Engaged. To the pool.

This is the smartest device ever.  Counts laps.

Oh book, how I would like to leave you the hotel drawers I am about to visit.

Working Lunch

Good swim, despite the clumsy finish.

Yay it's black and white.
I love my fans.

Green Machine

I thought about going on the juice diet for a few hours.
Then I decided to just eat more fruits and vegetables.
Then I decided to try this just to fully convince myself that the juice diet was not for me.

Much to my surprise it wasn't nasty.  It was actually OK.  Maybe that's just a function of my expectations.

I'm still not going on the juice diet though.

SUV Family Outing

The Edges of 15-501

Burning Question

And here's my answer

Rebecca

Ready, set, dough

I like to eat.  I like Triathlons.  I like the Dough Man (a relay triathlon where every leg starts off with eating).   

I'm not sure exactly what I ate this year because I dipped most of it in water and then swallowed.  I think it was fried green tomatoes and I know there was a bun.  The eating was followed by 2 miles of running.  No puking, though the feeling was right there (you get disqualified if you vomit).

Here's the team

Yes, those are rabbit pelts we're wearing as capes.  I'm not sure I'm ready to talk about it.

Why I Might Not Be A Good Social Scientist: Reason #5

After being a participant in a colleague's study:

"So I was in the bore me out of my mind condition, right?"

World Peace

If I were in a beauty pageant and asked what would make the world a better place I would skip right past world peace and answer "quantitative reasoning."

While that might not be the "it" answer on the beauty pageant circuit "quantitative reasoning" is definitely one of the things that would make the world a less stupid place.

I was contacted to speak about how I used quantitative reasoning when I worked in advertising.  Most of my examples focused on the maddening lack of statistical reasoning or the exploitation of it in the industry.

But when it comes to me thinking about business issues it's all reasonable, of course.

Ready, Set, Ramble

Ramblin' Rose triathlon.  My starter triathlon for the season. I need a triathlon to get me geared up (training) for the season. This one does the job. 



You know when you're going kind of slow on your bike you think "Maybe I have a flat/under-inflated tire?" That's what I was thinking when I was dragging the bike up a hill. And then I realized I actually did have a flat tire. A crew tried to help (twice) but I was without spare tube so I decided I would just run with the bike (there was no way I wasn't finishing). I'm not sure how far I ran when a volunteer offered me her bike. It was incredibly kind of her and once I was convinced she was serious about it we "traded" and I was off. 


So my bike time was abysmal and my run time eh because I'm not a great runner and I had already been running but I was very pleased with the swim time (17 percentile overall) and most importantly I'm all jazzed up about the rest of the season and that's the point. 


Full coverage can we found at W-JLF.

The original falling silhouette

I'm glad I knew this was a Hitchcock film.  Otherwise I really would have thought it was more ridiculous than I already did.  Still, about two hours into it I went to the theater lobby and Googled "vertigo Hitchcock running time."  It just went on and on and on and on and I had early morning plans for Sunday.

Signed copies posted on e-Bay. Let the bidding begin.

Placement in the magazine is the same as Glamour's "Do and Don't" section.  

I still can't do a pull up.

But I can do this

You had me at blanching and shocking

And now for Part Two of The Birthday Extravaganza.

It started off with a cooking class.  There were a few stations featuring different ingredients and recipes.  The Chef described each of them.

She got to the station with green beans.  She used the terms "blanching" and "shocking."

That settled it, I would be making the green bean dish.



After the cooking class we headed over to Durham Central Park and enjoyed the following activities

There was a near collision during the Blind Scavenger Hunt.
Fortunately those of us blindfolded had no idea.

After the hunt I put my blindfold in my purse.  

Of course I forgot it was there and pulled it out at an inopportune time.

Birthday Punch

Our lab put together a pre-birthday party, birthday party and post birthday party for our boss.

Why not celebrate your birthday three times?

The parties were all built around winnings from a charity auction.  

The Pre Party "The Punch" Report

The Pre-Birthday party featured two prizes

#1
Three singing self-proclaimed hot guys 

#2 One punching an MBA in the face (seriously).

