...So, here's what I've been doing, and here's what I'm about to do!

Aaand, my health took a sudden brief downturn. But I'm fine now.

I am planning to do more videos very soon, after I'm done extensively blogging for some time. When I say extensively, I mean, massively, with plenty of scientific citations. That's why I've been calling it 'my big post'.
` It's so big I'm dividing it into Parts 1 and 2, and these will be important to this blog, my videos, and my podcast for which this blog is named, and which I still cannot access to put on the internet for you to hear. That's one of the next things on my to-do list.

Another thing, I want to admit that since I did this video at the piano, I began to have such difficulty in keeping my balance that I had to stop practicing almost altogether until a month or so ago. I discovered that if I switch the pedal extension to the left side and then press my right foot up against a cushion that's wedged under the piano -- and remove my pants -- I can actually keep my balance.
` So, I made a video of myself showing my new way of piano-ing -- without pants! I was wearing a dress. I'm also glad to report that I am getting better at keeping my balance in other instances of sitting down, especially now that my pants have all mysteriously gotten bigger again. Strange how that happens. Must be the "Underwater UFO" Aliens.

This resumed piano practice hasn't been taking up huge amounts of time, so much as it takes some amount of energy away from blogging and everything else. But it's worth it. What's probably taken up more time are the little errands and other adventures I've gone on, such as today, upon which Matt and I returned with a shrubbery *orchestra hit*!
` For another recent adventure, we attended a Seattle Skeptic's Meetup. This time; The Humane League And The Horrible of Industrial Farming. Most animals in the U.S. are killed for human consumption, the vast majority suffer terribly as cogs in a factory farming machine.
` Now that's another subject for a blog post, but again, I must press on with my original course: More and better (and generally not-so-big) blog posts and videos! Speaking of, I've gotten a few more lovely videos to go on YouTube, including lots of rainbows, and one of the blooming cherry blossoms overlooking Lake Washington.

As for what I said last time, the whole getting eight uninterrupted hours of sleep for the first time in years was a prelude to a sudden inability to stay awake or alert for two days. I forgot the idea of finishing the post on Bicycle Day, or even 4-20.
` Thankfully, this fatigue didn't have to do with whatever was living in my sinuses for two months: It was more a blip in my internal chemistry, which resulted in extreme exhaustion, muscle soreness, and inability to brain. I was, at least, able to get my mind working well enough to destroy thousands of tiny weeds when the sun was out. Productive, and meditative rather than mentally taxing.
` Yesterday, Matt and I even failed to go to the March For Science, even though we had been enthusiastic about it until the day before. Both of us were exhausted and not much up for being out in the rain for hours. Instead, I stayed inside and did some more writing, and later when the sun came out, we had a nice walk among the ducks, crows, hummingbirds and spring blossoms.

A little bit more of my time is taken up by software-related 'fun'. Just last night, I had two tabs open that had several links on them, and that information would be stored in my Firefox browser history. I closed Firefox to restart the computer to install some updates, thinking it probably wouldn't screw anything up.
` Strangely, it did: I couldn't open Firefox because one of its files was somehow missing from this computer. This had happened before, and I'd solved it by reinstalling Firefox. Which I did several times, didn't work, so I installed Chrome.
` It works really well.
` Firefox isn't installing with Chrome either, so I'll just use Chrome, and take the minor setback of losing two tabs. What would be worse would be if I lost access to my WordPad document which has plenty more sources and notes, for the next several blog posts.
` Which happened -- temporarily:
` Due to my enormous amounts of writing/research, the file had gotten so big that this computer's WordPad couldn't quite handle it; neither could Google Docs. I emailed it to Matt and his computer opened it in 10 seconds, then he copied and pasted the text into an email and sent it back to me.
` I divided that up into three sections, so at last I can go back to writing, as I was doing yesterday. Assuming that nothing else annoying happens, Part 1 should be up really, really soon, since it is practically finished, and Part 2 only needs a small amount of work so should be up shortly thereafter.

Along with these blog posts will be my next (very short!) video, most of which I took when it snowed in February. So, I'll be moving from winter, then to spring blossoms, and then to fall colors, because I took many videos back then as well. Let's just put it this way; time will not be linear on my YouTube channel!
` I can't wait to get back to it, I love feeling healthy and I'm tired of feeling sick! I probably won't have time to do any writing tomorrow, due to another adventure I've got planned, but I don't have any other foreseeable delays. The ball keeps threatening to start rolling, and I think this time it just may.

The Universe Expands Before Our Minds!

