Train Travel DC to Red Wing

I recently had to take a business trip to DC. For some admitantly silly reasons, I don’t like to fly in February. I was even less motivated to fly due to recent events with FAA firings and planes crashing.

Train Travel DC to Red Wing

I recently had to take a business trip to DC. For some admitantly silly reasons, I don’t like to fly in February. I was even less motivated to fly due to recent events with FAA firings and planes crashing.

Train Travel DC to Red Wing

I recently had to take a business trip to DC. For some admitantly silly reasons, I don’t like to fly in February. I was even less motivated to fly due to recent events with FAA firings and planes crashing.

Train Travel DC to Red Wing

I recently had to take a business trip to DC. For some admitantly silly reasons, I don’t like to fly in February. I was even less motivated to fly due to recent events with FAA firings and planes crashing.

What I Learned While Working in Barcelona for a Week

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. – Mark Twain

I recently had the great pleasure to travel to Barcalona. It was a work trip, and we spent most of our time in the hotel working, but the experience gave me some important perspectives that I’d like to share here.

Sparks

“Bedtime girls,” mother announces.

Up the steep, dark steps we climb to our bedroom. Ours is the tiny bedroom at the top of the stairs in an old farm house. The ceiling matches the steep angle of the roofline. This is no problem for two little girls, but would cause adults to duck their heads when standing anywhere other than the centerline of the room.

There’s a single window centered under the peak of the ceiling. It is covered inside and out by a thick layer of frost. What little light comes in from outside is diffused and is mostly obscured by the mirror mounted to the child sized dresser.

Poll Watching in Rural Minnesota 2024

I’m writing about my experiences and observations as a volunteer, not about my personal views on how the election turned out or why. That’s something that I will do in a future post.

What Does a Poll Watcher Do?

I volunteered to be a poll watcher (it’s officially called appointed poll challenger in Minnestota) for the DFL (Democratic) party in Minnesota. This was a record year for Democratic campaign volunteering, and the number of volunteers for poll challengers more than doubled any previous year.

Poll Watching in Rural Minnesota 2024

I’m writing about my experiences and observations as a volunteer, not about my personal views on how the election turned out or why. That’s something that I will do in a future post.

What Does a Poll Watcher Do?

I volunteered to be a poll watcher (it’s officially called appointed poll challenger in Minnestota) for the DFL (Democratic) party in Minnesota. This was a record year for Democratic campaign volunteering, and the number of volunteers for poll challengers more than doubled any previous year.

Poll Watching in Rural Minnesota 2024

I’m writing about my experiences and observations as a volunteer, not about my personal views on how the election turned out or why. That’s something that I will do in a future post.

What Does a Poll Watcher Do?

I volunteered to be a poll watcher (it’s officially called appointed poll challenger in Minnestota) for the DFL (Democratic) party in Minnesota. This was a record year for Democratic campaign volunteering, and the number of volunteers for poll challengers more than doubled any previous year.

Poll Watching in Rural Minnesota 2024

I’m writing about my experiences and observations as a volunteer, not about my personal views on how the election turned out or why. That’s something that I will do in a future post.

What Does a Poll Watcher Do?

I volunteered to be a poll watcher (it’s officially called appointed poll challenger in Minnestota) for the DFL (Democratic) party in Minnesota. This was a record year for Democratic campaign volunteering, and the number of volunteers for poll challengers more than doubled any previous year.

Is there anything more hopeful than Main Street

I love walking through the business district of small towns and take a careful look at the buildings. Here in Minnesota, many of these buildings are well over 100 years old, and they were clearly a source of pride to the townspeople that built them.

Take a look at the top of these buildings and you’ll notice masonry details like toothing / dentil courses, artistic stone work, and family names added to the building. These towns built elegant and ornate municipal buildings to host public performances and lectures, and you’ll often find a library building that was funded by Andrew Carnegie.

Is there anything more hopeful than Main Street

I love walking through the business district of small towns and take a careful look at the buildings. Here in Minnesota, many of these buildings are well over 100 years old, and they were clearly a source of pride to the townspeople that built them.

Take a look at the top of these buildings and you’ll notice masonry details like toothing / dentil courses, artistic stone work, and family names added to the building. These towns built elegant and ornate municipal buildings to host public performances and lectures, and you’ll often find a library building that was funded by Andrew Carnegie.

Is there anything more hopeful than Main Street

I love walking through the business district of small towns and take a careful look at the buildings. Here in Minnesota, many of these buildings are well over 100 years old, and they were clearly a source of pride to the townspeople that built them.

Take a look at the top of these buildings and you’ll notice masonry details like toothing / dentil courses, artistic stone work, and family names added to the building. These towns built elegant and ornate municipal buildings to host public performances and lectures, and you’ll often find a library building that was funded by Andrew Carnegie.

Is there anything more hopeful than Main Street

I love walking through the business district of small towns and take a careful look at the buildings. Here in Minnesota, many of these buildings are well over 100 years old, and they were clearly a source of pride to the townspeople that built them.

Take a look at the top of these buildings and you’ll notice masonry details like toothing / dentil courses, artistic stone work, and family names added to the building. These towns built elegant and ornate municipal buildings to host public performances and lectures, and you’ll often find a library building that was funded by Andrew Carnegie.

Land Returning to the Upper Sioux

The soon to be former Minnesota Upper Sioux state park will be transfered back to the Sioux community next week, so we took advantage of the crazy warm weather to visit. We weren’t alone in that thought as there were many people out, on what would normally be lovely spring weather.

The State DNR had already closed the offices in preparation for the transfer. I had a severely pulled calf muscle, so climbing hills was out for me. I went to view the former Agency site, while Jane and Penny took a walk through the back trails.

Trip Notes

Lake Shetek State Park is a beautiful park with a large lake and lots and lots of trails. We spent part of three days here and walked every day without having to repeat a trail. There was a small oak forest bordering the lake, and praire further from the lake shore. There were fish ponds that unfortunately weren’t ponds due to the drought, but still plenty green and full of wildlife.

Land Returning to the Upper Sioux

The soon to be former Minnesota Upper Sioux state park will be transfered back to the Sioux community next week, so we took advantage of the crazy warm weather to visit. We weren’t alone in that thought as there were many people out, on what would normally be lovely spring weather.

The State DNR had already closed the offices in preparation for the transfer. I had a severely pulled calf muscle, so climbing hills was out for me. I went to view the former Agency site, while Jane and Penny took a walk through the back trails.

It’s the Simple Things

The best times don’t cost much money, just a bit of our time.

Think about the best times of your life and I bet they will involve moments with people you love. For me, that’s been time in the kitchen with my mother, grandma, partners, sister, nieces, and nephews. There have been many moments with smiles, laughs, and love. Other moments would be fishing with my father, going to the Dam store with my grandpa or uncles, or just listening to their stories of a rowdy childhod.

