English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

@Færd Very occasionally there will be a little soreness in an anterior tendon, but apart from that it's just fine. Now it's my "good" knee that's the bad one!

Færd

My uncle had a similar operation but he never fully recovered.

Robusto

Maybe he didn't do the PT.

Also, I had a VERY good surgeon.

Færd

That helps

@Robusto Maybe. All the tendons in his knee had been torn before the operation.

Robusto

9:14 PM

Well, there you go.

There were times doing the PT that I was in tears.

Færd

So they cut some ligaments or whatever from other parts of his leg to tie up his knee

Robusto

And the day after the operation they had me doing PT and I passed out from the pain.

Færd

Oh my

Robusto

@Færd Was it a knee replacement or some other operation?

Færd

I think they didn't replace anything.

All they added was a bunch of screws and bolts.

Robusto

9:15 PM

Yeah. Then it's not the same thing. His knee is probably still messed up.

Færd

At least he can walk now. But it made me afraid of the whole process.

Yeah

Robusto

I had two surgeries before the replacement. After the second I couldn't walk more than a block before it would start hurting.

Færd

Hmm

Robusto

I spent seven years without exercise. It was horrible. The doctors kept telling me I was too young for a total knee replacement, but finally I convinced them I was old enough to get back to my life.

That's why I say it gave me my life back.

Færd

Congratulations!

What about the other one?

Robusto

9:18 PM

Thanks!

@Færd I'm nursing it along. I'm not ready to go through that again.

Færd

Maybe you don't have to put too much pressure on your good knee anymore? The other one can compensate

Robusto

I don't do any running anymore, just cycling.

Running is what wrecked my knees.

I miss it, but I don't miss the damage it does.

Færd

Ah interesting. I didn't know there was such a difference.

I don't enjoy running at all. So I'm safe from that damage.

Robusto

Well, you get a good workout in a short period of time. It takes me three hours cycling to get the same result I used to get in an hour of running.

Færd

Except for running down mountains! That did mess up my knees a good deal. It was really foolish.

Cerberus

9:25 PM

Hmm I didn't know that was particularly bad for your knees.

I run, but we have no mountains here.

Færd

Running downhill puts more pressure on the knee because they have to absorb the momentum from the fall at every step.

But on a level ground, I didn't know that either.

Robusto

@Cerberus If you do it vigorously over many years your knees are destined to fail.

Færd

We were young boys pushing ourselves to the extreme breaking each other's records.

Cerberus

@Færd Noted.

Robusto

Yep. Competition. Most of my hardest running was during basketball games. You couldn't ease up.

Cerberus

9:28 PM

@Robusto I think we have talked about this before.

I think you told me it hurt when you were causing this damage to your knees?

Robusto

Yes.

Cerberus

Sorry, I'm trying to sober up.

My knees never hurt.

Robusto

Ha.

Good for you.

Cerberus

And I never try to push myself to any limits or something.

So maybe I'm okay?

Robusto

How far do you run, and how fast?

Cerberus

9:29 PM

Neither far nor fast.

I hate it, and I don't get any endorphin rush.

Robusto

Then you're probably fine.

Cerberus

OK.

Færd

Just don't run down stairs!

Cerberus

I don't!

Robusto

I have always gone after that spent feeling.

Cerberus

9:30 PM

People only stare at me occasionally, and I rarely try to run them down.

Robusto

Hehe.

Cerberus

@Robusto I wish I had that.

Færd

Haha I thought you were the one sobering up

Cerberus

I have had it less than a handful of times in my life from mere running.

I do get it from a sport like hockey.

Færd

Some people run up and down stairs for sport. I don't get that.

Cerberus

9:31 PM

I'm okay with exercise as long it either gives me a rush or isn't boring.

Robusto

@Cerberus When you put it all out there and then it's over you have this very restful, peaceful feeling. And you sleep well.

Cerberus

@Færd What I understand even less is squatting. I talked to someone for five minutes at a party once, while squatting. My knees hurt for weeks.

Færd

@Robusto Is that the endorphin?

Robusto

@Færd Yes.

Cerberus

@Robusto I think that must be the endorphins. I just don't experience that at all, alas.

Robusto

9:32 PM

If not it will do till the endorphins get here.

Cerberus

The only thing I find mildly enjoyable is sprinting, but I can only do that for a short while.

Robusto

Try running for an hour sometime. Put on some music in your earbuds or something.

Cerberus

I have done that plenty of times.

