Gamers already know how to pick up chicks, they just don't know that they know it.

Ever notice that the Pick Up Artist community, and the people who want to turn your entire life into one long gaming experience, are peddling exactly the same thing?

In her TED talk, Jane McGonigal talks about how gamers invert the expectations of the real world: they happily fail, over and over again, on their way to finishing the game. They succeed only by being willing to fail, over and over, and yet they willfully, even joyfully, pick themselves up and try again. They stay single-mindedly focused on what they're doing, knowing there's an endgame.

The trick, gamers learn, is to do three things: One, trying something just slightly different, look for a different angle, a different line of approach to the problem. Two, just hope the random numbers come up in their favor this time. Three, get used to failing until you get it right. It's not personal. The machine doesn't care who you are. The sooner you get used to that fact, the quicker you can go about enjoying the game.

This is a lesson all young gamers learn. Through the tantrums and the patient guidance of parents, very young gamers (we're talking five and six year olds) learn the value of trying over and over until they hit the Epic Win. And there's always a celebration of some kind at the end of the game. Whether it's the fireworks of Peggle, the satisfaction of rescue from Mars, the wistful Katamari of Love End Theme, or a promise of more from The G-Man, a good game has something remarkable at the end.

If you go read the common Pick-Up Artist advice, that is exactly the advice given. One, try something different. Stop using the same technique over and over. Look for that different angle, that change of approach that will let you succeed against this particular woman this time. Two, just hope the randomness of life will come up in your favor this time. Three, and this is the absolute biggest of them all, get used to rejection. It's really not personal. Most women could not care less about you and who you are. The random numbers are not in your favor. The sooner you get used to that fact, the quicker you can go about enjoying the game.

And experience Epic Win. And a happy ending.

Smooth Criminal, on the Cello

And because I've been enjoying the Hell out of these two talented and handsome young men all morning, I must share. Stjepan Hauser and Luka Sulic are cellists, and what they play is awesome:

The camera work on the actual performance is quite good, too.

[Hat Tip: Halloran Elder. Thanks!]

Ethan of Athos ruined by modern life...

So, I was re-reading Ethan of Athos, and between its original publication and now, the world has changed. For one thing, the arc of homosexual acceptance has seriously accelerated; the harassment Ethan suffers seems trite and perfunctory now.

But more than that, for reasons not worth going into for spoilery reasons, one of the other major characters needs to consume a lot of taurine to redacted. Much of the book is occupied with how Ethan and Ellie will get their hands on that much taurine. And as I was reading it, I turned the can over in my hand and asked, "Couldn't they just have gone and bought a case of Red Bull?"