++write back some olde friends!!!
++video analysis -- at LEAST 2 hours... AT LEAST
++strength-training... must do BEFORE cardio because I tend to just do more cardio instead and call it a day
++some music shiz, ya
++review some Spanish shiz
++apply for residence status in AZ
++do not fall down the rabbit hole of reading so much nutrition/food/weight loss blogs / articles, etc.
Also, I just read a blog entry on reducing unnecessary uses of self-discipline. I think I should maybe think about this... although, for me, I am more inertia than anything else. If I start the day productive... then I will be productive the rest of the day. So maybe I should use a lot of self-discipline in the morning... hmmm....
PS. I am still installing the art work. Yes yes yes I am. LOL. However yesterday I mostly finished and I couldn't completely finish since techs were all sick and I didn't have access to equipment.
PPS. Since I started cooking more and caring about my diet, and reducing grains, etc. as a staple in my diet, my grocery bill started going through the roof...even though my caloric intake has reduced AND my restaurant going has reduced. Like not eating as much grains is expensive, yo. Thinking of a Costco membership, and perhaps other ways of cutting costs. There must be a cheaper way of getting fresh fruits & veggies, for instance.
http://www.costco.com/.product.3164.html
PPPS. makes your computer mimic times of day better so you don't stay up for foreverz.
http://justgetflux.com/
Progress ETA 7:45p:
DONE:
++emails
++video analysis (2 hrs)
++strength training
TO-DO:
++Residency status
++review Spanish shiz
++some music shiz (probz should start on new piece)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
things you learn whilst researching health and weight loss
1. Almost all weight loss studies and for that matter, websites, are devoted to people who have quite a bit of weight to lose.
Ex. Common in tips for losing weight is shiz like: "Cut out soda from your diet", "Substitute fruit for dessert", etc. And then at the end of this list, I'm like: but I never had any of these horrible eating habits and yet I would still like to lose 5-10lbs thxxx.
Solution: Google 'how to lose the LAST ten pounds, etc.' and that will be mildly helpful.
2. No one really knows anything at all about nutrition, and yet people treat particular diets like religion.
Veganism seems to be the worst, probably because it is mostly about an ethical stance. And yet, denying that there are some dangerous vitamin deficiencies on this diet seems pretty common... it doesn't seem rational, since the ethical stance does not require non-supplementation (as long as with non-animal-based products) or the belief that humans were not evolved to eat animals (this claim unsupported by evidence/research). Raw food veganism seems largely, in the long run, unsustainable for 95% of people. But it is not the worst by far, some flavors of paleo and low-carb also seem militant. Reading about the perfect health of 'Grok' made my eyes roll. However, there are reasonable people in all these competing camps....
Anyways, so any life-changing diet, I'd be skeptical of.
3. No one knows anything about nutrition, Part 2. USDA guidelines are pretty fucked by special interests and weak research, particularly the high requirements for grains. It is hard to find any large, comprehensive study without a significant number of confounding factors, or else something that could really be applied to one's diet without caveats.
4. Keep a food journal. This is practically the only way to lose weight that is universally supported by scientific studies.
5. Again, medical/scientific studies usually study overweight people trying to lose weight, not average-sized people trying to lose weight. Its hard to say whether the difficulties or strategies are exactly the same for different situations.
6. Despite some studies being skeptical for exercise for weight loss, it pretty much works. The key is to at least monitor your food intake so it doesn't increase to much after exercise. If you eat enough to make up for the calorie deficit you've created by exercise then you've negated the weight loss effects. This is a fairly common thing to happen. Cutting calories and exercising is the best way to lose weight.
You should basically exercise anyways. It is pretty much always good for you. Except if you do crazy endurance sports, apparently. Which sucks since I always wanted to run a marathon.
Ex. Common in tips for losing weight is shiz like: "Cut out soda from your diet", "Substitute fruit for dessert", etc. And then at the end of this list, I'm like: but I never had any of these horrible eating habits and yet I would still like to lose 5-10lbs thxxx.
