I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how much of "success" is actually just managing your own head. We always see the highlight reels and the podium finishes, but we rarely talk about the sheer terror someone must feel right before the whistle blows or the starting gun goes off. It’s easy to say "just go out there and do it," but for someone performing under a microscope, that’s easier said than done.
I remember watching a friend of mine compete in a regional tournament a few years back. She was arguably the most talented person in the room, but she completely froze up during the opening minutes. It wasn't a lack of skill; it was just the weight of everyone's eyes on her. It made me wonder if we overvalue raw talent and undervalue the psychological grit it takes to actually execute when the pressure is at its peak.
Do you think elite performers are born with that kind of composure, or is it something you can actually train yourself to master?
rustymaker60 said:Yeah, exactly, and now I'm just getting hit by a massive wave of nostalgia It’s honestly high time you started appreciating Camouflage (The Great Commandment, Suspicious Love, Love is a Shield), Blancmange, Visage (Fade to Grey 🙏 ), and obviously New Order Plus Propaganda too
👍 Since we're already diving down this rabbit hole of nostalgia and digging through all this old stuff, it actually made me think about putting on some Flock of Seagulls and their very first track...
Look, Simonic, you know that row of private houses right before you hit the university campus over on... man, I think it’s near the military base. You can't exactly miss it because the names are plastered right there on the doors—it's not like you can just wander in by mistake.
Man, I really feel for you, Susan James42, dealing with all that mess, but honestly, I haven't run into any of those headaches myself yet... and let's hope it stays that way.
Christian Collins2 said:I've been smoking for 10 years now! I’m thinking about quitting soon, but honestly, I just can’t find the motivation because I actually enjoy the habit, plus pretty much everyone I hang out with smokes.
Man, I feel you on that—for me, it was always about the crowd I ran with and the bars we hit up. There was always someone lighting up, and the places we went were basically just clouds of smoke. Then, I got this chance to go on a month-long trip, which ended up being the perfect way to totally isolate myself from all that. Even though things were pretty tight financially at the time, looking back, it wasn't even a big deal. I haven't scrolled through the whole thread so I don't know if anyone else brought this up (or if it's even legit), but I was told that the actual physical addiction lasts maybe three weeks or so, and after that, it's all in your head. For me, the absolute worst moments were day two and then right around day seven. That’s when the cravings would hit me so hard I’d just want to grab a pack, take one massive drag, and then chuck the whole box straight into the trash. I actually tried doing exactly that once, but luckily the 7-Eleven was already closed. Between hearing about that "physical withdrawal" phase and having that period of isolation, I managed to kick the habit for good. The only downside now is trying to find a spot in the States where you aren't breathing in secondhand smoke... (it feels like I've become hyper-sensitive to the smell of cigarettes or something).
Thanks... in the meantime I figured out that Simon is still around, so I ended up switching over to them. Honestly, at the end of the day, I just don't care which dentist I see, as long as they actually know their stuff, have the experience, and aren't working out of some basement with outdated gear. Thanks for getting back to me!
So, I finally bit the bullet and decided it was high time for a dental checkup after what feels like an eternity. I was actually planning on hitting up Simonica since my folks have been going there forever, but it looks like the guy’s totally out of business—office is gone, nothing left. Does anyone out there know a solid dentist who also pulls double duty as a surgeon (knock on wood, hopefully I don't need that), someone with a top-tier, fully loaded practice? I'm talking modern tech, like on-site X-ray machines, a massive range of services, and most importantly, a veteran who’s seen just about everything under the sun.
Man, I don't even know, it’s all just a total blur to me because we're talking about ancient history here... whenever I think back, I always get stuck on that one music video from Starship... man, that was such a massive vibe back in the day. You had this guy and woman singing together in the group... both rocking that long hair look, kind of like Europe (or maybe Def Leppard, though I heard a rumor they might be getting back together), and she was actually a head taller than him, looking pretty tough too. But the vocals? They were definitely... let's call them "distinctive" (not bad, just very specific). As for those other guys (unknown), they were basically a hit factory that seemed to implode almost immediately after their first big run, if I recall correctly... but they did have two pretty solid tracks floating around at the time... I think they fell apart once they tried to actually tour, mostly because they were such a polished studio creation (or maybe I'm just mixing up their breakup with some other similar acts from that era)... I also remember Bros popping up around that same window, acting like the blueprint for the whole boy band craze—you know, catchy tunes paired with all that synchronized hand-waving stuff.
Here’s what comes up for me: On August 20th, 1974 ...
The Number 1 single was: The Supremes - "When Will I See You Again"
The Number 1 album was: Paul McCartney & Wings - "Band On The Run"
Born on August 20th: 1924 - Jim Reeves (deceased) 1942 - Isaac Hayes (vocalist; solo and as Chef) 1946 - Ralf Hutter (of Kraftwerk) 1948 - Robert Plant (vocalist, Led Zeppelin) 1949 - Phil Lynott (bassist, vocalist, Thin Lizzy; deceased) 1952 - John Hiatt 1971 - Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit frontman)
(if we were talking about local legends, I’d definitely throw Prince on this list, and honestly, Slobo might be picking up the keys on the keyboard pretty soon too 😬). What about you guys?
