Wednesday Weigh-In 20191225

A Christmas weigh-in....

Waist = 41.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Dream: Cow Urine Shampoo

I’m watching a commercial or public service announcement.  It’s saying that cow urine makes an excellent shampoo.  There is a young boy – a big toddler.  He has short light-brown hair cut very short.  He’s suspended horizontally above a bed, although I don’t see who’s holding him.  I’m actually in the room that the commercial is taking place in.

As the male narrator explains the benefits of cow urine, just as I expected, liquid is poured on the boy’s head, spilling onto the bed below him.  The boy is unhappy, but he’s not crying.  Then after a while his expression become neutral.

He is lowered onto the bed.  A young man with hairy arms and dark hair was holding the boy, and now he/s massaging the liquid into the boy’s scalp.

The scene shifts.  The young boy is gone.  The man is lying on the bed, and “Mike” and “Ralph” from the band I was in are sitting in chairs against a wall.  The man pulls something out of his pocket as he lies down, and I recall that Mike told me that he would have a knife on him.  So I realize that the man pulled a knife, but he’s holding it behind his head as if he’s relaxing and resting his head on his head.

The man and M & R are discussing some business that I don’t really follow.  Finally, when it’s over, the man M & R all get up, at which point I whisper to M that the man has a knife in his left hand (even though it’s the right hand).  He nods as if he’s aware of it.

They walk toward the front door, M & R first followed by the man.  He swiftly opens the jack knife and slashes at the legs of M & R and then slashes at R’s upper arms.  He turns to me but makes no attempt to slash at me.  M & R don’t seem to react much.  It was as if this is how they all interact.

And that’s it for the knife attack.

The man is gone.  M & R go into a back room of the house.  I stay near the front, which is more like a store or bar.  There’s a birth certificate posted on the vertical surface of the counter.  But instead of words it has a heart diagram.  At first the diagram looks like two hearts side by side.  But then the heart on the right changes into a schematic / block diagram of a mechanical device.  And I realize that someone in Mike’s family had a heart transplant shortly after birth.


I’m walking around school.  I decide to check out the staircase that’s near the gym.  I go up two flights, I find out it terminates into a very tiny space that a temporary teacher converted into an office.


I’m in the basement of R & E from the Buddhism group.  There are little mud houses and trails on the rafters and ants navigating them.  R takes out a fire hose a sprays along the area where the foundation meets the sill plate.  I think that’s a terrible idea, but I don’t say anything.


I’m outside walking a long a trail.  On going construction has been taking pace alongside the trail up higher up the ridge line.  But it’s not visible – it’s cordoned off by a very tall cloth barrier.  I’m thinking how unsafe the trail is because of the potential for large debris to roll down from the construction site.  The cloth barrier won’t stop the debris and it also makes it impossible to see the danger beforehand.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20191211

Here are the undisputed facts about my fatness.

Waist = 40.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

What’s New on Top of Your Utility Pole?

What are these bell-shaped objects that we’re starting to see high above intersections with traffic lights?  They’re traffic cameras.  Of course.  Check it out:
https://gridsmart.com/products/the-bell-camera/

Wednesday Weigh-In 20191120

Just like last week, the scale did not provide anything other than weight. So today's weigh-in simply repeats percentage fat from two weeks ago. Also, I didn't measure the waist.

Waist = 40.00"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Cat Litter Review -- Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance

Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance clay cat litter was the first cat litter we ever used.  It seemed fine while all the litterboxes were confined to the basement.  But soon after we introduced the first box onto the main level, we realized we needed a product that produced less dust.

Here are what I consider the pros and cons to Tidy Cats:

Great Packaging
Tidy Cats comes in study containers that can be repurposed.  Depending on the size, it comes in either jugs or pails; both are plastic and resealable.  Even though we stopped using it many years ago, we still have a few pails left that we use to store bird seed, sand or spent cat litter.

Flows Well Through Scoop

The individual pellets are spherical and uniform in size, so they flow well through even the finest scoop.

Good Odor Control
Odor was never a problem unless a cat peed outside the box or didn’t bury the Number Two well enough.

Ubiquitous – even our grocery store carries it
It’s convenient if your go-to brand of cat litter is available at the local “Brick & Mortar” stores you regularly shop at.  Back in the days before Internet and automatic delivery, I’d buy the stuff in a regular store.  Occasionally I’d notice that it’s marked down in price at the grocery store.

Good clumping
It clumps fairly well, yet also seems to drain.  It was important for us to keep up the depth of the litter in the box.  Otherwise, a messy, stinky slurry of clay and cat pee would remain on the bottom of the box.  World’s Best is better at clumping, but it doesn’t drain well.

Low “unit” cost
The higher cost of other cat litters was what kept me hooked on Tidy Cats for so low.  But my method of comparing prices is not well-suited for comparing cat litters.  I usually choose the product with the lowest unit cost, where the units are weight.  However, the important unit of measure for cat litter is volume.  Once I realized that, it put competing brands on a more level playing field.


What we didn’t like:

Dust
As noted above, dust was the main reason we stopped using it.

Not Compostable
Used clay cat litters either go into the trash or get dumped onto a pile in our woods.

Extremely Heavy
Even the smallest portion is 14lb.  Larger sizes are 20lb, 27lb, 35lb.

Demise of Brick and Mortar Stores

Are Brick and Mortar (B&M) stores partly to blame for their loss of customers to Internet-based stores?  I think so.

While it’s true that B&Ms have higher costs due to maintaining a physical presence and inventory, they also have an advantage in that customers get instant access to purchases.  Also, in the case of one-of-kind product such as produce, buyers get to examine and inspect the merchandise before buying.

