The Archetypal Fool

Moving Blog

2008-08-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

I doubt anyone reads this anymore, but I guess I'm cool with that. For those of you that don't know, I actually have a blog located at approachtoclose.com.

I'm planning to create a new blog and maybe I'll post the link here. The reason for the new blog isn't necessarily the unpopularity of this one, but the fact that I'm moving home which means I'll have to wait to open up an Adsense account later.

Pledge

2008-05-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

I am psyched!! There are fans of this blog. I have fans, who knew?? This is dedicated to you guys.

I make a pledge. Henceforth, as often as possible I will try to post to this blog. It will be some of the old stuff (because they liked that), and hopefully some improvements as well.

It takes up my time to do this blog, honestly it does. But just knowing that some people may be reading it, using it to improve their lives, or even just to have a laugh, makes it worth it.

Next post: Frugality and Socialising.

Just a few quick rants

2008-04-07T05:57:00.001-07:00

Just so you know, this is somewhat of a beta project. I use my old e-mail address for this. I figure that if the highely unlikely happens and I get good readership, then I'll use my main e-mail address. Also, whatever you use in life from this, use at your own peril - consider this a disclaimer.

For those who want to know what I look at, I've included an RSS reader on the side so you don't have to necessarily read what I write. Also, for thos of you that make games as a hobby, I've included a free 3D editor, 2D editor, some nudes (so you know this ain't for kids), and a few tutorials. These are all available on the left hand side of the blog.

K, this is sorta incorrect I'll update when I have time. Enjoy.

Pick up a Woman - wikiHow

2008-04-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

How to Pick up a Woman

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

You are at a bar or a club. You see a woman you'd like to know better. What do you do? Well, try being bold, open and happy for starters. Women like guys who show a smile and even more than this, women like a guy who can laugh at himself and who can crack good jokes. What else? Read on to find out some more ways to improve your chances.

Steps

Assess the situation. Only nine percent of women say that they found love in a bar. Is this great gal that you're checking out part of that nine percent? Here are some good signs:
- Assess whether she is checking you out. Perhaps she's smiling or talking to her friends while looking at you. Many guys don't pursue in this situation because they don't believe what they are seeing or they are waiting for the girl to approach. Yes, she is checking you out and no, she will definitely not approach you. However, she will appreciate it if you send a drink or a plate of nachos her way with a few chuckles and smiles from you. Then go and own up and start talking. And she just might approach you, so wear tight pants and don't be ashamed to stuff (however, the consequences of this technique may be awkward if you make make it to the bedroom).
- Be careful if she is alone. This is a tough call. She may be waiting for someone or she may be insane. Possibly the girl of your dreams will make it obvious if she's waiting for someone by looking towards the door often. If this is the case, make sure to befriend her friends before talking to her. If not, well, she just isn't that insecure to be by herself and is most likely to appreciate a good chat, whether or not another guy is coming to meet her. Hey, what's to lose by at least trying? You should feel good just for taking action on your wants. Taking action is a masculine trait, and you will feel good for the action you have taken to talk to her. You also won't regret that you didn't even try.
- Decide what it means if she is dressed provocatively. Women who are interested in meeting someone might wear bold, solid colors like black, white or red, especially when they are ovulating. Women who wear red dresses are the kinkiest. Be forewarned! They also typically put a lot of effort into their hair, makeup and shoe selection. Mind you, women often do this for women too, so don't make assumptions. Women don't like looking as if they've spent a day at the construction site when they go out to enjoy themselves. But women who get dressed up are looking for it. So shelve the assumptions and look lively. If her clothes give off signals, you have probably been drinking a little earlier than usual or maybe she has not washed her clothes because she's a dirty girl!:) Look for the woman in the clothes, not at the clothes on the woman.
- Understand what is means if she is looking around a lot. If she's in her circle of friends and makes an effort to look at the guys passing by, you've got a potential pick-up. Mind you, you might have a group of women doing this all at once. Select the one that meets with your idea of fun and good talk. Use your commonsense. Sometimes you may be roped into engaging with all of them as they check you out for a friend in that group. Be obliging.
- React quickly if she looks bored or annoyed with her company. The guys she came with are belligerent and touching her and she has no out. This is your best situation to be the knight in shining armor. You don't even need visual contact! Just walk over there and say, "How'd you like to come sit with me/us?" or "There's an empty seat next to me if you need it." You can skip down to the conversation part if you're lucky enough to find one of these. Ask her what on earth she was discussing with those bullish guys and then lead her to somewhere funner.
Make eye contact. You've already established that she is available, so keep telling yourself that. This next step is key. If she looks at you and you look away nervously, good luck to you. You've already made a bad first impression. Keep a relaxed, flirtatious gaze. Don't stare and don't lock up and look like a psycho. Also don't flash a huge, fake grin. Just move your head however feels natural and smile a bit--whatever feels natural. If she looks away shyly, that's good. If she gives you a seductive stare, that's even better. If she looks away and looks freaked out, better find someone else.
Look away for a second or two to give her time to think about you. She has noticed that you're available and that you like her. She's thinking about whether she likes you back. Don't take too long. Between ten seconds and a minute. Whatever feels right. Take a deep breath, relax, think happy thoughts. She was intrigued by you, remember?
Clear your mind. Breathe. That oxygen is going to help you think on your toes and help you relax. Gulp it down politely. She may wonder if you are a fish otherwise or she'll think you're like that.
Glance over at her again. If she's chatting with her friends and still has her eye on you, congratulations. If she's looking at you comfortably, congratulations. If she purposely avoids eye contact, she either has myopia or she just hasn't felt the spark her end. Approach somebody else or offer to put her glasses back on. Try pretending to be a ventriloquist!
Keep eye contact as you approach. Don't stare and don't trip over anything as you walk toward her. Stay relaxed and focused. Have a sense of purpose. Don't let all the people who are in your way discourage you. Remember, we have already established that she likes you. If you blow it now, it's all your fault, even though we really haven't established yet that she likes you because you don't know yet--this is just a hypothetical scenario. Although, never underestimate the endearing quality of a guy who trips over in pursuit of love. It can be retold for years afterwards and who knows, it may just end in marriage a tiny percentage of the time. Most of the time, however, it will result in embarrassment for you and her.
Smile casually and say something casual. Remember, you are a stranger. There is no need to say something elaborate but at least form the words clearly - don't mumble or spit in anticipation. Here are some ideas:

- "How's it going?"
- "Hey there."
- "Hey what's up?"
Regardless of what her response is, ask a question next. The purpose of this question is to get her to laugh. Say something benign or even daft:
- "What are you up to?" This one is a favorite. If she says "nothing," try one of the others, but if she wants to play along she'll say "dancing" * cue laugh* or "drinking" * cue laugh*
- "What's your name?"
- "Where's your boyfriend?" This is a good question to ask if she's been talking to a guy that she's obviously not interested in. Do you see the pattern? Humor!
- Or even "What's your sign?" She just may crack up
- If you are talented enough to think up your own humorous question that fits the scenario better, go for it. But please, if you don't have a rapacious wit, stick to the suggestions above, because they are that good.
Get on with it. You're on your own, so have a decent conversation. If you're not good at it, you will never get a pickup (unless you look like a model). Most guys can't get past the above part, so you already have a head start. Remember, if you fail at this point, it's all your fault. She doesn't really have a boyfriend and she isn't really that busy. You just didn't impress her with your conversation, that's all. Get better and try again. Because you have to be something special to talk to a woman.

