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  • Mutant Diet Day 26

    Mutant Diet Day 26

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    OriginalHumanTorch

    They should cool off in Whitehorse.

    		 The answer to yesterday‘s trivia question is the Original Human Torch, who was invented by a scientist named Phineas Horton. You can see him in the first Captain America movie at the science fair where we first meet Howard Stark.Anyway, today I took the bike and can say that I was not as bashed last night after doing the two karate classes and Mary’s Killer Homework. I do have to repeat the homework today and all my muscles are still sore. So … we shall see.

    In other news, the blood pressure seems to have stabilized at about 126/71, without meds for about 7 days now. It does spike up as high as 134/71 but simple breathing and relaxation brings it down.

    My pulse was a strangely low 64 beats-per-minute pulse. My regular is about 72.

    So, progress? Maybe But somehow I still feel like I won’t make a massive change in 66 days. What keeps me going is the question “what will the change be? When I’m logical about this, I realize I should have no expectations because I ain’t never done this before.

    MutantDietDay25

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  • Mutant Diet Day 25

    Mutant Diet Day 25

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    Vision
    The Vision is apparently on Team Iron Man.Trivia Question: in the Silver Age comics, what WWII era android’s body was refashioned by Ultron into the Vision? (Prizes available. Post answer in comments section.)    		 Today is a motivational challenge. I am tired. Lack of sleep, sore legs, etc. Yesterday’s yoga class was different because due to my increased strength I was trying harder. (I know, right? WTF was I thinking?)

    Today’s wet weather said to me, “Hey, if you are going to do Mary Homework and double karate, maybe cycling as well might be too much. Like last week, when by the end of the night you were loopy.”

    Bu the yoga class allowed me to twist in new ways and my right SI joint/hip area made new and exciting crunching noises that I had not previously heard. Hopefully this is a good sign.

    But, how to stay motivated for another 67 days? It’s clear that, to make the radical changes I’m hoping for, I’ll need all 67 days.

    For sponsorship, please check out this ‘vision’ on Saltspring Island.

    MutantDietDay24

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  • Mutant Diet Day 24

    Mutant Diet Day 24

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    AntMan
    According to promos, he’s on Team Cap. The original character has a very troubled history.
    He should vacation in Prince Edward County.    		 Blessedly today is a Yoga day so that I can recover from Mary’s Killer Workout. I don’t think I could face the homework yet.

    The normal schedule is heating up on a number of fronts and I have to be careful that unwanted carbs don’t creep in. It’s also odd that I’m not hungry so much until I start eating. Go figure.

    The weather in Vancouver is STUNNING and it makes riding the bike all that much easier.

    By the way, who’s taking bets on how many medical emergencies today for the “4/20” event on Sunset Beach?

    MutantDietDay23

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  • Mutant Diet Day 23

    Mutant Diet Day 23

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    BlackWidow
    Black Widow is on Team Iron Man, but I bet she switches. This cover is from a comic I have somewhere in storage. Visit Galiano Island where I want to go on vacation.    		 I just finished my Mary Killer Workout for the week and I can report that I don’t feel quite as pulverized as I did last week. However, the afternoon is young.

    As I was composing this post, Mary sent me my homework with this message:

    Great job today!! Killed your workout I did not expect what I saw today so I am happy and you should be too. So this means the homework is amped up a notch!

    Not to be cynical or anything, but she could simply be being encouraging. However, I don’t think she’d write “holy crap what a useless lard bowl you are.”

    However, she’s right the homework (click on image below) is amped up. I hope I don’t need to call the paramedics when I try this on Thursday.

    MaryHomework4

    MutantDietDay22

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  • Mutant Diet Day 22

    Mutant Diet Day 22

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    Falcon

    This is an early comic image of Falcon, who’s on Team Captain America.
    I think he’d enjoy flying over Toronto.

    		 Day 22 of 92. Starting of Week 4. I still feel daunted even though there has been progress.

    The lack of pills continues. But I will be taking readings. If I can’t through Advanced Mind Control (aka deep breathing and calming visualization) control the top number, I’ll go back on. So the blood pressure mystery is interesting. After two days off the pills, my readings were bouncing between 134/74 and 124/74. So I conclude that my body is adjusting to a new normal. The lack of pills continues. But I will be taking readings.

    If I can’t through Advanced Mind Control (aka deep breathing and calming visualization) control the top number, I’ll go back on.

    Today I see the chiropractor. I’m going to tell her to focus on the right hip/SI joint as it’s in the way of my progress. All other parts are strengthening, except this.

    Somehow I have to fit in a Mary Homework session. Gasp.