I shop both online and at B&Ms.  Here’s why I shop online:

1. It’s easier to find what I need. For example:
1. Unscented antiperspirant is nearly impossible to find at stores near me. B&Ms have replaced unscented product with things called “Phoenix,” “Apollo” and “Gold.” What the heck does Gold smell like and how would it keep me dry? Maybe it’s unscented, like real gold, but I doubt it. Sure I could open each one and smell it. But the number of choices is overwhelming, and I don’t have time for it anyway!
2. My shoe size is almost impossible to find, and I hate shopping for shoes. I’ve been reluctant to buy shoes online because I’ve always wanted to try shoes on before buying. But I bought my latest pair online, and it was so much easier. Plus, they were so marked down in price (probably because they were such an unpopular size) that I was ecstatic.
3. B&Ms waste a lot of shelf space on different brands and flavors of peanut butter. Nowadays you can buy peanut butter that's smooth, crunchy, mixed with jelly, mixed with honey. You have Skippy, Jiff, Teddy Bear, Smuckers and the store brand. Yet how many varieties are there of plain almond butter, not mixed with sugar or palm oil or whatever? Just one – and that was only after the store brought in a machine to make it in-house.
4. I love our local Barnes and Noble, but I buy more stuff at BN.com than in their local B&M. We buy our kitchen calendar from BN.com. It’s so special. It has a magnetic strip to hang on the refrigerator, and is 12” wide with large rectangles for the days of the month. Finding it in the B&M is hit or miss, so we avoid the frustration entirely and get it online.
2. Online items get dropped off in my driveway. I don't need to lift a product into a shopping cart, push it to a cashier, bring it out to the parking lot and then load it into the car. It should be noted that the B&Ms that I shop at have helpful people who will load stuff into customers' cars. Some even offer to do this even without being asked.
3. Repeat delivery and free delivery are so amazingly convenient that I rely on this for cat litter and pet food. These items also fall under item 2, as well.

B&Ms should excel at knowing the needs of the community.  Our local hardware store does this really well.  They know things like the right kind of paint for the climate we're in, the types of wood siding that was popular when the original homes were built, the parts needed to fix light fixtures and values.  I don't bother to look online for hardware-like items unless the guys tell me to.  B&Ms can learn a lot from the hardware store business model.

#NaBloPoMo2019

Dream: Boat Service

I own a boat, and I’m waiting to have it serviced.  I’m standing on what appears to be a curb, like the corner of a street intersection sidewalk, but instead of a street, there is the deep water that my boat is in.    And the sidewalk is also slightly submerged in about two inches of water.

I’m trying to hold lots of stuff, but I can’t seem to carry all of it.  So some falls into the water and floats in front of me.  I notice that all of it floats, but I don’t question the impossibility of it, even though there are green, vinyl-coated hand weights among the floating items.  Another item is my checkbook.

The service guy is approaching.  I ask him if I should dive in and swim to my boat.  He vehemently says not to, otherwise I might get chopped up by the propeller blades.

The boat is now a party boat, and I’m on board.  There is a speaker or entertainer standing in the front, and many seated in the audience facing him.

Chocolate Fudge -- It's About Time I Made Some

I finally made chocolate fudge.  I used one of the “easy recipes” that you can find online – a combination of Sweetened Condensed Milk, Chocolate Chips and Vanilla all melted together, mixed and chilled.

Unfortunately, I have quite a lot more of it than I should have.  The stuff is dangerous.  I could easily eat all of it.  I’ve been known to eat a 14 ounce can of Sweetened Condensed Milk in a mindless trance of ecstasy.

So I’ll do what I always do with excess decadent treats – bring it to work in the hopes that folks will take it all before lunch time.

Medium and Large and Nothing In Between

Look at the typical size chart¹ for men’s underwear, if you will, and tell me if you see anything wrong?

Size	Waist (inches)
S	28 - 30
M	32 - 34
L	36 - 38
XL	40 - 42
2XL	44 - 46
3XL	48 - 50

Well?

Here’s the problem. What do you do if your waist is 31”, 35”, 37” and so on? Fruit of the Loom tells you to select the next larger size. Hanes doesn’t even offer such advice, unless you ask customer service, and then they also advise the next larger size.

I am size 35, which is between M and L. So I bought the larger size, L. But they were too baggy, even after one washing in hot water. They felt like boxer briefs. M (which I bought next) was a better choice for me since I prefer a lower rise brief. M is a bit too snug, but aren’t they're supposed to be "tighty-whities"? So I'll continue to wash the L briefs in hot water each week hoping they'll shrink into the unavailable in between size.

---

¹ This size chart can be found on the following web pages:

https://www.fruit.com/sizeguide

https://www.hanes.com/shop/hanes/hanes-mens-briefs-120442?categoryId=21065#

#NaBloPoMo2019

Wednesday Weigh-In 20191114

The scale that I use is supposed to store the user's settings and recall them when activated. However, this morning it did not do that, and all I got was a reading of weight. So the body fat value reported here is just last week's. And I didn't bother to measure my waist, so that's carried over from last week, too.

Waist = 40.00"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Cat Litter Review -- Feline Pine Original Non-Clumping Litter

We’re transitioning from World’s Best clumping litter to a non-clumping dust-free litter.  We’re currently trying Feline Pine Original Non-Clumping Litter.

