Aspeaka you language

Last week's experiment was more of an observation. I work at a performing arts theater, and I get to interact with all sorts of... interesting people.

As the show neared the beginning, I heard the technical director of the facility getting everyone that was on the comm to check in and get ready for the performance. I noted an interesting phenomenon. Because the technical director spoke to everyone with such exactness and demanded a quick response, everyone on the comm struggled (but strived) to speak the TD's language.

As he would introduce lingo that was obviously new to these people working with him that night, I could hear them struggle to use the same language, even though maintaining that exact language was obviously (to me) not necessary to make the show run smooth. But it made me think: When I admire someone, when I'm trying to impress and make things run more smoothly, do I struggle and strive to speak their language?

So my soul-poking thought for the week is, "Is this something by which we can gauge our love and devotion to God's cause?" Do we try to speak his language?

Very very sneaky

It's Why Not Try It Wednesday again. I find to break up the monotony of the week, trying something out of the ordinary in the middle of the week has helped me to make it through just fine.

This week's "Why Not Try It?" is simply this:

While at work, sneak around the office like you're a spy or shadow hopper, and try not to get caught.

Let me explain. At work, I've found myself in a completely different mindset. Sometimes this mindset causes my energy level to go down, my motivation to vanish, and my muscles to atrophy. I decided to try something to counteract the highly volatile effects of desk work.

I work at a huge performing arts theater, and conference center. There is plenty of room to roam around. So in order to keep my body and mind active, and because I absolutely love a challenge, I started sneaking around my work with the sole intent to not be seen nor heard while moving. I was able to create an adventure out of a humdrum environment.

I found that my work environment turned into a pleasant adventure. I supposed that if I got caught, the worse that would happen is embarrassment. All in all, the benefits completely outweighed the negative consequences.

Benefits:

• More active, alert and proactive mind.
• Exercise (especially for us that work sitting down)
• The day goes by faster. The week gets cut in half.
• You get to experience an adventure in a cookie-cutter environment.
• Reputation for excitement among fellow drones.
• The need to satisfy your superego decreases.
• You get a cool name like The Shadow, Lurker, or some other fantastically sneaky name.
  

Negative Consequences

• Embarrassment if caught.
• Possible reprimand if caught doing it too frequently.
• Questions from the superiors. However, this can be counteracted by occasionally showing yourself to other employees so that they can account for your whereabouts.
  

Suggestions:

• Like any professional sneaky person, make thorough plans before engaging in shadow hopping.
• Create a goal or mission. It can be as simple as getting from one side to the other without being seen or heard.
  
• Track and document everyone's schedule of movements prior to making plans.
• Make a list of possible problems and their solutions.
• Lobby for allies that can cover for you.
• Have a few creative excuses on hand so that you can readily explain what you are doing.
  

I hope this helps you to engage in healthy diversion. Like always, please post a comment with your results of this experiment so that others can hear of your success and gain courage.

Mental challenge

Not mentally challenged. Mental challenge. The most recent experiment I have been conducting for the past two months is figuring out how to get songs stuck in people's heads. As simple as that may seem, people are a lot smarter than I originally gave them credit for.

This experiment originated one day by me having the most annoying song stuck in my head. So, I decided that whenever a song got stuck in my head, I would whistle my favorite whistling song: The Girl From Impanima.

I began whistling that song a LOT because I was so focused on not getting any song stuck in my head that I would whistle that song without even thinking. Which made me think. "Hmm," I thinks to myself, "maybe I could use that against people. Make them so paranoid about getting a song stuck in their head that they get the song I want stuck in their head."

The testing began that week when a couple of friends came over for dinner. I had previously determined when and how to introduce the song into their heads. As we ate dinner, they talked and I schemed. When there was at least a 3-second lull, I began whistling softly "The Girl from Impanima", and stopped about 10 notes into it, and immediately started talking about something else, carrying on the conversation. Preparatory, I thought. After about 5 more minutes, I began whistling from note 5 to note 20. I stopped and immediately got up from the table and refilled my glass of water, whereupon I started the song over again. And that was it.

The first result was incredible. As I filled up my glass, the wife began humming The Girl from Impanima. I was so tickled that my persistence had paid off that I started laughing. I tried so hard to hold it in that I began to shake. Once I composed myself, I went out to the table again and sat back down. That's when her husband started humming it. I couldn't contain myself and started laughing.

To their credit, they knew right away why I was laughing and determined to not hum that song anymore. Perfect, I thought. Now I can start the second phase.

Phase 2 began about 10 minutes after they vowed to not hum that song. I made sure that we were doing something repetitive so that I could wedge my new song into their heads without them knowing. My target was the husband this time. As I victoriously dominated the first round of the card game (and my experiment), I triumphantly sang the Darth Vader theme song from Star Wars. The wife asked, "Are you singing the Darth Vader song?" Whereupon I replied, "Oh it's just stuck in my head." She smiled. It was too perfect, because I knew that if she identified the song, her husband wouldn't stand a chance not singing it.

As the second round of the game game was close to ending, I began quietly humming the Darth Vader song, and positioned the husband to win the round. (I had to sacrafice that round, but the satisfaction from this experiment heavily outweighed the satisfaction from winning.) When the husband won the round, he, with equal zeal and energy, began to shout the Darth Vader song.

The second test results were equally comical. He was humming it the rest of the night.

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Since that first test, I have introduced new techniques and tested situations, types of songs based on my "lab rat's" mood, presentation of the song, and methods of entry. As each person is unique, I had to adapt the tests to be more elaborate (or simple). But I am successful with every experiment, even if the people know what I'm doing. (Sometimes that helps)

My suggestion for your own experimentation of Head-Sticky Songs is this: identify a pattern in a person's behavior, detect the situation and timing of demonstrated mimicking behaviors, then exploit them.

My record for Head-Sticky exploitations is getting 4 songs stuck in one person's head in one night. Has anyone done better than this or figured out how to get past that threshold? If so, please let me know how.

Sometimes I think that I think too much. I'm still coming to a conclusion.

Why not try it?

Welcome to my newest blog and project, Why Not Try It. It sounds like it could be a promotion for a drug dealer, but I promise that there is no drug-vending going on here. At least no promotion.

I figured that since I am always trying new things, experimenting, testing and acting on my curious impulses, I might as well write about it, and the ever-risky consequences of the most unscientific experimentation methods.

So sit back, put on your protective eye gear, and if you happen to read this blog, may this help you to feel better about yourself.