-Deactivated Nextdoor account.

-At SM medical center this morning to get lab work done to see what Repatha is doing for my LDL, and also to get my ferritin lab redone. Update: got my lab results back and my ferritin is still in the green but pretty low, and my LDL cholesterol definitely dropped a little to 91 (I can’t remember it ever being below 100 anytime before) but it wasn’t as drastic a drop as I had expected. Even the doctor preemptively told me not to freak out if it turned to 0. She mentioned in her message to continue for 3 more months and test again. At which point we might consider adding Zetia (I think that’s Ezetimibe?). In this next 3 month trial period I’m going to really make an effort to get some more cardio in, likely in the form of running, which was a goal of mine anyways. I guess I have to remind myself of this year’s focus – 1% gains…which in this case the LDL is moving in the right direction and not getting worse. The ferritin may have gotten 1% worse though.

-Finished book 2 of the year today “The Memory Police”. I believe it’s one of the books I put on hold after doing a search for authors similar to Murakami. It was good and thought provoking.

-Had a conversation with Jasper about trying to remember that school and certain classes (in this case Humanities) aren’t always about the subject matter but trying to reframe what other skills he is building for future life. I tried to remind him that despite the subject matter, what he’s really building is the muscle to take in information and then think critically about it, and then communicate those thoughts back out to others. So much of what we do and take in is about what kind of person we are training our future self to be.

-In other news I’m going on day 4 of 5 REM cycles at night!

-It’s hard work doing all the things – sleeping on time, eating real food, lifting heavy things, getting all the movement, doing laundry, planning trips, taking kids to their respective classes, maintaining a calm and collected attitude to come home to. I’m tired today.

-Reminder to revisit Gregg Mckeown’s “Essentialism” and “Effortless”. Just placed audiobooks on hold from Libby.

-First attempt at using ChatGPT for something useful – asking which tent campsites are best at Glacier National Park…must think how else to harness this new power for future trip planning.

-Find article about Mastery with Jerry Seinfeld and Ichido Suzuki (referenced and possibly in show notes of Tim Ferris’s podcast #786)

-Finally well enough to officially go for my first attempt at a run in 2025. Proud of myself! 5k distance at a slow jog, no stopping or walking necessary. It did say my effort level was hard and it appears I was in zone 4 or 5 most of the time so my heart was working though my legs felt good and strong. Even now, they feel great and I didn’t seem to need a nap like I often have needed in the past even after just short jogs. Maybe those weighted vest walks are actually paying off, plus working on my overall iron levels/nutrients and especially not giving up hope on fixing/balancing my right glute muscles. For reference I’m posting stats so I can look back a year from now and hopefully see that 1% improvement I’m hoping for!

-Making the necessary plans for summer 2025 camping…looks like Channel Islands, Redwoods, and now Glacier NP will be happening thanks to Southwest amazing flight deal. Let’s hope I can make the reservations early February when they open up now that flights have been bought. It’ll be a little bit of a different trip where we either need to check in our camping gear, or rent from REI upon arrival in Bozeman, Montana. A trip like this used to seem impossible to me, but I finally feel like we are capable of any kind of adventure now!

-Listened to Pico Iyer’s interview at Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park on Zoom about his latest book “Aflame” where he explores his retreat time at a Benedictine monastery along the coast close to Big Sur. Some small research leads me to believe it is this place – New Camadoli Hermitage. I set a reminder for 395 days before my 50th birthday that maybe this would be a good gift to myself…

-Hectic start to the morning with last minute late bus do drive kids to school then rush back to take Eric to the eye doctor…did get in my chilly 3 mile walk all around downtown San Mateo chasing the sunlight while Eric was at his appt though.

-Started making summer plans & camping reservations. I think the goal will be to check off the remaining California National Parks – Redeoods, Channel Islands, maybe a proper Yosemite visit if I can be one of the lucky to secure reservations 5 months ahead of time.

-Trip to Costco, TJ’s for some meal planning for the week which I’m trying to be better about on Mondays.

-Revisiting The Minimalists and some of their newer podcasts…then proceeded to start the decluttering of my closet some. They talked on their of the idea to annually do a “take everything off the shelf/drawer and re-access exercise”…need to find the foundational rules list they have posted with advice like “no flat surfaces”.

-Other things to delve into that I probably heard reference to today: Mo Gawdat “Happy”, Edith Eager (sp?), Paradox of Choice book

GRATITUDE:

Today is last day of antibiotic…

-5:30am weighted walk to SM Blue Bottle with Eric before taking Juniper to SM Caltrain for an FP adventure to Sacramento where she’s staying at the youth hostel tonight – much different experience than our last trip for the Polar Express, Underground Tour and Paul’s first and only short trip away from home to stay in an Airbnb above the coffee shop that we all remember. I have a vivid recollection that this was during our Lemony Snickett “Series of Unfortunate Events” binge and the kids were jumping and singing “Look away…loooook away” on the pull out couch bed.

