Had my first physical therapy the other day. My SO drove me there, and the therapist was kind enough to let her tag along the exercises. We did a straightforward 20 minute stationary bicycle ride with intervals where my heart rate went through the roof in no time while hers was mildly raised. Mine did not go down much, hers went back down in no time. While my heart was racing I wasn’t out of breath, completely able to just chat while my heart was consistently over 150 bpm, which is also not what normal looks like. It was incredibly validating to see those completely different heart rates between her and I, doing the same exercise, finally having some proof that I’m not imagining things, and that I’m not okay.
Conversation I fucking hate that I have whenever COVID comes up "Ohhh! I'm so sorry that you're dealing with long COVID! When did you catch it?" "Tail end of February 2020." "Wow! That's, like, before COVID existed." "First verified case of COVID in the USA was two exits north in January. Second verified case of COVID in the USA was two miles east in January." "So did you ever, like, test for it?" "I spent two hours on the phone trying to get my insurance company to pay for the test, which was fifteen thousand dollars at the time. We had the tubes and could have done it immediately but my insurance company told me they wouldn't approve it without my PCP signing off. Spent another two hours trying to get ahold of my PCP who said they weren't testing anyone who wasn't in respiratory collapse in the back of an ambulance." "Oh wow. But, like, later?" "Later the Department of Health stopped all testing in the Seattle area under the rubric that since COVID was endemic to the area there was no point in testing." "But surely you took an antibody test..." "After six weeks I finally bullied my PCP into approving one, which came back negative. A week later it was one of the hundreds of antibody tests pulled by the FDA for having no efficacy." "So, like, you might not ever have had COVID." "Well according to my cardiologist it did about as much damage to me as a heart attack. And my pulse-ox was 95 or below for about eighteen months." "you know, people miss heart attacks all the time!" "Yep, you're right. I was running four miles a day and now I'm walking six because it's all in my head." "No need to be so touchy! I mean, when I had COVID I got a positive test immediately..." "You're right. I've never actually tested positive for COVID. Must be lupus or some shit." "Well did you wear a mask?" "Back in February of 2020? No. No I did not. Neither did you." "You don't know that - " "ಠ_ಠ"
Thought when I left academic life that I'd never have to write another grant proposal in my life. But I just put the finishing touches on the first draft of a small business grant to support by new drug company. Feels pretty good, actually. Free money is the best kind, so here's hoping. My friend who's on the Science and Tech committee (the committee who reauthorizes the SBIR grant program) is writing me a letter of support, so I doubt that hurts my chances. Good to know people, kids. Targeting quitting my job by summer's end, but that's still a hard sell to my wife. She's warming up though since she's seeing some success starting to trickle in. I've all but quit mentally however, and I'm more or less doing the bare minimum to not get fired (or to get fired by not in the next 3-5 months!). Never been the type to phone it in, but it doesn't feel that bad, tbh.
Made it to the other side, y'all. This is the first weekend since 1/1/2023 that I don't have plans to go 2+ hours away at least one day of the weekend. That might change...but I'm not dying for it to change. Last weekend I took a snowmobile up to North Cascades National Park for some incredibly stormy backcountry skiing, and now, I'm kind of done with winter and being wet and cold all the time. The part where we almost rolled the snowmobile on day one was real fuckin' stressful. Skiing was incredible though. Dating is going a lot better, I think? At least I feel mentally healthier about it but maybe that's because I give a fair amount less of a shit. - Went on a 2nd date with a girl Monday night, she's into cross-country skiing, yoga, and hiking, and is generally a very pleasant and attractive person. Might have slept with her, which I'm trying not to do with people on the first couple-few dates...but no complaints there. Going out again early next week. - Went on a 1st date last night with a climber girl who's actually down to earth with her climbing and has other interests, also attractive! Super fun night, figuring out when a 2nd date will happen with her. - Aaaaaand have a 2nd date this weekend with the girl I met at that concert a few weeks back.
I definitely found some improvements when I gave less of a shit. Seeing the dates as something standalone, rather than something that might, possibly, could one day build to something. If it continues to more dates, yay! If not, the date did what it said on the box. Nice work!
You're the third person to say that! A friend of mine who was in a similar situation a year and a half ago kept a spreadsheet where she listed names, # of dates, some conversation points, etc. I'm not quite at that level of sociopathy yet.
Definitely just joking. I'm sure you're smart enough to keep half a dozen names straight. Could easily mix up what was said to whom though. More power to you, I say. I couldn't do it, but I'm happy to live vicariously through you, so keep the updates coming.
