NYC Journal

Ron,

What you say about easier for me than others is likely true. This understanding actually was very helpful.

I should be dead many times I feel so I already know I’m a survivor.

I do trust my urologist, and I’m going with what she suggests. The hormone therapy drug she mentioned that begins with an “A” is this new generation version.

Seems like I’m getting the best of care here in New York. I was horrified with the absence of medical infrastructure down in North Carolina. Shortages and kinda almost third world like.

I think when I go under 150 pounds I look kinda sickly like a drug addict, so I know there is a threshold…

I started rowing. I’m breaking it down to 10-12 minutes at a time as a set that can allow recovery and to avoid fatigue.

The Concept 2 rower has a micro computer that calculates average distance, average speed, total distance, time, and can calculate calories. Pretty much my moderate effort in 10 minutes burns 100 calories. I speculate a 12 minute set could burn 120 calories, easy math, 600 calories an hour.

I figure best not to strain my body, and this pretty much avoids making me into a skanky mess.

Cal
 
Thanks for reminding me about the Concept 2. I have one that I have not used in a couple of years, all set up in the attic. It makes me feel pretty good after a brief row and i should get back to it. My wind is not what it should be.
 
O-H,

I did a 10 minute pull, and then a second 10 minute pull on my Concept 2.

Unlike the gym where I pump blood for a good hour in a continuous manner and feel beat up later, I feel energized, more alert, and perhaps more alive than I have felt in a while.

Granted that in the gym I push things. My idea is not to do that. Seems to have a better effect. My idea is to break down an hour into perhaps 6 ten minute “sets” to build up an hour overall. Still burns about 600 calories and the pumping of blood does lots of good.

I actually feel suddenly younger…

After the hour goal, I’ll try to do an hour out of 5 twelve minute sets.

This is EZ-PZ to do. Pretty much gentle intervals…

If you try this, let me know if it works for you. I kinda feel like I’m in my 40’s instead of in my mid 60’s.

We will get to where we need to be.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It was very helpful and created peace.

Cal
 
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I kinda feel younger after yesterday’s 2x ten minute rows. The blood flow enhanced my day and unlike the gym it did not do anything to add fatigue that takes me down a notch.

I curbed my efforts because I was utilizing different muscles. Also know when you have a small tight butt that the seat takes some adjustment to get use to. Pretty much you are bearing weight that gets directed though the stroke directly to the pelvis as a pivot. Anyways that’s me.

It will be interesting to see if maybe I can get to 4 ten minute sets in today and see how I feel. Somehow I feel like a different man. I also feel younger, more alert, and more energetic.

I’m thinking of what my new life expectancy might be. The point was made that Social Security is being targeted for cuts, and some of the plans will shorten its solvency.

I already know that collecting before I’m 70 might become a “forced-move” like in a chess game. There seems a high probability that I will have to collect earlier than planned to grandfather myself in.

Lots to think about. I have to come up with a plan…

With the treatment I’m going to receive there is a 67% probability of being Cancer free for 15 years. In a little more than a week I’ll be 67 years old, so pretty much that gets me to 82. That’s not too bad, but not only do I want more because I’m greedy, but there is a pretty reasonable chance of building on the 82 years as a bonus.

I think the most important thing for me though is my independence and then having a nice and sustainable quality to my life.

I believe cutting Social Security would be revolutionary and would create a revolution of sorts that would lead to violence. Pretty much Arab Spring was caused by hungry children, but this uprising would be old retiree’s who basically would be fighting for their own survival and existence.

Do you know that the self-funding of Social Security was looted and pilfered to fund other government programs?

As I say, the money has to come from somewhere, and basically senior citizens are expected to bit the bullet, take the hit, and pay the price.

Even worse are the younger generations that have to support an aging population…

I don’t use the word “looted” lightly here…

Cal
 
I have to brag that Yoko Ono near the Apple Store on West 14th Street pretty much gave me this look like I was a chunk of meat. She was with one of her son’s I think.

Pretty much the look of a hungry woman carnevore. Her son was in front of her, and they were walking towards me, so the son did not see the famished look his mother gave me.

This goes back to when I was between 49 and 59 on a winter’s day. I was walking around burning some time before an appointment with my Hematologist at a Cancer hospital.

I was reduced to a sex object.

Don’t tell “Maggie.”

Cal
 
I believe cutting Social Security would be revolutionary and would create a revolution of sorts that would lead to violence. Pretty much Arab Spring was caused by hungry children, but this uprising would be old retiree’s who basically would be fighting for their own survival and existence.
I threw a few bricks back in the Viet Nam era, and I know I'm in a few government databases. So, what the hell, never too late to kick some butt; maybe it's time to get my throwing arm back in shape!
 
Pretty much many on Social Security have a lot to loose.

There will likely be some serious consequences if any of the proposed changes happen.

Cal
 
Devil Dan,

Always great to see that 5222 look and the great contrast and exposure latitude.

Pretty much Kodak 5222 is my favorite film. Does mucho well with my “Slacker’s Brew” (Diafine). The compensating effect of Diafine makes wonderful contrast and easy to print negatives.

Give me an unlimited supply of 5222 and Fuji Acros and pretty much film heaven.

The flock (my birds) have displayed some aggressive behavior feeding. The rear feeder gets depleted daily, and I call it my fast feeder. The feeder in my front-backyard is my slow feeder that has 4 ports and a tray for overflow/spillage.