Tips

*Consider going to the bar with a few friends. It's best if your group has a few females. It adds a little mystery ("I wonder if he's dating any of them?") and shows that you are a normal, social human being.
Remember to stay relaxed and comfortable.
Have a few questions and comments planned out. If you are nervous, stumbling around for what to say next can be haphazard at best. Make sure they're good ones too. Good conversation questions are casual and a little shallow.
The type of questions you ask are important. The key is to be in the moment. Avoid talking about work or school if possible. If you've talked to her for a while, a good question is "what do you do?" It just sounds less invasive than "where do you work?" or "what do you do for a living?" Plus, what if she's a student or unemployed? Don't be too inquisitive about it. Big questions are always better. "what do you do?" gives her alot more ways to respond then the other more specific questions. After asking your question look at her is if you expect an answer. You are the type of guy that people always answer, so freeze your body, and just look into her eyes expectingly. If she says "I don't know" then you will just. Relate the question to your own life, and then rephrase it. Sometimes all a girl need is an example of how to answer your question, so she can answer it in a better way.
Also don't ask questions that you know the answer to. Are you interested in hearing her say "yes" or interested in what's going on in her mind? If you ask questions like these she will quickly lose respect for you:
- "Are you having a good time?"
- "So you're hanging out with the girls tonight?"
- "So you like dancing?
- "So you like [whatever drink she has in her hand]?"
Don't be too serious. You are out at a bar. She didn't come here to meet serious guys, she wants to have fun. In bars/clubs, serious guys stick out in a bad way. She won't want to be seen with you.
If you sense that the girl is smart or witty, it can help a great deal to establish yourself as one of her kind with some offbeat comedy. In one Seinfeld episode, Jerry brags of picking up a girl with the line, "So you know I'm the one responsible for those crop circles in England."
You are trying to keep the conversation flowing naturally. If it starts to feel like an interview, it's best to abort mission.
Be funny. This will break the ice, make you more attractive, and make her like you more as a person. Humor is all about surprise. Just say something that no other guy would say, and you will more than likely have made a funny comment. Also surround yourself with what you want to be in life, so if you want to be funny have funny friends, watch stand up comedy, and do funny things. If you are too nervous to think of funny stuff to say, you're going to have a tough time pulling it off. You must be relaxed at all times during a pickup.
Girls are almost always better at conversation than guys, but there's the possibility that you cannot get the flow going with her. If she's giving one word answers and there is no connection, it's best not to pursue. Even if it is "her fault" in your mind, she doesn't see it that way.
Watch Wedding Crashers for some excellent ideas. That movie is full of great pick-up ideas. It's not recommended that you actually crash weddings though. Other movies with bar pick-ups are How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Lost in Translation. Don't do exactly what they do, just observe the flow in conversation between two strangers.
Read Cosmo, Vogue and Esquire magazines. Women's opinions of things tend to be quite consistent. Look closely and you will find what to say, what not to say, what to come off as, etc. Besides bedroom recommendations, these magazines often have articles telling women what to look for in a man, and many women listen.
Don't use filler phrases! They make you sound unsure of yourself.
- "I'm sorry, I couldn't help but notice..."
- "I was wondering..."
- "So..."
- "Well..."
- "Has anyone ever told you that..."
- "...or something like that."
- "...you know?"
- "ummm..."
Dress well, but more importantly, dress appropriately. Don't wear your clubbing shirt to a college watering hole and don't wear a t-shirt and sneakers to the club.
If you ever end up as the third wheel out at a bar, don't fret. This is an excellent pickup situation if the girl you're with is willing to assist you. Girls hold each other's opinions rather highly and she will have an easier time getting the object of your affection to come over. Some girls may view this as wimpy or a cop-out, so make sure that when you meet her, you dispel that suspicion immediately.
If she's with a group of friends, engage them early. Most women will use the approval of their friends to judge you. Sometimes groups with one or two guys are easiest to approach because you can chat the guys up first, then find out how they know each other.
It's ok to be nervous--its not ok to hide it, because she'll know anyway. Be comfortable enough with a little nervousness that you can push through it into a decent conversation.
Most women want to attract you with something besides looks. If she's hot, every other chump has already told her that. So try to elicit her values or something personal and then reward her with a statement of interest for something besides her looks. So when she says she loves dogs, you can say "Wow, so you're compassionate AND sexy".

Warnings

Don't force anything.
Do not use routines that are not congruent with your image.
You are going to get shot down from time to time. That's life. Pick yourself up and try again.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Pick up a Woman. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Bruno Lucia

2008-03-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

I normally hate the whole comedian-with-a-guitar thing. They annoy me no end. They normally write the sort of stuff Kenny Rogers or someone might sing seriously or you might hear similar lyrics in primary school or something.

But this guy, he's a bit different. Perhaps because he's got some talent, or perhaps for the way he uses it to enhance his stand up, I don't know, but I do know that I can appreciate what he does, deffo.

Gary Daniels movies would make great video games

2008-03-17T15:55:00.000-07:00

I remember growing up back home in my teens, we had a mix of some good TV and bad. And some of the worst. And sometimes I couldn't be bothered watching the film critic-type stuff, so I'd turn to the cheapass channel and watch some low-budget action movies. You know, the type of stuff that's now popular since Jet Li and Chow Yun Fat started doing mainstream movies, and "the Matrix" made that type of stuff popular.

I used to watch a whole bunch of stuff that varied in quality. Chow Yun Fat's movies were some of the best. Don Wilson's movies were quite terrible. The Cybertracker movies ripped off the Terminator movies, and there were at least 8 Bloodfist movies which were just seemingly unrelated. No visible continuity whatsoever.

In between all of these, there was Gary Daniels. Another mediocre actor. More mediocre role choices. Average. Don't get me wrong, in between it all there's some great stuff like "White Tiger" which, had it had a slightly stronger story bigger actors and better advertising, could have been a Hollywood movie. Actually, scratch the stronger story. And I could mention "Fist of the North Star", which I haven't yet seen but that's digressing.

The point is he's mediocre, average, slightly below even. But I love his film choices and they're not brilliant. But I was lying awake the other night and thinking, "What if they made games of some of Gary Daniel's movies?" That would be awesome. Commence daydream...

Firepower

Set waaayy in the unforeseeable future of 2006, this movie centers around a plot to manufacture illegal AIDS vaccines. Two police officers have to go undercover in an illegal fighting arena to infiltrate the organisation producing the drug. Interesting story.

I thought this would make a great fighting game. An electrified fence and halfway during a fight you get a weapon option. Not to mention the story mode possibilities. In fact, I was so convinced that there was a some similar game that I looked for a character who resembled "Sledge", the closest I got was the one below. Alex from Street Fighter.

Rage

Imagine that you're a CIA guinea pig testing some LSD-like drug that produces strength, speed and a faster metabolism, but has the side-effect of producing severe rage in the subject. This is somewhat the premise of "Rage".

What I really liked about this was the bit where he stops in someone's house and starts eating their food. That's classic video game mentality, eat to stop dying. In fact Cody, below, from Final Fight looks almost like Daniel's did in the movie, and you can clearly see the burger meant to increase health.

So, I guess that's that. Capcom if you're reading this, we need these games to be made.

Why VERY INTELLIGENT Men Fail With Women

2008-03-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

The Ten Reasons Why HIGHLY INTELLIGENT
Men Fail With Women... AND WHAT TO DO
ABOUT IT...

By David DeAngelo

I've been teaching men how to become more successful with women and dating for a several years now... and one "problem scenario" just keeps coming up OVER AND OVER... and OVER
and OVER and OVER again...

...and it's really amazes me.

I'm going to refer to it as "The Genius Failure Paradox".

"The Genius Failure Paradox" is the tendency for UNUSUALLY intelligent men to have very LOW levels of success with women and dating.

After contemplating this particular paradox, discussing it, and working on it for an awesome amount of time, I'd like to share my thoughts about it with you.

I assume that if you've read this far, then you see probably yourself as smarter than the average guy.

You know that you're a little different than other guys.

You probably realized at a young age that you saw things differently, and thought differently than others in school...

And you've probably realized that your smart mind gives you an advantage over others in many areas of life...

Your smart mind gives you a particular type of advantage that can be very, very powerful in life: YOU'RE USUALLY RIGHT.

Smart people get used to being "right", because they usually ARE right.

And when you're RIGHT more often than others, you can get ahead in many situations.

But unfortunately, this smart mind of yours can actually be WORSE than USELESS when it comes to a key area of life:

WOMEN AND DATING.

By the way, I did say WORSE than useless.

It can actually be like having a hammer when you need to tighten a bolt. If you use the tool you have for the job, you'll most likely make the situation WORSE.

Of course, it's hard for a smart guy to even IMAGINE a situation where his smart mind could HURT his chances for success...

But trust me, this is one of those situations.

So relax, open your smart mind, and let me share with you the ten reasons why smart guys fail with women... and what to do about it.

REASON #1: THEY'RE WRONG, BUT THEY CAN'T OR WON'T SEE IT OR ADMIT IT

I mentioned that smart guys are used to being RIGHT in most situations.

And what do most smart guys do when they come across a situation where they're WRONG?

They find a new situation... one that fits their strength. They know they'll be right next time, so they just walk away... knowing that it won't be long before they're right again.

(OR they let the "problem situation" destroy them... more on that later.)

Well, the BITCH about being wrong when it comes to women and dating is THERE'S NOWHERE TO RUN AND HIDE.

There's no quick "I'm right" around the next corner to make you feel better.

It only takes "failing" with a few women in a row for a smart guy to see the pattern... and realize that something isn't working.

Solution? Think harder.

A smart guy just assumes that his logic must be good... so he just keeps thinking harder.

But when no success comes, it really starts
to become mentally difficult.

Accepting that you're wrong is a VERY hard thing for a "smart guy".

Accepting that you're not only wrong, but you have NO CLUE WHERE TO EVEN START is even more difficult.

Ultimately, many smart guys come up with the following logical conclusion:

I AM A SMART GUY, THEREFORE IF I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH WOMEN AND DATING, THEN THE PROBLEM MUST NOT BE SOLVABLE OR WORTH SOLVING.

