#1790, Tuesday, January 10: No Comment

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Post 1790, Day 10 of 2017
- 2,202 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Nothing today. Be grateful.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      205.8 lbs.

Previous Weight (1/9/17):            206.4 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   0.6 lbs.

Diet Comment

Recovery continues...

Food Log

Breakfast
3:45pm:  Green protein smoothie with coconut milk, kefir, large organic egg, chia gel, kale, spinach, celery, whey powder (36g protein), hemp seeds, hemp protein (7g protein), raw organic cacao powder, moringa leaf powder, cinnamon, coconut oil and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

8:45pm: Celery with home-made mayonnaise, cottage cheese and a Quest bar.

Dinner

1:10am:

Roasted turkey breast chopped salad: shaved Parmesan cheese, baby kale, baby spinach, chard, cole slaw mix and balsamic vinaigrette.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 0;  Coffee: 22 oz.;  Tea: 0 oz.;  Water: 48+ oz.

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#1789, Monday, January 9: More music

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Post 1789, Day 9 of 2017
- 2,201 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Since the end of September, I have been worried slightly concerned about my playing opportunities, as venues closed or stopped their open mics, and gigs dried up.

One thing that occurred to me was that maybe this was when the music was over for me, and it was time to go to plan B, emigrating to another country.

I decided that would only happen when I was certain there would not be a turnaround - when there was proof that things had gone dry. After all, a couple of months of paltry gigs and insecurity was just music dues, normal, and, maybe, to be expected when things had been going so well for years.

That was a good call.

I mentioned in yesterday's post that, within days of the new year, I had accepted a spot in a band that will play nine or ten gigs in 2017. I agreed to be house bass in a new open mic, and I'm seeing if I can find a time to rehearse with another new band.

Today, I found i am Fool another gig in January.

It is shaping up to be a pleasantly busy music year for me.

Beginning now. I got the set list for the new band (Chris Terra and the Heat, btw) and it contains forty-five songs, and while I am familiar with a majority of them, I've never played about forty of them(!). I have some work cut out for me.

How wonderful! I'm so grateful.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      206.4 lbs.

Previous Weight (1/6/17):            211.2 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   4.8 lbs.

Diet Comment

I was very well-behaved over the weekend. Very. And look what happened!

Food Log

Breakfast
3:30pm:  

Omelet with peppers, onion, greens, chia seeds, hemp seeds, parmesan cheese and bacon.

Lunch

6:45pm, at CoreLife Eatery:

Chicken broth bowl with quinoa, kale, carrots, mushrooms, ginger, scallions, celery, grilled chicken, and, of course, chicken broth. And a Quest bar.

Dinner

11:45pm:  Pepperoni, cole slaw and a Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 1;  Coffee: 22 oz.;  Tea: 0 oz.;  Water: 60+ oz.

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#1788, Friday, January 6: The law of inertia

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Post 1788, Day 6 of 2017
- 2,198 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Today was the first at-home business day of the new year for me. As such, it was chore day.

I began the day with a blood test, which I take before every doctor's appointment (monitoring my general health/diabetes/hypothyroid, three times a year), coming up in a week.

I reworked the annual budget for the year. I've been budgeting my money for decades. The only time I didn't was when I was married (both times), although I tried. But I couldn't keep track of someone else's expenses, and neither would do it.

I find it comforting to have a budget, and, given my love of numbers (and odd relationship with money), I think it makes sense.

I also did a full grocery shopping, gassed up the car (my last vacation expense), signed and delivered a new lease on the apartment, and picked up the held mail at the post office.

I communicated with new people for new musical projects. I accepted a spot in a band that will play nine or ten gigs in 2017. I agreed to be house bass in a new open mic, and I'm seeing if I can find a time to rehearse with another new band.

I even began to chip away at the three-week backlog of TV that had been recorded while I was on vacation.

And I'm grateful for how much stuff there is still to do, having a tendency to follow the laws of inertia. I'm better off, I think, when I have stuff to do.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      211.2 lbs.

Previous Weight (1/5/17):            209.8 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     +   1.4 lbs.

