tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8008810931812682142024-03-06T15:02:59.932-05:00Ben BlogA blog by BenBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-65622720431580744672020-10-09T19:57:00.001-04:002020-10-09T20:12:01.403-04:00A New Guitar Website I started Recently<p>Earlier this year, I started <a href="https://strummingly.com/" target="_blank">a new website about guitars and music</a>. </p><p>For now, it's mainly focused on reviewing products (like guitars and accessories), and providing some tutorials and instructions for beginner guitarists.</p><p>The idea is to help beginners learn the basics, and also help people find the right guitars or related equipment for their specific circumstances.</p><p>Later on, I plan to also include some information about songwriting, but that will probably be next year or beyond.</p><p>First I'll focus on guitars, and then get into some other instruments (like ukuleles, keyboards, and possibly drums).</p><p>So far, several of the articles have been reviews that go over the the best guitar for specific people (like kids), or specific genres of music (like the blues). Sometimes they focus on brands, like the <a href="https://strummingly.com/best-yamaha-acoustic-guitar/" target="_blank">best Yamaha acoustic guitars</a>.</p><p>One was about a silly topic, whether Stairway to Heaven is banned in guitar stores. </p><p>One was more instructional, on how to wear a guitar strap.</p><p>Those are just a couple of examples, to give you an idea. I'm sure we'll do a lot more similar topics in the near future.</p><p>Soon I'll also be posting a list of easy guitar songs for beginners, so stay tuned for that.</p><p>One of the reasons I decided to create this website was because of my own musical background. </p><p>I've enjoyed playing the guitar for many years, and have written several songs. </p><p>I recorded <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsbp4ino06-o3gKM1EXhcbadryuu9Yc3q" target="_blank">one album</a> during my last year of college, and played around with some songwriting thereafter, but never officially recorded anything else (at least not with good quality recordings).</p><p>It's kind of fun to learn about the equipment as I'm writing reviews. I think it will also be fun to write about songwriting as well, among other topics.</p><p>I hired another writer to help me. She's a longtime guitarist as well, and she'll be writing some of the review articles on guitars, accessories, etc. (She also wrote the article about Stairway to Heaven.)</p><p>Her name is Shanna, and she's from South Africa.</p><p>Anyway, feel free to check out the site. I hope you find something useful there. :-)</p><p><u>And with that's here's a little blast from the past</u>:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cV-FezOnQtI" width="320" youtube-src-id="cV-FezOnQtI"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-72613657170821668212018-04-08T18:39:00.002-04:002018-04-09T15:25:39.527-04:0010 Days Without Food: On Salt, Fasting, and Euphoria<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ever since I started eating again two days ago, I haven't felt like writing about it. That's because the exquisite mental clarity that accompanied me for the last week-or-so of the fast is no more. Now I am fooded, and the contrast is stark. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, despite my relatively sluggish and clouded mind (when compared to fasting), I will summarize some details while they remain fresh. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If your time or attention is short, the pithiest points follow the heading "Summary and Key Points", below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Earlier Experiences with Fasting</b></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of what I've been "eating"</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I first <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-ketogenic-diet-and-intermittent.html" target="_blank">learned about the health benefits of fasting and lowering insulin</a> just over a year and a half ago. Those were compelling enough that I immediately started <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/03/fashion/england-develops-a-voracious-appetite-for-a-new-diet.html" target="_blank">a version of "intermittent fasting"</a>, and continued for a few months. I originally thought a <a href="https://youtu.be/NqwvcrA7oe8?t=50s" target="_blank">ketogenic diet</a> (which is very low in carbohydrates) would be too great a lifestyle change to try right away, but just <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2016/11/kicking-off-ketogenic-diet.html" target="_blank">a few months later I was ready</a>. I did that for about four months, to great success. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the second month of my ketogenic diet (Jan 2017), I <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2017/03/ketogenic-update-and-fasting-for-five.html" target="_blank">tried fasting for five days</a>. A few months later I went for seven days. Five months after that <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2017/10/fasting-for-8-days-why-and-now-what.html" target="_blank">I fasted for 8.5 days</a>. And during the past two week I fasted for over 10 days, a personal record. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over the months, I've applied varying degrees of strictness (nearly always consuming < 200 cal / day, sometimes much closer to zero calories), consumed assorted supplements, and my experience with and understanding of prolonged fasting has evolved and progressed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the past year, I've also done many shorter fasts ranging from about 24 to 84 hours, as well as daily "<a href="https://youtu.be/iywhaz5z0qs" target="_blank">time-restricted eating</a>" more days than not since about September 2017. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Overall, I've lost approximately 30 pounds in the past 1.5 years, all while <i>increasing </i>my strength somewhat, and I believe I've dramatically improved my short- and long-term health projections. During this most recent fast I reached the lowest weight of my adult life. (I also have absolutely no fear of "rebounding" or regaining the weight, in the so-called "yo-yo diet" that nearly all traditional dieters experience. That's because fasting doesn't lower your metabolic rate the way popular diets involving calorie restriction do.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having previously summarized my experiences with prolonged fasts, what then makes this fast worth rambling on about? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, I felt great. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I felt really good (almost) the whole time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are a just a couple (easily avoidable) caveats that I'll mention, but otherwise this fast was remarkable for both the <u>mental</u> calm, clarity, and focus, as well as the <u>physical</u> energy and well-being. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">How I Felt This Time</span></b></span></div>
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<u><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Physical State</span></b></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I didn't plan to go to the gym at all, but I had enough pent-up energy that I went swimming twice, on days five and eight (and spent considerable time in the jacuzzi and sauna), and lifted weights on day nine. Not to mention going for walks around the neighborhood at least once daily. I even felt physically well enough to donate blood on day 10 (more details below), and up until doing so had scant physical concerns during the fast. My energy was <i>not</i> significantly lower than in times of eating, in contrast to prior experiences. </span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mental State</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You know those times when your worries seem to sort of recede to the background and you feel calm, energetic, and ready to tackle any challenge? That's what I was feeling almost continuously for a week. While on the one hand I kind of missed food and looked forward to the pleasure of eating again, I felt an equal or perhaps greater desire to continue feeling the way I did on the fast. But most good things must end... </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why I Felt this Way</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why do I believe I felt so great during this fast? Why didn't I feel a lower mental or physical energy level as I had at times on previous fasts? Why didn't I experience sleep disruption as many people do, and I had once before?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, ignoring for a moment that my body is much more "fat-adapted" (accustomed to using fat for energy, including both body fat and dietary fat) than the average person thanks to over a year of fasting and intermittent low-carb eating, I think what sets this fast apart mainly boils down to one thing: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sodium (commonly known as salt).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This time, I made a concerted effort to increase my sodium intake every day. Last time, I drank enough bouillon to get about 1 gram of sodium per day. This time, using a combination of bouillon, broth, stock, dill pickles, and straight salt I consumed anywhere from about 3-10 grams of sodium per day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also supplemented magnesium and potassium for insurance (and to prevent potential muscle cramping or palpitations), but I don't think those made nearly the difference that salt did. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Why does salt matter so much? </b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Long story made short, when the body's insulin level is low (such as when not eating sugar / carbs, or eating nothing) more sodium is excreted in the urine. On top of that, when fasting you may consume little or no sodium. And if more sodium is going out, and less is coming in....well you do the math. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Furthermore, if sodium in the blood goes low, blood pressure also drops (because water follows sodium). And low blood pressure results in symptoms like feeling lightheaded, confused, or weak. A lot of people complain of those types of symptoms when fasting, especially people who've never tried it before. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So by increasing my salt/sodium intake, I was able to largely mitigate any symptoms related to low blood pressure. And by using the other electrolytes (magnesium, potassium), my kidneys had plenty of fodder to play with when balancing everything out. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Another consequence of keeping the blood pressure up naturally (thanks to the salt) is less need for assistance from hormones like cortisol, norepinephrine
(aka noradrenaline), and epinephrine (aka adrenaline). All of these hormones are elevated to some degree while fasting anyway, partly because they keep your blood sugar from going <i>too</i> low (low is good, but there are limits). But these hormones will be produced <i>even more</i> if your blood pressure is dropping due to low sodium. And not suprisingly, higher levels of those "stress" or "activation" hormones tend to also interfere with sleep, so they are probably the main reason some people experience insomnia while fasting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So putting it all together, by <i>increasing </i>my sodium intake <i>dramatically</i> I was able to deter symptoms of feeling lightheaded, sluggish, or weak, and even make it easier to sleep. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And as a result...I felt fantastic! With the caveats below. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Caveats</b></span></span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Exercise and Heat Exposure</span></b></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As mentioned above, I didn't really experience decreased energy levels during this fast, and actually felt rather energetic, especially after the first hour of the day. As a result, I decided to go to the gym a few times. Twice I went swimming, and once I did weight training. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also spent a lot of time in the jacuzzi, especially on day eight, when I ran into a friend and kind of lost track of time while we chatted. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think between the overheating on the eighth night and resistance training on the ninth day, it was a little much all within 24 hours, and contributed to feeling a bit worse in general the last couple days of my fast. Not to mention...</span><br />
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<u><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Giving Blood</span></b></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had just become eligible to donate blood again around the time I started fasting and was receiving more-frequent-than-usual notifications from the blood center about it. Initially I determined it would be too risky to give blood during a prolonged fast, (as it could worsen various potential symptoms), and if I did it in the early stages it could derail my plans. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5-fjbcMdCyCjT4dDmSO0AxmtnPTiy0soYHeKWARF6poyfeJfCZhpZ-olrFQLIXQbtraq01v4tEIX24kfGhn_bDa9yc6T_rbPwDj0jtDMgYH2JuChBOWkTwr3pgpb7ifWrnSOs1dOUn0/s1600/20180405_104939-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1072" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ5-fjbcMdCyCjT4dDmSO0AxmtnPTiy0soYHeKWARF6poyfeJfCZhpZ-olrFQLIXQbtraq01v4tEIX24kfGhn_bDa9yc6T_rbPwDj0jtDMgYH2JuChBOWkTwr3pgpb7ifWrnSOs1dOUn0/s320/20180405_104939-min.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But a few days later, feeling as well as I was in general, I gradually warmed up to the idea. I made an appointment for the 10th and final day of my fast. At the center, on a whim I switched from a regular donation to a "double RBC", or double donation (which I've never done before, fasting or otherwise). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I tolerated the donation well enough, just feeling cold but never lightheaded. But from that point on I did feel fatigued, and my heart rate became more easily elevated with activity. Those are totally normal symptoms after such a donation, but with 10 days of fasting on top of that....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, all-in-all, blood donations are not really recommended during a long fast, especially not <i>double</i> donations. Shocker, I know. I don't really regret doing it, but I would do a normal donation, rather than double, if I had it to do over again. </span><br />
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<b><u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jet Lag</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I came off the night shift about a week before starting this fast, so my circadian rhythm was still adjusting. It wasn't the smoothest sleep transition, so I still felt kinda groggy for about the first two-three days of this fast. After that I was fine. </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Summary and Key Points</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fasting was normal for humans to do for thousands (if you don't believe humans developed through evolution) or even millions (if you do) of years. Only in the past 50-100 years have we had things like grocery stores and refrigerators that made food readily and constantly available. Our ancestors for many generations were accustomed to fasting out of necessity for varying lengths of time, and if their bodies knew how to do it, so do ours. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fasting is normal. And not only is is normal, it appears to be the only way to access certain healing and regeneration mechanisms, such as <a href="https://www.dietdoctor.com/renew-body-fasting-autophagy" target="_blank">autophagy</a>, and <a href="https://news.usc.edu/63669/fasting-triggers-stem-cell-regeneration-of-damaged-old-immune-system/" target="_blank">regeneration of the immune system</a> (which can heal or at least improve many autoimmune conditions) and other organ systems. It's also likely the best available weapon again obesity, diabetes, and even cancer, not to mention heart disease. Many people have eliminated signs and symptoms of diabetes through fasting, as <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Diabetes-Code-Prevent-Reverse-Naturally/dp/1771642653/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523214228&sr=8-1&keywords=diabetes+code" target="_blank">described in this new book</a>, and <a href="https://keck.usc.edu/fasting-like-diet-turns-the-immune-system-against-cancer/" target="_blank">studies have shown</a> that cancer cells become easier to kill when fasting, resulting in more effective treatment with chemotherapy or radiation (as well as fewer side-effects). That's to say nothing of fasting helping to <i>prevent</i> cancer in the first place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I could go on. And on. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you're interested in the evidence in favor of fasting's health benefits, there is plenty to go around, and it's a lot more compelling than any counterarguments I've heard (which are typically steeped in the flawed nutritional dogma of the past few decades while ignoring most of the actual evidence and millennia of human history). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However, though fasting was the norm till just a couple generations ago, many people have never gone more than a few hours without food in their lives and can scarcely imagine doing so. That is our culture, that's how we grew up, and it doesn't help that misguided dieticians (among others) continue to recommend "small frequent meals" even to the people who would benefit the most from eating <i>less</i> frequently (such as the obese or diabetic). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So, here we are with an incredibly powerful beneficial practice known to humans for millennia and practiced both intentionally and out of necessity for countless generations prior to ours. Now that same practice, fasting, has been largely abandoned due to a few decades of misguided dietary advice and a culture of constant food. And by no small coincidence, now everybody is getting fat and sick (though <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Case-Against-Sugar-Gary-Taubes/dp/0307701646" target="_blank">refined sugar wants to claim its credit </a>for that too). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Fasting isn't easy at first if you've never done it before.</b> <u>Just like running a 5K would be hard if you've literally been sedentary your whole life and don't prepare in any way.</u> It's basically the same. Start doing something different with your body out of the blue and you'll likely struggle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So start slow and give your body time to adapt, as mine has over the past year-and-a-half. <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2017/10/fasting-for-8-days-why-and-now-what.html" target="_blank">I wrote here</a> (under "Conclusions") about how to ease into it: basically start with time-restricted eating and/or eliminating refined sugar and other refined carbs for a time. That's like the warmups and short training runs you might do leading up to your first-ever 5K. After that, try some water fasts of 24 hours at a time, and then later for 36 hours. After a while the sky's the limit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And as I've learned gradually--dramatically of late--getting enough of the right electrolytes, especially sodium, can make a prolonged fast much more comfortable than it might be otherwise. Not only comfortable, even euphoric. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Let the fasting begin. Now you'll excuse me while I go eat lunch...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Photos: Breaking the Fast</span></b></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6v8YFzroUuHIG-50U-3EOYc7yfiMz74XWPTfnZLz6LbIFeDCdmuXTjaYm5MRfgP5X-XLRmUQNZ4_UCAx8OUJIBqo2XfP2HnO-f8N6F0QKb9mwffAVJm-rvexRKvmTsxa0kpB8cSDUtCg/s1600/20180406_082531-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6v8YFzroUuHIG-50U-3EOYc7yfiMz74XWPTfnZLz6LbIFeDCdmuXTjaYm5MRfgP5X-XLRmUQNZ4_UCAx8OUJIBqo2XfP2HnO-f8N6F0QKb9mwffAVJm-rvexRKvmTsxa0kpB8cSDUtCg/s320/20180406_082531-min.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first meal</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCT_ookZ1QVJcr1h8GJ9KWvKzwZUWZgIzkRlum2vQO3zqGzFZH9EyNjpGac98dYCb3rHpxW60hHDN6QIHsjh_GLXCO6rgSEdXQQb6LNzWbW49rZ5DFYjN2SzzoODDdcMCVr6RZ5cFQtY/s1600/20180406_091951-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXCT_ookZ1QVJcr1h8GJ9KWvKzwZUWZgIzkRlum2vQO3zqGzFZH9EyNjpGac98dYCb3rHpxW60hHDN6QIHsjh_GLXCO6rgSEdXQQb6LNzWbW49rZ5DFYjN2SzzoODDdcMCVr6RZ5cFQtY/s320/20180406_091951-min.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A more substantial meal about an hour later (I had seconds, and thirds)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigYZffuSvStFegpvVo_vDy5E3xuiP3gMGvQmuStsKq-jem4w1_5y6XKhDgIJ1OGnT5YcmYoEYeHdOtu5_F3Y60Rb2attgoi3Af5b7qCSxPNtEdrIpCW6Y-v_TMauvx4snG83A_jB4yqw/s1600/20180406_135203-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgigYZffuSvStFegpvVo_vDy5E3xuiP3gMGvQmuStsKq-jem4w1_5y6XKhDgIJ1OGnT5YcmYoEYeHdOtu5_F3Y60Rb2attgoi3Af5b7qCSxPNtEdrIpCW6Y-v_TMauvx4snG83A_jB4yqw/s320/20180406_135203-min.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch on the same day (I didn't eat dinner)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">BONUS SECTIONS: Results, Food List, Resources</span></b></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Specific Results of my 258-hour (10.5 day) Fast </span></b></span><u><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></u><br />
<u><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></span></u>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've already talked about how I felt during this most recent fast, but here are some specific stats (and below are images with my detailed daily notes):</span></span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Weight lost</u></b>: officially 10 pounds, but more if you consider the additional 4-5 pounds I dropped on the scale during the preceding 2.5 "transition" days mention in the notes (during which my "eating window" was less than an hour each day). </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Blood sugar/glucose levels</u></b>: Trending down fairly steadily from the 80's to the 50's and even 40's (though there is obviously daily fluctuation with many variables). </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><u>Ketones</u></b>: Medium - high on urine measurements after a few days and then pretty steady. Urine testing is subject to error, however, and the breathalyzer I got near the end of the 10 days had me at the maximum measurable amount continuously until I broke the fast. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Energy intake</b></u>: About 100 cal / day with a little variation. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Salt Intake</b></u>: about 3 - 10 grams / day. </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08uLgtJI9ZtdKwPGjDluxfe3cbP_NQr6lUc5bKkRfQzOiZvugih1xKF_NjMVovMOcYobdIBuwVcT7IsFsVWpj-zkv5QyuBCIdB-A5GLjyMeIQrqHXp6KwSvoeQP0PhlAZBYKPdYAwZZM/s1600/10+day+fast%252C+day+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="896" data-original-width="687" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj08uLgtJI9ZtdKwPGjDluxfe3cbP_NQr6lUc5bKkRfQzOiZvugih1xKF_NjMVovMOcYobdIBuwVcT7IsFsVWpj-zkv5QyuBCIdB-A5GLjyMeIQrqHXp6KwSvoeQP0PhlAZBYKPdYAwZZM/s320/10+day+fast%252C+day+2.png" width="245" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Food" List </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A few people at different times have asked what I consume while fasting. The list below many not be exhaustive, but gives a pretty good idea about what I've tried. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of note, on my first prolonged fast I intentionally ate about 200 cal / day with a high protein content. Since then I've decided that's counterproductive, and I tried to keep my calories as low as reasonably possible during the next two extended fasts. On the most recent fast, however, my calories were a little higher than before, for two main reasons:</span><br />
<ol style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The food-stuffs I was eating were essentially vehicles for sodium/salt -- it's hard to just drink a bunch of salt water or eat it by the spoonful, and the other products made the salt more palatable. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After my last long fast my stomach felt a bit contracted, as though I'd had a bariatric surgery. This gradually wore off, but in an attempt to avoid the same sensation I included more solids this time (such as dill pickles--things that were still very low-calorie and high in sodium) and tried to really expand my stomach at least once a day. This time, after two days of eating so far, I don't feel quite as much like someone who just got their stomach stapled. </span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With that context given, <u>here's a list of things I've consumed while fasting</u>: </span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Water </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tea, often with a splash of lemon juice (zero cal)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Potassium supplements (tablets, and later powder)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Magnesium supplements (capsules, and also Epsom Salt baths)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Salt (on the tongue, in water, or added to any of the items below)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Bouillon (about </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5-10 cal / serving depending on the type, ~800mg sodium)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Veggie Broth </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(5 cal / serving, ~800mg sodium)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chicken Stock (~10</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> cal / serving, ~800mg sodium)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sugarless gum (artificial sweeteners are generally to be avoided, but I've made exceptions)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Vitamin pills and similar supplements (not all the time, only took one or two multivitamins during most recent fast) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dill pickles (5 cal / serving, 290mg sodium)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sliced jalapeƱos (from a jar, 5 cal / serving)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Banana peppers (from a jar, 10 cal / serving)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Green chiles (from a can, 5 cal / serving)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chia seeds (kind of a "cheat"; 60 cal / tablespoon)</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By mixing and matching items on this list, or similar things, you can get quite a high sodium intake with easily under 100 cal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As noted, I ate some other proteinacious things on my first five-day fast that I haven't used since, so I saw no reason to include them here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Resources to Learn More</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Without going too crazy (hit me up if you want more), here are a few simple resources I'd recommend for beginners:</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Books </b></span></span></span><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight/dp/1536682187" target="_blank">The Obesity Code</a>, by Dr. Jason Fung</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Podcasts</span></span></span></b><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Obesity Code Podcast </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fasting Talk</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Found my Fitness (epidodes with <a href="https://youtu.be/d6PyyatqJSE" target="_blank">Valter Longo,</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/Gm626MgpveI" target="_blank">Guido Kroemer</a>, and <a href="https://youtu.be/iywhaz5z0qs" target="_blank">Satchin Panda</a>)</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stem-talk (episode with <a href="https://youtu.be/Yk_q54Js9mk" target="_blank">Mark Mattson</a>, any other episodes related to nutrition)</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">More on YouTube</span></span></span></b></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIuj-oMN-Fk" target="_blank">Dr. Jason Fung on how fasting helps you reduce body fat / lose weight</a></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://youtu.be/SEE-oU8_NSU" target="_blank">Dr. Thomas Seyfried on cancer prevention</a> </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-4017463227864169042017-10-24T21:03:00.001-04:002017-10-25T00:33:53.973-04:00Fasting for 8 Days: Why? And Now what? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In mid-September I set out to fast for at least one week, drinking water but essentially no food. I broke the fast in the afternoon of the ninth day after over losing more than 13 pounds. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Part of me wanted to keep going because I felt exceptionally focused and calm on the 7th and 8th day. However, I was also looking forward to finally eating again, and I had a kind of silly reason not to continue: I had signed up for some "<a href="https://www.dietbet.com/" target="_blank">diet bets</a>" that were ending a few days later, and I was worried they might flag me for losing too much weight if I didn't squeeze in a few solid days of re-feeding before the weigh-in. </span></span><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So I stopped, and I actually tried really hard to eat as much (healthy food) as I could for the next 4-5 days, mainly for the diet bets, but also for the rebuilding process that happens in the body after any fast. It turned out eating was challenging, however, because I felt like I assume people feel after bariatric surgery: I could only eat about half as much food as usual before feeling incredibly full. That sensation wore off gradually over the next week-or-so as my stomach re-expanded, and I didn't have any problems with the weigh-ins. In fact, they were the easiest "diet bets" I'd ever done... </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Why did I do something so crazy? </span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>First</b>, there is growing evidence that fasting may be the best thing you do for your health. Research and other preliminary data in both animals and humans have shown evidence for:</span></span></span></div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Decreased rates of cancer, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk_q54Js9mk" target="_blank">making it easier for the body to eliminate cancer</a></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.dietdoctor.com/renew-body-fasting-autophagy" target="_blank">"Resetting" of the immune system</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6PyyatqJSE&feature=youtu.be&t=42m11s" target="_blank">improvement in autoimmune conditions</a></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Reducing or reversing of insulin resistance and type-two diabetes </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Lower risk of heart disease (the #1 killer)</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Lower risk of dementia (e.g. Alzheimer's)</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm626MgpveI" target="_blank">Recycling old and worn out proteins and organelles</a> </span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">And the list could go on. The most dramatic benefits come when you do more than 3 days in a row, but any duration is beneficial. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Keep in mind I've been aggressively steeping myself in nutrition- and health-related research for the past year or so, but as I think on it now I'm convinced the only reason more people aren't fasting is because they just don't know how beneficial it can be. And of course the fact that it goes again decades of traditional advice that was based on basically nothing...</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Second</b>, I'm convinced that fasting (intermittent, extended, or some combination) is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Basically, if you cut your calories down every day (i.e. traditional advice you hear everywhere), you lose some weight until your metabolism adjusts accordingly, and then you plateau. After that you regain the weight (and then some) when you inevitably fall off the wagon because your strategy isn't working and you're frustrated. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When you fast, on the other hand, you <i>don't</i> lower your metabolism in the long run, and you keep your body guessing by switching things up regularly. You also lower your insulin for long stretches of time, and insulin is basically the signal to your body to store fat in response to energy intake. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">For those basic reasons, I think weight loss is <i>much </i>easier once you have this additional tool in your belt. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What else happened while I was fasting?</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are the notes I took during the fast:</span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoazIrX80AQUrtXfg4V8B7cJhTZPkRCioB-Xw62U-L308hM4EQ_y28B4UNMqPjV9VbLxPq_5-ES23CUgYe4igFbxOER1swvBbaepbH-cR4xHgEEFJFykfbiHwVFpH869LC7Iiewo81O78/s1600/Screenshot+%25285%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="904" data-original-width="683" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoazIrX80AQUrtXfg4V8B7cJhTZPkRCioB-Xw62U-L308hM4EQ_y28B4UNMqPjV9VbLxPq_5-ES23CUgYe4igFbxOER1swvBbaepbH-cR4xHgEEFJFykfbiHwVFpH869LC7Iiewo81O78/s640/Screenshot+%25285%2529.png" width="483" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcy-SB3cPohH2yi2DuiNmrf5S6AWPqhWiWve_SmPDcP4h8u0YsejFBElYaPEcCBEDaMP-ZZkURP8aN93bKHKC4afEJw9Qb1C8vJsjWJ8cQH9bpcPvRQ1bxmyuSrcsFIxurNNgH03m8n8/s1600/Screenshot+%25287%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="678" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQcy-SB3cPohH2yi2DuiNmrf5S6AWPqhWiWve_SmPDcP4h8u0YsejFBElYaPEcCBEDaMP-ZZkURP8aN93bKHKC4afEJw9Qb1C8vJsjWJ8cQH9bpcPvRQ1bxmyuSrcsFIxurNNgH03m8n8/s400/Screenshot+%25287%2529.png" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><u>In case you can't read my chicken scratch or it's too busy for you, some key stats</u>:</b></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Weight loss</u>: over 13 pounds, or just under two per day on average. (The two numbers listed for each day are two different scales.) </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Urine ketone levels</u>: <i>Very</i> high all the time after day one.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Blood Sugar</u>: 83 on day one, then never over 60 again; typically in the 40's. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>"Food" Intake</u>: Some sugarless gum here and there, salt, potassium, magnesium, vegetable bullion to increase sodium (about 9 cal/day starting on day 3), and some tea (no calories). That's about it. </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Energy Levels</u>: About 20% lower than usual on average, actually felt the best on day seven and day eight out of the whole 8.5 days. </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Conclusions:</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's been about month now since I finished the fast, and my current weight hovers around 170 lbs (10 lbs below starting weight). That's quite remarkable really, considering you would typically expect to regain about 2/3 of the weight you lose during a prolonged fast (because of the transient components of the weight loss, in the form of water, sodium, glycogen, recycling old proteins, and shrinking down certain cell populations, such as white blood cells and various organs). It's also remarkable because I've been regularly lifting weights in the past several weeks, so I expect I have a few more pounds of muscle now than when I started the fast. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think the sustained nature of my weight loss is a testament to what I've done since then: Additional fasting, and avoiding refined sugar and refined flour at all times. I've been in nearly-continuous ketosis since the week before the fast, and that's despite eating a lot of berries, and sometimes even oatmeal, legumes and other fruits, including bananas and oranges. The sustained weight loss is also further evidence of how well fasting works as a tool for weight loss. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If after reading this you're thinking of trying some type of fasting, you are wise individual indeed. :) However, to approach it smartly, here's what I'd suggest:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>First</b>, start by cutting out refined sugar and other refined grains for a period of time, perhaps 1-3 months, and ideally doing a full-fledged ketogenic diet during that time. It will be a lot easier to fast if you're already in ketosis, and after your body has some time to get used to using ketones for energy. Interestingly, ketones both curb hunger and inhibit muscle breakdown. Chew on that. :)</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Second</b>, Start with time-restricted eating (12, 10, 8, or 6 hours in a day). The clock starts when you eat your first caloric substance, and stops when you eat your last, and you try to keep it below whatever time you set. The simplest way to do this is to skip breakfast or dinner. This is a form of intermittent fasting, and basically gives your body an extra 6-8 hours with low insulin levels, and at least a slight bump in ketone levels. </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Either or both of those methods will help you to ease into it, and after that there are myriad options of how to approach it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Personally I plan to continue regular fasting of some sort in perpetuity, both until I get to my ideal weight as well as thereafter for "maintenance" and additional health benefits. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">BONUS SECTION: ADDITIONAL LEARNING RESOURCES</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think Jason Fung is the best person to listen to about Fasting.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"> You can search YouTube and find a host of Jason Fung interviews, but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIuj-oMN-Fk&t=1245s&index=2&list=PLsbp4ino06-r2eVGjdkVjEpzkw2UWn9aQ" target="_blank">this is probably a good one to start with</a>.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Fasting-Intermittent-Alternate-Day/dp/1628600012/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508891909&sr=8-1&keywords=complete+guide+to+fasting" target="_blank"><i>The Complete Guide to Fasting</i></a> is a book that I haven't read yet, but after hearing the authors on many podcast episodes I feel comfortable recommending it. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"><br />