Please note that an addendum to this review has been posted.  You can find it here:

https://square--peg.blogspot.com/2022/02/cat-litter-review-addendum-feline-pine.html

We like it so far for the following reasons:

Drains Very Quickly
As mentioned before, we have one cat who’s a very Prolific Peer (PP).  His output is so voluminous that he can wet himself in a box full of quick-clumping litter.  As soon as his pee hits the clumping litter, the litter solidifies.  Then as his stream continues (and continues and continues) it forms a puddle that splashes up onto him.  But this non-clumping litter is both very absorbent and drains very quickly, so our PP cat stays dry.

Produces “Friendlier” Dust
The way this works is that when the pellets get soaked with pee, they break down into saw dust, which, as its name implies, is still dust.  So technically, this is not dust-free litter.  However, nearly all the dust particles are fairly large, so they don’t float in the air.  Imagine the saw dust you get by sawing wood with a crosscut saw.  The litter gets no smaller than this.

Compostable
This is made from natural pine and is free of chemicals.  It will eventually decompose, so it can be composted.  I dumped a large bunch of it in our composter, but it’s still somewhat intact.  Then I decided I would try to fertilize the lawn with it, since it seems to be compatible with the broadcast spreader.  I might also sprinkle it in the driveway to improve traction on snowy days.

Ubiquitous – even our favorite grocery store carries it
I usually get this from an online pet store with a Repeat Delivery service.  But if I had to I could pick up a spare bag at the grocery store.

Odor Control
It’s surprisingly effective at suppressing odor.  However, I do sift it at least every two weeks because only the pellets can contain the odor.  The saw dust does smell if it becomes pee-drenched.

Long Lasting
The 20lb bag is lasting longer than I expected.  You need only a one-inch layer in a box.  This makes it easier for our older cats to step into the box as they don’t have to step too high.  As well, this litter seems to be superior to World’s Best and ökocat in terms of monthly cost, provided that I continue to sift it.


What we don’t like:

Heavy / Bulky / Awkward to Carry and Pour
The 20lb bag is flimsy, so it’s awkward to pour with precision.  Pouring gets easier as the bag gets emptier.  The bags usually have puncture holes in them.

Not Our Cats’ First Choice
The “go-to” litter boxes in our home are the ones filled with World’s Best.  I think only our PP cat prefers Feline Pine, and almost never for pooping.  He doesn’t care to bury his business.  My guess is that the other two cats prefer the clumping litter because it’s easier for them to bury their business in it.

Dream: Shape-Shifting Sensei

I'm at a martial arts demonstration in a gymnasium.  I'm in one of the many seats arranged in a large circle on the floor.  I facing the bleachers.

The Grand Master Sensei is introduced.  He's the one everyone came to see.  I look at him.  He's wearing a red gi and black pants.  He appears to be Italian.  He seems uncomfortable and uneasy as he looks at me.  We know each other, so I smile and nod encouragingly and even give him a quick thumbs up.

He gets up and carefully makes his way to the floor.  Then he goes around to the seated people, one-by-one.

When he gets to me, I see that now he's an older Asian man.  I greet him reverently, with my palms pressed together.  I nod my head in a bow.  He speaks to me.  He tells me that I must get something.  It sounds like it might be an herb.  Goji, perhaps, or maybe Ginko.  I agree, and he moves on to the next person.

He comes back.  Now he's a young boy.  I do not have the herb (or whatever) that he told me to seek.  No matter, we go together to look for it.  I follow his gaze to a dark grey cat lying along a hedge.  It's stretched out, sleeping on its side.  I infer that the cat is the key to our getting the herb.  We approach it slowly.  He's approaching the head end, while I approach its tail end, expecting it to see Sensei and turn and run.  But instead, the cat turns into a small, furry worm or caterpillar, also dark grey.  So I pick it up and hold it in the cupped palm of my right hand, and I present it to Sensei.  Meanwhile, Sensei has also turned into a caterpillar, perhaps twice as large as the cat-caterpillar, and he has dozens of skinny wriggling legs that are about ½ inch long and orange-brown in color.  He begins eating the cat-caterpillar, which is now on the ground.

Dream: Tri-Lingual Squatter

I’m walking in the backyard, carrying a large gray storage bin.  There’s snow on the ground, and I’m walking along the treeline all the way to the back where some branches and pine needles fell due to a recent storm.

Just as I reach a gap in the treeline, the neighbor zooms out of the woods on his snowmobile.  He stops just in time to avoid running me over!  I shake my head angrily and keep walking.  They’re also doing major reconstruction on their property and seem to be intruding into my yard.

Now I’m back at the house.  The owners of the house are selling it, and they’re going away, so I’m house-sitting.  The buyer is there.  He’s from Florida, fit and sun-tanned.  He rode to the house on a racing bicycle.  I’m not sure how someone from Florida will want to live in a place that’s frozen almost half the year, but he seems adventurous.

Now I’m in the house.  I’ve been told that the former owner is still there.  But I’m a bit flabbergasted that he appears to be entrenched there as if he still owns the place.  This is the “complication” I’ve been told about.

He’s talking to himself.  He has a German accent.  So I say, “Hallo, wie geht es ihnen!”  Initially he says nothing.  He’s sitting in the middle of the couch, now.  And he notices that I’m looking at him expecting a response, so he pulls out first one earphone and then a second and explains, apologetically, “I’m listening to German in this ear (his right ear) and Italian in this one (the left).  They’re not quite in synch; the Italian is running a tad faster.”

Someone was in the process of making eggs on the stove.  But everyone has been distracted by this man, so the eggs are ruined, again.  Someone picks up  the large, bowl-shaped pan and turns it up-side-down back onto the burner.