Trip Notes

Lake Shetek State Park is a beautiful park with a large lake and lots and lots of trails. We spent part of three days here and walked every day without having to repeat a trail. There was a small oak forest bordering the lake, and praire further from the lake shore. There were fish ponds that unfortunately weren’t ponds due to the drought, but still plenty green and full of wildlife.

Why Camp in Minnesota State Parks

We’ve been camping in Minnesota state parks as we experiment with our van conversion ideas. Why the state parks?

• they are beautiful
• they are located all over the state
• several are within a 2 hour drive from home
• they are inexpensive
• some have electricity, bathrooms, and water onsite
• they are clean and well maintained
• there’s a wide variety of activies for us to do

There are 75 Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas spread across the state. Many of them have camping facilities for RVs, campers, tents, or you can rent a cabin, yurt, or Tipi. Campsites are drive-in, cart-in, or walk-in. Drive-in spots can have electricity and communial restrooms and showers and water.

Land Returning to the Upper Sioux

The soon to be former Minnesota Upper Sioux state park will be transfered back to the Sioux community next week, so we took advantage of the crazy warm weather to visit. We weren’t alone in that thought as there were many people out, on what would normally be lovely spring weather.

The State DNR had already closed the offices in preparation for the transfer. I had a severely pulled calf muscle, so climbing hills was out for me. I went to view the former Agency site, while Jane and Penny took a walk through the back trails.

Why Camp in Minnesota State Parks

We’ve been camping in Minnesota state parks as we experiment with our van conversion ideas. Why the state parks?

• they are beautiful
• they are located all over the state
• several are within a 2 hour drive from home
• they are inexpensive
• some have electricity, bathrooms, and water onsite
• they are clean and well maintained
• there’s a wide variety of activies for us to do

There are 75 Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas spread across the state. Many of them have camping facilities for RVs, campers, tents, or you can rent a cabin, yurt, or Tipi. Campsites are drive-in, cart-in, or walk-in. Drive-in spots can have electricity and communial restrooms and showers and water.

What I Learned While Working in Barcelona for a Week

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. – Mark Twain

I recently had the great pleasure to travel to Barcalona. It was a work trip, and we spent most of our time in the hotel working, but the experience gave me some important perspectives that I’d like to share here.

What I Learned While Working in Barcelona for a Week

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. – Mark Twain

I recently had the great pleasure to travel to Barcalona. It was a work trip, and we spent most of our time in the hotel working, but the experience gave me some important perspectives that I’d like to share here.

What I Learned While Working in Barcelona for a Week

Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. – Mark Twain

I recently had the great pleasure to travel to Barcalona. It was a work trip, and we spent most of our time in the hotel working, but the experience gave me some important perspectives that I’d like to share here.

Intentions

Recently I’ve had a lot of things pop up that remind me to continue to set intentions and to follow through on them - and that both steps are required to get results.

The way to achieve anything in life is to value the goal, understand the steps required to reach the goal, and the consistent pursuit of it.

It’s as easy and as difficult as that.

The Rich Life

I was most recently reminded of this when watching How to Get Rich on Netflix. Now, I’m not looking to have a financial fortune, but I am looking to live the life I want, which is really the point of the show.

Intentions

Recently I’ve had a lot of things pop up that remind me to continue to set intentions and to follow through on them - and that both steps are required to get results.

The way to achieve anything in life is to value the goal, understand the steps required to reach the goal, and the consistent pursuit of it.

It’s as easy and as difficult as that.

The Rich Life

I was most recently reminded of this when watching How to Get Rich on Netflix. Now, I’m not looking to have a financial fortune, but I am looking to live the life I want, which is really the point of the show.

Intentions

Recently I’ve had a lot of things pop up that remind me to continue to set intentions and to follow through on them - and that both steps are required to get results.

The way to achieve anything in life is to value the goal, understand the steps required to reach the goal, and the consistent pursuit of it.

It’s as easy and as difficult as that.

The Rich Life

I was most recently reminded of this when watching How to Get Rich on Netflix. Now, I’m not looking to have a financial fortune, but I am looking to live the life I want, which is really the point of the show.

What’s Wrong With That

This week, I participated with members of my management cohort in a retrospective of a training course we took on sharing feedback. What struck me the most about our discussion was how we took the idea of giving feedback from a one-way communication to one that is more… human.

Giving someone feedback can be tricky. Receiving it can be too. Putting thought into how someone else may feel, and how best to prepare to have a meaningful conversation is at least as important as what you’ve got to say.

What’s Wrong With That

This week, I participated with members of my management cohort in a retrospective of a training course we took on sharing feedback. What struck me the most about our discussion was how we took the idea of giving feedback from a one-way communication to one that is more… human.

Giving someone feedback can be tricky. Receiving it can be too. Putting thought into how someone else may feel, and how best to prepare to have a meaningful conversation is at least as important as what you’ve got to say.

It’s the Simple Things

The best times don’t cost much money, just a bit of our time.

Think about the best times of your life and I bet they will involve moments with people you love. For me, that’s been time in the kitchen with my mother, grandma, partners, sister, nieces, and nephews. There have been many moments with smiles, laughs, and love. Other moments would be fishing with my father, going to the Dam store with my grandpa or uncles, or just listening to their stories of a rowdy childhod.

Trip Notes

Lake Shetek State Park is a beautiful park with a large lake and lots and lots of trails. We spent part of three days here and walked every day without having to repeat a trail. There was a small oak forest bordering the lake, and praire further from the lake shore. There were fish ponds that unfortunately weren’t ponds due to the drought, but still plenty green and full of wildlife.

Why Camp in Minnesota State Parks

We’ve been camping in Minnesota state parks as we experiment with our van conversion ideas. Why the state parks?

• they are beautiful
• they are located all over the state
• several are within a 2 hour drive from home
• they are inexpensive
• some have electricity, bathrooms, and water onsite
• they are clean and well maintained
• there’s a wide variety of activies for us to do

There are 75 Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas spread across the state. Many of them have camping facilities for RVs, campers, tents, or you can rent a cabin, yurt, or Tipi. Campsites are drive-in, cart-in, or walk-in. Drive-in spots can have electricity and communial restrooms and showers and water.

It’s the Simple Things

The best times don’t cost much money, just a bit of our time.

Think about the best times of your life and I bet they will involve moments with people you love. For me, that’s been time in the kitchen with my mother, grandma, partners, sister, nieces, and nephews. There have been many moments with smiles, laughs, and love. Other moments would be fishing with my father, going to the Dam store with my grandpa or uncles, or just listening to their stories of a rowdy childhod.

Trip Notes

Lake Shetek State Park is a beautiful park with a large lake and lots and lots of trails. We spent part of three days here and walked every day without having to repeat a trail. There was a small oak forest bordering the lake, and praire further from the lake shore. There were fish ponds that unfortunately weren’t ponds due to the drought, but still plenty green and full of wildlife.

