#1708, Thursday, August 11: No comment

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Post 1708, Day 224 of 2016
- 2,050 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

No comment today.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      201.8 lbs.

Previous Weight (8/10):              202.8 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   1.0 lbs.

Diet Comment

Well, it's WTF time. I can't remember a time when I've gotten away with eating lots of off-plan food (in this case, pizza on Tuesday and a quart of gelato yesterday) and lost weight. Yet, here we are. WTF?

Food Log 

Breakfast

3:45pm:  An omelet made with three organic extra-large eggs, grass-fed ground beef, shaved parmesan cheese, peppers, onions, spinach, kale and chard.

Lunch

7:30pm:  A Quest bar.

Dinner

12:45am, at Mac's Bad Art Bar: A glass of sickly-sweet fruit juice (no idea what kind, all I could taste was the sugar)..

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 1;  Coffee:  0 oz.;  Tea: 0 oz.;  Water: 102+ oz. and a shot of Jameson's Irish whiskey.

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#1707, Wednesday, August 10: Don't follow the money

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Post 1707, Day 223 of 2016
- 2,049 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I cannot say that I've never been motivated by money, but I can say that when I was, it has never turned out well for me.

When I look back at the times when I pursued something, be it a job or investments working in a band, and the primary motive was financial gain, the job, investment plan, or band has ended in failure.

Two things stand out as I look back, kind of corollaries to that statement: .

The first is that, they often haven't failed because they weren't financially rewarding. In fact, that has happened only once (an investment scheme), which I got into because I was in financial distress and where I lost 90% of my stake, The motivation and failure were both due to the financial motivator.

The second thing, and it is kind of the other side of the first, is that even though financial gain was the driver, the failures were due to something other than the money aspect. Which is to say that money turned out not to be motivation enough.

At this point, it has been years (more than five) since I let money influence my direction. While, in that time, lack of money has prevented my acquiring certain material things I wanted, it has never been a big enough influence to cause me to pursue or reject any course of action I've taken.

I have enough money to not do anything I don't want to do. In that sense, I've felt financially independent for that entire time, which extends to the present.

In fact, that feeling is my greatest financial accomplishment.

And, possibly, my only one.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      202.8 lbs.

Previous Weight (8/9):               203.4 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   0.6 lbs.

Diet Comment

I didn't expect weight loss today, after pizza last night. Amazing.

Food Log 

Breakfast

11:45pm, at CoreLife:

Chicken Cobb salad (shredded kale and spinach, grilled chicken, avocado, bacon, hard-cooked egg and blue cheese dressing with a little sriracha). Not shown: Some off-plan food samples at BJ's Warehouse after lunch.

Lunch

4:00pm:  A quart of coconut gelato. Fail. (But delicious).

Dinner

Skipped.

Liquid Intake

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

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#1706, Tuesday, August 9: The beauty of an open mind

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Post 1706, Day 222 of 2016
- 2,048 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I find changes of heart one of the most endearing things a person can do. Of course, when one changes one's heart, what one is really doing is changing their mind.

It means someone has been open-minded. Someone has examined a held belief and found it untrue.

It is rare and difficult. Humans develop a pretty hard-held set of beliefs, and confirmation bias - seeing what you expect to see based on your beliers, and not seeing what is inconsistent with them - ensures that we think we're right, that our thoughts reflect truths.

Don't believe what you think.

When you process information that changes your mind, it's a beautiful thing.

It isn't easy to do, and it doesn't happen often.

Mind-changing things come along often, but people changing their minds happens a lot less than it potentially could.

Or should.

Because changing one's mind is as wonderful as having an open mind is.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      203.4 lbs.

Previous Weight (8/8):               204.4 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   1.0 lbs.

Diet Comment

Bringing it down, bringing it in.

Food Log 

Breakfast

5:30pm:  Green protein shake with almond-coconut milk, kefir, extra-large organic egg, chia gel, kale, whey powder (36g protein), hemp seeds, hemp protein (7g protein), raw organic cacao powder, celery, moringa leaf powder, cinnamon, and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

10:10pm:  Major pizza fail (due to being very hungry when one of the jammers brought in 6 pizzas from the pizzeria next door). I'll pay for this tomorrow.

Dinner

11:45pm:  A Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 0;  Coffee:  0 oz.;  Tea: 12 oz.;  Water: 78+ oz.

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#1705, Monday, August 8: Why I'm a gentle man

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Post 1705, Day 221 of 2016
- 2,047 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

It's pretty simple: I mean nobody harm, I have no axe to grind, I'm here for a good time.

That usually means I come to play, and I prefer ensemble-playing to solo playing.

I value cooperation over competition - and that's one of the things that lets me enjoy playing more.