I’m so astounded by this man that…

...I wake up.

NaBloPoMo 2019 Blog Roll -- Unofficial

This is the first year I’m participating in a “homeless” version of NaBloPoMo.  I miss the blogroll most of all.

As I search online for “NaBloPoMo 2019” I find a few bloggers toiling away in the vast vacuum of the blog-sphere (and even one on Live Journal).

Here are some I’ve come across:

Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
Asha Dornfest
Dannilion
Healing Through Connection
Drunk on Life
Tom Loughlin

I'm not interested in maintaining this year's NaBloPoMo blog roll, but if you'd like to be included (or removed), I'll try to find time to make the edit.

#NaBloPoMo2019

Cat Litter Review -- ökocat Dust Free Paper Non-Clumping

We tried ökocat non-clumping paper cat litter for a short while, as I wrote in my Nov 1 Halloween post.  We’d liked it for the following reasons:

Drains Very Quickly
We have one very Prolific Peer (PP).  His output is so voluminous that he can wet himself in a box full of quick-clumping litter.  As soon as his pee hits the clumping litter, it solidifies.  Then as his stream continues (and continues and continues) it forms a puddle that splashes up onto him.  But the non-clumping paper litter from ökocat drains very quickly, so our PP cat stays dry.

Totally Dust Free
There is absolutely no dust produced.  Period.

Light Weight
This is lightest litter I’ve ever used.

Compostable
Because it’s made from paper, it will eventually decompose, so it can be composted.  I dumped a bunch of it in the summer, but I don’t see it anymore.

Ubiquitous – even our grocery store carries it
I first discovered this cat litter in my favorite grocery store.  It was on sale, plus I had a coupon for it.  I happened to be looking for a non-clumping dust-free litter, so I decided to try it.  Then a while later I got concerned because there was none left, and I thought the store discontinued it.  But, no, it’s back on the shelf.

What we don’t like:

Odor Control
This litter reeked of pee within two weeks of my introducing it in our home.  The only solution was to dump it out.  I decided I didn’t want to have to replace it every two weeks, so I stopped buying it.  Except I still had one box left, which I used for my Halloween costume.

I plan to keep the one unused box.  It might come in handy to clean up liquid spills.  I’m fortunate that our two cars don’t leak oil – I wish I had a box of ökocat around when I had my Audi.

#NaBloPoMo2019

Cat Litter Review -- World's Best Clumping Formula

We have eight litter boxes set up in our home.  Two are on the main level; six are in the basement.

Currently we use World’s Best Clumping Formula cat litter in five of the boxes.  It's packaged in a green and black bag.  We like it for the following reasons:

Great clumping, even near the sides of the box
If you’re gonna scoop, you’ll want the clumps to remain intact and not fall apart as you perform your duty.  Compared with the two other clumping brands that we’ve tried (Tidy Cats and Naturally Fresh), World’s Best seems to form the most robust clumps.

Low cost
I’ve seen World’s Best priced as low as $1 per lb.  (In fact, we use our pet supplier’s “Auto Ship” service and get additional discount and free shipping.)  But what really matters is the cost per volume.  The 7lb bag is all you’ll need to fill one empty litter box.  It’s generally more expensive than Tidy Cats, but cheaper than Naturally Fresh.

Ubiquitous – even our grocery store carries it
It’s convenient if your go-to brand of cat litter is available at the local “Brick & Mortar” stores you regularly shop at.  Occasionally I’ll need an extra bag, or I might walk by and notice that it’s marked down in price.  While Tidy Cats also is widely available, Naturally Fresh is a bit harder to find.

Compostable
Because it’s made from corn, World’s Best will eventually decompose, so it can be composted.  It does take quite a long time for this, though, perhaps more than six months.  I suppose the same can be said for Naturally Fresh, although I’ve never tried it.  Tidy Cat is clay and is not considered compostable.


What we don’t like:

Dust
World’s Best claims to be 99% dust free.  What does that mean, exactly?  My guess is that if you put 100 units in a box, then over a period of time 1 unit of it will become airborne while 99 units remain in the box.  What’s the period of time?  The lifetime of 1 month, perhaps?  What are the units?  Weight?  Volume?  Nevertheless, it emits less dust than Tidy Cats and, I think, Naturally Fresh, which claims to be “virtually dust-free.”  This is the main reason we switched away from Tidy Cats and then from Naturally Fresh.  I’m still looking for a product with less of a by product of dust.

Slow to drain
We have one very Prolific Peer (PP).  His output is so voluminous that he wets himself because his stream splashes up from the puddle he produces.  This is the main reason we’ve started to swap out the clumping litter with non-clumping.  The non-clumping litter (Feline Pine) drains very quickly, so our PP cat stays dry.

Punctured Packaging
Occasionally we’ll get a bag that’s punctured.  So far, we’ve not had any brand new cat litter that’s been exposed to water.  But a couple of bags have leaked a small amount of product.  It’s always pretty obvious when you get a punctured bag – it tends to look as though it has air in it rather than “vacuum-packed.”

Corn
I’m not a fan of corn.  I can’t eat too much of it because it gives me joint pain.  I wonder if just breathing in its dust can bother me.  And what effect does it have on the cats?  We have one cat who needs anti-seizure medication and another that seems to have upper respiratory problems and eye discharge.  I’m hoping that they’ll improve as we transition to more non-clumping litter.

Slow Flow Through Scoop
I ended up buying a new scoop, one with a larger grid pattern, because this litter doesn't flow well through a typical scoop.  The granules are irregularly shaped, unlike the spherical granules that make up the clay litter I was accustomed to.