"<a href="http://www.fastingtalk.com/" target="_blank">Fasting Talk</a>" is a podcast which has loads of insights, and I especially like the episodes in which Dr. Fung appears. Start from the first episode because the format changed after about 20 episodes, and those first ones give a nice foundation. </span></span><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk">There's a lot of mention on there of using different supplements or what not while fasting, but the more I learn I think it's better to fast with nothing but water and electrolyte supplements, to get the greatest health benefit along with weight loss. </span></span><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk">Also, the two non-physician people on the podcast are a little sensational and not-so-scientific at times, but the advice is generally good. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mark Mattson is a researcher who is quite expert on fasting:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mark Mattson Ted Talk: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3D4UkZAwKoCP8&source=gmail&ust=1508977831579000&usg=AFQjCNFYTXXK3H5vbaLvY7SOk-QbYR2SYw" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UkZAwKoCP8" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.youtube.com/watch<wbr></wbr>?v=4UkZAwKoCP8</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mark Mattson on stemtalk: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode007/&source=gmail&ust=1508977831579000&usg=AFQjCNFQxxvo_FxcLv3CXuSiMld4UuaztQ" href="https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode007/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/<wbr></wbr>episode007/</span></a><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"<a href="https://www.foundmyfitness.com/" target="_blank">Found my Fitness</a>" is a science-based podcast by Rhonda Patrick on all things health and nutrition. Several episodes relate to fasting and keto. Here are a couple good ones to start with:</span></span></span></span><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm626MgpveI" target="_blank">Guido Kroemer</a> on fasting and autophagy</span></span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_mh6 m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_wsc" id="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-cch_f3c2f2d62d264"><span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_3oh- m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-_58nk"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6PyyatqJSE" target="_blank">Valter Longo</a> on the "fasting-mimicking" diet and its health benefits</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Keto</span></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some of the below are available as podcasts. The first video is the one that got me started with keto a little over a year ago.<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Peter Attia video on <span class="m_5228537879611944500gmail-m_-6455536650151880145gmail-m_6849919927809835266gmail-il">ketogenic</span> diet: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DNqwvcrA7oe8&source=gmail&ust=1508977831578000&usg=AFQjCNEcuc0nki9C4xCwss3IA-8aTCJ6XQ" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqwvcrA7oe8" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.youtube.com/watch<wbr></wbr>?v=NqwvcrA7oe8</span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Peter Attia stemtalk interview: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode001/&source=gmail&ust=1508977831578000&usg=AFQjCNHzMl9yYb8SE5MQ7ce8ZeIcksHiNA" href="https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode001/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/<wbr></wbr>episode001/</span></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Peter Attia w/ Tim Ferriss: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DhfvH-YfbOEo&source=gmail&ust=1508977831578000&usg=AFQjCNH6JojOQ2hkpV5cC2dZ8pmE4hzlQA" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfvH-YfbOEo" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.youtube.com/watch<wbr></wbr>?v=hfvH-YfbOEo</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dom DāAgostino stemtalk: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode-14/&source=gmail&ust=1508977831578000&usg=AFQjCNGKQW1Fv_P-FquHtzCjq24qA6B35A" href="https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode-14/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/<wbr></wbr>episode-14/</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Dom DāAgostino w/ Tim Ferriss: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3Dq_b8pbyFdGY&source=gmail&ust=1508977831578000&usg=AFQjCNF9_YuebNEJJbdLF8qKe9MCCN2VVQ" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_b8pbyFdGY" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">https://www.youtube.com/watch<wbr></wbr>?v=q_b8pbyFdGY</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dom D'Agostino is kind of the guru of all things keto, or the person who knows the most about keto-related research. <br />
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There's a book called "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Keto-Clarity-Definitive-Benefits-Low-Carb/dp/1628600071/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1508893293&sr=8-1&keywords=keto+clarity" target="_blank">Keto Clarity</a>" that I haven't read, but just like the book listed in the fasting section I've listened to the author on many podcast episodes and I think it would be a good resource in the early stages. </span></span></span></div>
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Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-40319758669661674662017-08-31T16:14:00.001-04:002017-08-31T21:30:36.483-04:00Thailand in a Nutshell (and a touch of South Korea)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of the Emerald Buddha </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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There's a lot I could say about Thailand. But instead of rambling on and on, I'll merely ramble a moderate amount. And I'll boil it down to the burning questions that I can only assume are keeping you up at night. :) Let us begin.<br />
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<i><u>(Note</u>: I included just a few pictures in this post, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101933401227174.1073741858.193305961&type=1&l=17101db7ba" target="_blank">you can find many more in this album</a>.) </i> <br />
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<b>When did you go to Thailand?</b><br />
August 6-27.<br />
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<b>Wow, that's a long trip. So you were in Thailand for three weeks?</b><br />
Not quite. The cumulative flights lasted about 35 hours, and I had a 13-hour layover in Seoul, South Korea each way.<br />
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<b>What did you do with all that time in South Korea? </b><br />
On the first layover, I took advantage of some free tours that are offered from the airport (perhaps as a response too the long layovers that appear to be common with Korean Airlines). The tours took me to a small temple, a big temple, a Korean restaurant, and a popular shopping street in the Seoul area. Between the tours, customs, and security, it took up most of the 13 hours. And now I can reasonably say I've "been to" Korea. :)<br />
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On the way home, I opted instead to explore the airport itself, partly because it's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incheon_International_Airport#Accolades" target="_blank">routinely ranked best airport in the world</a> and has some remarkable amenities, but mainly because I wanted to sleep. After eating, I used one of the nap rooms and managed to sleep for over 7 hours! Then I took a shower in one of the shower rooms that are complimentary for transfer passengers. <br />
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<b>What did you do with 35 hours of flight time?</b><br />
Some sleeping, reading, writing, and eating, and I watched five movies. I also got up to walk around and stretch quite often because A) I don't want a blood clot, and B) It hurts the behind to sit so long.<br />
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<b>Why did you choose Thailand over other potential destinations? </b><br />
It was basically a coin flip between South America, Europe, and Southeast Asia. Various friends and family had recommended Thailand to me, and I'd <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2015/07/traipsing-through-taiwan.html" target="_blank">only been to Asia once before, on a much shorter trip.</a><br />
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<b>Did you go to Thailand by yourself? </b><br />
Absolutely. While naturally there are pros and cons to traveling alone, I think overall I prefer it, in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vagabonding-Uncommon-Guide-Long-Term-Travel/dp/0812992180" target="_blank">a very Vagabonding sort of way</a>.<br />
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While it's obviously fun to travel with friends, there are also advantages to traveling alone: You can interact a lot more with the locals (and other travelers), go where your whims take you, be on your own schedule, and have a chance to practice the language. In my opinion that last point is too often overlooked, as traveling with friends from home usually means speaking English 99% of the time, with little or no real language practice. <br />
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<b>Speaking of language, did you learn how to speak Thai?</b><br />
I tried! I decided 2.5 weeks was enough time to give it a whirl, especially since I was going alone, and I thought it would be a fun and interesting challenge to learn an Asian language (with <a href="http://thai-tones.com/" target="_blank">tones</a> and characters) for the first time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beaches on Ko Lan</td></tr>
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I wrote about my experience learning the Thai language <a href="https://www.learnmedicalspanish.org/thai-a-language-learning-experiment/" target="_blank">in much more detail here</a>, but in summary I tried to learn the most common and useful words, practiced them with everyone I met, and though I was still extremely limited in my vocabulary and understanding, people were nearly always very impressed. So much so that they had a hard time believing I'd only been learning for 1-3 weeks (depending on when I met them). <br />
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<b>Why do you have a website about medical Spanish? </b><br />
It's part of a project I'm working on, the culmination of which will be a course to teach medical providers how to speak Spanish with their Latino patients. <br />
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<b>Anyway, back on topic. Where did you go in Thailand? </b><br />
I spent most of my time in Bangkok, took a day-trip to Ayutthaya (one hour North of Bangkok by bus / van) to see the ruins, and later spent a few days in the Pattaya area (two hours Southeast from Bangkok by bus) where I was able to go to the beach and take a boat out to a nearby island. I hung out on the island for most of a day and rented a scooter to get around, since the island is rather large. <br />
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I considered taking a long (possibly overnight) train or bus ride to a more distant area, partly because everyone (and their dog) recommended going to Phuket (in the South) and Chiang Mai (in the North). But ultimately my priority wasn't to <i>see</i> the whole country, and I didn't want to spend a lot of time or money simply <i>traveling</i>. I was already in Thailand, and I didn't need to go very far to experience some of the culture, see some historical and aesthetic sites, meet Thai people, eat Thai food, and practice the language. There's a lot to see and do in Bangkok alone, and the other two destinations were a nice addition without too much travel time or expense. I'll save the rest of a country for a subsequent visit.<br />
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<b>Oh really...when are you going back?</b><br />
Well...I have no idea. :) But it would be nice.<br />
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<b>Where did you stay all this time?</b><br />
I found a couple rooms on Airbnb, the first of which (in Bangkok) cost me $14/night; the second (in Pattaya) was $12/night. And the amenities weren't bad. <br />
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<b>Was everything in Thailand that cheap?</b><br />
If you're careful, yes. Basically you could eat for about $5/day if you play your cards right, have a decent place to stay for under $15/day as I mentioned above, and use public transportation for a few more dollars each day to get wherever you want to go (within reason). It may be expensive to <i>get</i> to Thailand in the first place, and like anywhere there are upscale businesses that appeal to the rich and famous, but overall it was a very cost-effective trip considering I went halfway around the world.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRu59DrPVEwSgiah-uh6e4qaCm5SdWjiG7P2L-K2tx3Z-Oyqius7IqXy8wSUHyhY7A8tzelK0ke5n_m1tEBUjZJ1kqWldTzo1EXcKe6yLICIaDTilD81GGwxh9ZRE3j7GRdIJqkAaPd8/s1600/20170813_154817-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRu59DrPVEwSgiah-uh6e4qaCm5SdWjiG7P2L-K2tx3Z-Oyqius7IqXy8wSUHyhY7A8tzelK0ke5n_m1tEBUjZJ1kqWldTzo1EXcKe6yLICIaDTilD81GGwxh9ZRE3j7GRdIJqkAaPd8/s320/20170813_154817-min.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>What are some of the specific attractions you visited?</b><br />
At the risk of boring you with unfamiliar details (feel free to refer back to this part right before or after your next trip to Thailand), here goes...<br />
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<b>In Bangkok:</b> I visited the Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, a few other very ornate temples (Wat Pho, Wat Arun...), and a secondary palace (right next to the zoo). I rode in a tuktuk and took some taxi rides, but mainly used the subway system, which I became quite comfortable with. I took a few boat rides on the Chao Phraya River that cuts through the center of the city, went to the two biggest shopping malls and various others (including one my sister-in-law recommended), and visited some very large local markets (day and night varieties), such as Chatuchak (aka Jatujak, in Thai) and Rot Fi Rachada. I checked out the famous Khaosan Road and surrounding streets, attended some free Muay Thai matches at a local TV station (though I had to buy a black shirt to get in, since I was wearing red and the country is in a period of mourning), visited Chinatown a few times, and wandered through some of the nightlife areas to see what it was all about. I rode on a big Ferris Wheel at an outdoor mall, and ate more street food than you can shake a stick at. <br />
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<b>In Ayutthaya:</b> I rented a bicycle and saw the ruins of an ancient capital that was destroyed by the Burmese in the 1700's, rode an elephant, and fed the elephants (which is really cool, because they grab the vegetables right out of your hand with the tip of their trunk).<br />
<br />
<b>In Pattaya: </b> I walked the famous "Walking Street" (saw some amazing break dancers there), and repeatedly rode on the "Songtaews" (the main public transport there, two benches welded onto the back of a pickup truck). I took a ferry to the island called Ko Lan where I rented a scooter and visited five beaches in one day. I happened upon a night market in the neighboring city of Jomtien, and also visited the largest weekend market in the area, on Thepprasit Road. <br />
<br />
There are many more things, but that's a reasonable summary of the notable destinations. <br />
<br />
<b>Did you make any friends in Thailand?</b><br />
Quite a few actually. I guess that happens naturally when you constantly talk to everyone you meet or see to practice the language.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
Some of the people I met were valuable resources later when I had questions about how to get somewhere or how to say something in Thai. <br />
<br />
Of note, I spent a full day, and part of another, hanging out out with my sister-in-law's sister-in-law's brother, and his wife and son. Yes, you read that correctly. :) They showed me around some additional areas in Bangkok, and assisted me to sample many varieties of local cuisine. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4yN96Cw35DHQWuH-SeZjCF3Fzf2WESN5MhXRTnGyC-o0PbFoIuRn7g024N1avdA4DchOSKY9-bfwuUScv-74ISvvdJaTBZULrzHAltxWyvK_IB4KtMHMnWjTToaaUuBuvVEQJLo5jbc/s1600/20170824_131706-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4yN96Cw35DHQWuH-SeZjCF3Fzf2WESN5MhXRTnGyC-o0PbFoIuRn7g024N1avdA4DchOSKY9-bfwuUScv-74ISvvdJaTBZULrzHAltxWyvK_IB4KtMHMnWjTToaaUuBuvVEQJLo5jbc/s320/20170824_131706-min.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating lunch with Tony. He's having rice.</td></tr>
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In a more random example, I ran into a young Chinese tourist named Tony who asked if he could tag along when I went to the island, so we spent the whole day riding around together. I taught him how to say "Do you have any rice?", since that's what he always wanted to eat.<br />
<br />
<b>Did you see a lot of Chinese tourists there?</b><br />
Hordes. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>So did you do everything you set out to do on the trip?</b><br />
Yes. My stated goals were to ride an elephant, see some temples, go the beach, and eat lots of Thai food, and I did all of those things. I also made substantial progress with the language, a goal that I didn't adopt until one week before the trip.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheecMEdhK5tk3PxBxmr9suzoqSER9PcaNX-P0IedpA18hKzE14-Fyz2F_LOP77wE1jwa1KXkp5TeGYDPhX2C1tRtZtxZyMu_aEkP4iN58M_4iYqbrNx0KfQ7_H-jE60fXxpA-neu-HKv4/s1600/20170816_153331-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheecMEdhK5tk3PxBxmr9suzoqSER9PcaNX-P0IedpA18hKzE14-Fyz2F_LOP77wE1jwa1KXkp5TeGYDPhX2C1tRtZtxZyMu_aEkP4iN58M_4iYqbrNx0KfQ7_H-jE60fXxpA-neu-HKv4/s320/20170816_153331-min.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding an elephant in Ayutthaya</td></tr>
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<b>Is there controversy surrounding the riding of elephants? </b><br />
Indeed there is. I didn't learn this until after I went on a ride (convenient, I know), but apparently the <br />
elephants tend to be mistreated when they are raised to give rides, particularly in the way they are poked behind the ear with a sharp metal instrument to keep them on the desired path. I suppose you could make similar arguments about any beasts of burden, but suffice it to say there are those who disagree with the practice of riding elephants. <br />
<br />
<b>Was it really crowded in the places you went? Other than the hordes of Chinese tourists, I mean.</b><br />
There was an odd juxtaposition of very crowded areas in certain streets, markets, and businesses with a lot of restaurants that appeared completely empty. Apparently it was the low season because it's also the rainy season. Most days it rained for about an hour, maybe two, usually in the evening. I generally carried an umbrella, but I was also pretty lucky about being indoors or under some shelter when it rained. And some days it didn't rain at all. They say the busy season is October through January, or thereabouts, because the weather is nicer (cooler, and less rain), but I think I'd prefer the rain and heat over crowdedness.<br />
<br />
<b>Was it hot? Did you sweat like a pig? </b><br />
Yes and yes. Which is fitting because I also ate like a pig at times, especially at the markets. The temperature wasn't actually that extreme, with highs in the upper 80's most days, but it's also very humid, and I was outside walking a lot. I was always sweaty and gross by the end of the day, and invariably took a shower before bed. At least the rooms I stayed in had AC.<br />
<br />
<b>Wouldn't you say at this point that you have rambled on, and on, and perhaps on? </b><br />
<a href="https://youtu.be/U_eZmEiyTo0?t=2m15s" target="_blank">Wait till I get going!</a> Just kidding (which by the way in Thai is "Law len naw"), the end is near. <br />
<br />
<b>With all this talk of food, how much weight did you gain on the trip? </b><br />
Surprisingly, none. In retrospect, this can likely be attributed to eating a ton of fruit (perhaps literally), as it was readily available on the street and appeared a healthier alternative to the other street food (thought I certainly sampled that as well, and often). Additionally, I had a natural tendency towards some <a href="https://youtu.be/-R-eqJDQ2nU" target="_blank">time-restricted feeding</a> (closely related to intermittent fasting) as a result of typical daily logistics. Oh, and I fasted for 22 hours on my last day because I was in a hurry to get around before packing up and rushing off to the airport, so I didn't eat anything until after I was on the plane, around midnight. <br />
<br />
<b>What did you like the most about Thailand?</b><br />
Meeting the locals, speaking just enough of their language to do so, learning said language, eating the food, and seeing a variety of cool things along the way. I loved the markets, mainly for the food, and the street food was great in other places as well. I enjoyed driving the scooter all over the island, and found the Muay Thai matches very entertaining as well. I could go on...<br />
<br />
<b>Anything else on your mind?</b><br />
The jet lag from a trip like this is remarkable. I've now reached modest lucidity, but will still likely crash before 9pm for a few more days. <br />
<br />
In other news, due to paperwork delays I won't be starting my new full-time job at least until October....so I may go another trip somewhere. But probably a much shorter trip, and within a few time zones of home, to avoid a second round of circadian rhythm mayhem.<br />
<br /></div>
Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-16709108833175430792017-03-26T19:46:00.003-04:002017-03-27T21:26:07.726-04:00Ketogenic Update, and Fasting for Five Days<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">uncured bacon, avocado, and eggs</td></tr>
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At the end of November, 2016, <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2016/11/kicking-off-ketogenic-diet.html" target="_blank">I set out to follow the ketogenic diet for three months</a>. <br />
<br />
And guess what? I did. <br />
<br />
I took a couple breaks as planned (though fewer cheat days than I was allowed), but otherwise stuck to it. <br />
<br />
At the end of 3 months, I had lost 15 pounds (roughly going from 193 pounds to 178, though I've weighed in as low as about 174) and my clothes were fitting noticeably more loosely. Multiple people commented on the thinner appearance of my face and body. <br />
<br />
<u><b>While on the diet, I ate a lot of</b></u>: Avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, nut butter, eggs, cheese, and fatty meats (salami, pepperoni, bacon, sausage). I supplemented my fat intake at times with plain cream cheese, sour cream, and whipping cream, as well as MCT oil. <br />
<br />
<u>I also ate in moderation</u>: chicken, beef, salmon, sardines, and berries.<br />
<br />
This is not a comprehensive list of what I ate, but it probably hits all the staples. <br />
<br />
I've included photos of some representative meals, mainly at the bottom of the post. <br />
<br />
<u><b>While on the diet, I didn't eat any</b></u>: Bread, pasta, rice, tortillas, potatoes, cereal, processed sugar, or any other blatantly significant source of carbohydrates. <br />
<br />
I checked my ketone levels multiple times every day using urine ketone strips. <br />
<br />
I took a one-week break from the diet at Christmas, and took one additional cheat day on Superbowl Sunday. <br />
<br />
When my three months were over at the end of February....I didn't feel like stopping the diet so I kept it up for about three more weeks. I continued in steady ketosis until late March, and finally took another cheat day on March 24th while visiting Ohio for a medical course. That was only the 2nd day in 2017 on which I'd eaten any sweets or grains (other than tiny quantities in foods prepared by other people). <br />
<br />
As I write this, I'm back on the diet, and plan to continue for at least eight more days (until a certification test I'm taking on April 3rd, as ketosis makes mental focus more predictable). <br />
<br />
I suppose my desire to extend the diet past the original 3-month commitment stems from a few things:<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>The obvious benefits: It's a simpler menu and shopping list, I'm less binge-prone, there's still plenty of enjoyable food to eat, and my energy levels don't fluctuate as much. I can go without food for extended periods of time without much difficulty, and mental focus is generally improved.</li>
<li>It's easier to stay in ketosis than to get back into it (takes 3-5 days on average to get into solid ketosis), which makes cheat days or other breaks undesirable. </li>
<li>I've adhered to this "diet plan" more easily than any other I've tried over the past few years, which makes me want to stick with it even more. </li>
</ul>
<div>
I certainly don't plan to eat this way forever. But I'll probably use the ketogenic diet intermittently (perhaps a few months at a time) for the rest of my life. </div>
<br />
<br />
Speaking of going without food more easily...<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Fasting for five days</h3>
<br />
At the end of January, I decided to "fast" for five days. I put quotation marks because it wasn't a complete fast, I was still drinking water and I ingested about 200 calories per day. <br />
<br />
As was the case with my ketogenic experiment, my main goal wasn't to lose weight. I did it moreso for the myriad other proposed or documented health benefits, including but not limited to<a href="https://www.dietdoctor.com/renew-body-fasting-autophagy" target="_blank"> the body recycling many old, worn out proteins and undergoing a general "renewal" as a result</a>. <br />
<br />
Another prominent benefit that is supported by existing literature (and also intuitively logical) is a reduction in cancer risk by purging damaged cells or "pre-cancers". One proposed mechanism is that cancerous cells typically rely on glucose for energy, and depriving them of sugar weakens the cancer cells, which allows the body's own immune system to eliminate them more effectively. <br />
<br />
I lost about seven pounds while fasting for five days, and about half of that stayed off when I started eating again (my Superbowl binge was only a few days later, but it all evened out within a few more days). <br />
<br />
Muscle wasting, a common concern in the context of prolonged fasting, didn't seem to be an issue (though I didn't do any DEXA scans to confirm or anything). I did consume protein every day, including a BCAA supplement which has very few calories but tends to promote muscle building, and this likely helped mitigate any atrophy. On the other hand, if I did lose some muscle mass, that may be a good thing in the context of the "autophagy" effect discussed at the link above, and certainly some (or all) of that can be regained upon refeeding. <br />
<br />
For fun, I measured my blood sugar frequently while fasting, and after the first day or two it was consistently in the 50's and 60's (70-100 is "normal" upon waking when not on a prolonged fast) without causing any adverse effects. My ketones were also quite high throughout the fast, which probably explains why I could function just fine with "abnormally" low blood sugar. <br />
<br />
My overall energy level felt about 20% lower while fasting, but otherwise I didn't notice any adverse effects. I also went to the gym every day but one. <br />
<br />
If you've considered fasting or simply want to learn more about it, check out <a href="http://www.fastingtalk.com/" target="_blank">this podcast</a> to hear about people who've fasted 3-4 weeks at a time and dramatically improved their health. <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1628600012/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1628600012&linkCode=as2&tag=livilavidalow-20&linkId=CXFGEHZN7RO7FBUT" target="_blank">The Complete Guide to Fasting</a> </i>is from the same authors who run the podcast, and though I haven't read the book I would still recommend it based on my familiarity with their other work, and the reviews on Amazon. <br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
My "takeaways" from the ketogenic diet</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYynikJegU83L4m7WiMjfuIgn6M_qw2Y8p-LXxkNOR4tfjNvlGeCRbXAT6O0fUTNZAWGnMXug0GhJVaW8zUXzNTzILbUl5fruuNJ3LhkupgDrZ3E-ACO9NlpvQSLQHCA3pix3cbB9btsc/s1600/20161210_214452-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYynikJegU83L4m7WiMjfuIgn6M_qw2Y8p-LXxkNOR4tfjNvlGeCRbXAT6O0fUTNZAWGnMXug0GhJVaW8zUXzNTzILbUl5fruuNJ3LhkupgDrZ3E-ACO9NlpvQSLQHCA3pix3cbB9btsc/s320/20161210_214452-min.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">veggies and eggs cooked in coconut oil and amply seasoned</td></tr>
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In general, the ketogenic diet is remarkable for smoothing out energy fluctuations and promoting steady weight loss in people who are overweight. The weight loss doesn't happen magically, but it's certainly easier to modulate energy intake, thanks at least in part to the appetite suppressing effect of ketones. <br />
<br />
The diet also helps with mental focus, presumably due to the more consistent (low) blood sugar levels as well secondary effects of ketones on the brain. (By way of indirect illustration, elevated ketones reduce the likelihood of seizures, and generally reduce anxiety, both of which are central nervous system effects. It follows logically that ketones have other beneficial effects on brain function as well, and this has been anecdotally observed by myself and others). <br />
<br />
The diet is also both inconvenient (harder to eat out or eat at other people's homes) and convenient (I can easily skip a meal or two and function just fine, and my shopping list is about the same every week).<br />
<br />
And beyond those observable effects, it has many probable benefits that are less easily measured: reduced risk of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and so on. <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-ketogenic-diet-and-intermittent.html" target="_blank">See my prior blog post for several links that delve into the known and proposed health benefits</a>. <br />
<br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Conclusion</h3>
As public consciousness drifts away from the vilification of fat in our diets with tortoise-like velocity, the ketogenic diet is a remarkable tool that is becoming gradually more accepted and understood, and can have a dramatic impact on the health of many people, obese or not. <br />
<br />
While fasting (intermittent or otherwise) is still vilified and largely misunderstood, the "three meals a day" routine that we are all familiar with appears to be more of a product of modern culture and economic revolutions (agricultural, industrial...) than of any actual benefit to frequent meals or consistent eating patterns. <br />
<br />
If you're obese, overweight, or trending towards diabetes, give the ketogenic diet a try for 1-3 months, and consider a trial of fasting. It may just change (or save) your life. And even if you're not overweight or suffering from insulin resistance, you'll likely benefit as well, whether the benefits are immediately obvious or not (e.g. reducing cancer risk). <br />
<br />
Note: This blog post is a merely a brief summary of my experience with the ketogenic diet and fasting over the past four months. If you want to learn more, visit the resources I've linked to, and feel free to contact me with any questions. <br />
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b><b>More Ketogenic Meals</b></h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CoUsbL4ktdCrXZALaNqhyvJ_tnhvh5d8PmSbs5H3X6j0q62TUQw3GV1DilNiaNrtPngxaF1HNgpmniRyrUQF5oxgeYP2qCtcF1jsNA8BDAPlrWk-7eR2y4osJvJ7Hx5QSLcJJTEkLgk/s1600/20161212_004630-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CoUsbL4ktdCrXZALaNqhyvJ_tnhvh5d8PmSbs5H3X6j0q62TUQw3GV1DilNiaNrtPngxaF1HNgpmniRyrUQF5oxgeYP2qCtcF1jsNA8BDAPlrWk-7eR2y4osJvJ7Hx5QSLcJJTEkLgk/s320/20161212_004630-min.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">chicken and veggies, both cooked in coconut or olive oil and amply seasoned</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keto pizza! I only made this once, it was pretty good. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbQuCYNk6qOo14cUdWGYKcLi6Bh0b6LrN6wNQrfsmSArMK5VN8OOpk9omM-8NtB2eelav3flc1J0pR2LrqpWtYB1NHQvxYMQdUVzjMn7qwT4K-yl3vRSdbrXOzcpWjdwfkW1BG5Kmizg/s1600/20161220_170233-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbQuCYNk6qOo14cUdWGYKcLi6Bh0b6LrN6wNQrfsmSArMK5VN8OOpk9omM-8NtB2eelav3flc1J0pR2LrqpWtYB1NHQvxYMQdUVzjMn7qwT4K-yl3vRSdbrXOzcpWjdwfkW1BG5Kmizg/s320/20161220_170233-min.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of salads</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ARJRpXBAUPK1SG60nzfV8S44N1mo2BVC6mRSjmr6TlxsRFOkZJxDYNjvWPCljnc4Ms7kxqj_ER4bkTRYJpMT1INOqhQ5xciWCvHTiEDfoDl9Ri_iHWO_rZdiRasWuZHTP-7OcscT6D0/s1600/20170106_123534-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ARJRpXBAUPK1SG60nzfV8S44N1mo2BVC6mRSjmr6TlxsRFOkZJxDYNjvWPCljnc4Ms7kxqj_ER4bkTRYJpMT1INOqhQ5xciWCvHTiEDfoDl9Ri_iHWO_rZdiRasWuZHTP-7OcscT6D0/s320/20170106_123534-min.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A random keto meal from the doctor's lounge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5XCLGGIR3ZK2AaSyo4s4lT7e0wat0MOR8wHhv8Q6FQgDPirEbjay00tZoTsUkcPC_cN-JfXYPRwfHd5CYqDgCGlhOeW0GoUdlPbnXS4E4suQSRS7mis8i7jrWAEitA4r4S7sDtQTrGU/s1600/20161130_195419-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI5XCLGGIR3ZK2AaSyo4s4lT7e0wat0MOR8wHhv8Q6FQgDPirEbjay00tZoTsUkcPC_cN-JfXYPRwfHd5CYqDgCGlhOeW0GoUdlPbnXS4E4suQSRS7mis8i7jrWAEitA4r4S7sDtQTrGU/s320/20161130_195419-min.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An experimental meal when I first started the diet - notice the salami, and sour cream added to the salad.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmX7rPltamnRHT28MGVgITeiOdxyyCyd_so8v_htCzjP82gkumR3c6kp9ZDzTcvVggkInKEvEulLS6ORUI-WXwY8dOU6AQnX-wiMIz_jweoja8BTE4C-FFsod_2Tzg1U7jojFtyCHBpco/s1600/20170128_194644-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmX7rPltamnRHT28MGVgITeiOdxyyCyd_so8v_htCzjP82gkumR3c6kp9ZDzTcvVggkInKEvEulLS6ORUI-WXwY8dOU6AQnX-wiMIz_jweoja8BTE4C-FFsod_2Tzg1U7jojFtyCHBpco/s320/20170128_194644-min.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eggs & veggies cooked in oil and amply seasoned, avocado, and broccoli with cheese</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7qDTId0QOS1i9LPsxknzSc5tBIpDyi4EoxuPysa4fVuIjgAvtEc6gIOGxon719K4YZ8HbXv_DJcIf8DIwlHJf4v70ah0WG-B8T00xDVnlzYcpm2dyOM5zsWSOcNhFtGRI5UE7ePoZIs/s1600/pizza+on+cheat+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7qDTId0QOS1i9LPsxknzSc5tBIpDyi4EoxuPysa4fVuIjgAvtEc6gIOGxon719K4YZ8HbXv_DJcIf8DIwlHJf4v70ah0WG-B8T00xDVnlzYcpm2dyOM5zsWSOcNhFtGRI5UE7ePoZIs/s320/pizza+on+cheat+day.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And just for fun...the pizza I ate on my cheat day in March</td></tr>
