The Weekly List - Things I Don't Understand

Saturday, June 29, 2013
1. The Infield Fly rule.

2. Why people who don't do what they say they're going to do don't feel bad about it.

3. Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND).

4. How incredibly selfish people can feel good about themselves.

5. How I can be up for hours in the middle of the night with insomnia and still can't sleep later than 6:15 a.m.

6. Hoarding.

7. Why I feel guilty that my birth control pills - which I don't take for birth control - are still covered with no copay on a mandatory basis under the Affordable Care Act.

8. Road rage.

9. Mitochondrial myopathies. 

10.The evolutionary road that led to carnivorous kangaroos.

19 comments:

JstPam said...

I can't explain most of those . . . . and now I am terrified of Carnivorous Kangaroos!

Matt said...

I can help!!! The infield fly rule basically prevents infielders from intentionally dropping the ball to gain an advantage . . . like being able to double up the baserunner and batter at first base (the baserunner will generally wait to tag and advance after the ball is caught and generally will not try to advance on an infield fly ball). Hope that helps, the rest of that shit I've got nothing!!

Random Michelle K said...

Sadly, I understand the propensity to hoarding.

It comes from the "but I might need/read/use this one day!" IMHO, it's exacerbated by a bout of poverty at some point in one's life.

I might read this book one day! I can't get rid of it even if it's not on a subject I'm currently interested--I MIGHT be interested in it one day!

I paid GOOD MONEY for these magazines, I am GOING to read them.
Some day.

Oh! Extra free bolts and screws from this project! Better save them in case one of the bolts/screws in project breaks, OR I might NEED a bolt / screw one day!

I have hoarding tendencies. Especially with books, but with other things as well. But having to move frequently at one point in my life, combined with having a small house, and then having my grandmother move in allowed me to go somewhat in the other direction, which is:

"Do I need it right now? Do I need it in the IMMEDIATE future? No? Then I'm getting rid of it/giving it away and will buy a new one if I ever need one."

Combined with the idea, "I'm not using this right now, but someone else can surely use it, so I should give it to someone who CAN use it." my hoarding tendencies are under control.

But it required a major wrenching around of how I think and refocusing my OCD in the complete opposite direction.

And there's a really long and complicated answer to one thing you don't understand.

Anne C. said...

The fantastic ability of the human mind to delude itself counts for two or three of those.

And thank you, Matt!

Shawn Powers said...

1. The Infield Fly rule.

I didn't know this one, thanks Matt!

2. Why people who don't do what they say they're going to do don't feel bad about it.

They make an excuse that for themselves, makes the lack of follow through not only acceptable, but obviously the only logical choice. This excuse need only make sense to the person, and only momentarily, before logic kicks in.

3. Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND).

Because Dark Matter math makes sense, but we really want something we can reason out, rather than accept it's out there but remain unobservable.

4. How incredibly selfish people can feel good about themselves.

This one is easy, their self is all they care about, what *else* could they feel good about?

5. How I can be up for hours in the middle of the night with insomnia and still can't sleep later than 6:15 a.m.

I know you're an Atheist, but I see this one as evidence that God has a sense of humor.

6. Hoarding.

Growing up very poor, I will concur with Michelle 100%

7. Why I feel guilty that my birth control pills - which I don't take for birth control - are still covered with no copay on a mandatory basis under the Affordable Care Act.

You must not pay enough taxes to feel you've earned it.

BWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA

8. Road rage.

I think it's a manifestation of other issue, and a douchecanoe driver is the straw that broke the metaphorical back.

9. Mitochondrial myopathies.

That's body magic.

10.The evolutionary road that led to carnivorous kangaroos.

"Where did I leave my keys?"
"Where did I leave my purse?"
"Where did I leave my tiny baby marsupial?"
etc...

Janiece said...

Shawn, if you really want to impress me, you'll explain #3 in mathematical terms.

hehe.

Shawn Powers said...

