tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62307502024-03-13T13:59:50.664-07:00Niniane's Blog"The truth shall set you free." -- CaltechNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.comBlogger1326125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-52411291811759975112024-01-18T06:10:00.000-08:002024-01-20T10:45:26.125-08:00no Buddhist McMansions<p>I'm watching Tsinghua University lectures about Chinese architecture over the past 5000 years.</p><p>Me: [to Aff] "One of the professors always looks like he's secretly smiling. He looked really happy in one lecture, then he had a less flattering haircut and was less smiley in the second lecture. Now his hair is great again and he's even wearing a very Chinese style shirt."</p><p>Aff: "I hope he didn't go through a breakup during the time of the second lecture."</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyXf5lq7sYYwbQTLoPWNA1F7wsib8LdoeJpjnh5wVS4bu-Oss-_fkWjDtIB529Ij5FHzQD5xaFkBoeuWQ2UR7-qj4XRYFlwV3M-7H0E_8o1RQtDhv8riHFWOy2AePZv-zIHnczdHM1h7YmvaJRAlzZdXGkqm20YAo0LJwL-UWvDi2eryVJdvy4eQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="1968" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhyXf5lq7sYYwbQTLoPWNA1F7wsib8LdoeJpjnh5wVS4bu-Oss-_fkWjDtIB529Ij5FHzQD5xaFkBoeuWQ2UR7-qj4XRYFlwV3M-7H0E_8o1RQtDhv8riHFWOy2AePZv-zIHnczdHM1h7YmvaJRAlzZdXGkqm20YAo0LJwL-UWvDi2eryVJdvy4eQ" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm 20% through the lectures. I learned that Chinese architecture was influenced by Confucian values of balance. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yin means shade, and yang means sun. The balance of yin-yang means you want a home that's not too big (too much shade) and not too high up (too much sun). The emperor had enormous public spaces, but his private living quarters were similar size to an average citizen.</div></div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-35392000616345116122024-01-05T05:46:00.000-08:002024-01-10T04:13:20.622-08:00the emperor's new dress I love this <a href="https://popula.com/2018/09/30/sarahs-magnum-opus/">post by talented writer Sarah Miller</a>:<blockquote>I thought a lot about my lying review of that racist, boring, laughable, pseudo-intellectual movie ["The English Patient"]. I thought about how at the time, I was proud of myself for having the courage to make shit up because I was afraid to disagree with someone I wanted to impress, and also afraid of not making money. [...]<br /><br />If you write thousands of sentences that have absolutely nothing to do with what you think or feel those sentences are still what you will become. You can turn yourself into another person. I turned myself into another person.<br /><br />That person was very sure she understood the way the world worked. [...]<br /><br />I used to think I thought the right way, like, who cares if everyone does bad things, because bad things are just what important people have to do. Who cares if Barack Obama bombs people and doesn’t even try to prosecute bankers, because that’s all just his job, and he loves gay people and yells at bigots and his wife is smart and has great arms. Who cares if Hillary Clinton is best friends with Henry Kissinger, because she is a woman and so am I, and she stands up to men, and isn’t that what feminism is all about, finally getting into the rooms, finally getting to be the one to kill the people who don’t matter? Since my life was a fantasy, I had no trouble inhabiting a larger one.<br /><br />It often strikes me that it is considered immature to be unable to believe bullshit. [...]<br /><br />Everyone had agreed to care about this thing, to call it good, to give it nine Academy Awards. But it was just a piece of shit sprinkled with glitter that everyone, including me, agreed to call gold.<br /><br />Everyone talks about the country falling apart in November 2016, but maybe it fell apart in November 1996, when America went to see The English Patient. What if we had all turned to each other and said, “This garbage is our idea of rave-worthy cinema? Anyone else see a big problem here?”, and then there had been a massive riot?</blockquote><p>I remember "The English Patient" when it came out in the 90s. Women raved because the male protagonist sewed the dress of the female protagonist. The dress was torn because he ripped it off her body in a fit of lust / passion. </p><p>Tearing the woman's dress apart does not seem romantic. Why ruin the clothing? It would only take a few more seconds to remove it normally! Of course he should sew the dress he destroyed! Otherwise he gets to just mess it up and then get his rocks off and roll over and fall asleep, and <i>she</i> has to sew the dress back together? </p><p>Sarah Miller is one of my favorite writers. She has many insights about the world, and turns them into clear concise stories.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQJmknslGbmT3FGDQ9fFPxFgpqTzFO-4pL0x4rVEj6b-0QI6ehgIenWXksAUFpBHirfqBsPQ_lh55umMGr8CHn8ibpAqjAXD-La4q7gmITZy0E3wwI-a2OnylylK9KvdkdakhaQJmSTcygb1NX_Ugm2d8ecGFvHWf10PjFA0Fyc4CeW3Z-5QorXQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="286" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgQJmknslGbmT3FGDQ9fFPxFgpqTzFO-4pL0x4rVEj6b-0QI6ehgIenWXksAUFpBHirfqBsPQ_lh55umMGr8CHn8ibpAqjAXD-La4q7gmITZy0E3wwI-a2OnylylK9KvdkdakhaQJmSTcygb1NX_Ugm2d8ecGFvHWf10PjFA0Fyc4CeW3Z-5QorXQ" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-38079908777551069912023-12-28T08:09:00.000-08:002023-12-28T08:12:29.187-08:00home alone letter writerToday I read this <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/27/style/children-returning-home-property.html">advice column letter in the New York Times</a>:
<blockquote>I am 68 and live alone in a nice home in the suburbs. My only child, 40, is happily settled with his fiancée in another city. I always hoped they would come back here to raise a family, and I offered to give them my home if they did. They like the idea and plan to build a new house on the site. Over Christmas, I told them I was excited about their plan and added: “You could build a mother-in-law apartment for me or even a guesthouse.” It’s a large lot. My son burst out laughing and said, “Mom, you wouldn’t live with us.” They assumed I would move into a condo. I was shattered!</blockquote><div><br /></div>
The columnist replied:
<blockquote>I don’t think a reasonable person would expect the gift of a home to include your continued residency in it — unless you mentioned that fact.</blockquote><div><br /></div>
American society is so different from Chinese expectations! I can only imagine how Chinese netizens would react to a son who wants to take over his mom's house but laughs at the idea of letting her stay in a detached unit on the lot. <div><br /></div><div>The US has sky-high demands on parents taking care of kids, but nothing in the other direction. If a parent said they wanted to take over their teen's inherited trust fund and then kick the teen out to live on their own, people would be aghast! Yet they don't blink if someone is doing it to their mom instead of their kid. </div><div><br /></div><div>American parents invest so much time and money into their children, with little hope of caretaking in their older years. It's interesting.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGdZzMYFtU3Ug6ZPyGSo9fy00g-G6RQCreXG_xvcDKLIcXCHSbgpiHKhapQ5kdJZzCB-NcJGE0ZMC4EYrSLtwT0httR3sH1ga9b42uhnUT85h1EmYOq4zfOkObsaM3HBFgirMeInbZBPUx8XpuwgPGk-0hNNzsLf927WH0SFyRKH8H6QKSNyWtHA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1020" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGdZzMYFtU3Ug6ZPyGSo9fy00g-G6RQCreXG_xvcDKLIcXCHSbgpiHKhapQ5kdJZzCB-NcJGE0ZMC4EYrSLtwT0httR3sH1ga9b42uhnUT85h1EmYOq4zfOkObsaM3HBFgirMeInbZBPUx8XpuwgPGk-0hNNzsLf927WH0SFyRKH8H6QKSNyWtHA" width="320" /></a></div></div>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-89531256624327340202023-12-25T09:05:00.000-08:002023-12-27T04:28:10.106-08:00strength <div>My mom and I have been strength training together for 6 months. I found a YouTube channel of a Japanese-American personal trainer with her 82yo mom. We are their perfect target demographic! </div><div><br /></div><div>Four times per week, we do an hour of these exercises. My mom is very graceful! She was a gymnast as a child, and it still shows in her fluid movements.</div><div><br /></div><div>I see my mom getting stronger over the months, and her balance has improved. It is so satisfying to see. </div><div><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://youtube.com/embed/tPZcwUw5-mI?si=8Gb0nWudZkiWt8N6" width="400"></iframe>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-4873125310155251592023-12-23T06:17:00.000-08:002023-12-27T04:29:43.307-08:00sweetbitter<p>I think it's safe to say I've broken free of my sugar addiction. It was difficult the first few days, and I felt urgent cravings that lasted for an hour or more. But now it's easy. I don't really think about sugary foods or this sugarfree experiment.</p><p>In the first week, I spent 10+ hours watching videos about the history of sugar. The British created colonies and enslaved Caribbean people on cruel sugarcane plantations. That has evolved today into the descendants working in indentured servitude on sugarcane farms, only earning enough money to eat one meal per day. They can only get medical care from the sugar company, which charges them hyperbolic fees. </p><p>Up until recently, marketing led me to associate sugary desserts with celebration and self-pampering. You can't have a birthday party without a cake. Or a wedding without one. There's no funeral cake though. People celebrate team milestones with Krispy Kreme donuts or Sprinkles cupcakes, not with a veggie platter. The marketing for sugar is impressive.</p><p>I've eaten two sugary items in the past 1.5 months. The first was a slice of key lime pie with friends. Before eating it, I was worried that a single bite could send me on a sugar binge, like how a sip of alcohol will cause some ex-alcoholics on a bender until they hit rock bottom again. Luckily, that did not happen. </p><p>The second sugary item was a crème brûlée at a restaurant. The first few bites were great. But after I finished eating it, my heart started beating so fast, and it was physically uncomfortable. I felt ill. Sugar is poison.</p><p>My plan is to keep eating like this henceforth. I haven't yet been confronted with difficult tests like a dessert buffet. Hopefully by the time those happen, my body will be even more recovered from my sugar addiction, and I will be able to stay on the wagon.