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Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-83341185691859028202016-11-28T16:42:00.000-05:002016-11-28T16:59:52.777-05:00Kicking Off the Ketogenic Diet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm starting the ketogenic diet today, 11/28/2016.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will do this diet for the next 3 months, till the end of February 2017.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm allowed:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A one week break at Christmas (Dec 22nd - Dec 28th), with some caveats</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No candy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Only homemade desserts (none from store)</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2 cheat days per month, which are optional</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No cheat days in December other than the one-week mentioned above</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-ketogenic-diet-and-intermittent.html" target="_blank">wrote more about the ketogenic diet here</a>, as well as another approach to nutrition called intermittent fasting, which somewhat explains why I want to try it out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Exactly what I eat every day will be a work in progress, but my initial shopping list was strongly influenced by <a href="http://eatingacademy.com/nutrition/what-i-actually-eat" target="_blank">this blog post from Peter Attia.</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My primary goal is not weight loss, but I do expect to lose weight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My starting weight on 11/28/2016 is 193 pounds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I will return and report at a later date. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And here's a random picture of me with two nephews and a niece, sharing some of our thoughts about life in general...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSFDGDZTn8bCISt1up6cn3vWlZ2sIW-By25Z-tk3nrmMHEDo8zcBUpK-V48yCcTL8CFTqdF8BKN3azST2ThdoSxREA1n4OgOCU5PlIDB5lN-49WEmhEja6m6Rj7huF9DddZ9MdCW-s5E/s1600/with+Z%252C+C%252C+R-min.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSFDGDZTn8bCISt1up6cn3vWlZ2sIW-By25Z-tk3nrmMHEDo8zcBUpK-V48yCcTL8CFTqdF8BKN3azST2ThdoSxREA1n4OgOCU5PlIDB5lN-49WEmhEja6m6Rj7huF9DddZ9MdCW-s5E/s400/with+Z%252C+C%252C+R-min.jpg" width="361" /></a></div>
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Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-60005731698879575712016-11-13T06:57:00.001-05:002017-04-10T18:51:20.494-04:00The Ketogenic Diet and Intermittent Fasting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div id="docs-internal-guid-bbe0a7b8-5d30-c770-428e-fc39b210c33a" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I recently learned about two approaches to nutrition that are moderately mind-blowing...not at first gander, but once you delve into the details and understand the research that's been done, as well as the myriad health benefits this research suggests. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While not <i>new</i>, in some ways both of these nutritional patterns are new to me...at least in how potentially game-changing they may be.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">They are kind of related...and kind of not. It was kind of a coincidence (and kind of not) that I learned about both in rapid succession.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I'm talking about <b>The Ketogenic Diet</b> and <b>Intermittent Fasting</b>. Below I'll summarize each and provide links to sources (mainly podcasts and videos) that explain them better, for anyone who wants to delve into those delectable details. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">While some of the sources can be more easily understood with a background in nutrition, biochemistry, or medicine, I think they are also accessible enough for a motivated layperson to glean the key principles. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>The Ketogenic Diet</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">My recent binge-learning started with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqwvcrA7oe8" target="_blank">this video from Peter Attia</a>, who is both a renowned physician and also an ultra-endurance athlete. He reviews some nutritional biochemistry basics, and then explains his own journey with the ketogenic diet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The ketogenic diet is kind of similar to other low-carb diets that we've all heard of, like Atkins. But it differs in an important way: Instead of just limiting carbohydrates,it also keeps protein at a moderate to low level. The bulk of calories come from healthy fats. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">What does this accomplish? It causes the body to convert to using ketones as the primary energy source. <u>Ketones are the energy molecules that our bodies make by breaking down fat</u>, and they can replace glucose as an energy source for many of our organs, most notably the brain. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">When our bodies' "engines" run primarily on ketones instead of glucose, the body learns to burn fat much more aggressively, since that's where all the ketones come from. It also gives the pancreas a break from pumping out loads of insulin all the time, so you're a lot less likely to get diabetes. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">As you can imagine, this type of diet spurs weight loss. But it has a host of other documented health benefits, thanks at least in large part to avoidance of high blood sugar (glucose) and insulin spikes. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>What are some of these other benefits? To name a few:</b></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Improved i<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;">nsulin sensitivity </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">More consistent energy levels </span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">Decreased need for sleep (anecdotally)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">More consistent mental clarity </span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">Anti-cancer effects </span></li>
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<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">Tumors seem to mainly use glucose for energy, so having a consistently low blood glucose level can effectively "starve" many pre-cancers, and potentially shrink existing tumors. </span></li>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">There are various other documented biochemical benefits, and for further details I'll refer you to the the podcast episodes below, featuring Peter Attia (whom I mentioned above) as well as Dom D'Agostino, who is a professor of physiology and pharmacology and an avid ketosis researcher.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqwvcrA7oe8" target="_blank">Peter Attia on the ketogenic diet (also linked to above)</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode001/" target="_blank">Peter Attia interview on Stem-Talk</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfvH-YfbOEo" target="_blank">Peter Attia on Tim Ferriss Show</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode-14/" target="_blank">Dom DāAgostino interview on Stem-Talk</a> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_b8pbyFdGY" target="_blank">Dom DāAgostino on Tim Ferriss Show</a> </span></li>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;">I haven't tried out the ketogenic diet yet (though I absolutely will), mainly because I decided to try out this other thing first...</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Intermittent Fasting</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;">Intermittent fasting is what is sounds like...having regular periods of time when you don't eat as much or don't eat at all. It's classically done by severely restricting calories two days per week, or every other day, OR by having a shorter window of time (6-8 hours) for eating every day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;">It doesn't sound like that big of an adjustment at first, until you realize that almost everyone in our modern society (who isn't living on the street) is basically stuffing food in their face <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">during all waking hours</span>. We rarely go more than a few hours without eating something except when we sleep. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Part of the <i>theory</i> behind intermittent fasting is that in most of human history people haven't had such ready access to food, so as a species we're not really adapted to that constant caloric intake we now typically practice. While I take any evolutionary theory with a grain or two of salt, the preceding would be true even over the past few hundred years. Food was never so consistently abundant before grocery stores came around. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But more important than the theory...what benefits of intermittent fasting have been observed?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Intermittent Fasting Benefits Suggested by Research</b></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Promotes a degree of ketogenesis (see above), if only temporarily. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Appears to positively affect-</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Insulin sensitivity</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Neurogenesis (making more brain cells)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Neuron repair (fixing brain cells)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mitochondrial repair (for energy production in cells)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cognitive function</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lower chance of Alzheimerās disease and Parkinsonās</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reduced cancer risk and tumor burden (size)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Improved longevity</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Promotes weight loss (though that's not necessarily the primary goal)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's kind of a "wow" list...but it's not fabricated (or even exaggerated) either. A lot of credible research has been done on this topic, and for more info about that I refer you to the following from Mark Mattson (not to be confused with </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Madsen" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Mark Madsen</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">), perhaps the foremost researcher on Intermittent Fasting, as a starting point to learn more:</span></div>
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<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UkZAwKoCP8" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mark Mattson Ted Talk</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpcVku45hFY" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Mark Mattson talk about optimizing cognitive performance</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode007/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Mark Mattson interview on Stem-Talk</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>What am I doing with this information?</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;">I was intermittently fasting two days per week (restricting calories to about 600/day) for about two months from late August through late October of this year, and I noticed a variety of interesting effects. Most notably, I was less food-obsessed on the days I fasted and had improved mental clarity those days as well.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;">I stopped for a few reasons...mainly because I was starting to feel increasingly binge-prone on the non-fasting days (after about 6 weeks). So there are certainly some potential challenges with this type of eating pattern, but I think it's absolutely beneficial if you can pull it off. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline;">What's next? I'm gearing up for a prolonged trial (3-6 months) with the ketogenic diet. I wanna see how it affects me. But even if I don't <i>notice</i> any benefits (which is unlikely)....it will probably purge some of those pre-cancers floating around inside of me, which I tend to view as a plus. </span></span></div>
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Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-9727938411613635622015-07-27T20:43:00.000-04:002015-07-28T05:57:53.268-04:00Traipsing through Taiwan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taipei_101" target="_blank">Taipei 101</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In June of this year I traveled to Taiwan. I know a girl who lives in Taipei (the capital and biggest city), so it seemed an ideal opportunity to go while I had someone I could stay with who was willing to show me around. Stella and I originally met online, and had been talking for a while when I decided to plan a trip. She offered a place to stay and to show me around.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This trip was many firsts for me - my first trip to Asia, first time in the Eastern Hemisphere, first time crossing the International Dateline, first time going to a country where the primary language is not English or Spanish, and my first flights longer than six hours. And some other firsts tooā¦.like my first time eating pig intestines. :). It was a great trip, and a really cool experience. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The trip started off with a...Bang? As I was hastily packing, only two hours before departure and shortly before my ride to the airport would have come, I got an email informing that my first flight was cancelled, bumping me to the next flight (three hours later), which would cause me to miss my connection in San Francisco, and in effect extend my layover there from one hour to 18 hours. My first thought was āHoly Crapā. The email said if this change was not acceptable, I should call customer service, which I did, and ended up on hold for over an hour before I gave up. In the meantime, I posted on Facebook and managed to find an old friend in San Francisco I could stay with, so I opted for the 18-hour layover rather than trying to change the flights. And I tried to focus on the positive--even though I would get to Taiwan a day later than planned, I now had a chance to briefly explore a city Iād never seen before. Similarly, though I had to cancel my ride to the airport, I later found a new and convenient method for parking at a transit station and riding a bus to the airport that will come in handy in the future. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7z3esfkOS7CYD_eJJS-2ArRegAC9ded7Z0XZhUa3t0ydzv_qUh-JrFHD6xfvPElLLikVfGKF2qEFJEHcP1Df750Hunn-iPiHYA7eZDhgQDmQCOCz03i41Pv3hFeUeHINbhc6SlqVSmHQ/s1600/20150616_211019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7z3esfkOS7CYD_eJJS-2ArRegAC9ded7Z0XZhUa3t0ydzv_qUh-JrFHD6xfvPElLLikVfGKF2qEFJEHcP1Df750Hunn-iPiHYA7eZDhgQDmQCOCz03i41Pv3hFeUeHINbhc6SlqVSmHQ/s320/20150616_211019.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">San Francisco was pretty cool--I took the metro straight from the airport to a part of downtown and walked down to the shore. I stumbled upon the Golden Gate Bridge and got to take some pictures. I was in downtown when the Golden State Warriors clinched the NBA title, heard some celebratory honks and yells, and got to mingle with celebrators milling about and on the subsequent subway rides to my friend Rebekahās house. I slept on the couch in Rebekahās apartment after watching a replay of game 6 of the Finals (the final game). The next day, I took the metro again and stopped off in another part of downtown to explore before heading back to the airport. I spotted the āfamous trolleyā and police on horseback, and bought a big pizza at a place with great reviews on Yelp (Z-Pizza). I took the leftovers with me, and was then the target of hungry homeless people (I gave away two pieces on the street), and later everyone in the airport seemed to be eyeing my pizza box, especially while going through security. I had three large pieces left for the 13-hour flight. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silly in San Francisco</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The flight was long. At 13 hours, more than double my previous longest airplane ride. It was nice to have the pizza, but they actually served a lot of food and drink, so much so that there seemed to be almost continual commotion from the attendants and concession carts. I managed a few hoursā sleep and watched one in-flight movie (American Sniper) I hadnāt seen. I also got up to walk around and stretch several times, and wore compression stockings, both in efforts to ward of DVTās. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiang_Kai-shek_Memorial_Hall" target="_blank">Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall</a> Square</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Stella was an amazing hostess. First off, she met me at the airport and helped me find a bus across the city towards her home--everybody was speaking Chinese from the moment I left the airport, and I would have been lost without her (she also texted me written instructions in Chinese for a taxi driver in case she didnāt have time to come). She took me to dinner at a Japanese style restaurant the first night, and took me to many other yummy, interesting, and fun restaurants and shops throughout my stay. And on nearly every occasion, I was the lone English-speaking person in the establishment. Stella translated or ordered on my behalf basically everywhere we went (I did go out on my own for a few hours one day, and felt very limited. I managed to buy dinner and some donuts using a few basic words and gestures,, and was very proud of myself). We visited several places I wouldnāt have known of as a regular tourist. She planned various fun activities and improvised each day depending on weather and other factors. She also took 3 days off work while I was there (she worked one day, and we had the weekend and one day of holiday for the āDragon Festivalā). I never would have thought to go to Taiwan were in not for her, and she made the six-day stay very pleasant and memorable. Even her roommate chipped in and took us out to eat, and later bought additional local foods for me to sample. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Possibly the most remarkable thing about the visit was that I never exchanged any money nor used an ATM (nor paid for anything with dollars). I used my credit card to pay for some things (a few meals, movie tickets [for Jurassic World in 4D, no less]ā¦), and Stella paid for all the little things as we were traipsing around. I gave her some cash before I left to help even it out, but the total cost of the trip besides airfare was incredibly only about $200!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taipei by night</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I did very little research before the trip, basically winging it. I did make a list of places, however, because I had a patient in the ER about a month prior who was a returned-missionary from Taiwan (and was in the ER because he broke his ankle there on a return visit), and I asked him what I should do and made a list. I also got a list of foods to try and one destination from my old roommate David McCombs, who likewise served his mission in Taiwan. I left the rest to Stella, basically. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese style hot pot</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I didnāt study any Chinese before the trip (I finally learned how to say āthank youā--xiexie-- while in San Francisco the day before) because I decided it would be too hard to make any substantial progress. But after Iād been there a couple days, I decided to learn the basics, and found it made the whole experience more mentally engaging. And just a few words and numbers go a long way for basic communication with the locals. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Overall it was a unique cultural experience, and I loved trying so many different foods while I was there. I showed Stella a list from some website of a bunch of different foods to try in Taiwan, and from that point she seemingly made it her quest to check off the whole list. Some memorable treats: Japanese hot pot, Taiwanese hot pot, sushi & sashimi, Thai buffet, stinky tofu soup with duck blood and pig intestines, mango āice monsterā, squid in various forms, mango smoothie, āDanbingā (kind of a like a fried skinny burrito for breakfast), and some good fruit (mango, papayaā¦). My chopstick skills have also markedly improved, since that was usually the only option. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">soup w/ stinky tofu, duck blood, pig intestines</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">After six days, I sadly departed. I had a three-hour layover in Tokyo on the return trip, so I can check off one more country, and that felt like its own mini cultural experience--the people and language seemed to have a different ārhythmā than in Taiwan, and everything seemed very efficient. Plus they had a special toilet for squatting... On the flight from Tokyo to LA, for some reason I got to sit in what my seatmate told me is called āpremium economyā (not quite first class), which had more elbow and leg room than Iād ever had before on a plane--I was even able to prop my legs up part of the time to improve blood flow.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">What a great and unique trip. It was different from any other Iāve taken. Asia, Chinese, the Eastern Hemisphere, crazy foods, and having someone so helpful that made my trip so much easier and cooler (and cheaper) was, on the whole, almost surreal. And now, Iām very jetlagged. But it was worth it. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Additional photos from the trip <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100908268201974.1073741845.193305961&type=1&l=e233e0fa64" target="_blank">can be seen here. </a></b> </span></div>
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Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-41582271340205431622014-09-29T01:11:00.000-04:002014-10-01T19:40:32.197-04:00Down to the DF ā A Mexican Excursion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Random and
Bizarre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And awesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1npTa6I46QB9vFOd7z8juMBbsoHZgQDNtXE7LAqBc67-jZ5Qp7k6-TraleMO3uHWKszMpUKQRep71XJTYs_JrAYx5H-LGWRnOBnkjSqYxBTPNsqicCncSIvGKQj_U0PTb5c5FI7kh7ss/s1600/20140920_154735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1npTa6I46QB9vFOd7z8juMBbsoHZgQDNtXE7LAqBc67-jZ5Qp7k6-TraleMO3uHWKszMpUKQRep71XJTYs_JrAYx5H-LGWRnOBnkjSqYxBTPNsqicCncSIvGKQj_U0PTb5c5FI7kh7ss/s1600/20140920_154735.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teotihuacan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Those are
all words that characterize my recent six-day trip to Mexico City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What led to
this trip?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After my 3-month
training program in the ER ended, I made a goal to go on one trip per
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thatās the beauty of working in the ER.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While there is no paid time off, there is
substantial schedule flexibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can
take a week off no problem, as long as I plan ahead two months or more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So along
with my other recent trips (Atlanta, Carson City, Denver) and an upcoming one
to Knoxville, I planned one to Mexico City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why Mexico City?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I love
traveling in Latin America and speaking Spanish, because Iāve only been to
Mexico once before (a non-touristy part in the Northwest), because Mexico isnāt
that far away, because I like Mexican food, and because the airfare is
relatively cheap (compared to other countries and compared to other parts of
Mexico).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also because a random Irish guy
I sat next to on my last flight to Guatemala said itās a really nice place to
visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, why not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJtVFLHGNjjBPM6xIISYIn7Q2aYOe87a84ysUcV0T4RT8EY-DOU2c37hB-fRWBNr5vlZ7P3wuFleuoWP0U82w-0RGhFUaxt0qkuov4kcdsUegGmPfA1nFZcIxqjiWvA-qJP2K5w7bU24/s1600/20140923_232820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJtVFLHGNjjBPM6xIISYIn7Q2aYOe87a84ysUcV0T4RT8EY-DOU2c37hB-fRWBNr5vlZ7P3wuFleuoWP0U82w-0RGhFUaxt0qkuov4kcdsUegGmPfA1nFZcIxqjiWvA-qJP2K5w7bU24/s1600/20140923_232820.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eating tacos with Sandra (left) and Ninely</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I prefer to travel
places where I know someone, for the many obvious advantages (or have work pay
for the trip, as was the case with Carson City).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem was, I didnāt <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> know anyone in Mexico City.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I kinda sorta did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little tiny bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, there were a couple people whom I
had randomly connected with on Facebook a few months earlier, but never met in
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of those was Ninely Contreras,
with whom I had exchanged a few messages beginning in March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her of my upcoming trip, and she said
I could stay at her house if I didnāt mind sleeping on the couch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called her a couple days before the trip to
touch base and go over the details (and to feel out if she seemed like a
murderous criminal or not :) </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">), during which conversation she suggested a friend of
hers might be better suited to host me as she lives closer to downtown, and has
more free time because sheās not currently working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That friend,
Sandra, who had never met me or ever talked to me before, not only hosted me at
her apartment, but took time out of her schedule to meet me at the airport so
she could accompany me on the Subway back to her home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And from that moment on she acted like we
were longtime friends, and was extremely helpful with anything I needed during
my stay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I stayed at
Sandraās apartment every night except one (on the weekend when I stayed at
Ninelyās house <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHT3dWXbRKefFW6pysNfCcFVRZZkxjjvyfFDG6Z_kSQfw6H_un8jrdLzXxFda9zCtdnc0T6rFWuVymPIbSiKAOv5OYGPvpHMDtykH3ftd1Hl3sXpwBnZcRYtyyArDjYG0Do8pxiRgz2M/s1600/20140921_165629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHT3dWXbRKefFW6pysNfCcFVRZZkxjjvyfFDG6Z_kSQfw6H_un8jrdLzXxFda9zCtdnc0T6rFWuVymPIbSiKAOv5OYGPvpHMDtykH3ftd1Hl3sXpwBnZcRYtyyArDjYG0Do8pxiRgz2M/s1600/20140921_165629.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Xochimilco</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
because she was accompanying me to visit some of the more
peripheral locations). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sandra and Ninely
were both exceptionally generous, kind, and helpful, and I had a great time
hanging out with them and learning from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Really, that was the most remarkable thing about the tripāhow far out of
their way two strangers went to make sure my experience in Mexico City went
smoothly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, as smoothly as you can
expect anything to go in Mexico City. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ninely said sheās traveled around Mexico a lot and been helped by other
strangers, so she likes to pay it forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sandra just said āIām awesome, so I do stuff like that.ā<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didnāt really say that, but it would be
true if she did. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">Other
observations and experiences from the trip, in no particular order:</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIf6Qiw9MXyFylh790dg3lOixm4odER8YYMAmDC8N5WX9ONMqR2UmwCoxjmMp354A6HxzLdbcalcVzCI3teHcbA8Ffzax6dmImShtq9bwDx_OaE1dX70UyAJZy4O-vLD9eVYXB-amUIHI/s1600/20140920_190544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIf6Qiw9MXyFylh790dg3lOixm4odER8YYMAmDC8N5WX9ONMqR2UmwCoxjmMp354A6HxzLdbcalcVzCI3teHcbA8Ffzax6dmImShtq9bwDx_OaE1dX70UyAJZy4O-vLD9eVYXB-amUIHI/s1600/20140920_190544.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garibaldi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My
favorite place in Mexico City was Plaza Garibaldi, a big park where a bunch of
Mariachi bands (and some not-quite-as-Mariachi bands) congregate every evening
to play songs for visitors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went there
three times because I loved it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only
song I requested (and paid for) was āBĆ©same Muchoā, just because itās
hilarious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5pynWtREi0&list=UURmNMmU2XrJbiR5En3-ecLQ" target="_blank">The singer was ridiculously off-key</a>ā¦.but most of the groups sounded better than that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Somehow,
some way, I didnāt get sick on this trip, despite trying all sorts of different
foods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That makes four consecutive
foreign trips with no sickness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope Iām
not jinxing myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My secret?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always carry hand sanitizer and a bottle of
clean water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But mostly Iāve just been
lucky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
love speaking Spanish, and this was a great opportunity to practice and learn
(or relearn) new words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also a
reminder that as good as one may be speaking a second language, discussing
complex topics or communicating subtleties is an ongoing challenge, but also
part of the fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was likewise instructive
about how much practice and repetition is required to master any language,
something we likely take for granted in our native tongues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I
learned how to find my way around alone on the Mexican subway, which was
satisfying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Traveling
on that same subway during rush hour can be intense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the nights I was packed hilariously
tightly with all the other people heading home from work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasnāt holding onto anything but there was
no way I could have fallen down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And at
each stop more people would cram in, packing more and more tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chuckled intermittently at the hilarity of
the scene, and got some funny looks from the Mexican passengers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thanks
to busses, subways, and guidance from friends, I didnāt use a single taxi
during the whole trip!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My three primary goals for the trip were to 1) Don't get killed, 2) Don't get kidnapped, and 3) Don't get mugged. Success! </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As
an adult, Iāve developed allergies that plague me in certain places, which
unfortunately include Central America, and now Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
electric company randomly came and disconnected Sandraās power my last night in
Mexico, so we got to bust out lots of candles, and I couldnāt charge my phone
or check email.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last I checked she is
still without power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something to do
with an illegal connection that was placed by <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZkSkcN8zZB84Smcv6IHRq6dHQoMATep20y5WG3yIPg_CQFVDJnyZbBi3pf3jIeogtNYsFQi6kL9mfdhkuO1oYR3WdWweroxWAe00o6j8MPcQ-CAMwvo8j4pbDrEekQhBnal6jMFhbF7E/s1600/20140920_192302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZkSkcN8zZB84Smcv6IHRq6dHQoMATep20y5WG3yIPg_CQFVDJnyZbBi3pf3jIeogtNYsFQi6kL9mfdhkuO1oYR3WdWweroxWAe00o6j8MPcQ-CAMwvo8j4pbDrEekQhBnal6jMFhbF7E/s1600/20140920_192302.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panuchos - yum!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
a former landlord.</span></li>
<li> <span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
food was great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didnāt see a single
burrito or nacho while I was there (apparently those are more common in
Northern Mexico), but plenty of tacos, quesadillas, and some new (to me) stuff
like panuchos, sopes, and huaraches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which are all sort of similar but it still presented a learning curve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we ate lots of cacti (napales)ā¦</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">There
are a lot of museums in Mexico City!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
case you were wondering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yogurtland
in downtown was a great place to study food vocab, cuz all the 50 or so toppings were
labeled with placards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The
correct way to refer to Mexico City in Spanish is āel DFā, which is short for
the Federal District (much like DC).</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"></span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></b></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 107%;">Some of the
places I visited:</span></b></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnvQp68yl-oLkpoemDHyz8-tlyqdos9zecOn7p08VPc0HOgeN8v3W-TYO5kxXJRh48nGyo0rPlDZQUS36Rl3cTLLpIxO2LS1PdFINZc-_Ny0ZIhRi7wjYID7Gfk7xaYJAdOjY1Lwo9bU/s1600/20140923_184933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnvQp68yl-oLkpoemDHyz8-tlyqdos9zecOn7p08VPc0HOgeN8v3W-TYO5kxXJRh48nGyo0rPlDZQUS36Rl3cTLLpIxO2LS1PdFINZc-_Ny0ZIhRi7wjYID7Gfk7xaYJAdOjY1Lwo9bU/s1600/20140923_184933.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heart and Soul in the rain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Teotihuacan
</b>ā the apparently-not-Aztec pyramids 30km Northeast of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great views, lots of stairs!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Xochimilco</b>
ā in the Southern part of the city there are several canals, and colorful boats
you can ride on in said canals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>El
ZĆ³calo</b> ā The central plaza of the city which is surrounded by government
buildings and the main Cathedral, and connected to a touristy walkable street
that is much like Calle Conde in Santo Domingo, DR, or the Fremont Street
Experience in Las Vegas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><b>Chapultepec</b>
ā an urban park and āforestā intermingled with various museums and at least one
body of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also where I found a