First proper day of bike touring in Taiwan and I’m spent. We’re going about half the speed we hoped for or what is displayed on maps. So 5.5h turned into a 12h day (with stops and food). It’s gonna be brutal, but I still think it’s feasible. Maybe my sore body will disagree tomorrow. I guess we underestimated the difficulty of the trip. And I don’t remember last time I actually seriously exercised. The good thing is that Taiwan is the most convenient place ever. 711s with food and bathrooms about every 20 mins, and we can take an emergency train back anytime. So we’ll keep going and hopefully make better time by the end of it. Got a good fortune at the temple that was very positive - that my life is on the “up and up”. I didn’t think it meant hills!
We’re splitting hotel rooms, and it’s between 15-25$ per night per person. Not fancy but solid on the essential amenities like showers. Convenience stores are everywhere with surprisingly decent food and space to eat and bathrooms. So far, not very hilly but we’re only 1/4 done. I think the more hilly part is up ahead but since we’re not going inland we’re avoiding the big mountains. Cut out sunmoon lake because after our first few days it seemed too hard. It’s not easy, but probably the easiest bike touring possible, perfect for a first trip.
This weekend past I travelled up the island to do two things: 1) Attend Dramfest the NZ whisky festival 2) Go to the screening of Back to the Future, accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. So uh, trip report? I guess? I travelled up with my friend and his father. My friend and I would be sharing a hotel room. No biggie at all. Until the snoring began. It was like 3 rusty chainsaws spinning around the room. I've had broken bones I'd welcome back with open arms if it meant distracting me from that clarion call from hell. 4am I wound up in the hotel lobby, working on my next story because, why not try and be productive? 6am I ventured out into the early morning breeze to find some food, and when I got back at 7am, my friends father was in the lobby browsing his phone for breakfast options. He saw my face and knew immediately. He opened with "He's fucking loud, isn't he?" with considerable sympathy. The day kicked off quite well, the whiskies were set to be poured at 1pm, so we went shopping. Walked into a store that sold rolexes because my friend is really into them, got talking to the staff there. At first we got some odd looks because he is covered head to toe in tattoos and wearing the shirt of a black metal band he likes, while I was wearing rugby shorts and looked entirely beffudled by the items on sale. Anyway we got talking to one of the staff there. He noticed my accent in particular, a Southland accent, where the "r" is rolled aggressively. Work becomes "Worrrrrrk". He asked why we were up and we explained, the whisky! He stood from his table, disappeared for a moment and emerged with a bottle of Kavalan, a Taiwanese whisky I'd never heard of let alone tried. So at 10am we had started drinking. We never bought anything, he just poured a few drinks and talked to us about what we wanted to try. Turns out all the rolexes are so far on back order and my friend would be waiting 6 months to a year to get what he was after. I've no idea if that's accurate, but we got drinks out of it and went on our way. I visited Scorpio books, because it's an amazing book store with a huge variety. Picked up a couple I'll chuck into the next bookski thread that crops up. 1pm rolled round. The line to get into the convention went a few blocks, but the staff were very efficient and we basically walked non-stop to the front once the line began to move. -- Whisky. I took notes in a wee book they provided, and my chicken scratches read as follows: - Glenfarclas 12 years: - Cadrona Full flight: - Glenturrent peat smoked, 10 years: - Ardbeg, Uigeadail: - Kavalan classic: - Starward Nova: - Teeling Blackpitts: - Famous Grouse: - Buffalo Trace Stagg JR: - Glenfiddich Project XX: At that point I had tried my fill, and knowing I had to attend the BTTF orchestra that night, headed off to meet my brother for an early dinner. We went to a beer garden, in the upstairs section of the nearby market place (seriously, hotel, convention, marketplace and BTTF all within about 500m of each other, it was amazing). Pizza, beer to cleanse the palate, and we were off! -- Back to the Future. It was awesome. There was a model DeLorean in the foyer, I touched the wing door that was open. Soooo many people dressed as Marty McFly. Jeans, sneaker, the life-preserver. So many dorks thinking they're gonna drown! The orchestra were absolutely killing it, all the music was spot on. The conductor, at the beginning, encouraged us to clap, cheer and laugh whenever we felt like it. They seemed to be having such a blast performing. During this show, my friend messaged me asking if I could stay at my brothers rather than the hotel room. He had hit it off with a girl and wanted to take her back to the room. I'm sure he felt bad about asking, but I was ecstatic. "Absolutely" I replied, and after the show I gathered my things to have a proper nights sleep. The next day, rather than being disheveled and angry, I woke at 10am, helped my brother setup his lounge for the upcoming UFC fights (He's a huge fan, I just like the sudden and insistent advertising drops by the commentators. "This round bought to you by Toyo Tyr-OH MY GOD WITH THE GUILLOTINE!"). Watched fights, wrote some more, had many snacks. Just had a lazy day. Eventually I had to drive down south though, so I was taken back to the hotel, met with my friend who unfortunately had not been successful in his venture. He was feeling quite bad now that he was sober, sans girl and also sans his friend. But I didn't mind. Not one bit. Plus I got to hang with my 8 month old nephew, who has the most kissable cheeks you ever did see. So yeah, good trip. Lotta whisky. Lotta music.'Tasty, why so famous?'
