64F/HW239/SW217/CW203. I can’t help but think that the processed and fast food industries are going to hate these drugs long term. It will be a few years, however, these drugs will get better and insurance companies will eventually cover for weight loss because it will save them money in the long run. Once that happens, it’s game on. Many, many folks will be on these drugs. It’s early on with the new scripts strictly for weight loss so I expect that to grow exponentially. I have always been a fast food junky. McDonald’s #2 large was my go to when I was out and about. Pulling up to the drive through and getting a hit of salt, fat and processed everything was exactly what my brain told me I needed to be satiated. Now I drive by and wave remembering how these industries have destroyed health in today’s world. I’ve been around a while and have watched that food pyramid change drastically due to bad data in the form of peer reviewed studies that told us carbohydrates such as pasta and bread were good for us and fat was the enemy. I can’t tell you how many fat free cookies I ate in the 90s when we were told fat was the culprit. Do they even make them anymore? I now crave healthier foods for the first time in many, many years. I will choose a salad with a protein over Mac and cheese. Wow, that’s something completely different occurring in my brain. I had no idea how powerful the relationship is between my gut and my brain. I’ve been taking Zep for 6 weeks now. My husband worries I’m not eating enough. I am eating 1200 calories, but that just shows how much I was overeating, constantly chasing satiety but never really finding it. I also feel better than I have felt it 10 years.

My husband and I moved to our current 2 bed/2 bath apartment a few years ago. The appeal was that it was in a nice neighborhood, the rent was fair, the other tenants were mostly seniors or small families, nice and quiet, friendly maintenance staff, and great amenities.
For the first few years it was wonderful. The sound proofing in the walls is the best I've ever had - I can't hear my neighbors unless I'm right in front of the door. I feel very safe walking around on the trails that run by our building at any time of day/night and the forest next to us usually has some interesting wild life coming out (turkeys, deer, rabbits). Best of all was the camaraderie we built with our neighbors.
People look out for each other, come and knock on your door if your car light was left on, share spices, and one lady below us who has become my adopted grandmother organizes potlucks for people who want to hang out and get to know each other. Each of these potlucks ends in an exchange of recipes because the food brought is GOOD. I proudly bring the meat course at these :-)
And then the neighbor in 334 moved in. 334 had one woman with 3 small kids under 10 and a guy that's sometimes there although I'm not sure if it's always the same guy. At different times of the day or night, you can hear yelling, screaming, and things breaking. The first time surprised me because I usually don't hear my neighbors unless it's small kids giggling/laughing when they walk through the hallway past my door which is normally brief.
This was LOUD. She'd yell the most vulgar things and they would start hitting each other and throwing things at each other which always spills into the hallway. One of them would bang on our doors to get let in and escape the other (no one opened their door). It would last for at least 30 minutes and when things quieted down we'd peek outside and see a mess of all the broken things they threw at each other in the hall - articles of clothing, electronics, and food.
I spoke to the apartment manager and she knew about the situation but due to tenants rights in our state, they can't just immediately evict them. They had to follow certain procedures and asked us to call the police and also them so that they can document enough incidences to formally file the paperwork to evict.
I'm someone who prefers not to call the police on neighbors unless it's really necessary. I wound up calling the cops 5 times on them. One time resulted in the woman's arrest because she got aggressive with the cop that showed up (I called because the kids were screaming and crying while it sounded like violence was happening). Another time I was on my way back to my apartment from taking my pup on a potty break and I ran into them in the hallway as she was threatening the guy with a big kitchen knife. I felt scared in that moment. The guy tried to involve me by pointing out that I was there and she was waving that thing around so aggressively that I was relieved to slowly inch towards my door and make it back home. I can understand how people get killed by simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The mood completely changed at our apartment. I'd peek out in the hallway to see if 334 were there before making my way out. People stopped hosting the potlucks at the clubhouse because we weren't sure when one of their epic public fights would erupt and we felt safer in our homes. After many calls to the cops and leasing office they finally got evicted but it looks like they're gonna squat in the place until forcibly removed.

Y’all, I’m really not sure what’s still around. This list is somewhat edited, but please still make sure to check on all the regular events before you make big plans – I may have missed something.
Events are listed by the day. Events that happen every week appear first, one time stuff after that. If you have anything you’d like people to know about, comment here or message me and I’ll add it in. If you’d like further info about any of the events, look it up! I usually don’t have any extra to add.
Large Scale, Ongoing, and Multi-Day Events

Local Running, Walking, and Biking Info: https://troubleafoot.blogspot.com/
Guided Paddling Outings all around the area: https://www.facebook.com/hsmithoutdoors
Tallahassee Film Society Showings: https://www.tallahasseefilms.com/tickets/
Book Clubs for all tastes: https://www.facebook.com/midtownreadeevents
Live Theater:

• Making Light Productions: https://www.makinglightproductions.org/
  
• Theatre Tallahassee: https://theatretallahassee.org/
  
• Mickee Faust Club: https://www.mickeefaust.com/
  
• Monticello Opera House: https://www.monticellooperahouse.org/
  
• FSU School of Theatre: https://theatre.fsu.edu/productions/
  
• Young Actors Theatre: https://www.youngactorstheatre.com/
  
• Quincy Music Theatre: https://quincymusictheatre.com/
  
• Tallahassee Hispanic Theater: https://tallahasseehispanictheater.wordpress.com/
  

OutdooFarmer’s Markets:

• Lake Ella Grower's Market: Wednesday and Saturday, 11am-2pm. You can always find organic vendors, and foragers: The Holistic Cannabis Community, Artzi Farms, Hickory Nut Gifts, and others. Including Pita Queen! Farmer's Market Nutrition Program Coupons gladly accepted!
  
• Tallahassee Downtown Market: Saturdays, 10am-2pm, Park Ave Parks. Vendors display their arts and fine crafts, jewelry, handmade soap, pottery, Fresh from Florida produce, hand-raised beef and pork, fresh baked bread, jams and jellies, and honey. Live music from different local musicians every Saturday.
  
• Frenchtown Heritage Market: 524 N MLK Jr Blvd. Third Saturday of the month 10am to 2pm. Come grow community and support your local farmers and makers, while you get your groceries for the week! Don’t forget! We match SNAP/EBT, so you DOUBLE your money to go towards locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables! If the guy with the pineapple is there, get it. This is currently only happening on the third Saturday of the month for the next few months while road work is completed.
  
• Tallahassee Farmers Market: 2904 Kerry Forest Pkwy, Saturdays, 8am to Noon. Come see us at Tallahassee's longest-running farmers market! We are a year-round market, featuring local farms and vendors that provide the best seasonal produce, meats, baked goods, and more. We welcome you and your whole family (leashed pets included) to come out and meet your local farmers! Ample parking is available between our lot and the shopping center lot next door (by Red Elephant). Come early for the best selection.
  

THURSDAY, 5/16

• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Bingo. 6pm
  
• Dreamland BBQ: Weekly Open Blues Jam. If you'd like to sing, please bring your own mic. 6pm
  
• Honest Living Vape: Chess-Master Thursdays . Beginners and experts, join us every Thursday from 6-9 for Chess-Master Thursdays. All ages. Bring your board or play ours! Tournaments coming soon! 6pm
  
• Lake Tribe: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Takko Market Square: Bingo Night. 7pm
  
• The Getaway Grille and Bar: Karaoke with Jared Walker. 7pm
  
• Amicus Brewing: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Smitty's Taphouse: Trivia Lab Thursdays. Teams of 6 or fewer players can compete for $30 / $20 / $10 Prizes + The Golden MacGuffin prize table! New format! Interactive smartphone answering for your comfort and safety! 6 Fun Rounds - 42 Total Questions. 7:30pm
  
• Studio D: Bachata Fever. We always have a bachata workshop at 8 pm before Bachata Fever. We dance afterwards to the sounds of DJ Bacharod. The class is at 8 pm and Bachata Fever will start at 930 pm. Many times people are learning in class and may feel uncomfortable social dancing while they are still learning moves. We have a welcoming environment so stay and have fun and dance with everyone. That is how we learn. 8pm/Class $5/Bachata Fever $5.
  
• The Sound Bar: Comedy Night. 8pm
  
• Finnegans Wake: Open Mic. 8:30pm
  
• Brass Tap in Midtown: Karaoke with DJ Rah. 9pm
  
• 926: Karaoke. 9pm
  
• Bird’s: Karaoke with Nathan. 9pm
  

• Fire Bettys: Slasher Bash. This week we'll be showing: "Zombeavers". Prepare for an evening of horrific hilarity with comedy narration and devilish drinking games!🍻 Hosted by local comedians. 8pm/21+
  
• Blue Tavern: Seep's Gumbo Nation ft. Shanice Richards. 8pm
  

FRIDAY, 5/17

• Blue Tavern: Happy Hour with Steve Malono. 5pm
  
• Lake Tribe Brewing: Flannel Fridays with Live Music. 6pm
  
• Hobbit West: Friday Night Dart Tournament. Anyone can Enter! Sign ups at 7:30, Darts fly at 8:00/$10 entry fee
  
• Ouzts Too: Karaoke with DJ Nathan. Best karaoke DJ in town. 8pm
  
• Just One More: Karaoke with DJ Rah. 9pm-11pm/21+
  
• 926: The Hot Friday Night Party and Drag Show. 9pm/$5/18+
  

• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Rachel Hillman. 5:30pm
  
• Lake Tribe: Ben Wentworth. 5:30pm
  
• Amicus Brewing: The Tanglers. 6pm
  
• The Getaway Grille and Bar: One Year Anniversary Celebration Featuring Queen of Hearts Band. 6pm
  
• Southwood Golf Club: The Rhythm Remedy. 6:30pm
  
• Goodwood: The Big Bash Havana Nights presented by Brent Hartsfield. The Big Bash is Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend's signature fundraising gala of the year and directly supports the agency's youth mentoring programs. Guests will enjoy Cuban Cuisine, champagne mojitos, cigars, flights, classic cars, photo opportunities, silent auction vacation packages, LIVE music and dancing, and an exciting LIVE salsa dance performance from 12 community volunteers! The event is a tremendous networking opportunity for Tallahassee's top business professionals, local community leaders and philanthropists to come together to enjoy an evening to celebrate the achievements of Big Brothers Big Sisters. 7pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Wil Fulkerson Jazz Night. 8pm
  
• House of Music: Belly Dancing: Journey From The Nile To The Tigris. Habibi, join us on a groovy carpet ride across ancient deserts: Disco Iskandar embarks on a voyage of belly dance, folklore, cinema, and history in a theatrical dance production, JOURNEY FROM THE NILE TO THE TIGRIS. Highlighting the prominence of belly dance in films of the Middle East from the 1940s through the 1970s, we present a live showcase exhibiting dances from Egypt, Turkey, Iraq, and beyond. It goes so much deeper than you think. Hookahs! Swords! Rhinestones, literally everywhere! This cross section of entertainment and education is the culmination of years of obsessive learning, two national tours, and travels to Egypt & Lebanon. JOURNEY FROM THE NILE TO THE TIGRIS is a trip unlike any other-- where the Middle East meets Vegas. This show’s cast is Gabi Corazon, Gia Bee, Liz Azi, Olya Clark, Vania Ojeda, director Veronica Lynn, and special guest star Omaris! 8pm/$15/21+
  
• The Sound Bar: The Old Schoolers. 8pm
  
• Vino Beano: Your Scumbag Neighbors. 8pm
  
• The Bark: Medians, No Yeah, Sleep John B, and Cloud Storage. 8pm
  

SATURDAY, 5/18

• Brinkley Glen Park: Invasive Plant Removal. Join Master Gardener Volunteers at this weekly invasive plant removal event. This is a great way to learn to ID our invasive plant species and how to remove them. We recommend wearing long pants and sleeves, closed-toed shoes, gloves, a hat and mosquito spray. Bring gardening tools such as hand clippers, loppers, trowels, etc. if you have them. We are removing coral ardisia bushes and berries, nandina, tung trees, Tradescantia flumenensis, cat's claw vine, winged yam, Japanese climbing fern, skunkvine and more. Directions: The best way to get there is to take Meridian Rd to Waverly Rd, go to the next intersection and turn left onto Abbotsford Way, then turn left at the next road called Woodside Dr. At the stop sign turn left onto Lothian. Lothian ends in a cul-de-sac and there is a sign that says Brinkley Glen Park. 8:30am-11:30am
  
• Gamescape: Saturday Gaming. Gamescape has relocated from Railroad Square to the Huntington Oaks Plaza (Suite 302, next to the Library) at N Monroe St and Fred George Rd. Open gaming tables are available. Noon-6pm
  