random outdoor piano which I played for about two hours (in two sittings) to
the delight (or horror?) of passers-by, got one offer to join a band, and
taught two people how to play heart and soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Donāt those places have awesome
names that are easy to memorize?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">:)</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What a great
trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it didnāt even cost that much
(less than $1,000 total for everything).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The best thing about it was the people I met (especially Sandra and
Ninely, but also a lot of friendly strangers on the streets or elsewhere),
followed closely by the music, food, language, and incredible sights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It left me with great memories and good
feelings, and I hope to go back soon!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2liUfklqUNnB4U6VwqA5coevzmkx-0gCXGD1cYrfXpRw9u6T1_F-SKB_yjimDf3g_VWbMbToAB0J8OIwdl6cxjCTA170iLhDb7U9NnulvM7Zb8CGmY5zyOhjeVezEgtHqIESzTfgBiTE/s1600/20140919_181228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2liUfklqUNnB4U6VwqA5coevzmkx-0gCXGD1cYrfXpRw9u6T1_F-SKB_yjimDf3g_VWbMbToAB0J8OIwdl6cxjCTA170iLhDb7U9NnulvM7Zb8CGmY5zyOhjeVezEgtHqIESzTfgBiTE/s1600/20140919_181228.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palacio de Bellas Artes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsovoWZPeL3ekeP8GH4-_kkI8c9IQWXcjF2Fw6Di_fuiUWL0Pk89q_UJq0SmGdbaUI6fbI4lbpmTAKfcQxJngrWq_qBrG2mlDtlhZn0PQ9HMtQP0JiVJxbd7mmxWnvN4ZzIwlA2aYijuU/s1600/20140919_154217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsovoWZPeL3ekeP8GH4-_kkI8c9IQWXcjF2Fw6Di_fuiUWL0Pk89q_UJq0SmGdbaUI6fbI4lbpmTAKfcQxJngrWq_qBrG2mlDtlhZn0PQ9HMtQP0JiVJxbd7mmxWnvN4ZzIwlA2aYijuU/s1600/20140919_154217.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ZĆ³calo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="font-size: large;">More pictures from the trip <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100664223140234.1073741841.193305961&type=1&l=f9c8f78988" target="_blank">can be seen here</a>. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-75721461097285953052014-02-23T23:42:00.000-05:002014-05-14T07:28:17.281-04:00My experience wandering through the Dominican Republic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6H-8BL5wrCoC9GvGhAX9ii7HafOFUqQZrCF3GpnxCJDeKH8ZOma-2a4OOnydRoRDC1BAjTGMordZW18ose35oX4aFinmhAdshJLLSbj9HmFXGvdu6Kz5aTWKrBodez18521WssPCoDfc/s1600/20140213_105224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6H-8BL5wrCoC9GvGhAX9ii7HafOFUqQZrCF3GpnxCJDeKH8ZOma-2a4OOnydRoRDC1BAjTGMordZW18ose35oX4aFinmhAdshJLLSbj9HmFXGvdu6Kz5aTWKrBodez18521WssPCoDfc/s1600/20140213_105224.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parque ColĆ³n and the West's first cathedral</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I just got back from a wild nine days in the Dominican
Republic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was my first time going
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had time to go on my
second international trip in three months because I still hadnāt
started working yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this trip was
unique, as I'd never set out on a similar venture by myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up in Nicaragua by myself <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2012/11/central-american-madness-stage-ii.html">after my friend Brit got injured in Costa Rica back in 2012</a>, but I didnāt plan it that
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And last December I traveled to
Guatemala and Nicaragua aloneā¦but then I spent the whole time visiting friends,
so that was completely different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In planning this trip, I wanted to go to a Spanish-speaking
country that wasnāt too far away (not South America or Spain) and that I hadnāt
been to before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed too soon to go
back to Central America, so that left the DR and parts of Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started looking at fares, and then it just
kind of happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goals for the trip
were to get to know the culture a little bit, including the food and language,
as well as visit some of the historical sites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also wanted to relax and enjoy my last little bit of vacation before starting
work. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I did all of those things, but certainly couldnāt
have anticipated all the little twists and turns that happen over a week of
wandering alone in a country like that, flying by some combination of the seat
of my shorts (it was too hot for pants) and advice from locals (which fluctuates wildly</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">), with the
occasional contribution from Google.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 107%;">Here are several things I learned or experienced,
in an order thatās not all that particular:</span></b></span></h4>
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They do speak Spanish down there, but itās
very different from Mexican or Central American Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some of the Dominicans speak clearly enough,
others speak way too fast and donāt enunciate at all (and I mean AT ALL), and
others donāt really even speak Spanish, because theyāre from Haiti, or severely
lacking in education, or due to another mysterious cause or combination of
causes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And things get particularly unintelligible when
theyāre arguing around a dominos table in the park!</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzja-50qmIOXv5kAO0IHANfThOllmzSHJ9UELRUHmAFK1CXWQS0LrCAuJJnfGxajS5vwbQbyOqFn-swD5kSbIt68-_zVruMxxFagJcimnQHmr82EbKMsm5muufsRtudkINJE5T63A34g/s1600/20140213_125044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLzja-50qmIOXv5kAO0IHANfThOllmzSHJ9UELRUHmAFK1CXWQS0LrCAuJJnfGxajS5vwbQbyOqFn-swD5kSbIt68-_zVruMxxFagJcimnQHmr82EbKMsm5muufsRtudkINJE5T63A34g/s1600/20140213_125044.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the guy in purple was my teammate</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Speaking of dominos, itās a national
craze!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People will gather daily around official
tables in the park, or on a street corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They play, they argue, they get very animated, speaking very rapidly
using lots of slang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Itās basically
impossible to understand them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I played
a few games with one group in Parque ColĆ³n (Columbus Park), and the opposing
team became more and more incensed as a rather outspoken character sitting next
to me shared his approval or disapproval each time I grabbed a piece to play. They
thought he was cheating because he could also see one of their team memberās
pieces, and that player started laying his down flat and peering underneath so no
one else could see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My team won three
games in a row with some beginnerās luck (and maybe a little cheating) before I
gave up my seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw the same group
playing every day in the same place until I left the area, only skipping
Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Locals repeatedly asked me where I was
from (a few of them postulated Argentina, Spain, or Germany), and they almost
always acted surprised when I said the U.S., subsequently asking how I could speak
Spanish so well. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This happened over and
over again, several times per day, becoming a running joke (that only I was
aware of).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told a handful of people I was from
Argentina or Spain just see if they would believe me, and they generally seemed to, at least at first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTuLFLxUrFa-veS3ZADCOnhyKh2NOLMb1Voy8BiaCCaoLTvG5HtukOPEKnRbKVKD1ZVKEZE_GwaF9L0FI2DOa4jOf532dWaATL2RG9a5TZyCCCI82yNeLPZJiGEl32ZS2wKypkutskjY/s1600/20140216_155142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYTuLFLxUrFa-veS3ZADCOnhyKh2NOLMb1Voy8BiaCCaoLTvG5HtukOPEKnRbKVKD1ZVKEZE_GwaF9L0FI2DOa4jOf532dWaATL2RG9a5TZyCCCI82yNeLPZJiGEl32ZS2wKypkutskjY/s1600/20140216_155142.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faro a ColĆ³n</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I spent the first five days or so in
Santo Domingo, the capital, which is on the southern coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a ton of history there, much more
than I realized, dating back to Columbus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They have the first cathedral, first fortress, and ruins of the first
hospital in the Western Hemisphere, all within easy walking distance of my
dominos-playing friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also claim
to have Columbusās remains in a big lighthouse (that doesnāt look like a
lighthouse).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spain also claims to have
his remains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Parque Colon is a fun little hot spot,
right next to that āfirst cathedralā, with a big statue of Columbus in the
middle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also has a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ton </i>of birds, which flock to all the
people who are paying a tuppence for a bag to feed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked right through veritable flocks as
they barely even got out of the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One night in the middle of Parque ColĆ³n
I borrowed a kidās guitar, we shared a few songs with each other, and then he
wanted to improv a duet, which we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The last night in Santo Domingo I stayed
in a crappy local hotel, a little out of the touristy area, to save some cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was ridiculousāsink faucet didnāt work, no
light bulb in the bathroom, no toilet seatābut still fine, really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And cheap as all get-out. </span></li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77zSKaYijcgmg9cIMVzl2d6lXWtIiQ00pA00Nm1vUaBkqTM-ldVjjuYZiSuBRuvIvClioBm8VVkWLUAr9ywD4J0jCFIjgV4uKoflLKEADXtDQlXQLnb0LWyQwG9rB5sO6XQFuYbEdB5M/s1600/20140218_211220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77zSKaYijcgmg9cIMVzl2d6lXWtIiQ00pA00Nm1vUaBkqTM-ldVjjuYZiSuBRuvIvClioBm8VVkWLUAr9ywD4J0jCFIjgV4uKoflLKEADXtDQlXQLnb0LWyQwG9rB5sO6XQFuYbEdB5M/s1600/20140218_211220.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">random bball game in Sosua</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I didnāt see anyone playing Soccer the
whole time I was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently theyāre
way more into baseball, which makes sense since a bunch of Major Leaguers have
come from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also claim that volleyball
(which I saw people playing) and basketball (which I never saw anyone playing)
are popular.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I took buses from Santo Domingo up to
Puerto Plata, on the northern coast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some locals I spoke with at the penultimate bus stop said theyād help me
find the easiest way to my destination, Sosua (a nearby beach town) without
getting ripped off (lots of locals liked to warn me about foreigners getting
overcharged, which I was well aware of by this point).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once we got to Puerto Plata, they flagged down
a motorcycle, whom I thought they were just asking for information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they said he would take me to the car
stop (like a bus stop, but with cars), and I was like, āwhat about this luggageā?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He grabbed my suitcase and laid it in front
of him on the motorcycle, after which I hopped up behind him with my backpack
and murse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We proceeded to weave through
traffic as I was mildly scared for my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At one point my hat flew off and got run over by another motorcycle
before I picked it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He left me at the
car stop, where I got in the back seat of a small car before three more people
piled into the same back seat, and we headed off to Sosua.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aBjPcwfkGxg0wqiiWsQXunqPleIK67JIUiGTsESxXaW-2mLe9n_eqfCYxXFS-e27lCRpg5mr6aZkMQCJ_Jf9Qbz8lh-5maTWjFyZvz1BeLz65IV6bLqf_qQMoilgZGR6wWQCtmVIlIw/s1600/20140219_152257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aBjPcwfkGxg0wqiiWsQXunqPleIK67JIUiGTsESxXaW-2mLe9n_eqfCYxXFS-e27lCRpg5mr6aZkMQCJ_Jf9Qbz8lh-5maTWjFyZvz1BeLz65IV6bLqf_qQMoilgZGR6wWQCtmVIlIw/s1600/20140219_152257.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sosua beach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once in Sosua, the moto-taxis
were everywhere, in bunches, and I couldnāt walk by without a few
propositions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I utilized them a few more
times when I got tired enough of walking, always thinking how dangerous it was
(nobody wears helmets) and that I should never do it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until I got tired enough of walking again,
that is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A few people I talked to seemed to end
every sentence with ācomprende?ā or āentiende?ā, which got annoying really
fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked to a girl who said it in
a drawn out, mostly rhetorical way at the end of every sentence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after I made fun of her repeatedly she
still couldnāt stop herself from doing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4urvU9vQHozZ44KPn1UtXCJShRagg0UMvlmKz_vP7KIiwAwQecFrJMNF9H_Pfccc8C0vYCnYWlqGn52sYzZ5lvu8GlbvcCTldjAqLKhSpP85QJSXJLwxJcxrHYLl4XojhLFONQbHECA/s1600/20140220_011351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4urvU9vQHozZ44KPn1UtXCJShRagg0UMvlmKz_vP7KIiwAwQecFrJMNF9H_Pfccc8C0vYCnYWlqGn52sYzZ5lvu8GlbvcCTldjAqLKhSpP85QJSXJLwxJcxrHYLl4XojhLFONQbHECA/s1600/20140220_011351.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I never saw any normal, everyday, fried
plantains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only saw the dry, boring
kind called ātostonesā, and a mashed plantain dish, which I just learned is
called ā<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mofongo">mofongo</a>ā.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried that once and
didnāt like it, but Iāll have to give it another chance since it was at a dinky
fast food place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overall I would rate
the plantain usage in the DR as: disappointing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My last night in Sosua, the doorknob to
my hotel room stopped working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The desk
clerk proceeded to dismantle it and force the door open with a hammer and
screwdriver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slept that night without
a doorknob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyNxkdoks_e-k8leGrlqAdFLAWGJ9RKMWH_yApKA5ZEwE4Ffg9KYPSBgmKi-rPGfTfuzKdXas-1XVAiL58xQuCMDSgu5gXU4tGgMK4kt56EUogzQx-pw0nbTZPrkx6YXX5Bmi6hTuvwE/s1600/20140215_175056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcyNxkdoks_e-k8leGrlqAdFLAWGJ9RKMWH_yApKA5ZEwE4Ffg9KYPSBgmKi-rPGfTfuzKdXas-1XVAiL58xQuCMDSgu5gXU4tGgMK4kt56EUogzQx-pw0nbTZPrkx6YXX5Bmi6hTuvwE/s1600/20140215_175056.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I could go on, but this is probably excessive
already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a lot of fun, learned a
lot, and found that going to a country like that without knowing anyone (or
staying in all-inclusive resorts as many visitors do) makes for a non-stop adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every day is full of surprises and memorable
anecdotes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Iād do it again, I just
wouldnāt stay in the first hostel where my tablet and cash got
stolen (oh did I forget to mention that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fun
times indeed.).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though that did lead to a
couple of scary-but-fun rides on the back on a police motorcycle...</span></div>
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<h4 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"> More pictures from my trip can be found <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100483456213604.1073741836.193305961&type=1&l=d49a934f08">here</a> and <a href="http://1drv.ms/MRIUSQ">here</a>. </span></h4>
</div>
Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-56776038648947581372013-06-02T23:19:00.000-04:002013-06-03T01:49:37.815-04:00Weight Loss Chronicles, Volume 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRSb8p9-gYnycUJNX2TwPu-i3qznkKv3ZauUgkfeOy67orDn0S4UP-wGVzAGvbpdQ3LkDvJJiCjOAJdretdhrOYK5qr0IahRDL_r_SEdmkbCw3eW7e0JQcbIAUUFn5TVBzQun358jbhQ/s1600/americas-obesity-epidemic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCRSb8p9-gYnycUJNX2TwPu-i3qznkKv3ZauUgkfeOy67orDn0S4UP-wGVzAGvbpdQ3LkDvJJiCjOAJdretdhrOYK5qr0IahRDL_r_SEdmkbCw3eW7e0JQcbIAUUFn5TVBzQun358jbhQ/s320/americas-obesity-epidemic.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After being a little
overweight for most of my life, in recent years Iāve had some success with different
weight loss methods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, itās really
all one method, at least so far, but it encompasses various principles that can
be emphasized or discussed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After I lost
25 pounds over a few months in 2008 (which I only partially and very graaaaddually
gained back as discipline waned and habits changed), I thought on multiple
occasions that I should write a blog about what I learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out, I never got around to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I wanted it to be a ābe-all, end-allā
type of entry, which was daunting, so I never even started.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Well, now Iām gonna
take a different approach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today Iām
going to compose an entry about some of the things Iāve learned recently about
losing weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wonāt be
comprehensive, and I may follow it up later with other entries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But itās a start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And itās volume 1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Why now?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGU4PZuQ8MdEnTRvEkTOLMkXWe8VeJf78E2FOxWFhaTUUL2mhZ3cwVIxjaL_80QXMOW9kU91AzD9MBEL351eEJXTXdXBCwkW5Pj2FMX-r6bYguHEm8E0VYC1gxdmoq6Qqjc0RYHorQlqo/s1600/20130429_070830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGU4PZuQ8MdEnTRvEkTOLMkXWe8VeJf78E2FOxWFhaTUUL2mhZ3cwVIxjaL_80QXMOW9kU91AzD9MBEL351eEJXTXdXBCwkW5Pj2FMX-r6bYguHEm8E0VYC1gxdmoq6Qqjc0RYHorQlqo/s200/20130429_070830.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8S3bJQsF_A0MJE5AsnP3lK2Sk3Opd9hOWc4GTO2EjJ092izyf2OlyCt9obkFM0ttQYBd15BH2F7t8GPHHwN8KlgnbEPdPBANAtAsE40yH8swXU05FepkxKoH4fj-LNdSEzyK5UVHsnyg/s1600/20130529_132604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> <img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8S3bJQsF_A0MJE5AsnP3lK2Sk3Opd9hOWc4GTO2EjJ092izyf2OlyCt9obkFM0ttQYBd15BH2F7t8GPHHwN8KlgnbEPdPBANAtAsE40yH8swXU05FepkxKoH4fj-LNdSEzyK5UVHsnyg/s200/20130529_132604.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I recently
participated in this new gimmick called a ādiet betā.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Itās a pretty cool idea, and if youād like to understand it better you can watch the video on <a href="http://www.dietbet.com/">their website</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically you pay a fee to enter, you have 4
weeks to lose 4% of your body weight, and if successful you split the pot with
the other winners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based on my smallish
sample size, usually about 50% of people win, so the return is about 40% for
winners after the website takes its commission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Kind of a cool idea,
right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And by the way I won.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thatās why weāre here today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So anyway, what did I
learn during the past four weeks while participating?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me mention a few practices that aided me,
and may help others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I already understood some of these things, but
theyāve been re-emphasized by this new experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">1. If you have a deadline that you can't change, you do what it takes to succeed </span></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I had 4 weeks to lose
4% of my body weight, and I couldnāt change that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could do it and make a little money, or
give up and lose my investment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, it
wasnāt really that much money, but once Iād started I was determined to succeed,
at least partially because a chunk of change was riding on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were obstaclesāfor instance, I couldnāt
exercise very much during the challenge because of a chronically swollen left
kneeāthat increased the level of difficulty, so it took an extremely high level
of discipline to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, once I had
a firm commitment in place (again, facilitated by the immutable deadline), it
really wasnāt that hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasnāt even
tempted to break the rules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was more
about figuring out <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> to do it,
rather that wondering if I had the willpower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I systematically did what it took, day by day, meal by meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was kind of fun, a chance to be
creative. </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2. Portion
Control is key</span></b> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Cutting entrees down
to size goes a long way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And what did I
do with all that empty space on the plate where the heaping pile of pasta used
to be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Low-calorie, high-nutrient side dishes,
which usually means fruits and veggies, maybe a salad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used other things too, but the point was to
control the calories and keep each lunch or dinner to around 500 calories
(breakfast is usually more like 350).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didnāt even stick to healthy food all the time, I just controlled the
portions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I cooked up a frozen
pizza, I was only allowed to eat one fourth of the pizza at a meal, along with
some healthier side dishes, and saved the rest for later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The calorie count was still around 500.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Calorie count is key, as <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html">The Twinkie Diet</a>
taught us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But since I hate counting
calories, I accomplish roughly the same thing by limiting portion size (and
having a rough idea of the calories in different foods).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Here are some examples:</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvun0TLZnqD6ZDLpyFJ9C3ijCiey7yk3EzCM3bAsxh7SXXJOdsU5ZVtdKi8UtN9GbzV7j8qZAQ7yW2z-E2-uuNSAzm_QpOfir1SckfDh81yCawYuXEDxlr1OUKce5o9LuGY1AYLtVYcI/s1600/20130511_140014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvun0TLZnqD6ZDLpyFJ9C3ijCiey7yk3EzCM3bAsxh7SXXJOdsU5ZVtdKi8UtN9GbzV7j8qZAQ7yW2z-E2-uuNSAzm_QpOfir1SckfDh81yCawYuXEDxlr1OUKce5o9LuGY1AYLtVYcI/s320/20130511_140014.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with pizza</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hV5VczrdKaZ1o6HWixyjdp-CTW04LUIAnF9hVGqh9YMjSHdCF-ekrBsE8jonZUNhJUetBTz5FZZE-t9cP97OLovK6VVxSOT9UNvoL51MyFXNFLrrkixJM0eDGb1slX-goTY3pUli6VI/s1600/20130522_132601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hV5VczrdKaZ1o6HWixyjdp-CTW04LUIAnF9hVGqh9YMjSHdCF-ekrBsE8jonZUNhJUetBTz5FZZE-t9cP97OLovK6VVxSOT9UNvoL51MyFXNFLrrkixJM0eDGb1slX-goTY3pUli6VI/s320/20130522_132601.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with a sandwich</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_laH-nTyVdLXvZT69gZI9evOf4c8rC_7OPOZaokNDlFilt0zg9KFhWfS75ZyumZ7AniHGe-21Ns270eEOp26gGb_arj53xWE6VwaOY6Tqyu5FDXqNbqWOC3sEjqDurHCcHX21l-sJEs/s1600/20130522_191726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM_laH-nTyVdLXvZT69gZI9evOf4c8rC_7OPOZaokNDlFilt0zg9KFhWfS75ZyumZ7AniHGe-21Ns270eEOp26gGb_arj53xWE6VwaOY6Tqyu5FDXqNbqWOC3sEjqDurHCcHX21l-sJEs/s320/20130522_191726.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">with pasta</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's also important to use a red plate. And as you can see I was on a cottage cheese kick as well. I still am. <br />
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span><br />
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>3. Exercise
Consistently</b></span> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Like I said, I
couldnāt exercise that much during the game because of my knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I did anyway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most days, at a minimum I did a routine of
stretching (dynamic and static), some muscle warm-ups (e.g. a few minutes of
shoulder rotations), and an abdominal and back routine on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I barely used my knee but I put in a 20
minute workout anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also got in the
pool and started easing back into the elliptical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found a way.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Exercise is important
for about 1000 reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Itās how you use
up all the stored sugar (glycogen) in your muscles from your last meal so that
your next meal doesnāt just turn into fat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Itās how you avoid losing all your muscle (atrophy) when youāre eating
less, and thus turning into a flabby weakling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It increases your metabolism in the short term (initially) and long term
(as you do it consistently) so that you can keep losing weight and / or eat a
little more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also lowers your risk of
a million different diseases and illnesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Literally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So donāt make excuses,
just do it, consistently, even if you have physical limitations, as I do.<span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Eat slowly</b></span> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv98JsiyyDQ0o4QkpG3oPGB7rjgl_n_3mAN3JL1HGDlg71fahoeM6SswlquYQe8ML0hAZGxsHGgot8jXEagQ1k2aUr6VKP3hqT6Pp84RwqVSJxDK16c_NQRIjMMfa9HerJH4xPJpdjM_4/s1600/20130526_141740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv98JsiyyDQ0o4QkpG3oPGB7rjgl_n_3mAN3JL1HGDlg71fahoeM6SswlquYQe8ML0hAZGxsHGgot8jXEagQ1k2aUr6VKP3hqT6Pp84RwqVSJxDK16c_NQRIjMMfa9HerJH4xPJpdjM_4/s200/20130526_141740.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">easily lasts 20 minutes of a good show</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">And I mean
slooooooooooooooooooowwwwlllyy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
way, you can eat a smaller quantity of food, and get just as much enjoyment out
of it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So chew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And keep chewing, and donāt stop, and donāt swallow yet, keep
cheeeeewing and saaaavoring each bite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
did this, and my meals started lasting twice as long as usual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also helped that I was watching tv while I
ate, which motivated me to prolong my meals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Highly recommended, unless you eat with your family and try to be social
and stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to getting more
enjoyment out of a smaller amount of food, you also give satiety a head
start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time youāre done with a
smallish meal, you donāt feel like eating anymore, the way you would if youād</span><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"> gluttonously </span>
scarfed down heaping portions in a fraction of the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwww down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5. Have a positive
plan</b></span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Itās ok to think about
what you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">wonāt</i> do, but mostly itās deciding
what you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I planned how big my three meals would be,
roughly what would be in them, and what types of snacks were allowed the rest
of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I stuck to it, making
adjustments as needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also had those
things in mind when I went shopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
fastidiously stuck to my plan for the whole month, I thought
about food a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might say my days
revolved around food, which is kind of funny since I was eating less that usual
and less than most other people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I
enjoyed my meals, I savored them, I looked forward to them, and I never, ever
skipped a meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Skipping a meal is an
egregious sin because it makes you feel like youāre starving yourself, and it
makes you want to give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I may also make you want to binge later. </span>Dieting is
not about starving yourself, itās just about being in control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQ6OfPhqUJIt22UKmWCFzvH11VJLP9AvYm_V3RYL5BtzSEbezzEKU0K-CkjbVrgOx6oK7yBGWx4irj0Owe_sfMC75NaUn-cBdpD9knHa0SmI3YtvyB2bcM2zoePvFkAoXw2_JOhkeqX4/s1600/20130601_134347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwQ6OfPhqUJIt22UKmWCFzvH11VJLP9AvYm_V3RYL5BtzSEbezzEKU0K-CkjbVrgOx6oK7yBGWx4irj0Owe_sfMC75NaUn-cBdpD9knHa0SmI3YtvyB2bcM2zoePvFkAoXw2_JOhkeqX4/s200/20130601_134347.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So there it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those are some of the main principles that
were highlighted by my recent experience, and some of what contributed to my
success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel free to comment if you
think these ideas are good, bad, or mediocre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Then again, donāt knock it till you try it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I just made about $75 just by losing
weight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you say the same? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">For my next trick, Iām
thinking about trying a low-carb diet for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thinking pretty seriously, since I bought 30ish
pounds of chicken and 9 pounds of almonds at Costco yesterday, among other proteinacious
things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Iāve never tried anything like
that before, Iām gonna see how my body reacts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Till next time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-89896269880028161392012-12-01T13:24:00.001-05:002012-12-01T13:24:06.474-05:00Central American Madness; Stage III: Going Solo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<i>Editor's Note: This is Part 3 of a three-part feature about my recent trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua with two friends. Here are <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2012/11/central-american-madness-stage-i-trio.html">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2012/11/central-american-madness-stage-ii.html">Part 2</a> if you missed them. </i> <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Phase III: Going It Solo </b></span><br />
<br />
And so I was a lone, with three days to make my way from San JosƩ to
Managua, Nicaragua.<br />
<br />
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And it turns out being alone is great. Being with friends is great
too, for different reasons. But when I'm alone in Latin America I become immersed in the language
and culture in a way I've not experienced in a group setting. I talk to
all sorts of people, sometimes out of necessity but more often just for fun, to
practice the language and to see what makes them tick--their lives are so
interesting, and so different from ours. And by the way, it's much easier
to talk to random people on the street in countries like that than in the US, at least for
me. Perhaps because I'm a novelty to them as a random American
tourist who happens to be fully fluent in Spanish. Or maybe they're more
friendly than Americans. Or both. Or other things. You tell me. But
it's awesome. And a big part of why I love being there. <br />
<br />
Back to our narrative. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fri, 26 Oct (continued):</b></span><br />
<br />
After Brit left I ventured briefly into downtown San Jose to walk around for a while and
see what it was all about. It was strikingly different to see the inner-city
bustle and cold veneer compared to the touristy rural areas we'd been frequenting to
this point; it just had a totally different energy to it.<br />
<br />
When I drove out of the city I headed North towards Nicaragua. And
this time, for a change, I enjoyed the drive. It had its usual allotment of wrong
turns and absent road signs--getting from highway 27 to highway 1 was
complicated and time-consuming--but with nobody wincing in the seat next to me,
I raced over the dirt roads and pot holes with little a care. And once I got to
highway 1 (aka the Panamerican Highway), I felt like I was playing Mario Kart. I
drove late into the evening, passing slow trucks and other grandma-esque
drivers at upwards of 120 kph. (Yes, we're still using the metric system. I think I'm ready to switch over for good.) I pulled
into Liberia (the Northernmost major town in Costa Rica) around 9pm. <br />
<br />
After strolling through the square and grabbing the usual fare for dinner, I looked at a room in an extremely ugly hotel that was just eight bucks a night. Luckily I decided to walk down the street first and check for other options. At Hotel Liberia I got a <i>much</i> nicer room for only four dollars more. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sat, 27 Oct:</b></span><br />
<br />
After much internal deliberation, I decided to forgo Tamarindo (a beach town in
Northwest Costa Rica weād heard great things about, and where Brit had been excited to surf) and head straight for the Nicaraguan border,
about 80 kilometers away. I had a close call after forgetting to gas up in Liberia--I'd been on empty for several kilometers when I found a station in a small town called La Cruz. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The attendant told me that
was the only gas station between Liberia and the border.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I also picked up hitchhikers for the second time in my life (and first outside the US)--a few girls needed a ride about five kilometers up the highway to their small home town. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> <br />
<br />
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For the last four kilometers leading up to the border, there was a steady
line of semi trucks on the highway who were waiting to cross. While following a bus at a distance, I managed to bypass all of them by driving in the left lane, pulling off the road
or squeezing in between semis for occasional oncoming traffic.