Try that on for a self-defeating idea.

REASON #2: THEY'RE BLIND AND ARROGANT

In short, many smart guys refuse to accept that a good, solid, workable answer could come from someone "dumber" than them, so they discount any idea that comes from an "obviously less intelligent person" before trying it.

Let me ask you a question:

If you were going to be walking across Africa on foot, would you rather have your guide be the guy on this planet with the highest I.Q., or a caveman who lived a million years ago that had an I.Q. of about 50... but who grew up being chased by lions and all kinds of animals that wanted to eat him all his life?

It's an interesting question.

Now, hopefully you'd like to have the guide who isn't the smartest guy around... but who has escaped from many, many dangerous situations with deadly animals...

But now let me ask you:

If you'd like to learn how to be more successful with women and dating, would you take advice from a guy who isn't very intelligent, but who knows how to attract women?

There's something about being smart that makes some guys unwilling to accept input, ideas, or instruction from anyone who isn't either as smart or smarter than them.

Well, any SMART GUY can see the folly in this particular approach... once it's examined closely.

If you've been making this mistake, then you need to STOP IT. Stop being an arrogant bastard, and open your eyes.

Look around.

Learn from some "dumb" guys... and let them teach you how to get what you REALLY want.

REASON #3: POOR SOCIAL SKILLS

It BLOWS MY MIND how many smart guys I meet that just don't GET IT when it comes to basic social skills.

It's as if they have logically reasoned that social skills are for lower beings who need to play games... and not worth the time it would take to learn them.

In fact, I believe that there are a lot of
smart guys running around this planet who don't
even have "social skills" and "be a cool guy that people like" in their "MENTAL MODEL" of what it could possibly take to be successful with women and dating.

Social skills are just that... SKILLS.

They're not social INFORMATION.

They're not social THEORIES.

They're social SKILLS.

And you don't get them by THINKING about them. You get them by GETTING them.

Excellent social skills are the foundation for good communication with other humans... and if you don't have good social skills, you dramatically lower your chances for success with women.

REASON #4: THEY PSYCH THEMSELVES OUT

Smart guys do something that fascinates the hell out of me...

They come up with all the reasons why everything WON'T WORK when it comes to women and dating.

They actually figure out why what they would like to do will probably fail...

They use their amazing creative imaginations to imagine all kinds of horrible pictures and scenes... and then they use those imaginary outcomes to create negative emotions... which ultimately stop them from having success with women and dating.

THEY DON'T EVEN TRY.

Now, if you've thought something through and come up with a good reason why it would fail, it makes sense to not do it, right?

I mean, why would you want to do things that are going to fail?

It's sound logic, but HORRIBLE thinking when it comes to the REAL WORLD... and success with women.

Because smart guys don't UNDERSTAND women, and they don't UNDERSTAND what it takes to be successful with women, they are working with bad figures. They're wrong before they even start figuring!

Using your mind to come up with all the reasons why things won't work in this area of your life leads to ULTIMATE FAILURE.

You must learn to overcome this habit if you have it.

REASON #5: THEY SEEK ONLY "INFORMATIONAL SOLUTIONS"

What does a smart guy do when he runs into a problem... or he needs to figure something out?

He looks for INFORMATION to help him solve the problem.

MORE INFORMATION is always the answer.

Information is the friend of a smart guy.

Got a strange virus on your computer? Just hop on the internet and search for how to eliminate it.

Don't know how to change the alternator on your car? No prob. Just buy the manual and turn to page 147.

Don't know the definition of a word? Open up your dictionary.

MORE INFORMATION solves the problem.

So what do smart guys do when it comes to overcoming a problem with women?

They want MORE INFORMATION.

They think the answer lies in learning just ONE MORE TECHNIQUE... or one more magic concept.

Well what if there were a situation in life where the "get more information" strategy actually made things WORSE?

How would you even know that it was making things worse?

Now, I don't want to suggest that learning more about how to be successful with women is a bad thing. It's not.

But if you have a problem that is EMOTIONAL or PHYSICAL in nature, then reading five million theories on it probably isn't going to help you very much.

You need to get out in the real world and try some stuff!

You need to look at the REAL problem... the ROOT of the problem.

When it comes to women and dating, there's a very good chance that you have MORE than enough "information".

Smart guys often use "more information" to distract them from TAKING ACTION.

I've heard this referred to as "Creative Avoidance".

Nod silently if you've ever figured out a creative way to avoid facing something in your life.

Good, thank you.

REASON #6: THEY FOCUS ON LOGIC INSTEAD OF EMOTION

NEWS JUST IN: Women don't feel ATTRACTION for men who make them THINK.

Women feel ATTRACTION for men who make them FEEL.

So what do most smart guys do when they first meet a woman?

EXACTLY!

They get into a LOGICAL CONVERSATION.

I'm shaking my head right now...

Smart men try to engage women in LOGICAL conversations and interactions because that's where THEY feel comfortable... not knowing that they're SHOOTING THELSEVES IN THE FOOT by doing it!

Get this: A monkey sitting at a typewriter will type the collected works of Shakespeare before you will make a woman feel ATTRACTION for you by engaging her in logical conversation.

When you start a logical conversation with a woman you've just met, you are basically taking out a NEON SIGN that says "I don't get it when it comes to women" and putting it on your head.

Typical "logical" conversations include talking about work, family, school, and jobs... discussing politics, religion, weather... and anything that has to do with math, science, or INTELLIGENCE.

On the other hand, if you start talking to a woman and you say "OK, so tell me something... Why is it that all women say that they want sweet, nice guys... but they all date sexy, selfish bad boys?" (and then make fun of any answer she gives) you're having an EMOTIONAL conversation.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, keep reading. You need more help than I thought.

REASON #7: THEY'RE NOT USED TO THE CHALLENGE OF THE MOMENT

Smart people usually have time to THINK about things.

If you're taking a test, you can sit there and work out the answers.

If you have a math problem, you can work on it until you've figured it out.

If you're trying to fix something, you can keep working on it until it's fixed.

Smart guys are used to being able to take at least a LITTLE bit of time to prepare and show off their "good sides" in most situations.

Not so with women...

If you don't know what to do at every step along the way, you'll be shut down very quickly.

Women have an AMAZING "He doesn't get it" radar system.

Women have all kinds of subtle and ingenious tests that they throw at men to separate the "get its" from the "don't get its".

And if you don't get it, then you're going to fail one of these tests VERY quickly.

But the worst part is that you won't ever KNOW that you were being tested... OR that you failed.

Smart guys aren't used to dealing with complex EMOTIONAL and COMMUNICATION challenges in the moment... and especially the "women and dating" kind.

One of they keys to becoming more successful with women and dating is learning to handle all of the tests that women throw at you effortlessly.

But before you can learn how to deal with the tests, you must first learn how to communicate on an emotional level, how to demonstrate that you have fundamental social skills, and how to keep your cool in the moment.

REASON #8: THEY THINK THAT DOING "NICE" THINGS IS THE "SMART WAY"

OK, let me ask you a trick question:

If I told you that you were going to have a date with the supermodel of your choice, which of the following would you choose as a "smart" way of preparing:

1) Find out what her favorite type of flowers are, and show up with a dozen of them so she would be "wowed".

2) Learn about her favorite travel destination so you could discuss it with her.

3) Find out what her favorite type of food is so you could take her to dinner... and she could see that you cared enough to choose something that she enjoyed.

OK, time's up. Which did you choose?

Now, I already mentioned that this was a TRICK question.

The answer is NONE OF THE ABOVE.

But WHY?

These three options all seemed logical, right?

I mean, why WOULDN'T you want to show up with her favorite flowers?

Why WOULDN'T you want to talk about her favorite places to travel?

Why WOULDN'T you want to take her to eat her favorite foods so she enjoyed herself?

Go with me here...

Smart guys think that they're being CLEVER when they do things like buying a woman her favorite flowers... and bringing them to the FIRST DATE.

Right?

In their minds, they're thinking "I'm going to be the guy who is thinking ahead... and I'm going to show up with the flowers that I KNOW she loves... and she's going to see them and like me more because of it".

Makes sense... good math, right?

Well the one teensy-weensy mistake that these "smart" guys make is not realizing that it doesn't actually take a smart person to think like this!

In fact, ANY jackass can figure out how to kiss a woman's ass.

And guess what?

WOMEN KNOW THIS!

And guess what else?

EVERY WUSSBAG DOES THIS STUFF.

An intelligent guy, in his proud arrogance, will think he's being such the charmer by using this "thoughtful" approach...

...and the woman he is chasing will interpret it as just another Wussy who's trying to MANIPULATE her.

Ouch. Another blow to intelligence.

MISTAKE #9: ALWAYS NEEDING TO BE THE EXPERT

Have you ever met a smart guy who always needed to be "right"?