• Duke’s and Dottie’s: Line Dancing Plus Lessons. 7pm/21+
  
• Bird’s Oyster Shack: Laughterday Night Fever. * Join us every Saturday at Bird's Aphrodisiac Oyster Shack for a free comedy show!* 8:30pm
  
• 926: Latin Night. Dance to the irresistible beats of Zeus and prepare to be dazzled by a spectacular drag show at midnight. It's more than a party, it's an experience. 9:30pm/$10 21+, $15 under 21
  

• Crawfordville: Big Bend Biodiversity Tour. See why our area is so ecologically incredible! Get up close and personal with creatures and plants galore. Join expert guide and outdoor educator, Ryan Means for this limited opportunity to tour the Apalachicola Lowlands Preserve. The day-long trip stops at points along the way to the privately-owned preserve nestled deep in the Apalachicola National Forest near Sumatra, FL. Explore the longleaf pine ecosystem, pitcher plant bogs, ephemeral wetlands, and blackwater streams - home to some threatened and endangered species. Learn what makes the Florida Panhandle one of the five richest biodiversity hotspots in North America. Perfect tour for photographers, outdoor enthusiasts and ecologists. $75 tour fee includes round-trip transportation (from 46 Kinsey Rd, Crawfordville, FL) , complimentary beverages, and supports efforts to preserve the incredible biodiversity of the Southeastern Coastal Plain. Spaces limited. Register here: https://coastalplains.networkforgood.com/events/71083-big-bend-biodiversity-tour for full details. 8am
  
• Dreamland BBQ: Rock Type One to None. Let's rock to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes! The Unicorn Wranglers are back on Saturday, May 18th at Dreamland BBQ in Tallahassee, Florida for the 2024 "Rock One to None" show. This show is benefiting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) and will feature musical guests Midnight Caravan, Fallen Timber, and the Unicorn Wranglers. The show starts at 4 pm and runs until 7 pm at Dreamland BBQ in Music Alley, and is open to all ages. While the show is free, we encourage all rockers attending to donate to the cause. You can contribute at the show by visiting our donation station or by heading over to our online Unicorn Wranglers team page. Together, as one big mosh pit, we can help cure Type 1 Diabetes. 3pm
  
• The Hub at Feather Oaks: Ethan Kyllonen. 4pm
  
• Amicus Brewing: Beza Alford and Rev. Dr. Sheldon Steen. 5pm
  
• Lake Tribe: Flamingo Party. 6pm
  
• The Getaway Grille and Bar: Billy Rigsby Band. 6pm
  
• Vino Beano: Brett & "Dangerous" Dave. 6pm
  
• Salty Dawg: Hot Mess. 6:30pm
  
• La Tiendita: Rhys Bennett & the Gringos as Vontade. Join us for an energetic evening filled with the vibrant sounds of Latin music, Brazilian beats, and jazz rhythms. Our local band, Rhys Bennett & the Gringos, will transform into the versatile ensemble Vontade, treating you to a delightful mix of rancheras, bossa nova, and more! Whether you're a seasoned dancer or a newcomer to the dance floor, you're in for a fantastic time at one of Tallahassee's hidden gems. Immerse yourself in a night of cultural fusion and musical celebration that is sure to create lasting memories! 6:30pm
  
• The Sound Bar: Tillman & Taff. 7pm
  
• Island Wings: Midnight Caravan. 7pm
  
• The Bark: Saturnalia, Brass Wizard, Van Season, and Psycho Tropical. 8pm
  
• Fire Bettys: 80's Video Dance Party. 8pm
  
• Just One More: One Eyed JAK. 9pm
  

SUNDAY, 5/19

• Bicycle House: Sunday Ride. Ride at 10:30 AM from Bicycle House. We will ride the Cascades trail to the St Marks trail and down to Wakulla station and return, about 31 miles. Ride speed is 12 to 14 mph, with periodic regroups. Vernon Bailey is the ride leader. Vernon is a new CCC member who’s been biking for 50 years enjoys riding with small groups and weekend touring. 10am
  
• E Peck Greene Park (Behind the LeRoy Collins Library): Food Not Bombs Free Mealshare. We offer free vegetarian/vegan food, water, coffee, personal care & hygiene products, bus passes, and clothing when we have some available to those in need. Contact foodnotbombstally@gmail.com to find out about getting involved. Noon-2pm
  
• LeRoy Collins Library: Tallahassee Go Club Meetings. Come play the captivating ancient game of Go, also known as Baduk, with some friendly games and discussions. Beginners welcome. Visit https://www.tallahasseegoclub.com for more information. 1pm
  
• Gamescape: Pokémon League. Come learn, play, and trade with the Pokémon Trading Card Game and the Pokémon video games! We LOVE seeing new players, so come learn how to play! We play both the Trading Card Game and the Video Game casually and competitively. The store offers lots of different seating arrangements to meet our group's needs, as well as food, drinks, and Pokémon products for purchase. We are also hold regular, officially sanctioned tournaments for Pokémon Trading Card Game and Video Game Competitions! 2-4pm
  
• The Plant: Open Jam. All instruments, all players welcome. 4pm-9pm
  
• Pedro’s: Mariachi Clasico. 6pm
  
• Fermentation Lounge: Open Mic Night Hosted by Conor Churchill. 7pm
  

• Ology Powermill: Marauders Market. Noon
  
• The Hub at Feather Oaks: The Barber Bros. 1pm-4pm
  
• Goodwood: Ice Cream Social. Get ready for a spectacular day of family fun at Goodwood Museum & Gardens! Treat your taste buds to a family fun day of FREE ice cream, FREE crafts for the kids, FREE activities, and more, all on the beautiful Goodwood grounds. Family-friendly musical entertainment will be provided by The Safari Man, who will have everyone tapping their feet and dancing along to his whimsical tunes. 1pm
  
• Common Ground Books: Contemporary Queer Poetry Book Club: Time is a Mother. This month, we’ll be reading “Time is a Mother” by Ocean Vuong. “In this deeply intimate second poetry collection, Ocean Vuong searches for life among the aftershocks of his mother's death, embodying the paradox of sitting within grief while being determined to survive beyond it. Vivid, brave and propulsive, Vuong's poems contend with personal loss, the meaning of family, and the value of joy in a perennially fractured American spirit. The author of the critically acclaimed poetry collection Night Sky with Exit Wounds, winner of the 2016 Whiting Award, the 2017 T. S. Eliot Prize and a 2019 MacArthur fellow, Vuong writes directly to our humanity without losing sight of the current moment. Bold and prescient, and a testament to tenderness in the face of violence, Time is a Mother is a return and a forging-forth all at once.” 6pm
  

MONDAY, 5/20

• Just One More: Bingo. 5pm-6:30pm
  
• The Getaway Grille and Bar: Margarita Monday, Open-Mic Night hosted by The Saltwater Cowboy. 5:30pm-8pm
  
• American Legion Hall: Cha Cha - Weekly Lessons. 6:15pm/$5
  
• Hangar 38: Bingo. 6:45pm
  
• Vino Beano: Tipsy Trivia. 7pm
  

TUESDAY, 5/21

• Blue Tavern: Happy Hour. 5pm
  
• The Getaway Grille: Tuesday Night Bikes and Trikes. 6pm
  
• Crafty Crab: BOOMIN' Karaoke. 7pm
  
• Gamescape: Hobby Night. Slay the grey together! Join your fellow gamers and turn your pile of grey miniatures into a battle ready army. Need some painting tips? Feel free to ask at hobby night. You can bring any miniature for any game to paint. 7pm
  
• Ology Midtown: Jazz Jam Sessions. 7pm
  
• Island Wings: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Brass Tap in Midtown: Trivia. 1st Tuesday of the month is General Knowledge with rotating themes the rest of the month. 7pm
  
• House of Music: Tuesday Trivia & Karaoke. 7pm
  
• American Legion Hall: Tallahassee Swing Band Tuesday Night Dance. 7:30pm
  
• Fire Bettys: Comedy Night. 8pm
  
• Poor Pauls: Trivia. 8pm/21+
  
• Blue Tavern: Bluesday Tuesday with Bill Ricci. Every Tuesday is Blues Day @ the Blue Tavern and Blues Meets Girl is a Tallahassee favorite. This perfect, intimate venue provides just what you need for both a mid-week break and authentic blues music experience. 8pm/$5
  
• 4th Quarter: Professor Jim's Tuesday Night Trivia. Popular for a reason! 8pm
  
• Argonaut Coffee: Trivia Tuesday. 8pm
  
• The Sound Bar: Karaoke. 8pm
  
• Fire Betty’s: Open Mic Comedy Night. 8pm/21+
  
• 926: Tacos and Trivia. 9pm
  

• Tallahassee Junior Museum: Basic Blacksmith Skills Program. Light your curiosity at our upcoming Basic Blacksmith Skills Program! Join our resident blacksmith, Michael Murphy, as he shares his history of being a Smitty. Participants will be able to keep the fire going, sling a hammer, and throw knives during this two hour lecture program. This is an outdoor event. Must preregister online at tallahasseemuseum.org/events. This program is free for members and regular admission price for non-members. 10am

WEDNESDAY, 5/22

• Sugar and Spice Tally: Game Night. Join us every Wednesday Night for community game night. Bring your own or use ours! Let me know if you need to reserve space for a large group. Free to attend! 5pm
  
• Goodwood: Wonderful Wednesday. 6pm/$5
  
• Level 8 Rooftop Lounge: Trivia. 6pm
  
• La Florida Coffee & Wine: Trivia Night. 6pm
  
• The Great Games Library: Open Game Night. 6pm/free
  
• American Legion Hall: Sue Boyd Country Western and More Dance Class. Session 2 - Beginner 6:30 to 7:45 pm What: East Coast Swing and Waltz. Cost: $8.00 per person. Wear comfortable shoes you can turn in. 7:45 to 8:15 - Practice dance with paid admission. 8:15 to 9:30: Intermediate - 2 Step and WCS. $8.00 per person or $13.00 for both classes. Vaccines are required. Face masks are optional. Changing partners is optional. 6:30pm
  
• Perry Lynn’s Smokehouse in Quincy: Wed Night Open Mic w/ Steven Ritter and Friends. 6:30pm
  
• Hangar 38: Trivia. 6:45pm
  
• Proof: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Vino Beano: Wine Bingo. 7pm
  
• Fermentation Lounge: Trivia. 7pm
  
• Blue Tavern: Wednesday Open Mic with Doc Russell. The open mic night that has run continuously for almost 20 years, once housed at the Warehouse, lives on at the Blue Tavern. Doc Russell continues as the host with the most. Sign up starts at 7:45pm/free to attend
  
• House of Music: Bar Bingo! Free to Play & Late Night Karaoke. 7pm
  
• Fire Betty’s: Karaoke! 8pm/21+/free
  
• Dukes and Dotties: College Night and Line Dancing Lessons. 8pm
  
• Finnegans Wake: Trivia. 8pm
  
• The Sound Bar: Open Mic Night. 8pm
  
• The Bark: Karaoke with DJ Nathan. Best karaoke DJ in town. 9pm
  
• Peppers: Karaoke. 9pm
  
• 926: Dragged Out Wednesday. 10pm
  

Ciao Gang

It’s been a few weeks – IM Texas is done and dusted. As one would expect, I’m fully recovered. Not quite, but ouais yeah here goes my race recap
Swim – 1:22:05
T1 – 00:08:29
Bike – 6:51:34
T2 – 00:08:29 (exact same lol)
Run – 6:22:40
~Background Info~
Very sporty and athletic 26 year old who weighs give or take 185 lbs on any given day. Have run two 70.3’s with generally good and comfortable results. Have ran like a dozen marathons and all-around active person. Fitness is “in” right now so I keep busy ya hear
Socially… I stopped drinking two months before the race (varied 5-30 drinks a week before though…). Never changed my diet at all leading up to the race
~Prep~
This area can get a little complicated – I was scheduled to run IM Texas in 2023, but my so called best friend decided to snap my leg (compound fracture of my tibia and fibula) (very wicked) in half while playing soccer 3 months before race day. So after surgery, one month without standing really, one month using crutches, one month using a cane, endless $$$ spent at physical therapy medical bills etc. I find myself in July of 2023 more or less ready to start training again for IM 2024. I sign up (this time with early benefits so I don’t lose all my money again if I have to cancel, thanks Ironman).

