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Elisza's comments
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Elisza  ·  3389 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: TFG's Workout - Day 7 / Week 1 (holy shit I did it)

A saying I've heard from somewhere: "You know what never betrays you? Your training. What you put in is what you will reap."

Elisza  ·  3389 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How do you feel about Forum Role-Playing Games?

Who oversees the whole thing and distributes the rewards? And how do we start the whole thing? What about how the world is set up? Do we just go around creating it as we go?

Sorry, this comment is private.
Elisza  ·  3389 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Tomorrow, I'm starting to run and work out

Of course, but if you're eating potato chips and bacon for breakfast, fried chicken and pizza for lunch with coke, instant noodles with a cheese cake at night, then you aren't going to be losing weight. My point is that with a balanced diet, reducing the proportions of what is consumed will be beneficial to weight loss, and is more effective than just cardiovascular exercises or resistance training. It's not necessary to count the calories to achieve a deficit in caloric intake, but each item that goes into your mouth is a potential energy source you have to burn via running- but you only have so much vitality before you collapse.

So I rank, in order of importance, eating less (but nutritious, less carbohydrates, maybe you can check out some vitamins to supplement your diet?) > resistance training (building more muscles allows you to burn more energy) > cardiovascular activity (pure running) in order of effectiveness in losing weight. Optimally, you could combine all three to achieve maximum results in the shortest time.

That is my opinion.

Elisza  ·  3389 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Tomorrow, I'm starting to run and work out

Keep at it! I started working out (weight training) since last year and lost 16 kg. It's amazing how much "waist" I've lost. Most important thing is to EAT LESS (but a balanced diet).

Sorry, this comment is private.
Elisza  ·  3391 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How do I deal with my parents' possessive control of me?

Hey man, I'm also twenty and stepping out from the shadows of my parents and the paved road. You are no fool. If you think it's time to leave the nest and fly, you need to have checkpoints to make that feeling into reality.

I think that you might want to educate yourself on personal finances first, don't want to kick yourself in the shins after you break away from your parents and starve. A good start would be The Motley Fool's Investment for Teens book, and keeping track of your expenditures in a google doc sheet or some other medium- this allows you to realize how much is required to keep alive and fed. Maybe you find you can start cutting some luxuries off. It's ironic because my parents still pay for everything, but I'm starting to have an understanding of what is required to live indendently. Credit cards, bank accounts, electricity, internet, transportation, water, and food are something I have to be able to pay for on my own. List the money going out, you've got to do it. No umms and IFs, you've got to see the numbers. Also, start thinking more selfishly- for your own best interests, and not someone else's.

Maybe I can suggest another few books: How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie (for social interactions), 48 Laws of Power (sort of self help, but very interesting and have anecdotes), A Random Walk Down Wall Street (Investment).

Social interactions will be crucial. It has been reiterated and sounds absolutely banal, but it's about the people you meet that can connect you with people that can help you. Quality over quantity. In China, having connections is a given.

Have you written a resume? A cover letter? Need those. I was forced to write mine in first year university, and am currently using it. Maybe you could ask your local librarian (I remember they have a lot of resources, not sure about where you are though) for an introduction to how to write one. Then spam it to part time jobs you can apply to. If what they control you with is money, then that is what you can use to free yourself. Know the fight.

The year will be difficult. Part time jobs and university is tough. Quality studying can be done- the key is in discipline. DISCIPLINE.

I love your writing. Best of luck, sorry I'm being brief, typing on my phone is hard. I will try my best to answer any other questions (do take in mind I'm no expert).

Elisza  ·  3392 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Why Russian drivers "blink" on the road

I could try to do one from a Westernized Chinese/Taiwanese view. Lived at least 12 years in Beijing, some in America, some in Shanghai, some in Canada. What would you people want to see?

Elisza  ·  3394 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Hearthstone? Anybody?

Also somewhat casual, long time player. If you want to get better, read a few deck guides first, but don't be discouraged by your lack of rare, epic, and legendaries. Secondly, if you're striving to be competitive, you should unlock most tiers of Naxxramas and the first tier of Blackrock Mountain for Emperor Thaurissan. I can't remember if arena still gave GvG cards, but it is the most efficient way to get cards/gold. Still, I just like to open regular packs. We'll make plenty of mistakes when we play, but learn from it

Say we automate: what happens to the low skill workers that were laid off? In an utopia we'd re-educate them and let them develop new skills, fill new economical niches. But in China and India the people who filled those position lacked the education in the first place, and displacing them of their job there leaves many without one, or maybe drives standards of living even lower as they get more desperate. What I'm trying to insinuate is 'what will happen to the displaced low skill workers, and how will they affect society?'

