Gary Wolf of the NYT Mag says,"For a long time, only one area of human activity appeared to be immune. In the cozy confines of personal life, we rarely used the power of numbers. The techniques of analysis that had proven so effective were left behind at the office at the end of the day and picked up again the next morning."
Not anymore. The article does not just address the data guru named Barooah who formulaically calculates his every move 24-7. It can be applied to any one's life- even those who live the simplest of existences. When I started to think about how calculated (or not) my own personal daily life was, I questioned the areas in my life that I predetermine/control and the areas that I leave open for spontaneous guessing. Perhaps I am taking this in the wrong direction (less empirical data, more interpretive style), but here is what I found:
I wake up at a calculated time every morning, due to the annoyingly strong alarm on my digital clock. I attempt to calculate the timing and arrival of the MBTA system- trying to spend the least amount of time possible waiting in the rain.Once I have jumped on the bus or train, I play the calculating game all over again, in order to find a place to sit. Class involves calculating when to talk, when to keep my mouth shut. Lunch involves deciding what to order at Subway and calculating whether I have sufficient pocket change or do I need the ATM? (Or, more importantly, do I put on the extra mayo I love and suck up the extra calories?) My afternoon means running between work and meetings, calculating whether I have time to do errands in between. By the time dinner rolls around, I am playing more calculating games trying to get in touch with my boyfriend- does he want to get dinner- and finding time to call my parents, decide what homework is absolutely necessary, and catch up on my social media sites, which I adore and I have sorely missed while I was away from my computer (I have yet to purchase an iPhone- college student budget and all). Sleep is a distant thought that makes me smile but then has no further impact on my ability to rest my body. There are also all of the calculations that run through my head, like scrolling subtitles on a movie screen: all of the things that I should have completed but have somehow managed to avoid. These are my MISCALCULATIONS and these I write down and then dismiss immediately. What's the point on dwelling on them?
So, basically, I owe a special thanks to Mr. Wolf and Mr. Barooah who have opened my eyes to the reason behind my perpetual fatigue: I am over-calculating my life. Everything I do takes at least double the effort and if you are multi-tasking on top of that, well there goes your good night sleep.
By Catherine Moore, camorous@gmail.com
4.23.2010
Not for the Weak of Heart
Crew is a mysterious sport that remained foreign to me until I started dating a rower last spring. Then, naturally, I wanted to know everything about it- hoping to better understand my man's obsession. Yeah, right! I am nowhere nearer to understanding the sport than I am to deciphering the meaning in life. Rowing is one of those things that you have to dive into if you are going to survive. You can't just stick your toe in and try it out- it doesn't work that way.
The athletes wake up at 5 am to trudge down to the boathouse and venture out onto the still water. They row their guts out, eat three meals worth of food, sleep, and then they do it all over again. It is never ending- I don't know how any varsity collegiate rower gets any academic work done, because their free time is spent eating and sleeping. (Kinda like a newborn baby) However grim this lifestyle may seem, these boys are ripped and they would tell you in a moment that all of their blood, sweat, and tears are worth the 6 minutes of glory when they finish a 2K in record speed and perfect synchronization.
Some say rowing is a metaphor for life--it's a sport that relies not merely on talent, but on unmatched discipline rooted in passion. It forces the athlete to "dig deeper" and push his or her personal limits. The athlete must achieve the ultimate balance of rowing independently and in unison.
New to the sport, I am completely naive. I jump at the opportunity to get up at early hours and skip down to the dock to take photos for my blog. I shiver by the water's edge and strain my eyes to decipher who is who in the small skull down river. "Go BU," I shout into the still-dark sky. Oops, that's Northeastern. Never mind.
It's not my fault I got confused. I can't see a darn thing in the fog and the sun has barely appeared behind the Boston skyline. Why does this sport have to be so unconventional? Can't the crew gods mandate race time at a "normal" afternoon hour, complete with ballpark stands and popcorn vendors like other traditional American sports? Of course not. Rowing is not for the weak of heart.
When you watch rowing, you are not a spectator. You are the coxswain, the stroke, the bowman. You are following the eight as it moves along the river edge. You are cheering and screaming and telling them to "Pull!" Your heart is beating fast and you can almost feel the boat move beneath you. And you forget for a moment the early hour, your freezing hands and toes, and the lack of morning coffee. You only have eyes for the boat moving on the water.
At the end of the race, when the horn blows and the oars slow, you look to see the expression on their faces; the deep disappointment and rage that surfaces as the men peel their shirts over their heads and hand them to their opponents. Or, the better scenario, a contagious grin on the face of each rower as he steps onto the dock in victory.