I bought a training plan from MyProCoach. 24 Week Intermediate plan to be exact. Between that plan, help from reddit, Instagram influencers, and my self-proclaimed expert father – I morphed a plan that more or less would hopefully (ambitious I know) get me across the finish line in one piece.
~Training~
My new concoction of a training plan generally consisted of two swims a week (Monday and Thursday), one track workout (usually Tuesdays), one hard bike effort on the trainer (usually Wednesday), fun day Friday (no workout unless I was making up for one I missed), long bike ride (Saturdays), and one long run (Sundays) a week. I would generally build up for three weeks then take a “rest” week with 3 to 4 light workouts just to stay loose-ish. I’d up the tempos, intervals, effort, distances etc. every time I got to a new 3 week build phase.
This is more or less what I stuck to for 6 months. I coach high school lacrosse and still play a decent amount of soccer so there was some tweaking here and there to still accompany those. But this was the plan and I can safely say that I did ~80%~ of my planned workouts. The other 20% fell to the wayside as I was still trying to be a socially active fun 26 yr old guy who likes to drink with his friends (loves to drink with his friends)

~Week of the race~
I live in Houston, TX where the race is (really it’s in the woodlands but who cares), so there was no extensive travel for me or anything like that.

I got in some small runs, light bike rides, and swam twice the week of the race. Logistically, I think IM Texas is setup very well. I knew the course very well as a lifelong Houstonian so there was no prep necessary for that. Check-in was easy. Transitions are a bit different at IM Texas than my other tri’s, so that was a small learning curve. But again, nothing to be intimidated by or worry about.

~Race Day~
Managed to go to sleep by 10 pm the night before, so waking up at 4:30am wasn’t the worst thing I’d ever done. Woke up, ate a breakfast sandwich, slammed some coffee, and began hydrating. Got transition about 5:30ish, had my dad and a friend drop me off so didn’t have to walk at all. Got in there, setup bike computer, bottles, etc. I managed to get a BM (dump) out here, which was huge. Things were looking up. Grabbed my wetsuit and then got dropped off at swim start, again no walking which was awesome.
Got to swim start and started getting pretty nervous (all the leg injury shit and 18 months of training were all for this). Water temperature was 75.5 degrees, so wetsuit legal. Luckily had my family and a friend to keep my calm and get my wetsuit on. The gun goes for the pros so I hop in the queue with the other swimmers seeded around the 1:20 to 1:30 mark.

~Swim~
I hop in the water and immediately start worrying that it’s going to get toasty in this wetsuit. In this swim, the buoys are on your left side. I immediately pop out to the right some to get out of all the rough water and kicking feet. There is a park adjacent to the swim start for about 300 meters and I actually see my family walking along the edge of the water as I get out into the lake (mentally huge for me to see them and take my mind off of things while I get in the groove of it all). For about 20 minutes everything is fine, I’m feeling okay, wasn’t overheating in the wetsuit, didn’t let my heart rate get too high (it has in all my other tri swims), and I was sighting well without having to pick my head up too much. At this point the lifeguards/kayak/paddleboard people were pinching us a little too hard. I get they are there for safety and to keep people on course, but I felt like they were funneling us into a tight swim pack for no reason. I totally understand that the swim is dangerous and people can die if help doesn’t get there quick enough, but I felt it was putting a little too much stress on the swimmers. I like to swim away from the pack so maybe this was just me. At the halfway point of the swim, you get funneled through this floating arch (I think it’s for timing purposes?). Whatever the reason for it, it bottlenecked all of us. We were swimming probably 10 people wide through a 7-yard-wide arch. Had to protect your head on that for sure to keep from getting kicked. While I thought it was stupid, it did have a great little benefit. The way we were funneled through created a nice little current and I ended up riding that wave for maybe 75 meters or so. Stupid feature but nice little boost. At this point I’m feeling great. I haven’t been kicked yet, the lungs feel good, I’m not overheating and I have the space to swim in. IM Texas is unique because at 80% of the way through the swim, you start swimming through a canal that people can actually cheer for you and walk with you as you go. I had told my family I’d be on the left side of the canal and as soon as I get into it I pop my head out and see my family, friends, and smoking hot girlfriend cheering me on (again this was mentally huge). I start rocking through the canal which is maybe 25 yards wide and felt like I had a current helping me the whole way through. As I’m swimming, mu friends/family are walking right there with me. It’s such a unique way for people to cheer you on that I got out of the water in a great mood with a smile on my face. I seeded myself perfectly as I got out at 1:22:05.
~Bike~
Going into the bike, IM Texas is known for having absolutely brutal headwinds heading south towards downtown Houston. And with close to 90 miles of the course being on a closed toll road. There is nothing to protect you from a wicked 45 miles of Texas headwind.
But before you get to the toll road, there is a little bit of a “circuit” you go through. So, I hop on the bike and get going. Immediately the course feels a little congested so I try to stay off the bars and ride defensively. Sure enough 8 miles in, big crash ahead as a volunteer golf cart cut off a rider and he crashed hard (thoughts and prayers with the rider). And that right there was the story of the day. HUGE crashes and HEAVY headwinds. I witnessed 6 crashes throughout the ride. Between riders coming through the water stations too fast, cones blowing out on the course, pelotons forming to avoid the wind, inattentive riding (we’re all tired I can understand this), it was a hard day on the course. Thoughts and prayers specifically for the one crash I saw where the organizers made us dismount and walk past. Not sure the context of the crash, but the rider was in a really bad situation. I think I averaged 8 mph heading south into the wind and 28 mph with the tailwind. Haven’t checked my bike data as I still have a bit of PTSD. Between the chaos of everything (I heard rumors a tesla was in self-drive mode on the course and caused a crash…?), I managed to make it to the end about 20 minutes over my 6:30:00 goal. I got off the bike to a boisterous cheer from a phenomenal group of friends and family and walked into transition.
~Run~
Going into the run I wanted to be around 5:30:00. I knew this might be ambitious for me because I didn’t really have that many brick sessions in my training plan. But, I’ve run a few marathons straight off the couch in my day. So, if anything, I know how to suffer through a long slow marathon. Honestly, I don’t have much to say about the first ten miles. My legs felt fine coming off the bike, I was comfortable at a 11:00 min/mile pace , felt good hydrating and getting some food down. Right after mile 10, started feeling some small knots in my stomach. Mile by mile, those knots started to get worse and worse. Every time I got to an aid station, I was able to delay the inevitable by getting down a banana, then potato chips at the next one, then it was chicken broth. By the time my family and friends saw me at the end of the second lap, I was in a bad spot. Was walking three minutes and running one (something like that). The stomach eventually morphed into full body discomfort. The HR kept getting sky high after minimal effort. I knew I was in for a tough last 8 miles. That last 8 miles took maybe 3 hours? I’m not sure, it’s all a blur. The pain finally culminated at mile 25.5, where the wrath of god came down on me and I vomited for 10 maybe 15 minutes, who knows. But at this point I knew I could literally crawl to the finish. I picked my head up and saw my buddy’s girlfriend walking toward me, I figured they had sent her to come find me as the gap between my last time split was getting astronomical. I picked my ass up off the ground and full body cramp runned to the finish line. Will never forget the feeling of having so many friends and family cheering me on to help me get over that line. The only bummer at the finish is I paid all that money for someone to tell me an Ironman on a microphone and I didn’t even hear it. Anyways – life goal accomplished. I’ll see ya at the next one.
P.S. I'm an open book, shoot me any questions you have on my training, advice, hate, love, whatever you want to say

I waited for this appointment with a menopause specialist for months. My primary won’t prescribe hormones and directed me to a clinic that specifically addresses menopause issues. I’ve been without a libido or any real sensation for years. I have hot flashes and night sweats. I gained 20lbs last year between June and December. None of my clothes fit and this has never happened to me before. I really want help with my libido and the weight gain. I’m not helpless or stupid. I’ve tried to address both of these issues. I introduced indoor biking (peloton) during the winter when I noticed the weight gain. I was doing 45 minutes three times a week. Now that it’s nice out I’ve been running three miles a few times a week. I started pilates in October. By now I’m taking advanced classes and have averaged three classes a week. I have been counting calories and eating 1500 a day which is what Cronometer says should lead to one pound of weight loss per week. I started intermittent fasting a month ago. I have health issues that keep me from eating gluten and I only eat a minimal amount of dairy. I try to stay away from carbs and I’m eating high protein. For my libido I’ve bought sex toys and have used them many days of the week to increase blood flow. I went to pelvic floor PT twice. The second PT said she thinks I’m having a hormone issue and I need to address that because I had already worked on my pelvic floor.
The doctor basically said I have to diet and lift weights. HRT won’t help me lose weight. She recommended the Galveston diet without acknowledging that it’s so close to my diet it’s basically how I already eat. She advised that I have lots of orgasms to get my libido going which I’m already attempting. She prescribed me estrogen that I can insert internally and that’s all.
I feel like she didn’t believe me about everything I’ve already tried and that it’s not working. I know a lot of doctors think people are bad at counting calories and she did mention that I have to be careful not to leave things out, even an apple can put me over for the day. She told me to get a stronger vibrator even though I told her I’ve been experimenting with sex toys. I feel so frustrated. My sex toys and my diet/exercise aren’t the problem. The only thing I can really do differently is lift weights but I have developed muscle from Pilates.
What should I do? I want a second opinion. There are so many online platforms for treating peri. I tried Winona and it seems like they give the same treatment to everyone. They told me to take DHEA which I already do and have me on an estrogen/progesterone cream. It’s only been a month but I don’t feel that’s helping. The doctor I met with yesterday said I don’t need the progesterone. I really need to find someone I can trust.

My mom is a huge proponent in what caused my ED in the first place. Now, I won’t say she is to blame for it because that’s not true, but she absolutely played a role in me developing my ED and triggers me constantly in recovery with her own behaviors. However, whenever I mention these things to her, she either denies that she has these behaviors and tells me I’m being over sensitive or over analyzing her, or she plays the victim, or she tries to justify or rationalize her behaviors. Some, but not all of these things include: Past: 1. She put me on diets from a young age, as young as like 7 years old, probably earlier. 2. I was a chubbier kid and my brother was naturally athletic and slim. Growing up, I was not allowed to eat the foods he ate (sugar cereals, pop tarts, stereotypical junk food) and I was always given things like the 100cal packs and “healthy” foods. I was also constantly told by my mom to “eat healthy” and stuff like that while she never said anything to my brother like that. 3. She engaged in tons of diets herself as I was growing up and diet talk and would constantly critique her own body and comment on the bodies and eating habits of other people.
Current: 1. She engages in stereotypical ED behaviors such as : checking and commenting on nutritional facts like sugar content and calorie content, only drinking water and nothing else because it’s a “waste of calories”, etc 2. She always buys the “healthy” “almond mom” versions of foods 3. She engages in table behaviors such as tearing apart a sandwich and only eating the veggies while commenting about how it’s too much bread, too much sauce. She will only order healthy options like salads and ALWAYS orders dressing and toppings like croutons on the side but never eats them. She makes comments about “oh I could never eat that” or comments on how “gross” something is. These are just some behaviors and She justifies them by saying she has always been a “picky eater”. 4. She orders food for the family but picks a healthier option for herself or opts to make something herself at home while pushing others to eat what was ordered. 5. She always comments on what and how much my dad and brother eat and says it’s because she is “worried about their health” when I know it’s just judgement about the types or amount of food they eat. It’s almost like a superiority thing for her.
There’s a lot more but that’s just some of what bothers me most. When I call her out, she guilt trips me, plays the victim, and tries to justify or deny that any of this is disordered. I try to be gentle about how I approach it but every time it turns into a fight. It honestly makes me question my own sanity and think “maybe I am just being sensitive”. I’m not the only one who sees it (my cousins and friends have commented on her behavior as well) but I still can’t help but question myself and think that I’m overthinking things. Am I justified in feeling triggered and frustrated by these behaviors or am I overreacting? Also forgot to mention that I’ve had my ED for at least 15 years of my 24 years of life and have very recently started trying to recover, which she is aware of. Being so new in recovery, I feel like she should be more aware and supportive than this.
TL:DR : my mom displays tons of triggering and disordered behavior and triggers me constantly but denies that it’s a problem and that I’m just being sensitive