'Fucking excellent. Going back for more.'
then '$275 for a 500ml bottle. Unsure if feasible. Will try again.'
'The name has the word Turret, so I had to try. Not great, but not awful. Mellow compared to my usual peated faves'
'The GOAT. Like being punched in the face by a campfire.'
I tried the whole line up, so unsure if I wrote this for all of them, or just the Uigea. I really like my smoky whiskies.'Tasty. Hints of drinking at 10am in a rolex store.'
I specifically went to find the stall to see what else they had, but the classic we got offered was the best of the bunch there.'Made in Melbourne. Very sweet, welcoming. Could offer this to a few people. Or hoard it for myself.'
'Not bad. Weak smoky flavour, would like more. Ardbeg revisit?'
'Lol'
I famously dislike Famous Grouse. Just does nothing for me. Story about their stall, they had a small rugby ball game setup. Where you had to stand behind a line, and throw the ball about 15 metres to get it through a small hole to 'win'. I watched a few people give it a good effort, with some loud rugby-type lads cheering all the missed throws. I stepped up, flick of the wrist and it was in the hole. The lads yelled "he's a player, make him use his bad side!'. But any committed player can pass with either hand. So I switched hands, got it in again. There was no prize. I am kind of glad, it might have been more Famous Grouse. Moving on!'Strong, a little overpowering. Oh it's 64%. That'll do it.'
'Tasty, about what I expected'
We agree about BttF and whisky! Most Ardbegs are delicious. We tried one of their stunt whiskys last week and it was not very good. Uigedaill is angry scotch. I love it. My basic-bitch whisky at this point is Wee Beastie 'cuz it's cheap enough to drink without reverence. Every Teeling I've ever had was also "not bad." Nothing I've ever revisited. Famous Grouse is well whisky. It's good for Rusty Nails, not much else. Glenfiddich is girl whisky. I find that women prefer blends because they're smoother and sweeter, and girls will prefer Glenfiddich over any other single malt in a taste test. So you might as well keep a bottle around rather than Johnny Walker. Considering our tastes are similar you should probably try Laphroag at some point. It's one of the peatiest by far; it's also my dad's favorite so I've avoided it ever since adopting Ardbeg as my spirit animal.
Was the stunt Ardbeg, Ardcore? If so, I also didn't think much of it when I tried it over the weekend. Enough so that I didn't include it in the notes. A damning result, that. Oh man Laphroaig was my introduction to peated whisky. I have a 10 year and a triple wood (bit of extra kick) variety. Big fan! I keep an Ardbeg and a Laphroaig in the cupboard for visiting family/friends who like the smoke. Have you tried Caol Ila? I have a 12yr bottle and it is scrumptious, just a little different to the others. Less smoke, a little smoother, but all the components are still there. One I have never tried, but want to, is Lagavulin. I hear good things. The down side of this love of whisky, it's expensive. The plus side is, I don't really drink that often. I bust out a bottle for an occasion/visitors, but rarely more than one dram.
Yeah. Roasted black malt. Tasted like Ballantynes. Caol ila is good but when I had it, it didn't make me go oooooooh. My cousin absolutely adores Lagavulin. I find it's pretty expensive for what it is? But it is delicious. Like you said, whisky is expensive. On the plus side that generally keeps you out of "bender" territory? We've got a local here that has an... extreme backlist. They have two different kinds of Penderyn and allow me to say with no quaver in my voice that if elves made whisky, it would taste like this. I tried some Israeli stuff too and it was good, but not really worth repeating? If anything else it's refreshing that you can get local, decent whisky damn near anywhere now.Was the stunt Ardbeg, Ardcore? If so, I also didn't think much of it when I tried it over the weekend. Enough so that I didn't include it in the notes. A damning result, that.
Penderyn has been on my "to try" list for a while. Our local bottle-o stocks it, alongside an impressive range overall. I have avoided that store because an acquaintance worked there, and he's essentially modeled his entire personality off Trump. The one time I braved it while was working a shift, he told me I was looking fat, weak, and that it must be that woman of mine messing with my masculinity. I was the lightest I've ever been, the strongest I've ever been, but I suppose my partner had certainly thrown my understanding of masculinity under the bus. Though I'm quite pleased with the results. Anyway, I snuck in there recently to get a bottle of spiced rum I'm keen on mixing with coke, and turns out he was let go about 4 months back. Something about abusing his boss (a woman) and customers (also women). Penderyn here I come!