Alas, this is not the 'Big Article' I've been promising, but in the interest of creating regular content, I've got something else interesting for you. My excuse in delay is that writing a lot involves much reading, and it's difficult for me to hold my body still enough to read for very long without shifting. That, and I've been occupying myself with having many more adventures lately.
` One of my adventures occurred a few days ago, when Matt and I went to Town Hall to see Lawrence Krauss humorously expounding on Standard Theory, the most accurate theory ever. It's the greatest adventure of how scientists discovered the structural properties of the universe, on great and small scales.
` As with Stamets and Schwartzberg, I shall have to write something up properly about this, but... here's a video of him on another day, with a different pair of red shoes. He describes how our familiar 3-dimensional universe was discovered (largely by accident) to be a 'shadow' of a larger, 4-dimensional universe. Yes, really.



Although I've not been on Facebook in ever, partly because I've been working on the same article I've been working on for months, I did tag him there. Ah, technology. But then someone who recognized Matt actually gave me a frickin' book, and Lawrence signed it and eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I will write about all that, but first I must finish the article I've literally been promising people, even in person, since just before I had that two-month sinus infection-thing. I really think I'm over it now. Just in time to relish the aromatically-flowered shrubs and trees in bloom!
` As to its subject matter, well, let's just say, my new deadline target date is 'Bicycle Day'! Seems manageable, as long as I can stop being so addicted to weeding (the garden) and spending large amounts of time outdoors and watching animals, clouds, and Seattle's large population of rainbows.

Speaking of, on this lovely sunny day, Matt and I saw a male-female pair of Northern Shovelers swimming in a circle, presumably creating a vortex of debris, which they were feeding on. We stood and watched them for some time, although I did not get a video for the YouTube channel. It probably has to do with being in the moment or some junk. Of course, there are other videos of this on YouTube...
` A few days before, we saw a crow chasing a squirrel back and forth, first to one bush, then another. At last, the squirrel sprinted from a bush near the water and sprinted across the path, into the woods, with the crow hot on its tail. At last, the squirrel somehow got out of reach and the crow just stood on the ground, watching it. That squirrel must have really pissed off that crow.

I've said that I would resist updating you on various news items, but I think it has been long enough. For one thing, my health is doing better than practically ever in ever. My back is getting stronger and less fatigued, meaning less work for the rest of my body.
` This has been the first day in perhaps years that I've woken up after eight hours. Last night, I managed to stay awake long enough to take a shower and then grind the callus from between my toes so they don't grow together. It's fun!
` I even brushed my teeth but didn't floss, figuring that I wouldn't be able to sleep very long. I actually slept from about 9pm to 5am. And after getting up and stretching and making myself a sandwich, I went back to bed and slept another couple of hours.

And as for me contacting the police about Dr. Benninger of Gaslighting Extravaganza notoriety. The guy is still in business, and perhaps also still into molesting people and having them sent to the mental hospital when they try to tell on him. Who knows?
` My main focus in life continues to be recovering from a lifetime of physical/emotional brutality, and I'm doing well. My teeth are still in amazing condition, although I discovered there are stains on the backs of my incisors due to my massive largely-medical consumption of cannabis.
` The shard of glass-like thing remains stuck in my foot, but I am now rid of three annoyingly large skin growths that liked to break open and bleed sometimes.There doesn't seem to be anything really 'off' other than physio-mechanical problems, which, after about 4 1/2 years of physical therapy, are nearly over.
` The main weak spot is the right side of my back, and the right side of my right leg. My torso is more torso-shaped and un-dented than it has been for almost my whole life. It feels amazing. My face almost seems normal now, my upper lip barely curls down at all, and I expect it to stop doing so in a matter of months.

And by then it will be onto the next thing.

Bees Need Medicinal Mushrooms? This Is No Joke!

This isn't the 'big article' I've been promising, although, let's just say, that one would be right up Paul Stamets' alley. Matt and I saw him and Louis Schwartzberg at the Moore Theater for Mushrooms and the Mycology of Consciousness. I even got to meet Paul!

After my 'big article', I'll properly write something about this, but for now, here's Paul (and his Amadou hat) on how he discovered that bees naturally depend on medicinal mushrooms such as reishi and red-belted polypore as part of their immune defenses.
` With these mushrooms becoming more rare, and environmental stress increasing, honeybees and native bees are becoming more sick. Thanks to him, it has been discovered that feeding these mushrooms to the bees greatly prolongs their lives and could prevent colony collapse! Clinical trials are currently underway.



There's a lot to this presentation, and even more in the one that we went to. I will save that for later on, after my next 'big article', which is nearly finished. I'd have had it up already if it weren't for a few things coming up, but at least this darned cold seems to be 'virtually gone' after nearly two months.
` A couple weeks ago, I found some bluish-gray turkey tail and had some, along with other colors I've found, in a tea. I have not had any red-belted polypore yet, despite the fact that I have an entire bag of chunks. It's very rare that I ever am that sick, so I don't use them a lot, but I feel inspired to do so now.

