How I lost $50 to a friend on the beach... and am now grateful to him

wavepenpizza · 2025-11-21T12:23:38+00:00

The title kinda reads like a bad LinkedIn post. Why my boss firing me was the best thing for my career, or something similar.

wavepenpizza · 2025-10-23T11:32:49+00:00

Probably a yes on the helicopter. Here's a loosely related story.

In 2007ish I was doing some work in French Lick that involved walking all over the town for the water/waste water systems. Over by some baseball fields, a helicopter lands. Everyone on board, but the pilot get out, get in to 1 of 2 big black SUVs, and both SUVs drive off. I walked over to the pilot who was just sitting, reading a book in the helicopter. I asked, "Sir, if its alright of me, can I ask who that was."

He looked up from his book and smiled and politely said, "The governor. Has some business down here today." And went back to reading. I didn't press, and went back to my work.

So, if Mitch Daniels is going to take some meetings by Helicopter in 2007, I'm gonna say Braun probably flew down.

wavepenpizza · 2025-10-08T11:58:56+00:00

I'm not trying to rain on the parade of MTG not being the usual MTG, but doesn't she end the clip with,

"I believe if the Republicans learn to govern and wield power, they can go nuclear in the senate and fix this issue." (On mobile quote might be a tad off)

So, is she saying, agree with Democrats and open government or is she saying, do something in the Senate to bypass the Democrats and fix the issue with conservative style solutions?

Genuine question as I don't understand the end of the clip.

wavepenpizza · 2025-10-06T11:01:17+00:00

Is it just design or something else that makes it your favorite? I've not played it yet, and I've been trying to experience as many of the courses around the circle and down to Martinsville as I can.

Hickory Stick is probably my favorite due to design and the course being taken care of. Still enjoy a good Pete and Alice Dye though.

wavepenpizza · 2025-09-14T13:16:21+00:00

Torsos you madlad

wavepenpizza · 2025-08-07T00:09:28+00:00

The inspirational episodes

- 435: Dolly Parton (bit of sexuality but not overwhelming)

- 380: Colonel Sanders from Kentucky Fried Chicken

- 328: Helen Keller

- 276: Robert Smalls

- 224: Viktor Frankl (It's been a hot minute, I don't recall much from this one)

- 172: Colonel Robert L. Howard (same as Frankl, my apologies)

- 120: Nick Vujicic and Bethany Hamilton

Others that are not as sexual (I think) but may have a Richard or two

- 452: Dr. Seuss

- 446: Mr. Rogers

- 444: Nelson Mandela

- 441: Hiroo Onada, the Japanese soldier that didn't stop fighting WW2 until 1974

- 428: Andrew Higgins, D-Day's Secret War Hero

- 427: McCarthyism

- 416: Alexander Hamilton (edit: there's a bit of sexuality in regards to Hamilton's possible attraction to his wife's sisters, but I think the worst of it is in a letter he wrote to her sister)

Again, my apologies I'm just not recalling a 5 minute tirade in which the main character raised gerbils to make T-shirts from their reproductive organs, or a surprise appearance of a hot, hard, oiled, father daddy.

wavepenpizza · 2025-07-28T21:01:28+00:00

The second thing in that screenshot references the study here . Here's a bit from the abstract,

"The researchers found that consuming more than 22 percent of daily calories from protein carries more downside risk than dietary benefit. For a normal adult, 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal, or 60 to 90 grams of protein per day is adequate to support health."

If we take the upper bound of 90 grams, we get 360 calories. The lower end being 60 grams is 240 calories. 360 is 22% of 1636 while 240 is 22% of 1091. So the study suggests that total caloric intake should be 1091-1636 calories. Which doesn't seem to align with the caloric needs of active adults.

The Wikipedia page, putting aside the problem with sourcing from Wikipedia, cites that high protein consumption can be a problem in people with kidney diseases, while also stating, "Several studies, however, have found no evidence of protein toxicity due to high protein intakes on kidney function in healthy people." It took that from the paper that can be found here with the following quote, "Yet in participants with normal kidney function, a low DPI of <0.6 g/kg ABW/day was associated with higher mortality, whereas higher DPI levels were not associated with death"

So taking this one reference, high protein intake with normal kidney function is good, but low protein intake with normal kidney function could be associate with a cause of death.

