Twice the age and size

After multiple activities were closed due to pandemic regulations in March 2020, some professional disc golfers decided to make videos doing things.

One of them was the ten foot challenge. The idea is to start ten feet from the basket and go ten feet further every time a shot is made the idea to see how far someone can get in an hour. Final distances for various known professionals ranged from 120 to 190 feet.

I was curious to see how a man twice the age and in many cases weight would do especially since my approach game is considered my biggest strength.

On an April Friday afternoon, I went to a park with a whole bunch of discs and my portable practice basket and after measuring ten foot increments, started.

There were three objectives...

1) See how far I could get. duh. To be honest, I was disappointed with the result. There were some discs that were not suitable and with it being a bit windy, the longer shots became more difficult than anticipated as I fatigued.

2) See if using a putter for approach shots was viable. Having never practiced it in earnest, found out that day using putters is viable. Three of the throws that were made were with a putter and not a midrange disc.

I can attribute part of my improved play in 2020 to that afternoon.

3) Have a video made of this showcasing my daughter's skills that she learned at home and at the class she took at Illinois Media School.

She recorded with her camera and phone and had an idea on how to make it work and I was very excited to see how the video would turn out where I thanked the many people who ran tournaments, clubs, and stores where I purchased or received the discs I used.

The video never was made. Every request about when ended up with an excuse followed by her playing a game on the computer or watching a video. A month later, I noticed caramel on the top disc and on sides of discs that she was going to use pictures in the video.

Occasionally my disgust with her shows and people have called me out on it. As someone who considers himself the biggest investor, the video was meant to judge and showcase her skills and it has become a failure.

Anyway, I got to 100 feet. The first attempt from 110 feet hit the band and no other attempt from distance over the last 12 minutes came that close.

Prop bet 2021

Thanks to the new law, I now actually have wagers for the NFL Championship Game so there is no longer a fantasy pool but a real one. However, far less money is being wagered than the fantasy one. Anyway...

KC -12.5 (+310) $2

KC win 13-18 (+750) $2

Watkins TD (+210) $2

Brate TD (+240) $2

TB 17 points exactly (+900) $2

KC 30 points exactly (+1500) $2

KC 30 TB 17 exactly (+17000) $2

INT for TD (+650) $2

Parlay: Brate TD, Watkins TD, KC -9.5 (+3387) $5

Parlay: Manchester City win, Chi/Dal over 5.5 goals, KC win (+402) $2

Four banana, two banana, one banana, three

After getting paid $16 to deliver a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts in Rosemont on New Years Day during an increasing worsening winter storm during a pandemic, was heading home when the Banana Splits theme song started to play. After I parked, stayed in the car to finish "singing".

After it ended as I got out of the car, phone dinged with a double pickup. 6.5 miles, $28. First one was Taco Bell. Pulled in and told they won't have food for 30 minutes. Went to Wendy's and support stated they called Taco Bell, was told they have food, and I should go back. Person at drive through stated they won't have food for 25 minutes.

I hate unassigning orders and even called the customer trying to get her to cancel but I had to do that after delivering the Wendy's. Got another pickup heading to a hotel on Mannheim just southwest of O'Hare.

After ending my dash, got on Irving which gently winds around the southern border of the airport. A car going 50 in front of me lost control in the snow and ended up on the median between traffic. By going 40 and with 4 wheel drive that I used for the first time and anti lock brakes stopped in plenty of time and am glad those behind me did as well.

Monetizing Loneliness by the Numbers

Stats from December 25, 2020:

Time leaving apartment: 8:45 AM

Time on #1 tee at Foxdale Park 9 AM

Air temperature: 11°F

Wind Chill: -5°F

Distance from pin on #8 after deliberately skipping drive off frozen pond: 30 feet.

Time first logged into Door Dash: 9:38 AM

Number of delivery sessions: 5

Total orders assigned: 30

Total orders accepted: 29

Tip on order declined: 1¢

Total orders cancelled before I arrived to merchant: 1

Total orders arriving at closed location: 0

Total orders from Popeye's near my house where those there realized I was the only one taking the orders: 6

Time that Popeye's closed: 4 PM

Total McDonald's orders: 6

Different McDonald's locations: 4

Total Sarpinos Pizza orders: 3

Total orders from a place that generally serves food based from Asian cultures: 3

Total orders from place at a mall: 3

Times making a purchase for myself while making a pickup: 3

Total orders from a virtual restaurant (which only exists on line and is picked up at a restaurant with a different name): 1

Most expensive order from a sushi place: $190

Least expensive order from CVS: $6

Number of places that looked like they were overwhelmed by number of customers or being short staffed: 1

Times picking up two separate orders from same location: 2

Total locations that customers were eating inside in spite of the governor's order: 2

Number holes played at Clark Park after a delivery was less than five minutes from there: 12

Pickup zones logged into during day: 1

Approximate boundaries of that zone: IL 390, I-294, I-88, I-355

Times on a toll road including pickup from the McDonald's at the I-294 Oasis: 2

Total deliveries: 28

Furthest northern delivery: Mount Prospect (3/4 mile north of Golf Rd)

Furthest southern delivery: Darien (75th st)

Furthest western delivery: Carol Stream (Gary Av)

Furthest eastern delivery: Bellwood (Mannheim Rd)

Deliveries to someone else working on Dec 25: 3

Times delivering to a hotel: 4

Times delivering an order from two different places to the same customer at a hotel: 1

