Done Since 2024-05-12

[mdlbear]

Last Sunday was Mother's day. Surprisingly not bad. A fairly busy week, which was good, but not busy enough in the late evenings, which left lots of time for depression and rumination. Still, I'd have to say it wasn't too bad. Which these days means "at least it didn't include cancer treatments, cancer side effects, or emergencies of any kind."

I had a good conversation with a Fred Hutch social worker Monday -- that relationship should continue to be useful -- our second meeting is two weeks from last Friday. And a good grief support group session Tuesday morning, followed by a cancer support group meeting Tuesday evening. (All via zoom, of course.) The cancer group starts with a presentation, which wasn't all that useful this week. Anger management isn't usually one of my problems. Also the presenter wasn't very well-prepared. I really prefer either a recorded presentation that I can fast-forward, or a group that's a simple check-in followed by conversation (which is the format for the grief group).

We've been letting Bronx stay in the Lair all day -- that's been working well. Which is to say, he has an UP place which mostly keeps him off my keyboard. And when he stands on my keyboard asking for attention, he can go UP rather than lying on my desk and pushing things off the edge. (That, BTW, is how we know the Earth isn't flat. If it were, cats would long since have batted everything off the edge.)

I think Ticia has officially adopted him -- when I brought him in Monday evening she stood by the carrier flap and started washing his head. Mama cat.

Top link: Is the Internet bad for you? Huge study reveals surprise effect on well-being "A global, 16-year study of 2.4 million people has found that Internet use might boost measures of well-being, such as life satisfaction and sense of purpose ... The positive effect is similar to the well-being benefit associated with taking a walk in nature." ?!!

Notes & links:
0512Su  Mother's Day
  & awake 2:30, 5ish ??.  dozed for a while, i.e. had a lot of trouble getting out of bed
  * up 7:45ish; S=8:12, W=191.8; exercises
  * 07:58 abiraterone; 09:09 rest of am drugs; 21:52 pm with senna and docusate sodium
  * H2O:  09:22:c, 09:29, 18:20, 22:26, 22:26:st
  * 15min:  re-make bed, sort stuff in Lair.  There are boxes I've forgotten about
  * 15min:  dishes.  unload, load...
  * 15min:  laundry
  * questionaires available for Monday's appointment - PHQ-9 and GAD-7
  ~ SL:  Bartell: pick up N's scrips 1ish.-> the Wegovy was pricey, and needs fridging.
    -> G will pick up the acetaminophen and Reese's.  I wanted to get the W home and cool.
  % Eeep!  There's a lot of stuff in Panther's Downloads and Documents directories that
    should have been put someplace that gets sync'ed.  Hope there's nothing that would
    have affected my taxes.
    -> I haven't been very good about moving stuff out.  For years.
  * DNS for tres-gique.* must move to DH before IP change on 0515We (next week)
    -> tres-gique.com has its dns at DH; tres-gique.net and tresgique.{com,net} DO NOT
       EXIST so it's not clear what's going on at DH.  They claim tres-gique.net has a
       bunch of email addresses, possibly on the basis of undeleted mailboxes.
    -> replied to support's email; deleted the symlink at tres-gique.net.
  : It appears to have been a very long time since nova had a working website
  