In order to build the anticipation for the punch we had the three hot guys sing "Eye of the Tiger."  It was terrible in that good funny kind of way.

I don't think I've ever seen a real physical fight in person.  If I ever do witness one I kind of hope it's over me.  I mean, if you have to see that happen you might as well feel involved somehow.

The "bid" for the punch was not easy.  Our theory was the MBA who was getting punched was bidding on himself.  I had been anticipating this weird moment for quite some time.  

About a half hour before the party I started to feel really anxious about it.  I am definitely one of those "don't look" type people when things get really bloody or violent on screen (though sometimes I force myself to buck up and watch).  

This was just a punch but it was going to happen right in front of me.  I had every opportunity to "not look" but this whole situation was just too intriguing.  The MBA was doing this voluntarily.  My boss interviewed him before and after.  It was for charity.  It was going to happen whether or not I watched it.  I recognize this is just the type of thinking that has led to all sorts of human tragedy but there I was thinking it anyway.

The punched happened.  I flinched but looked.  

And then I laughed (laughter seems to be my default emotional response so I don't really know what that means).

And then it was over.   But the party wasn't.  This was the pre-brithday party.  We were just getting started.

Bat Woman

"There will be no workouts at Cross Fit Durham (CFD) this Sunday"

Sunday morning Cross Fit with Coach Paul is as close as I'll ever come to church (now that I think about it, I was actually at CFD this past Easter and Christmas).

So what in the hell was I going to do now?

Drive to Holly Springs, of course.

It was worth every $4.25 gallon of gas.

Coach Paul made some smart remark about how much I enjoy getting horizontal vertical.
His remark led to this fantastic picture.

It's all about balance.

I want to do another shot at CFD that shows faces and has a bunch of us upside down with our shoe color in rainbow order.  I have seen pretty much every color shoe so far.  I would like to own a rainbow set of sneakers.

"Give me one of everything I need an ID to buy"

We had a Secret Santa at work (yes, in April).  I got a young intern.  What can I get for this kid that he can't get himself?

I decided to find out.

I went to a corner store and said "Give me one of everything I need an ID to buy"

The gift also included cigarettes, cigars, chew, liquor & lottery tickets.

All wrapped in deceptively themed boxes & paper tied up with purple ribbons.

I was very underwhelmed by the magazine.  No articles.

A broken golf club makes a great pool stick

The Lab goes golfing.  This is this first redemption of one of many items from the charity auction.

I bid on two beginner golf lesson (boss paid) thinking it was something folks at the lab might not do on their own but would enjoy given the opportunity.

And that's exactly how it panned out.

Even the part where a co-worker broke my driver was funny.  The ball went nowhere.  The head of the club went flying.  I was stunned when it happened.  I didn't realize these things were breakable.  They are.  They are also fixable, fortunately.

The instructors told us that collared shirts and khaki pants were preferred.  I planned on stopping home and changing before the lesson but was held up.  So I arrived in a collared sweater and tank top.  It was just too hot for the sweater.

So, I golfed in a tank top.  An excellent or terrible choice, depending on your perspective.

I'm really good at picking up men

Protocol

I ran experiments for the better part of the afternoon.

People come in to the lab and we have them do tasks.

I work from a script I quickly memorized.

It felt kind of cold and robotic.  

But then I embraced the role and found it relaxing.  

And my lab-mates complimented my demeanor.

I really want a white coat now.

I chose death over diarrhea

Let's say I have colon cancer.  Here are my options.

Surgery A
Chance cured without complication 80%
Cured with colostomy 1%
Cured with chronic diarrhea 1%
Cured with intermittent bowel obstruction 1%
Cured with wound infection 1%
No cure (death) 16%

Surgery B
Chance cured without complication 80%
No cure (death) 20%

Without any time for consideration, I chose Surgery B.  Death over Diarrhea.

"Why?" the speaker at the Medical Decision Making talk I was attending asked the few of us who selected Surgery B.

For whatever reason when I thought about me having colon cancer I imagine I'm old.
Not that I know anything about age incidence and colon cancer.
And of course my children are financially independent and my life insurance and estate will be my parting gifts.