Solution: Google 'how to lose the LAST ten pounds, etc.' and that will be mildly helpful.
2. No one really knows anything at all about nutrition, and yet people treat particular diets like religion.
Veganism seems to be the worst, probably because it is mostly about an ethical stance. And yet, denying that there are some dangerous vitamin deficiencies on this diet seems pretty common... it doesn't seem rational, since the ethical stance does not require non-supplementation (as long as with non-animal-based products) or the belief that humans were not evolved to eat animals (this claim unsupported by evidence/research). Raw food veganism seems largely, in the long run, unsustainable for 95% of people. But it is not the worst by far, some flavors of paleo and low-carb also seem militant. Reading about the perfect health of 'Grok' made my eyes roll. However, there are reasonable people in all these competing camps....
Anyways, so any life-changing diet, I'd be skeptical of.
3. No one knows anything about nutrition, Part 2. USDA guidelines are pretty fucked by special interests and weak research, particularly the high requirements for grains. It is hard to find any large, comprehensive study without a significant number of confounding factors, or else something that could really be applied to one's diet without caveats.
4. Keep a food journal. This is practically the only way to lose weight that is universally supported by scientific studies.
5. Again, medical/scientific studies usually study overweight people trying to lose weight, not average-sized people trying to lose weight. Its hard to say whether the difficulties or strategies are exactly the same for different situations.
6. Despite some studies being skeptical for exercise for weight loss, it pretty much works. The key is to at least monitor your food intake so it doesn't increase to much after exercise. If you eat enough to make up for the calorie deficit you've created by exercise then you've negated the weight loss effects. This is a fairly common thing to happen. Cutting calories and exercising is the best way to lose weight.
You should basically exercise anyways. It is pretty much always good for you. Except if you do crazy endurance sports, apparently. Which sucks since I always wanted to run a marathon.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
no I haven't finished the installation and other troubling news
But first! good news! I did my taxes and got a huge refund coming my way! Yes, for 2012. LOL. Also, I finally confirmed yes I was going to be a TA this fall, sent the invoice for my dino shiz to my grant disbursement -- the parts it pays for at least, and a few other paperwork thingies. Yes, 30 min of work today and I felt AWESOMELY productive. I suppose this is both good and bad.
I also went to the gym, and did some light cardio. My real goal was to sign up for a personal trainer but they told me to wait more to see if I get a reply from my Internet form inquiry. Apparently, that IS the correct way to do it, and it just takesz foreverz.
Been reading the hell out of food blogs. Well, that China Study book seems biased as hell is what I'm reading:
http://rawfoodsos.com/the-china-study/
Through that debunking came into a lot of paleo-diet blogs. Well, I have to admit that my impression of the paleo diet was liiiiiike very very poor. Mostly because I have been reading up on and researching a lot about that time period... however, it seems as if there are actually quite a number of sensible people associated with this diet who do not believe in the 'Grok' story per se (the bizarre idea that paleolithic humans enjoyed this like near awesomez state of health). The more one delves into diet and nutrition the more deflection, ideology, and non-answers one finds, I think.
In the shower, I started thinking about ideologies in general and how in some ways they can be so destructive. But then, in moderation, I think they can be helpful.
Then, I started thinking about the worship of rationality and science can also be similar. Mostly because I was thinking how much easier if there were a clearer metric of 'good work' in my life. But then, I started thinking that in practice (not in ideal) I had seen several scientists struggle with artist-like uncertainty about the value of their work and career. Still, grass is greener. Also, I started thinking about the critique of rational thinking, which is quite meta. Anyways, I'm convinced that our Western society, in general, overvalues this. Of course, certain sections of the population severely undervalue science (though probably not rationality in the same way)....
More later I have to give someone a ride...
I also went to the gym, and did some light cardio. My real goal was to sign up for a personal trainer but they told me to wait more to see if I get a reply from my Internet form inquiry. Apparently, that IS the correct way to do it, and it just takesz foreverz.