DAY: MAY 15, 2024

• 5-15-2024ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE PROCESSES WITHOUT SYMPTOMS. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? Everyone experiences aging in their own way, and factors such as genetics, lifestyle and environment play a role in this process. Some individuals reach the age of 90 or even 100 in good health, without medications or brain disease. But how do these individuals maintain their health as they age?
• 5-15-2024COULD A LOW-CAL KETO DIET HELP EASE ACNE? In a small pilot study, some young women looking to lose weight on a low-calorie keto diet got an unexpected benefit: Their acne began to clear up. “These findings represent an opportunity to control a skin disease that affects most teenagers and many adults at some point in their lifetimes, causing distress, embarrassment, anxiety and low self-confidence among sufferers, robbing them of their quality of life,
• 5-15-2024FIGHTING FAT AND INFLAMMATION: SCIENTISTS DEVELOP NEW COMPOUNDS The menthyl esters of valine (MV) and isoleucine (MI) are multi-faceted molecules with enhanced anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity activities. The discovery and development of such molecules can result in newer classes of therapeutic drugs to treat a wide range of metabolic disorders. Credit: Gen-ichiro Arimura from Tokyo University of Science Modified derivatives of natural products have led to significant therapeutic advances and commercial success in recent times. Menthol is a naturally occurring cyclic monoterpene alcohol found in various plants,
• 5-15-2024TREATMENT OPTIONS INCLUDE ALTERNATIVES TO CHEMOTHERAPY, EXPERT EXPLAINS Chemotherapy is usually the first treatment doctors try to treat lymphoma, including the two most common forms: non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin. But alternatives to chemotherapy are developing, as first-line treatments and as backup options, explains Stephen Ansell, M.D., Ph.D., hematology chair and hematologic oncologist at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. Lymphoma is a blood cancer that begins when a germ-fighting white blood cell, called a lymphocyte, mutates and rapidly multiplies
• 5-15-2024CHECKING YOUR BELLY BUTTON CAN TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT YOUR HEALTH Navels, belly buttons, innies or outies … whatever term you use, your umbilicus may have plenty to tell you about the state of your health. For some, they are the thing of nightmares—omphalophobia (the fear of belly buttons) is a real condition. For others, they are a fashion accessory to be shown off in a crop top, or decorated with a body piercing. Whatever your feelings about belly buttons, one thing’s for sure—it once joined you to your mother
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS H5N1 VIRUS FROM 2022 MINK OUTBREAK CAPABLE OF INEFFICIENT AIRBORNE TRANSMISSION Direct contact transmission, weight loss, and survival for ferrets infected with A/mink (H5N1). Four donor ferrets were inoculated with A/mink (H5N1) and 24?h later each donor was paired with a contact in the same cage. Nasal wash samples were collected every other day for 13 days, and weight loss and clinical signs were monitored. A, B display viral titers from donor and direct contacts,
• 5-15-2024STUDY SHOWS COMBINING JOYFUL ACTIVITIES WITH ‘SAVORING’ THERAPY SHOWS POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH RESULTS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE With rates of depression rising among young people on university campuses, a team of SMU researchers found that combining two different therapeutic approaches demonstrated effectiveness in improving students’ overall mental health. Their findings show that students receiving behavioral activation (BA) therapy augmented with savoring (S) experienced improvements in positive and negative mood. Behavioral activation is a therapeutic approach that alleviates depression by increasing engagement in meaningful activities,
• 5-15-2024AI-BASED SURGICAL PREDICTION MODELS HAVE LIMITS Prediction models generated by machine learning are being increasingly used in medicine to identify risk factors and possible outcomes, especially for total joint replacements of knees and hips—although researchers warn that machine-generated predictions are currently being drawn from a limited data pool. “Machine learning has great potential for processing ‘big data’ and has proved its undeniable capability, although it is not free of issues,
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS FRONT-OF-PACKAGE NUTRITION LABELING RESULTS IN HEALTHIER PRODUCTS A study finds that a food labeling system introduced by the French government in 2017 resulted in healthier products. The study of Nutri-Score, a voluntary labeling system that assigns a simple letter grade based on nutrition, is believed to be the first to examine how food manufacturers responded to the change. Using detailed product and nutrition data from 2014 to 2021,
• 5-15-2024EXPERT EXPLAINS PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS ON AVIAN FLU Using genetically engineered mice expressing a specific variant of HLA, researchers uncover the instrumental role of this protein in the development of drug eruptions. They found that when HLA binds to an antiviral drug, abacavir, it can lead to the formation of defective proteins, which trigger a stress response in the endoplasmic reticulum, ultimately cascading into drug eruption. This implies that HLA is involved in previously unknown signaling pathways and processes that go beyond its traditionally accepted role within the immune system.
• 5-15-2024EXPLORING THE MECHANISM BEHIND DRUG ERUPTIONS IN THE SKINUsing genetically engineered mice expressing a specific variant of HLA, researchers uncover the instrumental role of this protein in the development of drug eruptions. They found that when HLA binds to an antiviral drug, abacavir, it can lead to the formation of defective proteins, which trigger a stress response in the endoplasmic reticulum, ultimately cascading into drug eruption.
• 5-15-2024STUDY PROVIDES BLUEPRINT FOR HYBRID-VIRTUAL HOME VISIT MODEL TO SUPPORT PATIENTS WHO DO NOT LIVE CLOSE TO A HOSPITAL a team developed and successfully tested a hybrid-virtual home visit model that provides care to veterans who do not live close to a VA health care facility.
• 5-15-2024HOW SCIENCE IS CHANGING THE GAME IN SPORTS Digital twins of athletes allow athletes and coaches to evaluate performance and trial technique changes. It’s an open secret that the countries that win the most medals in the Olympics and Paralympics combine talent and technology. Athletes are preparing for the next three Olympics and Paralympics in Paris in 2024
• 5-15-2024STUDY REVEALS HOW PRACTICE FORMS NEW MEMORY PATHWAYS IN THE BRAIN The effects of optogenetic inhibition on WM task performance. a, The experimental set-up. b, The delayed-association WM task trial types; licking was assessed during the 3?s choice period, with early- and late-delays periods noted. c, Learning progress across eight sessions, measured on the basis of the percentage of correct responses. d, Learning session example
• 5-15-2024A MEDITERRANEAN DIET CAN EASE SYMPTOMS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY, SAYS STUDY It’s no secret that the Mediterranean diet is good for your health. Already recommended to reduce the risks of bowel cancer, heart disease, and dementia, new research shows that the Mediterranean diet can also reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety.
• 5-15-2024ENHANCING PATIENT RESPONSE TO CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY
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• 5-15-2024NEW EVIDENCE FOR USE OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY THERAPY FOR PREVENTION OF RECURRENT VASCULAR EVENTS IN STROKE
• 5-15-2024STUDY PAVES THE WAY FOR AN ACTIVE AGENT AGAINST HEPATITIS E
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS DEVELOP METHOD TO MONITOR PATIENTS WITH SPINAL MUSCULAR ATROPHY USING SOUND WAVES
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• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS SEVERE ISCHEMIC STROKES ARE RARE IN PATIENT POPULATION
• 5-15-2024CYCLIN D1 EXPRESSION MAY BE A BIOMARKER FOR PENILE CANCER
• 5-15-2024GUIDELINE ISSUED FOR PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY WHO MAY BECOME PREGNANT
• 5-15-2024NEW CARDIAC RESEARCH COULD SAVE WOMEN’S LIVES BY IMPROVING DETECTION OF HEART FAILURE
• 5-15-2024PATIENTS REPORT SIGNIFICANT SYMPTOM REDUCTION WITHIN A SINGLE INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE ENCOUNTER
• 5-15-2024STUDY LINKS PROTEIN SECRETED BY BLOOD VESSELS TO DRUG-RESISTANT CANCER
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS EXPLORE THE ROLE OF OF TRANSPOSABLE ELEMENTS IN MYOCARDITIS
• 5-15-2024STUDY REVEALS IMMUNOTHERAPY’S POTENTIAL IN BOOSTING IMMUNE SYSTEMS OF OLDER INDIVIDUALS
• 5-15-2024CANADIAN HOSPITAL DATA SHOW LONGER, COSTLIER STAYS FOR PATIENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS
• 5-15-2024SCIENTISTS WANT TO KNOW HOW THE SMELLS OF NATURE BENEFIT OUR HEALTH
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS TWO GENES OF THE GERMLINE ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRAIN TUMORS IN DROSOPHILA
• 5-15-2024EVALUATING A NEW GROUP TRAINING TOOL FOR THE PREVENTION OF DEMENTIA
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH CHALLENGES LINK BETWEEN MOTOR IMPAIRMENT AND BRAIN INJURY
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH CHALLENGES LINK BETWEEN MOTOR IMPAIRMENT AND BRAIN INJURY
• 5-15-2024CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER LIKELIHOOD OF TRAMADOL PRESCRIPTION IN ADULTS WITH SCIATICA
• 5-15-2024UNVEILING THE IMPACT OF JOB LOSS ON THE HEALTH OF IMMIGRANTS IN GERMANY
• 5-15-2024HEALTH CARE INTERPRETERS IMPORTANT FOR HEART ATTACK REHABILITATION, SAYS STUDY
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS FIND MICROPLASTICS IN CANINE AND HUMAN TESTICULAR TISSUE
• 5-15-2024ANTISEIZURE MEDICATIONS CAN PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING REACTIONS
• 5-15-2024ADULTS WHO HAD DIFFICULT CHILDHOODS ARE NOT RECEIVING SUFFICIENT MENTAL HEALTH CARE, FINDS CALIFORNIA STUDY
• 5-15-2024AI MAY IMPROVE DOCTOR–PATIENT INTERACTIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH CANCER
• 5-15-2024BLOOD PRESSURE DRUGS MORE THAN DOUBLE BONE-FRACTURE RISK IN NURSING HOME PATIENTS
• 5-15-2024PREVENTING PEDIATRIC FALLS
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• 5-15-2024TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION LINKED TO BODY MASS INDEX: STUDY
• 5-15-2024HOW DID THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AFFECT OLDER ADULTS’ TECHNOLOGY USE?
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS LINK BETWEEN BMI TRAJECTORIES AND FRACTURE RISK IN LATE ADULTHOOD
• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS REDUCED RISK OF BREAST CANCER FOLLOWING BARIATRIC SURGERY IN WOMEN WITH HYPERINSULINEMIA
• 5-15-2024FEWER US OVERDOSE DEATHS WERE REPORTED LAST YEAR, BUT EXPERTS ARE STILL CAUTIOUS
• 5-15-2024PRE- AND POST-SURGICAL IMMUNOTHERAPY IMPROVES OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH OPERABLE LUNG CANCER, PHASE III STUDY FINDS
• 5-15-2024NEW METHOD USES TAU PROTEIN DEPOSITION PATTERNS TO PREDICT ALZHEIMER’S SEVERITY
• 5-15-2024OLDER NATIVE AMERICANS MAY EXPERIENCE HIGHER LEVELS OF COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS DEVELOP INNOVATIVE PLATFORM FOR MODELING HUMAN MUSCLE DISEASES IN WORMS
• 5-15-2024CLIMATE CHANGE IS LIKELY TO AGGRAVATE BRAIN CONDITIONS, STUDY FINDS
• 5-15-2024NEW STUDY SHOWS CONTINUED HIGH EFFECTIVENESS OF HPV VACCINATION IN ENGLAND
• 5-15-2024FAT-ENLARGED AXILLARY NODES ON MAMMOGRAM MAY INDICATE HIGHER CVD RISK
• 5-15-2024NOVEL INHIBITOR INSIGHTS OFFER PATHWAY TO PREVENTING PXR-ASSOCIATED DRUG RESISTANCE
• 5-15-2024THE DOCTOR IS IN… BUT WHAT’S BEHIND THEM? STUDY REVEALS IMPACTS OF TELEHEALTH BACKGROUND SETTINGS
• 5-15-2024HIGH TELEHEALTH USE TIED TO INCREASED HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION, COST
• 5-15-2024NEW BIOMARKER IDENTIFIED TO DIAGNOSE ALZHEIMER’S IN ASYMPTOMATIC STAGES
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• 5-15-2024STUDY FINDS ASTROCYTIC PH REGULATOR CAN REPAIR BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER, REVERSE BRAIN DAMAGE CAUSED BY ISCHEMIC STROKE
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• 5-15-2024SOME FORMS OF AUGMENTED BRAIN STIMULATION RECOMMENDED FOR MAJOR DEPRESSION
• 5-15-2024LOW TESTOSTERONE IN MEN ASSOCIATED WITH AN EARLY DEATH
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• 5-15-2024BLUETOOTH TRACKING DEVICES PROVIDE NEW VIEW INTO CARE HOME QUALITY
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• 5-15-2024TWO DECADES OF STUDIES SUGGEST HEALTH BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH PLANT-BASED DIETS, BUT CAUTION URGED
• 5-15-2024TRANSCATHETER VALVE REPLACEMENT OUTCOMES SIMILAR TO SURGERY FOR SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS
• 5-15-2024RECOGNIZING THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL TOLL THAT CARING FOR A LOVED ONE WITH A CHRONIC CONDITION HAS ON THE CAREGIVER
• 5-15-2024DIFFICULT WORK ARRANGEMENTS FORCE MANY WOMEN TO STOP BREASTFEEDING EARLY—HERE’S HOW TO PREVENT THIS
• 5-15-2024DAY-LONG WORKSHOP IN COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOUND TO EFFECTIVELY REDUCE DEPRESSION IN 16- TO 18-YEAR-OLDS
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• 5-15-2024NEW BLOOD TEST COULD HELP SPOT PREECLAMPSIA IN FIRST TRIMESTER
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• 5-15-2024INCLUDING MORE WOMEN ON HOSPITAL TEAMS YIELDS BETTER SURGERY OUTCOMES, NEW STUDY FINDS
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH SHEDS LIGHT ON HOW PROTEINS LINKED TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE INFLUENCE NEURONAL GROWTH
• 5-15-2024RESEARCHERS IDENTIFY NEW MARKER FOR BREAST CANCER PROGNOSIS
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• 5-15-2024CAN ROBOT-INSPIRED COMPUTER-ASSISTED THERAPY BENEFIT CHILDREN WITH AUTISM?
• 5-15-2024RESEARCH FINDS EXERCISE HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON IMMUNE CELLS THAT SUPPORT BRAIN FUNCTION
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• 5-15-2024SCIENTISTS DISCOVER BLOOD PROTEINS THAT MAY GIVE CANCER WARNING SEVEN YEARS BEFORE DIAGNOSIS
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• 5-15-2024MORE RESEARCH SUPPORTS ANDROGEN TREATMENT FOR BREAST CANCER
• 5-15-2024UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE GUT MICROBIOME–BRAIN INTERACTIONS PLAY IN SOCIAL DECISION-MAKING
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I’ve only seriously started my weight loss journey a month ago. I gained a lot of weight after my second pregnancy and it just hasn’t shifted like it did the first time.
I’ve not been great, really. I’d say I’ve hit a 500 cal deficit once in the last 30 days. But my diet prior to this was horrifying…… I’m talking 2000 calories over maintenance, daily, no problem. Probably more. I’ve been making healthier choices and hitting the gym.
A few days ago, I did something I shouldn’t have - a huge food shop delivered to my door. Now, I love the sunsol muesli bars. They’re normally super expensive though, so I maybe get a pack of 5 a week. They’re 99 calories a bar so in moderation, a great snack.
Well, they were half price. So what do I do? Get 40 packs. Yes, 200 bars. Thinking it will last me.
Well, it doesn’t last me. I eat 10 of those on a day because I know I have so many. And when I’ve started in that, I’ll then munch all the biscuits I can find, all the treats, etc. all or nothing.
For the last 4 days, I’ve eaten 2000 calories over maintenance. Straight back into old habits. Back on the door dash for extra desserts. Because, well, f it. Given how inconsistent I’ve been this will have easily cancelled out all of my effort for the last month and then some. I also haven’t been going to the gym so feel meh.
Anyway, I ramble. My point is, I feel like utter SHIT after binging. Uncomfortable. Sick. Pained. Gross. Awful. And it lasts until I sleep and wake up the next day. I feel terrible. I used to do this regularly.
But somehow I forget and do it all again the next day.
I wish I could take this feeling and bottle it up and put it in my snacks cupboard (I have two toddlers, so having zero snacks is impossible). So I’d have to feel it every time I want to start eating. I’m really struggling with it.