A bunch of stuff might be medically wrong with me at that age anyway.

And while it sounds dark, death is a certainty at some point.

If I die in surgery B I won't care.  I'm dead.  I can't care.

Both surgeries come with a possibility of survival and a possibility of death.  More chance I get cured than not.  I also have a notion that because something highly unlikely medically already happened to me I've paid my dues.  I understand this isn't an accurate notion at all.  But I have it nonetheless.

Something about Surgery B seems braver to me.   I've not really thought much about old lady Jamie but I would like to think she's brave.  Then again, I think about life with the aforementioned complications.  I would probably find humor in them because, well, I would have to.

As the speaker continues to talk I wonder if I'm kidding myself.

Would I really prefer death over diarrhea?

Top Eight Favorite Things About My Evening with Ira Glass

#1
Ira started the show.  In the dark.  For a moment everyone in the audience was alone in their car listening to This American life.

#2
I read something in the local newspaper that made me think he might not talk about Mike Daisey.  That wouldn't have felt right.  It would have felt like a show, not a performance.  He brought up the Mike Daisey thing and talked about it without letting it take over

#3
He told all the folks who were there on dates and had no idea who he was or what he was talking about that he hoped they would all get laid.

#4
"Great stories happen to those who can tell them."

#5

“It's important that you're out to amuse yourself"

#6

He answered questions from folks in the cheap seats during Q&A.

#7
He was delightfully straightforward.

Paraphrased
"People tell me I have a great voice for radio.  I don't.  I talk like a 15 year old.  You're just used to it.  There's a lot to be said for repetition."
Audience Member:  Do you have any tried and true questions you use to bring out a really great story?
Ira:  Yes.  "Do you have a really great story?"


#8
He does talk like a 15 year old.  I would be wasted in 5 minutes if there was a drinking game based on him saying "Like" or "You know."

Least favorite thing about the evening:  Paying to park in the garage where I used get paid to park.

Hours and Deep Practice.

A few years ago I read "The Talent Code."  The book prompted me to reconsider my assumptions about aptitude and practice.   I won't do it justice but the gist of the book is that talent is about hours and hours of deep practice.

It challenges deeply engrained notions about being gifted or born with a skill.  There's something really intriguing about the idea of a prodigy.  The idea that "you kind of have it or you don't" is also incredibly useful in terms of explaining our own avoidance, shortcomings and frustrations with certain types of activities.

The book reframed how I think about my own successes and failures.  The concept of deep practice was most compelling (as was the realization I am not good at it).  I take deep practice to mean allowing yourself to fail.  Fail harder.  Let go.  Feel like an asshole.  Challenge yourself, push yourself, set aside assumptions, shut up and listen.  Don't phone it in. And hours.  Lots and lots of hours.  

There's something very heartening about this approach.  I am not a stellar Cross Fitter or dancer.  The book reminds me I *could* be.  I admit I haven't given either the hours or deep practice to warrant improvement.  

All that said, a small part of me maintains that I'm just kinesthetically challenged.
As have others.  

Yes, it feels like an excuse.  

Yes, it flies in the face of a premise that I claim to embrace (and has decent empirical support).

After six days of skiing, I call shenanigans.  On myself.

You can't be kinesthetically challenged and successfully negotiate your movement through racing gates, moguls and significant changes in equipment (straight to carved).  I'm still riding the high of how masterful I felt on the mountain last week.

I can't remember not knowing how to ski.  I started very young and skied a lot. Then raced a lot.  Hours.  I trained.  I practiced.  On one ski.  With no poles.  Drills.  I messed around a lot too (tried random shit) and when I add it all up I'm calling it deep practice.

So, "Talent Code" this is why I chose you when I gazed at the book selection in the lab.  Let's catch up.

Yes, that's a penguin on my head

I remind myself of an "Elf Yourself" video.

Dear American Airlines indeed.

A story about getting laid over in the middle of a trip.

Silver Joy

There's something wonderful about rediscovering joy.

I'm in Colorado this week (I love this Spring Break academic calendar thing) skiing.  The weather great, the conditions good (great by New England standards) and very fun company.