I just feel bad the entire time.

Robusto

Then try running at a faster pace.

Cerberus

Now I normally for about half an hour to forty minutes, just to stay healthy.

I have run at varying paces.

Færd

9:35 PM

I guess I do get the feeling after running but it's still not worth it for me.

Cerberus

Of course I go faster when I'm in shape.

But it makes no difference as to how it feels.

Robusto

And you have to do more to get in shape.

Cerberus

@Færd Because of your knees?

Robusto

But you really have to push yourself, break through that barrier.

Cerberus

@Robusto I would normally run about 3–4 times a week, 30–40 minutes each time.

Pushing myself doesn't make me feel better.

Færd

9:36 PM

@Cerberus Nah because running sucks. I can burn as many calories climbing a slope fast.

Robusto

@Cerberus That's what I would call a minimum maintenance level.

Cerberus

It does suck.

@Robusto Consider this: would you spend so much time cycling if you hated every second of it?

Robusto

@Cerberus Of course not. But I wasn't born liking it. I had to acquire that.

I had to break through that pain barrier over lots of repetitions.

Færd

Maybe it depends on your mentality.

Running on a level ground seems pointless to me. But up or down a slope, it didn't.

There was a sense of purpose in it.

Robusto

@Cerberus: So play more hockey if you like doing that. It doesn't have to be running or cycling.

Cerberus

9:40 PM

It is my theory that people who enjoy running an an endorphin rush.

I run because it requires neither preparation nor commitment.

I would play hockey if didn't require both.

But it's fine.

Robusto

19 mins ago, by Robusto

Well, you get a good workout in a short period of time. It takes me three hours cycling to get the same result I used to get in an hour of running.

Cerberus

Not all we do in life has to be fun.

Robusto

We have to take the bitter with the sweet.

And then, lo and behold, suddenly we very much enjoy the bitter.

Cerberus

I just take the bitter and deal with it.

3

Robusto

Haha.

Poor doggy.

Cerberus

9:41 PM

I have run all my life and never enjoyed it except on those rare occasions when I did get endorphins.

It's fine.

Færd

I'm trying to learn to dance at home, for fun and sport.

You can break a sweat pretty soon.

Cerberus

Haha fun.

Færd

And I'm not taking any lessons, just learning to do what looks more graceful.

So no requirements or preparation needed.

Cerberus

We used to have to run around the ramparts. Part of hockey training.

Færd

Ah

Cerberus

9:44 PM

@Færd I wish I had your natural grace and vitality!

I'd feel like a clown.

Færd

haha none of that.

"more graceful" is relative. I'm pretty awkward at dancing.

@Cerberus any scales or proportions?

Cerberus

@Færd Probably to Persian standards; but not to Dutch standards!

You probably don't look like a wooden doll.

@Færd It's actually only about 4km, but we started some distance from the town. I don't remember how long the entire route took.

Færd

Haha I had a Dutch girlfriend. She was not especially good by her standards but she was fine!

Cerberus

But it was a nice part of the route.

Færd

She danced better than me I think.

Cerberus

9:47 PM

Hmm she must have had foreign blood.

I had forgotten about your Dutch girlfriend.

Where did you meet her?

Færd

@Cerberus Clever. one of her parents was Egyptian.

@Cerberus In Tehran.

Well not a girlfriend really. We were together for a while.

Then she came the next year and we spent some more time together.

That was all.

She came as a tourist the first time.

Cerberus

Nice.

tchrist

10:18 PM

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Q: Is there a word for "bright colored eyes"?

In my country (Iran), the reference to blue, green, and hazel eyes translates exactly to "colored eyes" in English. However, I am not sure whether the phrase "colored eyes" would be perceived and understood in English the way it is in Iran, and to be honest, I personally think it's wrong to use t...

Sure a lot of Iranians about.

@chaslyfromUK The Martin–Schultz scale comprises 20 standard “colors” used to describe human eye-color. But the relative prevalence within a particular culture influences what gets called what. For example, in Spain eye-color gets broadly classified as “light” eyes (ojos claros) versus “dark” eyes (ojos oscuros), where the former is anything but dark-brown or black—and much less common.That sounds like what’s happening in Iran, although Spanish does at times also use more specific terms like ojos verdes for green eyes. — tchrist ♦ 23 secs ago

Yeah, I'd say that we don't really do that in English.

For your colored-people answer. :)

Robusto

11:33 PM

@tchrist Thanks, but those are all white or whiter.

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