When the front-feeder is about half empty, the top two ports no longer supply seed, then the birds get competitive…

I took a one liter seltzer bottle and trimmed off the bottom to effectively make a funnel with tall sides. This funnel allows me to easily refill the half filled feeder so there is no food fighting.

When fully loaded there can be 8-10 small birds hanging from the feeder.

Cal
 
My very best and good wishes to you (and all who post here) for a truly enjoyable happy holidays period.

Christmas Day gone, Boxing Day with a capitalist vengeance, a new year on the way. And for you, new adventures, possibly a few trying times, but many more years to come, so we all hope.

We all of us are looking forward to many more posts from you in the times to come.
 
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I only did a 10 minute row.

Did do a hike at Blue Mountain with “Maggie.” It seems the cold tied me. Was not really cold out, and the hike was kinda mild. Wiped me out, it seems.

Oh-well…

Early bed-time.

All the best…

Cal
 
The other day I went to reload the back feeder, and a Black Capped Chickadee hung onto the feeder as I was removing it. They say over time some birds become kinda friendly.

Today spent some time with Andrew. Took him along for a shopping trip to Trader Joe’s, then we stopped to buy some bagels on the way home.

He lent me a book by Paul Theroux, “Riding The Iron Rooster” about a train ride through China in a time when foreigners could only enter when China was less open and foreigners could only travel with “handlers.”

It is a big thick book.

People ask if I have been to China or if I want to visit. Pretty much I have no interest to visit, and they think that odd. It generally needs no explaination.

The culture I came from is now colonized by capitalism and government control. Actually not so different from here in the U.S. So what would be interesting? Perhaps a higher level of oppression and certainly less freedom. Actually mucho sad.

I think I experience hemalizing yesterday from the exposure to the cold. Pretty much I killed some red blood cells and that chemical that causes fatigue got triggered and released. So it seems I am becoming more vulnerable to the cold. In the past moderate weather like yesterday was no issue, but now it seems I’m hyper sensitive to the cold.

A key I learned recently is to stay warm to avoid fatigue. Pretty much I don’t need to hemalize to get fatigue. Staying indoors, using my heated vest, or wearing more clothing than needed are all good ideas.

Pretty much the only cure for my Cold Agglutinin Disease is a move to a warmer climate.

Cal
 
I only did a 10 minute row.

Did do a hike at Blue Mountain with “Maggie.” It seems the cold tied me. Was not really cold out, and the hike was kinda mild. Wiped me out, it seems.

Oh-well…

Early bed-time.

All the best…

Cal
As one stubborn old geezer to another (and one who also is compulsively active), I can say that one of the hardest lessons to learn and accept is that sometimes, for your own good, it's OK and even necessary to say "Oh-well... Early bed-time."
 
I realize I am old. No shame in realizing it.

The thing here is I’m open to the realization and being realistic about things.

I once was a bike bum and lived to ride. Pretty much biking was my life, and everything revolved around that. Glad I did it in a big way.

I have all those bikes from back in the day as reminders of how hard-core I was, but now with the propensity for cellulitis and 3 visits to the ER, I know I have to give up mountain biking that could lead to any cut that could become a life threatening infection or a hospital stay.

Oh-well.

So now add onto that list avoiding any chill or exposure to the cold.

These are life changers, but what choices do I have that are not self destructive?

So now any mountain biking is limited to fire roads. Oh-well, not a death sentence. Part of growing up I figure.

Cal
 
It was last week, when I saw a commercial jet with 4 jet plumes being “tailed” by what i think was a fighter jet. I was in my backyard.

Pretty much a commercial sized airliner with an escort for protection. The plumes ran parallel so pretty much it was clear both planes had the same flight plan and course.

I saw this another time over a decade ago when I lived in Long Island City, which is not so far from Laguardia. This time the planes were low and it absolutely was clear that the plane flying in the six O’clock blind spot fairly close to the tail was in fact a fighter plane.

The Peekskill sighting displayed 4 jet plumes from the commercial sized jet, and 2 plumes from what I highly suspect was a fighter. This time though the planes were at a cruising altitude and the fighter had some stand-off distance.

Anyways both sighting were unusual to see. The one sighting from Long Island City the fighter was kinda tucked in the butt of the larger plane.

Who knows what was happening?

Cal
 
It was last week, when I saw a commercial jet with 4 jet plumes being “tailed” by what i think was a fighter jet. I was in my backyard.

Pretty much a commercial sized airliner with an escort for protection. The plumes ran parallel so pretty much it was clear both planes had the same flight plan and course.

I saw this another time over a decade ago when I lived in Long Island City, which is not so far from Laguardia. This time the planes were low and it absolutely was clear that the plane flying in the six O’clock blind spot fairly close to the tail was in fact a fighter plane.

The Peekskill sighting displayed 4 jet plumes from the commercial sized jet, and 2 plumes from what I highly suspect was a fighter. This time though the planes were at a cruising altitude and the fighter had some stand-off distance.

Anyways both sighting were unusual to see. The one sighting from Long Island City the fighter was kinda tucked in the butt of the larger plane.

Who knows what was happening?

Cal
Small wonder there are so many bonkers conspiracy theorists out there. When people don't know what's happening, but do know that the government is less than transparent, then the crazies can step in with an "explanation". Jewish space lasers? No. But there probably is stuff going on under our noses that would make us very, very afraid.
 
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