Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
Yikes! My Circadians are Showing
Yup. Circadians. Though at this moment this word shows as misspelled, I know its just an ignorant dictionary at best. No, its not a pornographic thing...and it has NOTHING to do with Canadians, though both can be annoying.
These babies control, or are associated with, biological phases and/or cycles we go through throughout the day/night--perhaps even over greater spans (month[s]/year[s]); Sleep/wake rhythms, eating/fasting, diurnal functions, and changes of body temperature and activity, etc., over time. Given humans and other mammals strive for stability and Ho-Hum homeostasis , with our routine lives, these circadians remain fairly intact, maintaining that boring, yet stable, existence. It is actually good for you to maintain the banality of everyday existence, believe it or not.
One common phenomenon in recent ages--so-called 'jet-lag'--is illustrative of disrupted circadians. Although not really well-understood, rapid changes in longitude are associated with myriad disruptions in various homeostatic processes, with accompanying symptoms (nasties). Another is fucking up your sleep/wake cycle by staying up all night diddling on the computer, endlessly trying to discover whatever the hell it was that got you started on your journey into cyberspace...
Ya. Guilty. Another time-loss thing? Probably. Maybe related to alien abduction? no. (lol) Anyways, YOU know...
Next day[s], one is out-of-synch with the rest of the known universe, and sleeping at times which are [normally] associated with actually getting something done. REM sleep disturbances, etc., are characteristic, and one loses touch with one's normal contacts and activities. In my case, probably not doing what might have been planned to probably do...maybe.
What a slacker. (yes, me) Oh well, I guess it gives me one more excuse for not doing shit, though I probably don't really need another. "Aww...Sorry, but my circadians are all fracked up, and I spaced that out...". Too bad it [that foregoing] doesn't work on my own endeavors and plans... Gonna really have to puuuush to get shit done today.
May your circadians be aligned to your day, and your homeostasis be true--mine will be soon enuff.
GT
These babies control, or are associated with, biological phases and/or cycles we go through throughout the day/night--perhaps even over greater spans (month[s]/year[s]); Sleep/wake rhythms, eating/fasting, diurnal functions, and changes of body temperature and activity, etc., over time. Given humans and other mammals strive for stability and Ho-Hum homeostasis , with our routine lives, these circadians remain fairly intact, maintaining that boring, yet stable, existence. It is actually good for you to maintain the banality of everyday existence, believe it or not.
One common phenomenon in recent ages--so-called 'jet-lag'--is illustrative of disrupted circadians. Although not really well-understood, rapid changes in longitude are associated with myriad disruptions in various homeostatic processes, with accompanying symptoms (nasties). Another is fucking up your sleep/wake cycle by staying up all night diddling on the computer, endlessly trying to discover whatever the hell it was that got you started on your journey into cyberspace...
Ya. Guilty. Another time-loss thing? Probably. Maybe related to alien abduction? no. (lol) Anyways, YOU know...
Next day[s], one is out-of-synch with the rest of the known universe, and sleeping at times which are [normally] associated with actually getting something done. REM sleep disturbances, etc., are characteristic, and one loses touch with one's normal contacts and activities. In my case, probably not doing what might have been planned to probably do...maybe.
What a slacker. (yes, me) Oh well, I guess it gives me one more excuse for not doing shit, though I probably don't really need another. "Aww...Sorry, but my circadians are all fracked up, and I spaced that out...". Too bad it [that foregoing] doesn't work on my own endeavors and plans... Gonna really have to puuuush to get shit done today.
May your circadians be aligned to your day, and your homeostasis be true--mine will be soon enuff.
GT
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Coffee Dude
Ahhh. Finally. Man, I thought that pot was never gonna fin brewing. I dunno 'bout youse, but it's usually reheat first thing, followed by 'the good stuff' when it finally gets done. The aroma is awesome, the taste--divine. What IS it about coffee that is just so compelling? I have no clue. However, without a balanced breakfast of java and cigarettes, survival throughout the day may not be a 'given'. It's my 'go' juice--helps me get going, and stay going, especially on those 'busy' or hectic days.
Pharmacologically speaking, it's main active ingredient, caffeine, is a sympathomimetic. Ya, it excites, and also modulates the action of other neurotransmitters and quite a few exogenous chemicals and drugs--a system-wide kick in the pants. Although it has had bad rap in past, health-wise, the truth is its a fairly mild excitatory effect, with few side effects, and many beneficial actions. Coffee-based, at least. Probably its most beneficial aspect is the anti-oxidant capacity coffee has on all those free-radicals haunting our aging brains (leading cause of neuro-degenerative disorders, etc.). Coffee has been shown to be up to 25x more potent than other foods and drinks touted as anti-oxidants...</pharmacology>
Anyways, I don't drink it because of that shit--I just love it. Back in my 'Lab' days, one would be challenged to find me without a (large) cup attached. Coulda grafted my skin around that thing, and nobody would have even noticed. ;) lol. Sure helped get me through some grueling, late-night experiments.