It’s the Simple Things

The best times don’t cost much money, just a bit of our time.

Think about the best times of your life and I bet they will involve moments with people you love. For me, that’s been time in the kitchen with my mother, grandma, partners, sister, nieces, and nephews. There have been many moments with smiles, laughs, and love. Other moments would be fishing with my father, going to the Dam store with my grandpa or uncles, or just listening to their stories of a rowdy childhod.

Adding Insulation

Insulation was always in the plan - eventually. But if you’re not going to do it when everything is out of the van, when will you? So I bought some Thinsulate sm600l, and a couple of cans of spray on glue, and got started.

It was a fairly simple job. First, I used a citrus cleaner to wipe down the van wall. Then, I held the insulation up to the wall with the backing facing me, and marked where I wanted the cut using a piece of kid’s sidewalk chalk. Oddly, I had a piece of chalk in the van.

Electricy Gives Us Freedom

The electric system is a huge part of what makes van camping so convenient and van life so enticing. We want to be able to hop into our vans and travel to wherever we like, and live and work from the road. That requires electricity, and that’s why it’s worth the time, money, and effort to do it right.

Trip Notes

Lake Shetek State Park is a beautiful park with a large lake and lots and lots of trails. We spent part of three days here and walked every day without having to repeat a trail. There was a small oak forest bordering the lake, and praire further from the lake shore. There were fish ponds that unfortunately weren’t ponds due to the drought, but still plenty green and full of wildlife.

Why Camp in Minnesota State Parks

We’ve been camping in Minnesota state parks as we experiment with our van conversion ideas. Why the state parks?

• they are beautiful
• they are located all over the state
• several are within a 2 hour drive from home
• they are inexpensive
• some have electricity, bathrooms, and water onsite
• they are clean and well maintained
• there’s a wide variety of activies for us to do

There are 75 Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas spread across the state. Many of them have camping facilities for RVs, campers, tents, or you can rent a cabin, yurt, or Tipi. Campsites are drive-in, cart-in, or walk-in. Drive-in spots can have electricity and communial restrooms and showers and water.

Learning Project: Securing Remote Access to Home Network

I had a recent need to update the Raspberry Pi running Cloudflare tunnels to the edge of my home and camera networks. I figured I might as well use the opportunity to run services in containers, and get some hands on experience with Docker.

I also figured that I’d run the Pi-hole DNS black hole and ad blocker too.

I anticipated that I’d learn how to:

How to Control Access to Your Cameras

Now that you’ve assembled and configured your cameras, you’ll want to be able to view them from the internet. But how to do that?

Some options you have:

Cloudflare Teams and Tunnel

Cloudflare tunnels is a zero trust service. That’s buzzwordy for you’ll have to authenticate every time you want to connect to view your cameras. Your device isn’t trusted, and there’s no client to trust.

motionEyeOS

I chose to use motionEyeOS for my security camera OS because it’s:

• purpose built for cameras on the Raspberry Pi
• it has all the features that I was looking for in a home-built security camera, including motion detection
• there’s also a lot of documenation online that can help with questions you might run into

Installation

I am using a Raspberry Pi Zero W and a NoIR camera, so if you’re using something different, you might have a different experience.

Home Security Cameras with Raspberry Pi Zero

This will be easy.

– me

It all began innocently enough. I thought it would be cool to make a little security camera to put in the garage attic to look down on my driveway. I’d get a NoIR so it could work in low light levels. I’d get a Pi Zero so it’d be small. Yeah, that should be easy.

Looks like it’s time to learn Markdown

I’ve been working on some projects that I think are share-worthy so I decided it was time to revamp my site. I wanted something that’s simple and fast to load.

Since I’m already a Cloudflare customer (and stock holder), I thought I’d give Pages a test run. I was able to setup a very quick Jekyll project, but ultimately decided to go with Hugo as the static site generator.

Learning Project: Securing Remote Access to Home Network

I had a recent need to update the Raspberry Pi running Cloudflare tunnels to the edge of my home and camera networks. I figured I might as well use the opportunity to run services in containers, and get some hands on experience with Docker.

I also figured that I’d run the Pi-hole DNS black hole and ad blocker too.

I anticipated that I’d learn how to:

Learning Project: Securing Remote Access to Home Network

I had a recent need to update the Raspberry Pi running Cloudflare tunnels to the edge of my home and camera networks. I figured I might as well use the opportunity to run services in containers, and get some hands on experience with Docker.

I also figured that I’d run the Pi-hole DNS black hole and ad blocker too.

I anticipated that I’d learn how to:

Learning Project: Securing Remote Access to Home Network

I had a recent need to update the Raspberry Pi running Cloudflare tunnels to the edge of my home and camera networks. I figured I might as well use the opportunity to run services in containers, and get some hands on experience with Docker.

I also figured that I’d run the Pi-hole DNS black hole and ad blocker too.

I anticipated that I’d learn how to:

How to Control Access to Your Cameras

Now that you’ve assembled and configured your cameras, you’ll want to be able to view them from the internet. But how to do that?

Some options you have:

Cloudflare Teams and Tunnel

Cloudflare tunnels is a zero trust service. That’s buzzwordy for you’ll have to authenticate every time you want to connect to view your cameras. Your device isn’t trusted, and there’s no client to trust.

motionEyeOS

I chose to use motionEyeOS for my security camera OS because it’s:

• purpose built for cameras on the Raspberry Pi
• it has all the features that I was looking for in a home-built security camera, including motion detection
• there’s also a lot of documenation online that can help with questions you might run into

Installation

I am using a Raspberry Pi Zero W and a NoIR camera, so if you’re using something different, you might have a different experience.

Home Security Cameras with Raspberry Pi Zero

This will be easy.

– me

It all began innocently enough. I thought it would be cool to make a little security camera to put in the garage attic to look down on my driveway. I’d get a NoIR so it could work in low light levels. I’d get a Pi Zero so it’d be small. Yeah, that should be easy.

Learning Project: Securing Remote Access to Home Network

I had a recent need to update the Raspberry Pi running Cloudflare tunnels to the edge of my home and camera networks. I figured I might as well use the opportunity to run services in containers, and get some hands on experience with Docker.

I also figured that I’d run the Pi-hole DNS black hole and ad blocker too.

I anticipated that I’d learn how to:

How to Control Access to Your Cameras

Now that you’ve assembled and configured your cameras, you’ll want to be able to view them from the internet. But how to do that?

Some options you have:

Cloudflare Teams and Tunnel

Cloudflare tunnels is a zero trust service. That’s buzzwordy for you’ll have to authenticate every time you want to connect to view your cameras. Your device isn’t trusted, and there’s no client to trust.

motionEyeOS

I chose to use motionEyeOS for my security camera OS because it’s:

• purpose built for cameras on the Raspberry Pi
• it has all the features that I was looking for in a home-built security camera, including motion detection
• there’s also a lot of documenation online that can help with questions you might run into

Installation

I am using a Raspberry Pi Zero W and a NoIR camera, so if you’re using something different, you might have a different experience.