Been reading the hell out of food blogs. Well, that China Study book seems biased as hell is what I'm reading:
http://rawfoodsos.com/the-china-study/
Through that debunking came into a lot of paleo-diet blogs. Well, I have to admit that my impression of the paleo diet was liiiiiike very very poor. Mostly because I have been reading up on and researching a lot about that time period... however, it seems as if there are actually quite a number of sensible people associated with this diet who do not believe in the 'Grok' story per se (the bizarre idea that paleolithic humans enjoyed this like near awesomez state of health). The more one delves into diet and nutrition the more deflection, ideology, and non-answers one finds, I think.
In the shower, I started thinking about ideologies in general and how in some ways they can be so destructive. But then, in moderation, I think they can be helpful.
Then, I started thinking about the worship of rationality and science can also be similar. Mostly because I was thinking how much easier if there were a clearer metric of 'good work' in my life. But then, I started thinking that in practice (not in ideal) I had seen several scientists struggle with artist-like uncertainty about the value of their work and career. Still, grass is greener. Also, I started thinking about the critique of rational thinking, which is quite meta. Anyways, I'm convinced that our Western society, in general, overvalues this. Of course, certain sections of the population severely undervalue science (though probably not rationality in the same way)....
More later I have to give someone a ride...
Friday, June 21, 2013
Ok, so this is bizarre? Or strange self-protection? Or maybe I am on to something?
Lightning fast 2nd post!!
I am convinced that something horrible will happen and I will not be able to go to Buenos Aires on the Fulbright. It is a super scary feeling! This has been my dream for long, more than even getting into a particular grad school or like... whatever career-y music thing else I would want to do.
I have been so disappointed and heart-broken over music things, etc. for long, and even liiike through this semester after I got the Fulbright, I felt like a horrible failure (because of some incidents) that its like I feel like they are going to take it away from me!! And its not even the prestige at all! Its that I get to live in Buenos Aires doing experimental music and TANGO! And being around probably a lot of BANDONEONS! And like, world-class dancers and tango musicians like all the time! And the wine! And etc! The kind of Spanish-influenced city that I love!!
Like, I love tango so much you'd think that I discovered it as a teenager. Do you know what I mean? And Buenos Aires is the tango CAPITAL.
Anyways, I leave in mid-March so it all seems surreal and I do not know a lot about everything yet. I mean, I know my project but there's so much stuff to do before... and what if I don't pass the Health exam somehow? Somehow I made a technical error on the application or SOMETHING? I forgot to do something? And it will hit me in the faceee???
Anyways, when I was just recommended the Fulbright I started to cry. I really thought all that work I had done was for nothing before that moment! Plus, I thought the composer committee would hate my work! I was regretting it! I know, crazy! And then, as the long wait for acceptance (2nd round!) happened, I knew that I wasn't going to make it. Tango is crazy political and I was sure I had ruffled feathers somehow... SOMEHOW. But no.... I hadn't.
But I'm not just vampin'. I really am worried somehow I will not get to go... :( It seems so surreal...
PS. Foot keeps me from tango bc can't fit into shoes... D: should try again soon tho... haven't been using the gauze so mebbe...
PPS. I finally finished Chris Stringer's Lone Survivors about how we became the only humans on earth, and the Neanderthals, the Denisovans, and homo floresiensis. I LOVED this book. He explains everything -- dating methods, etc. I really wished that I could have met other types of humans... it seems so sad we are the only ones left!
I used to say that I hated pop science books, but that totally isn't true. I hate some pop science books. I think a lot of the psychology ones are complete trash... plus a lot of them explicate the same damn studies over and over again. But reading in an area where one's mother is not a professor of, they can be v. nice. And there are still some pretty cool ones in psychology... but unnggghhh so so so many terrible ones.
I am convinced that something horrible will happen and I will not be able to go to Buenos Aires on the Fulbright. It is a super scary feeling! This has been my dream for long, more than even getting into a particular grad school or like... whatever career-y music thing else I would want to do.
