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Slumming at the Bottom of the Barrel
Jul. 10th, 2011 10:02 pmWith the possible exception of Ladyhawke, the acting in Red Sonja is the best of any of the four movies I've seen recently.
Wow.
Wow.
When Animals Attack!
Jul. 8th, 2011 04:08 pmI was just attacked by a squirrel.
I was at Mozarts, and there was a cute squirrel dirt-bathing in a nearby planter. I got out a piece of walnut, and held it out. Sure enough, the squirrel approached cautiously, took the nut, and proceeded to do the adorable, patented, "squirrel eating nut beneath bushy tail" routine.
That's when the horror began.
The squirrel, intrigued by this considerate new food source, decided to investigate more closely. Leaping to my table, it quickly homed in to the smell of the remaining walnut in my hand. It jumped over my laptop, landed in my lap, scrabbled up my arm, and tried to steal my nut. My impotent flailing narrowly prevented theft of the nut, but earned me a painful bite! I was then forced to shoo my assailant off of the table, which took substantially more intimidation than one would guess.
Brief research online suggests that getting rabies from a squirrel is pretty unlikely, and getting shots is only advised if the squirrel is clearly behaving strangely.
In this case, I asked for it.
I was at Mozarts, and there was a cute squirrel dirt-bathing in a nearby planter. I got out a piece of walnut, and held it out. Sure enough, the squirrel approached cautiously, took the nut, and proceeded to do the adorable, patented, "squirrel eating nut beneath bushy tail" routine.
That's when the horror began.
The squirrel, intrigued by this considerate new food source, decided to investigate more closely. Leaping to my table, it quickly homed in to the smell of the remaining walnut in my hand. It jumped over my laptop, landed in my lap, scrabbled up my arm, and tried to steal my nut. My impotent flailing narrowly prevented theft of the nut, but earned me a painful bite! I was then forced to shoo my assailant off of the table, which took substantially more intimidation than one would guess.
Brief research online suggests that getting rabies from a squirrel is pretty unlikely, and getting shots is only advised if the squirrel is clearly behaving strangely.
In this case, I asked for it.
When Animals Attack
Jul. 8th, 2011 04:08 pmI was just attacked by a squirrel.
I was at Mozarts, and there was a cute squirrel dirt-bathing in a nearby planter. I got out a piece of walnut, and held it out. Sure enough, the squirrel approached cautiously, took the nut, and proceeded to do the adorable, patented, "squirrel eating nut beneath busy tail" routine.
That's when the horror began.
The squirrel, intrigued by this considerate new food source, decided to investigate more closely. Leaping to my table, it quickly home into the smell of the remaining walnut in my hand. It jumped over my laptop, landed in my lap, scrabbled up my arm, and tried to steal my nut. My impotent flailing narrowly prevented theft of the nut, but earned me a painful bite! I was then forced to shoo my assailant off of the table, which took substantially more intimidation than one would guess.
Brief research online suggests that getting rabies from a squirrel is pretty unlikely, and getting shots is only advised if the squirrel is clearly behaving strangely.
In this case, I asked for it.
I was at Mozarts, and there was a cute squirrel dirt-bathing in a nearby planter. I got out a piece of walnut, and held it out. Sure enough, the squirrel approached cautiously, took the nut, and proceeded to do the adorable, patented, "squirrel eating nut beneath busy tail" routine.
That's when the horror began.
The squirrel, intrigued by this considerate new food source, decided to investigate more closely. Leaping to my table, it quickly home into the smell of the remaining walnut in my hand. It jumped over my laptop, landed in my lap, scrabbled up my arm, and tried to steal my nut. My impotent flailing narrowly prevented theft of the nut, but earned me a painful bite! I was then forced to shoo my assailant off of the table, which took substantially more intimidation than one would guess.
Brief research online suggests that getting rabies from a squirrel is pretty unlikely, and getting shots is only advised if the squirrel is clearly behaving strangely.
In this case, I asked for it.
So a combination of factors lead me to try the Four Hour Body's Slow Carb Diet (a version of a Paleo diet) for a few months. For those unfamiliar, it's basically a sugar, starch, dairy and fruit-free diet where most of the additional carbs are made up for by beans, and an eat-anything cheat day once a week. I had definitely changed my life in drastic ways, as you will see.