How easy would it be to be vegan/vegetarian in your country , based on culture , habbits, market etc ?
I'm neither, but the other day I was eating and I was like " man, this place would be hell for a vegetarian " .
I'll start with Romania : really difficult
Meat is very important to us : Chicken, pork , turkey, beef, lamb , we really like eating meat , it's the center of many traditional dishes .
Sure there's been an influx of vegan and vegetarian themed restaurants and food products over the years, but most people, especially outside the big cities, still eat a lot of meat generally.
Other than the major holiday fasts where the markets roll out some special products, there's generally few and quite expensive options , the packed foodstuff generally doesn't sell too much, and other than some "uptown hipsters" I don't know a lot of people that buy them .
It's like hey you want to go buy bread or a pretzel ? It's not like there's a label stating if eggs (and what kind) or lard have been used .
I myself occasionally eat tofu, everyone else shudders at the idea, especially those that are some before , they shudder like children offered spinach .
And of course most places don't really mind separating the ingredients and dishes by much , odds are that "vegan bun" was frozen and fried right next to a meat one (well, as much real meat as it really contains lol ) .

The Initial Issue: Recognition of Israel
When colonial powers relinquished control over their colonies, they often fragmented larger colonies (which had previously existed as unified states before being colonized) into smaller countries based on religious, racial, or linguistic divisions. This was frequently done without the consent of the ENTIRE local population.
For instance, the British colonial power did not seek the consent of the entire population of the Indian subcontinent (where Hindus constituted the majority) when creating Pakistan. This decision resulted in immense suffering, displacement of millions of people. They had to leave their houses, properties, land, goods and run away. Thousands of them lost their lives and were killed. All that happened due to the decision of colonial Britain to form a new country of Pakistan, based on religion, without the consent of the whole local population, which opposed the idea of creation of Pakistan. The people of united India suffered similarly to the Palestinians.
If Palestinians acknowledge Islamic Pakistan's right to exist as a country, they should, by the same logic, recognize Israel's right to exist as well.
Not 100% JUSTICE was done in the past. Muslims changed demographies of many countries by force.
For example, colonial-era Iran and Turkey annexed the Armenian region of Nagorno-Karabakh, altering its demographics and incorporating it into Azerbaijan. Even though Armenians still make up the majority in Nagorno-Karabakh, the colonial powers' influence ultimately made it part of Azerbaijan. Palestinians, for their part, officially recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan.
Consider Turkey's annexation of Western Armenia, which it incorporated into its territory (now part of Anatolia). Today, hardly any Armenians remain in the Anatolia region. Yet, Palestinians have no issue accepting this demographic shift and Turkey's claim to the area.
The situation of today is clear, there should exist no Iran or Taliban type Muslim Palestinian State under the influence of Hamas, where non-Muslims have to live under fear and have no equal rights to preach their religion and convert people to their religion and to criticize Islam. Where LGBT members are thrown down from high buildings while they also don't have any rights to exist. Where ex-Muslims are lynched and killed brutally for their crime of leaving Islam. Why should we ever support such oppressive Islamic states? Why should we not criticize the double standards of Muslims where they are quick to demand equal rights to preach Islam and convert people to Islam in non-Muslim countries, but are not ready to give us the same human rights?
Muslims want to talk about Islamophobia and invasion by Jews, then let us also talk about double standards and homophobia and Murtadphobia (i.e. Apostatephobia) and Kafirophobia of Muslims.

The Secondary Issue: Illegal Israeli Settlements
The second issue revolves around Israeli illegal settlements, coupled with a mindset among some Israelis that claims a birthright to the entire land based on a divine promise for Greater Israel. Unfortunately, this issue receives less attention due to the overarching problem of Palestinian non-recognition and support for Hamas and its suicide bombings and Islamic Jihad.
However, it is clear (especially from an atheist perspective) that such an argument cannot be accepted. Neither the UN nor any other nation in the world acknowledges that Israel has the right to expel Palestinians from their land based on the claim that their God promised them this land. If we accept their right to Palestinian land today, it could lead to extremist groups justifying attacks on neighboring countries in the future, claiming additional territories in the name of Greater Israel, which they believe their God promised them.
Israel has strategically used attacks attributed to Islamic Jihad by Hamas to further its agenda of illegal settlements. Previously, Israel leveraged attacks by the PLO for the same purpose.

The Full Solution (From the perspective of ex-Muslims):
Despite Israel's heavy influence, no Western country officially endorses illegal settlements. Significant opposition exists, even in the USA.
Even within Israel, there are secularists who seek a peaceful solution. Unfortunately, suicide bombing in the name of Islamic Jihad of Hamas weakened these secular forces and they started losing their popularity in Israel. Consequently, extremist Zionist forces gained popularity in Israel and seized power.
We are not living in a 100% perfect world. Justice is not immediately served and positive changes take time (sometimes decades or centuries) to develop. But we can learn a lesson from the peaceful resistance in South Africa. This peaceful resistance took decades, but in the end, it gave time to the remaining world to get united against the illegal settlements.
Palestinians and Hamas are urged to adopt a similar approach. Only peaceful resistance unites the world against illegal Israeli settlements and garners support for the Palestinian cause. It may take some time, but this is the only solution.
Western countries deserve credit here that they didn't recognise illegal settlements, although Israel has a lot of influence there. But, if Hamas keep on attacking instead, then only EXTREMIST powers will gain popularity and the secularist forces will become weaker and weaker. We have already seen how the Trump administration started recognising illegal settlements in favour of Israel.
The suggested steps are clear:

1. Palestinians (at least their majority) must acknowledge Israel's right to exist.
2. Secondly, Hamas should be eliminated (or otherwise, Hamas agrees to give up its stance to expel all Jews and recognise Israel's right to exist).
3. Protest illegal Israeli settlements, initiate boycotts, impose sanctions (like it happened in the case of apartheid South Africa), and hope for a shift in power toward secular Israelis advocating a peaceful solution.
4. Even a peaceful resistance may take a longer time, but it can produce the best results in today's world as we saw in the case of South Africa.

Two things to state up front: I am vegan. Also, I don't actually believe it feels wrong for a vegan to drink coffee, but I genuinely have no justification to explain why I think that. I'll be steel-manning this point in the hope that someone can present a compelling reason for why I'm allowed to drink coffee as a vegan.
My argument is quite simple, and I believe all of the tempting rebuttals are flimsy and inconsistent with other common arguments used to defend veganism.
Coffee contains practically zero nutritional value. No calories, no vitamins or minerals, etc. It tastes good, but pretty much the only thing in it that has any effect on the human body is caffeine and some antioxidants, which can also be obtained from other sources.
Coffee is grown and harvested from plants in many countries in the world. In many cases, the coffee cherries are picked by hand. In some, it's harvested by hand or machines that strip the entire branch.
Undeniably, there is some amount of crop deaths, deforestation, human exploitation, and environmental damage as a result of the coffee industry. Since there is no nutritional value from coffee, it is unnecessary to farm it, and therefore doing so causes unnecessary suffering to sentient creatures. Drinking coffee contributes to the demand, and is therefore inconsistent with vegan ethics. There is no way for a vegan to morally justify drinking coffee. It's done purely for pleasure, and pleasure doesn't outweigh suffering.
Here are some foreseen arguments and my rebuttals to them:

• "Caffeine is a net positive as it improves focus and productivity in humans": People can take caffeine pills that are made from other sources, especially synthesized caffeine.
• "Antioxidants are good for you": Other things like fruits contain antioxidants in similar quantities, and provide other nutritional value, so are a better source in order to minimize suffering.
• "Drinking coffee is a social activity or provides mental wellbeing as a daily routine": We say that this is not a justification for other social events, like a turkey at thanksgiving, or burgers at a BBQ. We can replace the item being consumed for something less harmful with more benefit and still follow a daily routine or benefit from the social aspect of it. One example would be kombucha, which is a great source of b12, caffeine, and is a probiotic.
• "Where is the line? Should we take away vegan chocolate, alcohol, etc as well because they are consumed for pleasure?": I don't know where the line is, but in this particular case it seems very unambiguous since there are no calories or other significant nutrients in coffee.
• "Veganism is about exploitation, and no animals are exploited so it's ok": This is an attempt to over-simplify the definition of veganism to make it convenient in certain circumstances, but I don't buy that definition. People who say that veganism is just about exploitation or the non-property status of animals still believe that it's wrong to do things like kill an animal to protect your property when a humane trap works, or do other things that are cruel but not exploitative. Avoiding cruelty is a necessary part of the definition of veganism, and causing unnecessary suffering for your own pleasure is definitely cruel.
• "Allowing coffee makes it more likely that people will go vegan, which reduces the total amount of animals harmed": This may be true from a utilitarian perspective, but this is morally inconsistent. We could say the same thing about allowing people to consume animal products one day per week. More people would go vegan under that system, but vegans say that reducitarianism is still not permissible. Making an exception for coffee is just a form of rudicitarianism.