I have been so disappointed and heart-broken over music things, etc. for long, and even liiike through this semester after I got the Fulbright, I felt like a horrible failure (because of some incidents) that its like I feel like they are going to take it away from me!! And its not even the prestige at all! Its that I get to live in Buenos Aires doing experimental music and TANGO! And being around probably a lot of BANDONEONS! And like, world-class dancers and tango musicians like all the time! And the wine! And etc! The kind of Spanish-influenced city that I love!!
Like, I love tango so much you'd think that I discovered it as a teenager. Do you know what I mean? And Buenos Aires is the tango CAPITAL.
Anyways, I leave in mid-March so it all seems surreal and I do not know a lot about everything yet. I mean, I know my project but there's so much stuff to do before... and what if I don't pass the Health exam somehow? Somehow I made a technical error on the application or SOMETHING? I forgot to do something? And it will hit me in the faceee???
Anyways, when I was just recommended the Fulbright I started to cry. I really thought all that work I had done was for nothing before that moment! Plus, I thought the composer committee would hate my work! I was regretting it! I know, crazy! And then, as the long wait for acceptance (2nd round!) happened, I knew that I wasn't going to make it. Tango is crazy political and I was sure I had ruffled feathers somehow... SOMEHOW. But no.... I hadn't.
But I'm not just vampin'. I really am worried somehow I will not get to go... :( It seems so surreal...
PS. Foot keeps me from tango bc can't fit into shoes... D: should try again soon tho... haven't been using the gauze so mebbe...
PPS. I finally finished Chris Stringer's Lone Survivors about how we became the only humans on earth, and the Neanderthals, the Denisovans, and homo floresiensis. I LOVED this book. He explains everything -- dating methods, etc. I really wished that I could have met other types of humans... it seems so sad we are the only ones left!
I used to say that I hated pop science books, but that totally isn't true. I hate some pop science books. I think a lot of the psychology ones are complete trash... plus a lot of them explicate the same damn studies over and over again. But reading in an area where one's mother is not a professor of, they can be v. nice. And there are still some pretty cool ones in psychology... but unnggghhh so so so many terrible ones.
late night again, to-do
I will finish the art installation tomorrow. TOMORROW. So help me God. I have dragged this process as long as humanly possible with my general lack of productivity.
On the good side, I am currently taking Spanish classes. Woo! AND the oil has been changed in my car, which was looooong overdue.
On the bad side, now behind in my video analysis.... Like, I know that it is just a bunch of busy work I can do contentedly whilst watching some tv show or other, but I have yet to do this.
On more bad side I am sucking at reading/returning email like I'm not even myself. It used to be you could ALWAYS get a hold of me during email... Now, I'm afraid you might have to put "MAYDAY EMERGENCY!!!!" in your subject line.
Also, on the bad side, my burned foot has not healed yet. I just exercised for the first time in a week and a half, and I still can't go swimming yet. :( This is esp. tragic since I signed up for the gym so I could swim and now I can't. Wasting the month away. On the other hand, I excercised for an hour on the elliptical today. Normally I am not really into exercise machines but I can't swim, it is freaking Arizona summer outside, and the elliptical thingy was like, zero impact, which was good since I didn't want to bang my foot around too much.
Also good, despite not being able to exercise I have lost a moderate amt. of weight in the time given. I am at least back to the general weight I was at the end of the semester but I would like to go on and become like... ummm, last 2 years of undergrad skinny.. well, not that much, but close :)
I generally eat 1300-1550 cal. I am not sure how one manages to eat more than 1600 a day but I must have been doing that... hmm ok, alcohol... yess... I was having 2-3 drinks at the beginning of the summer, and like -- gin and tonic & martinis. Now I have 1-2oz of wine (or none). Not always but there are some things that are esp. good with wine -- red wine with steak, pizza, and red-sauced pasta is liiiiiike a must. And honestly I LOVE white wine with seafood. I've taken to vermouth, which lasts forever in the fridge. And it is totally cheap and flavorful -- you don't have to price up so much. Although we got a supercheap bottle at Trader Joe's and it was not as good as the stuff we usually get. So, not THAT cheap I guess!
