Vital Statistics

Lower deck finished

Bike miles in 2022: 0

Aches & pains: sciatica, right shoulder, left knee

Current reading: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Recent listening: Talking Heads, Making Sense with Sam Harris, Very Bad Wizards

Recent viewing: Air Disasters, Call the Midwife, Seinfeld, Five Days at Memorial, The Patient

Recent playing: Wordle, Quordle, Duotrigirdle

Recent events: Columbia River Gorge adventure, annual birthday party, first public performance, Thomas visited, new glasses (goggles)

Visited family in Iowa, Graham & Kate got engaged, several family members got Covid

Recently accomplished: Finished replacing lower deck, fixed ice maker, cleaned shed roof, carpet cleaning

Imperative To Do: Fix the Spector, fall lawn care, clean the gutters, paint touch-ups

Vital Statistics

With my mom in Iowa

Bike miles in 2022: 0

Aches & pains: sciatica

Current reading: The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

Recent listening: Hidden Brain, Planet Money, This American Life, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Making Sense with Sam Harris

Recent viewing: The Sandman, Stranger Things, Hustle, For All Mankind, Surface, Trying, Five Days at Memorial, Black Bird, Synecdoche New York

Recent playing: Wordle, Quordle, Duotrigirdle

Recent events: Visited family in Iowa, Graham & Kate got engaged, several family members got Covid

Recently accomplished: Deck demolition, credit card churning, new glasses, yard debris disposal, landfill trip, lumber purchase, bought “new” grill

Imperative To Do: Lower deck replacement, fix ice maker, clean shed roof, clean gutters, fix the Spector

Vital Statistics

Bike miles in 2021: 0

Aches & pains: sciatica (left thigh tingling, waking from sleep on my back, morning stiffness)

Current reading: Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe

Recent listening: The House Song by Beta Band, Come Together by The Beatles, Accidental Tech Podcast, Hidden Brain, WTF Podcast (Kristen Hersh), Very Bad Wizards, Making Sense with Sam Harris

Recent viewing: Mythic Quest, The Mosquito Coast, Hacks, Childrens Hospital, Lakers vs. Suns playoffs, Miranda, 1971: The Year That Music Changed

Recent playing: Mini Motorways

Recent events: Started bass lessons with Graham, annual physical (all good), bought an RB60 spreader

Recently accomplished: opened Roth IRA, planted sunflowers, cleaned the floors, poa trivialis removal, compost harvest, switched mobile carriers

Imperative To Do: ride bike, store CD boxes, contact kitchen contractor for warranty items, clean gutters, visit J&J

Vital Statistics

Bike miles in 2021: 0

Aches & pains: subconjunctival hemorrhage

Current reading: Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe

Recent listening: Paul’s Boutique by Beastie Boys, Hidden Brain, Making Sense with Sam Harris, Women and Children First by Van Halen

Recent viewing: Young Wallander, Wallander, The Crown (season 4), Hinterland, Evil, Manhunt, The Professor and the Madmen, Star Wars (episodes 1-9), The Mandalorian (season 2), The Flight Attendant, The Undoing

Recent playing: n/a

Recent events: Election Day, Thanksgiving, mortgage refinance, shaved, Xmas vacation, fitted for hearing aids, bought Apple Watch Series 6

Recently accomplished: survived 2020, replaced living room couches, bought a new refrigerator (delivery pending), replaced CPAP machine, dryer duct inspection, roof replacement estimates, installed standing desk, gave away most of my books

Imperative To Do: finish unpacking boxes, transfer IRA to Vanguard, finish office re-organization, finish laundry room re-organization, finish the kitchen story, ride bike

Vital Statistics

Bike miles this year: 74

Aches & pains: right foot

Current reading: n/a

Recent listening: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Radiolab

Recent viewing: Workin’ Moms, Arrow (season 2), Space Force, Last Week Tonight, Amazing Stories

Recent playing: n/a

Recent events: COVID-19 test, colonoscopy, discovered poa trivialis in the back yard, workplace promotion

Recently accomplished: lawn care, filed insurance claim for kitchen

Imperative To Do: Clean roof and gutters, finish lingering projects, health insurance negotiations, trim arbor vita

COVID-19 Drive-Thru Testing

Because I have a minor medical procedure at the end of this week, I had to get tested for COVID-19 today. I was tested at a drive-thru location near the Providence Portland Medical Center. It’s right across the Banfield in a parking lot that is probably a shuttle parking location for the hospital. My instructions during a phone call the night before were “Bring your ID and a tissue.”

