Thu 20 Aug 26: Another sign of the macro-clusterf*** of weather in the middle of the biggest drink on earth: weather is absolutely clear. In fact, 1980s clear like I remembered it during summers. Except of course, 10F hotter... The walk's gonnna be a bit of a palaver, then... luckily I already take a source of shade... tho at risk of barely-concealed amusement on the minds of fellow walkers, am sure. --- There's another system forseen by our not-quite-Delphian oracle of weather the NOAA, to crash into us by Sat, given the most cynical forecasts. This plug of high pressure's just the rest of the atmo filling the void of two cyclones passing thru... so guessing it's not enough to dissuade this yet-to-be-name 2C depression from aping its older sister. It's rather scattered at its borders but much bigger and finding rotation a lot earlier and further away from the state than Lala. If it hugs the warm water track that may've neutered a bit of Lala's power... that may mean an Iselle-Julio-like situation where the state were blackeyed by an initial storm, then at risk of being hit again whilst in recovery (as place is in a relatively-low-risk area for wind-flood dmg... the risks are to utilities, as this is still one of the hottest summers I can remember, thanks to the Big Little Boy making ocean's surface as warm as 1980s shallows at the beach -- 86 - 88F -- which rolls out a red-hot carpet for storms to rock right up to the state from Central America). But for now it's 0639, and already over 86F / 30C, 2K ft above sea level. And Sep's our peak month for temps... --- Hope it's not wishful thinking... but do feel a bit different today. Had my scoop of creatine dry with some water (as even more water's a non-optional add'n to the diet on this stuff)... and yeah, different. Hard to explain -- already know what non-empirical thinking does to the likable but naïve who desperately want supps to work, so trying to stick to what I know's real. Tbh am more monitoring how this stuff'd make things worse, than become its fanboy-by-purchase... as things have been going rather good anyway, despite circumstances. If this is a cheap, safe and effective supp tho, why wouldn't I try it? But has to actually work, not pi$$ down my back and tell me it's raining... Hmm. Well, most of the change is to the cognitive side, really. Feel more calm, clear -- still non-plussed by the usual bad drivers and such, but a notch easier to relax away fro behaviour a past Me would've already red-misted into instant regret. That's not been super-intense of late, or anything... but when does inevitably happen enough to elicit grumbles -- today that much less stressful. Next thing's the quality of sleep. Supposedly this stuff enables release of more ATP into your interstitial fluid (granted sufficient Mg levels are present) -- ATP's used by all cells, not just muscle cells. Of note is its effect on CNS neurons as mentioned before... but now can feel what that change actually means: took it before bed last night, not sure if made any difference as take glycinate supp at the same time. But sleep wasn't like a log as after 5 - 6 x 1.5-hr clients... but got up clearer-headed. Guess it's so rare I feel that way, caught me off-guard a bit. That clear-headedness, is what I began the lap with today... almost as if a filter were switched on, for proprioception and moving mind to limbs and other parts of the body, namely the bum knee. Is this what it's like, for the brain to have more ATP available to it? Haven't felt this kind of connection to my body in ages. Sounds like a big f***ing deal but irt were more like 'wow, I don't have to power thru figuring out that area as much'. Nothing spectacular but is noteworthy, esp since need be on this stuff several weeks to work. Didn't feel any stronger on the forefoot of Clencher (where the first backwalks begin)... but did notice by the 2nd backwalk, could do all 10 steps without difficulty. How weak, uncoordinated, and lactic-acid-burning my lower legs felt doing this routine weeks now, all gone. Yeah of course there were wobbles but far less intense and all were recoverable but 2, in the whole lap. Could do 10 sets of 10 backwalks, with 2 wobbles that required redo. Versus 15 or more, esp on Chute. Would say that's a plus for taking this stuff, if it's the reason -- just didn't think it'd do much, Day 2 of taking it Would that be due to CNS absorption of it, or in the muscle cell / PNS part? Not sure... but defo exp'd some performance improvement, esp when backwalks would get real on Chute and down Drain. When needed to push to reach a bit deeper, there it was -- the ability to do just that (long a deterrent from pushing 5y ago... as seemed the smallest change in diet or stretch or warmup, would take 10s from the 2-mi run). Not gonna call it a multiplier yet, has to work more consistently over time. But'll take the win today Yep -- faaack it's hot on Doggo already. No stratus sombrero on the WMM to shield us from any of it, and clouds were absent from the big mtn as well, normally our best block of AM sun (however hope this allows some of the Lala mess to dry and allow heavy equipment up into the worst-hit areas Upcountry). 'Breller deployed nearly the whole trail Whilst seemed to help squelch some of the usual head static, conscious and beyond... creatine mh's not at all some kind of magic bullet. First, makes one retain water, an effect of its metabolite creatinine. Second... speaking of which, if you have a physical with a blood draw coming up, can't be on this stuff as raises creatinine levels to a point where your PCP may interpret it as kidney disease. So have to wean off weeks before, then tell your PCP you're on it and how much per day, to get a useful interpretation. That's not great for someone who wants its benefits all year. Will talk to my PCP about it, as she's been a sane advocate of more exercise for my old arse than less. More tomorrow
