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I pinned down one of those traits I admire in others and do not yet feel I have sufficiently in myself. That would be serenity.

Some of the words I would use to describe the concept I’m after are deliberate, calm, relaxed, poised, aware, balanced, acceptance. The one that I feel I lack in a big way is “relaxed”, at least in conjunction with awareness. “Acceptance” is another big part of it. To a lesser extent “deliberate” and “poised” are things that I want to work on.

And now on to value pricing.

Being lulled to sleep by the odd melodies of system shock 2 must have proved strangely rejuvenating, because I woke up before 5 am (having gone to bed after midnight) not feeling too tired. (I’m sure I’ll pay for it later). But this allowed me to go to settsimaksimin‘s gay swim team dealie. I enjoyed it. It was good. I did screw up the timing a bit, missed the optimal bus, then briefly got lost in downtown, and then spent a few minutes negotiating with the YMCA front desk people, so I didn’t catch the full workout; I must have been at least 15, if not 45 minutes late. It seemed all too brief.

Yesterday’s financial aid news left me very happy. Turns out if my parents and I manage to iron out the buying-real-estate-and-having-me-manage-it-plan, I will be able to pay all my expenses on loans, and shift a major portion of my consumer debt load (if not, in fact, all of it) to low/no interest student loans. Sweet.

I’m awake, hungry, and at my desk before 8am. Time to hit the north country co-op and pick up my bus pass. Yay! =)

I’m currently weighing a little less than I have in months. Somewhat concerning, that. Definitely not eating as much. But the sublet will have a more spacious, and somewhat less scary kitchen, so, I’ll likely be doing more tasty cooking, and less of the untasty heat & eat/expensive vegan unfriendly eating out.

today on narcicism theatre

I have a sublet that starts on July 1st. I have a student id, a gym membership, a contact on a local gay swim team, applications complete for bus pass and health insurance, a job. Fortunately the sublet is cheap enough so that I’ll be able to get back to CA for the wclbbq over the july 4th weekend. Kick ass.

is being a great host. He’s even introduced me to a new addiction (ff xi), and been very understanding of my terrorizing his bunny. Still, I can’t help but feel like I’m getting in the way, and leaving his home really short on space, and that it’s best that I were elsewhere.

He’s also been sick the past couple of days. He’s been getting better since sunday though, so that’s cool.

MN’s climate is great. I’m missing berkeley’s traffic control barrels already. Found some veggie chinese spots, but my budget doesn’t let me use them. =) My aversion to chains, particularly mcdonald’s based chains, also keeps me away from chipotle, the only mexican I’ve found. =) Still, grocery co-ops. And sleep. Sleep is good, too.

In response to a reference dropped in a comment on a private entry.

This book does not argue that there is no relationship between weight and health. It argues, rather, that the health risks associated with higher-than-average weight have been greatly exaggerated, while all sorts of related but far graver risks have been ignored. In particular, this book emphasizes that poverty, poor nutrition, and a culture that makes it easy for Americans to be sedentary are important public health issues in America today. We should be encouraging Americans to be physically active, to eat well, and to provide reasonable access to medical care for those among us who lack it. What we should not be doing is telling Americans that they will improve their health by trying to lose weight. As we shall see, there is very little evidence that attempts to achieve weight loss will improve the health of most people who undertake them, and a great deal of evidence that such attempts do more harm than good.

The point that I feel is relevant from the entire shpiel shows up clearly only at the end. There’s a great deal of finger pointing and moralizing being done by someone who is condemning finger pointing and moralizing.

Rising technology has led to some problems. Ready transportation and mechanical technology reduces the exercise that the average person puts forth. Great rises in agricultural productivity increase the ready availability of food. Taken together, these trends lead to both a decline in health and increased quantities of body fat.

Some people stay physically active. Another, partially overlapping, group of people consume similar quantities despite the increased availability. Some do both, some do neither. And some adopt unhealthy behaviors such as anorexia in response to the perceived pressure to “eat right”.

I did find the article to which you linked interesting. I also found it harshly critical with few references to back it up.

I do not advocate turning back the technological clock. That is ridiculous. However, we can work on incentives to encourage and facilitate increased athleticism while discouraging and de-incentivizing the consumption of “unhealthy” or highly processed food. There are things we can all do on an individual basis to make it easier for ourselves as individuals, but as this is a systemic problem, I think a systemic response is more appropriate.

If one in a thousand people is doing something we’d rather they didn’t, personal character may be a reasonable explanation. If two out of three are behaving in detrimental fashions, perhaps other explanations, and correspending interventions, are called for.

Most painless move ever. The cleanup/donate/throwaway operation was slow, painful, and inefficient. But the flight was fine. And it was great to see green grass and dense foresty bits again. My climatic preferences are being affirmed and we’ll see if I’m singing the same tune in January. =)

Wondering how the research assistantship will work out. Somewhat tired, but still on a solarly managed sleep schedule. Ah well. Um, whee.

Less than 24 hours to go. I’m more than a little anxious about this move. And there’s so much that I haven’t gotten done, despite my best intentions. It’s hard to say goodbye. Especially since I really don’t have any intention of coming back permanently. It’s another leap of faith.

I find it strange that this move is provoking so much anxiety. I’m much more prepared than I was for my last pittsburgh departure. Even if that’s nowhere near the same as “fully prepared” =)

I will miss you, all my bay area friends. But it’s time for me to take that next step.

While browsing the computer resource [read: recycling/reuse] center’s webpage. I happened across this little gem. It amused me.

No more Mr Ro in another hour or so. Helping him tie the exercise bike-sled to the top of his saturn, then away he goes. The end of one chapter. Another time of great change. Never easy.