Elisza  ·  3396 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What the actual fuck?

I blocked him a while ago, didn't think he was still around until this came up. Normally I am not one to outright mute someone, because even if I disagree with your input to a discussion, it has merit by stimulating thoughts and counterarguments, which benefits our community. This is blatant harassment, and I dislike that.

Elisza  ·  3396 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: "People in Russia are Anti-US" and other such statements

Thank you so much for your comprehensive reply! That really was more than I expected and felt like an entry to a wikipedia article, in a more personal way (trying to find the words to compliment you but it eludes me). It appears that Russia, like most countries, has its fair share of people who can drink in moderation, but it may be a western media/ internet that propogates the image of rampant alcoholism. How are things going in Russia, after the annexation of Crimea? Do people talk about it at all? I suppose there are a large majority of people who don't support war but can't really voice it, is this what it's like?

Elisza  ·  3396 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Motivational Speaking

Go for your dreams! I'm glad you have one. I'm afraid I can't do much for you, but I'll share the post and hope other people have a better idea than I do. One thing is for sure though, you'll need to practice a ton (I've heard going over a speech in front of a mirror is really important)! I wish you the best.

''Demosthenes lived in Athens from 384 B.C. to 322 B.C. As a young man, he suffered from a speech impediment—which may have been a stutter, an inability to pronounce the “r” sound, or both. He designed a series of exercises for himself to improve his speech. According to legend, he practiced speaking with stones in his mouth, which forced him to work very hard to get the sounds out. When his diction became clearer, he got rid of the stones and found he was able to enunciate much more effectively than before. He also practiced reciting speeches while running and speaking over the roar of ocean waves to improve his projection. These strategies must have worked, because Demosthenes achieved fame as the greatest orator in ancient Greece.''

You can do it!

Elisza  ·  3396 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: "People in Russia are Anti-US" and other such statements

How would you describe Russia's culture to an outsider (me) that's never been there before? There's probably quite a few stereotypes I can dispel if I read a few accounts from a native Russian! For example, do you guys really drink that much alcohol (drinking at all is quite inconcievable to me, I really dislike it)?

Elisza  ·  3396 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Charting the slow death of the universe

Would the universe just... sit there in all eternity? In the gloom? No chance of a new big bang?

Elisza  ·  3396 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Random Photo Challenge - caring

How do I post the pictures here? I can't seem to figure out from mobile!

Edit: http://postimg.org/image/mb64k557b/

My most recent trip to Xing Jiang, it's a picture of Heaven's Lake. I never usually have the chance to travel with my father, as he was always so busy, so this trip is definitely going to stick in my memories. I don't know when I'll have another chance.

Elisza  ·  3397 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: "Get Well Soon, 8bit!"

I hope you come back, if you are reading this. Even though I haven't followed you (being relatively new here) I think you are a valuable and needed part of what forges hubski's identity. Very sorry for what happened and though you may never return, I will wait.

Elisza  ·  3397 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Perhaps the most unnatural fruit: watermelons

The doggy looks like he ran into a wall nose first! I suppose the same happened to most dog species were domesticated and bred for a purpose, especially recently right? Why weren't cats bred to hunt more effectively or become more 'dog' like?

Elisza  ·  3397 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Perhaps the most unnatural fruit: watermelons

My imagination compels me to create a vision in a post apocalyptic world where the mother watermelon that gives life to all other watermelons (seedless) is a god of some cult.

Elisza  ·  3397 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Coffee Shop Update Week 1

I second this; I think it's quite inspiring to actually hear about alternatives to a 9 to 5 job, and directly from the person him/herself instead of another person investigating. Whether it be a success or not (I hope the best for you, cgod) it still proves an insight to a world I may never be able to enter.

Take care of your health though.

Elisza  ·  3407 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What is English?

Hello, I'll attempt to answer your answer with some of my opinions.

Though I'm currently majoring in civil engineering, my other choice was going to be English. It's polar, but there was that one brilliant out of class teacher that inspired me through tenth and twelfth grade. I believe that English, or any language primarily used in a person's work, is worth studying because if taught well, it's not just metaphors and dissanence, but rather points us to how to truly analyze a person or situation. It opens discussion, and alternate views because there really isn't a correct answer in analysis. Essay writing allows students to practice something fundamental to every day life: communication, whether it be complex rhetorics to an article on Philae's discovery. We, humans, are social creatures. In the end, we still rely on communicating with each other to get around. When there's a breakdown in communication, things can get really nasty. That is why it is important for us to be able to concisely, but elegantly, convey our ideas to other people. Too blunt, like a boulder rolling down a hill, will elicit negative responses. Too confusing, like English translations of French texts (sorry), and no one will pay attention to your words. To sum it up, language teaches analysis and communication skills.

