The It's Your Funeral (or how about let's not?) thrad 2023

[Ensign Steve]

I apologize in advance for how poorly this thread title has the potential to age, but I did say:

Originally Posted by Ensign Steve

Okay, but somebody else needs to start the thrad for this year.

How about everybody take cep's excellent advice there and stay healthy for s sake, okay? I'll start. Or if it's just skip to the end.

Since last I checked in the 2022 thrad, I have been absolutely crushing it at work. This is excellent for my mood, because being unable to do my job (and by extension, pay bills and eat and have a place to live) is one of my biggest stressors and causes of anxiety. And also it's just a lot of fun to do a thing that you're good at and be successful and make people happy.

The problem is that my job is totally sedentary and extremely bad for my physical health. I know what depression looks like. I go days without leaving the house, un-showered, in my PJ's, hunched over the computer, smashing the keys and getting hit after hit of dopamine. Just because I get paid fat stacks to play my particular video game doesn't mean it ain't what it is.

I was thinking about that this weekend, and about a previous time in my life when I was a hell of a lot busier than I am now, which was grad school. I was handling multiple projects and classes, and I had a side job, and somehow I made time for athletics. Essentially, I just had to schedule all my shit. I have a lot less on my plate now than I did then, so I should be able to make it work.

Also, said side job was at Weight Watchers, and when people would be checking in and say some shit like "I'm going to exercise more this week" we would ask follow up questions. What do you mean exercise? Take a class, ride a bike, go hiking? What do you mean more? Two times? Three times? What day? What time? Put it in your calendar. This shit can't be so vague or it's not going to happen.

So, last night I went to Crossfit at 6:15 PM. That's the last class of the week, and I find myself at that one most weeks because I have procrastinated or blown off the gym all week and it's literally my only chance. But I've found that I really like that class, and it's a good transition out of the work week and into the weekend. When I got home, I started writing out a weekly schedule, and I decided to keep that one in.

Then I remembered that I have a work class next week, and that schedule was not going to work, so I moved things around. Which on the one hand shows the importance of actually planning and scheduling this shit out. But on the other hand, makes my journal pages look like shit. Here's a peek behind the curtain:

week-schedule.jpg

My weeks start on Saturday, they have since forever, that's just how I roll. This morning started out great. I got out the house first thing and went to the park for a run, exactly as scheduled. So far so good.



Okay, now it's your turn. What concrete steps are you taking to maximise the days you have left to browse ? Remember to make your goals SMART. Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

[BrotherMan]

It's not your fault at all. This is totally on me and the way I tried to read. For Tuesdays I read three things to get it right:

I AM CROISSANT

No, that wasn't right.

I AM CROSSFIT

No... still not seeing it...

7AM CROSSFIT

That is much less exciting or whimsical but probably what it says.

[Ensign Steve]

Originally Posted by BrotherMan

[LarsMac]

Having become basically full-time caretaker of the Mrs, I am at that point where I hope this "Bucket of Bolts" holds up.
She's on the mend, and doesn't need quite as much tending to, for the moment, so I can get out in the fresh air and sunshine for a bit.
managing to clock a couple of miles the last few days, and all systems are reporting functional, for now.

That's about all I can hope for, now.

[Ari]

Also 7am, fucking morning people. I think you mean 5-8am groan while staring out the window, at a screen, into that tiny crack in spacetime.

[LarsMac]

Watch it, there Bucko.
I have a
and I know how to use it.

[Ensign Steve]

I definitely know that I'm over-sharing but whatever. You're my people and I trust you. And I didn't want to leave you with the wrong impression with that last photo. The idea is that you jot all the plans/goals down quickly at the beginning of the week, and then fill them in (and clean them up with wite-out and butterfly stickers if necessary) during the week to track your progress. I had a great week, I even got to wite-out a "maybe").

[JoeP]

That is a joy to behold.

[ceptimus]

My consultant has told me to walk up and down the ward corridors a few times each day, so I am now getting some (very minimal) exercise. I've been stuck in hospitals ever since my heart attack (15 nights, so far), but I've been choosing the healthiest available options for the hospital meals and only small portions. Despite my totally sedentary existence, I think I may have lost a little weight, but I won't know till the next time they weigh me.

[viscousmemories]

Glad to hear you're still with us, cep.

That's really pretty, ES. Great idea!

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

A thread about funerals is the perfect plce to announce World Goth Day

[JoeP]

OK then!

Bela Lugosi's Dead (Official Version) - YouTube

[lisarea]

I just gave this guy Josh all my black nailpolish last night. Like three bottles.

I stopped painting my nails a while back because I worry about it chipping off into food like bread and stuff. I still have plenty of gray and blue, but what are the odds that I accidentally divest myself of black nailpolish on Goth Day Eve?