I could show you how it works, but my demo only works with spherical apples falling from a 4 dimensional tree in a vacuum...

Random Michelle K said...

"Assume: a spherical, frictionless chicken, in a vacuum."

Janiece said...

I was wondering how long it would be until the spherical chicken joke was put forth.

Shawn Powers said...

It's like a nerdy Godwin's law.

ScatterKat said...

@Random Michelle K: Hey, I'm a hoarder myself, also afflicted with the OCD...I hope I can improve to your level one day!

ScatterKat said...

@Janiece: CARNIVOROUS KANGAROOS???!! Another thing I found shocking when I found out about it: apparently cows are the animal that kills the most Americans! O-o

Carol Elaine said...

I agree with Michelle re: hoarding. I am a pack rat who could easily become a hoarder if it weren't for the fact that I'm kinda claustrophobic. Not so bad that I can't be in an elevator, but if I don't have room to move or do the things I need to do, I get very, very anxious.

As for road rage, well, poor Shawn has heard me scream epithets at other drivers pulling bonehead maneuvers, so you could say I do understand it.

I don't get ragey to the point where I do stupid or dangerous things, but I do get furious with other drivers who are inconsiderate and self-entitled.

I won't lie - sometimes it's difficult to keep a lid on my rage in situations like that, but I tend to just yell out my frustrations in the privacy of my car, stew for a few more minutes, then let it go so I can drive safely.

The rest - not a clue.

Random Michelle K said...

@ScatterKat

For me, the key was giving things away.

And I do mean give for free.

If I can find someone who can use the item, it's easy for me to give the item away.

For things like old clothes, I donate them to a local charity that gives them away to the needy--also for free.

Something about knowing an item is going to someone who can use it makes it easy for me to get rid of an item. If I had to try and sell it? I'd never do it.

See if you can find a key that unlocks your ability to get rid of things, and see if it has some sort of reward tied into it (I love giving gifts, so giving things to people makes me happy and is a reward for me) and see if that helps you.

aggirlj said...

I learned to drive in LA, CA and had to adopt the defensive driving technique at an early age. I now live in Colorado Springs, not far from your neighborhood Janiece, and have adjusted my driving technique to the point where I don't drive at high speeds on someone's A** like a lot of drivers here because I want an escape avenue. I stay pretty close to the speed limit, but let the big boys and girls in their gas guzzlers fly on by, usually with a "Go Boy!"from me, deeply intoned.
I see lots of idiotic moves and mostly laugh out loud. At other times when I've my elderly dog in the back seat, I SCREAM OUT LOUD if I have to brake abruptly. (Dog slides off seat onto floor) I try and avoid that at all costs.
But, being semi-retired and working at home, I don't have to commute long distances in any type of time frame. I do know what you see, glad I don't have to on a daily basis.

Jennifer said...

2. Why people who don't do what they say they're going to do don't feel bad about it.

Shawn: "They make an excuse that for themselves, makes the lack of follow through not only acceptable, but obviously the only logical choice. This excuse need only make sense to the person, and only momentarily, before logic kicks in."

As someone also befuddled by this occurrence, I find it oddly comforting that someone (@Shawn) came up with an answer that makes sense. It's not like I didn't think it at subconscious level, but somehow reading someone else's explanation (rather than listening to my gut) makes it easier to comprehend. So... Thanks for that!

Janiece said...

Welcome, aggirlj. I was always cranky when people cut me off when the late, beloved Boogs was in the Jeep with me, so that I get. It's the shouting, flipping people off, and other misanthropic behavior when someone, say, hesitates when the light's green that baffles.

Overreact much?

aggirlj said...

Thanks for the welcome, Janiece. My baby girl, Daphne aka Daffy Girl, the elderly dog mentioned above sadly went to the Rainbow Bridge today. I know your pain. {{{{Hugs}}}}

Janiece said...

Oh, no. I'm so sorry!