#NaBloPoMo2019

The Ban on Plastic Grocery Bags

Plastic bags haven’t been banned yet where I live.  However, my favorite grocery store recently eliminated single use bags.  Other stores in my area have imposed the 10 cent per bag fee.

When the bags were free, I’d use them to line my kitchen garbage can and collect waste from the cat boxes.  Now that I don’t get them, I’ve resorted to buying plastic bags for the garbage can.  (Interestingly, the bags I now buy cost $2 for a box of twenty, or 10 cents per bag, the same as the verboten grocery bag.)  As for the cat waste, I’ve found that both newspaper bags and produce bags (which are still free) work well enough for this.

According to Wikipedia, an organization has formed to lobby against bans on plastic bags.

It all seems so senseless to me.  Is there really a good alternative to plastic bags for kitchen waste?  What else would you use to contain used coffee filters, spoiled food, and grease-soaked paper towels?  Would you expect a paper bag to remain intact long enough to be carried out to a receptacle at the curb?

Or perhaps I’ve overestimated human efficiency and resourcefulness.  Maybe I’m part of a very small minority that now has to buy the same number of bags that I used to get for free.  Maybe all along most folks have been buying garbage bags and would just fling the free grocery bags out a window when they got home.

I think a more ingenious solution would’ve been to somehow mark each dispensed bag with a means to identify the person who received it.  Then when it’s eventually removed from where it was snagged in a tree, officials would know whose bag it was and levy a penalty against that person.

Well, in fact, these bags do have identifiers.  But of course they don’t identify the bag recipient; they identify the manufacturer.  If the plastic industry wants to continue manufacturing the bags, and consumers want to continue using them, why bother to fight them?  Just levy penalties against the manufacturers whose bags are found littering the environment.

What do you think?

#NaBloPoMo2019

Wednesday Weigh-In 20191106

Same numbers as last week. Too bad I couldn't resist that pint of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream last night.

#NaBloPoMo2019

Waist = 40.00"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Make Your Own Sauerkraut

"Forget that store-bought stuff.  It's pasteurized," my Naturopathic Doctor said.  We were talking about sauerkraut.

I thought I was buying good stuff, with nothing more than cabbage and brine.  But she was right, it was pasteurized.  The bottling process sterilizes the jar and the product, killing off all that healthy bacteria.

So after years of putting it off, I took the plunge and made my first batch in September.  I was delighted with the results!  It was crunchy, snappy, tart, lively but not at all unpalatable.

Here's a beginner recipe to try:

1 small organic cabbage head

1 large carrot

dried dill weed

small palmful of sea salt (about 2 to 3 teaspoons)

Slice the cabbage thin.  Then chop the slices into small bits.

Wash the carrot with a nylon brush and grate it.  (I don't peel carrots.)

Combine the cabbage and carrot into a large mixing bowl.  Add the salt and dust with dill until it looks right.  Mix and pound with a blunt wooden spoon until a mash starts to form.

Place it into a 32oz straight neck jar, such as a clean, empty tomato sauce jar.

Pound it down, leaving about 1/2 inch room at the top.  Add water to completely cover the solids.  Cover the top with a coffee filter or strainer and leave it in a dark cool place for about two weeks.

After two weeks, remove the cover and skim any suspicious-looking stuff off the top.

At this point it's ready to eat.  Screw the cap on and refrigerate for longer term storage.

My special additions include seaweed (after soaking in water for while I prepare the cabbage and carrot) and the powder from a few probiotic capsules.

Check this web page for more ideas: http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sauerkraut-2/

#NaBloPoMo2019

Easy-To-Make Gluten-Free Tortillas

The topic of home made Gluten-Free tortillas probably makes you wonder, “Corn Tortillas are gluten-free.  Why not just buy them?”

I did that for a while, but there are two problems with store-bought corn tortillas:

1. They have nasty-sounding ingredients in them (as do flour tortillas).
2. Corn causes pain in my joints.

So when I stumbled across the two-ingredient recipe at ElaVegan, I seriously considered trying it.  And when my local grocery store had the flour 25% off, I knew I was going to try it.

But I had my doubts.  “Oh, they’ll stick to the pan.”  Or, “they’ll fall apart when I turn them.”

But no, the recipe really is very easy.  If you can make pancakes, you definitely can make these.  It’s very forgiving in terms of how much water you use.  I started with the lower recommendation, which is for thick tortillas.  But as I continued, I kept adding water to see how thin I could make them.  The only limit I reached is when the batter got so runny, it ran to the side of the pan.  Yet, they still held together when I turned them.  I managed to get them a bit over 6" in diameter.  I used an 8" pan.

And despite using a “sticky” cast-iron pan, there was no sticking whatsoever when I applied a thin layer of vegetable oil to the pre-heated pan.

For the second batch, I happened to have a couple of old limes lying around.  They were so hard and shriveled, my wife gave up on them.  But I managed to get maybe 1/8 cup of juice out of them, which I added to the batter.  The juice gave a nice tartness to the tortilla.

Give it a try!

#NaBloPoMo2019

NaBloPoMo 2019

Back in November 2015, I started to celebrate National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) by posting daily for the entire month. But I dropped out early and haven't participated in another NaBloPoMo since.

Until this year.

Apparently the official "home" for NaBloPoMo now is the blog of Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents and can be found here: https://www.pghlesbian.com/category/nablopomo/

Thank you so much for hosting NaBloPoMo!  I hope I can join in, even though I'm not from Pittsburgh and I'm not lesbian!