And, not to leave Louie out in the cold, he's done some amazing videography, with much emphasis on slow-motion and time-lapse. In 2011, he did a film known in the U.S. as Wings of Life, about the pollinating insects, birds and bats that keep the plants going. Here's another little project he's known for:



As for other news, I will continue to resist updating you until after 'the big article'. Which is quite big. A little bigger than intended, even.

Good News, Everybody!

On Friday, I have an appointment to talk to the Medina police about the Benninger Incident of my Gaslighting Extravaganza video fame. This is the first time I've ever done this, though it happened in 2003.

And, I'll be doing it without a shard of glass in my foot if all goes right on Thursday! And, I will get a chance to talk about more serious foot problems that I've been dealing with for some time! But I will spare you the details until we get to my fun video clips about that.

But more than clips about terrible things happening to me, the point of my YouTube channel and blog posts will start to become more apparent reeeeallly soon.

Speaking of which, today I didn't write any more of my "big" article, which I'm sure by now you don't remember what it's supposed to be about. Which is perfect.

I didn't write it because I was busy writing an email to the police, thought I'd provide some more info.
That, and I had a couple errands and went to a Skeptic's Meetup. Today's presentation was about the benefits of preventing unplanned pregnancies. Fascinating.
And then, since I am not able to get old medical records in time for my appointment, I have been scrolling through old photos and found some really disturbing ones of my "bad" foot. It works well enough.

As for the darn cold/sinus infection, I think it may be finally going away. Probably going back to bed would help me recover, so I'll do that now.

And until I have published my big article, I will now try to save any and all good/bad news. I'm sure there will be plenty of stuff to say, I just felt that I needed to end on a high note before finally getting on with it.

I still have this dratted cold or whatever it is...

What has it been, five weeks? Sigh. And pain in my ears, too. I've taken to clearing them out and they are feeling much better. I've also had to employ expectorants, and my lungs are feeling better as well. (Guaifenecin plus cannabis vape pens are really amazing together!)
` I think I'm finally starting to get better.

And as far as bringing Dr. Benninger of Gaslighting Extravaganza fame to justice, well, I looked him up and apparently he's still practicing oral surgery in Medina. How is this possible? I emailed Medina's chief of police about the incident, but no reply so far. I shall have to call them up again, once I am awake during the day.

I have many things I need to take care of, but I keep falling asleep. I feel so drained and sore all over. The good thing is, part of being sore indicates the building of new muscle. After more than four years of physical therapy, it may only be a few more months before I'm more or less physically 'normal' after decades of agony.

My sinuses and ears and throat are feeling a lot better. I will resume work on that really fascinating-yet-mysterious article I've been working on since I've been sick, once I take a nap.

I apologize for my prolonged disease state and will have to more nicely ask the micro-organisms to stop infecting my body next time.

My life has taken on a new meaning.

Yes, I'm going to finish that article I've been working on. But first, I want everyone to know that my entire life has shifted into a new gear. I'm going to still be doing what I'm doing, but there is one more layer to it all. That's my excuse for not writing yesterday. It was exhausting to figure that out.

My body is also much more physio/kinetically balanced, and my torso is continuing to become more torso-shaped. However, I haven't yet been able to get an appointment with a podiatrist about pulling out that shard of glass that has been stuck in it since around New Year's. It still hurts.

I also haven't yet gone about trying to get something done about my computer situation. I've been a bit preoccupied.

I did get back to Tim Farley the other day, and will be getting back to more people henceforth. Including the scientist featured in my next article.

Just to keep you updated...

A curious thing happened the other day; I was writing my next blog post and something small landed on the couch next to me: a 1 cm convex rubber disk. I looked around for a possible source, and saw that it had sprung from the on-off button of the flashlight hanging on the wall.
` What are the chances of that happening? I couldn't help but think of last Halloween, when Matt was sitting on the couch at the same time someone decided to hurl a rock through the picture window. Except without the $800 worth of broken glass. (I had slept through it, having been exhausted from CSI Con, and then going on a long walk in the rain afterwards.)

Since my last post, Matt and I have been seeing otters at Alki beach, in addition to the blue herons we usually scare away on our evening walks. This last time, I heard a squeaking noise and saw one otter swimming along the shore, calling to the other. I called back, it looked up at me, and continued on its way. After that, I pulled out the camera and got some video of it squeaking, which I'll have to put on YouTube.

As for my health, it was down for a few days, but I'm now mostly-better, including the cold. My body is getting stronger, and I'm better able to hold myself upright so that I can type at the computer. I even have found a solution to keep myself from falling over at the piano, and am planning on briefly demonstrating that in a video.
` Because I've been so under the weather, my ability to sleep is not the greatest, thus affecting my memory. Sometimes, I come back to whatever I'm doing and am surprised to find I've done as much as I have.
` Once, I kicked myself for not spending the evening writing, when I remembered the reason was that we'd had some people over for a potluck!


As for my next post/article, it's coming along despite my body's attempts to drag my brain down into the abyss of incoherence.