Thought of the Day – 9/12/13 – Swaddle Me

The idea of swaddling babies is odd to me.

I understand the benefits (maintains their temperature, helps them feel safe, comforts them, leads to longer, better sleep, etc.), but the concept is so foreign.

You know that old joke about the first person to milk a cow (and specifically, what the heck were they doing?) – I find swaddling to be in that same vein.

Who thought:  “You know, we should take our precious and incredibly fragile baby and put her in a straight jacket while we sleep.”?  This is the kind of logic that can only come from sleep-deprived new parents.

Nighty, night, Baby! Sweet dreams!

This leads me to a follow-up question:  when is it no longer appropriate to swaddle a child?  I know that I’d like to keep my 4-year-old from waking up a 6:30 on a Saturday morning.  And a good swaddle will probably be really important during her teenage years.

Germ Warfare

The bottle of hand sanitizer at my desk claims it will kill “99.99% of germs”.  That is nice – not because I live in constant fear of germs, sickness caused by germs, Germans, germination, German short-haired pointers, or anything else germane to the discussion – but because that is what I expect sanitizer to do.

I expect sanitizer to make my hands clean, smelling slightly like rubbing alcohol, and help me locate any cuts or scratches that I was not previously aware of.  But what about the 0.01% of germs that make it past the sanitizer’s defenses.  How do I stop these germs?  Or do I constantly live in fear of some super septic that seeks to wreak havoc on my body?

I generally subscribe to the George Carlin theory about germs and role our immune system should play in keeping us healthy.  (Caution – George uses words that are not friendly for most workplaces / young ears).

But if that doesn’t work, maybe I could defend myself with a German Sheperd?

Thought of the Day – 9/20/2012

I saw a guy today who was riding a bike and smoking a cigarette.

I wonder what the rest of his work-out routine looks like….

• Walking on the treadmill with a six-pack of Budweiser?
• Jumping rope with a Super Rope?
• Watching The Biggest Loser with a bucket of chicken?
• 5K runs? (With the “K’s” being Krispy Kreme, Kit-Kat, and Klondike bar)
• Deep fat fried salad?
• Gatorade and vodka?
• Recliner aerobics?

 

Biking is Good Exercise

The other day, I was walking back to the office after lunch through downtown Lincoln.  I was in a blissfully unaware state between food coma* and lost in my thoughts, when something in the corner of my eye made me stop and do a double-take.

*Thanks to the deliciousness of the cheesy pulled pork sandwich (with the Spicy Thai Chili BBQ sauce) at C. Berry’s.  Crazy good.

I turned and saw a bike rack on the sidewalk.  That is not terribly uncommon for a college town like Lincoln.  What got my attention was what was on the bike rack.

This:

I stood there for a minute and just laughed at the absolute absurdity of an old-school exercise bike on a bike rack*.

*And locked up, at that.  I guess you can’t be too careful on the mean streets of Lincoln, NE. 

What has stuck with me is a) how this bike got there, and b) why?

I can definitely see some college kids doing it as a semi-sober prank / stunt.  I’m pretty sure the College-Aged me would have found this idea hysterical after a few Busch Lights*, and would have participated.

*Don’t judge – I was not flush with cash in college, and Busch Light was the official cheap beer of choice at the University of Nebraska.

And I can also see it as some sort of public art piece / social commentary – reflecting upon the need for many Lincolnites to drop some pounds and/or recognize the bicycle as an acceptable form of transportation*

*Prior to kids, I would commute to work via bike, and I can tell you that a stationary bike on the sidewalk is usually the safest option for biking in downtown Lincoln – and the one that most motorists would prefer you to use.

Heck, maybe some benevolent soul thought downtown Lincoln could use a public workout facility.  I know several downtown Lincoln employers who do not have this level of exercise facilities in their workplace.

Regardless of their intention, whomever did it made my day.

And for that, I thank you.