Apparently, its also a social lubricant. People can get together and drink/yak, yak/drink, damn near all day. I especially like it first thing around a campfire; fire may not even get rekindled without the prospect and promise of a cup of joe, on a cold morning. Ever staple a filter around some and cook it like tea in the camp pot? I have--Smell will bring peeps outta their tents, for sure (lol).
Ya, I guess you *could* say I'm a coffee dude...probably always will be...enjoy!
GT
Pharmacologically speaking, it's main active ingredient, caffeine, is a sympathomimetic. Ya, it excites, and also modulates the action of other neurotransmitters and quite a few exogenous chemicals and drugs--a system-wide kick in the pants. Although it has had bad rap in past, health-wise, the truth is its a fairly mild excitatory effect, with few side effects, and many beneficial actions. Coffee-based, at least. Probably its most beneficial aspect is the anti-oxidant capacity coffee has on all those free-radicals haunting our aging brains (leading cause of neuro-degenerative disorders, etc.). Coffee has been shown to be up to 25x more potent than other foods and drinks touted as anti-oxidants...</pharmacology>
Anyways, I don't drink it because of that shit--I just love it. Back in my 'Lab' days, one would be challenged to find me without a (large) cup attached. Coulda grafted my skin around that thing, and nobody would have even noticed. ;) lol. Sure helped get me through some grueling, late-night experiments.
Apparently, its also a social lubricant. People can get together and drink/yak, yak/drink, damn near all day. I especially like it first thing around a campfire; fire may not even get rekindled without the prospect and promise of a cup of joe, on a cold morning. Ever staple a filter around some and cook it like tea in the camp pot? I have--Smell will bring peeps outta their tents, for sure (lol).
Ya, I guess you *could* say I'm a coffee dude...probably always will be...enjoy!
GT
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Advertising slogans we'd like to see
The 'other day', I purchased a new (ya, cheepy) toaster and coffee maker to replace the aging workhorses in my kitchen 'stable'. The old ones had their ideosyncracies; you know, over time you begin to comprehend just the right settings to toast, etc. The old toaster was a 4-slicer that was missing both of the push-down handles (where they disappeared to, I have no idear), and was semi-melted on one of the adjuster slides. Coffee pot was decent, but I had somehow knocked the carafe off the coffee maker, when a shelf felled a bunch of crap. Tell you the truth, I had no qualms with that (relatively new) coffee maker, plus, it had any/all features I would use.
Anyways, I setup these newb tools, and encountered the agony of cheesiness. The toaster burnt everything I fed it, unless it was turned almost off, and the coffee maker was virtually un-pourable, save for the most slow and adept of pouring. I got to thinking--maybe they needed to put some different 'slogans' or marketing tools on the box, so that one could savor the daily hassles to come:
**Coffee Maker: "Now with easy-spill carafe" or maybe, "Reservoir-filling challenge game built in to help develop patience and shoulder muscles!" and "Stays on ALL day to get that burnt-coffee taste you crave" or perhaps, "great for people who don't like coffee".
**Toaster: "Now burns every size and shape of bread or pastry more evenly", or "Built-in toaster-challenge adjuster--bet you can't get it right", or maybe "Dogs love it". Mayhap an advisory like "caution: fire hazard--do not leave toaster unattended at any time + not recommended for anyone who can't stand over the toaster to watch it at ALL TIMES". Perhaps a disclaimer: "If your setting is too high, some discoloration of food may occur. However, it's not 'burnt', its just well-browned (one of Gma's old sayings). I thought an additional tool would be well-advised for inclusion, in-box (some kind of after-burn scraper).
So, anyways, I can't bitch too much; these two items together cost me only about $16 and change, and a few slices of unusable bread, thusfar. However, the daily hassle stress alone may push me past the brink of madness a bit sooner than I would like...What's that? What do you mean, 'you get what you pay for'? Lol.
Anyways, I setup these newb tools, and encountered the agony of cheesiness. The toaster burnt everything I fed it, unless it was turned almost off, and the coffee maker was virtually un-pourable, save for the most slow and adept of pouring. I got to thinking--maybe they needed to put some different 'slogans' or marketing tools on the box, so that one could savor the daily hassles to come:
**Coffee Maker: "Now with easy-spill carafe" or maybe, "Reservoir-filling challenge game built in to help develop patience and shoulder muscles!" and "Stays on ALL day to get that burnt-coffee taste you crave" or perhaps, "great for people who don't like coffee".
**Toaster: "Now burns every size and shape of bread or pastry more evenly", or "Built-in toaster-challenge adjuster--bet you can't get it right", or maybe "Dogs love it". Mayhap an advisory like "caution: fire hazard--do not leave toaster unattended at any time + not recommended for anyone who can't stand over the toaster to watch it at ALL TIMES". Perhaps a disclaimer: "If your setting is too high, some discoloration of food may occur. However, it's not 'burnt', its just well-browned (one of Gma's old sayings). I thought an additional tool would be well-advised for inclusion, in-box (some kind of after-burn scraper).
So, anyways, I can't bitch too much; these two items together cost me only about $16 and change, and a few slices of unusable bread, thusfar. However, the daily hassle stress alone may push me past the brink of madness a bit sooner than I would like...What's that? What do you mean, 'you get what you pay for'? Lol.
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