The parking lot has three stations, each manned by several people under a canopy. At the entrance to the the parking lot is a security guard who waved me towards the first station. A lady at the first station held up a sign that told me to roll up my window (which I had rolled down as I pulled in). After I did that, she held up another sign instructing me to place my driver’s license against the window. I did so.

She consulted a clipboard and then waved me on to the next station. At the next station, the first sign asked for me to hold my license against the window again. After they confirmed who I was, the next sign instructed me to blow my nose. After I did so, they waved me on to the final station where a woman wearing a mask and face guard waited.

Again, I placed my driver’s license against the window and she confirmed my identity matched the test kit she held in her hands. She then asked me to roll down my window and then told me to place my hands on the steering wheel and  lean back in my seat. She briefly described the procedure which involves swabbing your nasal passage. She said it would be uncomfortable but it would be over in 10 seconds. I nodded and closed my eyes.

What followed was the most intensely uncomfortable 10 seconds of my life. It was astounding just how… intense it was. “Wow” I said when I opened my eyes. I then thanked her, rolled up my window and drove off. “Wow”, I repeated to myself several times. I could feel the effects in my nostril acutely for at least 5 minutes after and can still feel it slightly two hours later. Wow.

Results take 3-4 days which will be just in time for my procedure on Friday.

Vital Statistics

Bike miles this year: 579

Aches & pains: shoulders, lower back, ankles

Current reading: Getting Things Done

Recent listening: WTF with Marc Maron, Bruce Springsteen, Hidden Brain, Making Sense, Lawns Across America, Radiolab

Recent viewing: The Corner, Good Omens, Blood, Frets and Tears, Captain Beefheart: Under Review, John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky, Murder Mystery, The Bill Murray Stories, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction

Recent playing: Bloons 6

Recent events: Independence Day party, iPhone cracked screen fixed, lowest A1C since diagnosed, spring HVAC inspection, eye doctor appointment

Recently accomplished: Rebuilt a bike for Graham, end of fiscal quarter, dosed cats, replaced outdoor faucet, pressure washing, hauled away junk

Imperative To Do: Ride 75 miles in a week, read more, clean roof and gutters, organize video game stuff, finalize Iowa vacation plans, finish pressure washing, seal driveway cracks. Take a look to ProClean Pressure Washing take pride in their work and have provided commercial and residential power washing Bradenton.

Vital Statistics

Bike miles this year: 235

Aches & pains: shoulders and neck

Current reading: Getting Things Done

Recent listening: Dissect podcast, Radiolab, The Ezra Klein Show, Coverville, Sam Cooke

Recent viewing: Avengers: Endgame, The Goldbergs, SNL, Adam Ruins Everything,

Recent playing: Bloons 6

Recent events: Bike Farm, multiple concerts at Lewis & Clark, first anniversary at Lightspeed, Dom’s 40th Birthday party

Recently accomplished: hearing evaluation, planted grass, carpet cleaning, rode 50 miles in a week, filed (and paid) 2018 taxes, resolved pharmacy issues, completed foundation grade adjustments, office reorganization

Imperative To Do: Ride 100 miles in a week, read more, finish cleaning Big TV room, clean roof and gutters, resolve CPAP supply issues, organize video game stuff, find time for developing personal projects

Daily Habit Goals, July

[table]
Time[attr style=”width:50px”],Action
06:00,Wake
06:15,Get out of bed
,Clean bite guard
,Blood sugar
,Medications
,Water cats
06:45,Ride to work
7:45,Shower
8:00,Coffee
,Peanut butter toast (15g carbs)
,Work
12:30,Lunch (60g carbs)
13:00,Work
16:00,Ride home
17:30,Meditation
18:00,Chores
18:30,Dinner (60g carbs)
19:00,Free time for…
,…Music
,…Chores
,…Reading books
,…TV
21:15,Brush teeth
,Bite guard
,Bed
[/table]

Vital Statistics

Bike odometer: 1385

Aches & pains: Right shoulder (last week)

Current reading: The Swift Programming Language

Recent listening: WTF with Marc Maron, Accidental Tech Podcast, This American Life, Radiolab

Recent viewing: Westworld, NBA Finals, Billions, My Next Guest…, The Break with Michelle Wolf, Evil Genius

Recent playing: Picture Cross

Recent events: Thomas moved home

Recently accomplished: 36 miles/week riding, planted grass, new rear wheel, paid bills, installed AC, doctor’s appointment, vacuuming

Imperative To Do: 100 miles/week riding, plant grass in bare spots, clean roof, manual insurance claims, lawn border, buy tickets for August wedding, bariatric surgery