(Interrupted by Eric telling me how much we did today…A LOT of small things but overall adding up to some significant gains—-woohoo my theme for the year is working!)

-Got breakfast early due to my antibiotic before a long wandering ramble through Sports Basement. The initial goal was to recycle old sneakers and buy JetBoil fuel but we definitely spent a good long while just enjoying browsing all the cool stuff we probably don’t really need anyways.

-Discussed and started making small moves in the kitchen with regard to shelf placement…leading to the later minimizing and rearranging of many a mason jar and dish that needed consolidating anyways.

-Packed a lunch of homemade bread pb&j’s and trail mix and drove over to the Bay for a drive up picnic with a view before heading to Home Depot for a star screwdriver set to put the back of the car trunk back together.

-Took Jasper and Nikolas to Celia’s for dinner, nice to hang out and see them just goofing off and being themselves, happy and smiling.

-Eric shredded some stuff while I messed with more mason jars.

-Jasper opted to read his book leaving Eric and I to actually watch a real TV show, starting the 3 Body Problem on Netflix (the book series Eric recently listened to on audiobook that all I remember is how they send a brain floating into space for some reason).

-Must think upon this open shelving that I had finally thought I was ok with. I thought aligning the shelves and just keeping the stuff in really wanted would be the deciding factor, but now Eric has me question again…time to learn how to make drawings again on my MacbookAir? Find a place to CNC some cabinet doors for me?

MINDFULNESS:

With all the news and coverage about the huge fires still burning and consuming homes in Los Angeles the last few days-

-Hoping tomorrow I’ll be closer to being back to normal. Still 3 more days of antibiotics to go. Not sure what’s causing this neck and sinus headache but it’s been really awful and making me very unproductive.

-Got in my 3 mile weighted walk to Coyote Point today with some jumps up onto the concrete – 10 is hard! A few kettlebell rows and overhead raise standing leg lifts.

-Going to bed an hour late, but planning on our 5:30am weighted walk to coffee with Eric.

-Just remembered I need to inject myself with Repatha in the morning too.

Things I listened to today as there wasn’t much else very noteworthy about today. I did clean out a few things from the kitchen, took off the door magnets on most shelves, and decided I need more shelves to organize things better. Would like to try and align shelves horizontally across in a line.

MINDFULNESS:

Recommendation to try meditating with The Way app with Henry Shukman.

-Feeling pretty miserable today due to side effects of UTI antibiotic (macrobid)…skin sensitivity, aches and pains like the flu, fatigue (2nd day I’ve pretty much napped from 11-1ish) and then able to be kind of productive in the afternoon. Will make note to bring it up to dr the symptoms and possible rapid heart rate when on this medicine. I can’t remember if I had these symptoms in the past when taking this medicine. Last March 2024 when this happened I found somewhere I was prescribed Cephalexin.

-LA fires are raging on. Was able to check on Manish and Emily (Sierra Madre), John and Mandi (Alhambra), and Madeleine (Highland Park). All are ok, and the fire passed just behind Manish and Emily’s house it appears about 4 blocks away. Everyone knows someone though that hasn’t everything. A good reminder that the most important things in life are the immaterial, family, friendships. There’s a prompt in this for our family, if something were to happen and you would need to leave all your belongings behind, what 10 things would you grab or are most important?

-Walked a long walk by the Bay this morning in anticipation of feeling pretty crummy. It’s been awhile since I walked over there. I’m plotting the 3 mile run I’m going to do soon.

-Earlier than usual breakfast because I have to take my antibiotic with food…still aiming to get at least 30g protein per meal. 25g protein shake, 12 g in 2 eggs, 1.3g medium banana, 5g with 1tsp hemp seeds. Yesterday’s loaf with flax seed cut evenly with new bread slicer holder thanks to Jasper!

GRATITUDE:

Grateful for a warm bed and roof over my head today especially as so many have lost that in the last day with the ongoing LA fires. Also feeling secure that if indeed our apartment was lost, the most important things to keep secure are my family, a few precious mementos, and our chuck box!

MINDFULNESS:

Started intentionally my morning walk listening to Baba Hanuman. I remember in prenatal yoga teacher Michelle would often play this at the end of class and it would always bring up emotion and a sense of calm during the almost 14 minutes of meditation. It was nice not to just delve right into a podcast or another book and take in the walking and view to start.

-UTI starting since last night/late afternoon. Was able to call and get antibiotics this morning (after stealing some of Jasper’s leftover pneumonia amoxicillin to get through the night). Feeling better 75% but so slow and meh. Not quite the way I was hoping the first day of everyone back to work and school but it is what it is.

-Slept during the day, went on some walks so I can at least get my 11k today, missed my 7 minute workout, glad I had already made chicken salad yesterday for easy meal today.

-Looking forward to our first official family dinner night tonight – spaghetti bolognese and Mario Kart for dessert perhaps?

GRATITUDE:

Ability to make up some sleep hours during the day while everyone was gone to school and work.

MINDFULNESS:

The grass in the backyard is glorious and so soft!