0513Mo  * litter boxen
  & awake 2ish, 3:30ish, 5ish
    % somewhere in there I bit my tongue.  ouch!
  * up 06:00; S=5:58, W=191.0; exercises, Dutch
    % went back to bed after taking my abiraterone, cuddled with Ticia, and did exercises
  * abiraterone 06:05; rest 07:06; 
  * H2O: 8ish:c, 08:55, ??, 16:29,  20:00ish, 
  @ Sergeantry - An Tir Culturewiki E,  (Courtier) in service to Blatha An Oir
  * log in 9:55 for 10am zoom appt with social worker (Jonathan Canonizado)
    *- looking for support groups -- maybe
    *- help with EOL paperwork?
    -> for next time:  think of 3 songs - happy, grieving, angry
       <- Sugar Magnolia, For Amy??, Masters of War
  & N and I decided that we would try leaving Bronx in the Lair tomorrow.  See how it goes.
  @ Is the Internet bad for you? Huge study reveals surprise effect on well-being
    " A global, 16-year study1 of 2.4 million people has found that Internet use might
      boost measures of well-being, such as life satisfaction and sense of purpose ...
       The positive effect is similar to the well-being benefit associated with taking a
      walk in nature "
    A Multiverse Analysis of the Associations Between Internet Use and Well-Being ·
    Volume 5, Issue 2: Summer 2024
  @ The Dinosaurs Died in Spring | Science History Institute
  % sleepy?  or just generally out of it?
  * walk: Dayton+90th 16:00: w=0.9mi, s=2065, 23min, 14hp.
    Started out with N, who peeled off at the park to do whatever her app is set for (not
    being chased by zombies).
    -> Dropped off _Time Traveler's Handbook_; got a rec for the Thursday Next series
    -> back at the house, started to shove my Chewy box back on the porch, and had my
       knees kind of buckle on me.  Not very nice of them.
  @ How to stay sane as political polarization haunts our personal lives |
    Alotusinthemud (via Tom Goodhue - context Columbae)
  * set up air conditioners in  * m's and  * j's rooms
  : I think Ticia has officially adopted Bronx.  As soon as I unzipped the door she leaned
    over and started washing his head. 
  @ New Study Proposes Warp Drive Model Based on Established Physics
  * pm drugs; senna, docusate sodium
  @ Penzeys: Originally we planned to do a catalog of moms of transgender kids for
    Mother's Day ... "Your response and the power of it convinced me this has to be
     more than something just for a day in May."
  * start draft for "River:  The Last Five Years" for Carleton biobook.
  % 21:38 a little intestinal gas discomfort.  Sitting in bed with Sherman.  Not really
    all tat comfortable either.   

0514Tu
  & awake 11:30ish, 3ish (no mask), 5ish
  * up 06:47; S=5:08+x, W=189.8; exercises
  * abiraterone 06:47;  rest of am 07:50
  * H2O: 09:14 0920:c 12:37
  * 10am - 11:30 Memory Keepers grief support group.  only 9 people this week, after
    the groups were re-arranged last month
  * 15min: dishes.  load, run, 17:35 empty.
  @ The disenshittified internet starts with loyal “user agents” | Cory Doctorow
  * set alarm ahead of 6:30 group
  @ 2025: A Civilizational Tipping Point | by B diminishing returns
    " we are about to pass a point of diminishing returns from an energetic and geological
      perspective. And then it really will not matter if we drill more wells, it will no
      longer provide any additional energy to rest of the economy. "
  @ Scientists Think They Finally Cracked the Flow State | Katrina Paulson | 2024-04
    " As jazz great Charlie Parker said, ‘You’ve got to learn your instrument. Then, you
      practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the
      bandstand, forget all that and just wail.’” "
    " the study conducted by Drexel University is fascinating and offers compelling
      evidence that the flow state is not simply a state of hyperfocus, [...] Instead, it
      appears to be a combination of gaining expertise and learning to “let go,” "
    Creative flow as optimized processing: Evidence from brain oscillations during jazz
    improvisations by expert and non-expert musicians - ScienceDirect 
  * ibuprofen 400mg 12:37
  * 1pm:  meeting with N, G, and m
    -> consolidate finances
    -> look for houses on Funda
  @ It’s the End of Google Search As We Know It | WIRED
  * pay Surety
  * 2min: take out the two smaller recycle bins, just so that there's room to toss stuff
  : From N:  book:  Marketing Ideas for Travel Agents
  * */15   pay AX cards
  * 2min:  set alarm ahead of tomorrow morning's webinar
  * 6:30pm cancerlifeline.org Evergreen Health Living with Cancer support group.
    Coping with Cancer: Managing Anger with Courtney Zier, MA, LMHC -> not very useful
    kindness, _curiosity_, humor.    YT chan, "Alchemy and Oracles" -> not useful
  @ Welcome to the SCOPE Study
    (Referred by social worker.  Maybe?)  -> sent query about NL move.
  * load drugs.  iron today, so none tomorrow
  % apparently I finished less than half my coffee this morning
  % something about this article seemingly made me tear up.  No idea why:
    Shelby Hewitt: The 32-year-old high school student in Boston impostor