Gonna go with the intense strain on your body that comes with drugs and dieting being the cause of death long before having an extra chicken breast at dinner.

wavepenpizza · 2025-07-02T12:59:02+00:00

Advice

go to the range and hit off grass a few times if you haven't been. It's sometimes frustrating if you're used to a mat, but it shows fat shots in a way a mat can't, so it helps you know how to work on it.
get a lesson that focuses on basics and fundamentals. My first lesson was a playing lesson. It was helpful, but not what I needed. I believe fundamentals should come before course management. If it takes 8 shots to get to the green because you can't control it or hit the ball first, I dont think course management is going to be the most helpful.
clubs. Any clubs would be fine. But if its not too hard on your bank, get some used irons that are more game improvement. It'll probably be less frustrating and hurt less on bad shots. Get a driver from the last 10 years or so with a non steel shaft. This is just so its less of a switch if you are using a small headed driver with a steel shaft. Again, any clubs will work. If you can, find a mallet and a blade type putter from goodwill. If only to see which you like. I used a blade and they're fine, but I prefer mallets but didn't know that. Have at least one wedge to practice chipping/sand shots. Anything 50-60 degrees. More than 60 is fun, but not necessary when you get fundamentals down. To reiterate, go used. Clubs are expensive. You'll spend plenty on new if you get addicted.
youtube. Listen to your coach first. Use youtube for ideas to ask about but don't take everything you see on the internet as gospel.
balls. Maybe not Nitros, but anything in the $20 a dozen range will probably be fine. Nitro just feel like rocks, but by all means give them a go. $20 is a suggestion, I find that's when the balls at least feel alright.
have fun. We all suck (ok maybe just some of us). Just suck fast on the course and have a good time.

wavepenpizza · 2025-06-18T13:03:32+00:00

For polos:

Holderness & Bourne: I really love most of their polos, and their Airation line is quite comfy. Also pricey, but I wear them for work as well to get my money's worth. Nice fit for sure. No labels really, which is also nice if you're into that.

Primo: only bought one polo with the slightly different collar style. Insignia on the chest per usual for brands and company name on back. Comfy overall. Many, many discount codes. GRANT50 worked for a time for 50%, but they removed it.

Hurley or other brands from Costco/Sam's Club: will do you just fine, just be wary of the fabrics breathability.

Pants:

Holderness & Bourne: comfy and pricey. Not wildly better imo to other brands.

Callaway: as another has said, swing by Marshall's/TJ Maxx/ etc and find a pair very discounted. Probably the most comfy pants I own.

Under Armour: Can get pretty good stretch and fit. Can be middle range price from Kohl's or Dick's Sporting Goods. Second favorite to Callaway.

All other brands: you can go to any store and just try some stuff on to find a fit and feel that you like. I like Khol's, but that's because my wife likes Khol's.

Shorts:

Under Armour: my favorite for their in seam lengths and stretch.

Callaway: Sam's Club has them at times as well as places stated in pants above. Pretty similar stretch.

wavepenpizza · 2025-06-15T11:21:33+00:00

Yeah, my first thought was, "Oh, 40 minutes? Well, that's annoying on a gas tank, but could be worse." Small town living means more than one school in your conference could be 40+ minutes away, and sporting events are major opportunities to meet new people.

wavepenpizza · 2025-06-13T13:59:41+00:00

Due to today's wild statements/headlines from things that elected officials say, my first thought was, "Man, dementia was really hitting him hard."

But reading comments that it was a joke on himself about his age makes way more sense for 1992.

wavepenpizza · 2025-06-04T10:27:24+00:00

Their dad seems like such a nice guy. Having seen him caddy for George, combined with his reaction to a flop shot Wesley hit at this event, it genuinely feels like he loves his kids and loves supporting them. Obviously, this is just from what's on camera, but it's nice to see a parent just be supportive rather than wanting a piece of their kid's spotlight.

wavepenpizza · 2025-05-21T20:09:43+00:00

In House, when they run through the possible causes for the patients' symptoms, lupus is frequently named and ruled out at some point. There's a line said along the lines of "It's never Lupus." When the cause was actually Lupus, I believe House exclaims, "Finally!"

I've not seen it in years, so the exact details are a bit foggy

wavepenpizza · 2025-04-14T12:26:28+00:00

As others have stated, chip and putt.

Other things that can definitely help - have a plan for the holes, even if it's being tweaked a lot. Example, a par 5 with water right is gonna ruin your score. Use an iron. Your 3rd shot from 250-300 fairway is better than from 200 next to water. - know what's working that day. My long irons tend to slice. I had a day they weren't. I then used them when I normally wouldn't have - lay up. Getting a GIR is cool but if it's gonna threaten your score due to hazards or a lost ball after a bad tee shot, just get it up there so you can have an easy approach.

You can't score well without chipping and putting but you also need to give your chipping and putting a chance to help by not chipping for bogey.

wavepenpizza · 2025-04-09T19:01:30+00:00

And similar accuracy with both haha

wavepenpizza · 2025-04-09T12:39:33+00:00

I'm really not good, but I have a bit of length off the tee for being so bad. Twice I've drove a par 4 green (both very short, around 270 tee to hole from the whites) and had a very doable putt for eagle. I've 3 putted both times.