Home Security Cameras with Raspberry Pi Zero

This will be easy.

– me

It all began innocently enough. I thought it would be cool to make a little security camera to put in the garage attic to look down on my driveway. I’d get a NoIR so it could work in low light levels. I’d get a Pi Zero so it’d be small. Yeah, that should be easy.

How It Started

My life was going along pretty great. I was feeling good in all phases of my life: spiritual, mental, and physical. Work was going well. I was getting ready for our wedding, and getting the van ready for a trip out West.

And then I remembered that I needed to get that mammogram scheduled.

I got the mammogram. I always have to go back for a second one and an ultrasound, so when that happened I wasn’t too concerned. But when I was getting the ultrasound, I kinda had a feeling this time was different. That feeling was confirmed when the radiologist came in to double check. He explained to me that I had a lump that’s been there for years, but this time something looked different about it, and the only way to check it out is a biopsy.

They Pull You Back In

This week I got to meet with both my surgeon and oncologist. I received the results from the second surgery, and the good news is that we have clean margins this time, so no more surgery. So that second surgery that I really, really didn’t want to have, was really, really important for me to have.

The less good news is that the lump of cancer cells in there was bigger than they thought.

Patience Patience Patience

I’m not a naturally patient person. The patience I have has been acquired painfully, but I’ve learned to make those lessons easier.

I’ve learned to pay attention and to honor painful, scary, or confusing situations by asking what I can learn from each one. I’ve even reached the point where I welcome the opportunity to learn from the experience. Sometimes. Eventually.

Having to go back for a second surgery was an opportunity to learn. I didn’t want to go back because the first one was so trying. But there wasn’t a good option that would let me avoid going back to surgery. So what could I learn from this experience?

Pathology Results

The first week post-surgery wasn’t too bad. I was mostly looking forward to the post surgery check-up because that’s when I would get the results of the lymph node biopsy. The great news there is that there is no cancer in any of the lymph nodes they removed. That means it hasn’t spread and I won’t need to have any chemotherapy.

I do have to go back in for more surgery though. They have to go back in to take out more tissue, because there was a “positive margin” in one part of the tissue they took out. That means that there was no border of clean tissue in that area.

Things Just Got Real

I really haven’t had to address anything regarding the cancer diagnosis until now. I just had to wait until the surgery date.

In the interim, I took care of myself. I did my morning stretches and intentions. I went for walks. I rowed. I felt really good mentally, physically, and spiritually.

But coming out of it, I feel like I lost something. My feelings are still raw and unprocessed, not unlike the wounds from the surgery. And those wounds are not pretty.

How It Started

My life was going along pretty great. I was feeling good in all phases of my life: spiritual, mental, and physical. Work was going well. I was getting ready for our wedding, and getting the van ready for a trip out West.

And then I remembered that I needed to get that mammogram scheduled.

I got the mammogram. I always have to go back for a second one and an ultrasound, so when that happened I wasn’t too concerned. But when I was getting the ultrasound, I kinda had a feeling this time was different. That feeling was confirmed when the radiologist came in to double check. He explained to me that I had a lump that’s been there for years, but this time something looked different about it, and the only way to check it out is a biopsy.

How It Started

My life was going along pretty great. I was feeling good in all phases of my life: spiritual, mental, and physical. Work was going well. I was getting ready for our wedding, and getting the van ready for a trip out West.

And then I remembered that I needed to get that mammogram scheduled.

I got the mammogram. I always have to go back for a second one and an ultrasound, so when that happened I wasn’t too concerned. But when I was getting the ultrasound, I kinda had a feeling this time was different. That feeling was confirmed when the radiologist came in to double check. He explained to me that I had a lump that’s been there for years, but this time something looked different about it, and the only way to check it out is a biopsy.

They Pull You Back In

This week I got to meet with both my surgeon and oncologist. I received the results from the second surgery, and the good news is that we have clean margins this time, so no more surgery. So that second surgery that I really, really didn’t want to have, was really, really important for me to have.

The less good news is that the lump of cancer cells in there was bigger than they thought.

Patience Patience Patience

I’m not a naturally patient person. The patience I have has been acquired painfully, but I’ve learned to make those lessons easier.

I’ve learned to pay attention and to honor painful, scary, or confusing situations by asking what I can learn from each one. I’ve even reached the point where I welcome the opportunity to learn from the experience. Sometimes. Eventually.

Having to go back for a second surgery was an opportunity to learn. I didn’t want to go back because the first one was so trying. But there wasn’t a good option that would let me avoid going back to surgery. So what could I learn from this experience?

Pathology Results

The first week post-surgery wasn’t too bad. I was mostly looking forward to the post surgery check-up because that’s when I would get the results of the lymph node biopsy. The great news there is that there is no cancer in any of the lymph nodes they removed. That means it hasn’t spread and I won’t need to have any chemotherapy.

I do have to go back in for more surgery though. They have to go back in to take out more tissue, because there was a “positive margin” in one part of the tissue they took out. That means that there was no border of clean tissue in that area.

Things Just Got Real

I really haven’t had to address anything regarding the cancer diagnosis until now. I just had to wait until the surgery date.

In the interim, I took care of myself. I did my morning stretches and intentions. I went for walks. I rowed. I felt really good mentally, physically, and spiritually.

But coming out of it, I feel like I lost something. My feelings are still raw and unprocessed, not unlike the wounds from the surgery. And those wounds are not pretty.

How It Started

My life was going along pretty great. I was feeling good in all phases of my life: spiritual, mental, and physical. Work was going well. I was getting ready for our wedding, and getting the van ready for a trip out West.

And then I remembered that I needed to get that mammogram scheduled.

I got the mammogram. I always have to go back for a second one and an ultrasound, so when that happened I wasn’t too concerned. But when I was getting the ultrasound, I kinda had a feeling this time was different. That feeling was confirmed when the radiologist came in to double check. He explained to me that I had a lump that’s been there for years, but this time something looked different about it, and the only way to check it out is a biopsy.

They Pull You Back In

This week I got to meet with both my surgeon and oncologist. I received the results from the second surgery, and the good news is that we have clean margins this time, so no more surgery. So that second surgery that I really, really didn’t want to have, was really, really important for me to have.

The less good news is that the lump of cancer cells in there was bigger than they thought.

Patience Patience Patience

I’m not a naturally patient person. The patience I have has been acquired painfully, but I’ve learned to make those lessons easier.

I’ve learned to pay attention and to honor painful, scary, or confusing situations by asking what I can learn from each one. I’ve even reached the point where I welcome the opportunity to learn from the experience. Sometimes. Eventually.