By Catherine Moore, camorous@gmail.com
The athletes wake up at 5 am to trudge down to the boathouse and venture out onto the still water. They row their guts out, eat three meals worth of food, sleep, and then they do it all over again. It is never ending- I don't know how any varsity collegiate rower gets any academic work done, because their free time is spent eating and sleeping. (Kinda like a newborn baby) However grim this lifestyle may seem, these boys are ripped and they would tell you in a moment that all of their blood, sweat, and tears are worth the 6 minutes of glory when they finish a 2K in record speed and perfect synchronization.
Some say rowing is a metaphor for life--it's a sport that relies not merely on talent, but on unmatched discipline rooted in passion. It forces the athlete to "dig deeper" and push his or her personal limits. The athlete must achieve the ultimate balance of rowing independently and in unison.
New to the sport, I am completely naive. I jump at the opportunity to get up at early hours and skip down to the dock to take photos for my blog. I shiver by the water's edge and strain my eyes to decipher who is who in the small skull down river. "Go BU," I shout into the still-dark sky. Oops, that's Northeastern. Never mind.
It's not my fault I got confused. I can't see a darn thing in the fog and the sun has barely appeared behind the Boston skyline. Why does this sport have to be so unconventional? Can't the crew gods mandate race time at a "normal" afternoon hour, complete with ballpark stands and popcorn vendors like other traditional American sports? Of course not. Rowing is not for the weak of heart.
When you watch rowing, you are not a spectator. You are the coxswain, the stroke, the bowman. You are following the eight as it moves along the river edge. You are cheering and screaming and telling them to "Pull!" Your heart is beating fast and you can almost feel the boat move beneath you. And you forget for a moment the early hour, your freezing hands and toes, and the lack of morning coffee. You only have eyes for the boat moving on the water.
At the end of the race, when the horn blows and the oars slow, you look to see the expression on their faces; the deep disappointment and rage that surfaces as the men peel their shirts over their heads and hand them to their opponents. Or, the better scenario, a contagious grin on the face of each rower as he steps onto the dock in victory.
By Catherine Moore, camorous@gmail.com
Should you be a Financial Pack Rat?
Is it true that a crumpled up CVS receipt, tossed in the trash nonchalantly, can lead to identity theft and eventual financial ruin? Michael S. Kraft told readers of the Kraft Law Firm blog to watch what they toss in the trash.
Kraft said, “If the receipt shows your full credit card number and expiration date, this is an invitation for a criminal to go on a shopping spree at your expense.” Federal law attempted to combat this issue in 2006 by amending the Fair Credit Reporting Act 15, which banned businesses from showing more than five digits of a credit card number on a receipt. However, many businesses still fail to comply.
Instead of trashing records, J.D. Roth said that it is wise keep all important tax forms and IRS documents. On his blog, “Get Rich Slowly,” Roth gave direction on what records to keep permanently.
Paul Stephens, an identity theft expert, told the New York Times to lock paper records in a filing cabinet or safety deposit box. Stephens said to keep electronic data on an encrypted U.S.B. flash drive or an external hard drive. Any other unimportant documents should be shredded in an industrial shredder to prevent private information from falling into the wrong hands.
By Catherine Moore, camorous@gmail.com
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/your-money/household-budgeting/25RECORDS.html?ref=your-money
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/garden/01shred.html
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/08/03/which-financial-records-to-keep-and-how-long-to-keep-them/
Kraft said, “If the receipt shows your full credit card number and expiration date, this is an invitation for a criminal to go on a shopping spree at your expense.” Federal law attempted to combat this issue in 2006 by amending the Fair Credit Reporting Act 15, which banned businesses from showing more than five digits of a credit card number on a receipt. However, many businesses still fail to comply.
Instead of trashing records, J.D. Roth said that it is wise keep all important tax forms and IRS documents. On his blog, “Get Rich Slowly,” Roth gave direction on what records to keep permanently.
Paul Stephens, an identity theft expert, told the New York Times to lock paper records in a filing cabinet or safety deposit box. Stephens said to keep electronic data on an encrypted U.S.B. flash drive or an external hard drive. Any other unimportant documents should be shredded in an industrial shredder to prevent private information from falling into the wrong hands.
By Catherine Moore, camorous@gmail.com
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/your-money/household-budgeting/25RECORDS.html?ref=your-money
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/garden/01shred.html
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/08/03/which-financial-records-to-keep-and-how-long-to-keep-them/
4.20.2010
BU Crushes the Big Green- All Teams Overcome the Weather
Battle on the water, despite the April showers- or whatever they were. With less than ideal conditions, the boys fought off the white caps and pushed through the tough last 1000 meters...Boston University clinched the title for the 4th year in a row. Next year, the same three teams will rondez-vous in New Jersey where everyone agrees, the temps will be warmer. But hey, doesn't matter. Crew is not for the weak of heart.
By Catherine Moore, camorous@gmail.com
4.07.2010
Sports Night: Cath Moore at the News Desk
Cath Moore Anchors Sports Night from Catherine Moore on Vimeo.
Catherine Moore, anchoring from Boston, MA / Fall 2009
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