Diet Comment

Well, that was a lot of mixed nuts, yesterday, which means a lot of salt and also that it was not on-plan. Today I began the comeback, but think I may still have consumed too much sugar - also, I didn't drink a lot - I was unusually thirst-free.

Food Log

Breakfast
4:45pm:  Green protein smoothie with coconut milk, kefir, large organic egg, chia gel, kale, spinach, celery, whey powder (36g protein), hemp seeds, hemp protein (7g protein), raw organic cacao powder, moringa leaf powder, cinnamon, coconut oil and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

8:45pm:  Pepperoni.

Dinner

11:45pm:  Pepperoni.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 1;  Coffee: 22 oz.;  Tea: 0 oz.;  Water: 24+ oz.

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#1787, Thursday, January 5: Happy end year, happy new year

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Post 1787, Day 5 of 2017
- 2,197 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I had a wonderful time visiting friends and family, gone for three weeks, including five travel days.

I started my visit in Queens, New York, staying with a few old friends and including a visit to brother Andy and sis-in-law Denie in Brooklyn. Thanks to Trump, I stayed out of Manhattan.

Then I drove to Pittsboro, North Carolina, and visited with old friends, and also got to play with old friends, at an open mic. That was a lot of fun.

Then back to my old friend Marco in Wilbur-By-the-Sea, Florida, where I spent ten days fishing and eating Marco's great cooking. I broke the curse of no fish by landing the biggest fish of the day on day one, and had a great time doing it.

Every day of the three weeks I was gone was a good day, and I encountered no problems coming back.

I have so much to be grateful for - good friends who are doing well at this time in their lives, my ability to visit, as limited as it is, and my health (which I compromised a bit in the name of fun by eating dreadfully the whole time I was away).

And I'm grateful to be happy at home, and for the continued opportunities life sends my way with every new moment.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      209.8 lbs.

Previous Weight (12/15/16):          200.2 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     +   9.6 lbs.

Diet Comment

It has been twenty-one days since I left. In that time, I did not have one day on-plan, but gained less than ten pounds. That's great news! Now that I'm back, and eating normally, I expect all that accumulated weight to be get lost. The chart above represents last year, the first year I don't have good data for the last day(s) of a year and the first days of a new year - there are too few data points to make a reasonable chart this year - I'll leave it up for a few weeks.

Food Log

Breakfast
12:45pm:  Omelet: summer sausage, onions, peppers, Swiss cheese and eggs.

Lunch

4:45pm:  Mixed nuts, a Quest bar, cottage cheese

Dinner

11:45pm:  Mixed nuts and jerky.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 1;  Coffee: 22 oz.;  Tea: 0 oz.;  Water: 64+ oz.

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#1786, Thursday, December 15: End of the year

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Post 1786, Day 350 of 2016
- 2,176 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

My last visit to Mac's made me sad, thinking about what good times I had had that weren't going to be there in the future.

I got a chance to say goodbye. Due to the blizzard that stopped at 7pm, and J's rough day, I was the only one from i am Fool there.

I played a little but did not stretch. And left early.

It was a proper ending. I wished everybody in the bar, personally, Happy Holidays and closed the book.

Tomorrow I leave on a three week vacation. I will go to the City, I will go to North Carolina, and I will hang out in Wilbur-by-the-Sea, Florida. I'll return Thursday or Friday after New Year's Day.

This, then, is the year's final entry.

Happy holidays, then. I'll see you next year.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      200.2 lbs.

Previous Weight (12/14):             199.2 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     +   1.0 lbs.

Diet Comment

No surprise given the party I threw for myself last night.

Food Log

Breakfast
3:45pm:  Omelet: salmon, onions, peppers, chia seeds, hemp seeds and eggs.

Lunch

8:45pm:  Mixed nuts, a Quest bar, cottage cheese

Dinner

11:45pm:  A salad with Spring Mix greens, cabbage, parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 1;  Coffee: 22 oz.;  Tea: 8 oz.;  Water: 64+ oz. and two nice shots of Jameson's Irish whiskey

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#1785, Wednesday, December 14: Where anxiety comes from

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Post 1785, Day 349 of 2016
- 2,175 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Originally, I planned to go out and play music tonight, to celebrate my restored health and wish friends around here happy Holidays, as I will be spending the holidays in Florida.