So please god tell me why I'm allowed to drink coffee. I beg you.

I don’t know exactly what to tag this, but I’ve been dating my boyfriend for a little over 5 months now. He is a survivor of CSA that spanned from ages 8-14, had a heroin addicted dad, left a very toxic relationship, lost his grandparents to Covid, then lockdown happened shortly after and it triggered his descent into binge drinking for 3 years straight. His family is very toxic and dysfunctional (and enablers) which doesn’t help matters.
I knew him when he was still drinking. We became very close friends and at one point and he even talked me out of suicide and I am eternally grateful for that. Eventually, we confessed our feelings for one another and we started dating. He quit cold turkey 14 days into our relationship. And he was sober for three months before he relapsed and then stopped drinking again 6 days ago.
Not even the next day, his mom gave him some of her Percocet and Dilaudid. He was snorting them for 3 days straight. Two days ago, his Aunt (heroin addict and crashing at their place for a few days until she finds a place to live) gave him alcohol, and he drank it.
When I finally was able to call him, we were supposed to discuss a game plan for him getting help and boundary setting (something neither of us know how to do, really), and it was unproductive as he was near blackout drunk and he, his family, and aunt were all arguing and screaming at each other (typical) and he was just having anger outbursts left and right, and loudly expressing his ongoing suicidal ideation. And while his anger was never directed at me, it still was very scary for me to witness and hear (trauma trigger). That was my breaking point and is why I’m writing this today.
When he quit drinking the first time, shit hit the fan. He was doing okay financially (given the current economy), and was eventually gonna move out. His doctor lost his papers he filled out to keep getting disability money, and he’s been unable to work (he works at home) due to his mental state. He is trying to get the disability part figured out. Not having any real income, no way to move out, and dealing with his dysfunctional home life, he was finding it harder to remain sober and eventually relapsed. He started pawning his possessions (things he genuinely enjoyed, like his ps2 and mtg decks) to fund his drinking habits. It started out tame and then just became binge drinking again.
He also struggles with CPTSD, ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, and dissociation. We both suspect he might have a cluster b personality disorder. I have the same mental health issues, but change the potential personality disorder to dxed Schizoaffective (bipolar 2 subtype). We both have issues with emotional regulation (in different ways) and catastrophic thinking. I am currently in a severe depressive episode and he got me to get professional help. I am getting help, but it’s difficult because we are very codependent and overextend ourselves to each other too much and too often.
We both know that this is toxic and want/need to change it. Yesterday was the first official day of my second burnout, and yesterday was when he texted me apologizing for everything he has put me through, how much shame he feels, and that he is now (finally) pursuing professional help for substance abuse and mental health issues. Such inopportune timing, if you ask me. I told him ‘I appreciated his apology but I need time to forgive him and need to take time for myself’. He understands and told me to take all the time I need.
I genuinely want us to work out, and he does too. We both want to live together someday and get a cat. He is an amazing human being despite all of his struggles and is the first relationship I’ve been in that isn’t one-sided, and just about getting sex out of me. We have a lot in common and shared interests, we spend a lot of quality time together, and we both love and care for each other (I’m burned out atm for an indefinite period of time so I am kinda apathetic in regards to how I feel about him rn), but I’m just at a loss. I don’t know how it’ll all turn out on my end of things and I hate that. I hate the uncertainty of the future.
Right now, I’m at a low point and am considering suicide if things don’t work out. My home life is shit, and I have no other real support system but him. I’ve burned so many bridges in the past being bipolar, so I don’t have any friends anymore. And it’s so hard trying to make real life friends again and maintain those friendships. He’s the only consistent person in my life as he’s the only person that’s able to tolerate my symptomatic bullshit, and there’s just something about being in love (especially with him) that I don’t want to lose out on. I just feel lost and hopeless as he’s my only reason to live until I can start living for myself eventually. And now I’m worried that that it’ll go down the drain and I’ll have nothing, again.
I’m aware that I have attachment issues and that I’m a very codependent person. I know that I’m not an angel in this situation either, mainly because of this. I have so much severe trauma (especially grooming and sexual) that he can relate to, in a way, and I guess we’re also trauma bonded as well.
I honestly don’t know anymore. I just want us to be okay, I can’t stand the idea of moving on and I just want to fall back in love again. This is the second time I’ve burned out and I don’t want it to be permanent. I’m currently spending my days just crying a lot about this, and dissociating. I just want to love him again, especially because he is now seeking help. I want to love him and feel like I’d be fucking him over if things just didn’t work out because he’s finally doing what he needs to recover, and get better for the both of us.
Also, I am getting help. I am in a partial hospitalization program, and am being discharged this week. I’m hoping the DBT place I was referred to is willing and able to take me. However, I just don’t know if I’m functional enough now for the help to even work at this point. All I can do is cry.

Perhaps accidentally, the party managed to wrap up a couple of major quests on floor 2 this session. In addition to a very cute dog in attendance irl, we had:
-Freyja, Half Elf Paladin of Mielekee, a gothic woman seeking vengeance on her’s father’s killer.
-Nazar, Goliath Paladin of Tyr, an upright man in exceptional armour, seeking a holy relic.
-Felicity, Aaracockra Bard, a cunning and curious birdfolk with dark musical tastes.
-Archimedes, Gnome Artificer in his owl themed armor, seeking to make magical items.
-Goba, Dwarf-Duergar Fighter-Barbarian, a noble bounty hunter on someone’s trail.
They also have Nanaz, Goba’s manservant, and the vengeful revenant Halleth, as companions.
MIDNA’S SHADOWS
The session began with battle against Halleth’s final murderer, Midna, Cleric of Shar. Her plush chamber was plunged into darkness that especially obscured things to Nazar- except, oddly, the Shrine of Shar which remained unnaturally visible in the black.
Ten shades were conjured alongside two shadow mastiffs to bog down the party, while Midna shot their one light source- a little clockwork flash-walker Archimedes had made. Nazar held the line, barely buffeted by the shades, while Freyja and Archimedes stabbed and zapped her black hounds. Halleth used his new ability, with a cry of “onwards, for Vengeance!” to let him and Goba rush forwards without opportunity attacks to corner her.
Quickly, the shades and hounds fell, and Nazar, able to see only one thing, threw a rock at the shrine of Shar and charged over. This immediately elevated him as Midna’s main target, and she tried to hack at him with a cursed sickle, only for Goba to run her through. Midna died surprisingly peacefully, muttering that it didn’t matter.
In the aftermath, as the light returned, Nazar pulled out his warhammer and set about demolishing the statue of the dark goddess. He felt a brief call, an offer that he could gain the power to see through the darkness like his allies, but he turned it down and smashed the shrine apart. Earning a Curse of Shar.
Curse of Shar- Plagued by the dark goddesses wrath, you are weakened as your memories fade. While cursed you have disadvantage on Saving Throws against Magic, and lose proficiency in one random skill. Each long rest, make a DC 18 Wisdom Saving Throw. On a failure, you lose proficiency in another random skill.
Nazar lost memories of conversations had around campfires, losing a portion of his charm and the Persuasion skill first.
CALL OF VENGEANCE
While others were looted the room for gold, suspecting the feast of poison, and finding nice clothes, Halleth remained animated, stabbing Midna again and again. When Archimedes intervened and removed her holy symbols- offering the undead cleric the symbol of Waukeen, he looked at it with barely any emotion on his bleeding face.
“She never opened her gates to me. Why would that change now?” Halleth growled, “There are more debts to collect. More wrongs to right. So much evil to punish. Can’t you hear the call of vengeance?”
They couldn’t but Halleth grumbled that something- an angel- had reached out to him when he last lay dead, promising to slay the evils of undermountain. And somehow, with this being’s power, the revenant doesn’t die yet. Instead, the party watched uncertainly as he tried to leave, collapsed as his body fell apart, and his soul seemed to sink down into the stonework.
They have completed his quest for vengeance, but something calls him to linger on in the dungeon. Archimedes pocketed the two holy symbols of Waukeen and Shar, and after desecrating the rest of this room, they left.
SPIDER EYES WATCHPOST
Or more like Snake Eyes Watchpost.
With the party still in good shape, they decided to go tick off another notch of a quest, and returned to the northernmost Xanathar Watchpost to take it down. This was a tricky fight, against a dozen bugbears, a handful of human mobsters, a mutant drow, and a corridor full of traps.
Well, it was tricky in theory.
Only Goba and Nazar actually had to face the trapped pressure plates littering the corridor, and their toughness and armour turned aside every dart. Felicity flew over them, Archimedes spider-climbed to run along the ceiling, and Freyja pulled out her bow and sniped from the corridor’s end.
Against terrifying blades and thunderous magic, most of the bugbear runts fell like bowling pins. Shun, the spider-faced drow, commanded his men to try and shoot down the “turkey”, littering Felicity with far more feathers than she was meant to have, and tried to bring down Goba and Nazar with poisoned bolts. He failed. He panicked, and he retreated behind a screen of mobsters and bugbears.
Said goons immediately almost died to Archimedes’ shatter, then were put to Sleep by Felicity, allowing the frontliners to run over them and hack the cowardly drow apart. The rest died quickly in the aftermath, with only a brief tussle where a brawler yanked Felicity out of the air, slammed her onto a pressure plate, and got his mate shot and killed by the dart trap.
Another Outpost clear! Two outta three!
In the chambers beyond, they found a mountainous larder of rations, enough to sustain the party for a hundred days if only they could carry it all. Which they can, using the portable hole. Rex’s body was discarded.
The outpost had a rough map of the floor, some other chests for which they found keys. In one, a crimson eyeball abruptly lurched out, floating into the air with a sinuous tentacle hanging it from it like a malevolent ocular jellyfish.
“SHUN, WHAT’S THE STATU- OH, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU, BOY?”
It’s telepathic voice blared into their skulls, taking in the scene before demanding the Xanathar password- how many eyes does the Xanathar have?
Apparently nine was not the correct answer, and so the eye blasted Nazar with a burst laser blast. Felicity was quick to flit into the air and stab it with a psychic blade, hearing one final thought blare into her mind as it died.
“BRING IT ON, FOOL, I KNOW YOUR FACES, AND MY EYES ARE ALWAYS OPEN.”
Xanathar has seen them.

Hi everyone, I just wanted to make a post to celebrate this win since I don't really have people I talk to about my weight loss journey.
For some background I'm 24F, 5'4" (165cm), I lost about 30 pounds and went from 250 to 220 in 2021, and gradually gained it back to be at my highest 253lbs earlier this year (2024). Decided I wanted to really get back into losing the weight for good in February 2024, and was at 231~ lbs by mid April! Did this through eating at a calorie deficit and being more mindful of what I put in my body.
From April to May I went on vacation I planned months ago to Korea and Japan and expected to hopefully not gain weight but I was not expecting to lose it either.
I did not track calories and ate however much I wanted everywhere I went especially since we were burning so many calories walking so much. (Although I will say I did kinda find myself looking at how many calories were in foods at the convenience stores/the ones I could see, but that didn't stop me from snacking/eating more of what I wanted if I felt hungry or wanted a little treat). I also indulged in alcohol occasionally but I'm not much of a drinker so I only drank a few cocktails/highballs a couple times during the trip at dinner or brunch.
We walked a LOT. On the first day we walked 40k steps, that was very overboard since I wasn't very active before this, but it peterred off to about 11k-20k average depending on our itinerary for the day since the trip was about 31 days in total. Definitely counteracted all the food I was intaking haha. Body is definitely hurting a bit now that I've had a break but going to try to keep this 10k step streak alive once jet lag isn't ruining my sleep schedule.
When I came home a couple days ago, I felt pretty bloated since I had eaten so much the day before (convenience store food, meal before flight, in flight meals etc) I weighed in at 233lbs. I was a Little bit disappointed because I felt like during the trip my clothes were fitting better and that my pants were looser around my waist (could be because I didn't walk in them long enough previously to notice they were loose).
After a day of eating as I did prior to the vacation, on a tracked calorie deficit, etc. I weighed in again today at 228.6 lbs! Pretty happy that I did end up losing a bit of weight during the vacation :) If you made it this far, thanks for reading!
edit: changed weight I was in mid April, put the wrong number previously.