0515We  * litter boxen
  & awake 1ish, 3ish
  * up 06:55; W=190.4, S=7:19, BP=118/78, P=75; 
  * abiraterone 07:07; rest of am meds 08:17; pm drugs 21:49 + docusate, senna
  * H2O: 08:29:c, 08:29, 1500:iced-chai, ??, 1800ish maybe?. 22:17
  @ Prague astronomical clock - Wikipedia  tourist destination!
    Prague Astronomical Clock: The Complete Guide By A Local
  @ The Mathematician's Weapon | Category Theory and Why We Care 1.0 - YouTube
  * 9am (12EDT) webinar: Optimizing your Marketing | Host Agency Reviews
    https://athome.atlastravel.com (presenter's agency)
    https://hostagencyreviews.com/hosts/athome-by-atlas-travel
    FB, LinkedIn and instagram most popular for travel agencies.
    Maintain a regular posting schedule (weekly, 2weeks,month...) engaging content; Canva
    Canva premium $13/mon.
    website - highlight regularly updated supplier offers, promotions, blog posts
    SEO ahrefs.com, yoast.com hubspot.com 
    email marketing.  Semd personalized offers, updates, exclusive deals.  2/month
    Encourage (personalized email) satisfied clients to leave reviews on $G, yelp, FB.
    Monitor reviews and respond promptly.
    (flights and fables
    - fantasy/sf tours e.g LotR - worth a look)
  @ Do You Need A Travel Agent License?
  @ Roll Mobility
    rate places for wheelchair / bathroom accessibility
  : Notes from social worker visit Monday:
    @ Behavioral activation
      (presumed, from item heading "barriers to activation".  Query sent)
    : Corrected religion:  s/Reformed atheist/Reformed Druid \/ atheist/
    : I need a "cancer resources" section in Notes, or maybe something separate.
  @ nordicandspruce.com
    " Tiny homes for Scandinavian style wellness retreats "
  * walk: MonkeyGrind with m: w=0.8mi, s=2050, 12hp, 24min, 27mm
  % RSI left hand -- pinkie on the back, btw thumb and forefinger on the palm->diclofenac
  * Set default compile-command in ~/Private and subdirs to make...save
    Hopefully it won't get in the way too much.  We'll see.
  @ Creating, Optimizing and Tracking Content Without Google Analytics | Women in Tech
  * 2min: new passport arrived -> updated family-info
  * 2min:  create ./cancer-resources.done

0516Th
  & awake 3:30, 4:50?; never really got fully back to sleep after that.  read for a while;
    dozed on and off; may actually have gotten a little fitful sleep.
    % thinking/ruminating about the SCSI-3 drives, which probably have my news spool
  * up 7:30; W=191.0, S=6:46. ;
  * abiraterone 07:34; rest of am drugs 08:34;
  * H2O: 08:54, 09:53:c, 17:51, 
  : DH upgraded overnight -- hostname is now iad1-shared-b7-03 -- 67.205.28.207
    Everything still works, modulo updating the host key, because I use savitzky.net as my
    git origin host, and in the dh ssh alias.
  * NOTE:  leftover mac+chee in Lair fridge
  @ GH: FiloSottile/age: A simple, modern and secure encryption tool (and Go library)
    with small explicit keys, no config options, and UNIX-style composability. stands
    for "Actually Good Encryption"; can use SSH keys but not ssh-agent. incompatible w/ gpg
    -> wait for a version that can use ssh-agent.
  @ positron-solutions/transient-showcase: Example forms for transient UI's in Emacs
  * */15   CPAP:  change paper filter,  x wash tubs
  @ 2023 temperatures were warmest we’ve seen for at least 2,000 years | Ars Technica
  @ four right-wing parties form a government in NL
    Dutch Right-Wing Parties Reach Preliminary Deal to Form a Government - NYT 
  * update DH payment method (currently old AX) -> current AX
  & fix SSL certs on DH -- they all became invalid when the server was moved.
  @ Rules for selling trips, holidays, and timeshares | Business.gov.nl