<br />
<br />
The car rental office was right on the border, and it was time to bid farewell to the Yaris. A sad day indeed. I had a pleasant conversation with Ileana, the girl at the agency, and helped her practice some English
phrases that were useful for her job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was nice that we hit it off well, because she then went out of her to make
phone calls and facilitate paperwork so that I wouldnāt be responsible for
some minor damage the Yaris had sustained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was also very glad we got the full insurance. <br />
<br />
Ileana drove me the final few hundred meters to the border, and I was on
foot from there, really looking like a tourist at this point, wearing my touristy hat and Chacos while carrying all my stuff in the
large hiking backpack I'd borrowed from my roommate Dave. At the border I
paid the $13 fee to enter Nicaragua, changed a few dollars into cĆ³rdobas (Nicaraguan
currency), and was on a bus within minutes. I decided against renting a car in
Nicaragua--I was kinda tired of driving by this point (go figure), things are closer in Nicaragua, and I thought it'd be interesting to see how well I could get around in buses and taxis. <br />
<br />
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Two short bus rides and 1.5 hours later I was in San Juan del Sur, a
beautiful little beach town in SW Nicaragua. I could have been happy
there for at least a week, but sadly my revised itinerary only allowed for one
day. "Hostal Elizabeth" near the bus stop gave me a room for
only $8. The only catch was there were ants in the bed, and no private
bathroom. It was definitely the dumpiest place I stayed on the trip. The beach was just a five-minute walk down the road from the hostel, and since I
happened to get into town right before the "golden hour", I moseyed on down to snap a few photos. It was magnificent, and several assorted fishing boats were positioned some two hundred meters out in the
bay. <br />
<br />
After playing frisbee with a couple kids on the beach, I joined a
man and his daughter who were practicing volleyball as the rest of their family relaxed nearby. I ended up conversing with them for quite some time, and was really impressed. They seemed like an awesome family, and they even invited me to meet them and go to their house the following day (sadly I didn't make it). <br />
<br />
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After grabbing dinner at an open-air restaurant nearby that was showing the World Series
(everybody was watching it down there--baseball is big in Nicaragua), I played a few games of pool with Sonia, an employee of a local bar that hadn't gotten too busy yet. She was better than I expected, and we split about five games. Second dinner--pupusas and plantains--at an El SalvadoreƱan place only cost me $2, including the tip!<br />
<br />
On the way home I stopped several times to make conversation--at a surf shop, an internet cafe, a group of taxi drivers--and lastly met a girl named
Milagros who was sitting out front a tienda with her sister. We chatted for more than an hour, thoroughly enjoyed it, and made plans to meet up the next day for lunch. <br />
<br />
Back at Hostal Elizabeth, I entered to the sound of someone pounding
on a door with a hammer. It was 11pm, so I was a little concerned
about so much racket at so late an hour. Turned out the surfer dude two doors down had
locked his key in his room, and was knocking out some pieces of the door so he
could reach in and get it. He ended using a big metal pole with a
hook on the end to fish the key out. But by then the lock was trashed and
he couldn't open it anyway. The whole affair was quite entertaining
as he discussed the progress in horrible Spanish with a hostel
employee. <br />
<br />
Shortly thereafter, I cozied up for a night's rest with the friendly ants and other assorted bed bugs. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Sun, 28 Oct: </b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tllzlrXAeyGMWLjv1Mds3TVg7Ywk17Zwhd0xA3EpfTj6jbyyiX4PkNKlbGONwSEXDk4KvkU1T4jkJAhpaL33GMYwWUjhZKtgSZvZnZ8DeOKYE0APmKwD_noVFzLLE2mnVLGCGR6hwS0/s1600/DSCN0319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1tllzlrXAeyGMWLjv1Mds3TVg7Ywk17Zwhd0xA3EpfTj6jbyyiX4PkNKlbGONwSEXDk4KvkU1T4jkJAhpaL33GMYwWUjhZKtgSZvZnZ8DeOKYE0APmKwD_noVFzLLE2mnVLGCGR6hwS0/s320/DSCN0319.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
After a morning stroll down to the beach, I got breakfast at a local comedor
(diner)--I got the usual, except the gallo pinto in Nicaragua is usually made with red
beans (in place of the black beans used in Costa Rica). While I was eating, a couple older American guys showed up. They were having the darndest time telling the waitress what they wanted to eat, so eventually I offered to help. One of the guys told me he'd been roaming around looking for a place to retire. San Juan was a prime candidate because it's a beautiful beach town and everything's really cheap. The other guy recounted that he's been bouncing around Latin American for the past 30+ years, but still hasn't learned much Spanish. <br />
<br />
After breakfast, I decided to try my hand at boogie boarding one more time, so I rented a board at the beach. It was a beautiful morning, and though the waves were
fairly small (the serious surfers drive a short distance to other beaches in the area), I was able to ride a few for a goodly distance. <br />
<br />
The waves crept higher and higher on the beach, and one of the times I went to
move my stuff so it wouldn't float away, I bumped into a girl named AmƩrica who had
driven down from Managua with her 7-year-old daughter, Ana LucĆa. After we chatted a bit, she said if I wanted to accompany them to some pools that were up on the hill overlooking the town, afterwards she could give me a
ride to the capital. I wished I could stay in San Juan longer to hang out with Milagros and the family I'd met on the beach the day before, but it was too good of an offer to pass up. Riding with them would be significantly more efficient and comfortable, and I needed to be at the airport by the following night anyway. So I quickly
packed my things from the hostel, and we drove up to the pools. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdTzxzExoF9e2AkZDwEXfnSIe6rmBRJDHNItYoxxKSL9qGqbucEj5Nfphuu-qrLffKZuW74h1Sq9Rt0EfBG_30vxS07mt7X5iRLrzaU7K59nMM4EiaZ8Q2q76_-nTUUQwsxG4lieKA34/s1600/DSCN0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdTzxzExoF9e2AkZDwEXfnSIe6rmBRJDHNItYoxxKSL9qGqbucEj5Nfphuu-qrLffKZuW74h1Sq9Rt0EfBG_30vxS07mt7X5iRLrzaU7K59nMM4EiaZ8Q2q76_-nTUUQwsxG4lieKA34/s320/DSCN0388.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
The "pools" turned out to be a resort called "Blue
Eyes", where there are various swimming pools along with a hotel and
restaurant that have an incredible view of the beach and town below. We
hung out there for a few hours and had lunch. It was a beautiful
place. In other news, though I put sunscreen on my head and on my arms, I
didn't put any on my back or shoulders...and between the beach and the swimming
pools I got ridiculously burnt, the worst I can remember. My whole
back and shoulders were a deep red. A week later I was peeling like a snowstorm, and even now my back is noticeably darker and kind of reddish, with a bunch of new freckles and sun spots. <br />
<br />
AmĆ©rica and Ana LucĆa live near Managua, but went out
of their way to drop me off in Granada, the one other town I hoped to see before leaving the country. They even helped me find inexpensive lodging (Hostal el Panda), and we ate and drank some native Granadan fare (Vigurones and Cacao) in
the park before they left for home. We enjoyed it <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DS0VqlpEb4">much like these people</a>. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEppu6p3ajvIEkvnPeCpaeqVdeinn95nEd494ra2IdqiOvvLINJnhvPeAID_M2v9P3pQpp2XYUnMzk800EkhdB93yxfemEPz3LNAfy4Ym3imC7uS1mWGLg1DKg_qRbYxOYm754_ahDomc/s1600/DSCN0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEppu6p3ajvIEkvnPeCpaeqVdeinn95nEd494ra2IdqiOvvLINJnhvPeAID_M2v9P3pQpp2XYUnMzk800EkhdB93yxfemEPz3LNAfy4Ym3imC7uS1mWGLg1DKg_qRbYxOYm754_ahDomc/s320/DSCN0468.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Coincidentally, there was a political rally going on next to the central
park in Granada, which mainly consisted of teenagers dancing and singing in
various styles to get people excited about one of the parties. I thought it was pretty hilarious, as about half of the numbers they
performed seemed inappropriate or offensive, and definitely wouldn't have
convinced me to vote for anyone. Some of the dances were cool though,
particularly the old-fashioned ones done in fancy dresses. <br />
<br />
I took a walk down the party street (Calle la Calzada) in Granada, and even
saw some people doing karaoke in Spanish (the first singer I heard was not just
comically bad, but painfully bad), before heading back to El Panda and calling
it a night.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Mon, 29, Oct:</b></span><br />
<br />
My last day in Nicaragua. :( <br />
<br />
I thought I'd just walk out and find some place to eat breakfast, but as it
turned out, a carriage awaited me outside. It was Winston, the guide I'd
made arrangements with to give me a tour of Lake Nicaragua. He was a half
hour early. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2PNDZP0-LZl_7xoTc_LhX84hKcfpeoCI5XACvIry10OyMFG3QuTudFnp0ytO7sVgTE3Bgmxfk8uBk4udMSnLThARnn8nlBWtBIos8NN084gx70ulXrYVCNyAUGcj6TwkcbUJ95To3ko/s1600/DSCN0498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2PNDZP0-LZl_7xoTc_LhX84hKcfpeoCI5XACvIry10OyMFG3QuTudFnp0ytO7sVgTE3Bgmxfk8uBk4udMSnLThARnn8nlBWtBIos8NN084gx70ulXrYVCNyAUGcj6TwkcbUJ95To3ko/s320/DSCN0498.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
So Winston drove me in his carriage, on the cobblestone streets of Granada, to
a restaurant he picked for breakfast. I think the owner must be paying him, as the food was ordinary and a bit over-priced. I went to the pharmacy next door while waiting for the food, and was surprised to find the only pill sizes for ibuprofen were 400, 600, and 800
milligrams (in the US it normally comes in 200 mg, and 800 requires a prescription). Maybe I should have asked what kind of antibiotics they were frivolously dispensing and how they felt about drug-resistant bacteria while I was at it. <br />
<br />
After breakfast Winston and I continued our carriage ride out to nearby
Lake Nicaragua. AmƩrica told me it's the eighth largest lake in the
world, Winston told me there are 365 islands ("Igual a los dias del
aƱo? Si, igual a los dias del aƱo."). And several different
people informed me that there are fresh water sharks in the lake, and possibly nowhere else in the world. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5mx5-hkXRJwdiaLZ_BhOnAv-7m0ZTKrXfZ6pjMjHDzLwPwybNAIZdXGUo1autNgR-A4xBAm1PzIpQ5ghzrfzcIxnkzRTXLDiRugtqGtIRyQ50W4poY2ylzlkfK5nmBXJQezRLoY9x14/s1600/DSCN0601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5mx5-hkXRJwdiaLZ_BhOnAv-7m0ZTKrXfZ6pjMjHDzLwPwybNAIZdXGUo1autNgR-A4xBAm1PzIpQ5ghzrfzcIxnkzRTXLDiRugtqGtIRyQ50W4poY2ylzlkfK5nmBXJQezRLoY9x14/s320/DSCN0601.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Luckily, I didn't fall in. But I did get a tour of several of the
islands from Winston. The islands are really small, but several of them
have have houses on them, mostly vacation homes owned by really rich
people. One had a little fort and some cannons, he said it was used for defense against the Spanish. We also saw some
spider monkeys and cool birds, and the lake has a nice view of the volcano
called Mombacho. And dang, that lake is huge. Que diacachimba! (That's Nicaraguan slang for really cool or something.) <br />
<br />
Subsequently, I rented a bicycle (just $5 for a half-day) so I could ride
around Granada and get a better look. That was fun, and I also bought a
couple souvenirs in the park. Those were slightly more expensive than I
expected, especially after meeting a kid who was practically giving away a
hammock in the street the night before. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEille1koD56uo0RWu8xryCME524fANbIunlFD5a2ErY6lWzzuGMX22Dlhw7DLh4Klt77aVSt7nVA7nISedT4EKmRpctfaCOYLevR72pnBxmmtQbitbMdikGaTA858RInQN96TYMgWUyyFg/s1600/DSCN0462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEille1koD56uo0RWu8xryCME524fANbIunlFD5a2ErY6lWzzuGMX22Dlhw7DLh4Klt77aVSt7nVA7nISedT4EKmRpctfaCOYLevR72pnBxmmtQbitbMdikGaTA858RInQN96TYMgWUyyFg/s320/DSCN0462.JPG" width="320" /></a>AmƩrica had told me the night before to meet her at her office in Managua so she could give
me a ride to the airport. Time got away from me a bit, so I took a taxi
instead of a bus as planned, and the driver was able to get me there in under an
hour. Not only did AmĆ©rica drive me to the airport, but she and Ana LucĆa
took me on a little tour of Managua, and then we went to one of their favorite
restaurants for dinner. In addition to one last great Nicaraguan meal, I
also got to try some tasty local drinks such as Cebada and Chicha. After that they dropped me off at the airport, around 9pm. I couldn't believe how much they went out of their way to
help me, having just met them the day before. Of course, AmƩrica did also
ask me to take some <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nacatamal">nacatamales</a> back to the US and ship them overnight
to her pregnant friend in Utah who'd been craving them....so she may have just been using me for that.
;) Just kidding. I sent the nacatamales the day after I got home,
and word has it they were deliciosos.<br />
<br />
With some time to kill at the airport, I chatted with the girl at the
little souvenir shop and bought a couple small items with leftover cash. I guess I have a
compulsive need to always be talking to people when I'm in Latin America, maybe
'cause it's such a great chance to practice Spanish, and maybe because the people there live in such a different world from our own, and it's fascinating to learn about. This girl (MarĆa), for example, was 25, had 2 kids, had basically
dropped out of school, had been cohabitating but was now separated, and worked
at the souvenir shop for a paycheck of about $70 every two weeks. This
story is anything but atypical. She pulled at my heartstrings a little,
and I decided to give her the rest of my cordobas (maybe like ten bucks) and
triple her salary for the day. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tue, 30 Oct: </b></span><br />
<br />
My flight left around 1am on Tuesday. I was basically a zombie while waiting in line and boarding, and even though Spirit's seats don't recline (blast them!), I still slept
for almost the entirety of the three flights back to Vegas (again stumbling like a zombie through customs and security in Florida). Counting Nicaragua (equivalent to the mountain
time zone), my two layovers in Ft. Lauderdale and Dallas, and my destination in
Vegas, I was on the ground in all four US time zones within about ten hours on my way home. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK5U4OoeIh-JGBV8-BmuJgRvvdyA8XDH3TLXc3NugwpVN1X-ARJnr8njhUze6iu2dt_QOv_DghSyvIHxxgrzv1hD5n0YdB7WBzbSmDT3ZU3wjxP_fojhIj3bCh80IueKZD6jDC5YpKew/s1600/DSCN0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaK5U4OoeIh-JGBV8-BmuJgRvvdyA8XDH3TLXc3NugwpVN1X-ARJnr8njhUze6iu2dt_QOv_DghSyvIHxxgrzv1hD5n0YdB7WBzbSmDT3ZU3wjxP_fojhIj3bCh80IueKZD6jDC5YpKew/s320/DSCN0201.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
Brit picked me up from the airport since his dad flew in from Arizona the
same morning to help him pack up his things and move. Brit seemed to be
doing alright, though his collar bone was still pretty unstable--he had
abandoned the sling a few days prior because he didn't think it was helping. It only took a few hours for him and his dad to pack up all his stuff. We exchanged some pictures,
stories, and souvenirs, and then Brit was off for Arizona (that's where he's doing
his rotations). Though sad the trip had ended, I was of course more sad to see a good friend (and roommate for a year) move away. <br />
<br />
Currently, Brit's doing well, and we just finished our first month of rotations. I'm thinking about going back to Central America when I finish PA school next year (I'm also going to Guatemala in February for a rotation)...who wants to come along? :)</div>
Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-31113434033165942482012-11-17T19:55:00.001-05:002012-12-12T01:12:10.011-05:00Central American Madness; Stage II: The Accident<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--><i>This is Part 2 of a multi-part feature about my recent trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua. You can find <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2012/11/central-american-madness-stage-i-trio.html">Part 1 here</a> if you missed it.</i><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Stage II:
The Accident</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wed, 24 Oct (continued):</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFzSBGkrfayC9b6Rtn91-5zq03LYKU0s-fs3m5ZshOEg3BhHBlyCzIZ7mE3ag510IDrgyy3g3i-Wl891WrwPEFg0baRnRWgEoxdkRHPh5sqcWu02Ak4sdEzj5cPAneJUAI2bTLHs4skI/s1600/20121022_183914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFzSBGkrfayC9b6Rtn91-5zq03LYKU0s-fs3m5ZshOEg3BhHBlyCzIZ7mE3ag510IDrgyy3g3i-Wl891WrwPEFg0baRnRWgEoxdkRHPh5sqcWu02Ak4sdEzj5cPAneJUAI2bTLHs4skI/s320/20121022_183914.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a road outside La Fortuna, relatively near the scene</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
About half a kilometer down the road from Baldi Hot Springs I saw
several cars pulled over to the edge of the road and traffic temporarily
stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A few</span> men were huddled on the
left side of the road, and they started waving me over, though I couldn't yet see
what was going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I got closer I saw Brit's dirt bike parked in the grass a short distance beyond where the men were standing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They directed me to park in the same area, and as I rode past them I saw
Brit, sitting in the grass on the side of the road, holding his left shoulder
and looking shaken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His helmet lay on
the ground a few feet away. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At first I was slightly in shock, a little
incredulous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I quickly parked the quad by his bike before running over to him; as I took in the scene, t</span>he
man standing in front of him mentioned he thought Brit's collar bone was broken. I asked if he'd called an ambulance, and he said he had. Then as
now, I was impressed by the quick response of the passers by. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was exhausted (stayed up late with Fred the night before) and in a bit of a trance, but as I shook it off my little bit of medical training started kicking in: I noted that Brit was conscious, he appeared to be
breathing without difficulty, and I couldn't see any bleeding other than a large scrape on his left
knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> My </span>next thought was to to check
his mental status, as I assumed he'd hit his head. I asked him his name and he said, "I...I can't remember." Then I asked him where he was, and he had no idea. So I told him where we were and what had happened. I asked if he could move his left leg and if it was causing him
significant pain; he was able to move it fine, though slowly, and said it
didn't hurt much compared to his shoulder and his head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The ambulance arrived shortly; the paramedics asked what had happened and put him in a neck brace and
on a stretcher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the
bystanders was nice enough to call the guy we had rented the ATV's
from so he could come pick up the vehicles while I rode in the ambulance with
Brit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> We were taken </span>to a small
local clinic that sort of doubled as an urgent care...a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">nd t</span>hat's when I realized that there were
no hospitals in this town (La Fortuna).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A doctor examined him, agreed that the clavicle was broken, ordered some
bandaging for his leg, and asked him questions to check his mental status. Brit still couldn't say where he was or what had happened, and that trend continued for some time; each time I reentered the room, he would again ask me, "Ben,
what happened?", or "Where are we?" There was a slow, deliberate rhythm to everything he said. It was more than a little
disconcerting to see Brit acting so differently from his usual self. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The doctor and I were both concerned about internal bleeding (an intracranial hematoma) as a result of the head trauma, and so we needed to get him to a
CT scanner. But the doc said
there were none in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And the nearest places that </span><i>could </i>do a scan
(such as ciudad Quezada, an hour's drive to the East) were not adequately equipped to treat further if they found
a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> S</span>o he
suggested, and I quickly agreed, that we needed to take him to to a better hospital, in
San Jose (the capital of Costa Rica), even though that was three hours away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">He said he knew a good one there, and that he'd call ahead to let them know we were coming.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fortunately, we had already checked out of our hotel. So I only needed to settle affairs with the owner of the ATV's and retrieve our rental car before leaving town. The doctor and I decided the best plan was for me to follow the ambulance in the rental car, so that we'd still have it later if we needed
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn't sure if there was was anywhere to return it nearby anyway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So we took off from La Fortuna, the ambulance leading the
way and I behind, on a 3-hours drive to San Jose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now might be a good time to explain that:<br />
<br />
A) Driving
conditions in Costa Rica are crazy compared the US (if you hadn't figured that
out yet),<br />
B) This drive included only single-lane highways, a ton of speed
bumps, and even a stretch of unpaved road,<br />
C) I'm not very experienced driving stick shift, I've never actually owned one,<br />
D) It was imperative that I stay right behind the ambulance during the whole drive because if I lost him I'd probably never find
him again, and <br />
E) The roads are full of slow trucks and other annoying vehicles, some of whom are very poor at staying in their own lane. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I should also point out that cars don't really get out of the way
for ambulances in Costa Rica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The driver only used his siren some of the time, and even then it didn't make much difference (other than his not having to pay tolls). </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
With all that in mind, imagine me following this ambulance
in my stick-shifted Toyota Yaris, having to keep up at all costs as he passed slow truck after slow truck (not to mention poor Brit riding alone in the ambulance, with a killer headache and a broken collar bone on bumpy roads). I got cut off several times, especially while passing through cities and town, but always found a way to catch up again, even when that involved a lot of honking, yelling, or waving my arms out the window like a maniac. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">We never stopped. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>At one point during the drive, as I was trying to pass a blue pickup truck whose driver was acting very drunk, I was forced to veer left and both wheels on the left side of the car momentarily slipped off the road very near to a precipitous embankment. I steered hard to the right and the wheels somehow popped back up again. Overall, the drive was ridiculously insane, and I
don't think I'm exaggerating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still not
sure how I got through it (other than adrenaline and divine providence). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkaR8YMWyDGevmz0CBP6sYQDz1298dmjbTBTQrFO3XwmaC38KHaPn3_TgJ02tWQS-SMO3QHSUnocaB5lO3ezunfM2AgNw1nXIyVO5nzZ3MZQOECLRX-x9C5nECFk8N48B0Xp78ucIiaI/s1600/DSCN0308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkaR8YMWyDGevmz0CBP6sYQDz1298dmjbTBTQrFO3XwmaC38KHaPn3_TgJ02tWQS-SMO3QHSUnocaB5lO3ezunfM2AgNw1nXIyVO5nzZ3MZQOECLRX-x9C5nECFk8N48B0Xp78ucIiaI/s320/DSCN0308.JPG" width="320" /></a>But we made it to the San Jose area and around 6pm, just in time for rush hour, and shortly thereafter pulled up to the emergency room of a hospital called CIMA (Center for International Medicine Advanced) (no, that is not a typo). <a href="http://www.cimahospital.com/start.html">Their website</a> says it's the best hospital in Costa Rica, and I believe them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Brit's condition hadn't changed much when we got to the hospital--he was still repeating questions, and he seemed quite lethargic. But it was in the ER that he started coming around,
and was able to carry on a coherent conversation for the first time since the accident, though slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to leave him for a while to fill out
paperwork, and by the time I finished they had taken him to get a CT scan of his
head and an x-ray of his left clavicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
had been vomiting during the ambulance ride--in fact, he said that was the
first thing he could recall after the accident--and continued to do so in the ER. They gave him pain meds and an anti-emetic, which seemed to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (By the way all the drugs they use down there have different trade names than here, and some aren't used here at all. So it was confusing trying to figure out what they were giving him.) At first they said they were gonna put a couple stitches in his knee, but later</span> opted to clean and bandage it with copious amounts of antibiotic ointment instead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmI5i_2KnCLF01ajlHHwBw32Eyzcy85wJUFLsqEGuYipPh-bSR-4zLgehrIMfbENY4OmV2ex6CaELGTaA6ZNKNxogGzbU03FRqPwWLR86-5mhjjYRBz5FRnusHxK7De_LOncSaB9CvHs/s1600/DSCN0307.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmI5i_2KnCLF01ajlHHwBw32Eyzcy85wJUFLsqEGuYipPh-bSR-4zLgehrIMfbENY4OmV2ex6CaELGTaA6ZNKNxogGzbU03FRqPwWLR86-5mhjjYRBz5FRnusHxK7De_LOncSaB9CvHs/s320/DSCN0307.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the view from the hospital parking lot</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Overall he was in the ER for about 1.5 hours, half-asleep for most of it, before a room
opened up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ER doc spoke English impressively well, and was very helpful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said they would
keep Brit in the hospital for at least 24 hours per head trauma protocols, and possibly longer depending on how tests came out and his symptoms progressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found it interesting that the ER doctor continued to manage his care after admission, as you wouldn't see that in the
United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So Brit got a room, and thankfully the CT came back clean
(no signs of intra-cranial of bleeding).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he
continued to have symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and a headache, that were suggestive
of increased pressure in his skull.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, the x-ray of
his collar bone showed about a centimeter of displacement, and the ER doc
thought he would probably need surgery. (I was incredulous about this from the start, though I didn't say so. We'd just been taught in orthopedics class that if the two ends of a clavicle are the same room, it'll heal.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Brit rested as I took care of odds and ends such as
emailing our roommate BJ to get Brit's insurance information (he had
left his card at home) and bringing in some of our luggage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> When I ventured out briefly to grab dinner, I discovered the hospital was located in a surprisingly nice area. </span>I strongly considered calling Brit's parents,
but eventually decided to wait till the next and day and ask him about it again after he became more lucid. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Around 11:30pm </span>we got a surprise visit from the neurologist, who examined Brit and
asked a lot of questions about the accident and about Brit's memory loss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Among other things, he explained two scenarios that happen commonly after head trauma, one of which described Brit's history (of repeatedly asking the same questions) nearly perfectly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thurs, 25 Oct: </b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGUpTgSkFYuhcTkAGxcOK-mOg04MXzukgvEYtkOfiALEqGYfQuE7swFXN2m9bXtj6SPdsrRqHPB6fIJ31e_4hfUxiTp3IYErNoS5IHnMEOqUVQxCtaR71GqU7IiZkUoobH29TXsiiNRg/s1600/20121025_174827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGUpTgSkFYuhcTkAGxcOK-mOg04MXzukgvEYtkOfiALEqGYfQuE7swFXN2m9bXtj6SPdsrRqHPB6fIJ31e_4hfUxiTp3IYErNoS5IHnMEOqUVQxCtaR71GqU7IiZkUoobH29TXsiiNRg/s320/20121025_174827.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nurses came in periodically through the night and early morning to check on Brit and take his vital
signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> For some reason h</span>is blood pressure was really low in the morning, but it picked up as the day went on. I went to the
International Insurance Office first thing to provide his info and see what we could find
out about coverage (they said they'd call and to check
back in a few hours) before getting
breakfast at the hotel cafeteria, which in a bizarre coincidence was called "Cafe
Britt".<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The orthopedist dropped in mid-morning for his consultation. He explained that old-school docs probably wouldn't recommend surgery, but some newer ones might. Brit made it clear he would side with the old-school docs. And after that he was finally able to eat again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch the day before since we were busy running around, and Brit hadn't eaten anything since the accident (he was NPO as soon as he got to the hospital). So by now he was wasting away a little bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> He appetite was meager at first, but we were both impressed with the quality of the hospital food at CIMA. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the day wore on, Brit received additional visits from
the ER doc, the neurologist, various nurses, and other hospital staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They decided he was well enough for discharge; they also suggested he return home as soon as he was able. Having already reached this conclusion, we had called Spirit Airlines earlier to change his flight. And though they again proved antagonistic by charging a ridiculous change fee, by this time we were just glad we could get him home the next day, and from San Jose (rather than Managua as previously scheduled). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUC9HKwfcdL-PtrxRMATybvUuaMNWsWIYAwLqnmdVXFcJPugUvp2r4xGlUwX4FMbvbv6fRB5UKgxDr38qifhX7LiXKer1nf1-hVE12nsPdnW4TT8RS1Ct1XdgzjEoYFrGQr7s_b2n3rU/s1600/20121025_174836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKUC9HKwfcdL-PtrxRMATybvUuaMNWsWIYAwLqnmdVXFcJPugUvp2r4xGlUwX4FMbvbv6fRB5UKgxDr38qifhX7LiXKer1nf1-hVE12nsPdnW4TT8RS1Ct1XdgzjEoYFrGQr7s_b2n3rU/s320/20121025_174836.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Back at the International Insurance office, I found out Brit's health insurance did provide coverage in Costa
Rica, but they said they would reimburse him later rather than paying the hospital directly. But none of this mattered because his deductible was way too high, so
we got to pay for the whole bill out-of-pocket before leaving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> It's not quite</span> like the US where you can show up at an ER without insurance and they'll take care of you without asking a lot of
questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> (</span>I actually think it's perfectly
reasonable to expect payment for services rendered, but the contrast with our domestic
policies was striking. Apparently Costa Ricans are not as entitled as Americans.) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We left the hospital in the late afternoon, just hoping to find
reasonably priced accommodations somewhat near the airport, so
Brit could rest and easily catch his flight the next day. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What seemed like an easy
enough route on the map from San Jose to the nearby city of Alajuela turned into a bit of
a nightmare, at least for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brit
seemed to be half-asleep during most of it, so I'm not sure what he remembers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> S</span>ome of the features
of the drive that I did not like include:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrong
turns; a dearth of road signs; a dirt road with a ridiculous number of pot
holes; Brit wincing in pain as I drove over said pot holes, despite only going about 3 kilometers per hour; stop-and-go
traffic during rush hour, in the dark, in the rain, up and down steep hills, using
a stick shift; stopping for directions at least three times but never finding what we'd been directed to; confusing roads in completely unfamiliar territory; Brit wincing in pain some more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRj1J4IoCpoEDm_CPyxkkpPFI5qu5d7rQLiR4jkw-65L2hU3zZo5Yo5iVPrwinj0e6IcpxuzmlIoSIsPlHH3SIoBESbbzGFWrx9chYPAie6j9c5Ols2aU5k31-0aZgRHH8YE2edZTpoU/s1600/DSCN0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiRj1J4IoCpoEDm_CPyxkkpPFI5qu5d7rQLiR4jkw-65L2hU3zZo5Yo5iVPrwinj0e6IcpxuzmlIoSIsPlHH3SIoBESbbzGFWrx9chYPAie6j9c5Ols2aU5k31-0aZgRHH8YE2edZTpoU/s320/DSCN0311.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel Bordel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Finally around 8pm we pulled into Hotel Bordel, not
far from the airport. It was by far the most expensive place we'd stayed during the trip, but also the nicest. And it was definitely worth it, due to the convenient location and a free shuttle service to the airport, not to mention free breakfast, cheap laundry service, and air conditioning. Brit went to
sleep right away; I stayed up pondering where I'd go after he left. <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b> <span style="font-size: large;">Fri, 26 Oct: </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I tried to help where I could as Brit struggled to dress and pack with a crappy headache and only one usable arm. Eventually he was ready to go, and he even ate the full complimentary breakfast of gallo pinto, eggs, and toast--by far the most he'd eaten in one sitting since the accident. Around 10am his driver arrived, and we said our goodbyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was