#NaBloPoMo2019

Smart Dog

My wife and I were making the grocery list.

“We need more canned salmon.  I’ve been eating it, lately,” said my wife.

“Oh, do you make it like tuna salad?”

“No, I just eat it out of the can.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised.  “But it has bones in it!  Do you eat the bones?”

“Yes, I just mash them up, first.”

“Good.  They’re a good source of calcium,” I stated.

Suddenly our dog excitedly ran into the kitchen.  “What’s up with him?” asked my wife.

I smiled when I realized.  He heard us talking about bones.

Smart dog.

#NaBloPoMo2019

Halloween 2019 -- The Litterbox Costume

I dressed up as a litterbox yesterday.  This was an easy, low-cost outfit.

• Cardboard box – free (with a delivery from Petco)
• Okocat non-clumping paper litter¹ – about $3 (It was marked down and I had a coupon)
• New pooper-scooper – 97 cents
• Safety glasses – free (Household item)
• Dust mask -- free (Household item)
• Zip-Lock bag – free (Household item)
• Tootsie Rolls -- about $3
• Other Assorted Chocolate -- free (Household items)

The Okocat paper litter was a good choice for this project.  It’s extremely light weight, and the granules aren’t so small as to leak through any gaps in the box or in my pants.  I had some lying around because I tried it out with the cats, and I found that it would quickly get saturated with pee.  The entire litterbox had to be emptied and refilled with fresh litter about once a week.  This reminds me, I’m planning on writing a review of cat litters soon.

So, did you dress up for Halloween?  What was your costume?

#NaBloPoMo2019

---

¹ https://www.healthy-pet.com/products/dust-free-paper-natural-litter
² Photo credit: anonymous coworker

Wednesday Weigh-In 20191031

I've started on the Halloween candy a bit early this year!

Waist = 40.00"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20191023

It is said that if you were to chew food thoroughly, you might find meat to be unpleasant. It loses its flavor after a few chews, and you're left with a yucky blob in your mouth. That's what I'm discovering lately. And it reminds my of why I never liked steak when I was a boy -- I didn't have the knack of swallowing unchewed food way back then.

Waist = 39.75"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20191018

I made the Gluten-Free tortilla recipe featured on the ElaVegan website. It's so simple -- easier than making pancakes! My only issue was that my cast iron pan isn't completely flat. So as I added water to the mix to get thinner tortillas, each one would flow off to the edge of the pan. So I'll try another, smaller pan. And I have several limes lying around -- I might add lime juice to the batter.

Waist = 40.00"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20191009

I'm reading Paul Pitchford's "Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition." If there were such a thing as the ultimate diet, nutrition and lifestyle book, this would be it!

Waist = 39.75"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20191002

It's hard for me to believe that the previous Weigh-In occurred back in July! Weight is creeping back up, so I've got to curb my late night snacking.

Waist = 39.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

What's on Your Grill?

Hamburgers and hot dogs seem to be the usual barbecue fare.  Or folks might get adventurous and add some skewered vegetables alongside them.

Try something different this time.  Roast peppers!

At this time of year, a variety of peppers or chilies should be fairly inexpensive owing to their abundance.  In fact, the pile pictured on my charcoal grill below cost about three dollars.  In case you can't make them out, the pile consists of:

• One Poblano
• Two Jalapeño
• Two red Cubanelle
• Two orange Cubanelle

The process is very forgiving, and you can leave them on and forget about them a bit and still get a nice result.

I like to put them on while my coals are still on fire, and I add kindling to maintain the fire.  Once they're black and squishy, I drop them into a paper bag, seal the bag, and let them steam in there own heat.

Then I go get the Impossible Burgers and steaks and put them on.  When those are done, I peel the black skin off the peppers and squeeze out the seeds.

The grilling takes the spicy edge off the chilies and leaves them sweet and mellow.

Dream: The Big Fake Sneeze

I’m sitting in my car in the middle of a parking lot. It is evening, and an old slushy layer of snow covers the asphalt. There are a few police officers dressed in yellow slickers methodically clearing away the slush using snow shovels. I think to offer to help them, except I realize they’re looking for something in the slush.

The parking lot is for a venue that I’m at to help organize a party. I think I should offer to park the hostess’ car, which is now the car that I’m sitting in. So I start it up a drive over to the edge of the lot and begin to head in to a space facing the street. As I apply the brake, I find that I cannot stop the car entirely. It continues to move forward onto the grass regardless of the extreme pressure I apply to the brake. I figure that the car will stop due to the incline of the grass, but even that has less of a stopping effect than I expect. “Huh,” I think to myself. “This is typical of these Subarus.” Eventually I do stop, and from within the car, I’m able to view the car from outside the driver’s side door. I see that the front wheels have gone beyond the curb and are on the grass. This is strange since I didn’t feel such a large obstacle.

I get the car backed up and somewhat straightened out, and then leave the car to go inside the venue.

The woman who has hired us (my brother is also part of the planning team) is not there. But her three daughters are there. Two of the daughters are twins, and the third, non-twin daughter is the most lovely of the three. But I greet them and tell them how lovely all of them are.

They are emceeing the event, and it turns out to be an event for my birthday. “Gosh, I’m the guest of honor!” I suddenly realize. So now everyone’s attention is focused on me. A great cloud of smoke emanates from the emcee’s area from a large amount of incense that was just lit. As it approaches and I smell it, I begin to have the urge to sneeze. So I decide to exaggerate the sneeze to epic, cartoon-like proportion. I start the “Ahh, ahhh, ahhhh, AHHHH, AHHHHHH...” with dramatic crescendo and fight to keep my eyes from fluttering closed. And I really expect that I will sneeze at the end of all this. But just before the very climax, the urge to sneeze diminishes abruptly, and I expel the most pathetic fake sneeze the world has ever witnessed.