Have you ever met someone who would actually argue with you about something they knew nothing about... and make a fool of themselves because they just couldn't shut their "smart mouths"?

Over the last few years helping guys improve their success with women, I see this one pattern over and over again...

Smart guys don't like to be "beginners" at ANYTHING.

They don't like the idea of screwing up... especially if others are watching.

They want to maintain this "smart guy" image of themselves... so they try to always be "The Expert" at whatever they do.

Instead of saying "Hey, you know what? I'm a beginner at this... how do I do it? What should I do first? What next?"... and instead of being totally OK with screwing up, making mistakes, and making a fool of themselves in front of others in order to LEARN...

...they won't risk embarrassment, failure, or others thinking that they're beginners... so they wind up ultimately FAILING.

MORE NEWS JUST IN: It's OK to be a beginner.

MISTAKE #10: THEY CAN'T DEAL WITH FEAR AND OTHER EMOTIONS

A smart guy's STRENGTH is his MIND.

His WEAKNESS is often his EMOTIONS.

Smart guys are often IMMOBILIZED by FEAR.

Totally stopped.

FROZEN.

And since many smart guys aren't comfortable dealing with things they're not good at, they just repress or RUN away from fear.

Many men would rather DIE in lonely isolation than admit that they don't know how to deal with their emotions... or, GODFORBID, ask for help!

Hey, I went for YEARS like this.

I know what it's like.

But the reality is that any guy can learn to handle and even MASTER his emotions (even fear)... if he just takes the time and effort to learn HOW to do it.

If this is you, then do yourself a big favor... take the time. Take the effort.

Don't worry about what anyone else thinks of you... it doesn't matter.

What matters is you doing the things that YOU need to do FOR YOU.

...I think the reason why I'm so fascinated with "The Genius Failure Paradox" is because I have had to struggle with all of these issues for a lot of years of my life.

Now, I'm not saying that I'm the smartest guy on the planet...

But I don't think mamma raised no fool.

And it always bothered the hell out of me that even though I was so good at figuring things out, I couldn't figure WOMEN out.

Something tells me that you know what I'm talking about.

Well, after beating my head against the wall for a few years... trying all kinds of crazy "logical" stuff... I finally got the "bright" idea to start studying guys who were "naturally" good with women.

Of course, I found out that you could be both NOT SMART, and VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH WOMEN at the same time.

I also learned that you can be SMART and VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH WOMEN too.

By carefully studying what the "naturals" did with women... and learning how they "thought" about the topic, I began to realize that success with women wasn't entirely LOGICAL.

Much of what I learned was very tough for me to accept... because my logical brain just didn't want to buy into it.

One thing I saw was guys pushing women away from them... and having the women then chase them in response.

Made no sense at all.

I saw guys tease beautiful women and make jokes about them to their faces... and then watched those women become "little girls" in response... unable to maintain their composure, and therefore unable to maintain their manipulative power...

It took me quite a long time, but I continued to learn, test, and refine what I was learning until I personally figured out how to approach women in any situation... get any woman's number I wanted anytime I wanted... date any type of woman I wanted...

...and most importantly, GET RID of that "empty" feeling that I carried around my whole life because I didn't know how to attract women.

And once I got this area of my own life together, I decided to help other guys get this area of THEIR lives together.

The ultimate result of all this time, effort, and energy is my free Dating Tips Newsletter.

And I'd like to invite you to sign up.

It's free, there's no obligation, I'll never share your email address with anyone, and you can easily remove yourself anytime with no hassles (and no, I'll never pull any of these tricks where I send you a bunch of unwanted junk email when you try to remove yourself).

Of course, it even gets better than that...

In addition to my free Dating Tips newsletter, I also have a killer downloadable eBook that you can download right now and be reading in literally MINUTES from right now.

It's JAM PACKED with dozens and dozens of specific strategies for overcoming fear, approaching women, getting phone numbers and email address from women quickly, great inexpensive or even free date ideas, and how to take things to a "physical" level smoothly and easily.

Boy cafes and sexy comics feed Japan's girl geek boom

2008-03-03T05:08:00.000-08:00

Boy cafes and sexy comics feed Japan's girl geek boom By Sophie Hardach
Thu Feb 28, 9:16 PM ET

TOKYO (Reuters) - At Edelstein boarding school, the schoolboys wear lip-gloss, the headmistress has a weakness for homoerotic comic books, and there is only one subject: how to serve female visitors.

Welcome to Tokyo's first schoolboy cafe, the latest in a flurry of eateries in Japan where customers and waiters role play themes from manga comics.

In keeping with the schoolboy theme, waiters with manicured hands and soft voices pretend to be teenage students, chatting and flirting with well-dressed Japanese women playing the roles of benefactresses visiting the school.

On a Saturday in January, the cafe, which opened late last year, was packed with giggling customers.

"Most of our customers are office ladies in their twenties and thirties, women who are fashionable but normal," said Emiko Sakamaki, Edelstein's 27-year-old manager, herself dressed in a loose mini-dress over skinny jeans and knee-high boots.

Edelstein is based on one of Sakamaki's favourite comic books, a 1970s cult classic about romance at a German school.

Its visitors are united by a passion for such "boy-love manga", or comics about boy-boy romance for female readers -- a genre that is currently undergoing a huge revival in Japan.

Most boy-love manga feature dreamy, feminine-looking male characters. The same beauty ideal guides Sakamaki when she selects the waiters who talk about their pretend homework and studies at Edelstein.

"I'm in the flower arrangement club," whispers one girlish, long-haired waiter at the cafe, looking up from the book of German poetry he is reading.

RACY BOY-LOVE

Role-play cafes for men have long been popular in Tokyo. Most revolve around waitresses dressed as French maids and target "otaku" -- geeky fans of comics and animation movies.

One of the reasons that role-play and dressing up are so popular in Japan is that they allow people to briefly escape the extreme social control and rigid norms of everyday life, anthropologists say.

The otaku market, from animation movies to computer games and accessories, totalled 187 billion yen (870,000 pounds) in 2007, according to entertainment research firm Media Create.

But recently, businesses have discovered another type of free-spending Japanese consumer: the female otaku, who tends to be better-looking, trendier, and more sociable than her male counterpart.

One of the defining feature of the female otaku is their love for manga comic books, especially boy-love manga.

"There are two reasons why this place is so popular. Firstly, this kind of cafe environment for women doesn't exist much in Tokyo," says Sakamaki, who also invented Tokyo's first "butler cafe" for females.

"And secondly," she adds, "there are now a lot of girls who like animation movies and comics."

Around 150 boy-love manga and magazines are published every month in Japan, according to Eureka, a literary magazine.

In the women's section of the Aoyama book shop, around the corner from Edelstein, the latest boy-love titles are stacked between books with saccharine pink covers promising sweet tales of pop stars and athletes.

The easily shocked should avoid taking a closer look.

The new generation of boy-love manga such as "All about J" and "Don't Say Anymore, Darling" features carefully drawn, often violent sex scenes, ranging from anal and oral sex to bondage and male gang rape.

Sakamaki sees the genre as a form of escapism.

"These types of people don't exist in reality, they only exist in comics," she says, referring both to the manga and to the kind of atmosphere she is trying to create at Edelstein.

"In boy-love comics, beautiful, fragile boys are often placed close to death. That gives them a shadow and makes them even more beautiful."

In a recent column in the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, Kanta Ishida, a journalist specializing in manga, said the genre also offers an alternative to traditional gender roles in Japan.

The comics reflect "a yearning for relationships with interchangeable roles that are free from fixed ideas about gender," he wrote.

"ROTTEN GIRLS"

Over beer and fried pork at a bar in Tokyo's noisy and neon-lit Shibuya district, three Japanese aged around 30 talk about male and female otaku, or "fujoshi" as these women are also called -- "rotten girls".

All three describe themselves as otaku, yet none of them fits the geeky cliche. Two are male magazine editors. One is a female assistant at a gallery owned by a fashion label.

Kana Satomi, the 28-year-old gallery assistant, recalls a recent visit to the Edelstein cafe.

"I went there with a group of friends, and we were talking to the waiters and to each other, saying -- did you see that, that was cute -- that kind of thing," she says.

Male otaku, on the other hand, tend to avoid communication as best as they can.

Sampling the fried pork, 30-year-old Takashi Kudo shares his own theory about the sudden excitement over female otaku.

"Male otaku became a huge business, and then that kind of marketing reached a limit. So the marketing companies wondered what they could do next," he said. "And then they discovered that fujoshi can also be big business."

Sakamaki, the schoolboy cafe manager who has tapped that market so successfully, is already onto her next idea: a cafe modelled along 1920s Japan. That would match another big trend among Japanese youth -- nostalgia for pre-war Japan.

