Things I Don't "Get"

[Benny B]

I hate doing it, even though it has been my most competitive stroke.

Seeing how far you can go without losing your form is  a great measure of how in shape you are swimming-wise.

A few years ago when I was actively training in Master's, I could go 200+ yards. Today, I could probably eke out a 25.

If your wife still swims, she should consider competing in Masters.  It doesn't take much to be nationally ranked in butterfly because no one wants to do it.

Someone once told me I held my youth club's 9-10 butterfly record for nearly two decades.  No idea if it was true, but I do recall being the only boy in my age group who entered either butterfly event.

[cheebs09]

Don't want you drowning like Rodney King.

Wtf?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Butterfly evolved out of the breaststroke.  The original rules of breaststroke said that the arms had to move in unison, as well as the legs.  A guy in Australia invented the butterfly technique, which technically did not break the rules, but was way faster.  They decided to make it a separate stroke.

I was a swim official for maybe a decade. In the IM, great butterflyers would always lose it in the breaststroke. Back, breast, fly, free. The outcome of the race would change change on the two middle strokes. It's a different body build.

Phelps was great at the butterfly and adequate on the breast. Lochte couldn't ever beat Phelps because of his poor breaststroke (and a few other things).

That said, swimming has the highest audience typically at the Olympics and is one of the top participation sports, if not the top.

[warriorchick]

Wtf?

Rodney King  fell in a backyard pool while he was high. A woman who was there called 911 but did not attempt to rescue him because she didn't know how to swim. The guy drowned in 5 feet of water.

[warriorchick]

I was a swim official for maybe a decade. In the IM, great butterflyers would always lose it in the breaststroke. Back, breast, fly, free. The outcome of the race would change change on the two middle strokes. It's a different body build.

Phelps was great at the butterfly and adequate on the breast. Lochte couldn't ever beat Phelps because of his poor breaststroke (and a few other things).

That said, swimming has the highest audience typically at the Olympics and is one of the top participation sports, if not the top.

My two best strokes were Freestyle and Butterfly. Being good in Freestyle doesn't help much in the IM because at that point in the race it's more about how much gas you have left in the tank.

[dgies9156]

The guy drowned in 5 feet of water.

That makes absolutely no sense. Unless Mr. King was unconscious, all he had to do was put his feet down on the bottom of the pool and walk out. At 5.0 feet, I serious doubt the water was above either Mr. King's mouth or nose.

[jsglow]

That makes absolutely no sense. Unless Mr. King was unconscious, all he had to do was put his feet down on the bottom of the pool and walk out. At 5.0 feet, I serious doubt the water was above either Mr. King's mouth or nose.

Happens all too frequently dgies.  Ask any lifeguard.

[Cheeks]

Rodney King  fell in a backyard pool while he was high. A woman who was there called 911 but did not attempt to rescue him because she didn't know how to swim. The guy drowned in 5 feet of water.

The cocaine, marijuana and alcohol in his system did not help his outcome either.

[mu03eng]

That makes absolutely no sense. Unless Mr. King was unconscious, all he had to do was put his feet down on the bottom of the pool and walk out. At 5.0 feet, I serious doubt the water was above either Mr. King's mouth or nose.

I've seen a dude almost drown in 2 feet of water because he was wasted and quite fat....humans are stupid, frail creatures.

[cheebs09]

Rodney King  fell in a backyard pool while he was high. A woman who was there called 911 but did not attempt to rescue him because she didn't know how to swim. The guy drowned in 5 feet of water.

I get that. Just didn't seem like something to joke about.

[warriorchick]

I get that. Just didn't seem like something to joke about.

Who said I was joking?  I don't want Galway to drown.  Any time someone tells tells me they don't know how to swim, I offer to teach them.  It's a tragic way to die, because it is almost always preventable.  I used Rodney King as an example because everyone knows who he is.

[MU82]

Agree with chickadee. Swimming is a skill every human being should have. My wife is not a great swimmer, and I am always a little worried about her when she goes in the water, especially the ocean. I stay very nearby.

[Billy Hoyle]

I don't get people who can't swim.

... I can't swim

You should learn just to jump off the N6 Bridge into the Corrib River. It's a long way down but a major rush!  We finally did it my roommate's last night in Galway coming back from the pubs around midnight. 