But I decided, better safe, as the forecast said it was freezing cold and might start snowing before I got back.

If I didn't have a little fear (anxiety about the future) based on my recent health problems, and anticipation of my vacation, and my single local commitment for tomorrow night, I would have carried out my plan.

But I was a little afraid, and opted for caution.

Tomorrow, when I am almost certain there will be snow, will be my day to prep for the trip that begins Friday.

Tomorrow night I will say good-bye to Mac's Bad Art Bar. I will no doubt write more on that tomorrow, and that will be it for the blog this year, I think.

That's it for now - I'm safe, healthy and looking forward to my next good time.

And grateful.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      199.2 lbs.

Previous Weight (12/13):             198,0 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     +   1.2 lbs.

Diet Comment

My appetite has come back with a vengeance! And weight is also normalizing.

Food Log

Breakfast
2:45pm:  Green protein smoothie with coconut milk, kefir, large organic egg, chia gel, kale, spinach, celery, whey powder (36g protein), hemp seeds, hemp protein (7g protein), raw organic cacao powder, moringa leaf powder, cinnamon, coconut oil and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

5:45pm, at CoreLife:

Chicken Cobb salad (shredded kale and spinach, grilled chicken, avocado, bacon, hard-cooked egg and blue cheese dressing with a little sriracha).

Dinner

10:55pm:  Pepperoni and a quart of Bittersweet Sinphony ice cream.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 1;  Coffee: 22 oz.;  Tea: 0 oz.;  Water: 72+ oz.

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#1784, Tuesday, December 13: It's over... plans for the end of the year

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Post 1784, Day 348 of 2016
- 2,174 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Twenty-four hours of not being sick.

No congestion. No abnormal coughing.

I'm back.

I'm making my plans for the rest of the year. Vacation plans.

I will take it easy, more or less, tomorrow. I'll do some prep for the next two-and-a-half weeks.

Thursday night I will say good-bye to Mac's Bad Art Bar. i am Fool will do a set, I may perform in another context as well. That's TBD.

Friday, I will drive down to the City.

Tuesday I will drive down to North Carolina.

Friday I will drive down to Florida.

January second I will start the trip back.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      198.0 lbs.

Previous Weight (12/12):             197.6 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     +   0.4 lbs.

Diet Comment

I think every bit of this weight gain can be laid at the feet of the salad I got at CoreLife. It is the best-tasting salad I currently know of, but in a bit of holiday exuberance, it had too much of the delicious miso-sesame salad dressing, and, as a result, was too salty, by far. There was salt in the chicken bone broth I had later, as well. Given the extremely low calorie count of yesterday's food (under 900 for the whole day, I'd estimate), there is no other way to account for it.

Food Log

Breakfast
5:30pm:  

Omelet with peppers, onion, greens, chia seeds, hemp seeds, parmesan cheese and bacon.

Lunch

8:45pm: Chicken bone broth from CoreLife Eatery, Dubliner cheese, Ezekiel 4:9 Flax sprouted grain bread with guacamole, and a Quest bar.

Dinner

10:55pm:  Cottage cheese, Ezekiel 4:9 Flax sprouted grain bread with butter, two Quest bars.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 0;  Coffee: 0 oz.;  Tea: 16 oz.;  Water: 60+ oz.

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#1783, Monday, December 12: Sigh. Still down

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Post 1783, Day 347 of 2016
- 2,173 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I'm still sick. I'm better, but still sick.

I spent the weekend in bed, bingewatching TV on my MacBook, and watched some movies, too. I worked on notes for a show I was supposed to do Monday and Tuesday, but by Sunday night I knew I wasn't going to be able to.

There has been no pattern - sometimes I feel better in the afternoon, sometimes worse. Same for the evening and mornings.

Today I woke up feeling better. I also had an appointment to have my car inspected and oil-changed, which I intended to do after renewing my registration. In the end, I felt well enough. I made a stop at CoreLife Eatery (to go), conveniently on my way to the DMV, got the inspection and oil change, and did a little shopping.