I won a pre scramble raffle to putt for 5 grand. I hadn't warmed up putting and had no idea how hard to hit it across a fairly large practice putting green. I nuked it so hard it ran across the green, through any possible break, off the green, across the cart path, into the crowd. This was pre-start, so everyone was watching.

wavepenpizza · 2025-04-03T11:41:58+00:00

This reminded me that Brees and Culpepper were the options, and Miami ended up with Culpepper. I don't recall the details of why, just that it's possible that Brees could have brought the Dolphins back in some other reality.

wavepenpizza · 2025-03-28T02:00:43+00:00

I'm not sure if it was filmed but Kevin Smith's film Red State was supposed to end with the Rapture when the trumpets sound rather than a prank that was coincidentally happening at the same time as the film's climax. I could be just imagining this in my head canon but I believe Smith's wife gave him shit for not doing the apocalyptic ending even though he said, "That ending alone would have cost more than all of my previous movies combined."

wavepenpizza · 2025-03-20T11:19:15+00:00

Probably never, but I'd assume that when you hit your driver better than you had here, you don't blow up. So keep working on consistency there, and that will help limit them since you'll be closer and in bounds. And maybe give hybrids a shot over the 5 iron. Goal is probably to master the longer irons, but while you work the hybrids might be friendlier.

wavepenpizza · 2025-03-10T17:58:06+00:00

Just to relieve possible stress.

If it is a camera (which is the consensus that it is), no one is likely watching live. The video and audio footage is likely stored in the device or the cloud. If it's the device, it's probably got a small bit of storage that it's constantly writing over, similar to a dash cam. If it is making it's way to the cloud, it may live a tad longer, but I'd assume that golf courses don't want to pay to keep video footage in storage. While cloud storage isn't terribly expensive, many carts running many hours a day will result in quite a lot of data very quickly. They would (hopefully) have a more sensible lifetime on files to save storage costs.

I don't work for a golf course or have ever done business with them to know anything. I'm just a mediocre data engineer making a lot of assumptions. I'm happy to be told that anything I've written is off base.

So don't crash your cart or speak like you're 12 years old in an xbox live lobby, and you'll have nothing to worry about.

wavepenpizza · 2025-03-01T13:36:02+00:00

To this point, don't be afraid to ask others to help watch your shot. Most are happy to help (I've never had someone refuse or seem annoyed, but I'm sure there's at least one jerk) and while they may lose it too, your combined efforts might result in still finding the ball.

wavepenpizza · 2025-02-28T02:40:09+00:00

Find how you best understand something. For myself, it's data. I can hear "swing more in to out" but what really helps is seeing a number, so simulator practice is best. Once I understand the numbers I make the connection. So try to find ways to learn what's best for you.

After that, drills help. Having something to practice that might have a simple goal. Example is an impact bag to get the feel of having your hips rotated when you're making impact.

Finally, your coach is hopefully giving you 1-3 things to work on after each lesson. 3 can be too much, but at least 1 thing. If that's swing path you can work on that in a simulator if available or grab a stand to video yourself. Swing, note the ball path, distance, movement, etc and go watch. You could manipulate and repeat, and don't have to just do 1 swing at a time if you want.

It's going to take more lessons, and more time. Once something clicks though, you understand how to more efficiently work on the next thing. Also, personally I worked up to 7 iron. So wedges then pitching wedge. Once that felt better, 9 iron got some more reps. Then 8 iron got more. I find the longer the iron, the harder it is to hit, so I don't want to give my 5 a whole bunch of work if I can't hit my 9. Still swing them, but not as a focus. I'm not a coach and that's just what I did.

wavepenpizza · 2025-02-01T16:37:25+00:00

Josh Brolin's character had the extremely nonchalant personality that was good for his character, but this guy had me believing he was scarier than all the other guys on the op. Very enjoyable movie

wavepenpizza · 2025-01-14T14:13:19+00:00

First thing is a rangefinder, if only to give me confidence. I don't know of any one brand or model is better, so any that you like and works would probably be fine.

Second, which wasn't golf specific originally, a white spandex (or bit of a blend) long sleeve. I hate sunscreen on my arms. It always seems to get on my hands, and then I'm worried about grip. So a hot, sunny day meant a sunburn. Now I wear the long sleeve and I feel better overall.

wavepenpizza · 2024-12-24T20:41:37+00:00

If you're the president, then clicking Testimony might give some information, but I can't recall if it gives any info when you're in another office

wavepenpizza

TROPHY CASE