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNVbtDy8zj9dgyqsKCPLfNLzsR-ggPY7V0GcaigMTzREUDdVkCbQpPRrJF7V4IouesQxHFosuSnHXHmnnnf7ok4rKCbUT7vcgks_XyJqz87wBskRoZAokRQed-wXessS2QzT0BHm_Yv3sH7yHXAIZ34s_2_27lCkSSR29mqwsHQXfVpyE_CJ4NrA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNVbtDy8zj9dgyqsKCPLfNLzsR-ggPY7V0GcaigMTzREUDdVkCbQpPRrJF7V4IouesQxHFosuSnHXHmnnnf7ok4rKCbUT7vcgks_XyJqz87wBskRoZAokRQed-wXessS2QzT0BHm_Yv3sH7yHXAIZ34s_2_27lCkSSR29mqwsHQXfVpyE_CJ4NrA" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-80229798315602258592023-11-08T04:35:00.002-08:002023-11-08T04:51:08.339-08:00the big terrible thing<p>I read Matthew Perry's memoir a couple weeks ago. It's about his addiction to alcohol and opiates. He went to rehab 10+ times. His withdrawal symptoms were worst on days 3 and 4. </p><p>Even after 14 surgeries from drug effects, he still broke his sobriety and sneaked opiates when cravings hit.</p><p>After reading the book, I realized I probably have a sugar addiction. If I don't eat sugar for a day, I experience intense cravings. For an hour, it is hard to focus on anything except eating a dessert. I thought it was emotional eating and a stress response and lack of willpower, but now I realize it is probably a physical addiction.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEid6o4e2yK5t-nuUNPCHT_4LUzvbpafspLM5LJhsEfauVtZZ69wxOh0NIf_dY70d_Zr3UMYnKLdZ1lKG7NUrNE2G_NJ4CDIuweG6K4PWYGM8V76i1EeMc6saN0hN2L6qKlF1jqj17hgBvfKq5a9a5vtSsCb_FOlp9yzH0_L9UfladB9SV0bQEZPtA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEid6o4e2yK5t-nuUNPCHT_4LUzvbpafspLM5LJhsEfauVtZZ69wxOh0NIf_dY70d_Zr3UMYnKLdZ1lKG7NUrNE2G_NJ4CDIuweG6K4PWYGM8V76i1EeMc6saN0hN2L6qKlF1jqj17hgBvfKq5a9a5vtSsCb_FOlp9yzH0_L9UfladB9SV0bQEZPtA" width="177" /></a></div>When cravings hit in the past, I thought they'd go on and on forever if I didn't give in. I always caved. Had I known they were temporary withdrawal symptoms that would gradually subside over a few weeks, perhaps I could've powered through!<div><br /><div>From now until the end of the year, I decided to stop eating added sugar. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>I was skeptical when Matthew Perry said his memoir is meant to help people with addiction. I thought perhaps he wanted to recapture some fame. I shouldn't have doubted!</div>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-34582580879212814432023-11-03T11:14:00.004-07:002023-11-03T11:21:52.869-07:00three new bucket-list items<p>I have three new goals on my bucket list.</p><p>1. Walk the Camino de Santiago, Portuguese Central route.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicUYU2fCUvHF53PUcz-qde256NCMze51aCPOP3wN_4PJnM71ZqmYvBUZFJU10OoC1cU1HM9t48QwhDpYLznMf2-9MszaUFTVsk9uZSuPgwwz-jfAM1kDgDSXuwHOLIcyVlGuQh4tFhq7EIL1xzxmZ8s0rse5QXC3vTOoDjkH6qrQewiE86PllthQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="276" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEicUYU2fCUvHF53PUcz-qde256NCMze51aCPOP3wN_4PJnM71ZqmYvBUZFJU10OoC1cU1HM9t48QwhDpYLznMf2-9MszaUFTVsk9uZSuPgwwz-jfAM1kDgDSXuwHOLIcyVlGuQh4tFhq7EIL1xzxmZ8s0rse5QXC3vTOoDjkH6qrQewiE86PllthQ" width="92" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">2. Do the most popular Camino, the Frances route. Perhaps I'll bike the Meseta plains in the middle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCyiduOakJMB0MQ5fDyJRmF28lv6dNToQctjg0Qt9DzlNZQhqm4NzT4nVqn4z9Rw_975JBa4CMVUfvqR7cxGH58x41yg2X-2d7oB5uP3vMQsTM-hVTAtIniKkiDwLIvY9Z1vdPAZ_PHR95LhqnW7VesyGyC2QMy5E8UwSKEyyrJ0hRbfLH-xYEkg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCyiduOakJMB0MQ5fDyJRmF28lv6dNToQctjg0Qt9DzlNZQhqm4NzT4nVqn4z9Rw_975JBa4CMVUfvqR7cxGH58x41yg2X-2d7oB5uP3vMQsTM-hVTAtIniKkiDwLIvY9Z1vdPAZ_PHR95LhqnW7VesyGyC2QMy5E8UwSKEyyrJ0hRbfLH-xYEkg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">3. All of that will be build-up for someday walking the Camino del Norte. It's often called the most gorgeous of the Camino routes, but people also say it may be the most strenuous. Nearly constant uphill and downhill. The route sometimes consists of scrambling over rocks. One person said that out of 30 days hiking, it rained 26 of the days.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But look at this view!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRXBaXxUNaZNCjLfdDKM016mXoT5czoiknaOShSVm_b96dxu22lDD0X7KKmXawdYRXnJXcWyVKU50SLYHT22uj9BSpyt99WjRfYS2AvxJ2ImMbn-JObiM266fFFis_R7FHvfRD9Fl5rGzNLPznkuNkCkVCgO2q7HMPl9LyqL-pUFLCzxAbsTemsQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="750" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgRXBaXxUNaZNCjLfdDKM016mXoT5czoiknaOShSVm_b96dxu22lDD0X7KKmXawdYRXnJXcWyVKU50SLYHT22uj9BSpyt99WjRfYS2AvxJ2ImMbn-JObiM266fFFis_R7FHvfRD9Fl5rGzNLPznkuNkCkVCgO2q7HMPl9LyqL-pUFLCzxAbsTemsQ" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>I've always been below average at cardio, and the Camino del Norte will be a stretch. However, the first time I read about it, I knew I wanted to do it someday. Mark my words!</div></div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-7724150855284656482023-10-12T17:32:00.006-07:002023-10-12T19:33:48.357-07:00games with trees and water<p>I'm playing "A Short Hike", made by a solo developer. You play as a bird that's hiking and flying up a mountain. There's fall foliage, streams, and trees. It's cute.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj70AyQQO2frqDfSTzjjmKlYVdv9J3ZxPqQeu-zLbxWC_uStPtQJVVzzHbCe2xAzFKu6rc9SAn6_lmVyD078d1LqjayUoCNLxCAqEWaTNXm5-Qgiosu84h50tZ22XM4jENxtXzvbNJmFhZQ19HAUuyXJOF7W8X4SbUjRIe2oxCBtppO-udmtSqUPQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj70AyQQO2frqDfSTzjjmKlYVdv9J3ZxPqQeu-zLbxWC_uStPtQJVVzzHbCe2xAzFKu6rc9SAn6_lmVyD078d1LqjayUoCNLxCAqEWaTNXm5-Qgiosu84h50tZ22XM4jENxtXzvbNJmFhZQ19HAUuyXJOF7W8X4SbUjRIe2oxCBtppO-udmtSqUPQ" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also enjoyed Eastshade, another game made by a solo developer. You wander around an island, solving mysteries and creating artistic paintings. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6otKcB4SoigBbiUMtzL5iPcliEmiqACpeC1gUiPwYY-NmAbfB8-ZmqBJJy9faMqKwtyjDA3ayRMwBth16KJmgdKE2LVqT6MNCY4V5_sv1HW6ojqfpcZe2ZaP-tClWb9lGWcE4I0az68e37gvyp_I4NWI2Ea8ugLIcY8ZpHD6oIn-uu1CeSM0UgA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="990" data-original-width="1760" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6otKcB4SoigBbiUMtzL5iPcliEmiqACpeC1gUiPwYY-NmAbfB8-ZmqBJJy9faMqKwtyjDA3ayRMwBth16KJmgdKE2LVqT6MNCY4V5_sv1HW6ojqfpcZe2ZaP-tClWb9lGWcE4I0az68e37gvyp_I4NWI2Ea8ugLIcY8ZpHD6oIn-uu1CeSM0UgA" width="320" /></a></div></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I started playing Grand Theft Auto 4 and Spiderman last year. They're both impressive games, but I put them down partway through and haven't resumed. Instead I find myself preferring the cozy feeling of these one-person indie games.</div></div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-39999949150748211742023-08-08T06:40:00.004-07:002023-08-08T06:52:18.152-07:00birds<p>After reading "Better Living Through Birding", I've started identifying birds via the Merlin app! </p><p>There's a concept of the "spark bird", the first bird that gets you excited about birding. The first bird I identified was the Great Egret, but I don't think it was my spark bird. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigA9xQFYu41tG3SIoVAL73C__bZYmsU749a3rX4vIbn5k7PTos7wMHlh_wZMkugBAkdT62-AjAfFkIMRKy_ODufH8lNZHWpwiA19jKc6bZuV3qZmvOdrx-aQLj41wobxVONvJ4Q4a0EC-Unbpjb4tuJIMVQ62pGtRCRtArPNLkCLs7St3RsArq7g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="297" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigA9xQFYu41tG3SIoVAL73C__bZYmsU749a3rX4vIbn5k7PTos7wMHlh_wZMkugBAkdT62-AjAfFkIMRKy_ODufH8lNZHWpwiA19jKc6bZuV3qZmvOdrx-aQLj41wobxVONvJ4Q4a0EC-Unbpjb4tuJIMVQ62pGtRCRtArPNLkCLs7St3RsArq7g" width="158" /></a></div><p>The author Christian Cooper points out how birding leads to an increased desire to protect the birds' habitat. Birding creates quiet communion with the outdoors. It's similar to bicycling in terms of being a <a href="https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2016/2/12/biking-is-a-gateway-drug-to-social-awareness">gateway to increased social awareness</a>.</p><p>Me: "Wow, I would never have started birding without Christian Cooper."</p><p>Aff: "He's your spark birder."</p><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-72242120494640778842023-07-14T07:39:00.002-07:002023-07-16T05:07:34.351-07:00I walked the walk<p>I did the Camino Portuguese last month, 180 miles. </p><p>I met pilgrims from many countries. One Italian man, in his 60s, has walked several Caminos in the two years after retiring. Next he will do the Via Francigena trail (2000 kilometers) from Canterbury, England to Rome. </p><p>In one coastal section in Spain, the trail was 80% Germans.</p><p>Me: [to one young German] "Why are there so many Germans in this section?"</p><p>Him: "Because Germans are <i>everywhere</i>. Everyone thinks we are working so hard, but instead we are just making vacation all over the place."</p><p>One American woman was on her fifth Camino. She's planning to move to Spain and open a Camino guesthouse. She's currently a doctor and is disillusioned at the profit-driven nature of US hospitals. </p><p>At a break, two college-aged guys were laughing over viral meme videos. Later, I encountered them on the trail and met their group leader, who is the grandmother of one of them. She told us about thru-hiking the Appalachian trail for 3 months, camping with snorers. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwTHAmNk6v-GM0ux_j5J36-GQFaa2wBzB47pdQBD__8nw1yQFaH7B-3Qi_CNiTUjs9clnkbOYklFcPZ5-fyap8Ls6PG5EKXH4y8GT9TY1UxJ0vDmqaoSICKzzYjcaHHcEJFMvAH8kUFxUnq6UuzlJF7H4CN7RINGN6Lk0yoTqEMRFx_JAT3r7pTg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1426" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwTHAmNk6v-GM0ux_j5J36-GQFaa2wBzB47pdQBD__8nw1yQFaH7B-3Qi_CNiTUjs9clnkbOYklFcPZ5-fyap8Ls6PG5EKXH4y8GT9TY1UxJ0vDmqaoSICKzzYjcaHHcEJFMvAH8kUFxUnq6UuzlJF7H4CN7RINGN6Lk0yoTqEMRFx_JAT3r7pTg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I hoped to feel "walker's high" from endorphins. That lasted 15 minutes per day. Instead, most of the time I felt anxious, sometimes over practicalities like avoiding rain and heat, and other times ruminating pointlessly over frustrations. Despite this, I felt very satisfied by the Camino. I had many novel experiences. It was memorable. <div><p></p></div><div>I also developed an appreciation for exercise. Working out is not just an obligation performed due to societal pressure. It actually helps you propel your body up hills and along trails. </div>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-11839224487337425682023-05-10T14:32:00.006-07:002023-05-10T14:34:05.693-07:00MRI happiness<p>Today I took my mom to get a brain MRI. She's been walking slower, and a neurologist ordered a MRI to check out her brain. It could just be age-related (she's 73), but we're verifying to be sure.</p><p>I sat in the corner during the 35-minute process. No electronics are allowed, so I wasn't able to use a phone or kindle. I just sat there and thought.