sad to see him go, but also glad he'd soon be with friends and family who could take better care of him in a more comfortable environment. It was definitely the best thing for him at the time.<br />
<br />
As for me, I was now alone, with three days to find my way up to Managua, <span style="font-size: small;">Nicaragua<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><i> </i></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">(</span>and </span>maybe even have some fun along the way). <br />
<br />
<i>The story concludes in <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2012/12/central-american-madness-stage-iii.html">Part 3.</a> </i> </div>
</div>
Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-5601681349484464712012-11-12T00:06:00.000-05:002013-10-13T21:26:53.735-04:00Central American Madness; Stage I: The Trio<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I just went on
a 10-day trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was
incredibly fun, I loved being there, and awesome activities abounded.</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was also
just plain crazy, did not go as planned, and was an adventure I will never
forget.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">*** </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd9SB94Wu7VCCIPmedQSxb5az9w8PXCUw2na4tVns9nb0f4F59xGeGsPfReFA21Z25cV-JOM_CDQYXsvcY9oLCTb8h2uIBkwIGIGywwXkaPu5PplBn5_CN39CFrT_KmyTqEGf8LCYN3s/s1600/20121021_113116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd9SB94Wu7VCCIPmedQSxb5az9w8PXCUw2na4tVns9nb0f4F59xGeGsPfReFA21Z25cV-JOM_CDQYXsvcY9oLCTb8h2uIBkwIGIGywwXkaPu5PplBn5_CN39CFrT_KmyTqEGf8LCYN3s/s400/20121021_113116.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My friend (and
roommate for the past year) Brit Hatch had the idea and did just about all the advance planning for the trip; our friend and schoolmate Fred Fombrun joined us for the first half-or-so of the trip. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">It w</span>as our last break from school before starting clinical rotations,
so we wanted to do something fun and memorable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
Though we were in school and taking finals till the day we left, </span>Brit somehow found time to
meticulously research our itinerary and make several reservations. (Thanks again Brit for all the time and effort you put in to prepare
for this!)</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Below I will
describe the events of the trip, day by day, for your reading pleasure.</span> </div>
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<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><u>But first, a quick note
about third-world countries</u>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you've
never been to one, it may be difficult to properly contextualize the following
events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For that reason, I demand that
you immediately plan and execute a similar trip before
you continue reading. :)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
kidding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But try to use your
imagination--it was not at all like being in the US.</span></i><br />
<i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Stage I: The Trio</span></b></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We began as
three.<span style="font-size: large;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Fri, 19
Oct:</b></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Departure day. (Not to mention our last day ever of class for PA school!!)</span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Once school got out around noon, we had the rest of the day to shop,
pack, and generally check off all those tasks you gotta do before leaving the
country for 10 days. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our red-eye flights
were scheduled to leave around 10pm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And things were
going smoothly until a couple hours before our flights, when Brit informed me
that there were no open seats on his and Fred's stand-by flight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You see, Brit
and Fred had used "buddy passes" to buy stand-by tickets on US
Airways, while I had purchased a flight on Spirit Airlines (perhaps because I
have <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2009/08/stuck-in-st-louis.html">more than a little history with stand-by flights</a><a href="http://http//bentanner.blogspot.com/2009/08/stuck-in-st-louis.html"></a>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now both of them were in
jeopardy of not making it to Costa Rica, or being significantly delayed in doing do. Their other option was
to purchase a last-minute ticket on Spirit, but the price for those had shot up to $500 (one-way), since it was so last-minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCKiVb7tWIso54AGAWgWJq5cZ2sjODpFR2Sm13rR_0jpXyBsv7ilyQXY48eSBUGbRLl05H45osFGTlOqzHcX9hZiZO4zkk3tkvmWdY4elrkUdIsy293Em9JIG-YxKv8TDII7HoWpvyH4/s1600/DSCN0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjCKiVb7tWIso54AGAWgWJq5cZ2sjODpFR2Sm13rR_0jpXyBsv7ilyQXY48eSBUGbRLl05H45osFGTlOqzHcX9hZiZO4zkk3tkvmWdY4elrkUdIsy293Em9JIG-YxKv8TDII7HoWpvyH4/s320/DSCN0007.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So with Brit
and Fred mulling it over and making calls to all their favorite customer service representatives,
we headed to the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon arrival,
they both tried to buy outrageously-priced tickets for the Spirit flight, but now there was only one of those left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fred bought it, and Brit was
forced to take his chances standing by on the (full) US Airways flight as
originally planned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we parted ways in
the airport, Fred and I didn't know if or when Brit would make it to Costa Rica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> And we didn't find out until our lay</span>over in Ft Lauderdale five hours later, when Brit called us from Charlotte to let us know he had
made it on the flight, barely, with the last seat. Thank goodness. </span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(A quick note on Spirit Airlines: They have decided to antagonize all passengers by making seats that don't recline. I do not approve of this, especially for red-eye flights, and I will do my best to avoid them in the future.) </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Sat, 20 Oct: </span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fred and I
arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica around 11:30am; Brit's flight wasn't far behind, and we met up just beyond Customs. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjeMUTxgkBo25y1XMCJ5pbqy1RtAIk2pQ6iPH4yGXWTbnqEYxZWckdJAxm87dr91qwk1X70c06n4JeNgMrXDkeKbrpJsBMb03ZlzvBEp0W-GzCCFTGbjUomRSfW2uG_-cVv6avRp9-wE/s1600/DSCN0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOjeMUTxgkBo25y1XMCJ5pbqy1RtAIk2pQ6iPH4yGXWTbnqEYxZWckdJAxm87dr91qwk1X70c06n4JeNgMrXDkeKbrpJsBMb03ZlzvBEp0W-GzCCFTGbjUomRSfW2uG_-cVv6avRp9-wE/s320/DSCN0013.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After skipping past some money-exchanging stations (a good choice in retrospect--turned out their rates were the worst we'd see) and tourist info, we made it to the car rental area, where representatives from several different agencies were crammed into one small room
with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>little desks. Kind of a funny setup, but it made it easy to compare options. After due diligence, we opted for a four-door Toyota Yaris from National, mainly
because they said we could drop it off right at the Nicaraguan
border, rather than a city that was 80 kilometers away from the border. (Yes, everything is in metric in Costa Rica. Get used to it. We did.) We'd been told it would be smart
to get an SUV for the rough terrain in some parts, but we decided to take our chances with a car since it was cheaper, got better gas milage....and hopefully wouldn't get stuck even if it took a beating along the way. And that's exactly how it went. (And in case you were wondering, it was a
stick shift, because automatic transmissions practically don't exist in Latin
America.)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The guy at the rental office gave us our very first set of bad directions--the first of many to
come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, directions in Latin
America are just...different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They don't
really have addresses, and more often than not there are no road signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of that, the landmarks they choose to mention are not always the easiest to find. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">It's pretty mind-boggling...but it's all part of the adventure, I suppose. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZTCwJTdde5cY98mWPD83E2kXMmAoDgsUxYqA-NdNnW7a2D365F2RHbXsCGnbVoumXV9WDYktF3hhT7iia1fR9iZr3ddVst-qoq9U_mp_ApTB8BnvbztFZqISWrEWbFZ3jQPcPd6u_so/s1600/DSCN0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZTCwJTdde5cY98mWPD83E2kXMmAoDgsUxYqA-NdNnW7a2D365F2RHbXsCGnbVoumXV9WDYktF3hhT7iia1fR9iZr3ddVst-qoq9U_mp_ApTB8BnvbztFZqISWrEWbFZ3jQPcPd6u_so/s320/DSCN0015.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While trying to apply our shoddy directions and get to the main highway, we just happened to drive right by the San Jose (Mormon) Temple. So we stopped and took a picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somebody should tell the guy at the rental office that the Temple would make a pretty good landmark. :) It was pretty random that we found it, as it didn't even seem to be on a major street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Back on the road, we were treated to an extremely-green countryside and some
afternoon showers (a daily occurrence as it turned out, since it was rainy season) on our way to a town near Manuel Antonio national park, which is right by the Pacific Ocean in the
Southwest part of Costa Rica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along the
way we stopped at a roadside diner for our first Costa Rican meal--some
"casados"--and made our first transactions with the local currency, called "Colones" (which means "Columbuses"). Colones were pretty easy to
figure out because one dollar is worth about 500.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But things in Costa Rica were a bit pricier than I expected (based on experience in Guatemala, Mexico, and El Salvador), presumably because Costa Rica is the wealthiest and most developed country in Central
America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After a quick stop at JacĆ³ Beach--where some friendly natives decided to climb the trees and fetch us coconuts--the remaining portion of our drive to the Manuel Antonio area was done in the rain and dark; but that didn't stop a ton of bikers and pedestrians from strolling along the edges of this single-lane "highway", with little a care for the cars whizzing by. When we arrived in the town of Quepos (near the park), we just needed to find the hostel called
"Villas Jacquelina", which Brit had read about online. But we didn't have an address, and nobody we
asked seemed to know where it was. Those who had heard of it struggled to give clear directions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>But that was understandable in this instance, as the hostel turned out to be <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>about a kilometer outside the town on an incredibly
rough dirt road. A strange location to be sure, but we were extremely happy to have found it. We got our own room for only $15/person/night, and we were big fans of the establishment, despite the crappy access road. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaTGofNunZIZf8U7EkoxhYyGodRPJtOKpSRG1wKwNEou912rIbudcFpeLoJO6SaTCfLPSxukBP-Z9zwEhJbc9hgHbEAN06g7OM8alEm0ejdAIPRQKLhd2xhr6NPsphzSjHjQGZS6NDMw/s1600/20121022_104841.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwaTGofNunZIZf8U7EkoxhYyGodRPJtOKpSRG1wKwNEou912rIbudcFpeLoJO6SaTCfLPSxukBP-Z9zwEhJbc9hgHbEAN06g7OM8alEm0ejdAIPRQKLhd2xhr6NPsphzSjHjQGZS6NDMw/s200/20121022_104841.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The complimentary breakfast at <a href="http://villasjacquelina.com/">VillasJacquelina</a> consisted of gallo pinto (rice and
black beans cooked together) and eggs, with some toast and fruit on the side. I quickly grew to love that combo of gallo pinto and eggs, and tried to eat it whenever possible the rest of the trip, usually requesting fried plantains on the side. In fact, I would like to <i>continue</i> eating that for breakfast every day, if I could just get someone to make it for me. Any takers?? I will pay you. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDEFFxxUiPRgadZVqgOvITxu1gxVd0IxADIETn4qpbwo9kH-24gtNrp2uftk7Jl3t2mfzpv4s2Q47o5ZO7-KyJltMx0HJan8lnl_68D4uDBXRDJXbSyNu3yU2Q5pZ_Vy16mGtcWr-BTY/s1600/sloth+more+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDEFFxxUiPRgadZVqgOvITxu1gxVd0IxADIETn4qpbwo9kH-24gtNrp2uftk7Jl3t2mfzpv4s2Q47o5ZO7-KyJltMx0HJan8lnl_68D4uDBXRDJXbSyNu3yU2Q5pZ_Vy16mGtcWr-BTY/s320/sloth+more+cropped.jpg" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After breakfast, we drove the short distance to Manuel
Antonio national park, known for its plentiful and exotic wildlife. We took a walk through the forest, where with the help of the guide we hired we were able to see several sloths (both two-toed and
three-toed varieties), monkeys, bats, iguanas, crazy-looking spiders, and some other stuff I'm forgetting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>One of the sloths
put on it's own trapeze show on snapping and crackling branches directly above the walkway, as a veritable hoard of
geriatric tourists ooed and awed below. Luckily it didn't fall, though apparently they often do. But hey, if you're a sloth, how else do you get thrills? Once through the forest, we swam briefly at a beautiful,
secluded beach. Then Brit found us an alternate route out of the park by climbing over a large rocky embankment. I was only scared for my life for a few seconds while following him. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXretPXfzs0eKpcIhJ90wzoUrOGimzpVWT0FDvllOX4kgbz1qMeLAeAfJa159yh4Yt7lUIg26idHNfmo43BNVJrVKWZEuVKKhohbWTHovJJBSokCxiA3GqyScidiBllVEo4hefA6fQIk/s1600/DSCN0130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXretPXfzs0eKpcIhJ90wzoUrOGimzpVWT0FDvllOX4kgbz1qMeLAeAfJa159yh4Yt7lUIg26idHNfmo43BNVJrVKWZEuVKKhohbWTHovJJBSokCxiA3GqyScidiBllVEo4hefA6fQIk/s200/DSCN0130.JPG" width="150" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For lunch we
enjoyed fish tacos at a restaurant near the main beach of Manuel
Antonio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a short chat, the guitar
player hired for entertainment invited me to play something for the patrons. I shared a few songs while he added fancy accompaniments on his guitar; some Americans watching football at the bar cheered loudly for
a John Denver special, and one of them even gave me a tip afterward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We spent the
remaining daylight (it got dark each day around 5:30) at the
main beach of Manuel Antonio, attempting to boogie on a board. The scene was remarkable: as storm clouds swirled
above, gentle showers fell and waves rolled in from the ocean, all framed by rocky embankments and a lush, green forest. Brit said it reminded him of certain parts of Hawaii. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the way home
we hit up "El Avion", a restaurant that is literally built of and around an old airplane (allegedly from the Iran-Contra affair), with a bar inside the plane itself, for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The food was good; the view was great. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That night Brit taught us how to play Pinoy, a card game he plays with his family
which is a cross between Scum and Poker. It became our nightly tradition. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With more gallo pinto, eggs, and fruit in our bellies, we left Villas Jacquelina and Manuel Antonio behind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">What was
supposed to be roughly a 4.5 hour drive (estimates varied wildly) turned into about seven hours as poor directions, funky roads, fog, rain, and typically a complete lack of road signs
repeatedly led to wrong turns and delays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>We each took a turn at driving. Passing slow trucks on a windy single-lane highway in the
rain led to some tense moments, but we survived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Finally, around dusk, </span>we arrived in La
Fortuna (a quaint, touristy town near volcano Arenal), and had a surprisingly easy time finding Hotel Dorothy, where we were lodged for just $32 (total) per night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50dl8S_bhnyFPwNs-fEvZksyUmAXd6RwDTLfP5lGtIoFOF5YXOZLhSfxFcL5p-AwM0Cqx4lXyGIDM93tb7VyGiagWt2iSw8jKSHfFyy5xFly6h-pf6DCyb6nxywV6dKKz5SV-vsgjjks/s1600/DSCN0199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj50dl8S_bhnyFPwNs-fEvZksyUmAXd6RwDTLfP5lGtIoFOF5YXOZLhSfxFcL5p-AwM0Cqx4lXyGIDM93tb7VyGiagWt2iSw8jKSHfFyy5xFly6h-pf6DCyb6nxywV6dKKz5SV-vsgjjks/s320/DSCN0199.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As it was too
late for any of the myriad daytime activities in the Fortuna area, we decided to hit up <a href="http://baldicostarica.com/">Baldi Hot Springs</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> At Baldi, in addition to a hotel and restaurant, they've </span>built a series of swimming pools, hot tubs, and water
slides that take advantage of naturally hot water from springs. It's allegedly the largest hot springs in the world. True or not, it was an awesome place to hang out. Fred and I also sampled the buffet, and then we all went on the water slides (one of which was the fastest I'd ever been on, not to mention in total darkness), before lounging on underwater bar stools in the middle of it of a large pool, watching Monday Night Football.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KEGlU21Xhu0nMLJIdA4xiQMza1QA6m5rxVzKFxqdPh6qiaiZNGatBMBCGc9Gh_vVuraLlF7L-G7HLc-QGP-_5kqjS6HKbhyphenhyphen2W3wjgz_NOjvL2hyfXlhf6tk_nZD2HEfq1FTmguL3LN4/s1600/IMG_6266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-KEGlU21Xhu0nMLJIdA4xiQMza1QA6m5rxVzKFxqdPh6qiaiZNGatBMBCGc9Gh_vVuraLlF7L-G7HLc-QGP-_5kqjS6HKbhyphenhyphen2W3wjgz_NOjvL2hyfXlhf6tk_nZD2HEfq1FTmguL3LN4/s320/IMG_6266.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For breakfast in La Fortuna, we went to "Soda el Rio"--in Costa Rica, "soda" is another term for restaurant, much like bistro in English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> That was pretty confusing at first-we just thought a bunch of places were advertising soda for sale. </span>I got the usual (pico, eggs, plantains), and
so did Fred...but he also got a steak on the side for good measure. Fred doesn't mess around when it comes to Costa Rican breakfasts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And then it was time to go white water rafting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The company we booked it with </span>shuttled us about 1.5 hours away to the SarapiquĆ river, where we spent a couple hours
moseying down the river on some grade 3 rapids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Though we would've preferred a higher grade, it was still
awesome. The other people in our group were there <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJeEfMftApk">complements of the Ellen DeGeneres Show</a>. And since some of them were a bit frail, that might explain why the rafting company picked innocuous grade 3 rapids that day. We stopped a few times along the river for rope swinging, swimming, and cliff jumping. At the end they served us some potentially-fresh tilapia for lunch. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When we got
back to La Fortuna, Fred and I challenged some
natives to a soccer game at a local park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We played 3 on
3 (Brit watched, Fred and I played on a team with one of the locals) on a small cement
court...and boy did we take it to 'em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Except not really. :) But we kept it reasonably competetive, and Fred got to cross that off his bucket list (he's a long-time player of soccer). After the game I asked if they were gonna play any more, and one of the kids</span> basically replied that their lungs couldn't take any more because they smoke too much marijuana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As it was
Fred's last night, we stopped by a souvenir shop near the town center.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While we were looking around, all the stuff on the shelves started to shake. I just thought somebody had just turned on a fan or something, but it turned out to be <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/world/latin-america/2012/10/23/earthquake-shakes-costa-rica-pacific-coast/xNERlCfuFOyouG4s3U18SP/story.html">an earthquake (magnitude of 6.5)!</a>
The epicenter was about 100 kilometers to our West.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'd only experienced one other temblor, but this one was quite a bit bigger. </span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Later we strolled
around the town to see if there were any dance clubs where Fred could get his groove on. Unfortunately they only do that on the weekends. But we
all decided Fortuna was a great place to hang out, and I'll definitely go back. We rounded out the night with another game of Pinoy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fred is the reigning champion because he won the last
round by playing progressively higher pairs over and over again. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Wed, 24 Oct: </span></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fred needed to
catch a bus around 4:30am to make sure he could get to the airport (about
3 hours away) on time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would also need to catch a connecting bus in the next city. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Since Fred speaks little Spanish, we
taught him a few key phrases that he could use, and told him to keep repeating them if he got in trouble. I would have enjoyed seeing that in action. :)</span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We all slept through the alarms and snoozed a couple times, until finally Brit noticed it was 4:20am and told Fred he better go. Fred was up, ready, packed, and out the door about ten minutes later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3TshmKqRZ5IfE415QHU16FDeiqugfbPBVl6qHhcCr-oorMpVr4KV0717-t2nVaarHxaYyymXPCI56mYLy7sHJoWRL60NWEsoBqae7EGTvyFFk0Eh8AGrVQr3kaQXWoX7gpHiyrMDSrA/s1600/DSCN0256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD3TshmKqRZ5IfE415QHU16FDeiqugfbPBVl6qHhcCr-oorMpVr4KV0717-t2nVaarHxaYyymXPCI56mYLy7sHJoWRL60NWEsoBqae7EGTvyFFk0Eh8AGrVQr3kaQXWoX7gpHiyrMDSrA/s320/DSCN0256.JPG" width="240" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fred was
gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He later informed me that he made
it to the airport with plenty of time to spare, but was sleeping on the bus and woke up in the nick of time before the bus continued on to San Jose. Good thing, otherwise he'd probably still be in Costa Rica. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">About 9am, Brit and I took a shuttle to a zip line course near volcano Arenal,
called "Ecoglide".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course
boasted 13 zip lines, each some hundreds of meters in length, high above a thick forest next to the volcano. They also had a special swing they called "The Tarzan", where you got to jump off a metal platform way up high and swing back and forth...you know, like Tarzan. About half of our group chickened out after they saw the first girl jump off, but not us. It was a rush. Overall, the zip line course was great, and the views were fantastic. Highly recommended. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After Brit and I checked out of Hotel Dorothy, we hoped to rent some ATV's and go swimming at the Fortuna waterfall before beginning the five-or-so-hour drive to
our next destination (Tamarindo Beach).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were pleasantly surprised to find out a guy near the square rented out dirt bikes for just $20/hour, and we could take them wherever we wanted. Brit got one of those, while I opted for a four-wheeler since I had no experience with dirt bikes. A short distance up the highway we found a dirt road that we followed for about half the hour before tracking back, crossing a river and discovering some cool scenery along the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0awV-niIGrCvsiWpgx_raf2x_HNOghgkmsKNL-jSblKgr8T8FTZACFNld8GUNufum4BjTgTLw1fVLcIP-aIs1-sVzorRPJhuXgFEhIgjcJ7HmO5GptCNbgpHeu2l_mcxAvJdp0veZXbY/s1600/DSCN0289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0awV-niIGrCvsiWpgx_raf2x_HNOghgkmsKNL-jSblKgr8T8FTZACFNld8GUNufum4BjTgTLw1fVLcIP-aIs1-sVzorRPJhuXgFEhIgjcJ7HmO5GptCNbgpHeu2l_mcxAvJdp0veZXbY/s320/DSCN0289.JPG" width="320" /></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was nearly time to return our rentals when we made it back to the main road; on Brit's
suggestion we decided to spend our last five minutes zipping up the highway to
Baldi Hot Springs (about a kilometer outside town) before returning the rentals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Let's
just go up to Baldi..."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I led the way
on my quad, but didn't look behind me for about 30 seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I didn't see Brit, I assumed he was
just going slow and would shortly catch up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I looked back a few more times as I worked my way up to Baldi, but never saw him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never really
worried because I knew Brit was a fairly experienced rider of motorcyles and
dirt bikes, but it seemed a little odd.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I got to Baldi, flipped around, and after a few seconds headed back to find out what Brit was up
to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I rode I felt a mild sense of
foreboding; enough time had passed that it was a bit strange for me not to have
seen him by now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><i>The story continues in <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2012/11/central-american-madness-stage-ii.html">part 2.</a> </i> </span></span></div>
</div>
Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-28690762061877701812011-07-23T03:14:00.008-04:002011-07-23T13:47:25.473-04:00All Things Ben<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: right;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oBqEg3uQUEb02ESO6dmv7BY-aYfvdgYbdTdoCDHX98jgU68CaXsxOzsMmmgpJG6AycetNCSnbuq_1nzlchB7gk4Oka35cb32kKtUV2fw0eHYa3c0o2w4aREDi87Adw_St1Dc-Tebhy8/s1600/IMG_4476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5oBqEg3uQUEb02ESO6dmv7BY-aYfvdgYbdTdoCDHX98jgU68CaXsxOzsMmmgpJG6AycetNCSnbuq_1nzlchB7gk4Oka35cb32kKtUV2fw0eHYa3c0o2w4aREDi87Adw_St1Dc-Tebhy8/s320/IMG_4476.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lying dead near the Grassy Knoll</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Or at least several.<br />
<br />
So I live in Las Vegas now. Technically it's Henderson, but you know how that goes. I started PA (Physician Assistant) school just over two weeks ago. So far I like it--good classmates, good teachers for the most part, so you know, good times. If you want more information, here are some questions I could imagine someone asking me if I were to, you know, speak with that person. I also provide the answers to said questions.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>What is a PA?</b><br />
Perhaps Wikipedia said it best: "A Physician Assistant is a healthcare provider licensed and trained to practice medicine with limited supervision of a physician." Chew on that. Literally.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Where do you live?</b><br />
In a house. I rent a bedroom in a three-bedroom mini-house about eight miles SW of the school. The commute takes about 15 minutes. The owner is finishing up his graduate degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. The other roommate is a pilot and gone every other week for work...or so he says.<br />
<br />
<b>Do you have any pets?</b><br />
No.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Does your landlord have Netflix streaming?</b><br />
Yes. This is convenient because I started watching LOST in late May, and I now have eight episodes left in the final season. Recently I've watched one episode per day while eating dinner. I may even tell you what I think about the series sometime in the future. Recommendations for other tv shows to watch when I'm done will not be rejected outright. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>So you spend most of your time watching tv?</b><br />
Pretty much. Actually I go to school for about eight hours a day. We have about four hours of class most days, and then there's a bunch of studying to do. I treat it about like a full-time job so far, but I'm pretty sure some of my classmates study substantially more than I do. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTkWsDkzFFCd6jFjU5Ju5n8zfcJzMDk2eDK49bBU23HKh6bWTtqeF5YZNY1VyWpfILLnRD1xggYs87QnS9f9x1uiOo1VXG5pYC6SLMC7YUOAeDERLeZ0bDTkpx_smA9a8Vk4jcUL4J9Y/s1600/IMG_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTkWsDkzFFCd6jFjU5Ju5n8zfcJzMDk2eDK49bBU23HKh6bWTtqeF5YZNY1VyWpfILLnRD1xggYs87QnS9f9x1uiOo1VXG5pYC6SLMC7YUOAeDERLeZ0bDTkpx_smA9a8Vk4jcUL4J9Y/s200/IMG_0007.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cookies</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>So what are they teaching you over at that silly school of yours? And what's it called again? UNLV?</b><br />
Actually it's called Touro University-Nevada. Not surprisingly, no one has ever heard of it unless they're into the whole "health professional school" scene. So far this semester we're taking Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Radiology, and a couple of fluff classes (that are actually important, just don't require studying like the others). A few other classes start later in the semester. It seems like this first semester is basically the first year of med school, whittled and compressed into 3.5 months. Which makes sense. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>How long is the program?</b><br />
28 months: 16 didactic (i.e. classroom), and 12 on clinical rotations. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>So wait, I'm confused, whatever happened to podiatry school? </b><br />
I took a leave of absence in December 2009, partway through my fourth year, and eventually decided to attend PA school. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Weren't you almost done? Why didn't you just finish? </b><br />
I was pretty close to graduating, but overall it's a seven-year process if you include a typical residency. So I was about half-way through the full process of becoming an independently practicing podiatrist. If I was gonna jump ship and switch careers, that was actually a pretty good time to do it...at least compared to later. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLD5QMSABu2Mazjk2Q8lsUpVvHCikge9hDIvcU3205RFpGLzTHLTU3k16cDDJzDmy8Iv2N3hB0fT5QFOnlJVCycmAZK7WLRvlGV3hAYAHE34poFHqyFCGW5JDIjpjFDzkviS5xE9SVbow/s1600/IMG_0081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLD5QMSABu2Mazjk2Q8lsUpVvHCikge9hDIvcU3205RFpGLzTHLTU3k16cDDJzDmy8Iv2N3hB0fT5QFOnlJVCycmAZK7WLRvlGV3hAYAHE34poFHqyFCGW5JDIjpjFDzkviS5xE9SVbow/s200/IMG_0081.JPG" width="200" /></a><b>Is it really that simple?</b><br />
No. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>What's one thing that attracted you to becoming a PA?</b><br />
PA's can work in just about any specialty, and even switch midstream. Docs can't do that. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Do you currently own a guitar?</b><br />
Technically, yes, but it's in Missouri (and pretty crappy). Luckily I have a much nicer one with me that I don't own, compliments of a generous friend.<br />
<br />
<b>Do you consider blogger user-friendly?</b><br />
No, it's ridiculous, especially arranging photos. <br />
<br />
<b>What have you been doing since December 2009?</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIScykFPugmh-foMphRQxFgHn_oQ-s2cGyLpFehg8QSoj2hl7LCbRtFY0pm_2C4h-gsJkklCe8tWntSpNOvJ6rrb8T_qEiO_5gOcHXCTt3KYxqmmVoToQEK6d3bxMutfPTMpIFeKUPqNg/s1600/IMG_4486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIScykFPugmh-foMphRQxFgHn_oQ-s2cGyLpFehg8QSoj2hl7LCbRtFY0pm_2C4h-gsJkklCe8tWntSpNOvJ6rrb8T_qEiO_5gOcHXCTt3KYxqmmVoToQEK6d3bxMutfPTMpIFeKUPqNg/s320/IMG_4486.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elena and Abigail, probably May 2010</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>First I moved to Missouri and honed my skills at being as unproductive as possible, for about three months. Then I moved to Dallas (April 2010) (taking a circuitous route through Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and Montana to visit friends) just in time for the birth of my cute twin nieces Elena and Abigail. Actually I got there the day after they were born. Shortly thereafter I spent two weeks digging ditches in "Texas clay" (the dirt in Texas is like clay) to help Mark and Sarah (my brother and SIL who were living in Dallas at the time, and the parents of the aforementioned twin baby girls) install sprinklers in their front yard. About a month after that <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2011/04/overdue-op-report.html"> I performed surgery on my own big toe</a>. Another month or so later (July 2010) I finalized my decision to apply to PA school, and started the process. Six months after that (early Feb 2011), I got accepted to Touro. In the meantime I traveled to Phoenix for about six weeks (Sep-Oct) to finalize my affairs at Podiatry school once and for all. In November (2010) I started working as a tutor (for all subjects...I'm only partially kidding) and music teacher. In December I started substitute teaching as well, which I did until June 1st of this year. In May I went to Utah for a family reunion and started watching LOST. In June I left Dallas after a bit more than a year of living there, spent two weeks in Phoenix (on the way), and came to Las Vegas.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Do you really think I got all the way to the end of this post?</b><br />
This isn't the end. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Have you seen any good movies lately?</b><br />
No.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Have you seen any movies lately, period?</b><br />
No.<b> </b>Did I mention I've watched 112 episodes of LOST in the past two months?<br />
<br />
<b>What about Harry Potty and Deathly Hallows part five???!?</b><br />