(Additional reporting by Yoko Kubota; editing by Megan Goldin)

Tammy Prescatelli and Bill Burr

2008-02-28T07:12:00.000-08:00

Greg Giraldo - The difference between women and bitches

2008-02-28T02:34:00.000-08:00

This is comedian Greg Giraldo, you might recognise him from "Underwear goes inside the pants" by Lazy B, on the difference between women and "bitches".

Now, it seems to me that the cameraman was quite skilled. Look out for about 3 minutes and 35 seconds into the clip when an embarassed young lady scratches the back of her neck. You know who was shaking that ass in the club the night before!!

More than a book review: The System

2008-02-27T07:25:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday I went to town, browsed the charity bookshop for a bit and walked out with 2 books for a great price. The first was "The System" by Roy Valentine, ISBN 0-9729187-1-X. The second was "Be your own Dating Coach" by Jo Hemmings. I didn't bother with the second one.

Over the past few years I've made a point of investigating just exactly what it takes to bed a woman, which includes having read some books. The first was "How to Pull Girls" by JoAnne Caulder, then Neil Strauss's bestseller "The Game", and Robert Greene's "The Art of Seduction", and there is some stuff that is similar in all methods, but "The System" is thus far the most unique book that I've read on the subject, it is highly underrated.

Analysis

So what's so different about "The System"? As I said I've read all sorts of stuff, books, free articles, e-mail subscriptions, you name it, I've probably done it.
The point is that a lot of them make ridiculous claims or lead you on. "The System" is different in this regard but it does cut straight to the goal: from first contact to the bed as fast as possible, no long tricks, no mind games.

I'm sure you've heard of the quote by Lincoln that goes: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time." "The System" doesn't say that you can't chat up a girl but unlike anything else out there, that's not what it's about. Nor is it about getting a 100% success rate. In fact what sold me on it was the 1% success rate claim. Highly unique and something most guys would not be happy about.

So what is it about? "The System" is about finding and identifying that 1% of girls that wants to have sex with you on any given day. Which is to say that even a girl who ignores you one day may want to have sex with you the next day. And again after that it's not about convincing her to have sex with you, she's already convinced herself of that, it's about making her feel comfortable with her decision.

Minus Points

So where does it fall short? I reiterate, I bought this in a charity shop. That means someone could have gotten bored of it, or not found it useful enough, there could be other reasons of course. The author, although probably having read a few books, is clearly not used to writing. Just like the advice, the occasional narrative is very matter-of-fact, and doesn't quite capture the emotions you go through in situations like that.

It would have also been nice if he could have given some of his background story, and how he came about developing "The System" and he doesn't give us his "eureka moment", so it's quite uninspiring. It's probably best if this book is used in conjunction with other "dating" or self-help/motivation books.

Plus Points

I've been saving this for last. First of all it is extremely short, I finished it in one day. This means that if you buy it in the evening one day, you can be ready to use it the very next day by guys of all skill levels (actually, once I'd really thought about it, it's mainly for intermediates). And again "The System" can be used anytime, anywhere. In fact the author discourages readers from going to clubs. And this is just the start. Whilst most methods tend to think everyone is a millionaire with tons of time on their hands, "The System" has quite a few money saving tips. There are even recipes in the book. About the only you may need to have is a place to take the girl.

Breakdown of "The System"

I'm going to be extremely charitable here and give you "The System". Yup, I'm going to risk being sued, violate copyright law, and just break down the basics of the system for you to use for free. Why am I doing this? Because I doubt anyone reads this damn blog anyway.

- Identify which girl wants to have sex with you by observing her eye contact.
- Wait a minute, then approach indirectly.
- Open with something relevant to the time and place.
- Practice active listening and keep an eye out for indicators of interest.
- Find a reason to invite her over to your place, or get her to invite you over to yours (get address, etc). Do this as soon as possible.
- Be sure not to touch (except hands) or kiss until during or after sex, but be playful about avoiding her advances.
- You may show her what you offered to show her if you want, it's at your discretion.
- Offering her a drink is a good idea.
- Show her your house with the bedroom last.
- You may now touch her gradually moving from less sensual to more sensual places but observe her reaction and slow down or move back one step if she tenses up or shows discomfort.
- Continue conversation but slow it down, and begin closing the deal.

In reality, it's not quite that simple, if you want to get the best out of it, I suggest you purchase the book.

Implementing your own method

No book on it's own is good and the System is no exception, so here's what I recommend if you're serious about stepping up your game:

- Act upon whatever advice you get. It's no use reading something, thinking "wow that sounds like it might work" and not using it.
- A lot of stuff out there is sheer bullshit. You should be somewhat patient but observe what works and what doesn't, and more importantly, what works for you.
- Start as soon as possible and continue to act upon what you learn. There will be some trying times and those are the times you be doing more and not less.
- Supplement your knowledge. Although I may seem to have knocked "The Art of Seduction", I love this book. It is entertaining and highly inspiring, but it is a long study whereas "The System" is a short read. There are other books and resources out there on relationships and also self-help/motivation, confidence, etc.

I hate to do this, but I'm going to leave it at that. This was actually meant to be a review. I'll probably write more on this later. Good luck.

Walked off with a number

2008-02-22T02:02:00.000-08:00

I wrote this in a forum almost as soon as I got home from the casino this morning:

"After a long day at work my boss and I headed out to the casino but he took a long drive, so I walked straight in. Soon as I walked in, one of the barmen talking to 2 girls behind the bar made a reference to me, so I immediately had social proof.

Almost as soon as I sat down the more attractive of the 2 started to talk to me but my mind was on the bigger picture, so I started to talk to her glasses-wearing friend behind her. I soon started to notice that she was quite intelligent, which I find rare but alluring in a woman. But after a time I found her boring, which is I imagine, how some women fid men such as myself.

Nonetheless, by the time the evening had finished, I found myself with 2 female dates at least on the same night probably at the same time,same place.

If it seems like I'm the man, or I'm making myself out to be, it's not like that. One has had a boyfriend for three months and I agreed to be just friends with the intelligent girl.

It will be interesting to see who shows up and what happens."

I think this shows just how far I've progressed. Before I would have been like every other guy there and fought for the attention of the blonde girl (eventually), and I would have missed out on quite a good conversation with her friend who wasn't too bad looking.

Seven Pieces Of Financial Advice For A High School Student

2008-02-17T19:10:00.000-08:00

More great advice from Trent:

My niece is a wonderful young woman - a good head on her shoulders, decision making as strong as you could hope for in a high school sophomore, and an entrepreneurial spirit. My only concern about her is a sense that she hasn’t quite figured out the value of a dollar and that she’s prone to credit misuse.

Last night, I spent some time thinking about the things I wish she knew right now at this point in her life so that she wouldn’t go on to make horrendous mistakes with her finances later on like her uncle did. Here’s what I came up with, and they’re probably applicable to any high school student with a level head.

Do not carry a credit card balance. It’s okay to get a credit card, but pay off the entire balance each month. If you’re tempted to use it to buy something that you can’t otherwise pay for, don’t. Period. Let’s say you buy a Nintendo Wii and a few accessories and put $400 on your credit card, then only make minimum payments for a year. On a typical “first” credit card with a 19.9% APR, you’ll have just watched $80 vanish into thin air. Now, multiply that by twenty and you’re looking at the situation that the “average” American is in, watching literally thousands a year just vanish because they carry a credit card balance.

Put a small amount in the bank each week and forget about it until you’re about to make a big purchase or a true emergency comes up. Let’s say you can put $5 in the bank every week starting on your 16th birthday. That adds up to $260 a year, so if you cash out at your 26th birthday, you’ll have deposited $2,600. But it gets better - you can easily get a savings account that earns 5% interest. You’ll actually get out $3,352. The bank will give you $752 over that time.

Learn how to learn. Most high school classes are pretty easy for a bright person and don’t require much effort to get through. It’s really tempting to take easier options and not worry about it; instead, always take the hardest one you can take. It will force you to learn how to learn, a skill that will serve you well the rest of your life.

Start a side business. My niece already has a small babysitting empire, but most teenagers can find a way to earn some money. Many parents in my area encourage their kids to get jobs - instead, I encourage kids to start a side business. Mow lawns. Trim hedges. Scoop snow. Start a topic-oriented blog (meaning a topic that isn’t you that others might find interesting).

Take a leadership position. Join an organization and make an effort to be involved with it. Eventually, take a leadership position in it. Why? Learning how to manage people and make choices that affect others is another skill that will serve you throughout your life - and if you learn how to do it well, it will make you a lot of money.

There is no such thing as a free lunch. If someone is offering you something for free, there’s usually something they’re getting out of it in return. A free t-shirt is probably an advertisement. A free web service is likely littered with ads in some fashion. The better you are at spotting why things are being given away for free (or for really cheap), the smarter you’ll be about buying things and the less you’ll spend in the process.