</p><p>Strangely, I felt really happy during the MRI process! It was probably the happiest I've felt this week. I listened to the MRI machine noises, and felt satisfied that I was taking good care of my mom. It was a relief to get this errand crossed off the list, and be able to look forward to answers from the neurologist.</p><p>I would not have expected "waiting for MRI" to be the highlight of my week, but strangely it was!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6Nh0uF7yKTaXpgxrIXojleVcHZWYFYXMs7BlSQkY2yctOdS7EQUX42yHhWh8Q86e6UCkcpCWzuQZvJmZrX3wPSpFHFLtq-0nZhZQYCIGsWhEhYMdftPT8sOITEl8PRaVsaQ0BPpP35DWwT3lMXtF0iaE8I6D86kwJECtoesLEI7r8cQbKQnU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="850" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6Nh0uF7yKTaXpgxrIXojleVcHZWYFYXMs7BlSQkY2yctOdS7EQUX42yHhWh8Q86e6UCkcpCWzuQZvJmZrX3wPSpFHFLtq-0nZhZQYCIGsWhEhYMdftPT8sOITEl8PRaVsaQ0BPpP35DWwT3lMXtF0iaE8I6D86kwJECtoesLEI7r8cQbKQnU" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">random internet photo of MRI</span></i></div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-82873989059773001542023-05-04T16:31:00.007-07:002023-05-04T20:20:39.653-07:00book about the two wolves inside us<p>I was touched by this book, by a mom who develops ALS at age 44. Upon her diagnosis, she knew that she had around 3 years to live, and would progressively lose the ability to walk, type, feed herself, and speak. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMU2ZycvDzK8rFZCFgdxqFF_TO7kxxgIzmoeq6VKkWqN5gw-HXpmEGEY1GV01zYbWnCvYZV-PC5uR9eJp0JioRZgL60p319AFluZIxUHodZpNequHKL8QRN9tJFpy1e0D5ksfCIkcfF1LvKt_eaBBXpqaJ-paPLNAtEdOg-jrdvq-bq5WtLdM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="657" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMU2ZycvDzK8rFZCFgdxqFF_TO7kxxgIzmoeq6VKkWqN5gw-HXpmEGEY1GV01zYbWnCvYZV-PC5uR9eJp0JioRZgL60p319AFluZIxUHodZpNequHKL8QRN9tJFpy1e0D5ksfCIkcfF1LvKt_eaBBXpqaJ-paPLNAtEdOg-jrdvq-bq5WtLdM" width="158" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She wrote about how some friends dropped her, because they were uncomfortable with her wheelchair and slurred speech. She was furious at their desertion. But she decided to intentionally focus her attention towards the friends who stepped up. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Every day, friends stopped by with home-cooked food, to help her kids, or to read passages of her book. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She typed the book using just her thumb on her iPhone. Later she could no longer move her thumb and she wrote an epilogue using nose-tracking software. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was a sweet quote from her husband of 20 years. He dressed her, fed her, and helped her go to the bathroom. He said, "You're not a burden. The least I can do for you is everything." </div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-38226326749735322062023-03-24T17:54:00.003-07:002023-03-24T17:55:30.094-07:00a little wizard hacker<p>I really like this <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/confessions-marcus-hutchins-hacker-who-saved-the-internet/">Wired article about Marcus Hutchins</a>, who saved the world from the WannaCry virus by registering its sinkhole domain. </p><p>He comes across as very moral! He made mistakes as a teenager when he tried too hard to impress his peers. They asked him to write sketchy code, and he did it. Then he paid for it with years of anxiety, and now he is wiser and thoughtful.</p><p>He is Ged from the Wizard of Earthsea.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTAl0nmOJ6F02kUAVqZIdCET1SqB0qMbE0PADMJhEvyf0ZZsy9qcXsYVbLscn3a8RabnQeezCnoBONwjWHIaCYOH1USzTRHvXTjf62OHPwUXzinVu1Vy3DrMWjw8ijNMhdghaSU7ReraN8Q-vLHkEkxaxVzBTjIF8YHZpvjsVJ381Xnssu80/s639/marcus_hutchins.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="639" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUTAl0nmOJ6F02kUAVqZIdCET1SqB0qMbE0PADMJhEvyf0ZZsy9qcXsYVbLscn3a8RabnQeezCnoBONwjWHIaCYOH1USzTRHvXTjf62OHPwUXzinVu1Vy3DrMWjw8ijNMhdghaSU7ReraN8Q-vLHkEkxaxVzBTjIF8YHZpvjsVJ381Xnssu80/s320/marcus_hutchins.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-27760235517187751522023-02-19T15:50:00.009-08:002023-02-19T15:51:37.527-08:00Red RocksI'm climbing with Aff and his friends in Red Rocks. Climbing on slab sandstone is much better than I expected. <div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />I've attempted ten routes over three days, and I successfully reached the top of all ten! </div><div><br /></div><div>It is calming to be out in nature, looking at cliffs and cacti, with no cell phone reception, climbing rocks.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicf8zM5gX0FpSBA2P-5fsGBLNtS_KGn3jNS8x9TlG-5CkQHZbABOV-z7et-c-G_m-iA4S4adwXZwG5Pmk902-_0ht_3nQiq-SxrwxIAcDHF2tJieTa1ZWngigpuWMJu2LHIpwN2pM-5zi9_RTqaRedpQw3k3TKkf0EINXNA0GkfkS_60YaICo/s4032/20230217_134636.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicf8zM5gX0FpSBA2P-5fsGBLNtS_KGn3jNS8x9TlG-5CkQHZbABOV-z7et-c-G_m-iA4S4adwXZwG5Pmk902-_0ht_3nQiq-SxrwxIAcDHF2tJieTa1ZWngigpuWMJu2LHIpwN2pM-5zi9_RTqaRedpQw3k3TKkf0EINXNA0GkfkS_60YaICo/s320/20230217_134636.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-80080693668582908982023-02-06T08:18:00.001-08:002023-02-06T08:18:51.561-08:00a funny sketch: Black Lady CourtroomThis is uplifting and hilarious.
