RAIN AGAIN

After it being the hottest day of the year yesterday, the sun went away today. It cooled off considerably. The clouds appeared and near the beginning of the evening, it rained hard. It was a very Vancouver way of ending a very short hot spell.

AIR CONDITIONING

It was the hottest day of the year today as temperatures neared 30 degrees. I brought out my air conditioner in the late afternoon and turned it on. It felt really great to have it working.

The cool air made working for the rest of the day much more enjoyable. This is the first summer where I’ll have an air conditioner available from the first hot day until the fall. What luxury!

I FAT

Somewhere along the way I gained about ten pounds from the last time I weighed myself. I got on my scale yesterday and I was kinda shocked that ten pounds had been put on. While I was surprised, perhaps I should not have been. One pair of jeans had gotten a bit snug when I put them on. I thought my face looked a bit chubby sometimes when in front of a mirror. So the signs were probably there.

So obviously I am not going to just let this be. I need to be ten pounds lighter to be in better shape. They say the key to getting to a healthier weight is diet and exercise. For me, diet has always been a much larger factor in weight. For the last week or so, I reduced my carbohydrate intake. It’s not down to nothing, which is hard to do but it’s down dramatically. Instead, I’m eating mainly protein, vegetables, and fruit. I’m also trying to limit my sugar but that’s something I was already good on anyways. I don’t eat candy, chocolate, ice cream or sweets in general, in any appreciate amount. Most of my sugar intake comes from sugar in my coffee, which isn’t a whole lot.

So we shall see how the new diet works in the next few weeks. I reckon I should probably get outside and go on more walks as well.

SINUSES

I woke up this morning feeling less than ideal. I was sneezy, my eyes were kinda watery, and I had a general feeling of bleh. Anecdotally, I have heard the pollen count has been high this summer and has led to more allergy related symptoms for people.

I took a rapid test nonetheless and it came back negative, for what that’s worth. I also took a Claritin and an Advil as well. I think the Advil did more to help me than anything else. As the day went on, sinus discomfort was the most noticeable issue for me. It got better and then it went back to discomfort again.

I think I’m just gonna try to rest now.

INTERESTING

So I discovered today that my current cell phone plan provider does not have the ability to let me roam while travelling in the United States. I know my provider says the issue is due to the shutdown of 3G/HSPA networks in the US but I think that malarkey. I have a modern phone that is capable of connecting to 4G LTE networks, so this shouldn’t affect me. Moreover, other Canadian cell phone plan providers have indicated that as long as your phone is capable of 4G, you can continue to roam in the US without issue. Indeed, I don’t think it’s a technical issue with my provider, it must be something else.

All of this is relevant to me because I maybe going on a trip to Los Angeles in July for work. I was initially just planning on using my current plan and buying a roaming package and charge it to my company. This will not work now. My options instead include buying a SIM card while down in LA (doesn’t make a lot of sense for two days) or purchasing a super cheap plan up here that does allow roaming and charge the expense to my employer. It’s a hassle either way!

OVERHEARD

I was out walking the streets of my local municipality when I came across a woman, who looked to be in her 30s, who had stopped on the sidewalk to talk to a young woman, her mother, and their dog. The first woman was petting said dog. As I approached and passed them by, I heard the following conversation:

“Where are you guys from?”

“We are from Belarus.”

“What?”

“Belarus.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t know what that is.”

Now, I don’t expect the average person to know every single country on the planet. Belarus, however, has a unique and recent history, as it was once part of the Soviet Union. The breakup of the Soviet Union was one of the most newsworthy events of the late 20th century.

Even more recently, as in the last six months, Belarus has been in the news for essentially being a puppet state of the Russia. Current President Alexander Lukashenko is President Putin’s errand boy, allowing Russian military to stage attacks into Ukraine from within Belarus. It is also important to note that Belarus does not have what the rest of the world deems fair and democratic elections.

So yeah, lady in your 30s, who likes dogs, will you ever know what Belarus is? I hope so. Remember, when these people vote, their vote matters just as much as yours. Maybe Belarus has the right idea, democratic elections aren’t working.

DRAIN AND RINSE

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