If you’ve discovered something you enjoy and you’re actually good at, do it a lot. Almost always, there’s a way to make money from a highly developed skill. Anything from playing a guitar (music can be marketable, teaches hand-ear and hand-eye coordination and dexterity) to playing a sport (leadership skills, health) can work. It’s especially nice if there’s an obvious career path from it, but don’t let that limit you. Even better, if you can find a way to turn that thing you do into a side business, you might be setting yourself up for the long haul.

Thinking About College After High School? Four Points of Advice That You Probably Won’t Hear From Your Guidance Counselor

2008-02-17T18:59:00.000-08:00

This post and the one that will follow it are from the simple dollar.

When I think back to my high school years, I realize that I didn’t have the faintest idea of what I wanted to do with my life, nor many of the options really available to me. I had a sense that I needed a significant change of scenery for a while because I did not want to follow the paths of many of the people I saw graduating from high school and just sitting around their hometown watching the years go by. The problem was that I didn’t know what I should be doing instead - I was the first person in my family with an opportunity to go to college, thanks to scholarships, and that seemed like the obvious route to take, so that’s what I did.

I wish now that I had the chance to do some things differently, but such chances only come along once in a lifetime. Knowing what I know now, here are five pieces of advice that I’d offer to anyone in high school or fresh out of high school about what’s available to them.

Don’t go straight to college unless you’re absolutely sure

One of my biggest regrets in life was that I went to college directly out of high school. I didn’t have even the faintest inkling of the opportunities available to me, so I just followed the general advice of everyone around me, which was to go to college and get started on that career immediately. I went there without the maturity I really needed to make it work, nor a good idea of what I could get out of college. I treated it as an extension of high school - and because of that, most of my years as a student were largely wasted.

If you can’t explain clearly why you’re going to college (and the generic “to get an education” doesn’t cut the mustard), you shouldn’t go to college - yet. If you’re a bright person, the answers will eventually come to you and you’ll tackle it with the right mindset, but going to college without any real goal in mind, especially straight out of high school, is a waste of your time and money - and that of your parents.

Note that I’m not saying that one shouldn’t go to college - just that one shouldn’t go to college without a purpose.

Spend some time figuring out what you’re passionate about - but don’t waste time

A friend of mine took a “year off” after high school to “find herself,” but she actually spent it not doing much of anything at all. She worked at a fast food restaurant and apparently read a lot for that year, finally starting college fifteen months after high school graduation.

If you’re thinking of spending a year or two before college evaluating your life (something I strongly encourage), spend it doing something deeply fulfilling. Don’t just spend it working to earn tuition or spending money. Here are some things you can potentially do:

Volunteer Find a volunteer or other community service organization and get involved big time. Take ahold of a project within it and push it through to completion or some level of success - it will teach you a lot about people and leadership.

Work an internship Spend some time doing internship work for something you’re passionate about, even if it is just photocopying pages or washing dishes. You’ll get exposure and experience and you’ll also find out if it’s right for you.

Commit to a large-scale creative project If you’re musically inclined, write and record an entire album. If you’re a writer, write an entire book. Paint a set of canvasses. Whatever it is, if you’re passionate about it, do it on a larger scale than you’ve tried before.

Travel and experience new things

My plan for both of my children, provided they are interested, is to give them an ATM card, a backpack, and a ticket to DeGaulle Airport for their high school graduation. Even better, I’d like to do it in conjunction with the parents of a few of their closest friends. It is the absolute perfect time in a young person’s life to explore the world and figure out some things about themselves.

It took me a very long time to figure out who I actually was - I didn’t really figure things out until almost six years out of high school, and that was just the first revelation of many. Part of the reason is that in some ways I didn’t really escape where I came from, so it took some significant time for me to view myself independently and figure out who I really was.

Whatever career you choose, don’t chase money - chase passion

Lots of people will make statements like “you need to major in X because that’s the only way you’ll make $40K straight out of college.” Ignore it. If you’re truly passionate about your topic, you’re going to be among the top people in it simply because of the love and devotion you’ll show, compared to many others who are just there at the behest of others.

Not only that, your passion for the subject will continually reflect well on you. Think of people you know who are passionate about what they’re doing - almost always, you see them as a success or, at the very least, the passion is very clear.

The real key? Learn how to stand on your own two feet - and learn exactly who you are and what you’re passionate about. Do this actively, and with commitment. When you’ve got that figured out, the college decisions and what to do when you get there will become far more clear - and you’ll end up with a happier life over the long haul.

Batman Kid Costume

2008-02-17T06:53:00.001-08:00

I've wanted to be Batman since I was a little kid, but I've never had the billions required to hire Morgan Freeman to construct swollass para-military gear for me to wield an overwhelming advantage over ill-financed and poorly equipped common criminals. So, I'm going to have to settle for projecting my dreams onto my future offspring. Step one: Strap Mattel's Wayne Tech Mega Cape on him from the day he can walk. The wings spring out with a single touch, instantly readying him to fly down a staircase and into the ER. $40, June. Health insurance sold separately.

Damn, I wish they made an adult size. Here's another shot, to get a sense of scale.

[Toy Fair 2008 @ Giz]

How Grandma sees the Remote

2008-02-17T06:49:00.000-08:00

I got news: it ain't only grandma.

Dream Interpreting Robot

2008-02-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

Forget controlling your dreams -- after all, isn't the idea of having a mechanical buddy act out whatever your off-kilter brain thought up last night much more appealing? In an interesting endeavor, Fernando Orellana and Brendan Burns have teamed up to design a humanoid that actually takes sophisticated dream interpretation results (garnered by analyzing data from a variety of sensors) and acts out whatever was going on in one's mind. Quite frankly, we're not even sure we'd like to remember some of those overnight journeys -- let alone see some bot play it back -- but if you glanced this headline and immediately crossed your fingers for a video, head on past the jump to get just that.

Happy Birthday to me!!

2008-02-17T04:56:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy week and half of the craziness was well before Valentine's day even.

Tuesday - my day off. Seymour's was closed so I went to Revolutions. It was whilst I was there I realised just how much I'd let myself slip socially. Contemplating this, I walked across the road to Fruce to get a vege-juice, then went to Firehouse and played pool. Then I was about to go home when I met up with another Seymour's regular and we went to Avondale House, then 90 degrees, then back to Revolutions.

Revolutions was awesome. We ended up drinking vodka poured through a giant ice cube by a topless girl. That was probably the highlight of my night.

Wednesday - went clubbing after work. I gotta be honest, I hate clubbing most of the time. The entry fees are often ridiculous and they're too loud. It's mainly the entry fee though. Why complain, right? Because at Revolutions entry was free plus there were free drinks.

Moving on beyond that gripe it was fun just hanging with a group and dancing. I had forgotten how much fun that could be. From there, we moved onto Pot Black to shoot some pool. A good evening overall.

Thursday to Saturday- chilled.

Sunday - My birthday. Had three bottles of cava at the casino. The first was on the house, the third my boss bought for me. I polished my shoes with the foam that came out of the first one. I would normally never do anything so showy, but it's my birthday, right?

From there we went to For Your Eyes Only. I don't go there much anymore but I used to go there all the time. This girl came to sit and talk to me a few times in spite of my brokeness. I've learned not to read too much into girls at that place though.

What was great was that other than my birthday I wouldn't go there. And just having that feeling of being in control is hard to describe. I'm not as desperate for a sense of affection, even if it's false, as I used to be.

These three days really made me think a lot. As I get older, I seem to get more optimistic. Life can be really harsh at times but focusing on that doesn't make it go away. Solve problems if you can but if not, or you've already done so, move on and try to find a way to enjoy as much as you can about life.

Revolutionary vehicle

2008-02-15T06:44:00.000-08:00

Im' just going to post this up since I'don't have much time to write anything. It's quite interesting, I want to read it in full when I have the time:

Alexander Begak is a test pilot and the chief designer of Evolution, a flying pod that can travel on land, slide through water and snow, and fly thanks to a gliding parachute that acts as a soft, highly portable wing. The one or two-seater vehicle made of Kevlar and titanium was presented at the crazy 2007 Moscow Air Show, but it's now available starting at $7,200. While the Evolution looks nice, their most amazing personal planes are yet to come: the Sirius and Iris, after the jump.

SCARAB Aviation Lab spokesman Gregory Shevchenko told us that the Sirius and the Iris are "still in the design phase," but they are planes that "will be manufactured in the future." The company says they work with the Federal Space Agency, the Moscow Aviation Institute and Sukhoi, the third largest manufacturer of fighter airplanes in the world, including the mighty SU-3X series. Hopefully, that means that they will be able to make them into a commercial reality instead of just being some dream designs out of a Star Wars movie.