Plenty of time for that later...that's my usual approach to movie theaters...don't go.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Did you really see a car burn up in your parking lot last month?</b><br />
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/tannerb/BurningCarAndACoupleOtherRandom">Yes. </a><b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>I know this is changing the subject, but doesn't the title "Physician Assistant" make you sound menial? People probably get you confused with Medical Assistants, right?</b><br />
Yes, it's misleading. From what I've heard, some early PA's wanted to call it "Physician Associate", which is a better title, but they had to grovel before influential organizations to gain acceptance. Now it would be expensive and impractical to change the name.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Don't you feel like this post is bit lengthy? </b><br />
Yeah, so what. Actually, it's probably shorter in total word count than several others I've written. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Are you schizophrenic? Why are you conversing with yourself?</b><br />
I heard in lecture yesterday that 1/100 people become schizophrenic at some point. Which is probably not true. But if them, why not me?<b> </b><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKSEK6RM6lqT7ymtywzXOvzgROdCp4ouXe6rJPbsNgTURk6v83SfCQO32GiYQl-1cTBAqS3u5jH9VsEg9_vzlBauHliNyz4uBUFDK6OMVeHy5mYcDljEuBZEM3PEGLoVd8F7PLtVq9T0/s1600/IMG_0018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKSEK6RM6lqT7ymtywzXOvzgROdCp4ouXe6rJPbsNgTURk6v83SfCQO32GiYQl-1cTBAqS3u5jH9VsEg9_vzlBauHliNyz4uBUFDK6OMVeHy5mYcDljEuBZEM3PEGLoVd8F7PLtVq9T0/s320/IMG_0018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at the Alamo in June. Remember it. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>What do you now consider your favorite band?</b><br />
That's easy, The Beatles. But Led Zeppelin is extremely awesome, in case you weren't aware. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxtrzW5KdBw&ob=av2n"> Here's proof. </a><br />
<br />
<b>Have you made any friends in Nevada?</b><br />
About five. Actually, I have some pretty cool classmates who've been fun to "hang out" with (mostly meaning studying and attending lectures), and the people in my singles ward have been friendly and welcoming, though I haven't been around them that much yet. Plus a friend from college lives down here, and she invited me over for bbq pulled pork last Sunday. Afterwards we jammed on the ukulele.<br />
<br />
<b>You play the ukulele?</b><br />
Yes, of course I play the ukulele. And by that I mean I've learned about six chords on two separate occasions in the past month.<br />
<br />
<b>Have you done any dating recently?</b><br />
Yes.<br />
<br />
<b>Care to elaborate?</b><br />
No.<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>What else have you accomplished in the past few months?</b><br />
Learned some Beatles songs on the guitar. Also started recording some music in Dallas before moving. I studied Italian for a month or so and became very mildly conversant. Ate a lot of cookies in June. In addition, I slept on a random guy's couch in Albuquerque. <br />
<br />
<b>What's your BMI (Body Mass Index)?</b><br />
26.2<br />
<br />
<b>Does that make you part of the growing obesity epidemic?</b><br />
No, I'm just in the "overweight" range, so take it easy.</div>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-18456437466426613612011-04-28T02:45:00.001-04:002020-10-09T19:58:25.851-04:00the Jake Erickson tribute album (one song so far)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Below I play a version of "Winter", a song written by Jake Erickson in 2004, which also appears as the 12th track on <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/she-usually-wears-mittens/id201438345">the album</a> Jake and I released in 2006. For various reasons*, the album version didn't turn out quite as we wanted, but I've always liked the song. Consider this** a tribute to an under-appreciated modern artist. Perhaps other artists will join in the effort so we can make it a full album. :) <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LNVZiVHXU2A" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">*All our recording was done with very limited time and money, and no prior experience. We barely knew what we were doing in there, did most songs in a single take (for each part), and yet certain things turned out really well. Others left something to be desired. Before we recorded Winter, I gave Jake some suggestions about how to sing the song that I think backfired and made it sound worse, and I've always felt a little bad about that. Having just re-listened to it, I can say it is not without merit. </span>But I also think most of the live performances of the song Jake did were more satisfying than the studio version.<br />
<br />
**Please excuse the poor framing of the video. Recording songs with a camera placed on a stack of books in a cramped bedroom is not an exact science.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><u>PS</u>: Stay tuned for the sharing of additional music, maybe even recorded with something other than my camera. I recently procured a decent-quality digital recorder, and I've begun to dabble. Now I just need a guitar that I don't hate...though I still use the hated one out of necessity. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Update: I recently started a new website about guitars, which I talk about <a href="https://bentanner.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-new-guitar-website-i-started-recently.html">in this post</a>. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-41580854192536379492011-04-17T23:56:00.002-04:002011-04-26T02:43:13.431-04:00Overdue Op Report<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Last June I did surgery on my own toe, at home. Sound ridiculous? Well it was. There's no getting around that fact. But it seemed justified at the time, and even sounded kind of fun. <span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>Background </b></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGa1qGieKP2I3QVoj5_84XA7-JgdBAe5Jx40trYrjT8uJPUPsFttoo4iZVxPSDi03GXk2JxtXAE-DZnSdcTLr6vKtuLLl852-PIfg83bCnW_BxMiZhmsfi-rsjmCy09qysHKaobJQZBA/s1600/big+toe+zoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGa1qGieKP2I3QVoj5_84XA7-JgdBAe5Jx40trYrjT8uJPUPsFttoo4iZVxPSDi03GXk2JxtXAE-DZnSdcTLr6vKtuLLl852-PIfg83bCnW_BxMiZhmsfi-rsjmCy09qysHKaobJQZBA/s200/big+toe+zoom.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a few days post-injury</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Six days earlier I smashed my left big toe with a door. It bled a little, and a few days later it was still painful and oozy. Further investigation (trimming the nail back) revealed the flesh underneath was red and raw, and a pretty classic example of what's called a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subungual_hematomahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subungual_hematoma">subungual hematoma</a>ā (That just means excess blood causing pressure under the nail). I'd experienced this once before, in 2004, when a basketball player landed on my toe</span>ā<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">the same toe</span>ā<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">with most of his weight. A few days later I visited a podiatrist who removed the nail, releasing the pressure and allowing proper healing.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">With that experience under my belt, not to mention my podiatry training, I figured I pretty well knew how to handle the situation. So after observing the nail for a few more days, I decided it would be best to remove it completely. The nail was already somewhat loose, and the flesh underneath would heal better with it gone. </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTdZDuxUYH5aLyseuxFahSuzkpUsoltH59bnplcrE6Gwsw1hmVmsj7UWmPLFQFxbnLoYRFNcHDm6bxqRy_e1J8AWMDpJy_p9ANF5WjyYZ5-lXlwYo-kXBrZRWcT-cUsitxnEuoknE8BE/s1600/IMG_0228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTdZDuxUYH5aLyseuxFahSuzkpUsoltH59bnplcrE6Gwsw1hmVmsj7UWmPLFQFxbnLoYRFNcHDm6bxqRy_e1J8AWMDpJy_p9ANF5WjyYZ5-lXlwYo-kXBrZRWcT-cUsitxnEuoknE8BE/s320/IMG_0228.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">supply table</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now, removing a toenail is easy....if you have the proper supplies. That includes certain surgical instruments (which I had, since I'd purchased some during school) as well as local anesthesia (which I did NOT have, and couldn't think of any way to get), and appropriately-sized needles and syringes (didn't have any of those, either, but figured I could scrounge some up). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obviously I could have gone to a podiatrist's office and let them do it for me. But suffice it to say that I was cheap (and my insurance wouldn't have covered anything), and feeling kind of adventurous. After all, it was right up my alley. And all I needed was a a little lidocaine (that's the local anesthetic), and I'd be good to go! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But where could I get lidocaine, other than the black market? And where exactly <i>is</i> the black market? I would have been perfectly willing to buy some there, had someone provided the location.</span></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><b>A breakthrough</b> </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZjt_X4iTA98dEh5qDWwAZvf1Pzkbz5s4jFVKk7Qhs3SCxTAUu8dFIYeGazf9e576yUzZkqFx-_5Y3Kq7G98v-YdI1B02lIcMXEINWmoXs66mOVWlF2DpjcoJu4qrdtalvdnQA9OTjK8/s1600/IMG_0231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZjt_X4iTA98dEh5qDWwAZvf1Pzkbz5s4jFVKk7Qhs3SCxTAUu8dFIYeGazf9e576yUzZkqFx-_5Y3Kq7G98v-YdI1B02lIcMXEINWmoXs66mOVWlF2DpjcoJu4qrdtalvdnQA9OTjK8/s320/IMG_0231.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the O.R.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The problem of my absent anesthetic was solved when I read online that in the case of a drug allergy to lidocaine, an injection of diphenhydramine (aka benadryl) can be used in its place to provide anesthesia. Um....really??</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By the way, this is really bizarre because, as you probably know, benadryl is an antihistamine that's typically used by people with seasonal allergies, or as a sleep aide. I'd certainly never heard of its being injected to produce anesthesia, and neither had my podiatry classmates (now in residency) that I subsequently mentioned it to.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Preparation</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB2GboGOuTI"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Supplies!</span></a></div><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Even with this breakthrough, getting supplies was trickier than I expected. Benadryl abounds, but not in an injectable form. I hypothesized that I could buy it in pill form, crush the pills in my handy mortar and pestle (which didn't exist), dissolve the powder in some water, and then inject that solution. (This was a stupid idea for various reasons, but we'll get into that later). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So I bought some benadryl tablets. The only needles and syringes I could find were single-use, 1ml (small!) insulin syringes with 29 gauge (tiny!) needles attached, sold in a box of 100. These were not at all ideal, but better than nothing....actually even that's debatable. I also picked up some distilled water and alcohol swabs to further furnish my operating room. </span><b> </b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Operation</b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrZK2rfKxVWEAIcFFNFi5Tmdz1W57Jm6NS66PCH5lAGTl7PRsEs04mQmRrVuJ3w_MnJZoaGs54mwYzU_swR9bHbWFu67r_WJdNV0S5rsKPmbnmZtp2kIA9JSIbV17AGqBbaINYeMEAg0/s1600/bloody+more+zoomed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrZK2rfKxVWEAIcFFNFi5Tmdz1W57Jm6NS66PCH5lAGTl7PRsEs04mQmRrVuJ3w_MnJZoaGs54mwYzU_swR9bHbWFu67r_WJdNV0S5rsKPmbnmZtp2kIA9JSIbV17AGqBbaINYeMEAg0/s200/bloody+more+zoomed.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The day had come, and it was kind of invigorating. I was less invigorated when I realized that my crushed pills didnāt stay dissolved in the distilled water, instead settling to the bottom of whatever container they occupied. As a result, it was nearly impossible to draw the mixture up into those insulin syringes before the diphen resettled to the bottom. (Not to mention it's nearly impossible to draw <i>anything</i> up into such small-gauge needles! A 25 gauge needle is typical for such activities.) It was equally challenging to actually inject the solution into my toe, due to both the settling and the smallness of the needles, which kept getting clogged by tiny pill particles. Even when I did successfully inject fluid, some of it wasnāt as concentrated as it needed to be, due to the settling problems I mentioned. So in case you hadn't gotten the message, that part was difficult. But after a couple hours of finagling, <i>most</i> of my toe was numb, and I was ready for the fun part.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHJUcPqrWiSDjQ-b1y3xFcGMt8G4sT6FXPRft07KNZNHyGXAkQc1qFipdkNc1Lf4pp0Ctgku-ucay9RFMO476iFP6Zar9T_qjTVQBjCYXW_mcJuD6KigNHWSyY3udNqwyZGYE-r_WH2M/s1600/bloody+nail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHJUcPqrWiSDjQ-b1y3xFcGMt8G4sT6FXPRft07KNZNHyGXAkQc1qFipdkNc1Lf4pp0Ctgku-ucay9RFMO476iFP6Zar9T_qjTVQBjCYXW_mcJuD6KigNHWSyY3udNqwyZGYE-r_WH2M/s200/bloody+nail.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">And it would have been pretty fun. Except that despite my best efforts, one edge of the nail bed still had sensation. I loosed the nail and separated it from the bed for the most part...but it was too painful to separate it on the edge that wasn't numb. So I eventually yanked it off without having separated it 100%, and ripped off a chunk of flesh with it for good measure. Yes, it was quite painful. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you're having trouble relating to the experience, imagine sticking a butter knife under a small toenail to pry it up, only not being able to do so completely because it's too painful, and then ripping it off with pliers.</span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9yb4At_5bz_DV-4rihtsCktBT83b4KqQh_dD7P9WuQyYDRI3pTo37dPisNFy4neGHRcGC4iypQ6Bt7vC8omsmyilIAqoCU0HxKyS36ZmYcaln5A6t12Ku61NrHwJj5EunA_yC2VeHgM/s1600/IMG_0013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu9yb4At_5bz_DV-4rihtsCktBT83b4KqQh_dD7P9WuQyYDRI3pTo37dPisNFy4neGHRcGC4iypQ6Bt7vC8omsmyilIAqoCU0HxKyS36ZmYcaln5A6t12Ku61NrHwJj5EunA_yC2VeHgM/s200/IMG_0013.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">post-op</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">{<b>Technical details</b>: Injected ~10cc's of impure solution, variable and unknown concentration. Achieved numbness over 90% of surface area. Loosened majority of nail with an elevator (all except medial edge), extracted whole nail and some adhered tissue from nail bed with a hemostat, observing proximal "feathery" edge. Scraped proximal nail bed with currette to smooth and flatten, in hopes that the nail would grow back more smoothly and uniformly than it had since its prior avulsion in 2004. Applied generous triple antibiotic ointment, followed by somewhat-sterile dressing. Including application of anesthetic, op time ~3.5 hours.}<b> </b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Aftermath</b></span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My toe was in a lot of pain that evening at the ward party, but I was very glad to be done with the surgery. My biggest concern on day one was infection--my technique had been anything but sterile. And for a couple days I thought I had one, due to a pattern of redness on and around the injection sites.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">To make a long story (everything that happened after the surgery) fairly short, over the next few days I carefully assessed the spread and movement of the redness and ascertained that there was no infection, but only a local reaction of some sort to the various impurities I had injected along with the benadryl</span>ā<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">read the ingredients in sleep aid pills sometime and imagine the possibilities. Redness, swelling, and pain remained for several days, which was worriesome. I nearly went to see a doctor. But after a couple weeks it improved enough that I was comfortable and functional once again. Gradual change continued and still does. Even now, over 10 months later, there lingers a mild degree of redness and puffiness around the nail, but itās rarely painful. The main difference is that I have to trim the nail much more aggressively to avoid over-encroachment by the puffy skin around it, which otherwise results in pain, ingrown-toenail-like symptoms, and eventual ulceration (all of which are awesome). </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESc_27v8Wl377lJ1iKcynmFHZg4xRIPp8T6CJYte3axI3-yQmJBsT82-eCLqQDdMLNDandVGX0OJZrRBf__vQHEbprIb1BUnPEDTjyB0W-DRDoZ2YItVaGRPLEkzcujQE98IXV1ANVJg/s1600/IMG_0029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESc_27v8Wl377lJ1iKcynmFHZg4xRIPp8T6CJYte3axI3-yQmJBsT82-eCLqQDdMLNDandVGX0OJZrRBf__vQHEbprIb1BUnPEDTjyB0W-DRDoZ2YItVaGRPLEkzcujQE98IXV1ANVJg/s320/IMG_0029.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">tracking possible infection</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Do I have any regrets in life? Yes. Do I regret surgerizing my toe? Maybe. The goods and ills are nearly a wash. One of the most important things I learned: If you're thinking about crushing up oral benadryl pills that contain a million ancillary ingredients using a non-existent mortar and pestle in order to inject the produced solution into your own toe using tiny insulin syringes...it may not be the best idea you've ever come up with (though it could possibly be in the top ten). </span></div></div>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-2533914838748112362010-12-05T22:32:00.010-05:002010-12-06T16:54:36.146-05:00Can I get a larger slice of pie, please?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtl4Q0vyZAnt5zHzUHcIciONOzYOqqmNIlni5CgxQSfqTVl2maPOxeKlisK2VG-lDjA8_oqp6ysa80G11H2g66WTt1oHvi3wcwEXen7llh0DMeSuXwL7QbxR5XdnpMVevE8Jaad8GcbEM/s1600/boise+st+anguish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtl4Q0vyZAnt5zHzUHcIciONOzYOqqmNIlni5CgxQSfqTVl2maPOxeKlisK2VG-lDjA8_oqp6ysa80G11H2g66WTt1oHvi3wcwEXen7llh0DMeSuXwL7QbxR5XdnpMVevE8Jaad8GcbEM/s320/boise+st+anguish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I'm tired of college football. I've often been perturbed by it. But after an ugly series of events<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"><sup>(1)</sup></span> during Thanksgiving weekend, which led my brother Nathaniel to suggest that he would now boycott college football, I couldn't help but agree with his rationale. It's just a mess. And we watch it for the wrong reasons.<br />
<br />
The college football model is one of "haves" and "have-nots". Its motto is "Keep the little man down." Their idea, lately, is that an unfair system will lead to controversy, which will generate interest, which will boost ratings, which will lead to lucrative TV contracts and big advertising money. And it works.<br />
<br />
There are some people who like the system because it gives their team an advantage. It's kind of like if you were born into the upper level of a rigid caste system and you thought, "Man, this caste system is awesome! I'll always be at the top!" Most people, on the other hand, realize the system is unfair, and wish for a change. But both groups have something in common: they watch the games. They may whine and complain about the injustices, but they still watch. And as a result, they feed the beast. They become part of those controversy-boosted ratings which generate huge profits.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_91f6Rb4TLmkhA9UykusWgjxaSV03YMLGUBY5fx9PmibZL89RmdswQURtAjvawKrtALPCxBtecJ8ZIPEGk8tuT0pvBkJ31hwIKR1qgYj2HRG__EX6wwboFbJHjwhOa_xN_ibesOF48dc/s1600/bcs+trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_91f6Rb4TLmkhA9UykusWgjxaSV03YMLGUBY5fx9PmibZL89RmdswQURtAjvawKrtALPCxBtecJ8ZIPEGk8tuT0pvBkJ31hwIKR1qgYj2HRG__EX6wwboFbJHjwhOa_xN_ibesOF48dc/s200/bcs+trophy.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Now, even though the college football model "works" (makes quite a bit of money), I believe they would make a lot more money if they switched to a playoff system<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"><sup>(2)</sup></span>. So why don't they? I think there are two main reasons.<br />
<ol><li>It's new. It would be a departure from their tried-and-tested model of controversy = ratings. So if you're already making billions of dollars with minimal effort, why change your approach? That's pretty understandable. The other reason is less so. </li>
<li>The people in charge want to maintain their larger slice of pie. Teams from the six BCS conferences get a lot more money than teams from the other five conferences, and a huge recruiting advantage, and they don't want that to change. They have "Bigger Slice of Pie Syndrome". It's a serious condition. </li>
</ol>Those are the two major reasons why college football doesn't change. They don't want to try something new when their unfair system beautifully generates billions of dollars already. And the people in charge want to keep their larger pie slices. <br />
<br />
To illustrate further, imagine yourself in a room. In front of you is a table, and one it are two iterations of your favorite kind of pie. Only, one of the pies is very large, and the other is small. In this room there also happen to be ten of your friends. Now you are given with two choices: <br />
<ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l1yMJkIO4VA5cP6eL91PWXWm3ahY9kAKB1oHta-QpHPvnk3_cZdybH8QEp6GHgtcGTr2U6snwoWCs_s9JvT310r1DKgxZqu10VlkgRvljlx6YwzeHiN2uPmoOITzZBACqSs0vsRgSis/s1600/slice+of+coconut+cream+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l1yMJkIO4VA5cP6eL91PWXWm3ahY9kAKB1oHta-QpHPvnk3_cZdybH8QEp6GHgtcGTr2U6snwoWCs_s9JvT310r1DKgxZqu10VlkgRvljlx6YwzeHiN2uPmoOITzZBACqSs0vsRgSis/s320/slice+of+coconut+cream+pie.jpg" width="320" /></a>
<li><b>Option A: </b>You can select the large pie, divide it into eleven equal slices (hard to do, by the way) and share it with all your friends. You are told, however, that if you do this, there's a 0.1% chance the pie will spontaneously combust, and you will be left with no pie. Also, you are warned that if you share the pie equally with your friends, they may become very powerful from the pie-nutrition (or "pietrition"). And who knows but that next time your friends will be the ones dividing the pie? Perhaps with their newfound pie-strength they will no longer fear you, and will give you a smaller slice. These seem like valid concerns to you. </li>
</ul><ul><li><b>Option B: </b>You can select the small pie, cut a piece comprising 90% of it for yourself, and then leave the rest to be divided among your friends. You strongly consider doing this because, even though you'll actually be getting less pie, there's not that 0.1% chance of the pie spontaneously combusting. Gotta go with a sure thing, right? Plus, you can't have your friends getting pie-strength. Who knows what they can do with pie-strength? Pie-strength is a thing of legends. </li>
</ul>So which do you choose? If you choose the first option, you're a reasonable person. If you choose the second, you're college football (and a hero to supporters of caste systems everywhere!). <br />
<br />
And that's great and dandy that they're going to keep doing this, keep hogging pie and fearing new frontiers. I can't do very much about it. But starting today, no longer will I be part of the controversy-generated-ratings-boosting crowd of mindless followers. Starting today, I renounce college football<span style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"><sup>(3),(4)</sup></span>. And you should too.<br />
<br />
Join the movement. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">**********</div><br />
<u><b>Footnotes:</b></u> <br />
1. Auburn somehow came back from a 21-0 deficit against Alabama, and Boise St. lost because their kicker choked twice. (Plus BYU lost to Utah, which is always a downer for humanity.) But more important than what these games meant for the race to the BCS title game, was how they begged the question: Why should we care? They were part of the fabricated drama, and part of our being drawn in, hopeful for the little guy to get a fair shot. Only, those hopes are dashed 99 times out of 100, because the cards are stacked against them. <br />
<br />
2. A college football playoff system is easy to design, and there's no reason to believe it wouldn't generate a ridiculous amount of money. Though there are other reasonable methods, I think the best system would be a 16-team playoff including the conference champions from all eleven conferences, plus five other teams chosen by a committee. The first two rounds would be home games for the higher-seeded team, and the last two rounds (three games) would be played in high-profile bowl games. <b>I assert that all arguments made against such a system are disingenuous attempts to preserve the current, unfair system.</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBIS81Pj7IeS4kFXbsscPmEWjNoG8Gw-bNze5K0DQezhOrKqSH1_ALYS0IngR4e7znNzVD9bnx-qk9zrNeRbUgibD5QzBFIOL-3V1YwpymEFJ5K8vmWHeW5tbQl_8Upm1paz6auzHV9w/s1600/jake+heaps+byu_football_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBIS81Pj7IeS4kFXbsscPmEWjNoG8Gw-bNze5K0DQezhOrKqSH1_ALYS0IngR4e7znNzVD9bnx-qk9zrNeRbUgibD5QzBFIOL-3V1YwpymEFJ5K8vmWHeW5tbQl_8Upm1paz6auzHV9w/s200/jake+heaps+byu_football_large.jpg" width="200" /></a>3. The one exception to this will be watching my own team. I'm a fan of BYU, and I will continue to watch their games. But I won't be drawn in by the fabricated drama of the "national championship" chase. There's no such thing as a national championship in the BCS, so why should I care? And BYU's approach, starting next year, largely aligns with my perspective. When they decided to leave the Mountain West Conference and become independent, they knew this would actually <i>decrease</i> their chances of playing in a BCS game. But they didn't care. What they cared about was exposure, or in other words getting out of the crappy TV contracts of the MWC so their fans can watch games. And starting next year that will be a lot easier, with games on ESPN and BYUTV (instead of "mtn."). As a bonus, they will also make more money. Screw the BCS. <br />
<br />
4. Admittedly, there are good reasons to "renounce" many other sports or leagues as well. NBA players make way too much money. Professional baseball is boring, and both the season and individual games are way too long. The NFL causes a lot of head injuries which lead to premature dementia. Plus it's played on Sunday, when it's better to be doing other things. And hockey isn't very fun to watch. So by all means, stop watching those other sports, too. I've hardly watched any baseball or hockey during the past ten years. But at least all of those sports can say undefeated teams get to compete for a championship. College football is not only unfair, but enjoys using that unfairness to lure us in. And I won't be lured any longer.Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-60295761621652244672010-10-22T01:30:00.000-04:002010-10-22T04:47:12.821-04:00A Field So White<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0Ja1V3cIh11XVdWYiSlVamCYlVZMk7jnszw9St3sMI1jFniYNQ5SuE3sDgsfrdbdHC4Xdf0nlRSeP84n0Gsuy85xbhZlnpavOSbfirBX0bvQMYVj7sSgepuxSsBXgQajO4KlvNHaMB8/s1600/whiiiiiite+filed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge0Ja1V3cIh11XVdWYiSlVamCYlVZMk7jnszw9St3sMI1jFniYNQ5SuE3sDgsfrdbdHC4Xdf0nlRSeP84n0Gsuy85xbhZlnpavOSbfirBX0bvQMYVj7sSgepuxSsBXgQajO4KlvNHaMB8/s1600/whiiiiiite+filed.jpg" /></a></div>So there's a white field.<br />
<br />
How white, you ask?<br />
<br />
Soooo white. Sooooooooooo white!<br />
<br />
It's <i>A Field So White</i>!<br />
<br />
And now <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=A%20Field%20So%20White&search=tag">it's on YouTube</a>! Hooray!<br />
<br />
Yeah, I know, this is pretty much the moment you've all been waiting for, the day when <i>A Field So White</i> would be available to the masses. It reminds me a little bit of when the printing press was invented. <br />
<br />
Just in case you have no idea what I'm talking about-<br />
<br />
<i>A Field So White </i>is a musical film produced in 1984, essentially a collection of inspirational music videos. The songs are about helping other people and doing good stuff. The music is by Lex de Azevedo (a fairly renowned LDS composer), and the music, clothing, and hair in the videos are straight out of the eighties! Some people find this latter element humorous. <br />
<br />
I think this quote from the back of the video cover pretty much sums up how I feel about it:<br />
<br />
"<i>A Field So White</i> promotes sharing, caring and loving activities. It is a pioneering event in Christian entertainment and will become your favorite video to be played and re-played over and over again."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">*****</div><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">A few years ago I did a google search to see if <i>A Field So White </i>had come out on DVD. Not only was it not on DVD, it wasn't for sale anywhere! And you still can't buy it new, though there are some used copies with exorbitant prices on Amazon.com. It's not easy to get ahold of. And the other day, after watching it for the first time in a few months, I thought to myself, "If somebody out there has a sudden urge to watch "Mrs. Mahoney" and does an online search, that person should not be disappointed."</span><br />
<br />
And from now on, they won't be. And neither will you. <br />
<br />
Now, a lot of people get a good chuckle out of the choreography and styles in A Field So White. They think it's "funny". I don't begrudge them that, but I actually quite enjoy the music and find the themes touching. It's well-done! It pulls at my heart-strings! For some reason there are strings in my heart!<br />
<br />
But whatever your purpose--to laugh at the eighties, to scoff at choreography you deem silly, or to be inspired to good acts while enjoying quality music--if you follow the links below, all of your wildest dreams will come true. At least it's possible. <br />
<br />
By the way, my favorites are "Maria Alvarez" and "Mrs. Mahoney", with a slight nod to "The Mighty Winds of Change." "Share It" seems to enjoy a sort of cult status. But they're all good. <br />
<br />
<i>Note: YouTube has a "playlist" feature which lets you put videos in a queue and save them as a playlist. I made one with all the videos from "A Field So White" for easy viewing, you can do likewise if you want to watch them in order. </i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>The songs from A Field So White</u></b></span>:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><ul style="color: purple; font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBQ3GkqFjIA">Leaders of Tomorrow (opening song / intro)</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boRLMQYU1n0&feature=related">A Field So White</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXATKylN4Hc">Maria Alvarez</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biLBPYPhyyQ&feature=related">Hold On</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s07F-LT8UaQ&">Mrs. Mahoney </a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq6nW_Ve6LM&feature=related">A Letter Home</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ou1BsQmy5s&feature=related">Share It</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs5pdNBdi-E&feature=related">The Mighty Winds of Change</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJAB52AyNGs&">Child of Forever</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSgQGl4soL8&">Leaders of Tomorrow (reprise with credits)</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RzjCCPf46w&feature=related">Love the People (with closing credits)</a> </span></li>
</ul>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-40204613651448632002010-08-10T17:12:00.002-04:002010-08-10T17:20:04.266-04:00Texts are like Cows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBW1gTuMvd9AQyuYZdE-oAV7fPBhFwEuwOl2ZPU0RoVLT7gSwAVHip_ukSpkP5plh4XlcCyjlO-h-PR4MMtsgslZfKPCuFrZZOa17Hcr8XROP42uLJJtISa5p9ZldGgx2ftyi7_TEGZyk/s1600/omg.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBW1gTuMvd9AQyuYZdE-oAV7fPBhFwEuwOl2ZPU0RoVLT7gSwAVHip_ukSpkP5plh4XlcCyjlO-h-PR4MMtsgslZfKPCuFrZZOa17Hcr8XROP42uLJJtISa5p9ZldGgx2ftyi7_TEGZyk/s200/omg.png" width="200" /></a></div>I kind of hate text messages. Do you kind of hate text messages?<br />
<br />
Let me tell you why I feel so. <br />
<br />
But before I do that, I may as well say what they're good for. Text messages are great for relaying one small bit of info, such as, "The dog has been fed", or, "Your house just burned down." Or asking a simple question, like, "Can I eat your last doughnut?" That's probably easier than making a phone call, right? And obviously texts are better when no noise is allowed, such as during a dance recital.<br />
<br />
Text messages are also less time-sensitive than phone calls, which can be nice if you're busy baking a pie. (And even if you're not busy, you can always <i>pretend</i> you're busy....like when a girl you don't like texts to ask about your weekend plans. This has not happened even once, though.) And perhaps what texts are best suited for, something that really makes them worthwhile, is mass communication, such as inviting a 100 people to a fondue party on short notice, or changing the details of a rendezvous involving 600 people. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwn7nfcQYApH0gboYtr1aJWoTuzSZXhZGikvdjRCKEh0KqblrUv2q4WvvrYw_xhNW_Kbr8BXJd4M5iBbKBubgOUfMAxraBsBQM_5j8SkSnD0CpjFtgpExr0sGtFCrcFOD0u3kTHe3b490/s1600/1262288697-avoid-texting-while-driving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwn7nfcQYApH0gboYtr1aJWoTuzSZXhZGikvdjRCKEh0KqblrUv2q4WvvrYw_xhNW_Kbr8BXJd4M5iBbKBubgOUfMAxraBsBQM_5j8SkSnD0CpjFtgpExr0sGtFCrcFOD0u3kTHe3b490/s200/1262288697-avoid-texting-while-driving.jpg" width="143" /></a>And that's all nice. Pretty nice. But I still kind of hate text messages. And that's because far too often we lose our way as a society, and use text messages for what they are very poorly suited:<br />
<br />
Extended conversations.<br />
<br />
<br />
I hate it when text messages are used to have an extended conversation. In fact, I loathe it. But I don't abhor it, that's going too far. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here's the point. When used for long conversations, texts usually become:<br />
<br />
<ol><li><b>Distracting</b>. They're like an interrupting cow, and especially so if your ringer sounds like a "MOOO!!" (Kudos to you if this is the case.) I generally have a pretty one-track mind (1.5 on a good day), so when I settle down to a task only to be interrupted over and over by a cow, it really slows me down. If it were a mule it might not be as bad. </li>
