Friday, September 23, 2022

Expanding the Parameters

Like most of you, I learned to tie my shoes around the time I turned five. From that point forward, didn't give that particular daily chore much of a thought. 

A few weeks ago, I was told I'd been doing it wrong my entire life. And, indeed, I had. Let Terry Moore drop some science on you:

Moore is a curious fellow, his bio full of terms like 'thinker', 'business divorce attorney', and 'CEO'. He built a professional practice around the notion that people should seek to master simple skills as a building block for acquiring more sophisticated capabilities. The TED talk above fits neatly within that oeuvre. 

It was hard to get my digits to make the corrections necessary to apply this radical new method of shoe-tying, what with all the muscle memory and everything. But I haven't had a shoe come untied since I did, even the rounded, slick, nylon laces of my fancy hikers. And I discovered a different hack: I'd always gone right lace over left lace before intertwining them - when I started going left over right, the knot held much longer.

Turns out you can teach an oldish dog new tricks. Be on the lookout for my next post, featuring a whole new way of buttoning a shirt.

20 comments:

Juan Carlos said...

My shoelaces were constantly coming untied until I saw a youtube video showing me a better way. My life has never been the same.

rootsminer said...

I've got a pair of shoes that comes untied aggravatingly often.

Now GTB is trying to get me to watch a TED talk to address the issue? I'll think about it.

rob said...

it's a two-minute talk. you got this.

Whitney said...

Thanks for the bday wishes, gheorghies. You guys are the best.

Danimal said...

mind blown. if only i wasn't wearing flip flops.

rob said...

got up early this morning to get out on the river and paddle a bit. kinda still drunk, which is relevant to the events that followed. pulling the kayak back to shore over a rocky area at our friends’ house, slipped and fell backwards. as i fell, I thought to myself, “this is gonna hurt”. landed on my back, and hit my head on a rock. never lost consciousness, but have a solid egg on the back of my noggin. the lesson is either don’t have friends with riverfront homes, don’t kayak while drunkish, or both. definitely not going near the water next weekend at whit’s place.

Whitney said...

Jesus, dude. Look out.

Whitney said...

Tribe teed up for a major choke job. Come on, boys. Stiffen up.

Whitney said...

Nope. They blew it. Way to go.

Danimal said...

How 'bout them Dukes?! Down 28-3 at half against the App Staters...Winners at 32-28. T

Whitney said...

Not bad on the Dukes. Meanwhile, the Tribe was up 31-16 with 9-plus to play and lost 35-31. Not great.

Danimal said...

Roberto, be careful out there.

Mark said...

Almost the ultimate gut punch for Tennessee in a rivalry that's recently featured many for them. Not gonna lie. I started to believe. Still going to take solace in Anthony Richardson returning to a game changer at QB.

Whitney said...

I was pulling for the Gators. Nail biter.

rootsminer said...

I had to choose between local radio streams for vols v gators. Settled on gators broadcast and heard teej era lammie carey m doin a radio spot for his law firm.

Mark said...

Lol. I have had drinks with Melton and his Dad at the Florida-UGA game. He's running the family firm now. I referred multiple people to his Dad for DUIs when I lived in Gainesville.

Mark said...

Fun late window of CFB.

rootsminer said...

I figured Mark would recognize the barrister in question.

I tried the UT broadcast first, but it was even more rednecky and homer-y than the UF call. Their on field sound was better, too. The DJ in nealon stadium was keeping things upbeat, and the marching band seemed to only show up in the 4th quarter.

rootsminer said...

I also have to give Carey credit for dropping a Tom Petty reference in his ad. His firm won't back down!

Professor G. Truck said...

lot of filler in that two minute talk. fuck that guy. if you pull really hard on the "weak form of the knot," pull like a man-- then it becomes strong.