Tennis Warehouse

Tennis Warehouse is an internet-based company that is a huge seller of tennis products, as you can tell from the name. It also provides racquet reviews in an objective scale of numbers for categories like spin, comfort, control, power, maneuverability, etc. There is an overall rating also which combines all of the categories.

I’ve noticed a certain trend in racquet reviews: Ratings have been inflating over the past few years.

A racquet used to be really good if it got a review in the high 70s, around 78 or so. Most racquets were in the lower 70s. Very few racquets got at or above 80. But as time passed, reviews started getting higher and higher. Nowadays, it’s normal for a racquet to get a rating of 80-83. If it gets somewhere around the high 70s, it’s relatively mediocre. A rating of 86-88 means it’s really special. What I think is that when racquet companies realized that higher ratings on Tennis Warehouse seriously boosts sales, they started talking with Tennis Warehouse to raise their racquets’ ratings. Standards started getting lower and lower, and there must be a cause. I’m just speculating about the cause, but the effect is definitely there. If it’s true, it’s kind of messed up but I guess expected of companies.

@steventful: I hope Tennis Warehouse doesn’t assassinate me for this

Anonymous asked: even that answer was endearing. just how do you do it?

It’s sort of embarrassing to hold a conversation like this publicly on my tumblr (not that anyone reads it anyhoo) and I’m not really sure how to answer that question (I was thinking “Onions. lots of it”) but once again, I thank you very much :)

For my 200 word blurb thingy that’s going to go in senior issue, I was thinking about writing about this — how much power you or I actually have over other people. I scratched that idea so I’ll sum it up here in a sentence. Small actions that cost nothing (like a positive piece of feedback like this) can have a much greater positive effect than anything it costed. So use your words wisely, everyone (including myself)!

Thank you, anon, for doing something small. It’s the small things in life. I appreciate your kind words very much. Now please go do this for other people also.

Anonymous asked: What do you think about fat people acceptance? Can you explain your quoted statement out of your psych textbook? What does it mean to you?

I think it’s sad but true in that I think it has more direct biological roots than does racism or sexism. I’m pretty sure it has to do with the fact that fatter people are less fit in terms of survival. I have to admit that it is harder for bigger people to be physically attractive than leaner people. But I think I talked about the difference between what’s biologically inclined vs. the moral standards that humans abide by. What’s biologically inclined provides a temporary excuse and also a challenge to overcome for the human race to match our loftier ideals.

I took the example of love last time. Love is probably not biologically favorable — I’m sure it’d be more effective for males to go around spraying sperm without getting attached. And I’m sure that’s part of the reason why cheating is so common. But we still look upon love as the highest virtue of people and hold onto it for dear life. Even though our biology provides a sort of half-ass excuse for people to sleep around, it’s considered higher to transcend our limited biology.

I think it’s the same with “fat people acceptance”, as you say. It’s something that’s tough to overcome because of people’s very flawed judgment (this is probably more than half of the useful stuff I learned in psych) and that judgment’s biological basis, but it’s something that has to and should be overcome for the sake of our ideals of equality.

I realized that I didn’t answer the last two questions. I think the quote is pretty clear but I’ll give more background info. Fat people are discriminated against in the workplace, especially women. Studies on employment show that fatter people (esp. women) are less likely to get hired than the control group with equal qualities. What does it mean to me? Something to look out for, I guess. There’re lots of things I need to look out for in this world, and knowing more is better for me and others, I suppose. First step is awareness.

Anonymous asked: you're so positive! it is quite endearing

thank you very much. :)

the power of anonymity is so strong. people with no faces have so much power over us. it gives us hope that not only a specific person holds a certain opinion, but that a greater audience does also. it creates endless possibilities and hope. somehow, an anon becomes the representative of a huge chunk of people’s opinions. and the important part is that that chunk is unnamed, which gives us hope that the opinion extends beyond specific names. again, thank you very much.

Prom

Prom was super fun. Had no idea taking pictures would be that fun. 

The bus ride was relaxing. The food was fun. The people were fun. Everyone looked really good. Dancing was fun. Taking breaks in between was fun. Bus ride back was tiring. IHOP was fun. And Shona was the best.

It was a good night!