Change of mood these days.

July 7, 2016

  Woah. Half of "summer" is completed, but there's still so much time until school starts back up. The office has been quiet. June kind of just flew by. It's hard to remember what happened last month. No new books have been finished, and I also haven't been in a writing mood. These things just happen every once in awhile.

My new friend Norman.

  Towards the end of June, I left for Chicago ('burbs) to use up the last of my vacation days with my friends. Let me tell you: there is such thing as too long of a break, especially when the days are spent at your childhood home.

  The highlights, both good and not-so-good: I went to the golf course four times, only ran once, ate good food at a variety of places, ate or drank rancid food (can't determine what did it) and had stomach issues that lasted days, went to a comedy show to see great talent with my sister, got a massage with Em then ate lunch at Texas de Brazil, ate frozen yogurt twice, saw the bands The Wallflowers and Here Come the Mummies, went to the dog park twice, and spent time with two long-life friends. I do regret I wasn't able to be there this week because Kevin Smith was at Zanies yesterday, and I should have planned better so I could see him live. :(

Daddy-o somewhere on the back 9.

  My golf game is getting much better! From putting to using my irons, I'm improving. That doesn't mean I call myself good, but any improvement in golf is worth celebrating. I parred many holes with single putts and also had many birdie changes. Unfortunately, I now hear a cracking-like noise in my left shoulder on by back swing and feel that plus pain on my down swing. I haven't played since Sunday, so hopefully the recent massage and use of a hydro-massage bed helps a little.

  Because of the way I was eating and feeling all break, I'm re-dedicating my diet to home cooked, as-raw-as-possible foods. And, I'm cutting the fake sugar. Not just aspartame, all zero-calorie chemical sugars. Right now, it's just going to be the packets that I use for coffee and tea. After I can handle that, I'll work harder to scope out any of the other drinks and foods I buy that may be "no sugar added" but use the fake sugar nonsense.

Jen, Emily and I at The Wallflowers concert.

  Another thing I need to stop buying is my all-time favorites (almost consumed daily): carb-smart yogurt and cheese. I love my yogurt and cheese. That's the only dairy I consume. If that little amount of cow milk that goes into making these products is causing me this much pain, then I guess I'll have to cut them, too. If eliminating those things don't help my stomach, I don't know what else to do!

Here Come the Mummies!

  So, my game plan is to go back to the basic stuff and stop putting chemicals into my body. That should be a no-brainer! To help feel better, I also committed to a gym membership that isn't on campus. I haven't been motivated to do at-home workouts like I used to, and I miss having a gym with updated equipment in a more comfortable environment. This could be the key to feeling better. Living with my Dad, I can't recall many stomach issues, like I have now, besides when I was drinking waaay too much coffee.

  Despite this gym being the chain gym I once worked for, pf, (I refuse to say the full name), it's worth the money to have a space to work out and relax. Yes, relaaax. The facility has massage chairs and hydro-massage beds, which I will be using as much as possible. Sure, there's tanning too, but I don't think I should go that route. Let's hope I get back into the groove, feel like the best me and see myself as I want to. :)