I enjoyed the first few days getting back into the groove, working on technique and breaking my body into it (a housemate put it best when she woke up after the first day and said "I feel like elephants have stepped on me.")

Today the NASTAR course was open.  For this first time in almost half my life I ran gates.  Repeatedly.

I absolutely loved it.  Exhilarating, thrilling, speed.  This was joy.  Rediscovered.

Most of my runs were Bronze but I managed to score a Silver.

Being in my thirties definitely helps with ratings/rank.
And I have two more days to get Gold.

I love Spring Break

Golf Club and The Creepy Killer

There are two of us left at the lab.  It's early evening.  It's dark.

My co-worker, G, packs up. 

Jamie:  I'm about ten minutes behind you but can you please lock me in?

(turn the knob on the door so the code is needed to get into the lab).

G:  Sure.  See you.

About three minutes later I get a text from G:

FYI someone is creepily hovering on the steps

I'm waiting for the second part of the text that says "I'll come back and we can walk out together."  Kind of wondering what level of concern prompted a text but not a rescue.  I write back and ask.

I'm not worried worried.  But I decide that I'll feel more at ease (and potentially appear more intimidating) with some type of defense.

I look around the lab.  Aha!  Golf Club.  Perfect.  Almost poetic.

I'm getting ready to leave and step outside the lab (but not outside the building) to use the restroom.

In the foyer of the building I see the back of a big guy in jeans and a hoodie standing purposelessly

Jamie (thinking):  Holy shit.  It's the killer! (yes, he went from being a creepy guy to the killer).  He's in the building.  Attack?  Get back in the lab.  Krav Maga.  Cross Fit.  Get him in the balls and then the face.  Go for the eyes (this is a split second worth of thinking).

The killer turns around.

It's a co-worker.

I start laughing hysterically.  

And kinda wish he hadn't turned around.

Golf and Studs

On Friday night my boss sent a few folks from the lab to a charity auction to obtain items the lab might enjoy (in other words we bid, he paid).

My hovering skills (part of the auction was silent) resulted in obtaining both items I chose for the lab.

Item #1
Two golf lessons for ten people.

I put it to the lab like this - "You people need more practical skills."

Item #2
We'll get a private concert from three MBA's who describe themselves as "studs."  They'll come to the lab and sing top 40 songs.  I made a bid.

Someone came over and remarked "Hey look, we're up to XX amount."

Jamie (says):  Are you one of the three studs?

Jamie (thinking):  He's good looking in that generic MBA kind of way.  Please say yes.

Stud:  Yes.

Jamie (says):   I'll give you stud-ly but where are the other two?  And do you know Rebecca Black's Friday?

Jamie (thinking):  Please say yes.

Stud:  Over there (points).   And yes.

Jamie (thinking):  MBA's all look the same.

Jamie (says):  Approved.  I own you.  Start rehearsing.

Jamie (thinking):  It's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday.

Somehow I missed "Friday" at the height of it's popularity.  So, now I play it every Friday and try to get a little dance party going.  I usually only have one other person who will rock out with me and that's enough. It also bothers the crap out of someone else who then requires we listen to 18 minutes of classical music as cleansing.

I can't wait for these guys to show up and sing it.  We're going to try to schedule all of our events around the same time (to hell with the research about spreading out enjoyable experiences) and call it a carnival.

Reconsidering Retirement

When I first arrived in Florida I was floating in the pool gazing at a palm tree and thought: Travel to Florida is great motivation to save for retirement.

After eight games of Scrabble (and then some Connect Four) I reconsidered and decided being in Florida is just good motivation never to retire.

Getting Real In The Whole Foods Shopping Cart

Now I'm on the inside looking at my list.

Hummus, Pita, Jamie, and a Lemon Twist.

Duh

The study of behavioral economics yields unexpected insights that can challenge our assumptions and experience of the world we live in.

It also yields results to which many respond "Duh."

Sometimes I think "Duh" might be funny alternate name for our lab (the lab already has a very funny name that I've not yet been able to say with a straight face).

