1928

I wish that was the case. At work I never snacked and generally when I got home I didn’t snack before dinner. Now that I’m either at home or, at most, going to an otherwise empty work in the morning and coming home in the afternoon I find myself snacking mid afternoon.

I’ve gained 2kg since March but I’m not quite unhappy about it to start more serious exercise. I have tried to intentionally stop the snacking in the last week though.

1929

‘Snacking’ isn’t actually a bad thing, depending on the snacks in question, but it does mean that your main meals have to become snack-like, too.

I’m retired so don’t work, and there is a temptation to eat something all the time if I’m bored. I try to fill time working on my book, though since the lockdowns etc started I have been much less able to concentrate than before. It helps that we 1) make lunch the main meal of the day, and 2) have quite a strict approach to what we eat for that lunch.

1930

Yes indeed. I do like the chapter on the workout programs, where he offers advice on how to approach a workout program, and the concept of work sets, and maintaining proper form even if it means fewer reps, i.e. bury your ego. This has stood me in very good stead when going to other things, like learning how to use kettle-bells (Pavel’s obsession with detail is quite hard to read, but his books Enter the Kettle-bell and Simple and Sinister are good resources)

Consistency is key. I did quite a juicy workout yesterday, lots of pullups (which are by far my weakest exercise) and my arms are still hurting.)

If you are into that sort of thing, and have the patience to read and actually do what is written, I recommend the Supple Leopard.

I got this book in 2012, flicked through it, dabbled a bit, ignored it, had mobility issues with tight calves (my bane!) and, finally, have incorporated it into my daily routine.

I wake up, do some mobility work, then do my workout, then have a shower, get breakfast, write my morning journal, then start my day proper.

Veering away from physical training, I read this book which can be summarised as managing your day better, creating blocks of time for deep focussed work, and starting your day early, 0500 to be precise.

It is a bit of a waffly book, a bit sort of hippy, but there are nuggets in there, and I found it worthwhile. Just ignore the somewhat strange narrative of the guru, artist, businessman etc. Read it as a parable of fable with strong advice as opposed to a story.

More concrete advice, that has helped me, is from Tim Ferris, with Tools of Titans and also Tribe of mentors.

Off to make Jeff Bezos that little bit richer, thanks very much…

1931

Has anyone gone to the dentist since they re-opened? I’ve got an appointment this week. I’ve looked over the safety precautions, but I’m still wondering…

1932

No. I wouldn’t go to the dentist unless it was urgent, a broken tooth or toothache. Not for routine cleanings.

Same for haircuts, manicures, etc. Holding off.

1933

I’m holding to that same position (doubly so considering my wife is pregnant, so we’re both super-paranoid) but I worry that things will only get worse in the fall and that, eventually, something’s got to give. There’s a small voice in the back of my head saying I should do these things before it gets worse.

1934

I did like 3 weeks ago. Was fine, only 1 patient in the building at a time. Everyone waits in their car, call upon arrival. Lots of questions when you call in from the car. No polishing, or using anything that might cause a spray into the air. The cleaning room was vacant for 30 min between patients, hygienist had extra ppe on. Temperature check upon entering. Special mouth rinse before any cleaning performed.

1935

I am leaning this way too. It’s like the lockdown drove down the numbers in my area, but we are mostly out of the lockdown now and we are seeing the numbers creep up. I need a haircut and I’d like to get my new beard trimmed. I don’t really know how to groom it.

1936

I went today, had pushed it back 3 months. I would put it below a grocery store visit as far as how nervous it made me. Everything we very spread out, everyone had masks/gloves (obviously), no waiting room time just back into the setup station.

1937

If it wasn’t for my wife, I’d have snapped on the haircut thing by now. As it is, I’m considering gettting some clippers and trying to make a go of it, but I’m concerned because I know I look goofy if my hair gets too short.

Anyone know if you can get a set of clippers and trim all the hair down to, say, an inch? Or maybe 3/4 of an inch? Something longer than a standard buzz?

Dentists and eye doctors particularly worry me because you’re talking about extended close contact with other people face-to-face, which is the thing most likely to transmit the virus.

1938

Personally, I used a set of clippers with a 12mm guard and basically just raked every hair on my head. Took a few passes over a couple of days to get it mostly right, but it looked passable. Doesn’t stand up to a close inspection and it’s much thicker up top than I normally would have it, but overall was a substantial improvement over how my hair looked after growing unchecked for about three months.

I’d imagine a longer guard would give you similar results, and you’d have the additional bonus of not needing to do it yourself in a mirror (which was quite the obstacle).

1939

I had a root canal a week ago.

It wasn’t really a matter of choice, the pain was near debilitating, massive headache to the point it took all my focus to do simple tasks.

Like @lordkosc there were limit on patients, wait until your time to be let in, temperature check, etc. overall they did as good as you could do. Also, living in Oregon, we have one of the lowest rates of infection in the US. So its safer than most places.

@vinraith my wife cuts my hair, I do a 5 on top 3 on the sides. Its pretty simple, worth getting a pair of trimmers and letting her try.

1940

After watching some youtube videos, I was surprised to find that it actually isn’t that hard to cut your own hair using a hand mirror (a basic fade with shorter sides/bottom and longer at the top). I’ve done it 3 times now since the quarantine started.

1941

We got a set of clipper and my wife cut my hair with them (she had never done it before) after watching a couple short youtube videos. It turned out pretty well. When you buy a set just make sure you get one that comes with a set of blade guards.

1942

I’m too scared to let my wife cut my hair. She’s scared to try, too!

1943

I took the whole family to get haircuts this past weekend. We visited my wife’s stylist, who has her own shop and luckily was able to see only us, and we went in one at a time (for her benefit, obviously we’re not worried about exposure to each other). I can’t deny that’s a bit of a luxury and I agonized over it a while, but we all feel better having done it.

1944

I have family there. Oregon isn’t doing great. Of course if you’re in pain you’ve got to go, just not for a cleaning.

1945

Please point me to those videos! I have clippers, and they’re fine for the broad strokes, but it’s the neckline on the back of my head that is causing me the most trouble.

1946

I mean one of the lowest infection rates in the country, and the percentage of positive tests is also among the lowest as well, and been fairly steady.

There are a few outbreaks of stupid, such as in La Grande, but most of the increase in positive tests has been due to more and better testing.

I mean, yeah, compared to New Zealand or Hawaii or Alaska? Sure its not great. Compared to literally anywhere else in the US? No, Oregon is doing good.

1947

Oregon is #19 out of 50 in the US, so compared to 31 states that are doing better, Oregon isn’t doing great.

You mentioned HI and AK, ironically they’re actually doing much worse than OR.

Also Oregon isn’t testing for shit. My brother and sister-in-law are both practicing physicians in Portland and neither of them have been tested. They are actively performing procedures on patients, and re-using one precious N95 mask apiece for the past 3 months. Meanwhile here in NYC I’m getting emails from dentists and hospitals begging me to come in and and stating that every single employee from the night janitor to the CEO of the hospital is tested weekly.

That isn’t unique to Oregon. Very few states are really testing. NY, WA, and CA are the best. Here in NYC I can walk-in to any one of six separate locations within a 5 minute walk of my apartment and get a covid test for free with no waiting. Not that I have, I see no reason to expose myself. My feeling is most other states aren’t testing enough to have any idea how widespread the disease is spreading.