I believe (though I'm only 20) that as society and technology advances, more and more emphasis will be placed on being 'human'. That is to say, what we have over machines, such has empathy, creativity, and 'connecting the dots'. Empathy requires similar experiences, relatable events, and one can perhaps draw upon a charactet's tragic demise to understand another person's feelings. Creativity and connecting unlike thoughts both require critical thinking, analysis skills, and the ability to be unlimited by what is 'right'. Furthermore, being able to quickly select key points in a lengthy text will be very important as well, if they are to be deft at connecting the real critical factors in many situations.

For me, reading should always be coupled with writing. From my personal experience, no input, no output. We absorb ideas and form our own opinions. The reality of a school system is that without a given structure of an essay, there can't be a schematic to evaluate students. I don't have a better idea yet of how to promote creativity but still be fairly graded. My two cents. Apologies for brusque sentences, on mobile.

Elisza  ·  3407 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What is the greatest work of history?

He spoke up for a General who had surrendered (to barbarians I think), arguing the surrender was temporary and it was to preseve their army. Emperor did not like that. Emperor said, okay, Sima Qian. You either die, or you choose castration. Sima Qian chose castration (you could pay it off, but he didn't have the money to) so he could (again, I remember it had something about his father's goals) finish the book. So he does have a pretty good grudge against the royal family, but he still analyzes them fairly.

Elisza  ·  3407 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Last Blue Moon until 2018 tonight (7/31/2015)

Quoting: ''Bottom line: The second of two July 2015 full moons falls today, on July 31, 2015. By popular acclaim, the second full moon to occur in a single calendar month is known as a blue moon. Thanks to what is called the Metonic cycle, 19 years from now, in 2034, we’ll again have another Blue Moon in July. And 19 years after that, there will be another one, in July, 2053.''

Not sure where you live, but in China it's the 31st!

Elisza  ·  3407 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What is the greatest work of history?

I nominate 'The Records of the Grand Historian' by Sima Qian. It covers the beginning of Chinese history, to the first Dynasty (united mainland) of Qin 秦 and parts of Han 汉. Though it was completed in 109 B.C, what it known for is its absolutely unopiniated recording of the Emperors, or other people and events that were worthy of recording. He has recorded both the good deeds and the bads. But what is amazing is the perspective it offers- if Sima Qian could not personally verify a historical fact (sometimes he even travelled to the place it happened to see if he could discover more information) he would omit or note that he could not verify it. If there were two equally as likely possibilities, he sometimes would include both, in seperate chapters, and leave interpretation up to the readers. Even if a man was emperor, he was not guaranteed notice, and one or two sentences sufficed as an entry. Likewise, if a man was not an emperor but was supremely influential, no matter his birth, he would have his name down. No historian had his insight and fairness in recording a dynasty's history, and I think his work is worthy of being the greatest (I need to read all the others though to make a fair judgement).

Sorry, this comment is private.
Elisza  ·  3417 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Early or late?

I think it's at a point where the community really bonds with each other, kind of like a tight knitted town. Hubski is very informative and I have not seen as many openly loony people, but perhaps that's a matter of number of people.

Elisza  ·  3417 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What is your day like? What is your typical routine?

6:30 am, alarm rings from phone. Turn it off. Trundle to bathroom, return to bed to brush teeth/pre-wakeup nap. 6:38, spit toothpaste out, wash and clean face and shave if I have to. 6:44, stretching legs, back, shoulder, arms. Do pushups. 6:58 pick up bag and stuff on desk, go downstairs for breakfast. 7:31, head to car. 7:58 arrive at subway. 8:15 arrive at stop. 8:37 arrive at office. 11:30 Lunch. Leave at 4:40. Home by 6:00. Dinner. Break until 7:00. Gym. Home by 9:30. Shower, some computer time, bed by 10:30. Browse on phone/chat with friend until 11:00. Lights off, repeat Monday through Friday.

Elisza  ·  3419 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: How do you motivate yourself? What motivates you?

Aha, sorry about that. I'll edit my post. Thanks!

Elisza  ·  3419 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: What are you reading this week?

Oh my gosh, I didn't even see this post and as I was scouring the net for Hemingway, I downloaded both Farewell to Arms and Sun Also Rises. Big coincidence? Perhaps not. The Old Man and the Sea is the first Hemingway I've read I think, if you discount Hills Like White Elephants (good old English class). Is For Whom the Bell Tolls good? I didn't have the chance to read that in English class.