Before we get to the offer I wish to give you some background about myself - My name is Dominik, I'm a personal trainer and a nutrition consultant, as well as a powerlifter. I have been doing this with joy for over 10 years now and wish to share that knowledge further on with as many as I can. I don't find it appropriate to advertise my pages here, but for those who want proof, feel free to snoop my reddit post history.
There you can also find my previous posts here on slavelabour that were all well received, which hopefully provides some form of assurance and credibility that I respond and deliver to everybody as fast and efficiently as I can.
Now back to the topic! I'm offering three 60 day meal plan variations - a 1200, 2000 and a 2800 calorie version. Each day of the meal plans is unique and has 5 meals, so in total you're getting 300 different meal ideas - no two will be completely the same. There are no supplements in the meal plan, so there's no meals like "1 scoop of protein powder".
These plans are made of natural foods that can be found in every decently equipped grocery store, with a couple of 'cheat-ish' ones to add some extra variety. The meals won't be complicated to make, nor won't take a lot od time to prepare, and only require basic cooking and seasoning skills. Every ingredient as well as meal has its macronutrient values precisely calculated to one decimal and of course listed next to it.
There are more complex, as well as very simple meals, and due to an easy to read design it's also very simple to switch meals up if you don't like certain ones.
If you only decide to only get one of the meal plans, It's yours for 5$, file format is PDF.
I can send you a sample day, so you can get an idea on how the full meal plan will look like and to make it easier for you to decide if you'd like it or find useful.
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Cheers!

SW: 274lbs CW: 257lbs. Time on MJ: 1 week.
Where do I even begin? To see 17lbs of weight loss in a week seems unbelievable and I’m struggling to believe it myself, but when I hopped on the scales this morning my mind was blown and I had to weigh myself 3 times to confirm.
I started MJ last Thursday after reaching rock bottom in my relationship with food. I’m a big guy, always have been, but it’s usually been a mix of fat and muscle. Over the past few years things went tits up - I had open heart surgery for a leaky valve, I had two kids, got promoted to a stressful position, and food became the only thing that excited me in life.
My weight ballooned to 274lbs and I just couldn’t stop eating. I actually make a Reddit post asking what the hell to do because I can feel myself slowly killing myself but I have no motivation to change. Someone suggest MJ so I ordered it and wow, what a life changer it’s been in just one short week.
I felt the effects almost instantly. Before taking it I’d been planning to sneak out of work to get get Domino’s, but within an hour I had no desire to do that. I tried eating lunch and could only stomach half of my HUEL hot and savoury. And it felt GREAT!
Over the following week my mind was blown how life without food noise is experienced. I used to obsess over meals and they were on my mind all day, I’d get three to four takeaways per week and always tell myself ‘I’ll start tomorrrow’. This week I could resist anything, and crucially I didn’t feel like I was missing out.
I’ve probably been eating around 1300 calories a day, consisting of a HUEL shake for breakfast, HUEL hot and savoury for lunch, then a small dinner of meat and veg, and I feel satisfied and satiated.
The craziest experience was going to town for a bacon sandwich with my girlfriend. We had the most delicious sarnie and in any other week I would have considered ordering a second one (it was that damn good), but this time I thoughtfully ate half, thoroughly enjoyed it, packed the other half away and took it home to eat for dinner. That’s unheard of for me!
Another NSV: the amount of money I’m saving on takeaways far outweighs the cost of MJ.
So, thanks for reading my essay. My mind is blown.
TLDR: lost 17 lbs on first week of MJ and it’s blown my mind and changed my outlook of everything.

I don't know what inspired me to make this post, possibly it was finding out that this subreddit exists and has such a large following.
I've had GERD for 7-8 years now. I'm only in my mid 20's and was diagnosed with it by doing a gastroscopy. At the time, I weighed 115kg (255lbs) as a teen male. I now weigh about 84kg (185lbs).
Ever since it was first diagnosed I remember having food that I have swallowed re-surface dozens and dozens of time each day, possibly even 100 times per day (I don't keep count).
At first, I was prescribed Omeprazole but didn't take it consistently; I didn't experience heartburn most of the time and so I didn't see the need to take it most of the time. I refrain from eating a lot of deep fried food and in general I don't use a lot of oil when cooking (blessed be air fryer). When I was younger I also remember espresso sometimes being a cause for heartburn but that has also subsided.
The following paragraph is a bit graphic in detailing my regurgitation, feel free to skip it. Basically, the entire effect of my GERD is food being regurgitated too many times to count per day. It is unpleasant but definitely in the last few years it doesn't cause any heartburn or other form of pain. Usually, I have become used to re-chewing and re-swallowing the food I have regurgitated. I think if I was to throw up every single time I had regurgitated it would cause me to throw up most of the calories I have consumed throughout the day. Of course, throwing up regurgitated food reduces the amount of times the regurgitation happens. On very rare occasions the amount of liquids and foods being regurgitated at a single time is so much that a bit of it spits out of my mouth because I can't contain all of it, it is disgusting but very rare. I should also note that the regurgitation happens regardless of how much I eat (or drink!). Just drinking a cup of coffee for instance causes regurgitations over the span of a few hours. Many times I feel the food or liquids are almost sitting inside my neck and I cause myself to regurgitate (Yes, I can regurgitate at will pretty much, with a similar motion to one where a person may cause himself to willingly burp) to sort of re-chew them and swallow back just so that it sort of relieves it.
I'm making this post because I'm not sure what to do. Last time I went to a gastroenterologist I insisted on getting another Gastroscopy, saying I demand to monitor my esophagus every 5 years. According to the medical staff, that gastroscopy (which I did maybe 2-3 years ago), didn't show any worsening of my esophagus, it is the opinion of the few medical doctors I talked with that I shouldn't do the "wrap" surgery, though I assume I can insist on doing if I deem necessary and it would be covered. I'm just not sure if it's the right solution.
When I talk with doctors about the frequency of my regurgitation it seems as if they don't believe me, which can be frustrating. As if I'm just making the number up as an exaggeration. I'm worried that my GERD will eventually injure my esophagus and possibly even cause cancer in the esophagus when I grow up. I've had GERD since I was a teenager, it will stay with me for life since losing weight didn't help in relieving it, and it is clear that the frequency of regurgitation is alarming.
Also by making this post I wonder how rare this actually is, and if people have experienced the same thing, how they dealt with it and should it be a cause for concern. I feel sort of alone in my condition.

I’m talking the 1/50 or 1/100 marked shinies in the special apriballs you normally get 1 of (friend ball, dream ball, beast ball, etc.)
If you see a shiny, you save, and keep trying until you catch it in the ball you want. That’s straight forward enough. But to get it as a marked shiny??
You do 60+ on the outbreak, save, make a lv3 sandwich in all the categories you want, but then..? If you save before your shinies now, and none of them have marks.. you just waste your herba mystica.
I can do 5 hours of raids and only get like 3 herbs. The best I’ve found for myself is doing the above, but catching 5 shinies in more common balls like Premier, and if none of them are marked then I’ll restart, make a sandwich and try again.
But to get these marked shinies in a 1/1 apriball? Pfft forget it! How do so many people have them, just a huge supply of herba?

SW: 274lbs CW: 257lbs. Time on MJ: 1 week.
Where do I even begin? To see 17lbs of weight loss in a week seems unbelievable and I’m struggling to believe it myself, but when I hopped on the scales this morning my mind was blown and I had to weigh myself 3 times to confirm.
I started MJ last Thursday after reaching rock bottom in my relationship with food. I’m a big guy, always have been, but it’s usually been a mix of fat and muscle. Over the past few years things went tits up - I had open heart surgery for a leaky valve, I had two kids, got promoted to a stressful position, and food became the only thing that excited me in life.
My weight ballooned to 274lbs and I just couldn’t stop eating. I actually make a Reddit post asking what the hell to do because I can feel myself slowly killing myself but I have no motivation to change. Someone suggest MJ so I ordered it and wow, what a life changer it’s been in just one short week.
I felt the effects almost instantly. Before taking it I’d been planning to sneak out of work to get get Domino’s, but within an hour I had no desire to do that. I tried eating lunch and could only stomach half of my HUEL hot and savoury. And it felt GREAT!
Over the following week my mind was blown how life without food noise is experienced. I used to obsess over meals and they were on my mind all day, I’d get three to four takeaways per week and always tell myself ‘I’ll start tomorrrow’. This week I could resist anything, and crucially I didn’t feel like I was missing out.
I’ve probably been eating around 1300 calories a day, consisting of a HUEL shake for breakfast, HUEL hot and savoury for lunch, then a small dinner of meat and veg, and I feel satisfied and satiated.
The craziest experience was going to town for a bacon sandwich with my girlfriend. We had the most delicious sarnie and in any other week I would have considered ordering a second one (it was that damn good), but this time I thoughtfully ate half, thoroughly enjoyed it, packed the other half away and took it home to eat for dinner. That’s unheard of for me!
Another NSV: the amount of money I’m saving on takeaways far outweighs the cost of MJ.
So, thanks for reading my essay. My mind is blown.
TLDR: lost 17 lbs on first week of MJ and it’s blown my mind and changed my outlook of everything.
Edit: I meant SV for the title, not NSV! Though there’s a mix of the two

What's up all! 4th Wall here! I finally have power returned to my home, and can play a little catch up! This one's a heavy hitter, No NSFW needed (I hope) but if you've got kids, be warned.
First, Previous, Next
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A bright flash of blues and whites spat a greyish black object into normal space a mere one hundred Clicks from physical asteroid cloud that provided a natural barrier into the Lurix system. USN Olyvia’s drives instantly flared to life, and she made for the outer edges of the asteroid field with a purposeful stride. The senior Crew was at hand, having alternated shifts so they were well rested for this endeavor. Captain Correllus Grarzia shifted in his chair slightly, watching with interest as his star helmsman switched from his standard control configuration to a more “analog” twin joystick and pedals. ‘The kid really should be piloting a fighter’ he mused just as the young lad turned to look at him. “Ready, skipper”

“Take us in. All ahead slow.” Cory ordered calmly, before keying up the ship wide broadcasting channel. “This is the captain. We’ve just entered the Lurix system. Rig for silent running. I repeat, rig for silent running.” All across the ship, nonessential systems were shut down; their lack of electronic signature aiding the stealth coating on the bulky former troop transport. In engineering. Patrick, Cammy, and the rest of their section powered down a large portion of the larger systems onboard.

Life support was set to emergency backup, with old school oxygen candles lit in special housings that allowed their life-giving emissions to be circulated throughout the ship. Each major section of the vessel had their own supplies of these low-tech solutions, and Olyvia carried enough of these candles to survive for several days without functioning life support if needed.

Only a few were lit this time, using them as an augmentation to allow for minimal use of their perfectly functioning life support systems; and Cammy returned from the compartment just in time to aid in shutting down two thirds of Olyvia’s fusion reactors. This was not usually part of the silent running protocol, but Cory had added it for this mission. While they knew where their target would be, they still knew very little about what defenses awaited them inside the system.

Patrick keyed up the mic, “Engineering reporting in, silent running.”

*acknowledged* came a voice back. And Patrick leaned back in his chair just as Cammy arrived. “Well, that’s that.” He sighed.

Cammy stepped behind his chair, rubbing his shoulders for a second, “candles are lit. Two per section. At this rate we won’t run out for a year.”

Patrick chuckled, standing before looking over at his team, “sandwiches are in the mess hall. Half go now, half after. We’ll wait and go with second shift.” The team nodded and soon. The room was half as full. “Hurry up, and wait” Patrick mused, and turned to the rest. “Hold’em anyone?”

Over the next several days, shifts were kept short with a high rotation frequency. Olyvia picked her way through the natural minefield created by a destroyed world, slipping between the dead planetary shards with deadly caution. She ran quiet, with all but minimal deflectors shut down, and a single detuned laser online on each of her flanks as a last resort against impacts. Cory, Jesse, Patrick, and Cammy met regularly to keep tabs on the ship’s progress. The admiral’s transmission had reached them in time, and the four of them, plus Jacky when she could pry herself from the infirmary, worked to formulate a plan to get into the freighter without killing everyone. They had Hera and Jacobs reports, but those reports also admitted to a certain degree of incredible luck on their part. Things could have gone very differently, and the murder of the freighter during the admiral’s capture operation hinted at a change in tactics from their foe.

Mackenzie’s Privateers had liberated several freighters since they began operations, keeping to their cover as “pirates” by leaving nothing big enough to betray their secrets behind. A few of the other captains had left pieces of inoperative Unity tech, strategically damaged and jettisoned after the fight, as red herrings to convince both the Vorath, and the Thermians that these “pirates” had somehow gotten ahold of Unity warships.


