What I Am Reading – January 8, 2009
Jan 08
- $1.2 Trillion Deficit Forecast as Obama Weighs Options – New York Times
- Tetris Wipes Out Bad Memories, Say Scientists [Health]
- Atheists Play Their Hand — Probability
- Flickr Gallery Plus Tweaks Flickr for Better Galleries [Featured Download]
- Why Your Self-Handicapping Excuses Don’t Work (And How to Fix Them) [Performance]
- Democrat wins Minnesota US Senate seat in recount – Reuters
- Obama Eyes $300 Billion Tax Cut
- Learn about Different Screw Types [Tools]
- Swords Are for Killing
- 9 Ways to Pray for Your Soul
- Music sales boom, but albums fizzle for '08 – USA Today
January 7, 2009
January 7, 2009
January 7, 2009
January 5, 2009
January 6, 2009
January 5, 2009
January 5, 2009
January 3, 2009
January 5, 2009
January 2, 2009
January 1, 2009
The Name of the Wind, possibly the best fantasy book released since (at least) Robin McKinley’s Sunshine, discusses (or perhaps invents) a traditional folk-psychological concept of the “Four Doors of the Brain” through which humans can flee to escape while they cope with seemingly unendurable pain. They are sleep, forgetting, madness and death.
Apparently, the Fifth Door is Tetris.
Although in reality, it makes sense. Traumatic experiences break down our sense of order in the world; simple activities such as Tetris, cleaning the house, doing a crossword, or putting together a puzzle, impose order on the world. I think it’s perfectly healthy to deal with the former by apposing it with the latter. It reminds the brain that order can be made, and not to panic or shut down.
I have always enjoyed the different variations of Tetris. It always has a very soothing effect on me and now it makes sense why. I had never given much thought as to why but it makes complete sense.