<li><b>Extremely inefficient</b>. An unofficial experiment just now showed that it takes about six times as long to enter a text message as to just speak it. That's not so bad if it's a one-word message, as it doesn't take long to say a word like "Freakazoid!" But imagine if you had to enter this entire blog post into your phone. Or better yet, imagine if you were part of the hypothetical experiment where you place infinity monkeys in front of infinity typewriters until one of them types all the works of Shakespeare; only in this version, <i>you </i>are one of the monkeys, and you're using a cell phone instead of a typewriter. Imagine how much faster you could inadvertently produce the entire works of Shakespeare by randomly talking instead of randomly enterting text on your phone?! </li>
<li><b>Expensive</b> for people with crappy cell phone plans. </li>
<li><b>Inducers of tendonitis</b> in the thumbs. </li>
<li><b>Characteristic of teenage girls</b>: I would ask, who is <i>most </i>known for their dexterous and voluminous production of messages comprised of text? That's right, girls aged 13-17. So do you want to be more, or less similar to a teenage girl? Or perhaps you literally are one, in which case you get a temporary pass on this point. You also get a prize, because I doubt anyone of your demographic will read this.</li>
<li><b>Social Impropriety</b>: If you've ever read a Jane Austen novel, you know she's all about propriety. And one sure way to violate her rules, and to lessen your chances of a happy marriage with Mr. Darcy or Elizabeth or whomever, is to send a lot of texts while in social settings. I'm confident she would not approve. </li>
</ol><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaR9R3z1EsiXeDHxHHHQBVDP1Gy_KvXv4UGYJ8BMf80oG_jDCzCigmvj4qLghZamNlZunD6frEplsX0u4k44-5rBsSeHuiRzq49Vyc8AK7EeKQJ4wJqtm8Xv-ffrWJzEr4HT89YxNqqk/s1600/expensive-cow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaR9R3z1EsiXeDHxHHHQBVDP1Gy_KvXv4UGYJ8BMf80oG_jDCzCigmvj4qLghZamNlZunD6frEplsX0u4k44-5rBsSeHuiRzq49Vyc8AK7EeKQJ4wJqtm8Xv-ffrWJzEr4HT89YxNqqk/s320/expensive-cow.jpg" /></a></div>The bottom line for me is this: You can be an interrupting cow, or you can <b>not</b> be an interrupting cow. And don't forget there are pros and cons. While "moos" can be annoying, even a cow of the interrupting variety can likely produce milk, and by association cheese and ice cream, which are always good, unless you're lactose intolerant, or trying to lose weight, or a vegan, or otherwise at odds with the dairy industry.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Or to put it another way, is the following your destiny? <br />
<br />
"Knock, knock."<br />
"Who's there?"<br />
"Interrupting Cow."<br />
"Interrupting C....."<br />
"MMMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-57134044107677213832010-05-31T19:03:00.015-04:002010-06-03T03:42:06.560-04:00Diaper Advice from the Masses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULtL68GRHNMk-6KNjHGPrpEcVlhkF1eWhSgpB6xvimXgG9F47LGaGUhGCoPDIm0fJtOXjwibF8tJQHYjlBmWWV2rKhAFsN6KtTsUTduEodTogEf-0lFe6xZcKTV-u5ZfIqxf2DyE0lT8/s1600/IMG_4520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULtL68GRHNMk-6KNjHGPrpEcVlhkF1eWhSgpB6xvimXgG9F47LGaGUhGCoPDIm0fJtOXjwibF8tJQHYjlBmWWV2rKhAFsN6KtTsUTduEodTogEf-0lFe6xZcKTV-u5ZfIqxf2DyE0lT8/s320/IMG_4520.JPG" /></a></div><div class="ii gt" id=":2gm"><span style="font-size: small;">A few months ago I asked my facebook friends for advice on what diapers are best. Diapers are a big part of my life, so I needed to know. Actually it was for my sister Annie, who's due to have her first baby....tomorrow! Since old facebook statuses disappear into an unsearchable abyss, I'm posting the responses here for a handy reference. Read on to expand your diaper knowledge. </span></div><div class="ii gt" id=":2gm"></div><div class="ii gt" id=":2gm"><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Additional suggestions welcome, thanks again to all those who contributed!</span></div><div class="ii gt" id=":2gm"></div><div class="ii gt" id=":2gm"><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">(The picture to the right is just shameless promotion of my cute niece Adriana...who happens to know a lot about diapers.)</span> </span></div><div class="ii gt" id=":2gm"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>All you mother-types out there, which disposable diapers are the best? </b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>JJ says: </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">We go with <b>pampers</b>. They say <b>huggies</b> causes rash and they did to josie. The cheap ones are flimsy like paper. Never tried <b>luvs</b><i> </i>or whatever the other one is. If you have newborn try the <b>swaddlers</b>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Jodi says: </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">It depends on the baby. <b>Huggies</b> or <b>Pampers </b>though. <br />
I loved the<i> </i><b>pampers swaddlers</b> when Kristen was a baby. Now I use the <i> </i><b>Costco brand</b> diapers though. Just as good as <b>Huggies</b> to me!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Eden says: </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">We like the <b>Huggies</b> for Newborn-Size 2 then at Size 3 we like to switch to <b>Luvs</b>.<b> Pampers</b> gave my oldest a bad rash.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Jaron says:</u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">We have tried them all and the ones that we prefer are the <b>Target Brand</b> diapers. Right now we are using <b> Huggies</b>, but that is only because that is the only brand available on this stinking island.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Ronnie says: </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Huggies</b> seems to work better on chubbier babies- but they have worked well on my skinny kids. I like the way <b>Pampers</b> smell. And recently I've gotten into <b>Target</b> diapers. I think they changed the material or the cut or something but I love them. They do a great job and it's a dramatic difference in price. Why pay a lot for something you throw away?<br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Actually though- I'm seriously thinking about getting into <b>cloth diapering</b> though- sure there's clean up- but my eco-friendly side would feel better about it. I also hear it's better for toilet training... </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Amanda says: </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wow, I'm shocked to see good reviews of the <b>Target brand</b>! They totally leaked for my kids...but I'm glad they worked for you guys. I think it totally depends on weight and age. BUT I've tried the <b>Costco Brand</b>, <b>Huggies</b>, <b>Pampers</b>, the <b>WalMart brand</b> and the <b>Target Brand</b>. I like <b>Pampers</b> <b>Swaddlers</b> HANDS DOWN for newborns. They are soft and they fit well. After that I switch to the <b>Costco brand</b>. <b>Huggies </b>were good for my baby girl, but have leaked a lot more on Rio. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So if it's a boy I'd say <b>Swaddlers</b>, then <b>Costco</b> or <b>Pampers</b>. Girl- <b>Swaddlers</b> then it doesn't really matter. I think the main difference in diapers are:<br />
A. How comfortable they seem for the kiddo and <br />
B. How often you have to change them<br />
<br />
So, <b>Target</b> diapers were cheaper, but I had to change the kids 6 times a day to avoid leaking...they are also super-bulky for my skinny kiddos. With <b>Huggies/Pampers</b> I can change em 3 times a day and they seem like they'd be more comfy. <b>Costco</b> ones are almost as good as <b>Huggies</b>, I think. maybe one more change per day. <br />
<br />
Okay, so there's my way-too-much-info analysis of the Diaper market. I should try <b>LUVS</b> then I'd have tried pretty much everything. :)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Michael says: </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is totally different for each kid. Ours can only use <b>Huggies</b> without getting diaper rash.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Marie says: </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">For newborns I think we used <b>Huggies</b> and liked them. We used <b>luvs</b> sometimes too but I didn't like the of them. I mainly used the <b>walmart brand</b> when Lilly grew bigger though and never had any problem with them. I was lucky cause I didn't have a baby prone to diaper rash</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Ashley says: </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Pampers Swaddlers</b> for newborn to 6 months... In my opinion!!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Becky says: </u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">IN CASE you haven't received enough answers...<br />
<br />
I agree that <b>Pampers Swaddlers</b> are best for newborns - so SOFT! But then we switch to <b>store-brand</b> because they're loads cheaper and do the job credibly. <b>Huggies</b> are decent but seem to soak through easily. TMI?<br />
<br />
P.S. I'm a little shocked Jaron responded to this. :-)</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></u></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> *****</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></u></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><u><span style="font-size: large;"></span></u></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Addendum:</u> </b> Several additional diaper suggestions can be found in the comments to<a href="http://www.facebook.com/tannerben?v=wall&story_fbid=131829546827515#%21/notes/ben-tanner/diaper-advice-from-the-masses/10150194859205341"> this facebook note</a> (the imported version of this blog post). </span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/tannerben" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"></span></a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span> </div>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-7558891910792202912010-05-02T01:48:00.007-04:002010-05-02T02:57:40.436-04:00Hooked on Phonics is overrated<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgyi6nUzZC4dIAAHwn2dqhtRvIiYQeqQDknXy37y2CPUvBieorDK-MjtDituDTA42EF-32YULzuI4C5zB3dFTZg9_R0mkKWw10oiQzSmcWf3SlWEgdGGeIjepuZnNjzuiz5YzoKoTNPs/s1600/IMG_3729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgyi6nUzZC4dIAAHwn2dqhtRvIiYQeqQDknXy37y2CPUvBieorDK-MjtDituDTA42EF-32YULzuI4C5zB3dFTZg9_R0mkKWw10oiQzSmcWf3SlWEgdGGeIjepuZnNjzuiz5YzoKoTNPs/s320/IMG_3729.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I've got this really cute and awesome niece, Caslea, who's five years old. She's also really smart. Recently she was asked to write down all the fun things she wanted to do over the weekend, and using her prodigious phonetics skills, this is what she came up with (I understood all except one):<br />
<ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB950cwp9klFwinfb1wHHKFqKGOcWsRoJKK0k0x6_Hj_fAkeXlZbVIc86fCW5UxjF-Zt4kOoIXH9FTO0KyjxkyeQ8iAUIaHNUScssZ3p1A3yXXY85y3oI3TC4m9tkPuIuVK-k4HBiSqww/s1600/IMG_3579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB950cwp9klFwinfb1wHHKFqKGOcWsRoJKK0k0x6_Hj_fAkeXlZbVIc86fCW5UxjF-Zt4kOoIXH9FTO0KyjxkyeQ8iAUIaHNUScssZ3p1A3yXXY85y3oI3TC4m9tkPuIuVK-k4HBiSqww/s320/IMG_3579.jpg" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHgri0OORxI63AbE4KS0OgAvDu6whbZJL5dPxKHk-nJMZFUsx2SdS7OMeLsw3cTkp6RqZ9HXbhQy67h1dgHg46aqta76YddEaaxgT6ffkRRl7KvixFBu1b0KALwib1BAGMbNXWw6_bD8/s1600/IMG_3744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeHgri0OORxI63AbE4KS0OgAvDu6whbZJL5dPxKHk-nJMZFUsx2SdS7OMeLsw3cTkp6RqZ9HXbhQy67h1dgHg46aqta76YddEaaxgT6ffkRRl7KvixFBu1b0KALwib1BAGMbNXWw6_bD8/s320/IMG_3744.jpg" /></a>
<li>go swimeeg</li>
<li>go to a reschot</li>
<li>woch a movy</li>
<li>hav fun</li>
<li>play the spanish game</li>
<li>ol uv us get a penny</li>
<li>be nise</li>
<li>play with eech uther</li>
<li>go bulleeg</li>
<li>go to the pork</li>
<li>play gams</li>
<li>eet canndy</li>
<li>go to chuckee cheese's</li>
<li>bee happy</li>
<li>by donut's</li>
<li>eet food</li>
<li>mak lemenad</li>
<li>get lecerish</li>
<li>do a pordy</li>
<li>mac stuff</li>
<li>blow bloo's</li>
<li>mace a cayk</li>
<li>go to disnlee land</li>
<li>have a pnicnik</li>
<li>play with zeeko</li>
<li>if someone left, mak a spis</li>
<li>go to the museeume</li>
<li>go on a chresher hunt</li>
<li>jres up</li>
<li>go to sleep</li>
<li>jreec lemunad </li>
</ol><ol></ol><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia89hWChm-dkaCScgdCdUsdOE25fszaOupcOqwPu_QJZncFNBYsCzcTegfj_w3_6lR6pW02N3r5YKJAx8ftYUXH1615wKW45oUSs9KJ9Oo6LlBIx6Jh1Oc9Q-IYWQ8G8fKf66qZzQEKNg/s1600/IMG_3605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia89hWChm-dkaCScgdCdUsdOE25fszaOupcOqwPu_QJZncFNBYsCzcTegfj_w3_6lR6pW02N3r5YKJAx8ftYUXH1615wKW45oUSs9KJ9Oo6LlBIx6Jh1Oc9Q-IYWQ8G8fKf66qZzQEKNg/s320/IMG_3605.jpg" /></a><br />
My favorite phonetics: "chresher hunt", "jres up", "jreec lemunad"<br />
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Activities I most want to try: "go to the pork", "ol uv us get a penny", "do a pordy" <br />
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She's only in kindergarten, but it's pretty awesome how she figures this stuff out. She's obviously smarter than I was, I don't think I learned how to write like that until second grade....if ever. <br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Also, I think her list would make for an extremely divertive weekend; next time I need some quality fun I'll refer to it. Thanks Caz!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<ol></ol>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-41363827910676992332010-04-20T00:27:00.014-04:002010-04-20T01:22:19.540-04:00The Color Orange: How I almost turned into a carrot, and what I learned<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5gSqvFg75MGCeckfjPajOzqdPbLjGVWquCpV4dK4UJroFfaP38rEfKQh_Otg3xWOPvdSMOpuiTQLvmOyqN0VjG9XyjHOGdPyZNBSrDCiZ9WYCJif_FA5Yt5HD_LSI-JNTE6tPKcHaLI/s1600/me+as+carrot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia5gSqvFg75MGCeckfjPajOzqdPbLjGVWquCpV4dK4UJroFfaP38rEfKQh_Otg3xWOPvdSMOpuiTQLvmOyqN0VjG9XyjHOGdPyZNBSrDCiZ9WYCJif_FA5Yt5HD_LSI-JNTE6tPKcHaLI/s200/me+as+carrot.jpg" width="178" /></a>I just got done <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2010/03/carrot-time.html">eating a pound of carrots every day for a month</a> (March 6th through April 4th). Actually I got done over two weeks ago, but I've been on a really long road trip ever since and couldn't share any of my findings. Now, at long last, the moment one or two (or even three) of you have been waiting for: <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">What happened?</span></b></span><br />
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Eating a pound of carrots every day was difficult, much more so than I had anticipated. But I did it anyway-I was dedicated to the Carrot Cause. For the first 28 days or so, as I was plugging along, testing out new methods of eating carrots, and hoping my GI tract wouldn't implode, I didn't notice any change in my skin color. On day 28, however, I compared my palms with those of a few other people, and we all agreed mine were a little more orange (or red, or both) than the others. I kept looking around and asking people what they thought, and over the next few days I became convinced that:<br />
<ol><li>Both my palms and my soles were more orange than before. Not overwhelmingly so--no one stopped me on the street and screamed, "You have orange palms!"--but noticeably more than other people's. <br />
</li>
<li>My face had more color to it - It seemed more red than orange, but it looked like I had spent a day or two outside, when in reality I had been living like a vampire for the prior several days and seen very little sun. I also wasn't wearing any blush, so we can rule that out. <br />
</li>
<li>No other part of me changed color in any noticeable way.</li>
</ol> That's the good news--I observed some modest changes on certain parts of my body. The bad news is, the pictures don't show it very clearly, and maybe only the keenest of observers will notice. Whether it's because I have zero photography skills, or because it's hard to photograph one's own palms, or because I can't figure out when to use a flash and when not, the pictures are inadequate to really show what happened. However, they aren't without merit--you can probably see at least a little color in the "after" pic of the palms, and when I looked at the enlarged "after" pic of my face I could see a tiny bit of red. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Pictures</span> </span></b>(click to enlarge)<b>:<br />
</b></span><br />
<ul></ul><br />
<b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Before</span> </b> <b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After</span></b><br />
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<i> </i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">What else did I learn?</span> </b></span><br />
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<b>First off, a pound of carrots is both more and less than you think</b>. It sounds like a lot, so at first you might say, "Wow, a whole pound of carrots every day!" Then you look at the bag and you're not as impressed. But then you try to eat them, and about halfway through your jaw is aching, your stomach is distended, you think you're turning into a carrot, and you still have half a bag to go. That's when you say, "I don't think the human body is meant to ingest this many carrots in one day." And you're probably right. <br />
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<b>Second, carrot smoothies are, for reasons unknown, anathema to my stomach</b>. The first few days were fairly smooth, and on day four I tried putting most of a day's carrots into a smoothy with some fruit (banana, apple, orange). The smoothy tasted surprisingly good, and I thought I'd found a great way to get get the carrots down faster, and with less likelihood of developing jaw arthritis. But a few hours after drinking the carrot smoothy, my stomach went crazy. I had all sorts of bloating and pain. Nothing could calm it (I tried a ton of remedies). I didn't even blame it on the smoothy at first, I just thought I had exceeded some "carrot threshold" and I was paying the price. And I almost gave up as a result. But as my stomach very gradually calmed over the next five days or so, I kept thinking back to the smoothy and growing more suspicious of it. I tried making a similar smoothy one more time to verify my hypothesis--this time I carefully spread the smoothy-consumption out over the whole day--and sure enough, I had some of the same symptoms, though they were less severe and didn't last as long. Who knew smoothies would be the bane of my carrot existence? <br />
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<b>Third, it's really hard to eat a whole carrot cake in one night</b>. It's also hard to eat a whole loaf of carrot bread in a day. I tried the cake once and the bread twice, and though they were delicious (except the second loaf, which I screwed up), it was really, really hard to get it all down in a single evening (so much so that I gave away the last fourth or so of the cake and ate some more carrots to make up the difference). And that was after substantially reduced the quantities of the non-carrot ingredients in both the cake and the bread - before the reduction, the cake would have had somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000 calories; my changes likely chopped off over 1000 of those.<br />
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<b>Fourth, the easiest and most enjoyable way to eat carrots</b> that I tried was the All Carrot No Potato version of <a href="https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AZC6LMrS6JaFZGZ2MnAyYnhfMzRnOWRiaDhncw&hl=en">this recipe</a>, using Lipton soup and oil. Those were some tantalizing carrots! (see below) <br />
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Eventually I quit trying so many recipes and settled on just sticks. After all, this project was supposed to make me more healthy, right? Cake and dessert bread don't usually do that. And while I was trying to use the new recipes to calm my stomach, all it really needed was no more smoothies! <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Other tidbits you can take or leave</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>:</b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span> </b></span><br />
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During the second half of my experiment, I divided the carrots into AM and PM carrots, trying to eat the AM bag before lunch, and the PM's after. Spreading them out helped my GI tract, not to mention my sanity. <br />
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I made a habit of drinking water coolers (zero-calorie drinks that taste kinda like diet Sprite) with my carrots almost every day to make eating them more fun, though I discontinued this practice during the the stomach-craze of weeks one and two. <br />
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As <a href="http://tompeligro.blogspot.com/">Thomas Culwell</a> recommended, I reported a subjective "healthiness level" each day, on a scale of 1-10. The results were pretty unremarkable - they dipped after each smoothy, but otherwise seemed to depend mostly on how much sleep I'd gotten.<br />
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I tracked the research in my notebook, checking off carrots and recording observations. There's a picture of these pages att the bottom, but I warn you it's not for the faint of heart - a couple parts have what for many people would be Too Much Information. One day early on I wrote, "[I] feel like a carrot". Another day much later I wrote, "Getting really tired of carrots now for some reason." Go figure. <br />
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I've decided that eating a pound-a-day for 30 days isn't the most effective way to turn orange--it might take more than 30 days for the color change to really take effect, and you probably don't need a whole pound each day for it to happen. I postulate that half-a-pound every day for 60 days would be more effective. <br />
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Turns out, there are <a href="http://www.carrotrecipes.net/">a lot of carrot recipes</a> out there. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span">Conclusions:</span></b></span><br />
<ul><li>Eating a pound of carrots every day, like crocheting and garbage-collecting, is harder than it sounds. </li>
<li>Carrot smoothies are dangerous, and sometime in the future they may be used for biological warfare.</li>
<li>I may be less prone to turning orange than your average Joe Shmoe. </li>
<li>Eat fewer carrots for a longer period of time if you really want to turn orange. </li>
<li>I will never eat another carrot. At least not on purpose. At least not very soon. </li>
</ul><br />
<ul></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Carrots in pictures:</b></span></div><ul></ul><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjyVhDhE4fqr8kJwviBtdOz1CSlvirlToBaKwYzv88hC2zRGGDX1oHOfNHAT_7NiDSojjDXD1oDhf2GLJafoNi3BrLszSXHXReCs1qpThmLYtffxQr3TnjXBTfuH2Pt9ECVzKu6CZ74M/s1600/IMG_3352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjyVhDhE4fqr8kJwviBtdOz1CSlvirlToBaKwYzv88hC2zRGGDX1oHOfNHAT_7NiDSojjDXD1oDhf2GLJafoNi3BrLszSXHXReCs1qpThmLYtffxQr3TnjXBTfuH2Pt9ECVzKu6CZ74M/s320/IMG_3352.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUObaPnJSbY6pI347v9XhGE6N-AkMIiPkItlH938qiH2x4xP6ggioHxHBsxs9AHgEoG5bv7OigktQXKVVap9ClSsBrMaluvScFDnAnR2j8SU31zsx6THH157RTeILslzK63xvB19FbGw/s1600/IMG_3333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUObaPnJSbY6pI347v9XhGE6N-AkMIiPkItlH938qiH2x4xP6ggioHxHBsxs9AHgEoG5bv7OigktQXKVVap9ClSsBrMaluvScFDnAnR2j8SU31zsx6THH157RTeILslzK63xvB19FbGw/s320/IMG_3333.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKdp1P7nXBgszM0v_kI6IK-hhj6XQCz0r1zB2KSv_Cpw7X-kC8_pi2xkLbpVLejC9Hu3U6RXNjR-pmVihDLsT6X43fhGhSeebfScWQyAXvjPQF7kpA3x4rAlUAnaJvWawMM5JctWpWkI/s1600/IMG_3392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwKdp1P7nXBgszM0v_kI6IK-hhj6XQCz0r1zB2KSv_Cpw7X-kC8_pi2xkLbpVLejC9Hu3U6RXNjR-pmVihDLsT6X43fhGhSeebfScWQyAXvjPQF7kpA3x4rAlUAnaJvWawMM5JctWpWkI/s320/IMG_3392.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWMaPR349oyqBi70gKZ74YABsDl0byaF5SKKK9OXSqCcfuIusR4JwfXMgzRd_ftEd1JicE9L_JVdfRLuAd1mZaEp10tM3xqNPAgdIjrFHzuS7vZDhgGG44Oo4Pm2ZjJ9hZ-x7-bl5cgc/s1600/IMG_3361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyWMaPR349oyqBi70gKZ74YABsDl0byaF5SKKK9OXSqCcfuIusR4JwfXMgzRd_ftEd1JicE9L_JVdfRLuAd1mZaEp10tM3xqNPAgdIjrFHzuS7vZDhgGG44Oo4Pm2ZjJ9hZ-x7-bl5cgc/s320/IMG_3361.JPG" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span>the carrot research journal (repeat warning: TMI):</b></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDNBYHXkDJt0AmDFDwd78CcEEipmwj_n5N5nEBXvBY5GLQspS8-mDOcLtgXeavVTReRFgEhhpyr5nVXSECwouEHrsZiQi6_PQBmZ9EncuPLc0h-sdsN7hqNRujcq0Y9kih9zK80X8rls/s1600/IMG_4340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpDNBYHXkDJt0AmDFDwd78CcEEipmwj_n5N5nEBXvBY5GLQspS8-mDOcLtgXeavVTReRFgEhhpyr5nVXSECwouEHrsZiQi6_PQBmZ9EncuPLc0h-sdsN7hqNRujcq0Y9kih9zK80X8rls/s320/IMG_4340.jpg" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: center;"></ul>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-35931981080996025292010-03-30T20:22:00.001-04:002010-03-31T00:31:16.665-04:00Scrabble ScoresI finally broke 500 points in Scrabble!<br />
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Mind you, it was on facebook Scrabble, where the rules are a little different (you can try crazy words and look up words within the game), but I'd never gotten that high before, on probably a few hundred previous attempts - a typical score is around 300. This time I got 526 points! And I won by over 300 points, something else I'm sure I've never done before. Other than perhaps the time I got a bingo with the word "bingoes", this may be my crowning achievement in Scrabble to date.<br />
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Some of the words that got me there: <br />
<ul><li>WATERING for 76 points </li>
<li>QUA for 63 </li>
<li>JOTS for 44</li>
<li>VOWELS for 39</li>
<li>ZONED for 39</li>
<li>a handful of others worth around 30</li>
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Here's what it looked like at the end (opponent's name removed to protect the somewhat-innocent): <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiRTJSvEzwhWNdtSDsDKmw7BSkUTVvIBBzNf9TWa6x4fm1KtbVGa8N8klqwtBH0vxeejWgb8v0B79P6Otw64gRsAb8fAy7eqf5lyxboC-FklJB7MJbjUMka6Asdg6rWYsev1XQz9vAvg/s1600/highest+score+new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCiRTJSvEzwhWNdtSDsDKmw7BSkUTVvIBBzNf9TWa6x4fm1KtbVGa8N8klqwtBH0vxeejWgb8v0B79P6Otw64gRsAb8fAy7eqf5lyxboC-FklJB7MJbjUMka6Asdg6rWYsev1XQz9vAvg/s400/highest+score+new.jpg" width="383" /></a></div><br />
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A different game that I'm in had something really funny happen. In the game (seen below) my opponent played the word "toile" (apparently a type of cloth) right next to a triple word tile, where all I need to do is add on one letter to get a triple score. Perhaps she didn't realize that "toile" is one letter short of spelling "toilet", "toiled", "toiles", "toiler" and maybe other words....or perhaps this is all an elaborate joke. I can't be sure, but I'm going to add a 'd', use a couple more letters to make two words, and rake in about 40 points. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwkiFImEqu-XYfytFruQcSh5wg7TjUfirMZFGZhtIVeMv2gPVmco1iJufECrmrorEBPKfLEC6JjWBQES81LLM5H1io3nTP2Ui5XkfzgCKsamkZr_bM6-qrkTbSrQVOoI8ss_ItCDaVNw/s1600/toile....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibwkiFImEqu-XYfytFruQcSh5wg7TjUfirMZFGZhtIVeMv2gPVmco1iJufECrmrorEBPKfLEC6JjWBQES81LLM5H1io3nTP2Ui5XkfzgCKsamkZr_bM6-qrkTbSrQVOoI8ss_ItCDaVNw/s400/toile....jpg" width="396" /></a></div>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-800881093181268214.post-15534042515261665232010-03-06T23:30:00.007-05:002015-09-06T03:19:24.167-04:00Carrots are orange, are you?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrC9VoQeRElhS-apPhA8Bw12MfgzbNtbJX-IsCLvRNgpwjelN5qlztUWQJ6TfBL5XUi0hw-rNJenCsIwa9kwUl2-WNMS22ETx6fBu_1MiKzA-W7Zhz-WFWpRBeD31KMWpbMn8JqmZ-Lw/s1600-h/carrots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqrC9VoQeRElhS-apPhA8Bw12MfgzbNtbJX-IsCLvRNgpwjelN5qlztUWQJ6TfBL5XUi0hw-rNJenCsIwa9kwUl2-WNMS22ETx6fBu_1MiKzA-W7Zhz-WFWpRBeD31KMWpbMn8JqmZ-Lw/s200/carrots.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Will carrots turn me orange? I'm not sure, but I'd like to find out. </span><br />
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See, I've often heard that if you eat enough carrots your skin will turn orange. My college roommate Jake wondered about this, and even designed an experiment in which he was to eat a pound a day for a week; only he gave up after a couple days. Was he sick of carrots, or did he just not want to turn orange? And would it have worked anyway? More importantly, how would having orange skin have affected his dating life?<br />
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Questions lingered.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBqWpsLOSA4dMMDz4JkgfD5290BDWkAmTssTyUSdnldl0bukUtn5swknn1ZD3r4EZuLCn83jZs-qfKooNwiXossW5JAFRgELBmn844EIdgISSvXXQIiVK0xr158rm32gS5oDz5-aq0So/s1600-h/whole+carrots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBqWpsLOSA4dMMDz4JkgfD5290BDWkAmTssTyUSdnldl0bukUtn5swknn1ZD3r4EZuLCn83jZs-qfKooNwiXossW5JAFRgELBmn844EIdgISSvXXQIiVK0xr158rm32gS5oDz5-aq0So/s320/whole+carrots.jpg" width="200" /></a>Lately I've consumed copious carrots. And while enjoying this carrot bounty, I've oft been reminded of the carrot questions of yesteryear, and the unfinished experiment. Isaac Newton once said, "If I have seen further than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants." Well Jake's kind of a giant (he's about 6'4), so I'd like to stand on his shoulders and sample the view. Not to mention finish the carrot experiment that he started. In doing so, not only may I advance the frontier of human knowledge, I will also find out if carrots can turn me visibly orange.<br />
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So here's the plan:<br />
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Starting today, I will eat a pound of carrots every day for not just a week as in the original experiment, but for a month! I'll only stop if I turn clearly and grotesquely orange before the end of the month, or I become deathly ill. Afterward I'll post my results, with a picture </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Related things I've looked into that you may want to know about</u>:</span></span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Turning Orange</b></span>: </span>When your skin turns orange after eating carrots it's called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotenemia">carotenosis</a>. The compounds that turn you orange are carotenoids, and carrots have a lot of them. Many other foods contain carotenoid (mostly vegetables and fruits), but in widely varying amounts. So you might be able to turn orange from eating, say, mangoes, but it's a lot less likely (and maybe impossible) that you would eat enough of them for this to happen. Carotenosis is benign, and the treatment is to stop eating carrots.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZ0TDLUV3PRt9bGTqnAX5cLnXCKu5PEenY1Fz1LCs815T7aymoZ5gqvqGVH54rUSdBGgG1MsvoscXjfe8knco5DrX5lRMo_biODXuwWD72QqlA0HrR4OGgjEY3HP0kmIFDOn028YG5gU/s1600/vitamins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZ0TDLUV3PRt9bGTqnAX5cLnXCKu5PEenY1Fz1LCs815T7aymoZ5gqvqGVH54rUSdBGgG1MsvoscXjfe8knco5DrX5lRMo_biODXuwWD72QqlA0HrR4OGgjEY3HP0kmIFDOn028YG5gU/s200/vitamins.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Vitamin A & likelihood of Death:</b></span> One thing that's not benign is getting way to much vitamin A. It gets stored in your liver and can have detrimental effects. Will I be getting way too much during this experiment? Maybe but not really. First of all, vitamin A consumption is cumulative, so if I ate a pound of carrots every day for the rest of my life, it might build up to toxic levels. But in the short term, I'm probably ok. Second, the natural precursor to vitamin A that you get from carrots is not as likely to be harmful as the preformed kind you get in some vitamin supplements. And that's why toxic doses of vitamin A come almost exclusively from either overdosing on vitamin supplements, or from eating liver. As a safety precaution, during the experiment I will not take any supplements containing vitamin A, nor eat even one liver. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Will my Whole Body Turn Orange?</b></span> It's possible, but most often the visible <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carotenemia#Physiology">color change is limited</a> to the palms and soles, with honorary mention to the knees and the skin on either side of the nose. </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Price of Carrots: </span></b> Did you know carrots are free? That's right, you can go to the grocery store and pick up as many carrots as you want, and you don't have to pay for them! That will be really convenient for the next month or so. Ok, I'm lying. But in Weight Watchers, the ever-popular diet plan, carrots are considered a "free" food. That means that while there are limits on how much you can eat of most foods while following Weight Watchers, there's no limit on how many carrots you can eat! This is because they have so few calories that the positive benefit of the fiber is equal to or greater than any detriment derived from those extra calories. So carrots are free. You couldn't get fat off them if you tried. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLFMPSYj4hRpkZrFWc8ywqR_o806hLu4V0kXSXwNdg9qA_i0oajmBouKTbYugAs-OkgnsWMl9LpaBX9cVF-wPDhDv4tkU_YZ7suvmWZRIoMm6RJDrhQe3S7YJyTCPpwyaGUDqsoOyC5Q/s1600-h/carrot-cake-705628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRLFMPSYj4hRpkZrFWc8ywqR_o806hLu4V0kXSXwNdg9qA_i0oajmBouKTbYugAs-OkgnsWMl9LpaBX9cVF-wPDhDv4tkU_YZ7suvmWZRIoMm6RJDrhQe3S7YJyTCPpwyaGUDqsoOyC5Q/s200/carrot-cake-705628.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Price of Carrot Cake: </b></span> Carrot cake is not free. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Last and probably least, a couple "before" pictures, with focus on the palms: <b> </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ-B7JzbNPNx2EToHSa6UvGDdBUbCvfRTlEtelKHuVOfONT1zmQ_OP9lLP-d9strQVRh9_cZrYsLQ3HdoAQPSSX08Nw8DTZ4OOZvEMIBx3XwDGqcpKgdk52DJanT_F6tE4Idlpj9Tfp0/s1600-h/IMG_3174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqQ-B7JzbNPNx2EToHSa6UvGDdBUbCvfRTlEtelKHuVOfONT1zmQ_OP9lLP-d9strQVRh9_cZrYsLQ3HdoAQPSSX08Nw8DTZ4OOZvEMIBx3XwDGqcpKgdk52DJanT_F6tE4Idlpj9Tfp0/s200/IMG_3174.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ykugUFLEjfxyL2c9pd4joFAqkVy44CxLXPaz5N6cG2S36XVvyjJ_KTbP9qTJVLoEmEdINnwvcD-aCHwji9UF6hIqvyOFQbaEG4Bc6UG_Gw84VqQeSgOOV8Ui1AAzfBM_TTbw60UP1ZE/s1600-h/hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><img border="0" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ykugUFLEjfxyL2c9pd4joFAqkVy44CxLXPaz5N6cG2S36XVvyjJ_KTbP9qTJVLoEmEdINnwvcD-aCHwji9UF6hIqvyOFQbaEG4Bc6UG_Gw84VqQeSgOOV8Ui1AAzfBM_TTbw60UP1ZE/s400/hands.jpg" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">UPDATE: <a href="http://bentanner.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html">Here's where I talk about the results of the experiment. </a></span><br />
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Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07162320533452363444noreply@blogger.com6