I’m updating My sidchas, standard operating procedures, and preferences in two ways. Cardio days First, in my 6-Day Exercise/Mindfulness Cycle, I’m changing day 6, which was “Cardio, at least 300 calories rowing or meaningful effort plogging, biking, walking, or climbing stairs.” I did cardiovascular exercises for two reasons: Since around May, I’ve been experimenting fasting on day 6. That is, instead of burning more calories, taking in fewer. Doing cardio[…] Keep reading →

Before this morning’s colonoscopy, they checked my resting heart rate. The nurse let me keep the tag they wrote it down on. There it is: “HR 46”. Unlike earlier pulse measurements taken after treatment that included anesthetics and other medications that may have slowed my pulse, they took this one before anything else. I had just walked to the hospital. It was actually lower Actually, for a while the reading[…] Keep reading →

Last year I got a colonoscopy, as recommended for my age. When I woke up from it, the doctor asked why I didn’t follow the procedure to empty my bowels. He couldn’t see anything. If you’ve had a colonoscopy, you know that the doctor has you take medicine that flushes everything out of your colon so he or she can see your tissue. I told him I followed the instructions[…] Keep reading →

Amazing results and gratitude I walked back from surgery. To clarify: I walked two-and-a-half miles on the knee they did surgery on a couple hours after they did it. Years ago I would never have imagined it possible. Now I know it’s normal, but experiencing it hits more viscerally than hearing about it from friends. Recovery will take weeks or months, but it seems little given what they did. I[…] Keep reading →

My latest pulse measured at a hospital was yesterday: 44 bpm, but with an asterisk since I had just had knee surgery under general anesthesia, so who knows what drugs were affecting me. On the other hand, maybe it was just because I had been lying still for a couple hours. My pulse is the number in the upper right corner. My blood pressure was 111 over 79, which a[…] Keep reading →

This post may look like it’s about poor people and free food but it’s about our culture. I’ve heard this quote several times at the community fridge where I volunteer: “There’s no food here, just vegetables.” I help deliver a lot of vegetables from the farmers market. People coming to get free food tend to prefer pre-made meals and doof. I recommend reflecting on what the statement means and implies.[…] Keep reading →

I’ve meant to write this post for years. It may be the longest past due. Why? Because it relates to many parts of my life and involves decisions that will affect me the rest of my life. I’ll stick with the basics to put the main thoughts on paper, so to speak. When I started doing burpees daily, it was ten a day for thirty days with a friend in[…] Keep reading →

I’d heard people talking about the Olympics. I looked them up and it turns out they started last week. I doubt I’ll watch much. Why not? Not for lack of potential interest: I love sports. I love athleticism, fitness, and people reaching their potential. I love competition and the drama of not knowing how a competition will turn out. For one thing, when I clicked to the official page at[…] Keep reading →

Sometimes I feel like I’m responding to someone who fell on the subway tracks. No one else acts. I jump down onto the tracks to help the person to safety, but the person is morbidly obese and struggles just to lift themselves from the ground. They’ve decided to stop trying. “It’s too hard. It’s not worth it.” They resign themselves to the train hitting them. “As long as I can’t[…] Keep reading →