    MutantDietDay21

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  • Mutant Diet Day 21

    Mutant Diet Day 21

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    WarMachine
    This is War Machine for Team Iron Man.
    He should chill with the polar bears in Chruchill.    		 Last day of the third week. Crazy. I must have some kind of new pattern in place because yesterday I had a baked potato (How come they never cook in a predictable time?) and it felt like a total luxury. Also I was feeling a little (only a little) bad that I wasn’t doing some kind of fitness thing.

    But, honestly today, I feel much better for having not done much other than run the kids around town for various things.

    But, it I follow my earlier idea that week 4 is the final week of the demolition phase, I can’t delude myself into thinking that I have lots of time. Before I know it I’ll be in the final four weeks and be wondering if I’ve wasted this opportunity.

    MutantDietDay20

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  • Mutant Diet Day 20

    Mutant Diet Day 20

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    WinterSoldier
    Since the new Captain America film is coming, I’m going to pick obscure images of the characters.And go here: Charlottetown. Please.    		 Let’s talk about rest and blood pressure. Yesterday I skipped the bike, went to the gym at lunch and did a decent bit of Mary’s Homework. The twist I suffered at karate seemed to have passed, but I was careful with step ups due to the damn right hip.

    When I was in Grade 12, I got up too fast after a long time studying and fell and hurt my knee and hip. Last night I stood up from the couch and had a similar head rush, except that, since these have been happening more often, I have conditioned myself to always grab something. In this case, I grabbed a bookcase but needed a rare two hands to steady myself.

    Once the little tweety-birds had stopped flying around my head I realized I’d been meaning to take my blood pressure. I have my own cuff and had not taken a reading since before starting this diet-fitness journey. After three successive readings a couple of minutes apart, the numbers were 118 over 67 and 111 over 68. Pulse was 75.

    My blood pressure, after being on meds for a while, was 125 over 81 (or thereabouts). I’ve been taking the blood pressure meds during the diet. I was assuming I’d go off near or at the end. According to a cardiologist I saw almost three years ago, I estimated I’d need a lot more lard removed before seeing a significant drop in BP.

    So I am taking the weekend off of the meds and then on Sunday night or Monday I will do readings again and see where it’s at.

    Odd, eh?

    MutantDay19

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  • Mutant Diet Day 19

    Mutant Diet Day 19

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    BackDeck Today I did not ride the bike. Partly weather. Partly because I have Mary Homework. But mostly due to the fact I was totally fried last night. Both mentally and physically. I describe this as pushing myself up to but not including injury.

    (The Internet lets me find the best images. For awesome cottage decks try Parry Sound Cottage Country.)

    I wrote this during an involuntary break at karate class:

    As I sit in karate class, where I just slightly twisted my right knee and foot, I was remembering an analogy for what I’m doing to myself.

    This is a three month process that makes me think of building a new deck. The first chunk of work is planning the new deck (fun work) and then demolishing the old deck (less fun; more splinters).

    The second month is building the new deck.

    The third month is all the finishing. Sanding, paint, weather proofing‎, decorating.

    Then you can have a BBQ.

    Right now on this Mutant Diet, I am midway through the demolition phase.

    And my fried legs are proof.

    MutantDietDay18

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  • Mutant Diet Day 18

    Mutant Diet Day 18

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    TheBeast Today is Day 18. When I woke my body was pretty much begging not to get on the bike. By the time I was finished my shower, it felt better. The Burrard Bridge did not feel better. The legs were whining.So how far is too much? Yesterday I tried cycling up Fir St between 4th Ave and Broadway. Yeah, that hill did me in. Particularly at the end of the day.

    But I did not turn into a blue furry mutant. However, I have to do Mary’s Killer Homework today.

    The Beast, from the X-Men
    For more beasts, try The Toronto Zoo.

    Mary’s Killer Homework
    click image to enlarge

    MaryHomework3

    Yesterday’s Eats
    A burger wrapped in lettuce from Vera’s sounds terrible but was really good.

    MutantDietDay17

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  • The BC NDP and Per Student Funding K-12

    The BC NDP and Per Student Funding K-12

    During the recent fundraising work done by BC political parties, I started an exchange with the NDP. I said I’d donate if they told me, if elected, to what level they would put per student K-12 funding in BC – when compared to other provinces.

    In the end they would not commit saying it’s not close enough to the election.

    I did not donate to them in the end because in the middle of all this budget horror in the Vancouver School District, it seemed wrong for them to either have no position or withhold their position.

    I’ve put in this blog post the PDF of the email exchange. Start at the bottom of the PDF to follow the full thread.

    NDP Email Conversation Per Student Funding