Not that I lack competitive ideas - I feel them, I just try and repress them. I don't feel like I have to compete, and competition, which seeks to determine the 'best' at a thing, just leaves me cold to the point where I'm not that interested in even being an observer. No interest in sports these days.

It also means I have to be modest about my bass playing. I deflect praise. A few people have told me I'm "the best bass player" they know, to which I always respond, "I hope that isn't true."

But like I say, I have competitive thoughts. I listen to other bass players, and compare what they play to what I play, and pass comparative judgment. I learn that way. But I don't act on it, and prefer to give praise or say nothing.

That's about the extent of my musical competitive side, these days.

I have to admit, people who are competitive make me uncomfortable. Especially people who feel it's always a competition, everything's a competition, and success is winning. These are people who feel life is a battle.

I don't feel that way. I live in a safe Universe, not one that is constantly challenging me to prove I'm worthy.

It's a gentle way to live.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      204.4 lbs.

Previous Weight (8/5):               201.6 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     +   2.8 lbs.

Diet Comment

It's a good thing I didn't have any (positive) expectations about my weigh-in today. I ate badly beginning Friday, all the way through Sunday afternoon, and this is the result. We'll fix this this week, and next weekend shouldn't be too bad, either.

Food Log 

Breakfast

4:40pm:  Hamburgers with fresh salsa and a salad (kale, spinach, chard, shaved parmesan, chia seeds, hemp seeds and balsamic vinaigrette.

Lunch

8:00pm:  A Quest bar.

Dinner

1:00am:  Pepperoni and cole slaw.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 1;  Coffee:  0 oz.;  Tea: 0 oz.;  Water: 80+ oz.

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#1704, Friday, August 5: Don't believe what you think

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Post 1704, Day 218 of 2016
- 2,044 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I read something profound. I mentioned it in a note.

The receiver of my note didn't think it was profound. He found it stupid and useless.

What was it? "Don't believe what you think."

The negative statement of, "Just because you think it doesn't make it true."

That's something I believe, but of course, that doesn't make it right. But it resonates strongly with me, and I believe, rather than just some fortune-cookie phrase, it has practical value.

When we speak, when we act, when we think, when we have an emotion, and we check the source, it is all about our thoughts, and our thoughts, while they may be rational, aren't always based in fact or even experience/empirical reasoning.

Some thoughts are based on emotion. Some thoughts are based on things we know, that may not, themselves, be based on truth or facts. We have a lot of data in our heads, not all of which got there from reliable sources. Add in confirmation bias, and our thoughts are not reliable.

You can never be certain. Therefore, I have altered my behavior in a few significant ways:

First, I try not to make anything sound like it is absolute - I preface and qualify statements I make with, "I believe..." or, "In my experience..." or, most accurately, "It seems to me..." so that people don't have to assume anything about the statement that follows.

Second, I am ready to process new information, to re-think a stance or a belief or an accepted 'fact'.

It's like being a 'Fair Witness', which I think is admirable.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      201.6 lbs.

Previous Weight (8/4):               200.8 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     +   0.8 lbs.

Diet Comment

Two in a row. Ooof! And bad behavior today, leading into the weekend. I have no expectations for Monday now.

Food Log 

Breakfast

1:20pm: 

Cauliflower and sauteed greens with scrambled eggs, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and Dal Tadka (lentil curry).

Lunch

6:00pm:  Cottage cheese, almonds, and a Quest bar.

Snack

9:00pm:  A quart of Bittersweet Sinphony ice cream.

Dinner

1:00am:  Pepperoni and cole slaw.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 1;  Coffee:  0 oz.;  Tea: 16 oz.;  Water: 98+ oz.

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#1703, Thursday, August 4: No comment

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Post 1703, Day 217 of 2016
- 2,043 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Nothing today.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      200.8 lbs.

Previous Weight (8/3):               199.8 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     +   1.0 lbs.

Diet Comment

Well, I never like to see a gain, and I don't have anything specific to pin today's on - so I'll just chalk it up to normal variation, and say that I'm fine with it.

Food Log 

Breakfast

1:30pm:  Green protein shake with almond-coconut milk, kefir, extra-large organic egg, chia gel, kale, whey powder (36g protein), almond butter, hemp seeds, hemp protein (7g protein), raw organic cacao powder, celery, moringa leaf powder, cinnamon, and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

6:00pm:  A Quest bar.

Dinner

1:00am:  Chopped salad with roast beef, shaved parmesan cheese, kale, spinach, chard, cabbage and balsamic vinaigrette.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 1;  Coffee:  28 oz.;  Tea: 0 oz.;  Water: 80+ oz. and a couple of shots of Jameson's Irish whiskey

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#1702, Wednesday, August 3: The open mic pitfall

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Post 1702, Day 216 of 2016
- 2,042 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Sometimes open mics don't work out.