Oh, and restaurant food, for getting all those crazy calories. Also I was using waaaay too much olive oil in everything. You only need a leeetle, it turns out.
I sang and played my accordion a lot today, and even though it was not productive career - y stuff, it felt very good to do like hours of music in one day again. Did I make a mistake in shifting from pop music (by which I mean vernacular, (rock, goth, folk, etc.) lol, bc I do experimental / contemp. classical)? I have been playing down the fact that I am a singer in some ways, and esp. that at heart I'm a singer-songwriter and I think that is a disservice. I am a more versatile singer than most, and better than most pop singers (IMO, lol. It is not such an incredibly high bar, though.) though I lack a larger lower range / register.
Still, I have these huge projects that I have committed myself, too. Dinosaur and tango milonga installation... I can't just stop in the middle for a cabaret act. Especially since I have to finish a paper by the end of the summer.... bllllaaaaahhhhhh.
Also, Brent & I got Thai food delivered today to our APT! Didn't know you could that in TEMPE! AND they stay open until 10p. (Late for Tempe on a Weekday) Anyways, it was SOooOoOoooooOOOOO delicious. Unexpectedly so, since on Yelp it only got 3 stars. Welp, this is a five star place. It took forever to get here but it was so worth it. Best Thai I've had here, actually... possibly ever. Got Drunken Noodes with chicken and the Pumpkin Special with pork. Oh it was so good, esp. the pumpkin.
On the good side, I am currently taking Spanish classes. Woo! AND the oil has been changed in my car, which was looooong overdue.
On the bad side, now behind in my video analysis.... Like, I know that it is just a bunch of busy work I can do contentedly whilst watching some tv show or other, but I have yet to do this.
On more bad side I am sucking at reading/returning email like I'm not even myself. It used to be you could ALWAYS get a hold of me during email... Now, I'm afraid you might have to put "MAYDAY EMERGENCY!!!!" in your subject line.
Also, on the bad side, my burned foot has not healed yet. I just exercised for the first time in a week and a half, and I still can't go swimming yet. :( This is esp. tragic since I signed up for the gym so I could swim and now I can't. Wasting the month away. On the other hand, I excercised for an hour on the elliptical today. Normally I am not really into exercise machines but I can't swim, it is freaking Arizona summer outside, and the elliptical thingy was like, zero impact, which was good since I didn't want to bang my foot around too much.
Also good, despite not being able to exercise I have lost a moderate amt. of weight in the time given. I am at least back to the general weight I was at the end of the semester but I would like to go on and become like... ummm, last 2 years of undergrad skinny.. well, not that much, but close :)
I generally eat 1300-1550 cal. I am not sure how one manages to eat more than 1600 a day but I must have been doing that... hmm ok, alcohol... yess... I was having 2-3 drinks at the beginning of the summer, and like -- gin and tonic & martinis. Now I have 1-2oz of wine (or none). Not always but there are some things that are esp. good with wine -- red wine with steak, pizza, and red-sauced pasta is liiiiiike a must. And honestly I LOVE white wine with seafood. I've taken to vermouth, which lasts forever in the fridge. And it is totally cheap and flavorful -- you don't have to price up so much. Although we got a supercheap bottle at Trader Joe's and it was not as good as the stuff we usually get. So, not THAT cheap I guess!
Oh, and restaurant food, for getting all those crazy calories. Also I was using waaaay too much olive oil in everything. You only need a leeetle, it turns out.
