Subcritical Hopf Bifurcation

I just now randomly ended up watching a music video on YouTube.  It's not important how I got there -- and even less important (read: more embarrassing) what music video it was (so I won't confess it) -- but what is important was how startling the entire experience was.

I can't remember the last time I watched a music video!

Granted, I don't have a TV.  However, I like to think that I am, as the kids say, "in touch" with what's going on.  I'm up on Season 4 of LOST.  I rented all of Heroes once.  Hell, I've even tried to get into Grey's Anatomy (which I directly blame for missing my noon meeting today, for the record.  In my defense, it was the one where she first meets her half-sister!).

All of that said, it was surprising to me what a different world it felt like just sitting there watching this random girl walk around among expensive shoes and sing about self respect, if you can call it that.  (Ok, now I'm giving too much away).  Anyway, I'm not sure if it's more that I haven't thought about the kinds of issues about which this girl was singing in awhile, or if I more just haven't appreciated that sometimes you can actually just sit there and be entertained by something completely lame.  Regardless, it was semi troubling that it was a foreign experience to me.  I'm officially losing all touch with reality out here in Ann Arbor.

In related news, it occurred to me last night (during Grey's -- it was the part where she saves the deer.  La-ame!) that this semester in Ann Arbor I almost never speak to anyone except the cashiers at Whole Foods, where I go almost every day (The Ride makes me feel civilized).  Each time I go through the registers I end up making the lamest jokes in the world.  Today it was about how I already had a plastic bag with me.  Yesterday it was about how the cashier didn't know that the spelling of her name is common in Japan.

Losing touch, friends!!