Though the primary reason people don't learn to swim is lack of access to pools and lessons. I was fortunate that I grew up on a lake and thus my parents made it a priority for my siblings and me to learn via the YMCA. Unfortunately, in many neighborhoods, particularly in minority neighborhoods, that opportunity does not exist.

[Galway Eagle]

You should learn just to jump off the N6 Bridge into the Corrib River. It's a long way down but a major rush!  We finally did it my roommate's last night in Galway coming back from the pubs around midnight. 

Though the primary reason people don't learn to swim is lack of access to pools and lessons. I was fortunate that I grew up on a lake and thus my parents made it a priority for my siblings and me to learn via the YMCA. Unfortunately, in many neighborhoods, particularly in minority neighborhoods, that opportunity does not exist.

That'd be terrifying but awesome. If I could swim I'd 100% try it. Probably should start off at the low black rock platform though

[mu_hilltopper]

I was with someone today that reminded me of a galactically dumb thing I do not get:

Lip enlargement. 

What is wrong with these women with big puffy clown lips?   Of all aesthetic enhancements, that's the one that I bet most people think is just awful.

In my 50 years, I've never heard any dude say "boy, if that girl over there just had puffier lips..."

[Jockey]

I was with someone today that reminded me of a galactically dumb thing I do not get:

Lip enlargement. 

What is wrong with these women with big puffy clown lips?   Of all aesthetic enhancements, that's the one that I bet most people think is just awful.

In my 50 years, I've never heard any dude say "boy, if that girl over there just had puffier lips..."

Cuz these little twits watch too much Reality TV.

[jesmu84]

Cuz these little twits watch too much Reality TV.

That explains why the little twits follow a trend, but doesn't explain the origins.

My wife watches some of the real housewives shows. And about 99% of them have the lip fillers. And they're all 40/50. I wouldn't call them little twits. So how'd this crap start? Looks terrible. Don't get it at all.

[rocket surgeon]

I was with someone today that reminded me of a galactically dumb thing I do not get:

Lip enlargement. 

What is wrong with these women with big puffy clown lips?   Of all aesthetic enhancements, that's the one that I bet most people think is just awful.

In my 50 years, I've never heard any dude say "boy, if that girl over there just had puffier lips..."

speakin of blown up stuff...who the hack loves an artificially or otherwise, overblown, obnoxiously wide caboose?  if they would just give it a little time, the thing will grow on it's own   

[The Sultan]

speakin of blown up stuff...who the hack loves an artificially or otherwise, overblown, obnoxiously wide caboose? 

Sir Mix-a-Lot

[dgies9156]

Agree with chickadee. Swimming is a skill every human being should have.

I agree. I learned to swim when I was about 7 or 8 and it's a crime if you live anywhere near water not to.

I'm an old fart now but I can still swim well enough for my age.

And Chick, I first learned at Cedars of Lebanon when I was a really dorky little kid.

[warriorchick]

I agree. I learned to swim when I was about 7 or 8 and it's a crime if you live anywhere near water not to.

I'm an old fart now but I can still swim well enough for my age.

And Chick, I first learned at Cedars of Lebanon when I was a really dorky little kid.

I swam for KC Donelson!

[Galway Eagle]

speakin of blown up stuff...who the hack loves an artificially or otherwise, overblown, obnoxiously wide caboose?  if they would just give it a little time, the thing will grow on it's own

Nothing new Freddie Mercury has a song about them.

[swoopem]

I was with someone today that reminded me of a galactically dumb thing I do not get:

Lip enlargement. 

What is wrong with these women with big puffy clown lips?   Of all aesthetic enhancements, that's the one that I bet most people think is just awful.

In my 50 years, I've never heard any dude say "boy, if that girl over there just had puffier lips..."

DSL's

[Galway Eagle]

I was with someone today that reminded me of a galactically dumb thing I do not get:

Lip enlargement. 

What is wrong with these women with big puffy clown lips?   Of all aesthetic enhancements, that's the one that I bet most people think is just awful.

In my 50 years, I've never heard any dude say "boy, if that girl over there just had puffier lips..."

My mom does lip fillers at her medispa in Scottsdale. Some of it is people with body dysmorphia, some of it is selfies have allowed people to notice every minor imperfection about their selves, and some of it is people want the look that lipstick gives except all the time.

Also smoking can cause people to lose volume in their lips which is why many middle aged women come in and get lip fillers.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Disney is now a college course.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/disneyland-fanatics-can-now-take-a-college-course-on-the-theme-park-005459199.html