Infernal Pastimes of a Sunspot Mind

laughingsquid:

Hovertrax, A Handleless Electronic Transporter Controlled By Shifting Your Weight

Food brands with wagons circled

There is so much sodium in things to eat—even in non-prepackaged foods that are otherwise acceptable in terms of fat, carbs, and other nutrition data. I was already having trouble meeting the 2,300-2,400mg recommendation for “normal” people, and then I read that folks with high blood pressure should only consume about 1,500mg daily.

Do you know how easy it is to get to 1,500 milligrams?

I guess Genoa salami is out of the question…but what really, really hurts is giving up my nova salmon (lox) in the morning.

theswinginsixties:

Brigitte Bardot and Billy Mumy in ‘Dear Brigitte’, 1965.

priceless look on that boy’s face

(Source: 20th-century-man)

littlebigdetails:

iOS 6 - the night time weather summary shows the correct phase of the moon.

/via Ross Burton

Like.

So I bought rice cakes.

I had been reading a list of sample meal and snack ideas on a website about how to eat when you have diabetes, and I laughed at the inclusion of these “truly tasteless jokes.” Low salt, even.

But when I decided, after getting some eye-opening lab results upon a long overdue check-up, to throw the switch and start on a path aimed towards maintaining and sustaining existence, I went whole hog (er, meaning the exact opposite, pretty much). You know how I do. Ergo, I bought the low-salt rice cakes.

I’m just a few days into it. One way I am choosing to keep from falling back into established habits is to use this space for blogging about my myriad petty indignations at having to make some of these changes. I am aware that I may come across as woefully oversensitive about a relatively minor event. I’m just getting that out there.

Kitchen scents have always been tantalizing, but now they take on the attractive power of a Golden Triangle opium den. Don’t be surprised if I just wander in while you’re cooking something good. Don’t worry: I just want to smell.

No, that’s not true. I want to eat the fatty, salt-laden victuals. With extra potatoes and all the cheese. But I will restrain myself. Also with the beer and spirits. (The latter, or rather the lack of enthusiastically indulging in them, comprise fodder for many an epic rant. More on that later.)

Weird thoughts go through one’s head when caloric intake is drastically reduced. 

• What if you left a rice cake out in the open desert for days? How could it possibly be different?
• What, exactly, is in “Mrs. Dash”? I mean, besides lemon peel and sawdust?
• Am I flying? Floating? Right side up?
• Etc.

Thanks for coming on this journey with me. I’ll end this inaugural installment with a relevant tune from an underrated early 90s band.

Beautiful and rather tranquil place…

My beautiful wife with a nice lunch

Paging @laughingsquid…

Prepping for surgery.

(via Farewell, USS Enterprise : NPR)

newyorker:

Cartoon by Paul Noth. For more from this week’s issue: http://nyr.kr/TTAMi6