Tonight's open mics were like that. I played two sets, at two different venues, and neither was very satisfying, for different reasons.

In both cases, the reason why had to do with my patience not being rewarded, as I waited hours for my turn to come up, while a few people who came later than me were put on stage almost immediately.

And in both cases, when my turn came, I thought I was leading the set, and in both cases I was wrong.

In the first case, after I got on stage, someone else was brought up for the band to back up. I played the songs called, and while other musicians got three or four songs, I got two, and was done.

In the second case, I was supposed to lead the set, but one of the guitarists behaved badly, and more or less hijacked the set, soloing during my vocals, and taking long solos between verses on the first song, and on the second, literally pushing me off the mic after the first verse to solo until there was no more time to play a third or fourth song.

That's the thing about open mics - you have to take what comes. It's nothing new. Sometimes the people that you play with elevate you, but nothing that happens can reduce you if you have a good attitude about music and playing.

That's the case here. Things didn't turn out like I wanted, I was hoping for something I didn't get. Only expectations can lead to disappointment. That's why you have to be focused on the present. In both cases, while I did that, good music was made.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      199.8 lbs.

Previous Weight (8/2):               200.2 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   0.4 lbs.

Diet Comment

Slow going, but I'm doing fine.

Food Log 

Breakfast
4:40pm:  

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

Lunch
Skipped.

Dinner

1:10am:  Pepperoni, cottage cheese, cole slaw, and a Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 0;  Coffee:  0 oz.;  Tea: 16 oz.;  Water: 66+ oz. and a shot of Jameson's Irish whiskey.

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#1701, Tuesday, August 2: Awww, nuts

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Post 1701, Day 215 of 2016
- 2,041 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Just read something that has me re-thinking nuts in my diet.

It turns out that there is a lot of Omega-6 fat in nuts - more than enough to neutralize one of the main benefits of eating grass-fed beef and organic eggs, both of which have a preferable Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio.

Plus nuts are a source of carbohydrates, including a small amount of simple sugars.

Making me think that, when I finish the current bag of almonds I bought to snack on and make almond butter, I'm done with nuts as a regular food item.

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      200.2 lbs.

Previous Weight (8/1):               200.4 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   0.2 lbs.

Diet Comment

I thought I would show a bigger loss. I think it must have been the lentils. Or the late night eating. Doesn't matter - it's a new day today.

Food Log 

Breakfast
2:30pm:  Berry protein shake with blueberries, cherries, strawberries, almond-coconut milk, kefir, extra-large organic egg, chia gel, kale, whey powder (36g protein), almonds, hemp seeds, hemp protein (7g protein), raw organic cacao powder, celery, moringa leaf powder, cinnamon, and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch
6:30pm:  Roast beef, Dubliner cheese, celery and mayonnaise, and a Quest bar.

Dinner

11:15pm:  Pepperoni, Dubliner cheese, celery and mayonnaise, and a Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 0;  Coffee:  28 oz.;  Tea: 0 oz.;  Water: 80+ oz.

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#1700, Monday, August 1: Jury duty

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Post 1700, Day 214 of 2016
- 2,040 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

I had to wake up early today to answer my jury duty summons.

It was a low energy morning. I couldn't get out of bed until the last minute. I retired 6 months ago, and have made all my appointments since in the afternoon (even fasting blood work). This was my first post-retirement early morning.

I am pretty indifferent to jury duty. On the one hand, I respect (and observe) my civic responsibility. On the other hand, there's a lot of boredom.

The last time I served on a jury, I caught shade from the judge, for inappropriate behaviour - I started laughing at the ridiculousness of the proceedings.

This time, I just didn't want the inconvenience of waking up early.

It turns out, I had an unconscious strategy for dealing with this. In my semi-awake confusion, rushing to meet the deadline for leaving, I forgot my hearing aids.

Which meant, I couldn't hear a damn thing anybody was saying to me. Once in court, I asked the judge and lawyers to repeat everything they asked me. Dismissded and back home by Noon..

Food and Diet

Today's Weight:                      200.4 lbs.

Previous Weight (7/28):              202.0 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     -   1.6 lbs.

Diet Comment

Nice weekend - the loss is due to not eating much Saturday and Sunday (less than three meals both days).

Food Log 

Breakfast
12:30pm:  Roast beef and broccoli with Dal Tadka (lentil curry), chia and hemp seeds.

Lunch
4:30pm:  A Quest bar.

Dinner

10:15pm:  Pepperoni, a chopped salad with spinach, Spring Mix, cabbage, shaved parmesan cheese and creamy Italian dressing, and a Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 0;  Coffee:  0 oz.;  Tea: 16 oz.;  Water: 80+ oz.

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