Luckily, I haven't run into that specific headache myself. The only weird thing I’ve noticed is that explorer.exe tends to crash and restart every once in a while—it’s totally random and happens over pretty long stretches of time, too. Honestly, I didn't see that happening back before SP2 was out.
I’m really not feeling like starting a whole new thread here (though if a moderator wants to jump in and whip one up for me, they can—just shoot me a PM), but let’s be real: XP SP2 is becoming this "necessary evil" for anyone stuck using Windows who hasn't upgraded yet. And I'm not even talking about those rebellious home users; I mean the massive corporations managing hundreds or even thousands of desktops at once: http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-5...=zdfd.newsfeed
Sandra Moore said:Lately I’ve just been letting everything slide and I feel totally drained all the time—just sluggish, sleepy, and I can't focus for anything.
Girl, you aren't just dealing with some psychosomatic nonsense, you're probably pregnant.😁>> Just kidding, mostly, but honestly, I’ve been stuck in this same mental loop myself, and it really started ramping up maybe two or three years ago... I’m guessing it’s just part of getting older. My only real fear is that it won't stop escalating, because sometimes it gets legitimately hard to deal with. I mean, sure, you can power through a headache or push through being tired and scattered, but the real question is whether the people you work with or live with can handle it, because let's be real, that kind of brain fog definitely bleeds into your surroundings and affects everyone else too.
wearyraven41 said:When does the next DVD come out in The Los Angeles Times, and what movie are they throwing in?
I actually saw this in the digital edition: Starting May 12th, readers can pick up a two-movie DVD bundle every Wednesday for just $9.75. If you grab one alongside your daily copy of The Los Angeles Times, you’ve got a shot at building up a solid home movie library with everything from old-school classics and massive action hits to cartoons and stuff for the kids—basically something for every generation. And honestly, paying $9.75 for two movies is a total steal compared to what you'd blow on renting a couple of DVDs at a video rental shop back in the day. This whole thing is a joint effort between The Los Angeles Times, The Des Moines Register, The Chicago Tribune, The Sacramento Bee, and The Miami Herald.
Sarah Allen51 said:Man, dammit, I totally missed out on catching a movie. Seriously, the crowd was just snatching everything up like crazy. 😠
Look, I was over at the grocery store near Kozala in San Francisco yesterday around 7 PM, and honestly, there were still at least 40 copies sitting right there on the rack, so it’s definitely not like every single store has been picked clean. It'll be pretty interesting to see which other titles they roll out next and how long these sales actually stick around.
Just finished watching... seriously incredible movie... if anyone manages to get this on Blu-ray, you absolutely have to check out the bonus features, specifically that interview with the real-life Chopper... it’s heavy stuff 😵 He played Eric Ban's role so damn well, honestly 👍
So, I spent my weekend diving into Belphegor. Honestly, it was great, and it actually got me thinking about some French cinema I’ve been catching up on lately—turns out they're pretty solid: - The River Styx - Vidocq - Belphegor 🙏 - Vidocq 🙏 - Belphegor 😎
Then there's "8 Women" (not half bad) and this one flick I can't quite wrap my brain around the title of... you know, the one with the crew scaling buildings and dodging the cops and all those creeps... plus, obviously, the whole hype machine surrounding Taxi (I and II).
Anyone else got some recommendations? Just a heads up, though—keep it to stuff you could actually find on a DVD at your local Blockbuster or a neighborhood video rental shop.
I was totally blown away by those B-sides they dropped over at Tracey, especially tracks like Donkeys, Mr. Carbonhydrate, dead trees and traffic islands, Horses under starlight, Sepia, and Bored out of my mind , Just a Kid i prekrasan Close Your eyes 🙂
Honestly, this stuff feels pretty different from their old sound, but I’m actually digging it... though, if I’m being real, The Holy Bible is still my absolute go-to whenever I'm spiraling through that specific cocktail of depression and pure rage 👍
So, my aunt—who works in administration—was just digging through some recent internal reports over at JP Morgan Chase (where basically everyone at the firm was forced to open an account back in the day just to get hired, which feels a bit much if you ask me), and now I’m spiraling a bit. I’m sitting here wondering which bank in the States actually offers a decent balance of solid services without absolutely bleeding your account dry with fees. Right now, I’m stuck with JP Morgan Chase, but after they gave me some totally nonsensical answer to a few basic questions—honestly, it made me want to go ballistic—I’ve decided it’s time to jump ship. My mind is currently bouncing between Hypo Real Estate and Wells Fargo, mostly because almost everyone I hang out with uses them, so I guess there's a bit of peer pressure involved. What bank would you guys actually stick with right now, assuming you're looking at the long haul here in the US, and what's the reasoning behind it? Which one is going to nickel-and-dime you the least on checking and savings accounts? Also, how bad are the fees for online banking and monthly statements, how flexible are they when things get messy, are their actual services any good, and is there a decent ATM network nearby? I’m not even sure if this is the right corner of the internet to be asking this, so if I’m barking up the wrong tree, feel free to tell me where to go, but otherwise, I’d love to hear your real-world experiences and takes.