[Sock Puppet]

I wonder how pure this guy Josh's intentions were. Maybe it wasn't so accidental.

[specious_reasons]

I think gray is more than adequate a color for World Goth Day.

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

Grey (feat. Evendorff) - YouTube

[specious_reasons]

I'm actually scheduled for therapy. After putting my Mom on palliative care, it hit me that my mother is in the slow process of dying, and I need to work through my feelings on this. First session is in roughly 2 weeks. I expect to have a list.

My primary objective for therapy is to not be as mentally fucked up as my mother's side of the family. One of the reasons why she doesn't want to leave the house is she's struggling with the ghosts of her parents.

My other objective is to avoid being as unhealthy as my father. I'm doing slightly better in that regard, too. I have not had (and don't think I need anytime soon) a triple bypass. I'm not as fit as I would like, but I also don't think I'm at a particular risk.

So, avoiding the grave one day at a time.

[ceptimus]

I've lost about 20 kg (45 pounds) since my heart attack, and I'm still eating only heart-healthy foods. Still taking walks every day - and often they last over an hour, though I'm not going particularly fast.

Yesterday I went to the first of eight (free on the National Health Service) exercise classes at the local hospital. These will be every Wednesday morning, and last just over an hour: they consist of fairly light step / aerobic exercises, interspersed with sessions on exercise bikes. The nurses measure your blood pressure at the start and end, and monitor your pulse at regular intervals throughout. I asked whether I could start going out on my bicycle for gentle rides around the park, but the nurses advised against that for another six weeks: I think they're worried about possible injuries to my sternum in case l crash or fall off, but I may choose to ignore that advice and just ride very carefully!

[Ensign Steve]

Our local pool has open lap swim in the mornings, so we finally made it to that on Wednesday. Pretty straightforward, will do again.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by ceptimus

I asked whether I could start going out on my bicycle for gentle rides around the park, but the nurses advised against that for another six weeks: I think they're worried about possible injuries to my sternum in case l crash or fall off, but I may choose to ignore that advice and just ride very carefully!

I purchased myself one o' them e-lectronic bicycles the other day and have been going out on wild rides around the forest. I have an injury to my hip.

[viscousmemories]

I still do pilates 3x a week, but I've only gone on a walk a couple times this year. My weight has also been creeping back up because I've been off the chain for a few months (all year so far) but the past few days I've started to get solidly back on track. My goal is to get to 185-190 and stay there. Last year I went from 250 to 185, but then slipped back above 200 over Christmas. Since then I have added another 15. So ... still significantly down over January 2022, but not where I want to be. Still taking Losartan for my weak ejection fraction although my last check-up indicated no further deterioration.

[Ari]

I’ve been doing some sort of exercise everyday for the last three weeks.
It’s been good, and I am tired.
I swear my body runs on a 36 hour cycle as wiping away the ‘did you eat’ and ‘did you exercise’ check on my white board every 24 hours seems way too short of a time.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by JoeP

I purchased myself one o' them e-lectronic bicycles the other day and have been going out on wild rides around the forest. I have an injury to my hip.

Talking of wild, I didn't pay enough attention (this is my excuse anyway) to the recommendation to condition the disc brakes by braking to a full stop from 25km/h 30 times. And thus, or otherwise, I braked a tiny bit too hard and duly flew over the handlebars and stopped myself on the tarmac using my entire body. Grazes all along my right forearm (scabs have nearly all come off and it's not itching as much). Cuts and bruises on my knees and shins - left knee is still swollen. And bruised ribs (broken is not impossible) which are still sore.

Anyway, it didn't kill me and I am therefore stronger, right?

Bike shop helpfully realigned the front wheel so bike is fine. And I'm riding around with a lot less wildness.

[Ensign Steve]

I graduated from my 10K running ap to the 13.1 training plan, and so I no longer get to use the free version. I shelled out for a premium membership, and the extras are dope! One of the features is it gives you this little stats overlay to put on a picture to share to the socials.

The first day I didn't know what I was doing, so I just used the default image, which is this random dude's ass.

week01day1.jpg

The second day I put it on the map, which I wouldn't normally do because the white text on gray map doesn't read very well, but I thought it was funny how it tracked me walking around the gym for half an hour (that was a non-running/cross-training workout day).

week01day2.jpg

The third day I finally figured out how to add it to an arbitrary photo, so of course I chose Mooke.

week01day3.jpg

And finally today, I am truly leveraging the potential of this feature. I took a photo during my run, specifically for this purpose.

week01day4.jpg

I had been doing my training mostly by doing laps around the track at the park (see day one), but since it superimposes the little map, I'm now inspired to hit the streets and trails some more.

[ceptimus]

With a carefully planned route, you could make the track spell out rude words!