August 2011
21 posts
Day 228: Talk to a fish (dead or alive)
REMEMBERED TIME
I believe that I spoke to my friend Chris’ Chinese fighting fish for 4 minutes and 19 seconds. Doug (the fish) did not respond.
ACTUAL TIME
How long did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
Day 227: Drive over 100mph
An observation:
When moving at a rapid pace – whether that be physically roaring down a highway in a car or (taken less literally) multi-tasking at work while juggling numerous project deadlines – time will often appear to pass at a faster speed.
If a driver barrels down a busy interstate at 100mph, quicker decision-making is needed and that driver has less time available to review how well...
2 tags
Day 226: Initiate 'the wave' on an airplane
Weekend post
REMEMBERED TIME
I estimate that it took me 4 minutes and 51 seconds to convince five rows of passengers on a flight from Arkansas to participate in “the wave”.
ACTUAL TIME
How long did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
2 tags
Day 225: Break fast at a mosque for Ramadan
Weekend post
REMEMBERED TIME
I believe I broke fast at a mosque in Arkansas for 3 hours and 22 minutes.
ACTUAL TIME
How long did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
Day 224: Visit the first Wal-Mart store
REMEMBERED TIME
I estimate that I spent 1 hour and 42 minutes inside the first Wal-Mart store (The Walton’s 5-10) in Bentonville, Arkansas.
ACTUAL TIME
How long did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
Day 223: Work as a flight attendent
While en route to Arkansas, I served drinks to approximately 30 individuals with the help of a push-cart.
Thanks, United Airlines!
REMEMBERED TIME
I believe it took 8 minutes and 03 seconds to serve the drinks.
ACTUAL TIME
How did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
1 tag
Day 222: Summon 'Bloody Mary'
Wikipedia tells us: “Bloody Mary is a ghost or witch featured in English folklore. She is said to appear in a mirror when her name is called three times or sometimes more while in a dark room, depending upon the version of the story, often as part of a game or dare.”
Still waiting, Mary. Still waiting…
REMEMBERED TIME
I estimate that it took 9 seconds to call Bloody...
2 tags
Day 221: Drink (filtered) urine
An eccentric friend recently told me about a “really slammin’ ceremony” he attended in Brooklyn that forced him to drink a glass of urine.
“It was so worth it, bro,” he said.
“In what way, exactly?” I asked.
“Trust me. You have to try it,” he insisted.
I couldn’t take his word for it, so I did some research. Here’s what I...
1 tag
Day 220: Get a raise
Yeah, yeah. First one at 28. Was bound to come sometime.
REMEMBERED TIME
I believe it took me 1 minute and 30 seconds to open and review the document explaining my raise in pay.
ACTUAL TIME
How did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
Day 219: Engage in 'nasal irrigation'
Weekend post
REMEMBERED TIME
I estimate that I used a “nasal lavage”, which is used to clean out mucus from one’s nasal cavity, for 5 minutes and 22 seconds.
ACTUAL TIME
How did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
1 tag
Day 218: Pogo stick a mile
Weekend post
REMEMBERED TIME
I estimate it took 45 minutes and 22 seconds to pogo stick a mile. *I must admit I ran between falls, which were often.
ACTUAL TIME
How did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
3 tags
Day 217: Hack a mobile phone
Following the News of the World scandal, I was curious to see just how difficult it would be to break into another person’s voicemail.
As it turns out, within one hour — I think it was an hour — I was able to break into three separate voicemail accounts, all owned by individuals who gave me the “okay”. And I even managed to change a friend’s voicemail...
2 tags
Day 216: Install illogical signs in public spaces
Lately I’ve found myself interested in the logic (or illogic) behind behaviors that Washington DC’s government deems appropriate in public spaces, like parks.
Washington DC is home to a horde of signs that read “keep off the grass” or “no loitering” or even “no running” in tax-funded spaces you would expect were built for such practices.
...
2 tags
Day 215: Do a dance in front of a security camera
REMEMBERED TIME
I estimate that I danced in front of a security camera for 29 seconds.
ACTUAL TIME
How did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
2 tags
Day 214: Attend a stranger's funeral
What started as a task that I thought would be interesting and really place me outside of my comfort zone, ended up making me feel terrible. It’s really a long story, but I will just say that I have declared this activity a failure. I did not think this out all the way and now feel it was extremely inappropriate.
#timehackfail #dumbidea
The times are below but no photos were taken or...
2 tags
Day 213: Bathe in your favorite food
I have heard people joke: “This is so good, I could bathe in it.”
Was curious to learn what that would be like. I chose ice cream.
*Note: Bathing in ice cream is not good for your skin. I learned this the hard way.
REMEMBERED TIME
I estimate that I showered using ice cream, instead of soap, for 8 minutes and 05 seconds.
ACTUAL TIME
How did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t...
2 tags
Day 212: Make a sundial
Weekend post
REMEMBERED TIME
I estimate that it took me 16 minutes and 23 seconds to make a sundial.
ACTUAL TIME
How did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
Day 211: Score a baseball game
Weekend post
REMEMBERED TIME
I believe I scored the baseball game between the Mets and the Nationals for 1 hour and 43 minutes.
ACTUAL TIME
How did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
Day 210: Thank your parents for birth
REMEMBERED TIME
I believe it took 6 minutes and 01 second to write a letter thanking my parents for birth.
ACTUAL TIME
How did it take? Find out here.
Why don’t videos or images of time appear on this site?
Day 209: Give advice to a passerby
The winter of 2007 was unusual.
I was living in a “semi-converted” loft apartment on the first floor of an old beer factory in Brooklyn.
My four roommates and I each had four plywood walls, which went only 1/3 of the way up to our 20ft-high ceilings, leaving the tops of our bedrooms exposed to the lights and sounds of the rest of the apartment. And our front door opened directly to...
3 tags
Day 208: Lie about your upbringing on a first date
On day 208, I composed an elaborate lie about my upbringing on a first date. But unbeknownst to me then, I was following suit with my ancestors.
Hair combed and freshened by Speed Stick deodorant, I scuffled toward an outdoor barbeque and beer garden in Washington, DC, carefully making notes on my iPhone about my “upbringing in the circus”. I was going to attempt to deliver a...