Food deliveries: 27

Food deliveries where customer did not tip: 7

Highest tip: $15

Number of customers who tipped $5 cash as well as $5 on the app: 1

Flags seen in support of the person who came second in the 2020 presidential election: 2

People seen who would go on a "date" (which would have been real tempting as I had enough cash on me to afford to do so but had a delivery to make and she was gone by the time I was heading back): 1

Disc golf courses passed: 3

Hospitals passed: 2

Different gas stations making a purchase after using bathroom: 4

Time last delivery session ended: 12:13 AM 

Time home: 12:18 AM 

Total time logged in: 12 hours, 48 minutes

Total miles driven: 250

Total earnings through app: $231.75

Total cash tip: $5

People seen whose name I knew outside of delivering food: 0

2020 season recap

On a heavy and slippery Round Lake course that had thawed during the day, finished my 2020 tournament season which was unlike any other.:

Even if the points required for Am Worlds was not reduced by 30% due to COVID, tying for 25th out of 51 players in the last event got my to the 500 point mark.

Looking a the 2019 recap, there were four ideas to qualify:

One get better. That seemed most unlikely as eventually age will take its toll but due to physical improvement (other than are issues in late summer caused by hitting a tree on a follow through) and better form, am able to general throw a disc farther and it showed:

Three months, including the last two had a new personal lifetime best rating including a big jump once the rounds at the 2019 Worlds played on a knee that was dislocated the Friday before were removed. On the 2019 chart, had a column for two shots better per round and my 18 point improvement in rating is almost two shots better.

Two was to play large events. COVID caused the spring ones to be cancelled and the only one I could have attended, Ledgestone, was not doable as a coworker needed the time off as his gf was due to deliver a baby.

Three was more MA3 rounds: Except for the IOS (where I lost the series title by three shots) and IL states, that was my plan. A couple of events were changed to MA50 once after I hit the 350 mark. Had I played MA3 all year, would have reached the mark easily.

Four was more league rounds: I did that before COVID at Dellwood in the cold and snow and expect to do the same in 2021.

Due to COVID, all majors were moved to 2021 so the idea of playing in the revamped Masters Worlds near Peoria won't happen until 2022 so I will need to repeat my success to do so.

Math and pizza

Other than attempting to add scores after a frustrating round of disc golf, my math skills are exceptional if not superior. The obvious question of why am I not changing the world with those skills if they exist is a different post.

After a long day moving paper and delivering food, was hungry and did not want to heat something at home. Since there were ten cars in the Wendy's drive through, went to the local Speedway gas station wanting to get a 14" pizza to eat half when I get home and half the following day.

There was disappointment upon realizing the large pizza was not available but the 7" personal one was. The person who makes them told me that they are out of 14" crusts but he would make two 7" ones for the same price as the 14".

After confirming in my mind the area of a circle (or pizza) is π times the radius squared stated that a 7" pizza is a quarter of the area of a 14" one which he denied.

The combative version of me from a decade or more ago would have attempted to explain the math, called him out for trying to rip me off, mentioned that he is working a gas station cafe on a Saturday night, and stated he is why some people should not make $15/hr.

The 55 year old version of me realized confronting him is not worth the effort and that I did not want him to make any food for me so instead of getting a sandwich, turned away and shaking my head walked out.

"I'M SORRY YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND MATH!"

When that person was in preschool, a Subway employee barely 5 feet tall put everything on a sandwich for a hungry man who worked a ten hour day and told him he will like it that way then offered to punch out and deal with him behind the building. That employee was not expecting a sucker kick to the groin as he followed the hungry man out the door.

I paused when I heard his statement. Then again realized best to get food somewhere else. However his statement won't be ignored. While eating Little Caesars (where I ended up after two cars pulled into Popeye's while I was waiting to turn left into the lot), went to Speedway Cafe on line and explained what happened. I did not want a free anything as sometimes items are not available. I did not want that employee punished. I just want someone to explain to him how math works.

Nope

Though I stopped my PS live account six weeks previously, did not stop my Disney Plus account until early July since that is when Hamilton came out. Though I find the concept of the musical questionable, knowing Lin Manuel Miranda created it, gave it a shot.

Two minutes into it, realized it was not for me, went nope, and then cancelled my Disney Plus account.

A couple of people questioned my FB post about it where I replied that the version of me five years ago might have been able to appreciate it.

When someone else mentioned they saw it, I stated my experience which drew an angry response.

I do admit the claim of not letting people enjoy what they enjoy is valid but was chastised for not giving it a chance and not explaining what going nope meant.

I started thinking, what things have I gone nope shortly after watching...

Any presidential news conference (of the current administration)

The first presidential debate

Bill Walton being the color man for a White Sox game.

Any live disc golf coverage especially the USDGC which did their best to get people to pay for it (while having a former multi time champ do commentary though one could tell he is bitter about not being able to hang with the best anymore after taking a 13 on a hole in 2015.)

Disc Golf Pro Tour next day coverage.

The tv show NEXT (Once the "spot the Ian" portion was done)

The Hunger Games

Young Sheldon

All 2020 NHL, NBA, and MLB playoff games (once the Chicago teams were eliminated).

Last Saturday's Illinois/Nebraska football game.

Since the Star Wars Lego Holiday Special was made available last week, renewed my Disney Plus membership and saw that as well as Incredibles 2 which I found better than then reviews made it seem. Also will watch season 2 of the Mandalorian. Will I continue Hamilton? Unlikely.