<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://youtube.com/embed/MSElx7C1vLY" width="400"></iframe>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-69387638273654337502023-02-06T08:11:00.002-08:002023-02-06T08:11:29.440-08:00zen interior design style<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG4aVFUyTBmu5ChXpLt4BoVlSyy68DovamNoV1VyJ2z2kSnzkJIfhQVEaNzUfoYGU1K5oQadfu_QbHoqoA7y7h5g8XY71Y7bsXazsb2tiu_Mhtpp58TUJonD8DyBTtYj6q3FMPQ_3KbiHCNHiTGnVZah1y9msmIVm8mcS1-_hh9_ZLlNLuTYE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhG4aVFUyTBmu5ChXpLt4BoVlSyy68DovamNoV1VyJ2z2kSnzkJIfhQVEaNzUfoYGU1K5oQadfu_QbHoqoA7y7h5g8XY71Y7bsXazsb2tiu_Mhtpp58TUJonD8DyBTtYj6q3FMPQ_3KbiHCNHiTGnVZah1y9msmIVm8mcS1-_hh9_ZLlNLuTYE" width="224" /></a><br /><p>I'm very impressed by people who can do interior design. I've read many books and watched videos, and I'm still unable to do it.</p><p>I did figure out that my preferred style is the Zen style.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP9rHucBem1T21oKp0_0_Zc-jPVNlh6opx-eUTxZ6w32IjpANKE0Pi0MPVBPMYmDgpfmtSYIrpnaKCgQmFl_Td-g-zcjNq5bfqj4O11yF1h5tqX2KOXXJ0RJ6vmQn6we4MSz-UOweIVf7g3GP5duhirk1SmaJPca0HZZKHyeRN6rar5ZAZ7sc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhP9rHucBem1T21oKp0_0_Zc-jPVNlh6opx-eUTxZ6w32IjpANKE0Pi0MPVBPMYmDgpfmtSYIrpnaKCgQmFl_Td-g-zcjNq5bfqj4O11yF1h5tqX2KOXXJ0RJ6vmQn6we4MSz-UOweIVf7g3GP5duhirk1SmaJPca0HZZKHyeRN6rar5ZAZ7sc" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdZ7FubUBjsN3Nv0uFd8zji758WfcTD3PpbPkJWVCThwyp24NoetMEIwc65gMs40hINc1XVXLi0UsUtQw_3caUJ9veoUdjYo33lD8Ya6sCKCDKbxesXPMG6ZRtVtw96a2u_tDqOp-vfw8Fg0-90feSx9pySvHU3lSoeQXrE6b19Pe5SaCFDWc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" data-original-height="859" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhdZ7FubUBjsN3Nv0uFd8zji758WfcTD3PpbPkJWVCThwyp24NoetMEIwc65gMs40hINc1XVXLi0UsUtQw_3caUJ9veoUdjYo33lD8Ya6sCKCDKbxesXPMG6ZRtVtw96a2u_tDqOp-vfw8Fg0-90feSx9pySvHU3lSoeQXrE6b19Pe5SaCFDWc" width="168" /></a></div></div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-57868073661424013102023-02-04T08:29:00.001-08:002023-02-04T08:29:10.555-08:00Camino plans: Porto to Santiago<p>I've been talking a lot about the Camino. Finally I decided to do it. </p><p>I bought plane tickets to walk the Camino Portuguese this May. Hopefully there will be wildflowers. I'll be walking 173 miles from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Aff will walk the final 63 miles with me.</p><p>I hope it will be meditative, with trees and ocean and port wine and audiobooks.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSZ6zAI3LLT12BggpkZDHD4L382-BG9VOaSjj-gi9R7KPrVjtsfSVuJH83g4SbKx_QRPsEQJ2rUDynS0mkhfobJl2rTGaxs2uMs6z_xeXd3g26NMSqf_F_wjA3jMBSmdqxgTdbZioBsurDFfOye6UEekXJnWS-_FbfceovZy2CpBWhkE5WMUY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSZ6zAI3LLT12BggpkZDHD4L382-BG9VOaSjj-gi9R7KPrVjtsfSVuJH83g4SbKx_QRPsEQJ2rUDynS0mkhfobJl2rTGaxs2uMs6z_xeXd3g26NMSqf_F_wjA3jMBSmdqxgTdbZioBsurDFfOye6UEekXJnWS-_FbfceovZy2CpBWhkE5WMUY" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-34866905235778182312023-01-23T04:52:00.005-08:002023-01-23T10:08:25.233-08:00white-glove manipulation<p>During the pandemic, I read "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Class-Acts-Service-Inequality-Luxury/dp/0520247825">Class Acts: Service and Inequality in Luxury Hotels</a>". The author went undercover and worked at two luxury hotels for a year, to assess how workers felt about customers spending $500 or $800 per night on a room. This book is from the mid 90s, so it would be equivalent to something like $1000 per night nowadays.</p><p>The workers were earning around $20 per hour. They used mental techniques to deal with witnessing the wealth differential up-close every day. Some workers looked down on the customers for being uncouth or being unable to endure any hardship due to lifelong pampering. They passive aggressively left rude customers on hold for 15 minutes, and then apologized profusely when taking them off hold. This made the customers frustrated and helpless. Other workers identified with the wealthiest customers and saw them as buddies. </p><p>The customers wanted approval from the workers. These 5-star hotels cultivated an extremely complex and undocumented set of etiquette, to create insecurity in their rich customers. If you don't tip your bellhop, you're a jerk. If you try to tip the receptionist, you're also a jerk. If you tip too little, you're a jerk. How much is the right amount to tip? That depends on many variables and is not posted anywhere, but if you get it wrong, you're a jerk.</p><p>The customers end up in a state of insecurity, hoping they don't breach etiquette. They probably also sense that some workers may look down on them secretly. The hotels serve as a finishing school for the rich, teaching them the arbitrary rules. Customers sent flowers to the workers, brought them gifts, and remembered their names. The workers served as judges of who is exuding upper-class behavior and who is an impostor.</p><p>I like reading about manipulative systems, to give myself some defenses against manipulative tactics. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU1kqxsoX0jwkCQvKkOehAr7oxSfsrxWGVTu1VVBX5N3DTqiEm8VaHuIE6uPmDqnG938-y5rBPfPauv4L9QSRR-iKXdnf9wZyCxig1W6El_iAqyGmGuJjdwHNvR3-qUg-63Jfp3CkLiQVVs1Y2ln3c6cKtB1_h8le9QVscRFCRyPtScBM9IRc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgU1kqxsoX0jwkCQvKkOehAr7oxSfsrxWGVTu1VVBX5N3DTqiEm8VaHuIE6uPmDqnG938-y5rBPfPauv4L9QSRR-iKXdnf9wZyCxig1W6El_iAqyGmGuJjdwHNvR3-qUg-63Jfp3CkLiQVVs1Y2ln3c6cKtB1_h8le9QVscRFCRyPtScBM9IRc" width="160" /></a></div><p></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-5120108253554978122023-01-19T04:19:00.000-08:002023-01-19T04:27:34.530-08:00Earning dough vs unlimited breadsticks<div dir="auto">Me: "So many work leaders like to say 'We're not just a work team, we're a family.' That's just a way to manipulate employees into working free overtime. I prefer if we just stick to setting clear professional expectations. What are the deliverables? When are they due? What will employees be paid? I don't pay my actual family. I don't assign titles and promote my family members."<div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Rebecca: "Maybe some people don't take the idea of family as seriously. It's like Olive Garden. When you're here, you're family."</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovJt_fiNBOnsQkMvr-mP3u1y-uYrHibrU7tarB9BwRlWFPFgkT03KprAo9XyqlW0WCgYWUQje-4P1VWKX6Ff_q2hMcFYJWFvLsPMdyWEqoctfvhpz-R1nMBQOyTi5ETwDJpKMJJZQsldEg9MGrSKz6Y8d5xq8JWw2oxjN59hxgbrOGaTilkA/s400/506f3968eab8ea7656000001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgovJt_fiNBOnsQkMvr-mP3u1y-uYrHibrU7tarB9BwRlWFPFgkT03KprAo9XyqlW0WCgYWUQje-4P1VWKX6Ff_q2hMcFYJWFvLsPMdyWEqoctfvhpz-R1nMBQOyTi5ETwDJpKMJJZQsldEg9MGrSKz6Y8d5xq8JWw2oxjN59hxgbrOGaTilkA/s320/506f3968eab8ea7656000001.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div> Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-33924049657358646272023-01-17T07:36:00.002-08:002023-01-17T10:01:26.295-08:00History of Sugar<p>I listened to an audiobook "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Audible-The-History-of-Sugar/dp/B09HYNJJHY">The History of Sugar</a>". I had no idea that sugar plantations were even crueler than cotton and tobacco plantations. The average life span of a slave on a sugar plantation was 10 years. It was so hard on the women's bodies that it made them infertile. </p><p>Sugar led to the creation of sugar bowls, for rich Europeans to show off. They whitewashed the ways in which the sugar was produced.</p><p>This audiobook actually led me to have less desire to eat sugary foods.</p><p>Also, these old-timey sugar advertisements are evil.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaTffMDt8eVZH3_xJkZ3YKfjNrp2brCKaVVkKDgRNZ6gNE3ZJGApNu9v8_aibNDC90zQVrxxCyM7m2TFNuLK3uQFj7RnjjJHo8SYNK-qNVYMEoKVQ3xI7sVS4FuMNGK62o7zzYStJab_U226sjofPbgUiAPZTGImeN65UXdHSjZIimazfgfo/s640/sugarad.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="640" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaTffMDt8eVZH3_xJkZ3YKfjNrp2brCKaVVkKDgRNZ6gNE3ZJGApNu9v8_aibNDC90zQVrxxCyM7m2TFNuLK3uQFj7RnjjJHo8SYNK-qNVYMEoKVQ3xI7sVS4FuMNGK62o7zzYStJab_U226sjofPbgUiAPZTGImeN65UXdHSjZIimazfgfo/s320/sugarad.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-7283131609054218182023-01-07T07:34:00.000-08:002023-01-17T07:39:07.755-08:00Wizard of Earthsea<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD7DSFpUKwwe1AqnBe1_ch_wW774YLE7Cb7itVFbHRY8eIljoL8oM7NktwYf8b6O1Ti30zDsRqwniaQ7ADuKE56QvbNjKpTBjXwC2E9Mh5thp-JHx_AIAjYAbgjjOFik5xsVnuAZ8uOhbd63jYCke62I_ADZkODx6JIwt9J-uwRyMpOR5g1t4"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7185934319933634018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgD7DSFpUKwwe1AqnBe1_ch_wW774YLE7Cb7itVFbHRY8eIljoL8oM7NktwYf8b6O1Ti30zDsRqwniaQ7ADuKE56QvbNjKpTBjXwC2E9Mh5thp-JHx_AIAjYAbgjjOFik5xsVnuAZ8uOhbd63jYCke62I_ADZkODx6JIwt9J-uwRyMpOR5g1t4=s320" /></a></p><div dir="auto">I am having a good day. <div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I'm 66% through "A Wizard of Earthsea", which I'm reading for a book club. I first read it in 2008 and didn't understand the ending. I could tell that it was about a journey toward maturity and wisdom, and I figured I would appreciate it better one day when I myself reached greater maturity. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Fourteen years have passed. I have forgotten most of the plot, so this read still provides all the pleasure of discovery. I am listening to it on audiobook.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">It is such a delight to experience a masterful work, to witness so much competence and skill. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Perhaps this time I will understand the ending. If not, in 2037 I will try again. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto"><i>Update:</i> I did understand the ending this time. But I'll probably understand it even better in 2037.</div></div> Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-40482240204935483762022-12-29T13:39:00.002-08:002022-12-29T13:42:23.813-08:00a fragile encasing<p></p>Me: After reading that <a href="https://twitter.com/EM_RESUS/status/1607455060526759938">Twitter thread about people who feel an impending sense of doom and then die shortly after</a>, I really feel aware of my mortality! Our bodies are just a meat encasing that will decline and one day die.<p></p><p>Aff: Stupid meat. [looking up at the sky] Why me<i>...</i>at?? </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rKEB5xqCFNDrO0s-Q7ovjWMILLnkLVLnOTWcgnuBtifTEVqSyI7MsS0dkL2fYjNV785BoxEdVBIR5tQsAa21cZkDf0JaxfsDblPOfLtCVmbhB6HCVl6BXGfhi40edA6K74w3-5jX8byZHT495VwVwLMGQ-tZRWhFJAFWNmlDgxklwTlDKOc/s1280/anatomical-2261006_1280.