Having to go back for a second surgery was an opportunity to learn. I didn’t want to go back because the first one was so trying. But there wasn’t a good option that would let me avoid going back to surgery. So what could I learn from this experience?

Pathology Results

The first week post-surgery wasn’t too bad. I was mostly looking forward to the post surgery check-up because that’s when I would get the results of the lymph node biopsy. The great news there is that there is no cancer in any of the lymph nodes they removed. That means it hasn’t spread and I won’t need to have any chemotherapy.

I do have to go back in for more surgery though. They have to go back in to take out more tissue, because there was a “positive margin” in one part of the tissue they took out. That means that there was no border of clean tissue in that area.

Things Just Got Real

I really haven’t had to address anything regarding the cancer diagnosis until now. I just had to wait until the surgery date.

In the interim, I took care of myself. I did my morning stretches and intentions. I went for walks. I rowed. I felt really good mentally, physically, and spiritually.

But coming out of it, I feel like I lost something. My feelings are still raw and unprocessed, not unlike the wounds from the surgery. And those wounds are not pretty.

How It Started

My life was going along pretty great. I was feeling good in all phases of my life: spiritual, mental, and physical. Work was going well. I was getting ready for our wedding, and getting the van ready for a trip out West.

And then I remembered that I needed to get that mammogram scheduled.

I got the mammogram. I always have to go back for a second one and an ultrasound, so when that happened I wasn’t too concerned. But when I was getting the ultrasound, I kinda had a feeling this time was different. That feeling was confirmed when the radiologist came in to double check. He explained to me that I had a lump that’s been there for years, but this time something looked different about it, and the only way to check it out is a biopsy.

They Pull You Back In

This week I got to meet with both my surgeon and oncologist. I received the results from the second surgery, and the good news is that we have clean margins this time, so no more surgery. So that second surgery that I really, really didn’t want to have, was really, really important for me to have.

The less good news is that the lump of cancer cells in there was bigger than they thought.

Patience Patience Patience

I’m not a naturally patient person. The patience I have has been acquired painfully, but I’ve learned to make those lessons easier.

I’ve learned to pay attention and to honor painful, scary, or confusing situations by asking what I can learn from each one. I’ve even reached the point where I welcome the opportunity to learn from the experience. Sometimes. Eventually.

Having to go back for a second surgery was an opportunity to learn. I didn’t want to go back because the first one was so trying. But there wasn’t a good option that would let me avoid going back to surgery. So what could I learn from this experience?

Pathology Results

The first week post-surgery wasn’t too bad. I was mostly looking forward to the post surgery check-up because that’s when I would get the results of the lymph node biopsy. The great news there is that there is no cancer in any of the lymph nodes they removed. That means it hasn’t spread and I won’t need to have any chemotherapy.

I do have to go back in for more surgery though. They have to go back in to take out more tissue, because there was a “positive margin” in one part of the tissue they took out. That means that there was no border of clean tissue in that area.

Things Just Got Real

I really haven’t had to address anything regarding the cancer diagnosis until now. I just had to wait until the surgery date.

In the interim, I took care of myself. I did my morning stretches and intentions. I went for walks. I rowed. I felt really good mentally, physically, and spiritually.

But coming out of it, I feel like I lost something. My feelings are still raw and unprocessed, not unlike the wounds from the surgery. And those wounds are not pretty.

How It Started

My life was going along pretty great. I was feeling good in all phases of my life: spiritual, mental, and physical. Work was going well. I was getting ready for our wedding, and getting the van ready for a trip out West.

And then I remembered that I needed to get that mammogram scheduled.

I got the mammogram. I always have to go back for a second one and an ultrasound, so when that happened I wasn’t too concerned. But when I was getting the ultrasound, I kinda had a feeling this time was different. That feeling was confirmed when the radiologist came in to double check. He explained to me that I had a lump that’s been there for years, but this time something looked different about it, and the only way to check it out is a biopsy.

They Pull You Back In

This week I got to meet with both my surgeon and oncologist. I received the results from the second surgery, and the good news is that we have clean margins this time, so no more surgery. So that second surgery that I really, really didn’t want to have, was really, really important for me to have.

The less good news is that the lump of cancer cells in there was bigger than they thought.

Patience Patience Patience

I’m not a naturally patient person. The patience I have has been acquired painfully, but I’ve learned to make those lessons easier.

I’ve learned to pay attention and to honor painful, scary, or confusing situations by asking what I can learn from each one. I’ve even reached the point where I welcome the opportunity to learn from the experience. Sometimes. Eventually.

Having to go back for a second surgery was an opportunity to learn. I didn’t want to go back because the first one was so trying. But there wasn’t a good option that would let me avoid going back to surgery. So what could I learn from this experience?

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

How It Started

My life was going along pretty great. I was feeling good in all phases of my life: spiritual, mental, and physical. Work was going well. I was getting ready for our wedding, and getting the van ready for a trip out West.

And then I remembered that I needed to get that mammogram scheduled.

I got the mammogram. I always have to go back for a second one and an ultrasound, so when that happened I wasn’t too concerned. But when I was getting the ultrasound, I kinda had a feeling this time was different. That feeling was confirmed when the radiologist came in to double check. He explained to me that I had a lump that’s been there for years, but this time something looked different about it, and the only way to check it out is a biopsy.

They Pull You Back In

This week I got to meet with both my surgeon and oncologist. I received the results from the second surgery, and the good news is that we have clean margins this time, so no more surgery. So that second surgery that I really, really didn’t want to have, was really, really important for me to have.

The less good news is that the lump of cancer cells in there was bigger than they thought.

Patience Patience Patience

I’m not a naturally patient person. The patience I have has been acquired painfully, but I’ve learned to make those lessons easier.

I’ve learned to pay attention and to honor painful, scary, or confusing situations by asking what I can learn from each one. I’ve even reached the point where I welcome the opportunity to learn from the experience. Sometimes. Eventually.

Having to go back for a second surgery was an opportunity to learn. I didn’t want to go back because the first one was so trying. But there wasn’t a good option that would let me avoid going back to surgery. So what could I learn from this experience?

Pathology Results

The first week post-surgery wasn’t too bad. I was mostly looking forward to the post surgery check-up because that’s when I would get the results of the lymph node biopsy. The great news there is that there is no cancer in any of the lymph nodes they removed. That means it hasn’t spread and I won’t need to have any chemotherapy.

I do have to go back in for more surgery though. They have to go back in to take out more tissue, because there was a “positive margin” in one part of the tissue they took out. That means that there was no border of clean tissue in that area.

Things Just Got Real

I really haven’t had to address anything regarding the cancer diagnosis until now. I just had to wait until the surgery date.

In the interim, I took care of myself. I did my morning stretches and intentions. I went for walks. I rowed. I felt really good mentally, physically, and spiritually.

But coming out of it, I feel like I lost something. My feelings are still raw and unprocessed, not unlike the wounds from the surgery. And those wounds are not pretty.

