Another late check-in this week. It’s weird how busy you can get regardless of the working situation. I have liked keeping myself busy with studying and projects. I’m not spending enough time on upkeep, and that needs correcting, though I do have a few fair excuses
Side note – I’m half paying attention to what I’m writing, which isn’t really a smart move… I should stop that. Anyway, what’s in my other ear is a Donut Media video about how everyone is driving bad. I do miss the old Donut, for sure, though I’m liking this current crew and it seems like they’re finally getting some creative leeway, but that’s not what this aside is about. It’s about one of the questions the host presents, which boils down to “how do we fix this problem?” The answer is trains. I mean, the answer is actually a system of a bunch of answers, but trains is a key part of the project. People get shitty about this answer because they worry that means they have to take the train and can’t have a car. Don’t get shitty and don’t get lock inside the identity you’ve crafted for yourself – this has never meant that you can’t have a car. I am a guy that likes driving so please take this argument in the good faith it is being given. As a guy that does really like driving, I don’t always want to drive everywhere and, more over, I’m also also sick of all the batshit drivers on the road. This is why trains, which is really a shorthand for increased and improved transit of all types across the country, and especially in our densest areas. Cities, obviously, but also regions like where I live. I live close to Baltimore but not close enough to be a part of its transit system, which is kind of hit or miss, if I understand correctly. DC’s metro, though much maligned, is actually pretty solid. But the suburbs and smaller cities are treated like little farm towns that have no need for transit save for a handful of busses, and that just ain’t so. We need an intermediary transit, which by the way exists all over Europe and Asia, to get between the commercial centers of our mini-cities at a minimum. It should be super easy to hop a few rails and get to any of these places, and we know we have the ridership because look at the traffic. But forget that, focus on the personal – More trains for people who can’t or don’t want to drive means less people you have to share the road with. It really is that simple. But no, you’re right, we shouldn’t change anything. Things are going great in this country.
Anyway, what was I doing? Right, checking in the week, which is going to cover everything from the last check-in on Wednesday, April 1st to now, Friday, April 10th.
Follow-ups: So I did end up buying a car, and it ended up basically being the one I wanted, albeit an older model with higher mileage than I’d been hoping. I got a 2016 Mazda CX-5 with a boatload of miles on it, though for a modern car in the Mid Atlantic, the mileage is actually pretty moderate. So I’ll just need to keep on top of maintenance and things’ll be fine. Grand Touring is the package, so AWD and very plush, minus some cosmic problems that probably helped me get it on the cheap. It’s my first AWD and my first moon roof. So that’s fun. I’m going to take what’s left of my budget and slap it back on my best performing index fund(s). Thus far, I’m pretty happy with my purchase.
There was some other stuff I wanted to follow up on… oh, right, there’s a bunch of stuff. I haven’t gotten to most, others will be in the regulars.
Fitness / Health: I am now certain that the medication I’m supposed to be taking but can’t get because of insurance problems is a major factor in my latest weight gain. However, I am also pretty sure that I don’t have to let it win, at least not entirely. I took an audit of my caloric intake, macros, exercise, and sleep and it was about as bad as I thought. Which is to say not really for any one factor on its own, but my system is pretty fragile these days. So I just gotta be more attentive about these things. Anyway, since restarting both running and more rigorous strength training, things have improved. Some with being a little more mindful of getting my proper fiber and staying under my upper calorie limit. I do think I’m going to spend a couple months, maybe the better part of the remaining year even, with some easier, more repeatable meals. Some real gym-bro meals, like the ol’ chicken and broccoli sad bowl. That’s a fun time. I do think that my cooking experience will help me boost those meals joyfulness without piling on too many extra calories. I mean, you can really make a meal with just a few spices and some creative combinations.
I had a physical scheduled for yesterday and was assured on their own check-in system that my insurance was valid. When I got there, I was told it isn’t. So no physical. So I’m still missing that drug and not about to get it anytime soon. I have initiated the process to switch to the provider that should work with all of my preferred doctors, but hell if I know at this point. I did, at least, confirm with this practice in person that they would accept it, and I got the same confirmation over the phone from my cardiologist. I guess I should make a quick call to my GI office just to make sure. I’m very annoyed by all of this, and I’m pretty sure that the low-level headache I’ve had for the past month or so is also from this insurance stuff. So that’s also super fun.
Academics: I finished the last unit test of my online Algebra course and all that’s left is the final. The final has different restrictions. It’s not quite fully proctored, but it is more locked down. That’s fine, because I’m planning to go in as prepared as I can be. I’m not going to take it at least until Monday, maybe later depending on how much time I carve out to study. On that front, the plan is to go back through all of my notes, touch at least a little on literally every topic the course has covered – maybe a full review of all tests I’ve taken in it
I’ve started my FAFSA and started collecting info on scholarships and grants to apply to. My brother lent a hand on that, which I appreciate. I haven’t started the community college enrollment, so I do really need to get on that.
What’s up now: Things really have gotten on top of me lately, and my weekend is pre-booked with a whole bunch of stuff. So I’m going to slow things down and focus in on just a couple of things for the rest of today and the free time I catch on the weekend. In fact, I’m making a list:
- Basic clean-up of my condo
- Sift through my mail pile
- Double-check all bills are caught up
- Re-pot my poor, sad orchid
- A handful of car updates
- Algebra Final Prep / Study
- Flutter Project Progress
- Re-finish my carbon steel pan
- Bass guitar kit progress
- Soldering kit progress
- Start House Maintenance Schedule
- Start Auto Maintenance Schedule
- Read (at least 30 minutes)
- Exercise
- College stuff – FAFSA, grants, enrollment, etc.
I may not actually have time for all of these, but that’s how it always goes. It’ll help to at least have a sketch of my plans.
Alright, I’m gunna go see if I can swap out some electronics in my new/used car, get that good mobile connection junk working. Have a good one, ya’ll.