0517Fr  * litter boxen
  & awake 1ish, 3:30
  * up 7:20; S=7:37, W=189.8, 
  * abitaterone 07:25; rest of am 08:24;
  * H2O:  07:59, 08:45c, ??, 16:30ish. 21:00ish.  21:35.
  @ Showcasing Authentically [native] American Style - The New York Times
  * 15min: unload 11:55; mostly load 12:03 (G took over); run 13:00
    % more evidence that I get into a flow state while loading the dishwasher
  @ Wind Farms can Offset Their Emissions Within Two Years, New Study Shows
  * call Island Disposal about $8ish credit:  360-678-5701  see email sent 5/2
    -> on website - disabled autopay, tried their chat robot, which was useless.
    -> no options on website "contact us" page work; reply to email.
    -> searched for Waste Connections (parent company) but got redirected to Island Disp.
    -> phone:  asking for agent after selecting option 2 for residential service
       eventually did work -- that was the thing I hadn't tried before.  Bad UX design.
    % I hope I managed to come across as frustrated rather than angry.  probably not though
  * Cancelled Whidbey Telecom online account - verified that I can no longer log in.
  @ Gender Census 2024
  % 15:15 incipient blood sugar crash? -> working on it
    -> mac+chee -> ice cream -> PB+Chutney on a rice cake. -> seems to have done it for now
  * m staying here tonight, so Bronx goes with me (after making a pest of himself, 9ish)
  * 2min:  empty/recycle one of the chewy boxes and take the 2 bags of litter to Lair.
    (after taking Bronx out.  Left the box of wet food on top of the other box.  Rain
    predicted but nothing's urgent because everything is in waterproof bags.
  * 15min:  move Hooga light to bathroom, where it's useful

0518Sa
  & awake 3:30.  actually got back to sleep pretty quickly
  * up 06:38; W=190.4, S=7:36; exercises, Dutch
  * abiraterone 6:38;  rest of am meds: 08:03
  * H2O: 7:20ish, 08:40, 6ish, 21:10, 
  * check cats' water - ok for several days looks like
  @ How the world could have looked: the most spectacular buildings that were never.. 
  @ Deck Chairs, Tuberculosis, and the Titanic: The Unexpected Origins of a Summertime
    Staple - Dwell
  : Brought bronx in at 8:40ish; had to take him back out.  From now on, not befoer 10
  @ OpenAI’s Long-Term AI Risk Team Has Disbanded | WIRED
  % cream cheese, capers, and lox on a rice cake is very tasty.
  @ Master of litters: cat named Max given honorary degree by US university
  * combined expedition:  deliver m to Lake City house, charge Molly, shop at Freddy's.
    N's list from the family discord, plus a few items of mine.  gin; forgot olives :P
    also forgot eggs.  damn.
  @ Forest bathing: what it is and where to do it
    Immerse Yourself In A Forest For Better Health - NYSDEC
    The rise of wellness travel, from rewilding to yoga and pilgrimages
    The rise of wellness travel, from rewilding to yoga and pilgrimages
  @ Global Wellness Institute
  * started bottle of Feather & Folly gin
  % 19:43 feeling stuck.  depressed?  need something for dinner; nothing appeals.
  -> found 2 servings worth of mac+chee in the fridge.  Half now, half in the morning
  % wondering whether I got quite enough sleep last night

Comments

[azurelunatic]

I'm meeting with my social worker, Kecia W, tomorrow. We tend to swap books we've enjoyed if we run out of cancer topics during our hour.

[mdlbear]

Jonathan turns out to be a guitar player, so we can swap songs. In fact, the next session is going to be at least partly about songs, in relation to emotions. He asked for one each happy, grieving, and angry. I can find a few of those...