How It Started

My life was going along pretty great. I was feeling good in all phases of my life: spiritual, mental, and physical. Work was going well. I was getting ready for our wedding, and getting the van ready for a trip out West.

And then I remembered that I needed to get that mammogram scheduled.

I got the mammogram. I always have to go back for a second one and an ultrasound, so when that happened I wasn’t too concerned. But when I was getting the ultrasound, I kinda had a feeling this time was different. That feeling was confirmed when the radiologist came in to double check. He explained to me that I had a lump that’s been there for years, but this time something looked different about it, and the only way to check it out is a biopsy.

They Pull You Back In

This week I got to meet with both my surgeon and oncologist. I received the results from the second surgery, and the good news is that we have clean margins this time, so no more surgery. So that second surgery that I really, really didn’t want to have, was really, really important for me to have.

The less good news is that the lump of cancer cells in there was bigger than they thought.

How It Started

My life was going along pretty great. I was feeling good in all phases of my life: spiritual, mental, and physical. Work was going well. I was getting ready for our wedding, and getting the van ready for a trip out West.

And then I remembered that I needed to get that mammogram scheduled.

I got the mammogram. I always have to go back for a second one and an ultrasound, so when that happened I wasn’t too concerned. But when I was getting the ultrasound, I kinda had a feeling this time was different. That feeling was confirmed when the radiologist came in to double check. He explained to me that I had a lump that’s been there for years, but this time something looked different about it, and the only way to check it out is a biopsy.

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

First Fork on the Path

Yesterday, I got the answer to which fork I’ll be taking on my cancer treatment path, and it’s good news. I don’t have the BRCA gene mutation, so I’ll be having the easier surgery.

The next data point will come after the surgery when we’ll find out if the cancer made it to my lymph nodes.

While We Wait

I find myself not really waiting for anything. Nothing requires my attention or any action right now. Nothing I do will change whether I have a gene or where the cancer cells are today.

We Have a Plan - One Step at a Time

I got to spend some quality time with both my oncologist and especially my surgeon today.

I learned a lot about breast cancer surgery options. The treatment plan all winds down to a couple of key decision points.

1. The first decision point is which type of surgery I’ll have. That depends on whether I have the BRCA gene mutation. If I don’t, then it’s a lumpectomy and radiation. Otherwise, I’ll have to have a double mastectomy, and there’s no need for radiation treatments in that case.

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

It Aint Easy Eating Clean

This is a marked up screenshot of yesterday’s glucose levels. I was all over the map. I began the day with a spike and never recovered. Not horribly, but I received a below passing grade for my lack of metabolic stability.

I got a late start to the day, so no yoga stretching or any activity before or after breakfast.

This is Interesting

I have to say that it’s been facinating to see how what I eat turns into glucose in my body. It’s not exactly what I expected.

For example, my regular weekday breakfast has been Cheerios and blueberries. Cheerios are seemingly healthy. They’re only 100 calories per serving, no fat, 2 grams of fiber, no added sugar, and whole grain. What’s not to like?

We’ve all heard that processed foods break down easily, but it’s impressive to see it happen in almost near real-time.

Setup

Day 1 consisted of getting the apps installed on my phone, attaching the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to my arm, and start tracking my food.

There are 2 apps required. The first one, LibreLink is just for the CGM. It’s the bit that uploads and records your glucose readings. The second one is the Levels app. Levels imports the readings from LibreLink, and you have to allow LibreLink to share your data with Levels. There’s about a one hour delay between recording your readings and when they show up on the Levels app.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

It Aint Easy Eating Clean

This is a marked up screenshot of yesterday’s glucose levels. I was all over the map. I began the day with a spike and never recovered. Not horribly, but I received a below passing grade for my lack of metabolic stability.

I got a late start to the day, so no yoga stretching or any activity before or after breakfast.

This is Interesting

I have to say that it’s been facinating to see how what I eat turns into glucose in my body. It’s not exactly what I expected.

For example, my regular weekday breakfast has been Cheerios and blueberries. Cheerios are seemingly healthy. They’re only 100 calories per serving, no fat, 2 grams of fiber, no added sugar, and whole grain. What’s not to like?

We’ve all heard that processed foods break down easily, but it’s impressive to see it happen in almost near real-time.

Setup

Day 1 consisted of getting the apps installed on my phone, attaching the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to my arm, and start tracking my food.

There are 2 apps required. The first one, LibreLink is just for the CGM. It’s the bit that uploads and records your glucose readings. The second one is the Levels app. Levels imports the readings from LibreLink, and you have to allow LibreLink to share your data with Levels. There’s about a one hour delay between recording your readings and when they show up on the Levels app.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

It Aint Easy Eating Clean

This is a marked up screenshot of yesterday’s glucose levels. I was all over the map. I began the day with a spike and never recovered. Not horribly, but I received a below passing grade for my lack of metabolic stability.

I got a late start to the day, so no yoga stretching or any activity before or after breakfast.

This is Interesting

I have to say that it’s been facinating to see how what I eat turns into glucose in my body. It’s not exactly what I expected.

For example, my regular weekday breakfast has been Cheerios and blueberries. Cheerios are seemingly healthy. They’re only 100 calories per serving, no fat, 2 grams of fiber, no added sugar, and whole grain. What’s not to like?

We’ve all heard that processed foods break down easily, but it’s impressive to see it happen in almost near real-time.

Setup

Day 1 consisted of getting the apps installed on my phone, attaching the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to my arm, and start tracking my food.

There are 2 apps required. The first one, LibreLink is just for the CGM. It’s the bit that uploads and records your glucose readings. The second one is the Levels app. Levels imports the readings from LibreLink, and you have to allow LibreLink to share your data with Levels. There’s about a one hour delay between recording your readings and when they show up on the Levels app.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

It Aint Easy Eating Clean

This is a marked up screenshot of yesterday’s glucose levels. I was all over the map. I began the day with a spike and never recovered. Not horribly, but I received a below passing grade for my lack of metabolic stability.

I got a late start to the day, so no yoga stretching or any activity before or after breakfast.

This is Interesting

I have to say that it’s been facinating to see how what I eat turns into glucose in my body. It’s not exactly what I expected.

For example, my regular weekday breakfast has been Cheerios and blueberries. Cheerios are seemingly healthy. They’re only 100 calories per serving, no fat, 2 grams of fiber, no added sugar, and whole grain. What’s not to like?

We’ve all heard that processed foods break down easily, but it’s impressive to see it happen in almost near real-time.

Setup

Day 1 consisted of getting the apps installed on my phone, attaching the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to my arm, and start tracking my food.

