harder last semester and that gained you quite a pace for progress. With that gained "momentum" you now can process more and the tasks you get don't fit that and are... demotivating.

Hint: trying to see it as a circumstantial challenge might have a subtle chance make it interesting again.

That is, if I am right about your situation at all, of course.

 

[Takhisis]

Especially when it then refuses the baby a birth certificate and the mother state benefits. That's just petty and vindictive.

Why should a fatherless child exist?

 

[Daw]

right?

Right. When I was a teen, my mom decided that she's had enough of accidents and excuses and demanded that my father, 2 my brothers and I did it sitting. The ladies' style, exactly. After all it's OK for the dignity thing to do it this way when... ahem... doing combo, isn't it? And nobody sees anyway.

But no problems with marksmanship anymore.

Spoiler :

I also recall somebody told me such thing may be an indirect evidence of infection. Nothing implied, I even don't know if it's true, just saying.

 

[warpus]

Commodore, dude, pay attention to your streams.

 

[Arakhor]

Why should a fatherless child exist?

For many reasons, especially if said father on birth certificate dies not long afterwards. It certainly doesn't ever justify making the mother destitute or the baby stateless.

 

[Borachio]

Commodore, dude, pay attention to your streams.

Oh. I've had that happen too. Especially while stumbling around half-asleep at night in the dark.

The lips of the old one-eyed snake can get a bit crossed apparently.

Spoiler :

(What a subject! Not only can one spray pee in expected places, it's also possible to get a tune - or at least a bit of a whistle - out of it.)

But anyway they tell me it's best for one's prostate to pee sitting down.

 

[The_J]

Right. When I was a teen, my mom decided that she's had enough of accidents and excuses and demanded that my father, 2 my brothers and I did it sitting. The ladies' style, exactly. After all it's OK for the dignity thing to do it this way when... ahem... doing combo, isn't it? And nobody sees anyway.

I actually do it voluntarily at home.
Why?
Because I stood a view times in sandals at an urinal, and damn, that feels disgusting on the feet. Then you realize how much goes everywhere.


Rant: I absolutely hate my weak immune system. It takes me like 3 weeks to recover from a cold. I've been coughing the last view days so badly that I get a headache from it and can't sleep properly. I expect this too last for another 3-4 days. And that after a week of sore throat, general headache and weakness.

 

[cardgame]

Why should a fatherless child exist?

Why should a nonparent be named father just for petty paperwork?

rant: had to spring for a new battery as mine unexpectedly died on me today. Fortunately not while driving; it probably could have. Very corroded on the positive cap.

 

[Takhisis]

Commodore, dude, pay attention to your streams.

Kanye West-style?

For many reasons, especially if said father on birth certificate dies not long afterwards. It certainly doesn't ever justify making the mother destitute or the baby stateless.

You don't sound like a politician, Mr. Arakhor.

I actually do it voluntarily at home.
Why?
Because I stood a view times in sandals at an urinal, and damn, that feels disgusting on the feet. Then you realize how much goes everywhere.

You need to improve on your aim.

Of course, if anyone could design a urinal with the perfect curve so that the urine doesn't bounce back onto the user, that'd be either a German or a Japanese…

 

[JohannaK]

'Poor excuse for a human being' is certainly an overstatement on these people's humanity.

 

[Daw]

Of course, if anyone could design a urinal with the perfect curve so that the urine doesn't bounce back onto the user, that'd be either a German or a Japanese…

Makes me wonder how they do that in zero gravity on ISS and who invented the facilities...

 

[Joecoolyo]

I've had this issue for months now, my attention span is very short for some reason, I'm not sure why. As a result I'm finding it very tough to focus on tasks at work and stay "in the zone" and just plough through stuff and get it done. I find myself snapping out of stuff too easily and getting distracted way too frequently.

No headaches on this end though, maybe you should go see a doctor?

Glad to see I'm not alone. Headaches are more an on or off thing, might be more correlated with sleep deprivation than wanting to work.

But yeah, every day it's like a struggle to get myself up and working on my daily stuff. And then continuing to work rather than shifting focus and getting distracted.

I suspect the part I bolded is the answer.

At the uni they taught us that there is a most fundamental principle of teaching is the principle of feasible difficulty. The studies go much less effective if this principle is not followed and the damage to efficiency may even be irreversible. And yet, this principle may only be fully followed in practically non-achievable ideal circumstances, so it is screwed constantly, sadly.

Here it is: the task assigned to a student must be a) feasible, and b) difficult. Simple as that.

But to practically work, it requires that all students in the group are of equal baseline level of skills and knowledge, and they progress at the same pace. All of them. Otherwise you can't work with the group as a group and give the same task to them all. And even if this teacher's wet dream came real, the teacher must able to figure out that level and that pace accurately to assign the task accordingly. If not, the task will turn out too difficult (unfeasible) and thus demotivating, or too easy (not difficult) and thus unchallenging and uninteresting, which is demotivating again. So, trickier as it seemed, right?

So in reality some students get behind the group, and some go ahead - and then risk falling behind through demotivation and loss of skills.

tl;dr - You worked much harder last semester and that gained you quite a pace for progress. With that gained "momentum" you now can process more and the tasks you get don't fit that and are... demotivating.

Hint: trying to see it as a circumstantial challenge might have a subtle chance make it interesting again.

That is, if I am right about your situation at all, of course.

Oh no, I think you're completely spot on. Last semester not only was I picking up a new language (something I've never intensively done before) and enrolled in two writing heavy history classes, but I also had to research and compose my 40 page thesis all at the same time. Not to mention I was applying to my overseas job and that required a significant amount of work and editing as well. It was very difficult and required a lot of dedication and time management.

Now comes this semester. I've picked up the pace of language learning, so although it isn't easy it doesn't constitute a massive time sink. Two of my history classes are almost entirely reading/test based, not writing. I'm also taking an online class that is very quick and very easy. All combined I barely have more than 20 pages of writing for the whole semester (as compared to the maybe 100 last), and that writing is pretty simple and easy.

So there's so much challenging lacking this semester that it's completely demotivating me? That's kind of sad, I hope it doesn't destroy my skills or continue like this. I mean the topics are genuinely interesting, I just can never muster the energy to read through them and do the work without constantly getting distracted.

 

[Hygro]

The other day I had to pee sitting down and the stream was so strong it lifted my firehose and I peed a third of it through the seat and the bowl. Had to change pants and clean up.

I absolutely hate my weak immune system. It takes me like 3 weeks to recover from a cold. I've been coughing the last view days so badly that I get a headache from it and can't sleep properly. I expect this too last for another 3-4 days. And that after a week of sore throat, general headache and weakness.

I used to get this, still do if I stop smoking weed for an extended period. May I suggest a joint a week? Especially if you pregame it for a week or two by smoking every day.

Note: prorolled joints in NL always contain tobacco because Europeans are uncivilized. If rolling is a hassle, pipes are fine. Eating it also works.

 

[jackelgull]

Just peed all down my leg and had to change my pants. I was going in the toilet like any adult human normally does, but apparently it split into multiple streams; one of which was aimed directly at my pants without me even noticing until I was done and my pants brushed against my leg and I felt the wetness.

At least I was at home and not out in public. It's the small victories that count, right?

I have actually never used urinals, like at all. My parents insist that sitting down is the civilized way to use the bathroom, and it is also Sunnah. I'm so used to it now that sttanding up to use the urinals seems weird to me. Like, why would you pull your pants down in front of strangers?