Here's the Executive Summary:
Things that changed over two months on the diet:
Pros:
o Consistently lost a small amount of weight despite eating like a wild boar on crack once a week.
o No longer crave snacks, sugar, starches, bread, etc. Despite previously being a huge fan, most lust-feelings for these items have been magically transferred to more healthy foods.
o Eating meat and fats not only provides at least as much pleasure as eating carbs once did, but levels of satisfaction and feeling "done" at the end of a meal are *much* higher.
o Much more even energy levels than any point in my adult life
o Overall lowering of food cost
o Finally a solution to a life-long chronic oversleeping problem!
o Tiny little aches and shooting pains I've experienced for years have almost completely evaporated
Cons:
o Still low overall energy level, though some minor consistent improvement
o They pulled all the great low-carb food out of restaurants just in time for me to want them there. Fuckers.
o It is now almost *completely* impossible for me to buy food at coffee houses, one of my favorite places to spend time. Where I would previously stay at one all day and order a lot of food, I am now the asshole who buys on tea/coffee and stays for hours, because they literally serve *nothing* on my diet. I often smuggle in Paleo snacks, and have started to talk to coffee house owners about the potential benefits of having, say, at least one salad.
Metrics over two months:
Starting Weight: 167.8 lbs
Ending Weight: 164.4 lbs
Starting Waist: 35.1 inches
Ending Waist: 32.5 inches
Starting Hips: 37.4 inches
Ending Hips: 35.6 inches
The Paleo people generally think that Everything Went Wrong with the development of agriculture and the coming of grains in large quantities to the human diet. They feel that diabetes, many forms of cancer, heart disease, and most auto-immune and inflammatory diseases (in which they include Alzheimers) are caused by grain consumption (at all) and chronically insulin insensitivity levels caused by overeating of carbohydrates. The biochemistry isn't *that* complicated if someone is really interested, and in his book Robb Wolf does a good job of breaking it down, with generalities for the impatient and details for those who want them. After reading that book and several others that deal with the biochemistry of digestions, I really think these people are onto something. I don't know if it's quite the Total Solution they believe it to be, but based on my own results over a few months, particularly to really persistent long-term problems, I'm really have to fight to remain as skeptical as I should be. I look around at the people I care about, and their eating habits, and the problems they have, and I can't help but wonder, how might things change if they ate Paleo for a month? It wasn't *that* hard, though some people might find it more difficult than others.
( Read more... )
Here's the Executive Summary:
Things that changed over two months on the diet:
Pros:
o Consistently lost a small amount of weight despite eating like a wild boar on crack once a week.
o No longer crave snacks, sugar, starches, bread, etc. Despite previously being a huge fan, most lust-feelings for these items have been magically transferred to more healthy foods.
o Eating meat and fats not only provides at least as much pleasure as eating carbs once did, but levels of satisfaction and feeling "done" at the end of a meal are *much* higher.
o Much more even energy levels than any point in my adult life
o Overall lowering of food cost
o Finally a solution to a life-long chronic oversleeping problem!
o Tiny little aches and shooting pains I've experienced for years have almost completely evaporated
Cons:
o Still low overall energy level, though some minor consistent improvement
o They pulled all the great low-carb food out of restaurants just in time for me to want them there. Fuckers.
o It is now almost *completely* impossible for me to buy food at coffee houses, one of my favorite places to spend time. Where I would previously stay at one all day and order a lot of food, I am now the asshole who buys on tea/coffee and stays for hours, because they literally serve *nothing* on my diet. I often smuggle in Paleo snacks, and have started to talk to coffee house owners about the potential benefits of having, say, at least one salad.
Metrics over two months:
Starting Weight: 167.8 lbs
Ending Weight: 164.4 lbs
Starting Waist: 35.1 inches
Ending Waist: 32.5 inches
Starting Hips: 37.4 inches
Ending Hips: 35.6 inches
The Paleo people generally think that Everything Went Wrong with the development of agriculture and the coming of grains in large quantities to the human diet. They feel that diabetes, many forms of cancer, heart disease, and most auto-immune and inflammatory diseases (in which they include Alzheimers) are caused by grain consumption (at all) and chronically insulin insensitivity levels caused by overeating of carbohydrates. The biochemistry isn't *that* complicated if someone is really interested, and in his book Robb Wolf does a good job of breaking it down, with generalities for the impatient and details for those who want them. After reading that book and several others that deal with the biochemistry of digestions, I really think these people are onto something. I don't know if it's quite the Total Solution they believe it to be, but based on my own results over a few months, particularly to really persistent long-term problems, I'm really have to fight to remain as skeptical as I should be. I look around at the people I care about, and their eating habits, and the problems they have, and I can't help but wonder, how might things change if they ate Paleo for a month? It wasn't *that* hard, though some people might find it more difficult than others.
( Read more... )
Acrobat ants are farming aphids, which they milk for sugary secretions, right here where I'm sitting on these flowers at Mozarts!