I got home, put away my groceries and the chicken bone broth I'd gotten at Core, ate my salad, and napped for... four hours.

I woke up feeling just a little sick. Worse than the morning, better than the previous night. That's progress.

People have called offering to help out, but I keep on feeling I've got everything pretty much under control. Still, it's nice and I'm very grateful for good friends.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      197.6 lbs.

Previous Weight (12/9):              200.8 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   3.0 lbs.

Diet Comment

I was feeling better on Friday, and didn't lose any weight. But I had a bit of a relapse over the weekend, and there was quite a bit of weight loss. In fact, I am at 2016's lowest weight now.

Food Log

Breakfast
2:30pm, at CoreLife Eatery:

Tuna poke salad with: Kale, cabbage, quinoa, cucumber, carrots, scallions, ginger,edamame, avocado, tuna poke, sesame seeds, almonds and miso-sesame dressing.

Lunch

7:45pm: Cottage cheese, chicken bone broth from CoreLife Eatery, and a Quest bar.

Dinner

10:55pm:  Two Quest bars.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 0;  Coffee: 0 oz.;  Tea: 16 oz.;  Water: 60+ oz.

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#1782, Friday, December 9: Feeling better

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Post 1782, Day 344 of 2016
- 2,170 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Still resting, recuperating.

It's working.

I feel a lot better.

My throat pain is gone. Coughing has become rare, with no pain.

My low-grade fever has broken.

I'll give it one more day.

Then I'm back.

Have a good weekend.

I'm very thankful that the worst of this lasted only about forty-eight hours, and the whole thing only about four days. See you after the weekend.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      200.8 lbs.

Previous Weight (12/8):              200.8 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   0.0 lbs.

Diet Comment

Feeling better, and maybe that's why there was no weight loss.

Food Log

Breakfast
7:10pm:  Green and purple protein smoothie with coconut milk, kefir, large organic egg, chia gel, kale, spinach, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, whey powder (36g protein), hemp seeds, hemp protein (7g protein), raw organic cacao powder, moringa leaf powder, cinnamon, coconut oil and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

Skipped.

Dinner

10:55pm:  A Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 0;  Coffee: 22 oz.;  Tea: 16 oz.;  Water: 40+ oz.

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#1781, Thursday, December 8: Update

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Post 1781, Day 343 of 2016
- 2,169 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I took the day off yesterday - completely.

I'm pretty sure I have bronchitis.

The good news is, all the rest I got, taking care of myself, seems to have turned the corner.

My throat pain is gone. My cough has let up a little, and is less painful.

Although not completely well, I am feeling so much better.

I took it easy today, as well.

During my down time, I've made some progress in my trading. Beginning Monday, when I wasn't sick, I've finished four profitable trades in a row. Minimizing the risk by using little capital and taking profits quickly means that, while the trades were profitable (between 7% and 20% gains), the money doesn't amount to much, but that is the idea. I'm just trying to generate a little extra income, and this has been my first successful week since I started seven weeks ago, even though one great trade (not part of my small risk-small gain strategy) covered all the trading losses in that time.

And I'm enjoying watching The Man in the High Castle series in bed on my computer.

Oh, and thirty years ago today I married Nell. I just realized that.

I'm taking care of myself, you do the same.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      200.8 lbs.

Previous Weight (12/6):              203.6 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   2.8 lbs.

Diet Comment

Nothing like illness to boost weight loss. Still, I could have done without the illness, and lost the weight without it, too.

Food Log

Breakfast
4:00pm, at CoreLife Eatery:

Chicken broth bowl with quinoa, kale, carrots, mushrooms, ginger, scallions, celery, grilled chicken, and, of course, chicken broth. Plus an extra side of beef bone broth.

Lunch

Skipped.

Dinner

10:30pm:  Broccoli casserole with spinach, kale and lentil curry, chia seeds and hemp seeds.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 0;  Coffee: 0 oz.;  Tea: 16 oz.;  Water: 40+ oz.

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