Saturday, March 27, 2010

How I want to play piano

I found a song that kind of epitomizes the way I'd like to be able to improvise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx8Mlh1ACtc

I feel like the guy playing that could go on like that for hours, and I'd still enjoy listening to it.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Rationale

One distinction I don't see people making enough is the difference between reason and rationale. Reason is the process of using one's mental faculties to assess a situation and come to a conclusion about what must be done. Rationale is using one's mental faculties to come up with justification for what one has already decided to do. This is an important distinction to keep in mind.

To pick a vaguely topical example, if you're arguing with someone who's very strongly in favor of socialized medicine for reasons such as peer pressure, arguing with their stated reasons for instituting socialized medicine is futile in many ways. Arguing with someone's rationale is pointless, because they spring up like weeds. This is, of course, only assuming that your goal is to convince that person that they're wrong. Arguing with that person in a public forum with the goal of convincing the audience is often worthwhile.

Debussy

This piece of music inspires me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWpV7L4YHuU

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Finally

I figured out my path in learning the piano. It took my teacher throwing a song at me in an open-ended manner and encouraging me to figure it out on my own.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Health care

I haven't checked the facts in this, but here's what seems to be a thorough summary of what's in the health care bill: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1914020220100319

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Ice Water

I think my favorite beverage in the entire world is ice water. Probably my second favorite is V8 Juice. I think I'm going to go to the supermarket tomorrow and get some. Those are really boring favorite beverages.

By the way, if you read this, post a comment. I want to see if I should bother posting anymore.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

This blog sucks

I thought I would have more to say in a blog, but I don't really think about myself, my isolation, my loneliness, or my general situation much anymore. I just don't think about it. I used to be very introspective, and wonder how on earth others could be otherwise. I guess I have my answer.

Piano

Piano is harder than I thought it was going to be, but I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Piano

I started taking piano lessons again.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Smart

To elaborate on my previous post, I would like to get an MS in Physics, Math, Biology, and Chemistry. As to why, I've always wanted to become as intelligent as I possibly can be. I believe that people who understand Science at a very fundamental level are some of the smartest and most admirable members of society.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Facts

I had a vague notion that it would be interesting to try to get a Master's Degree in more than one subject, and just try to subsist on whatever salary I could get from TAing plus whatever I've saved. My immediate thought was that universities wouldn't be supportive of a Master's Student treating getting Master's Degrees as a leisure pursuit, because they generally treat letting a student into their graduate program as an investment - they expect the student to bring prestige to the university somehow. I know this sentiment characterizes Stanford, but I'm not sure about other universities.