Thanking the Little People
Jul. 1st, 2011 11:32 amI'd like to sincerely thank all the people who failed to make morning rush hour my problem on my way to a peaceful day of lounging at Mozart's on the lake. Neither the fact that my Opting Out of rush hour is now an inviolate law of the universe, superseding all other worldly concerns, nor my ability to instantaneously enforce dire consequences on anyone deviating even slightly from my every whim, is 100% reliable in preventing certain so-called "individuals" from allowing the presence of their vehicles on the road between myself and my destination. The unexpected delight of being freed from near-executed vision of hapless idiots vaulting toward heaven on fountains of Divine Flame, their charbroiled screams amusingly distorted by the Doppler effect of their high-speed departure, was most welcome.
Have a pleasant day.
Have a pleasant day.
Sugar in Kombucha
Jun. 18th, 2011 03:46 pmI've been brewing kombucha, with varying degrees of success, for some time now. I'm currently eating according to the Slow Carb Diet from the Four Hour Body, which means no refined sugar, fruit, or fruit juices, six days a week. Since I don't know how much sugar kombucha has left in it, especially with such a varied brew process, I went online trying to find out. I looked at about five different sources and methods, but the results were so varied as to be useless. I think the only way to get the real story on how much sugar remains in my brew is to test it. And while it would be pretty easy to test using, say, diabetic urine strips, for glucose, I'm actually a lot more interested in how much fructose (which is way worse in almost every way) is left. Anybody who has ideas on cheap ways to test for fructose content, please let me know!
I'll be switching from the Slow Carb diet to the Paleo Solutions (which is similar but with a few important differences) at the end of the month. At that point I'll be doing a short write up of my Slow Carb experience.
I'll be switching from the Slow Carb diet to the Paleo Solutions (which is similar but with a few important differences) at the end of the month. At that point I'll be doing a short write up of my Slow Carb experience.
The Beast in the Chimney
Jun. 17th, 2011 05:37 pmWe've heard some odd chittering noises in the chimney recently. The dogs have been very interested, which has lead to even more indoor marking during a time when I've been working hard to bring that problem under control. Nothing crazy fell out of the flue when I carefully opened it, and nothing was visible from careful, mirror-reflected light from below.
I proceeded to burn some incense in the fireplace with the flue open, and a few hours later, the chittering had stopped.
Clambering up top, I discovered that the hardware cloth cover had been pried open. The flashlight I brought up was totally inadequate to the task of illuminating the entire chimney, but I *was* able to use the mirror to reflect afternoon sun into the hole.
I have to admit, I felt like Batman.
( Read more... )
I proceeded to burn some incense in the fireplace with the flue open, and a few hours later, the chittering had stopped.
Clambering up top, I discovered that the hardware cloth cover had been pried open. The flashlight I brought up was totally inadequate to the task of illuminating the entire chimney, but I *was* able to use the mirror to reflect afternoon sun into the hole.
I have to admit, I felt like Batman.
( Read more... )
The crazy Cirque Du Soleil Michael Jackson production that I just paid an exorbitant amount of money for isn't happening tonight.
It's happening on June 15th, 2012.
Fuck.
It's happening on June 15th, 2012.
Fuck.
Eating at Home on the First
Jun. 6th, 2011 02:39 amThis month I got to eat my first potatoes!
The potatoes plants themselves have been going gangbusters, and are one of the major successes of my gardening career. The vines themselves have been yellowing and dying off, as predicted in Gardening When it Counts. I'm a little skeptical about the actual potatoes themselves. They taste delicious, but I'm not convinced that I'm actually producing more potato than I planted! I put 8 lbs. into the ground, and I'm measuring the potatoes as they come out. Theoretically one can get a 4-5 times yield in weight from what one planted. I'm planning on doing sweet potatoes next time, anyway, because they are both grow better in this climate and also are more compatible with a paleo diet.
I also had a mixed salad with arugula and a few kinds of lettuce. Later meals included a very hot radish and some steamed radish greens.
I've been on the Four Hour Body Slow Carb diet now for about a month, so I didn't save quite enough eggs to not be somewhat hungry this month. I had the usual seven I save, but the additional fat and protein intake I've become used to would probably have needed at least 10 to be the only meat I ate that day. Next month I'll be more prepared.
The potatoes plants themselves have been going gangbusters, and are one of the major successes of my gardening career. The vines themselves have been yellowing and dying off, as predicted in Gardening When it Counts. I'm a little skeptical about the actual potatoes themselves. They taste delicious, but I'm not convinced that I'm actually producing more potato than I planted! I put 8 lbs. into the ground, and I'm measuring the potatoes as they come out. Theoretically one can get a 4-5 times yield in weight from what one planted. I'm planning on doing sweet potatoes next time, anyway, because they are both grow better in this climate and also are more compatible with a paleo diet.