There are 2 apps required. The first one, LibreLink is just for the CGM. It’s the bit that uploads and records your glucose readings. The second one is the Levels app. Levels imports the readings from LibreLink, and you have to allow LibreLink to share your data with Levels. There’s about a one hour delay between recording your readings and when they show up on the Levels app.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

It Aint Easy Eating Clean

This is a marked up screenshot of yesterday’s glucose levels. I was all over the map. I began the day with a spike and never recovered. Not horribly, but I received a below passing grade for my lack of metabolic stability.

I got a late start to the day, so no yoga stretching or any activity before or after breakfast.

This is Interesting

I have to say that it’s been facinating to see how what I eat turns into glucose in my body. It’s not exactly what I expected.

For example, my regular weekday breakfast has been Cheerios and blueberries. Cheerios are seemingly healthy. They’re only 100 calories per serving, no fat, 2 grams of fiber, no added sugar, and whole grain. What’s not to like?

We’ve all heard that processed foods break down easily, but it’s impressive to see it happen in almost near real-time.

Setup

Day 1 consisted of getting the apps installed on my phone, attaching the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to my arm, and start tracking my food.

There are 2 apps required. The first one, LibreLink is just for the CGM. It’s the bit that uploads and records your glucose readings. The second one is the Levels app. Levels imports the readings from LibreLink, and you have to allow LibreLink to share your data with Levels. There’s about a one hour delay between recording your readings and when they show up on the Levels app.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

It Aint Easy Eating Clean

This is a marked up screenshot of yesterday’s glucose levels. I was all over the map. I began the day with a spike and never recovered. Not horribly, but I received a below passing grade for my lack of metabolic stability.

I got a late start to the day, so no yoga stretching or any activity before or after breakfast.

This is Interesting

I have to say that it’s been facinating to see how what I eat turns into glucose in my body. It’s not exactly what I expected.

For example, my regular weekday breakfast has been Cheerios and blueberries. Cheerios are seemingly healthy. They’re only 100 calories per serving, no fat, 2 grams of fiber, no added sugar, and whole grain. What’s not to like?

We’ve all heard that processed foods break down easily, but it’s impressive to see it happen in almost near real-time.

Setup

Day 1 consisted of getting the apps installed on my phone, attaching the continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to my arm, and start tracking my food.

There are 2 apps required. The first one, LibreLink is just for the CGM. It’s the bit that uploads and records your glucose readings. The second one is the Levels app. Levels imports the readings from LibreLink, and you have to allow LibreLink to share your data with Levels. There’s about a one hour delay between recording your readings and when they show up on the Levels app.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

What I’ve Learned

Measuring glucose once every year or two as part of an annual physical, simply isn’t enough. That’s like driving a car without knowing how much gas is in the tank.

The continuous glucose monitor (CGM) gives me the information I need to learn how to eat and exercise in a way that keeps my glucose in a healthy zone as much as possible.

Improving my metabolic health will help prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

I’m Sharing My 28 Day Glucose Experiment Here

I signed up for Levels and got a continuous glucose monitor. For the next 28 days, I’m going to monitor the readings and try to optimize them by adjusting the inputs that I control like food, exercise, sleep, and to a certain degree, stress.

I’ll share those results daily, right here.

Why I Chose To Monitor My Glucose Readings

I’m doing this experiment for a few reasons:

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Living Intentionally

As we begin to re-experience a visceral reconnection with the needs of our bodies, there is a brand new capacity to warmly love the self. We experience a new quality of authenticity in our caring, which redirects our attention to our health, our diets, our energy, our time management. This enhanced care for the self arises spontaneously and naturally, not as a response to a “should.” We are able to experience an immediate and intrinsic pleasure in self care.

They Pull You Back In

This week I got to meet with both my surgeon and oncologist. I received the results from the second surgery, and the good news is that we have clean margins this time, so no more surgery. So that second surgery that I really, really didn’t want to have, was really, really important for me to have.

The less good news is that the lump of cancer cells in there was bigger than they thought.

They Pull You Back In

This week I got to meet with both my surgeon and oncologist. I received the results from the second surgery, and the good news is that we have clean margins this time, so no more surgery. So that second surgery that I really, really didn’t want to have, was really, really important for me to have.

The less good news is that the lump of cancer cells in there was bigger than they thought.

The Clay Bowl’s Destiny

The
Ship you are riding on,
Look where it is
Heading:

Your body’s port is the graveyard.

Realizing the destiny of each clay bowl
Tossed into the sky
With no one to
Catch it

I finally
Accepted the Beloved’s kind offer
To enroll
In
His sublime,
Ball-busing course
Of
Spirit
Love.

– Hafiz

Hafiz has such a humorous and playful relationship with God. With a love like that, what is there to fear?

Anxiety: A Target Seeking Armed Torpedo

One of the most important things I’ve learned is that anxiety is like the torpedo scene in the movie The Hunt for Red October. Like an armed torpedo, our brains like to search for a target.

In the movie, Soviet submarine Capitan Ramius is attempting to defect and turn over the submarine to the U.S. government. But before they sail, he sends a letter explaining his intent to a relative in the Soviet government, and now the whole Soviet navy is hunting him.

Anxiety: A Target Seeking Armed Torpedo

One of the most important things I’ve learned is that anxiety is like the torpedo scene in the movie The Hunt for Red October. Like an armed torpedo, our brains like to search for a target.

In the movie, Soviet submarine Capitan Ramius is attempting to defect and turn over the submarine to the U.S. government. But before they sail, he sends a letter explaining his intent to a relative in the Soviet government, and now the whole Soviet navy is hunting him.

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

First Fork on the Path

Yesterday, I got the answer to which fork I’ll be taking on my cancer treatment path, and it’s good news. I don’t have the BRCA gene mutation, so I’ll be having the easier surgery.

The next data point will come after the surgery when we’ll find out if the cancer made it to my lymph nodes.

While We Wait

I find myself not really waiting for anything. Nothing requires my attention or any action right now. Nothing I do will change whether I have a gene or where the cancer cells are today.

We Have a Plan - One Step at a Time

I got to spend some quality time with both my oncologist and especially my surgeon today.

I learned a lot about breast cancer surgery options. The treatment plan all winds down to a couple of key decision points.

1. The first decision point is which type of surgery I’ll have. That depends on whether I have the BRCA gene mutation. If I don’t, then it’s a lumpectomy and radiation. Otherwise, I’ll have to have a double mastectomy, and there’s no need for radiation treatments in that case.

I’ve Been Assigned a New Teacher

And look… she comes with a workbook

I’m Sorry to Drop That On You

What do you say when you are told you have cancer? Well, my sister and I laughed about it after the inital downer that the sentence, “I have cancer” brings to a conversation. We both said that we’ve been expecting this our whole lives. Both parents, both grandmothers, all that time swimming in a river full of agriculture chemicals, not to mention my time around radioactive sources. I’m a very lucky person, but that’s a lot of risk factors.