“Drat, I’ve let everyone down,” I think to myself.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190731

This time of year triggers Seasonal Affective Disorder in me. Sunrise arrives about a minute later each day; sunset a minute earlier. And the outdoor lights that run off a timer and that used to turn on well before dark are now turning on after sunset.

Waist = 38.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190722

Allergy season is approaching for me. My diet is somewhat clean now. But I've been caving in to the allure of ice cream. So I need to be careful!

Waist = 38.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190715

I gave away nearly all my 34" waist pants and shorts. At this point, I have to buy more because even the size 36" pants are too big.

Waist = 38.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Houseplants -- Outdoor Begonia and Geranium

Begonia and Geranium are classified as annuals by nurseries and garden centers.  However, they make excellent houseplants if given enough light.

As you can see below, I like to keep my flowering begonias and geraniums outside in bright sunlight when temperatures are well above freezing.  Then I bring them indoors during Winter and keep them in front of a South-facing window.

These plants are nearly like weeds.  They're easy to propagate by taking stem cuttings, and I've even managed to root leaf cuttings.  Geraniums tolerate neglect very well; some begonias, not so much.

Nurseries tend to heavily discount annuals in the Fall.  No normal person wants them at that time of year.  But SquarePegs are not normal -- we're happy to "adopt" a plant for a 90% discount.

Geranium in background; Begonia in foreground.  I've have this geranium for many years. The Begonia ("Bada Boom Mix") is new for this year.

Geranium from an old hanging plant, which most people would throw out in the Fall.

A Begonia that started out as a tiny, after-season discard. This is "Dragon Wing Red"

Moon Phase and Its Effect on Sleep

The article Evidence that the Lunar Cycle Influences Human Sleep was published six years ago, but I only just became aware of it today.  Nevertheless, I suspected as much.

I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea in 2006.  But lately I feel there's more to my sleep disturbances than just cessation of breath.  Some days I wake up after a mere four hours unable to get back to sleep.  Other nights I'll sleep for six hours.

So I think it's ridiculous that health insurance companies will limit coverage for a sleep study to a single one-night study over the member's lifetime.  How can a single study capture all the variations in someone's sleep patterns?

Maybe this study and others like it will motivate The National Sleep Foundation to advocate for policy change.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190627

Just another weigh-in.

Waist = 39.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190620

I cooked my first ever batch of Mung Beans over the weekend. They're a great substitute for lentils.

Edited on 2019-06-30 to add...

For this first batch, I cooked them according to the advice here, except that I omitted the garlic, and I rinsed the beans several times.

This is similar to how I cook rice, except I don't rinse rice, and mung beans require twice as much liquid.

My goal was to add them to some sort of cold grain salad dish, perhaps quinoa salad. But another family member finished that salad, and the beans came out overcooked, which made them a great candidate for filing a vegan Empanada.

They stunk quite a bit while cooking -- a musty earthy smell. I'm surprised that my housemates didn't complain about it, as they usually complain when I make ghee or hard boiled eggs. Anyway, I hope you try and enjoy them!

Waist = 39.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190605

I just found out that our cellphones need to be upgraded because they are "non-VoLTE." I was almost going to wistfully remark about how backward compatible landlines are until I realized that support for Pulse dialing (as in rotary phones) was dropped about ten years ago by our telcom. I never liked rotary phones, anyway.

Waist = 43.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190529

Another weigh-in.

Waist = 40.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190522

Most people focus on What to eat. But, like reporting news, What is just part of the story. Recall the "Who, What, Where, When, How, Why" of journalism? They apply to eating, as well. Yes, even Who, although, grammatically is Whom, and the question isn't "Whom do you eat?" but rather "Whom do you eat with?" Apparently, folks tend to eat more moderately when there are witnesses. This is true for me, too. If I'm alone in the break room with a box of donuts or birthday cake, there can be bad consequences. But if someone else is there, I'll avoid the temptation.

Waist = 40.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190515

I think I might write a diet book. DO you think you might want to read it?

Waist = 41.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190508

Just another weigh-in plus a blatant plug for my first and favorite cloud storage site:

Please join Dropbox using this referral link. You'll get 500MB free storage, and I'll get an additional 500MB of storage space.

Thank you!

Waist = 41.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190430

I keep falling asleep while trying to create this post. Yawn...

Waist = 41"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190425

I like the weight loss, but I'm still struggling with allergies.

Waist = 41.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190416

Mindfulness is an important part of dieting. When I don't pay attention while I eat, I tend to eat more than I need to. It's easy for me to keep eating until I reach a point of uncomfortable fullness. But when I pay attention, I'm aware of when I reach a point where I've had enough.

Waist = 41.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190410

I keep forgetting to measure my waist, so the measurements for this week and last are carried over from the previous measurement.

Waist = 43.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190403

I mentioned before that I am avoiding cold foods and raw foods in order to mitigate Spleen Qi Deficiency. But I'm also incorporating food combining principles. I often need to buy prepared food, and I've been even more frustrated than ever trying to find suitable prepared meals.

Eventually it dawned on me that if I chose non-dairy vegetarian (or vegan) meals, the food combining would be effortless.

So I use animal protein in my own cooking, and I buy vegan prepared meals.