The two-seat Evolution DT model, however, is just "a few weeks from being completed and readied for commercial production," so if you are looking for a low-cost pod to fly with a co-pilot, get $11,500 ready. Like the one-seat Evolution ST, these are also hand-made with and get shipped "60 days after payment," according to Gregory. [Scarab via Sense4Fun]

The Levitating Ball

2008-02-15T06:13:00.000-08:00

The Levitating Ball - Click here for more home videos

Pull Two Coins From The Top Of A Glass In One Fast Move

2008-02-15T06:05:00.000-08:00

Tricks and puzzles are great for when you're in a conversation or interaction and you run out of things to say. Nowadays time is short, so you don't want to be spending hours or days learning a long complex trick you'll only use once or twice.

I came across this simple but clever trick whilst browsing my feed reader. See if you can find a use for it.

Pull Two Coins From The Top Of A Glass In One Fast Move. Can You - Watch more funny videos here

Synergology

2008-02-07T08:28:00.000-08:00

Please forgive the english, this was originally in French and I just translated it with Babel Fish. I was kinda lazy that day.

The body

Hands

Arms

I do not dare to propose to me

I would like to show you that I can make but ask me.

"the hand is the visible part of the brain".

Here the hand is scraped in its center.

It is the left hand.

Moderately the human being would undoubtedly like that one asks him "to take" charges some, which of him even, it does not dare to take.

Let to me seize situation!

It is necessary to go more quickly.

In this attitude, the person scrapes the interior of the left arm.

She wants to act, to go more quickly.

Before arm will be opened and we see the palm of hands in these situations.

The emotional one holds an unquestionable share in the desire of going more quickly.

Take!

look at as they is soft.

In this attitude, the person cherishes the interior of before left arm.

A certain softness, a certain lasciviousness settles.

You will note that in these situations, the head tends it also to lean on the left.

Let take to me!

I want to take (or to make) and I do not dare.

In this attitude, the person microdémange interior of before right arm.

Catch in a contradiction a part of it wants to seize things.

What it did not dare to do until there.

Sides

I wish you

carnal desire.

On the outside of the left side, the person scrapes herself when it feels a desire to approach her interlocutor or his interlocutress.

This desire is a desire rather properly physical.

Sensual desire of going towards...

what you are me likes.

This microfixation of the hands on the hips, expresses the need to open with the other. The zone of the interior of the wrists leaves towards its interlocutor and the malleoli on the level of its ankles open.

These items visual when it are added translates the desire of bringing together.

I wish you

I advance towards you.

Whereas the interlocutor is opposite us, during a time very short, but locatable, our hands left in direction the outside of our muscles glutei. We translate, without the statement, our desire of bringing together.

When this movement is carried out only by one hand, which occurs when we walk and cross a person whom we appreciate, the hand which intervenes is most of the time the left hand (approximately 80 %¨des case).

The back

Our displacement should be hastened.

I will like to approach you physically.

Several information is delivered to us by this image:

The message sent by the body is a message addressed in the zone of the muscles glutei.

The message is sent on the left.

The person microdémange using her left hand.

It is the taking into account of its parameters which makes it possible to include/understand what occurs.

The desire to approach the other is readable with this microdémangeaison.

I am alone and I cannot have confidence

... in the other or others.

This microdémangeaison is much more characteristic than one could tend to think it.

If this gesture concerns the short microdémangeaison indeed, the person only smells herself, smells herself materially in difficulty.

Beyond the smile which this situation causes, more seriously, the observation repeated of this image at the time of vidéos as much as the rigour of the speech on the awakening of the importance of the sphincters at the time of the period known as of the anal stage, dependent on the capacity which the child at this period with respect to these parents acquires there, makes it possible to include/understand theoretically which mental diagram is profiled behind this simple microdémangeaison.

Attention does not pass the terminals

I am jealous.

The index leaves in the neck, in a zone which allows the word.

In the neck the index is raised, the person lends to intervene.

She is saying to us: "I cannot say I".

We are in the heart of the problems of the jealousy, of these problems which prevent the person from being proposed whereas it would want so much of it.

If it is all the hand which scrapes the neck rather than the index, the situation is very different.

Legs

I wish you

I am open sensuellement to you

My body is opened to my interlocutor.

My hands posed on the outside as of the my buttocks bring, without I of it would be inevitably completely conscious, my interlocutor towards this zone of my body.

I really open with you

Open malleolus

When a person is held in this position, it is particularly important to take well guard with the position of the point of its foot. It always indicates the horizon of its desire of communication

What I make there, I do not advance an inch

I want to bring me closer closely

It is the zone of microdémangeaison, the interior of the left malleolus, which gives a sexual colouring to this microdémangeaison.

It acts of a repressed desire.

Hands on the hips

Rather female opening

When the hands are posed on the hips, their configuration enables us to go further in the direction of the observation.

The wrists can leave backwards and translate authority.

They can also be opened, as on this image and translated then more opening.

When the wrists are open as they are it here, the malleoli on the level of the ankles are it generally too.

Let us go there

I want to bring me closer (affectivement)

In this situation the left hand tends to go to cherish the left thigh.

A desire of bringing together is outlined. It should however be noted that even if this gesture is very visible, it is in synergology because we will have located at least eight convergent items that we will be able to speak about bringing together. The microcaress on the left thigh is one as of the these items, but it is at the same time, one item here.

Palms of hands directed forwards

I am opened with you

When our palms of hands move towards our interlocutor, it is actually generally all our being qu opens with him.

Parodying Emmanuel Kant, "the hands are the visible part of the brain".

The face

The hair

The hair is a sensual zone par excellence, but they are not that a sensual zone and the hand can walk in the hair in situations which are sometimes, to the antipodes even of the sensuality.

In the most sensual situations, when we pass the hands in our hair it is the left hand which we privilege, without being aware of it.

When we pass the hand in the hair and that it is the right hand which is used, the horizon of direction is quite different, and the described situations can even be situations in which there is much aggressiveness.

Moreover when it is the right hand which is used the unconscious gesture is on average twice twice faster than if it is the left hand: 3/10 èmes of second for the right hand for 6/10 èmes of second for the left hand

I am well with you

My hand returns besides towards you.

It is rather rare that we cherish the face of the person who sat opposite us. On the other hand when we cherish a wick of our hair and that our hand leaves in direction our interlocutor, it is the sign which we try to bring closer us him. When the person employs the left hand, it is always in states more cordial than if it employs the right hand.

You return me to me... and my figure

I show you my sensual presence.

(semi-conscious, semi-unconscious gesture)

In this situation, the fact that it is the left hand which is used is particularly important. Uttered with the right hand, it would have had very an other siginfication.

Here this person is returned to itself by the glance of the other. In more than 70 % of the cases, this type of gesture is carried out with a smile.

This gesture is carried out as much by the men that by the women. In fact the condition necessary to see it occurring is that the person carries the long hair.

Ears

I am very hearing

The person is extremely attentive.

A very light embarrassment is detectable with the return towards the mouth of the annular one.

The hand makes the junction between the mouth and the ear so that we can listen under the best conditions.

The axis of head on the basis of the side of the hand shows a form of positive abandonment. Your interlocutor put side his vigilance.

I like these flattering remarks

The flattering remarks are idealistic or of good intellectual behaviour.

They flatter our intelligence

The ear is cherished on its higher part.

I like what I hear, it is quite pleasant.

It is important to make well the difference between a microdémangeaison and a microcaress because the horizon of direction is not the same one.

I enjoyed these remarks

Great wellbeing.

The even sensual material nature of the situation attracts our hand to the bottom of the ear.

Here:

1. The hand intervenes on the lobe.

2. It acts of the left lobe.

3. It acts of the left hand.

4. The gesture is a microcaress.

What I hear is quite pleasant and touches me personally. I help the words to enter and remain in the ear.

Nose

I lie

(with this gesture if it is me which speaks)

or I take to you for a liar (if it is you who speaks)

I do not feel what occurs.

There is a certain number of nonknown as which disturb me.

If I speak, I am that which does not say all.

If I listen, I am that to which one does not say all.

Eyes

I would like to see that about which you speak

that interests me.

I cherish the cheek and by doing this, my eye finds them more open. I very interested and am opened so that I see.

I will want to better see still.

I very want to include/understand

You woke up my curiosity.

The index comes in the center from the face to open the eye more.

The person is strongly interested by what one shows him or proposes to him and she would like to see some more.

This microdémangeaison when it occurs "picote often rather violently".

What you tell me interests me without more

Anecdotic curiosity.

What I I saw liked much.

It is necessary that I remain discrete.

The hand under the eye in the direction parallel with the lower eyelid leaves towards the outside of the eye.

Under the eye the things are hidden. It can be a question of something of defended or of something which does not look at me, but at all events, which I saw, is quite pleasant.

The mouth

Sensual desire

I want of you.

