I snapped this while we waited for the Wailers to play at the zoo Wednesday evening. It gets chilly when the sun goes behind the bandstand so I brought my sweater from the office and this shirt which I wear when I’m biking. For some reason, Graham was a little camera shy at that moment.
Hawkeye
Bloxorz
Here’s another little time waster. Took me forever to get past level 6 but I made it to 8 so far.
Update 6/27: After Thane finished all 42 levels, I felt compelled to continue. I’m now up to Level 15.
Update 6/27, part II: While working Level 15, I couldn’t get the space bar to switch blocks so I started pressing other keys. Inadvertently, I clicked an advertisement link. When I backed up to the game, it sent me back to the beginning. I had not written down the codes for any levels. Waaaaah!
Update 6/28: Stage 20 (543019)
Update 7/2: Stage 23 (293486)
Update 7/3: Stage 29 (691859)
Update 7/8: Stage 30 (280351)
Update 7/9: Stage 32 (879021)
Update 7/10: Stage 33 (614955)
Idaho Stop Sign Law
Bike Portland has an interesting article about the “rolling stop sign” bicycle law in Idaho including an excellent letter from the Idaho Transportation Department. As a daily bike commuter, I wholeheartedly approve of such legislation and hope it comes to pass in Oregon.
Mole surfing
Here’s my Monday morning Flash diversion. I scored 1232.2m and here’s the proof:
Morning Bike Commute
Distance: 6.6 miles
Riding time: 36 minutes
Max speed: 20.2 mph
Average speed: 10.8 mph (12.1 max)
Temperature: 59º
Route:
- 162nd to Halsey to Gateway Transit Center
- MAX to NE 7th Ave
- NE 7th to NE Lloyd Blvd.
- Lloyd to Waterfront Bike Path
- Crossed the Steel Bridge
- Zig zag to Broadway
Faces in a crowd
Christensen
Yesterday morning I was in the midst of making a movie of the Iraq Names Project when I was stopped dead in my tracks by this. It’s unlikely that it is someone that is related to me and even less likely it’s someone I know, but the name “Christensen” always draw my attention. Here, moreso than ever before.
Oregon Reddit
Portland Social Media explains what Oregon Reddit is and why you might like to join. Thanks to PAgent for turning me on to it last week.
Doctor, doctor, give me the news
For several years now I have been paranoid about developing Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes. My paternal aunts all developed it and so has one of my cousins (on both sides). Being overweight puts me at a higher risk, too. In recent years I’ve noticed what I imagined to be symptoms including slow healing of injuries and the occasional negative reaction to large amounts of sugar. After my sister, Mardy, developed it a couple of years ago, I felt sure I was going to get it if I didn’t have it already. However, I pushed it to the back of my mind and didn’t get tested because I was afraid of the results.
This year, though, with Tina’s help I’ve really gotten my weight under control and I feel healthier than I have in recent years. So when I called to schedule an annual checkup with my doctor, I requested a glucose test. It was finally time to take control of the situation and deal with the consequences, if necessary.
On Tuesday I arrived at my appointment early after fasting for 12 hours per doctor’s instructions. Fortunuately, I did not have to do the glucose tolerance test. Instead, it was just a simple blood test and the doctor would call with the results that night. He warned that a high glucose concentration combined with other factors would also put me at a higher risk for heart disease. One of those factors was also blood cholesterol so they tested for that, too.
Blood glucose levels while fasting are considered “normal” when they fall below 100. 140 and above is considered diabetic and everything in between is a gray area which would probably indicate the eventual development of diabetes. My blood glucose level was at 97 for the test. That’s very good and I’m pleased. The doctor was surprised and wants to have a second test done where they measure my blood glucose two hours after I eat a high calorie meal (or the highest calorie meal of my day). I’ll probably have that done when my regular doctor gets back from his stint in Africa (long story).
The blood cholesterol story was almost as good. My triglyceride levels were at 103 which is well under the 150 threshold for concern. My “good cholesterol” level was 46 which is in the healthy range of 40 to 60. My “bad cholesterol” level was 108 which is in the “near optimal” range. “Optimal” is considered to be 100 and below.
So the news was almost uniformly great and if I can lose more weight it will continue to get better.