Waist = 43.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190322

Recently I was diagnosed as deficient in Spleen Qi. It explains so much! Now I'm avoiding cold foods and raw foods. And I always thought raw was best.

Waist = 43.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190226

I've scaled back the daily dose of Nuvigil from a whole pill at 150mg to a half pill. As it built up in my system, my anxiety level became nearly unbearable. Also, I don't drink coffee too much anymore. I used to drink two cups in the morning. Now I have an Earl Grey tea or Pu-reh tea.

Waist = 43.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

The Magic of Suspenders

In December I made the switch from wearing a belt to wearing suspenders.

I had already bought pants with a larger waist to relieve the pressure on my abdomen.  But this meant that I had to wear a belt to keep the pants from falling down.  And a belt isn’t terribly effective if one’s waist greatly exceeds one’s hips.  So the new pants didn’t really change anything.  That’s when I decided to switch.

The first day that I replaced the belt with suspenders was magical.  I achieved the intended effect of relief around my waist.  But there were other improvements, too.

The first improvement was the illusion of becoming taller and slimmer.  With its two bold vertical lines replacing the single horizontal line of the belt, the suspenders had the same effect one gets by changing out of a sweater that sports horizontal stripes with another with vertical stripes.

The second improvement was that suspenders encouraged me stand more erect.  They reminded me that if I wanted to keep my pants in place, I shouldn’t slouch.  Better posture also made me taller and made me feel more confident.  And with the better posture, it was easier to suck in my gut.

The third improvement was style.  Before, I’d choose between a brown belt for khakis or a black belt for grey, black or navy blue pants.  But suspenders come in a much greater variety of colors and patterns, such as blue, red, gold, green, and solid, plaid, striped, argyle, that you can bring out an accent color from a plaid or checkered shirt.  Plus, you can find novelty suspenders that can show off your favorite hobby, passion or line of work.  For example, you can find themes of flyfishing, golf, camouflage, clovers, American flag, and the one that I chose, circuit board.

If you decide to make the switch, I strongly advise you to practice lowering your pants a few times lest you find yourself “in urgent need of a haircut”¹ and get stymied trying to drop your drawers quickly.

---

¹A euphemism on Car Talk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_Talk) for “desperately needing to go to the bathroom.”

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190207

Finally got the scale set up properly. The % body fat below is not carried over from prior weeks. Also, I resumed taking Nuvigil this week. I think I could give up coffee while on this stuff!

Waist = 44.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190130

Today's weigh-in comes right after I shoveled snow off the driveway. I weigh about thirteen pounds less than three weeks ago! So again I do not have correct readings for body fat because I didn't reconfigure the scale to remember me. And I didn't do a waist measurement.

Waist = 43.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190123

I lost so much weight so quickly that my scale didn't recognize me! It didn't report my body fat; the number below is from last week.

Waist = 43.25"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190116

Snickers now has a chocolate bar with layers of almond butter and caramel with almond bits. Wow.

Waist = 44.0"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190109

My latest thing is suspenders. I gave up on wearing a belt. They work only if your waist isn't as big as your hips. In my case, the belt was counter-productive.

So I've bought a few different colored suspenders and some pants with a larger waist band. It's strange that a size 37 waist fits great even though my waist is more than 40" around.

Waist = 43.5"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.

Dear APA -- Let's Rethink ADD

Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. (Attributed to Albert Einstein by author Matthew Kelly)

This is an open letter to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which came up with the term “Attention Deficit Disorder”...

How dare you!  I see myself as Perception Enhanced.  You so-called normal people have a deficit.  I can’t imagine how you can endure such a severely filtered experience.

My inability to block out distraction is my Superpower.  While I might not catch every word said to me in a conversation, I’ve listened to five other simultaneous conversations and determined that the car trouble that the woman is describing is probably due to a clogged fuel filter.  I’m referring to the woman in the red dress who’s standing by the window who’s been nursing the same drink for 45 minutes.

Also I’ve been hearing excess noise from the vacuum pump in the factory.  It sounds like the bearings are wearing out.  It’s been getting progressively worse over the last few weeks.  Why doesn’t anyone else know about it?

I’m wondering which of my idiot coworkers put the toaster oven right under the paper towel dispenser.  It’s an obvious safety hazard!

As well, why is the clock on the fax machine 1 hour 15 minutes ahead?  I can understand how it can be exactly 1 hour ahead as we’ve switched away from Daylight Savings Time 8 weeks ago.

What if Perception Enhanced individuals were in the majority?  You APA folks who are Perception Deficient would have to live in our world.  Suppose I were your boss: “Why didn’t you advise that woman to have her car’s fuel filter checked?  Why didn’t you have the pump serviced before it failed?  Didn’t you notice the sound it was making?  Relocate that toaster oven before it starts a fire!  Why haven't you fixed the clock on this fax machine yet?”

Anyway APA, instead putting so much energy into devising derogatory terms for us, tweaking diagnostic criteria, and developing treatments and therapies, you should direct most of your resources into changing society.  Promote acceptance of Perception Enhanced people and help us find ways to be rewarded for our strengths.

Wednesday Weigh-In 20190102

I'm starting up the weekly Wednesday Weigh-In for the new year. Note that I'm using a shorter value for height -- 5' 7" (170.2cm) instead of 5' 9". As a result, I'm starting out with a higher Body Mass Index (BMI). My "fighting weight" is 155lb.

Waist = 43.75"
Height = 5' 7"

References:

1. Wikipedia BMI page
2. Balance Body Composition Bath Scale
3. Javascript must be enabled to view the data.