I sang and played my accordion a lot today, and even though it was not productive career - y stuff, it felt very good to do like hours of music in one day again. Did I make a mistake in shifting from pop music (by which I mean vernacular, (rock, goth, folk, etc.) lol, bc I do experimental / contemp. classical)? I have been playing down the fact that I am a singer in some ways, and esp. that at heart I'm a singer-songwriter and I think that is a disservice. I am a more versatile singer than most, and better than most pop singers (IMO, lol. It is not such an incredibly high bar, though.) though I lack a larger lower range / register.
Still, I have these huge projects that I have committed myself, too. Dinosaur and tango milonga installation... I can't just stop in the middle for a cabaret act. Especially since I have to finish a paper by the end of the summer.... bllllaaaaahhhhhh.
Also, Brent & I got Thai food delivered today to our APT! Didn't know you could that in TEMPE! AND they stay open until 10p. (Late for Tempe on a Weekday) Anyways, it was SOooOoOoooooOOOOO delicious. Unexpectedly so, since on Yelp it only got 3 stars. Welp, this is a five star place. It took forever to get here but it was so worth it. Best Thai I've had here, actually... possibly ever. Got Drunken Noodes with chicken and the Pumpkin Special with pork. Oh it was so good, esp. the pumpkin.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
late night, still awake
One of my goals is to not have such a fucked up sleep schedule. When I go back eastward, it will just be... BEYOND horrible.
Anyways, reading fitness blogs. It seems that weighing one's self all the time isn't the answer, and yet I am addicted to it. I know how silly it is, and yet... I am going to try to do a triathlon, though, so I think that will be my main goal.
I think there's too many 'one true' or 'best ways' in a lot of dieting and fitness advice... it seems from the research that what works is more a plan that one can stick to, and often is very personalized. However, I'm a big proponent of documentation, especially in the beginning of the losing weight process. I think you can lose a lot of weight with just exercise, but I think that diet needs to be controlled. Exercise can lead to eating more, which leads to... no weight gain. So, even if its only exercise you need to know that you're not increasing. I think.
I use fitday.com. I have for years, very on and off. Today I looked through my old food logging all the way to 2001-2002 when a combination of stress and insane coffee-drinking made me thinner than I've ever been. Damn, I drank a lot of alcohol.. especially for how little I ate. Of course, I was living in New Orleans. I think I actually drank less than most of my friends there.
I am trying to go without sweet and low... I think it is occasionally ok, and I've been switching it up with sugar in my coffee for a couple years now. It used to be all pink packet! But I think I'd rather take the calories. I don't put THAT much sugar in, and I'm trying to use less.
I've hardly been playing the accordion lately, which makes me sad. I'd put it on my goal list, but I'm struggling to be productive at the things that I need to do enough... Maybe instead of reading a blog, I'll just sub practicing scales or an old piece or two.
Plan for tomorrow:
Swim 30 min
Run 3 miles (on treadmill, this is AZ)
Finish writing code for my video analysis software
Write emails for Spanish class...
OMG dinosaur shiznit.
Start going to TANGO again!!!
Start reconnecting with FRIENDS again!!!
OK! I just wrote one of the emails I was procrastinating on... gooo me.
I hit a snag with my video analysis code where I think I made a too hasty design decision back when I wrote it. However, it is the type of thing where I don't want to add too many features... since it is for personal use, and my time shouldn't be spent on this code!! The analysis is the important part, since the end result is a musicology paper. So I am undecided as to whether I should change a fundamental architecture thingy or else write a hack. The hack would be... OMFG@JHG#$!! hacky but will probably be faster than the architecture switch. PROBABLY. But maybe not. And if the thingy is hacky, who cares because I won't touch this code again. But it will be aesthetically displeasing. Well, it is hard to make up my mind. Or decide which is REALLY faster in the long/medium term.
Today, I bought a ton of swim equipment! Investment! I am going to kickass at swimming like I haven't since I was twelve, people. Yes! That sounds sad. My goal is also to not tan at all and stay super pale. Tan == sun damage. Lately I've been night-swimming, but it can be inconvenient, and hard to go to sleep after..
