Awkward Neighbor Situation

I hate my neighbor. I am going to let you guess what the problem is. Here's a clue, from the street view, my apartment building looks like this.

It is a rough sketch (hyperbole and a half-style,) but I think you get the idea.

If you guessed that my neighbor's nasty, roll-your-own cigarette smoke is wafting into my apartment via my bathroom window and stinking it up with carcinogenic fumes about four times a day, you were right.

Here's the thing. I signed a contract stating that I would not smoke in, or within 30 feet of my apartment building (with threat of a fine.) I am going to go ahead and assume he (the offending neighbor) signed a similar one. Seeing how my balcony extends 4-ish feet from my building (and it was stated explicitly in the contract) that area is off-limits for smoking I am going to venture that his is off-limits as well. So, unless he wants to build a 26-foot extension from his balcony, I have a right to complain about his nicotine addiction.

This has been going on for about 2 months. I would have done something a long time ago, but last term I was gone all day, everyday. That meant that the only one of his fixes I smelled was his late-night smoke. At which point I was already in bed, in my pj's. I don't typically shy away from confrontation with strangers, but I prefer to have these encounters fully dressed.

I figure I have a few options here. I can call my management people and have them fine him (pissing off a neighbor, but saving me an awkward conversation,) or I can warn him myself. Tonight, I am too tired for either.

So, I am going to go to bed and worry about it tomorrow. I think my current strategy can be summed up as "ignore it until it goes away." It hasn't worked very well so far, but I remain hopeful.

PS. Yesterday I made these muffins. They were incredible.

PPS. My building has more than three units in it. I wanted to focus on the relevant factors (I threw the third apartment in for symmetry.)

Behaviorism: Practical Implications

Today marked the jillionth time (give or take) that I have seen a presentation on Behaviorism. It has probably been discussed in 97% of my Psych classes and now it has come up for the second time in my graduate studies. It looks like popular theories of Psychology are part of the curriculum across quite a few disciplines.

Anyway, it reminded of some very entertaining youtube videos.

This first one is the airsoft gun and easy button version of the classical conditioning paradigm Pavlov originally used with dogs, bells, and meat. I think it gets the point across.

The second one is a clip from a big bang theory episode in which Sheldon uses chocolate in an operant conditioning paradigm (developed by B.F. Skinner using rats and electric shocks) to shape Penny's behavior. It's pretty funny. Especially since it looks a lot like how my speech therapy sessions go with preschool kids.

Pavlov is pictured above Skinner. Pretty good looking gents huh?

The Mango Incident

This story is more puzzling than it is interesting; but it has been bothering me, so here it is.

Last Friday, after finishing what is allegedly the hardest term of the graduate program, I went over to my friends' apartment to hang out and celebrate. It was a gorgeous evening and we were in the mood for some celebration-type food, so we walked to the nearby grocery store to look for pink cupcake mix and to meet up with another friend. In brief, the store was out of pink cupcake mix (disappointing) so we started looking for acceptable substitutes. We settled on wine and assorted candies. On a whim, I picked up one more item. Enter, the mango. It looked a lot like this one.
Anyway, all you really need to know about that night is that I bought a mango with the intention of eating it, but did not.

The next morning, I packed up to drive 273 miles down to Hillsboro for first installment of my summer vacation (which is only a week long). It was early and I was tired, so I used my favorite packing method, namely throwing everything I think I might need into a laundry basket and hauling the whole mess down to my car. At the last second, I remembered the mango, set it gently on top of the contents of my basket and left.

Fast forward two days, I am lounging in a hammock with Evan. It's warm outside, so we go in for a glass of water. On his kitchen counter, there is a container with two mangoes in it. I think to myself "Damn, did I ever take that mango out of the laundry basket? Do I even remember seeing it the last time I dug through the basket?" The answer to both questions is "no." I ask Evan for a pen and write "mango" on my left hand as a reminder that I need to look for it when I get home. I manage to forget about it totally and completely for the next three days.

Today, I am buying gas at Costco, and I remember the mango. I try to write "mango" on my hand again (I am certain it will work this time) but all I have is a pencil. No good. I vow to remember anyway. I go over to DL's house. She has a pen, so I write "mango" one more time. We hang out, I go home. I catch a glimpse of "mango" written on my hand as I am watching TV. I start looking immediately. I search through my laundry basket, no mango. Maybe it fell out? I look under my bed, no mango. Did have the foresight to put it in the fridge upon arrival? Short answer, no. Here's the thing, I look everywhere and I cannot find that damn mango. The most troubling part is that my mom thinks she remembers seeing it in the top layer of my laundry basket stuff when I walked in the door on Saturday. That exotic piece of fruit was ripe 6 days ago when I bought it, it is most certainly past it's prime now. I can't let it go. Who loses a mango in laundry basket?