The "Duh" response can undermine the impact of an empirical exploration of a topic or the discovery of a nuance that might lead us to question conventional thinking.  It's sorta arrogant too.

I was presenting research to a corporation last week.  Here's how I set things up:

"One of the things I like working at a place called The Cntr 4 Advncd Hndsght* is the opportunity to ask people what they think the results will be before they can remark that they're obvious.  So, before I move on to the next slide please take a moment to consider the outcome."

And I waited a good solid moment.  

I didn't want to be pedantic by asking for people to share or write down their hypotheses but unprompted, some folks did.

Perhaps that added some (relative) zing to my results.  They weren't earth-shattering but there was an important difference in conditions I wanted to highlight.  

The conversation that followed was better for it. Obviously.

*using abbreviations to keep Google off this.

Why I Might Not Be A Good Social Scientist: Reason #4

I default to participation versus observation.
I was in a social setting where I was meant to observe people playing a game.
The first question was asked, I knew the answer, I jumped up and rang the bell.

Oops.

Random Delights

I'm just back from an adventure in Minnesota.  The temperatures and lack of snow were unimpressive.  Had it not been for a "Youbetcha" at hotel check-in I might have wondered if I was in the wrong place.

Actually, I was at the wrong place at the time of the youbetcha.  It did not occur to me that there were like three Hiltons downtown.  I was pleased with the relative luxuriousness of the hotel and room when I finally got there.  Of utmost importance however:

Products!

I was in Minnesota for work.  We've been working with a corporation in Minneapolis addressing business questions using behavioral economics.  My personal highlight was sharing research I had done on their behalf (hotel products were a close second).

I learned a lot observing my boss manage conversations, draw on research and respond to questions.  Also, he can be extremely blunt and it's quite entertaining.  It's never ill-intentioned or disrespectful.  Just pointed.  With good reason.

As part of my research I spent my Friday night outside of a MN town called "Ham Lake" playing a modified version of Family Feud with perfect strangers.

Very random delights.

Unique Scandinavian Design?

You can't put a round peg in a square hole.
You also can't put a triangular piece of glass in a rectangular window frame.

A few posts ago I wrote about my father and the death of his very close friend.  I noted that his faith would provide him some comfort.

It isn't.

My father is deeply religious and believes in a heaven.  Of believers.

His friend was not a believer.  They will not meet again in an after life.  His friend is gone.  Forever.   My dad's faith is strong and there are no exceptions or reinterpretations.  I respect and admire his commitment to his principles.  They have brought him profound comfort, peace and joy but often times the depth of one emotion can be matched by it's opposite.

In an effort to better understand the origin of this belief I've started to study the bible.  My limited understanding of the contents suggest an element of interpretation.  I have no intention of trying to change what my dad believes.  I truly want to understand what guides him.

I'm not religious but I am interested in the study of it.  A year ago I took a class about the Philosophy of Religion that explored arguments for and against the existence of God.  It led me to wonder how my very logical father reasoned his faith.  It led me to ask him.  The depth of his faith is such that the question of the existence of god isn't a fathomable question.

I admit that as much as I admire my dad's faith I wonder about the idea of set of prescribed beliefs rather than reasoned or discovered guiding principles.  There's something inflexible about the former and slippery about the latter.

I've explored the question of my own spirituality and I cannot embrace the idea of a god.  I can ask the question, but sometimes I wonder if I've truly allowed myself to fathom the idea and if I any less flexible in my so called exploration of the topic.

I just don't know.

Carleton brought me to Dan so I brought Dan to Carleton.

A nice note I got after the event:

You gave Carleton a great gift last night.  Dan's talk was a big hit, generated a lot of buzz and discussion, and modeled expansive thinking about important issues coupled with scientific discipline.  It was wonderful.

Jamie's Halftime Show

Madonna was great.  But imagine how awesome it would have been if you heard the first few notes of Vogue, a shadow of Madonna and then this.

I'm too easily entertained.

I had a brief moment of, something, watching the ads.

It's possible I'll be more on the hook for clever remarks about the commercials tomorrow than I ever was at the agency.  It's also possible I'll be the only person who watched the game.