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-rKEB5xqCFNDrO0s-Q7ovjWMILLnkLVLnOTWcgnuBtifTEVqSyI7MsS0dkL2fYjNV785BoxEdVBIR5tQsAa21cZkDf0JaxfsDblPOfLtCVmbhB6HCVl6BXGfhi40edA6K74w3-5jX8byZHT495VwVwLMGQ-tZRWhFJAFWNmlDgxklwTlDKOc/s320/anatomical-2261006_1280.webp" width="320" /></a></p>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-60731420343258181432022-12-04T03:51:00.001-08:002022-12-04T03:53:17.540-08:00Quiet Antarctica<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg88MX0If1xS9JmEKDQsxRRepjd5Z1nTDBIGbx7j3LwGokT1dCFMe6FlwShxQUsJvZVrZUDzdFiLzeEqhorFQP1Oi5eEfSU1o08W46EwC1KStuWB_QuKetFCMaSjZqBc5Z1olOTiK_YGWGZKgHLRUCITmb5lIwYVxBK330NGnQQIewrPBKqf14"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7173259904338934082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg88MX0If1xS9JmEKDQsxRRepjd5Z1nTDBIGbx7j3LwGokT1dCFMe6FlwShxQUsJvZVrZUDzdFiLzeEqhorFQP1Oi5eEfSU1o08W46EwC1KStuWB_QuKetFCMaSjZqBc5Z1olOTiK_YGWGZKgHLRUCITmb5lIwYVxBK330NGnQQIewrPBKqf14=s320" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo">One unexpected cool thing about Antarctica is knowing there are almost no other humans around, as far as the eye can see. </p><p class="mobile-photo">It is quiet. There are no sounds of traffic. Just penguin noises and ice breaking off. </p><p class="mobile-photo">We passed another ship yesterday and it was shocking to see another sign of human life! </p><p class="mobile-photo">It is also interesting to look out and see vast mountains that probably no human has set foot on.</p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2Ke1O-H1xRW2tcuFFm9okiOUDrrovELqXyrQslx1kJoK65_maIvw9wQ3l70DhEU0-6ZmDC_7BbnNSbgo4CVkV5_ds7BvzXZv29--Q_rIXEL2cK2VUoP8Rm5lD4zKKLcQLlrfYa7LrK7Y6JiWpxXinj7HbYq754fju1ex_oIq8bOYYiBvy-1I"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7173259914524336594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2Ke1O-H1xRW2tcuFFm9okiOUDrrovELqXyrQslx1kJoK65_maIvw9wQ3l70DhEU0-6ZmDC_7BbnNSbgo4CVkV5_ds7BvzXZv29--Q_rIXEL2cK2VUoP8Rm5lD4zKKLcQLlrfYa7LrK7Y6JiWpxXinj7HbYq754fju1ex_oIq8bOYYiBvy-1I=s320" /></a></p><div dir="auto"><br /></div> Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-72928838231367640762022-12-03T02:07:00.001-08:002022-12-03T03:08:37.355-08:00Antarctic snow<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjy13XxQI8naGRSs1JH6OAIjvep_K_faHluCUKgjMuaokhJeoGiCoTQJT9dfN6dZIvcNVbJd6PImmMjh7FO_usRZgWGJKW67Qd6Op5bXK3Rzh9-ZpWDM9HFP2xkRC44rOnf2mo2ALDkrF4KJpyGUbOsE6ZpZgFCxEE2h-C1sSh2w7fHWDxvaQo"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7172861840366432914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjy13XxQI8naGRSs1JH6OAIjvep_K_faHluCUKgjMuaokhJeoGiCoTQJT9dfN6dZIvcNVbJd6PImmMjh7FO_usRZgWGJKW67Qd6Op5bXK3Rzh9-ZpWDM9HFP2xkRC44rOnf2mo2ALDkrF4KJpyGUbOsE6ZpZgFCxEE2h-C1sSh2w7fHWDxvaQo=s320" /></a></p><div dir="auto">Antarctica is making me appreciate snow. <div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Snow in cities is inconvenient. Shoes track sludge into the house. Going inside or outside requires minutes of changing clothing. I need to keep track of so many additional accessories: hat, scarf, mittens, socks. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Snow in nature is awe-inspiring. It is silent, but alters the landscape. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">When it comes to oceans or lakes, I encounter them in their full form, after driving out of the city. My memories of them involve amazement. Most of my memories of snow involve half-melted snow on the roadside, mixed with dirt and leaves. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I've been seeing a domesticated form of snow, and now I am seeing it in its natural habitat.</div></div> Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6230750.post-56268841221018707352022-10-31T21:36:00.001-07:002022-10-31T21:53:17.565-07:00Antarctica!<p>I'm going to Antarctica in a month!</p>
<p>I previously tried to go in 2009, but that boat sank before my trip. (All the passengers were rescued.)</p>
<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZpdvVx4UUgOg-A38ksauseKCE7sAuhmywRwxR-qwZd74oOptWIxJWpSZPbkA1RRaefSL3FUoAApY-GuhoQvH-QLbBOWlTulwgEzDktjnz2E5y136EPJzfspmjqUdrOoEEUwac1UVH2NJzpMxHZlrc_wmvRkKXEMDot6TKr7A-B74HyYE64BY"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_7160901836453691346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZpdvVx4UUgOg-A38ksauseKCE7sAuhmywRwxR-qwZd74oOptWIxJWpSZPbkA1RRaefSL3FUoAApY-GuhoQvH-QLbBOWlTulwgEzDktjnz2E5y136EPJzfspmjqUdrOoEEUwac1UVH2NJzpMxHZlrc_wmvRkKXEMDot6TKr7A-B74HyYE64BY=s320" /></a></p><div dir="auto"><div dir="auto">When friends hear of my Antarctica plans, their reactions are divided. Some immediately say it is a dream of theirs. Others say it sounds cold and unappealing. There are few reactions in the middle. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I started packing already and reading about historical expeditions to Antarctica. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">Currently I am reading about the Belgica ship from 1897. To my surprise, there was mutiny, mass firing, and the ship getting stranded on rocks before they even rounded past Argentina. </div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I have also been binging Great Courses audiobooks in the past month. My favorites were about the Berlin Wall, Japan, the Civil Rights movement, and Beethoven.</div><div dir="auto"><br /></div><div dir="auto">I will download so many audiobooks for the days at sea through the Drake Passage!</div></div>Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06731517033909059791noreply@blogger.com6