Visual Accessing Cues

2008-02-07T08:19:00.000-08:00

Visual Accessing Cues

The first time "Visual Accessing Cues" were discussed (at least to my knowledge), was by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in their book "Frogs into Princes: Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) " From their experiments this is what they found:

When asked a question a "normally organized" right-handed person looks (from your viewpoint, looking at them):

Up and to the Left

Indicates: Visually Constructed Images (Vc)

If you asked someone to "Imagine a purple buffalo", this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they "Visually Constructed" a purple buffalo in their mind.

Up and to the Right

Indicates: Visually Remembered Images (Vr)

If you asked someone to "What color was the first house you lived in?", this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they "Visually Remembered" the color of their childhood home.

To the Left

Indicates: Auditory Constructed (Ac)

If you asked someone to "Try and create the highest the sound of the pitch possible in your head", this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they "Auditorily Constructed" this this sound that they have never heard of.

To the Right

Indicates: Auditory Remembered (Ar)

If you asked someone to "Remember what their mother's voice sounds like ", this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they "Auditorily Remembered " this sound.

Down and to the Left

Indicates: Feeling / Kinesthetic (F)

If you asked someone to "Can you remember the smell of a campfire? ", this would be the direction their eyes moved in while thinking about the question as they used recalled a smell, feeling, or taste.

Down and To the Right

Indicates: Internal Dialog (Ai)

This is the direction of someone eyes as they "talk to themselves".

The Gist of it...

How this information is used to detect lies:

Example: Let's say your child ask's you for a cookie, and you ask them "well, what did your mother say?" As they reply "Mom said... yes." they look to the left. This would indicate a made up answer as their eyes are showing a "constructed image or sound. Looking to the right would indicated a "remembered" voice or image, and thus would be telling the truth.

Related Books:

Frogs into Princes

Never be Lied to Again

Final Notes:

*** Looking straight ahead or with eyes that are defocused/unmoving is also considered a sign of visual accessing.

*** A typical left-handed person would have the opposite meanings for their eye-directions.

*** As with other signs of lying, you should first establish and understand a persons base-behavior before concluding they are lying by the direction of their eyes.

*** Many critics believe the above is a bunch of bull***t. In my own experiments I have found these techniques to be more true than not. But, why not find out for yourself? Make up a list of questions that like the sample ones, and give them to your friends/family anyone who would be your guinea pig, observe their eye movements and record the results.

*** This guide is hardly in-depth, I recommend getting the book "Frogs into Princes: Neuro Linguistic Programming" by Richard Bandler and John Grinder for a more thorough explanation if the subject interests you.

Body Language - Some Basics

2008-02-06T08:37:00.000-08:00

See what I mean about me being easily distracted? Anyway, I'm changing to go out now so this will be my last post until I get back.

This is for those unobservant guys who say stuff like, "What do I say to a woman... ". Only about 25 percent of communication is verbal. The volume and tonality of someone's voice, their eyes, and their body language tell more than their words. Synergology, developed by Phillipe Turchet is a study of body language.

This video is the first post, I will do others. It covers synergology and NLP.

3D animation : NLP + synergology
Uploaded by kryst0bal

But being a guy I know how awkward conversation with a woman you don't know can be sometimes, so I will post up some conversation starters sometime.

Frugality

2008-02-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

Last post for today, then I gotta get out of here, it's getting late. There's a bunch of practical topics that I want to touch on in this blog. Social skills, job skills, interpersonal realtionships, time management, etc.

Right now I'm just going to touch on frugality - money management to those of you who don't know what I'm on about, and if you didn't know the term, Google it right now. Too many people want to get rich without even knowing how to manage the little money they have, which is why I'll probably be posting stuff from the simple dollar as time goes on. The webmaster, Trent, has put it out on the public domain, so it's absolutely free.
Have a look, it's a great resource.

Beer and Vagina

2008-02-06T06:01:00.001-08:00

I thought I'd start off by posting something a bit humorous. I think. The relationship between vagina and beer. Here goes:

Somewhere between 7,000 to 4,000 B.C., in Mesopotamia, in the Kingdom of Sumeria, women invented beer. Early agriculture in the "fertile crescent" was centered around grains. Those grains, pregnant with possibility, became bread and, eventually, beer. Sumerian women were both the first brewers and the first gods of beer. By adding a trace amount of my vaginal yeast to regular brewer's yeast, my "Original Pussy Beer" pays homage to beer's ancient creators from "the cradle of civilization." Woman is literally reunited with the beer.

Yeast, because it has been used for millennia, carries a great amount of symbolic weight. As a key ingredient to basic sustenance like bread and beer, yeast is an age-old, familiar and very powerful medium to work with. Food, and our complex relationship with it, is mythical; when we eat and drink, human happiness and sorrow, love and hate, heaven and hell are simultaneously displayed and represented. If beer is food, and food is life itself, then beer too is life itself.

Experimentation with these historic staple foods, in combination with my own body, helps to build a new artistic dimension: understanding through taste. To experience an art piece through taste is a two-pronged experience. The viewer has to make a simple decision - to ingest it or not. From this primal question new questions quickly arise: Is it socially acceptable to drink beer that includes even a trace amount of vaginal yeast? Is it natural? Is it kinky? Can a man drinking this beer still be macho? Why does it make such a difference when it comes to the human body?

It is these questions about society's ever-increasing disconnect with the human body that I try to expose and learn about by feeding the viewer. By sharing my art in this way, I share my body and mind, inviting the viewer to have a conversation on a genuinely intimate level. Essence meets essence. The participants begin to understand me and I them.

Humanity was built on beer and conversation. Please enjoy both.

PROST! -Toi Sennhauser

Part Two: Beer Vs. Vagina

1.Beer is always wet. Vagina needs a little work.
One point to BEER

2.Warm beer tastes awful.
One point to VAGINA

3.A really cold beer is satisfying.
One point to BEER

4.If after taking a swig of your favourite beer you find a hair
between your teeth, you may vomit.
One point to VAGINA

5. If you get home reeking of beer your wife may get mad, make a
scene, kick you out, etc. If you get home reeking of vagina your wife
may get mad, kick you out, even leave you. There's definitely a point
to be had here, depending on your point of view and personal
circumstances. I'll just call it a DRAW for the time being.

6. Ten beers in one night and you can't drive home. Ten vaginas in
one night and you don't want to drive anywhere. One point to VAGINA

7. If you have a lot of beer in a public place, your reputation may
suffer. If you eat any vagina in public, you become a legend.
One point to VAGINA

8. If a cop stops you and you smell of beer you may get arrested. If
you smell of vagina he may buy you a beer. One point to VAGINA

9. You normally don't find old beer.
One point to BEER

10. Too much beer and you'll think you see flying saucers. Too much
vagina and you'll think you've seen God. One point to VAGINA

11. Ripping off a beer bottle label is boring. Ripping off panties is
fun. One point to VAGINA

12. In most countries there's a tax on beer.
One point to VAGINA

13. If you have another beer the first one never gets pissed off. One
point to BEER

14. You can always be sure if you're the first one to open a bottle
or a can. One point to BEER

15. If you shake beer it'll get all agitated but eventually it
settles down. One point to BEER

16. With beer you always have choice: clear, dark,
pilsner,ale,lager,etc One point to BEER

17. You always know how much beer is going to cost One point to BEER

18. Beer doesn't have a mother
One point to BEER

19. Beer never expects to be hugged for half an hour after you
drink it One point to BEER although sometimes you do !

FINAL SCORE: BEER: 10 VAGINA: 8

That's it! The matter is settled, the clear winner is: BEER

PS: If you are a woman and at this point feel angry, degraded or
discriminated against, just remember that Beer would experience none of those feelings, let alone express them, an extra point for BEER

Introduction

2008-02-06T05:21:00.000-08:00

Hey there.

If you're reading this, you no doubt just stumbled across it somehow, Google perhaps or something. This is my very first post for this blog, and if it sets the tone for the rest, then I hope it sets it well.

So why, "the Archetypal Fool", and what is it about? A whole lotta stuff I guess. My life, life in general, survival tips for modern life, random stuff. If you can walk away with something after reading this, even if that something is just a laugh, my work is done. And please I'd love comments and feedback, that's how I know what to change and what should stay the same.So I guess I still haven't answered the first question, right?

Well, in short I think of myself of the archetypal fool. Blissfully about to walk off a cliff with a dog constantly trying to bite my balls. I'm constantly making a fool of myself, wasting time with stupid things, I'm generally not cool, it's difficult for me to manage my money, I hate exercise, I can't stand the taste of salads, and I'm generally a loner with poor social skills.

But I try. One thing you don't see on the card is that once he reaches the bottom, the fool doesn't die, but he picks himself up, dusts himself off, and continues on his way. This is THE archetypal fool, whether in shamanistic rituals, harlequin or Wile E. Coyote.

According to Michael Tse, the chinese have a saying: 'To be a fool is not a bad thing'.