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

Perfectionism is a Lie That Ruins Your Health

“Perfectionism is not the same thing as striving to be your best. Perfectionism is the belief that if we live perfect, look perfect, and act perfect, we can minimize or avoid the pain of blame, judgement, and shame. It’s a shield. It’s a twenty-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it’s the thing that’s really preventing us from flight.”

I’ve Been Assigned a New Teacher

And look… she comes with a workbook

I’m Sorry to Drop That On You

What do you say when you are told you have cancer? Well, my sister and I laughed about it after the inital downer that the sentence, “I have cancer” brings to a conversation. We both said that we’ve been expecting this our whole lives. Both parents, both grandmothers, all that time swimming in a river full of agriculture chemicals, not to mention my time around radioactive sources. I’m a very lucky person, but that’s a lot of risk factors.

How to Control Access to Your Cameras

Now that you’ve assembled and configured your cameras, you’ll want to be able to view them from the internet. But how to do that?

Some options you have:

Cloudflare Teams and Tunnel

Cloudflare tunnels is a zero trust service. That’s buzzwordy for you’ll have to authenticate every time you want to connect to view your cameras. Your device isn’t trusted, and there’s no client to trust.

How to Control Access to Your Cameras

Now that you’ve assembled and configured your cameras, you’ll want to be able to view them from the internet. But how to do that?

Some options you have:

Cloudflare Teams and Tunnel

Cloudflare tunnels is a zero trust service. That’s buzzwordy for you’ll have to authenticate every time you want to connect to view your cameras. Your device isn’t trusted, and there’s no client to trust.

How to Control Access to Your Cameras

Now that you’ve assembled and configured your cameras, you’ll want to be able to view them from the internet. But how to do that?

Some options you have:

Cloudflare Teams and Tunnel

Cloudflare tunnels is a zero trust service. That’s buzzwordy for you’ll have to authenticate every time you want to connect to view your cameras. Your device isn’t trusted, and there’s no client to trust.

The Clay Bowl’s Destiny

The
Ship you are riding on,
Look where it is
Heading:

Your body’s port is the graveyard.

Realizing the destiny of each clay bowl
Tossed into the sky
With no one to
Catch it

I finally
Accepted the Beloved’s kind offer
To enroll
In
His sublime,
Ball-busing course
Of
Spirit
Love.

– Hafiz

Hafiz has such a humorous and playful relationship with God. With a love like that, what is there to fear?

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

It’s been an emotional week with lots of evening hours spent not relaxing. A 20 minute, 20 stroke rate (SR) workout was just what was needed.

Be kind to yourself. Extremism in any part of our lives is toxic.

Thanks Dark Horse Rowing for making this workout video in addition to all the other great content you have.

Train Like an Athlete

Just Do It. Whatever it is you dream about, JUST DO IT.

There’s no magic. There’s no annoitment by some fairy godmother, or diety, or knock on the head.

Consider how an athlete trains. They don’t simply perform their event day after day. They train with intervals. They do strength training. They do power training. They work on technique.

Whatever it is you want to learn, it’s the same process:

Living Intentionally

As we begin to re-experience a visceral reconnection with the needs of our bodies, there is a brand new capacity to warmly love the self. We experience a new quality of authenticity in our caring, which redirects our attention to our health, our diets, our energy, our time management. This enhanced care for the self arises spontaneously and naturally, not as a response to a “should.” We are able to experience an immediate and intrinsic pleasure in self care.

On the Day I Learned You Died

I go out into the winter night
A mist of snow kisses my face

Snow covered tree limbs arch over the street and sidewalks
Light bounces between the street and the trees
I can see for blocks inside this tunnel of light
But can see little outside of its walls

Scrape
Scrape
Scrape
A rhythm I know well

I walk half a block before finding
A dark shadow shoveling the sidewalk

Lost Time

He picked up the pail heavy with corn. He’d walk the hundred yards to the treeline. Just as he’d done nearly every winter afternoon for the past dozen years.

This was the first year without Caesar. He’d thought about getting another dog, but knew it would outlive him.

He savored the peace when the world is wrapped in two blankets; one of snow and the other of clouds.

Gerbils

You were asleep.
I was nibbling your ear.
You smiled,
And called me a gerbil.
Then told me a story about eating gerbils.

Strange Garden

You say you’ve seen me? It was misdirection. I wasn’t really there.

Come, let me show you where I’ve been hiding. Even my dreams couldn’t find me.

Here is my strange garden. This patch where briers and thistles hug, that’s where I planted my pain.

Over there I buried my shame. See it clawing its way to the surface? Later, we’ll find it conspiring with fear.

And here, I know it’s difficult to see, here is where I hid.

Sitting with the Dead

I love sitting with the dead as I think about life
The Johnsons, Olsons, Andersons, Edneys, Yaegars
Their stories told by the company they keep

The Olson brothers went off to war in Germany
Both lived long lives

The Johnson’s lost two children
Both before the age of three
Two others grew up to marry and have children of their own

Young John Schmidt loved to fish
He waits for his parents
Their stones wait for a date

Change is Here

This week, I attended two events that were hosted at work. Both were after normal business hours. Neither are events that I would have attended pre-2020. But I’ve changed.

Gathering to Honor and Support Indigenous People

was an online gathering of coworkers prompted by news of the discovery of the 751 bodies of the Indingenous children at a former residential school in Canada. I didn’t know what to expect, or what to do, or what to say. I didn’t have any real idea of what we could do that would make any difference. I just knew that I wanted to honor the souls of those children who died far from their families and homes. Children who had been taken by force so that they could be assimilated into the dominant culture while having their own culture erased.

motionEyeOS

I chose to use motionEyeOS for my security camera OS because it’s:

• purpose built for cameras on the Raspberry Pi
• it has all the features that I was looking for in a home-built security camera, including motion detection
• there’s also a lot of documenation online that can help with questions you might run into

Installation

I am using a Raspberry Pi Zero W and a NoIR camera, so if you’re using something different, you might have a different experience.

Home Security Cameras with Raspberry Pi Zero

This will be easy.

– me

It all began innocently enough. I thought it would be cool to make a little security camera to put in the garage attic to look down on my driveway. I’d get a NoIR so it could work in low light levels. I’d get a Pi Zero so it’d be small. Yeah, that should be easy.

Looks like it’s time to learn Markdown

I’ve been working on some projects that I think are share-worthy so I decided it was time to revamp my site. I wanted something that’s simple and fast to load.

Since I’m already a Cloudflare customer (and stock holder), I thought I’d give Pages a test run. I was able to setup a very quick Jekyll project, but ultimately decided to go with Hugo as the static site generator.

Looks like it’s time to learn Markdown

I’ve been working on some projects that I think are share-worthy so I decided it was time to revamp my site. I wanted something that’s simple and fast to load.

Since I’m already a Cloudflare customer (and stock holder), I thought I’d give Pages a test run. I was able to setup a very quick Jekyll project, but ultimately decided to go with Hugo as the static site generator.