Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Social Friction

At my Adobe internship, my desk is located on the Southeast corner of the third floor, as shown on this floor sketch:

*(which was never drawn)*.

During the day, I take occasional journeys to the...

*(5 years later)*...

snack bar, where I get coffee, water, and snacks. On my way back, I've found two competing alternative paths. One is composed of four straight segments connected by straight angles, simple and shorter. The other one traverses ~ten smaller such segments, and makes its way through a simple maze of cubicles that one feels is not the shorter path 

Yet I tend to prefer the second path. Why? Because the first one, on its last segment, walks right past 10 other interns in the same research area as me, and we tend to exchange awkward and forces smiles that I feel I'm pushing through as I walk there. I feel it takes more energy for me to walk that path than to walk a slightly longer distance and turn on my path left and right in an arbitrary sequence.

This leads me to state that there is such a thing as Social Friction. A force that resists movement along a path by repelling behavior (to the mover/observer) exhibited by societal members placed close to this path.

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Ashtanga Yoga Sequence

1. Stand, inhale & rise hands, exhale & hands down to chest.
2. 5 consecutive vinyasa sequences, each ending in standing hands to chest.
3. 5 consecutive vinyasa sequences, each ending in chair pose.
4. vinyasa sequence, ending in left/right leg to the front, warrior 1 pose.
5a. stand feet touching, lower, grab toes. go downwards, bend elbows.
5b. stand feet touching, lower, grab bottom of feet. go downwards, bend elbows.
6a. Triangle. right leg to the side, front foot forwards, back foot mostly forward. Extend arms, lower towards front, reaching out and down.
6b. Turn and repeat with other side.
7a. Twisted triangle. Right leg front, same position. Extend arms, front arm to the back, other arm up, then lower body along with arm, inside/outside legs. Other arm extends up, and twist the body in that direction.
7b. Turn and repeat with other side.
8a. Feet as in warrior 2. Front elbow rests on front knee, back arm extends, makes straight line together with back leg. Option to lower front arm to the ground.
8b. Turn and repeat with other side.
9a. Open legs wide, heels wider than toes. Hands to hips, legs straight, lower to hips. Hands to ground, lower head to ground.
9b. Rise to hips, hands on core, lower head again.
9c. Rise to hips, hands clasped behind back, lower head again.
10a. Reverse namaste (namaste behind the back). Position like twisted triangle, and lower head to knee/floor?.
10b. Turn and repeat with other side.
11a. Parahanmistasana. Stand hip width apart. Hold knee to chest, OR grab toe with same side arm and extend OR bow head to extended leg. Other hand holds the core. Hold.
11b. Rotate raised knee/extended leg to the side. Other hand remains holding the core. Hold.
11c. Leg back to front, release knee/toe. Stand up straight, hands to core, outstretch leg and foot high. Hold.
12. Sit with legs straight, back straight, hands on floor, head down to chest. Hold.
13a. One foot to the other thigh. Grab other foot’s toe with both hands, head down to chest. Hold. Then same, grabbing back of foot instead of toes.
13b. Same, but sitting on ankle instead of foot on thigh. Then a&b other side.
14a. Bend knee, foot on ground, align outer foot with outer hip. Extend same-side arm to left of knee, wrap around and to the back. Other arm stretches back to meet it, and they bind. Back straight, then head down towards the floor.
14b. Repeat with other side.
15a. Bend knee, align outer foot with outer hip. Option 1: Opposite arm wraps in front of knee to the back of the body, other arm is placed to the back of the body, helping to twist rotation towards the back. Body twists. Hold. Option 2: Opposite arm wraps between knee and chest, then to the other side to the back. Other arm stretches to the back on its side to meet it, and bind. Hold.
15b. Repeat with other side.
16. Navasana, boat pose. 3 times. Lay down. Then raise chest straight, raise legs straight, feet outstretched, arms outstretched towards feet. Hold five breaths. In between each pose, place hands to the front, place one shin over another, and lift body.
17a. Fish pose. Legs stretched or in lotus. Lay head back onto floor, back arched upwards, engage core, keep legs down. Hands clasped together under back. Hold.
17b. Stretch legs up and outward, feet outstretched, stretch arms out in the same direction. Hold.
18. Butterfly sit. Sit in butterfly pose, feet touching and closest to body, knees towards ground. Hands on feet, pushing insides of feet downwards so that only outsides of feet are touching. Head also pushes downwards. Hold.
19. Crow.
20. Back bends (3-5). Option 1: Bridge, feet on ground, shoulders and elbows on ground, top of head on ground. Rest of the body is arched upwards. Hands clasped underneath. Hold. Option 2: Full wheel: Instead of shoulders and head on floor, hands on floor, and the rest of the body arches upwards. Hold.
21. Shoulder stand.
22. Plow.
23. Wheel.
24. Headstand.
25. Lay.