I also had a mixed salad with arugula and a few kinds of lettuce. Later meals included a very hot radish and some steamed radish greens.
I've been on the Four Hour Body Slow Carb diet now for about a month, so I didn't save quite enough eggs to not be somewhat hungry this month. I had the usual seven I save, but the additional fat and protein intake I've become used to would probably have needed at least 10 to be the only meat I ate that day. Next month I'll be more prepared.
I received my car computer scanner today after several weeks of waiting. It allows me not only to pull trouble codes (the things that make your Check Engine light come on) but also to view the inputs of a bunch of automotive sensors, like the engine RPM or the the Throttle Position Sensor, in real time while the car is running. I originally thought that a malfunctioning sensor might be the cause of my recent problems before the Geo Metro Club yahoo group helped me track it down to poor grounding and possibly an overtightened belt.
So now not only am I mobile again at 35/50 mpg (when it's too far to take the 1 cent/mile scooter), but if there are further problems I can find out what's going on inside the car directly from the computer.
So now not only am I mobile again at 35/50 mpg (when it's too far to take the 1 cent/mile scooter), but if there are further problems I can find out what's going on inside the car directly from the computer.
I'M UP! I'M UP!
May. 16th, 2011 11:29 am
Click pic for more pictures.
In my last post I mentioned this cool lamp I had made out of my 300-watt floor lamp. I just woke to the sound of exploding glass and the smell of burning bedsheets and melting comforters! The only reason broken, superheated glass didn't rain down directly on my naked body is because I wasn't comfortable last night with how heavy the lamp had become, so I moved it from directly above my head to the stronger side of the metal frame. As it was, I was still *very* lucky that hot shards of broken glass didn't randomly land in my eye or in my mouth! I had to poke beads that were industriously burning their way through my bedsheets with my fingers onto the floor, where they continued to melt into the carpet. I've got the windows open and the fan running full-tilt to get the toxic fumes out of my room.
Oh. And I'm out of bed.
It worked!
Reliable Transportation
May. 16th, 2011 01:40 am(knocks on wood)
The Metro and the scooter have both been running perfectly for 3+ days 40+ miles. I worked on the Metro today anyway, to further insulate it against future issues, but not because it Wouldn't Go.
Gonna take the Metro to Flipside. Then to College Station. Then to fucking Dallas!
You WATCH me.
The Metro and the scooter have both been running perfectly for 3+ days 40+ miles. I worked on the Metro today anyway, to further insulate it against future issues, but not because it Wouldn't Go.
Gonna take the Metro to Flipside. Then to College Station. Then to fucking Dallas!
You WATCH me.
My single biggest Person Problem is my inability to consciously exercise control over when I sleep. I routinely stay up very late, often sleep 12-14 hours a day, and then complain that I don't have enough time to do anything. The latest in my long series of attempts to get myself more connected with the sun cycle is this:
This used to be my 300 watt floor lamp. Using a Rube Goldberg menagerie of various components, I was able to put it fully under automatic computer control to try to simulate the sun cycle.
( Read more... )
Someone just took my picture for Austin360.com while I was dancing at Elysium. I'm not quite vain enough to continually watch the site for it, so if anyone catches is, please let me know.
Eating at Home on the First
May. 2nd, 2011 01:47 am
This month on the 1st, I mainly only had eggs with a few condiments to eat. I ran out of butter and olive oil I got from Megan, but I just rotated my kombucha so I have something to trade for more. I also have potatoes and tomatoes on the way, but none ripe enough yet to eat this month. I also have assorted greens, radishes, and carrots slowly growing away. Some might be available next month.
Dishwasher War Over - For Now
Apr. 30th, 2011 01:45 pmI put the finishing touches on the dishwasher repair today by moving the drain hose from the right side of the sink to the side with the garbage disposal. This required a lot of drilling big holes, and contorting at many strange angles, which is the only thing it had in common with sex. That and the abundance of wetness and slimy stuff.
Ew.
I plugged the old location with a wine cork, which I managed to shove in about half way, and then I zip-tied it for good measure. I may, at some point, go and get the correct kind of plug from Home Depot.
But probably not.
Ew.
I plugged the old location with a wine cork, which I managed to shove in about half way, and then I zip-tied it for good measure. I may, at some point, go and get the correct kind of plug from Home Depot.
But probably not.