Also, went to a wine tasting. Had the most original wine I feel that I've tasted in YEARS... since I moved from Ch. Hill and the best wine store ever. Oh, wait, except for that Napa Valley wine tour I did like a long time ago.... OMG that Cab Sauv. Anyways, it was the Lamatum, Ribera Del Duero 2010, and it was on sale @ Whole Foods for $11.99!!! Seriously, it blew me away. It starts out way softer than you expect, almost like a pinot noir, almost fruity with a touch of sweetness. And then, on the finish, and with the next drink, it opens up into a much more Old World kind of taste -- the oak influence, then mulled spice, earth. It can't decide what it is. But that is what makes it so great. It keeps on changing, and the flavor profile shifts over time. It is like a time-based art, which is how fine wine SHOULD be. It should be a process, a narrative, a journey!
And of course, they gave generous portions. I didn't drive home! It almost makes up for the price hit of shopping a bit at Whole Foods... almost. We ended up buying a $14 watermelon that was on SALE. It turned out it was 18 pounds. Yes. It is more than half eaten, now.
Anyways, reading fitness blogs. It seems that weighing one's self all the time isn't the answer, and yet I am addicted to it. I know how silly it is, and yet... I am going to try to do a triathlon, though, so I think that will be my main goal.
I think there's too many 'one true' or 'best ways' in a lot of dieting and fitness advice... it seems from the research that what works is more a plan that one can stick to, and often is very personalized. However, I'm a big proponent of documentation, especially in the beginning of the losing weight process. I think you can lose a lot of weight with just exercise, but I think that diet needs to be controlled. Exercise can lead to eating more, which leads to... no weight gain. So, even if its only exercise you need to know that you're not increasing. I think.
I use fitday.com. I have for years, very on and off. Today I looked through my old food logging all the way to 2001-2002 when a combination of stress and insane coffee-drinking made me thinner than I've ever been. Damn, I drank a lot of alcohol.. especially for how little I ate. Of course, I was living in New Orleans. I think I actually drank less than most of my friends there.
I am trying to go without sweet and low... I think it is occasionally ok, and I've been switching it up with sugar in my coffee for a couple years now. It used to be all pink packet! But I think I'd rather take the calories. I don't put THAT much sugar in, and I'm trying to use less.
I've hardly been playing the accordion lately, which makes me sad. I'd put it on my goal list, but I'm struggling to be productive at the things that I need to do enough... Maybe instead of reading a blog, I'll just sub practicing scales or an old piece or two.
Plan for tomorrow:
Swim 30 min
Run 3 miles (on treadmill, this is AZ)
Finish writing code for my video analysis software
Write emails for Spanish class...
OMG dinosaur shiznit.
Start going to TANGO again!!!
Start reconnecting with FRIENDS again!!!
OK! I just wrote one of the emails I was procrastinating on... gooo me.
I hit a snag with my video analysis code where I think I made a too hasty design decision back when I wrote it. However, it is the type of thing where I don't want to add too many features... since it is for personal use, and my time shouldn't be spent on this code!! The analysis is the important part, since the end result is a musicology paper. So I am undecided as to whether I should change a fundamental architecture thingy or else write a hack. The hack would be... OMFG@JHG#$!! hacky but will probably be faster than the architecture switch. PROBABLY. But maybe not. And if the thingy is hacky, who cares because I won't touch this code again. But it will be aesthetically displeasing. Well, it is hard to make up my mind. Or decide which is REALLY faster in the long/medium term.
Today, I bought a ton of swim equipment! Investment! I am going to kickass at swimming like I haven't since I was twelve, people. Yes! That sounds sad. My goal is also to not tan at all and stay super pale. Tan == sun damage. Lately I've been night-swimming, but it can be inconvenient, and hard to go to sleep after..