Cory stepped into the cargo bay to meet Patric and Camorra. They were tinkering, carefully he hoped, with one of Olyvia’s harpoon missiles. It was a project triggered by Cammy’s brilliant, if outlandish, idea. “We know these freighters all ran the same codes, and the same infrastructure in their computer cores. Why can’t we hack it. Human computing should be perfectly capable of it.” Cory remembered her words as he stepped up to the two, “at ease” he waved them away as they threatened to salute him, “how’s out little project coming.”


“See for yourself” Patrick smiled handing him a data pad.

Cory took the offered device, quickly scanning through the data, “All I see is Olyvia’s system logs. Did you give me the wrong one?”

Patric smiled evilly, “that is coming from the missile, we found a common power regulator chip that dam near all Delmar freighters use in their integrated core management. Our mole here mimicked that regulators protocols to get into one we installed in a conduit over there” he pointed to an open panel. “It’s designed to cycle through several common chip sets and protocols to get access.”

“You hacked Olyvia?” Cory asked, eyebrow raised in a combination of amusement and irritation.

“Well, “Cammy said calmly, “we had to test it, and Oly’s the only ship close enough…”

“I see…” Cory mused, “it will have to do, we will be reaching the edge of the field in three days, how many of these can you have ready?”

Patrick scratched the red stubble punctuating his jaw line. “Hmm two, maybe three, including that one.” He winced at his captain’s expression, “took us a minute to get the virus right, sorry.”

Cory sounded to himself like a broken record, “I guess that will have to do as well. I’ll leave it to you.” He turned to return to his office but was interrupted half way there by an urgent request for his presence on the bridge.

Jesse rose to greet him as Cory stepped into Olyvia’s command center, and he nodded towards the ready room off to the side. The two of them quickly stepped inside and Jesse closed the door. “Jesse, what’s this about” Cory asked, settling into his desk chair.

Jesse, his first officer, and battle born brother looked at him seriously, “The first of our stealth probes have made it into the system proper….. It’s not good” He tapped at his data pad before handing it to his captain, “The enemy is doing something big down there, and we don’t know what. What we do know, Is that there are three heavy cruisers in orbit, and three more destroyers in floating patrols around the system.”

Cory scrolled through the pad as his first officer made his report, pausing at the same information on the planet’s surface, “These are military installations. This makes no since. We haven’t had a use for Lurix in millennia. It’s always just been a haven for aquatic and semi aquatic species. Why didn’t our intel warn us of this.”

Jesse nodded grimly, “I don’t know for sure, but I have my suspicions.” He reached over, tapping at the tab to open a particular file Cory had yet to find. “We found these in orbit as well.” He pointed to a pair of Delmar constructed freighters, parked in orbit over the marsh world. “I authorized a single transmission to a single drone, uploading Patrick and Camorra’s hacking program into it, and we sent it to one of those freighters... this is what we found.”

Cory opened the indicated file, and felt bile rise in the back of his throat as he watched. “Ready a tight beam, send it back the way we came, Towards Simo.” Jesse looked at his captain in understanding. The risks of transmitting this close to the enemy was a grave risk. Measured against the information they just witnessed; however, it was an absolute necessity. Jesse took the offered tablet, “The Admirals need to see this…. Both of them.”

————————————————————


Clint Stevens groaned as his communicator beeped from his desk. It was a very early morning on a weekend, and Frie had let Natalie stay at her grandparents for the weekend. He quietly slipped from the entanglements of a profoundly comfortable Delmar goddess he had somehow been gifted with as his wife, and silently cursed the inevitable destruction of his plans. The Com was linked to his computer console, and Clint tapped the file as he sat down.

The file opened, beginning with a grim looking Corellus Grarzia who made an intro statement that froze Clint in his thoughts. Before he could begin to prepare himself, images flooded in that turned grogginess into razors edge consciousness ringing with a white hot fury. Frie was ripped from her slumber instantly, reaching for her biometric pistol safe as a response to the unbridled rage she experienced from her husband. It took her a moment to realize that they were not being attacked, and she rushed from their bed, neglecting even basic decency to be by his side.

The two of them watched the Horrors unfold. Children… small children of multiple different races, stacked in a freighter’s hold like cattle, being thrown food like one would an animal. Massive screens played, promising safety and full bellies should they only but kiss the hand of a severe looking Vorath female. All who had not, were treated to daily ice cold sprays mixed with random beatings. He watched as desperate older siblings attempted to shelter their kin from the abuse, often times paying the ultimate price for their valor.

Clint and Frie were spared a further assault on their senses by a beeping light, indicating an urgent call from Clint’s adopted brother. Frie slipped out of view, reaching for a night gown as a furious Mac, accompanied by an equal parts shocked and livid Lyrian, appeared on screen.


“You’ve seen it” Clint stated. There were no barriers between them, no formalities. Only pure truth.

“I have,” Mac rumbled. “Why is it always kids..”

Clint shook his head, “I can have a battle group there in two weeks. It’s not soon enough, but.”

Mac nodded sharply, “I’m redirecting everyone not on critical missions. Simo and Kid are already there with Olyvia. Wisconsin is enroute. We will await your arrival….. Clint…” Clint’s eyes met Mac’s in a joined promise that reached across time and space.

“No, there won’t.” Clint answered, responding to Mac’s unspoken statement.

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A week later, The Chancellor Thomas Durrant of the Sol Federation perused the latest transmissions from Unity space. He was due for reelection this coming fall, and it was a close race. His opponent was labelling him a Warmonger, as he was an outspoken proponent of a more active role in the struggle against the Vorath, and it was working. The points were closing in the polls, and The Chancellor had not come out on top with the latest debate results. Humanity simply was not interested in further conflict. For the first time in human history, the vast majority of the Human race was content with peace.

The Chancellor took a sip of his mug as he opened a file from Admiral Stevens marked priority, but not top secret and promptly spit the contents in his mouth back into the mug. It was a complete file on some kind of intelligence operation, and Durrant almost wondered if it had been sent to him in error. The gruesome cover video dispelled that notion as the leader of Humanity itself watched horrors thought long dead play out in front of him. Several minutes later, he closed the file, and opened a message prompt.


“Viktor, are you up.” He typed.

*Yea, Tom. I’m up, the campaign ain’t gonna run itself into the ground.*

Durrant snorted at the dark humor, “Viktor, I was sent something. It changes… everything” he typed, attaching the cover video, and the longer form surveillance recording he had found inside the file from Clint. Several minutes passed in tense silence before…

*Jesus Christ, Tom.*

Tom Durrant took a long slow breath, “Do you still have your man at The Post.” He paused before sending, knowing what he was asking.

*Yea… yea I do, Tom. Are you sure you want to do this. This has ‘it will blow up in my face’ written all over it.*

“I know, but this bigger than me. Do it, and announce a press conference to follow if The Post runs with it.” Durrant typed and sent the last message, closing down his console. He stood slowly, feeling his age for the first time in recent memory, and walked heavily to bed.

The Post ran with the story. In the next 48 hours, the “leaked” scenes of tortured children, some barely more than infants ripped its way into Humanities Psyche. The revelations of what exactly was going on behind Vorath lines assailed Humanity, spurring many to call for blood, and Others to cry hoax. Around and around the political commentators debated, and redebated the shocking footage.

Chancellor Thomas Durrant followed through on his word, and was now stepping up to the platform and the Microphone as promised. He stood there for a full minute, meeting the eyes of as many of the hundreds of reporters before him as he could. The weight of his expression prompted a flurry of flashes as camera drones captured the image. Durrant allowed all of this to happen, waiting until the din of activity settled into a heavy silence. “People of Humanity… By now, you have undoubtedly seen the shocking pictures from the far side of the galaxy. Many of you believe it to be a hoax, a desperate ploy for political points. Allow me to be clear. This is no hoax, I received these disturbing images directly from Admiral Clint Stevens, who is marshalling the forces at his disposal as we speak. He aims to do something about these orbital concentration camps, and I support his actions with the full backing of my authority as Chancellor of the United Sol Federation.”

Durrant paused, letting the information sink in before continuing, “to answer the question as to whether this is a political ploy for points. Let me be perfectly clear, I alone released the footage from inside those torture ships, and I do not care if you believe it to be a political ploy. If Humanity can see the atrocities committed to the young innocents in those images and refuse to stand up for them; I no longer would wish to lead that Humanity. Yes, we are few compared to what we once were, but we have a strength that cannot be fathomed by those who chose to side with pure evil. Make no mistake, any being that is capable of torturing and murdering children deserves the title.” The Chancellor of United Sol skewered the silent crowd with a withering gaze, “All of you here know that I have been an ardent supporter of taking a more active role against this pure evil, and my opponent has made a great many statements regarding my supposed “warmongering”. I believe that to debate him further on this matter is as wasteful as it would be irrelevant. As such, I am suspending my campaign immediately. Pending permission from donors and the campaign review board, I will be donating the totality of my campaign war-chest to the purchase of relief supplies and construction of rehabilitation facilities for these children.” Durrant paused as a wave of gasps swept through the room as a volley of flashes assaulted his eyes. “Holding the position of leader of the Human race seems so insignificant in comparison,” he said softly, almost to himself before scanning the crowd. “The election is 4 months away. If you wish to reelect me, so be it; but know this.” Thomas Durrant rose to his full height, “If you elect me this fall, know that I will use the full weight of this office to unleash the full might of Humanity upon this evil, or I will resign from my post and travel to Unity space myself.”

With that. Chancellor Thomas Durrant spun on his heals and marched off the stage.
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If you made it this far, Thank You! I hope you enjoyed the episode. If this if your first time seeing this series, I hope you will join us from the beginning. I do have a patreon that has extra content that is not main story arc, but still cannon shorts, as well as exclusive content from some of my other series. If you believe I've earned it, feel free to give it a look; but know that just coming to hang is already enough.
Have a wonderful rest of your day.
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Now, I spend many day with my grandparents. I do my best to make them dinner a few tines a month and I call them 3x a week. Anytime they need extra help, if I am not working, ya girl is there helping them out. My grandpa has dementia, for about the last 12 years. My Grandma is still sharp as a tack.
When I learned about his diagnosis, I mourned him for a year. Mourning someone who is still alive, but I knew what was to come. I watched my grandma on my mother's side with my great-grandma and her dementia journey. Enough of the harsh stuff, on to our fun afternoon.
So, my grandma and my dad needed to take her dog to the vet today. Grandpa isn't much for public anymore so I offered to have a home day with him this afternoon. My wife and I showed up, help get grandma into my dad's truck and waved them off. Now, grandpa has a tendency to wonder. He's an important guy, ya know. Always he's to, "report of base either important documents". Last time those important documents were his birthday cards and he wondered down the block into a nice lady's garden.
My wife and I sit down and before I get too cozy I asked him if he had lunch. I've watched the once strong as an ox man turn into an 86 year old frail man.
"Put it right here!" As he points to his stomach. I can hear him talking to the wife while I whip up the most delicious bologna sandwich and salad... oh and a chocolate muffin. "I helped a lot of people when I was a young man. I had a great life". I bring him his lunch and give him a kiss. For most of the afternoon, he knew who I was, it was nice. Usually I'm my mother, or someone he know he loves.
"How old am I?"
"You're 86"
"No wonder I feel terrible"
He knows me, even if he doesn't say my name. He will before it gets too late, when we first showed up he knew exactly who I was.
"You and I, we always laugh together"
I am known to be the jokester, the granddaughter thst is always there even with a smile. Even at me 37 years old he will comment, "watch out for this one, she's a cannon".
Today we were somewhere in the late 1950s. He spoke of his mother a lot. He spoke about learning everything you can. Take advantage of knowlege when you can, never pass up the chance to learn. While sitting in his "near" Seattle home he took us back to a small town in Montana. Him, always being the life of the party chatted with us non stop for over 2 hours while grandma and my dad ran errands.
"I remember a little girl, who used to dance. I love her"
"Grandpa, that little girl was me"
"I knew I loved you"
While I washed his dishes I started a fresh pot of coffee for my dad and grandma who were coming back. I heard her open the door as I made her lunch and the sweetest statement from my grandpa.
"There's my girl, have you come back to hold my hand some more?".
They have been married for 61 years. He made sure to tell me that she is his best friend.
Grandma and I visited for a bit and I served her lunch. He got up to use the bathroom nd when he came back it was as if the last 2 hours never happened. It doesn't hurt like it used to, but listening to him describe my grandma to me over an over almost made me cry. She even stopped him to remind him, "Jenny knows me, I'm her grandma".
I think it was more the way this man loves her that filled me with emotion than anything. He truly is a pure soul.
Sorry for the story, I had a great afternoon with him. Every once in a while he peaks out and he sees me still after all these years. I love him, I aspire to be as kind as him and love my wife as hard as he loves his.