Also, went to a wine tasting. Had the most original wine I feel that I've tasted in YEARS... since I moved from Ch. Hill and the best wine store ever. Oh, wait, except for that Napa Valley wine tour I did like a long time ago.... OMG that Cab Sauv. Anyways, it was the Lamatum, Ribera Del Duero 2010, and it was on sale @ Whole Foods for $11.99!!! Seriously, it blew me away. It starts out way softer than you expect, almost like a pinot noir, almost fruity with a touch of sweetness. And then, on the finish, and with the next drink, it opens up into a much more Old World kind of taste -- the oak influence, then mulled spice, earth. It can't decide what it is. But that is what makes it so great. It keeps on changing, and the flavor profile shifts over time. It is like a time-based art, which is how fine wine SHOULD be. It should be a process, a narrative, a journey!
And of course, they gave generous portions. I didn't drive home! It almost makes up for the price hit of shopping a bit at Whole Foods... almost. We ended up buying a $14 watermelon that was on SALE. It turned out it was 18 pounds. Yes. It is more than half eaten, now.
Friday, June 7, 2013
a return, perhaps brief
So, this blog is only nominally public, and for the time being. It is more like a public to-do list, and has always been, more than anything else. So, what I'm saying is... I'm totes not trying to be interesting... in fact, it is probably tedious. But I occasionally may write more personal posts in the future, although mostly still for my own use.
Things to do:
++ run 3 miles
++ email back people that should be emailed...
++ Spanish -- sign up for classes / tutor... start learning vocab daily
++ weight-training shiz -- start today!
++ schedule oil change for car -- oh boy does it need it so much I am embarrassed
++finish exp. music paper
++oh shiz dino shiz... composition and final model (or just the 2nd version of the skull)
++ tango later?
Thoughts:
It has always been hard for me to get things done during the summer. I don't know why I'm delaying the Spanish thing, except for I'm afraid of how much I've forgotten.
Losing weight is the one thing during the summer that I know I can do. During the rest of the year, it is hard since I become so busy, but this summer I have time to really start being fit, etc. again. Also, I know that during the rest of the year, I am stressed and active enough so that I generally maintain weight... the summer... no. Especially in Arizona where its so hot that its hard for me to choose to bike anywhere if I don't have to do so.
My goal is pretty modest. I'm hoping for initially a five pound weight loss and maybe five more if I have time, etc. I am, though, hoping to get pretty fit, and I hoping to pass from mostly thin into like, yes! I am slender. Or whatever. I am thinking of doing a triathlon competition in September, which gives me a concrete goal. I do so much better with concrete goals. Plus I think that getting moving will help with my other goals.
My worry is that my goal space is large whereas the amount of external structure I have is little until very late August. That's why I need Spanish CLASSES. lkjdfladjfl;akjf
We shall see.
Things to do:
++ run 3 miles
++ email back people that should be emailed...
++ Spanish -- sign up for classes / tutor... start learning vocab daily
++ weight-training shiz -- start today!
++ schedule oil change for car -- oh boy does it need it so much I am embarrassed
++finish exp. music paper
++oh shiz dino shiz... composition and final model (or just the 2nd version of the skull)
++ tango later?
Thoughts:
It has always been hard for me to get things done during the summer. I don't know why I'm delaying the Spanish thing, except for I'm afraid of how much I've forgotten.
Losing weight is the one thing during the summer that I know I can do. During the rest of the year, it is hard since I become so busy, but this summer I have time to really start being fit, etc. again. Also, I know that during the rest of the year, I am stressed and active enough so that I generally maintain weight... the summer... no. Especially in Arizona where its so hot that its hard for me to choose to bike anywhere if I don't have to do so.
My goal is pretty modest. I'm hoping for initially a five pound weight loss and maybe five more if I have time, etc. I am, though, hoping to get pretty fit, and I hoping to pass from mostly thin into like, yes! I am slender. Or whatever. I am thinking of doing a triathlon competition in September, which gives me a concrete goal. I do so much better with concrete goals. Plus I think that getting moving will help with my other goals.
My worry is that my goal space is large whereas the amount of external structure I have is little until very late August. That's why I need Spanish CLASSES. lkjdfladjfl;akjf
We shall see.
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