Fri (barely) 21 Aug 26: Welp, not been able to get on until well after dinner; forum's going tits-up soon I suppose. Any forum that doesn't allow 24hr access with password challenge, has more than a cashflow problem. Appreciate any sacrifices behind the scenes to keep it up at all, but this is a joke Back to me Interesting -- that incredible clarity's faded a touch, but not as much as imagining it... very odd for 3rd day of dosage. Took at exact same time this AM, 3g dissolved in plain water. Took CLO, glycinate and multi last night, exact same diet. Mostly what's changed is the novelty of the amplified sensory experience, I suppose... but control over esp coordinated movement of large leg muscles under load's still much better than I'd felt in years (ex: walking downhill or down stairs on a bum knee). Driving to the park, were ~10 mins early. Weather looked another blazing-clear morning, already hitting 80F at 0625 -- gonna need my portable shade. But oddly the gate were open -- thought this didn't open until 0630 (beyond, if past month were any indicator). Took off up the hill by 0643... Only 1st backwalk had any of the old 'weak-feeling' wobbles -- guess that 300m of warmup isn't actually using the extra phosphorus (from phosphocreatine) to 'recharge' ATP from ADP; will only happen once close to the Chute, methinks... and thru 2nd backwalk, finally did get that 'steadying' boost in balance from ankles, once were feeling actual strain in them. Next: Chute gauntlet... Quite difficult today -- bit more tired climbing. But when doing backwalks, no problem at all. All 3 BWs were done without a single wobble. Didn't feel some kind of Superman boost, if this creatine regimen's working at all and not just in my head. Felt actually rather less enjoying the walking / climbing part... but felt better doing the BWs, if that makes any sense Reinforced that, coming up to the Drain. BWs all perfect except one wobble, right at the end. That's 5 sets of 10 steps in a row, on a >1-in-3 incline. Were even taking a bit extra time to explore going lower in these one-legged squats, and still dealt with them fine. Suppose that's where creatine's benefits lay, only when using muscles intensely. Must be taking longer on BWs as again, the walk's stretched again time-wise. No idea how much until I actually time them, but seems the only things possible to take any longer to do, are BWs. Btw hams are indeed growing -- haven't seen growth like this since mil 30y ago -- eccentric contraction does work, even for us old farts Doggo was Doggo... no one but a couple of walkers passing by today. Boy does knee feel good tho -- may have to e-contract quads, if the growth in hams and glutes keeps this pace Have since learned about benfotiamine, a fat-soluble form of normally-water-soluble thiamine (B1) and its similar positive cognitive effects to creatine (esp for ADHD, which may be comorbid with) + ability to cross blood-brain barrier into brain's fatty tissues. Fairly convinced of creatine's benefits but will wait out the requisite month+ more; holding off on benfotiamine just for diagnostic reasons. There's another form of fat-soluble B1 extracted from garlic, called TTFD (thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) which has 2 sulfur atoms (makes sense from garlic) and a purported better efficacy over benfotiamine; will do a bit more digging to see if it's worth it but need to test regular benfotiamine first
Sat 22 Aug 26: Well an improvement getting onto PC by 3pm my time rather than 7pm... but guess that's rather academic. The walk: well, felt even more tired today... but largely scored about the same wobble / redos as yesterday, 2. Again, same diet with the exception of slightly less to eat after 3pm. Didn't make that same mistake today, so will see if it makes a difference tmw. Boy was it windy tho. A little more noon cloud cover... but no clouds in the eastern horizon, so full morning rays (85F / 88% at 0639 to beat thru as well) -- meaning the 'breller was out. Luckily I'd chosen a good maker so this 'breller has anti-blowout vents and reinforcement cables that actually work (probably 30% more expensive since 2021). Not even a short break from the rays on Doggo, 99% deployed And speaking of tmw -- TS Moke's gonna miss us by a few hundred miles south... but like Hurricane Dora and the Lahaina fires... it'll be subjecting the chain to its fringes of right-front quadrant misery in the form of high winds and rain. No rest for the weary Upcountry... sucks and I feel for the non-rich Local-Locals who've spent generations up there, tilling earth and raising livestock. Generations of their families hadn't experienced anything like this heat and destructive climate change, mine being the last to remember when weather here was so predictable, there used to be a rain line that split Haleakala Hwy between literally uphill and downhill traffic in Pukalani / Makawao in early '90s. Hurricane season was still the same months in the year, but produced a bad storm maybe once every 10y. Now it's 10F / 5.5C hotter, and bad storms-plural come every year -- not to mention even worse, when super-Little-Boys (soon to become ordinary Little Boys) turn the surface of the equatorial Pacific into pasta water (88 friggin' F). These present-gen owners there try to live in houses they'll be paying for the rest of their lives, but foundations literally eaten away by lahar-like flood batter constantly overflowing streams that'd never had to bear such load in hundreds of years. Not to mention the downed trees, power cuts, vehicle damage, etc. etc. If this were 1991... I'd be falling over myself trying to buy land and a sturdy place up there to live -- there's a reason all the plots are bought up by rich foreigners and mainlanders, ink still wet on former owner obituaries: it's literally paradise up there, in an alternate future where this country half-helmed by petulant idiots, somehow made the Scandie-like sacrifices to build the infrastructure... and electric vehicles are so banal no one but racers and tanker chief engineers care at all about old, dirty petrol. Not reality... Moke'll probably mean 4 - 8 hrs of power and internet loss, baking our brains down here at sea level, trying to stay cool in the worst LN since 1877. Can't wait
Addendum, 22 Aug 26: Lost in my papers a few hrs... needed a break to lube my eyeballs in overpriced Bausch & Lomb tincture. Looking back at the weather, noticed, oh... there are two more depressions in the East Pacific, that have between 70 - 90% chance of forming into TSes in two days Wow. This is going to be a busy hurricane season -- and the warm water's not letting up one bit. Actually, genesis of these hurricane chain guns is Western Africa and the Sahara, if I remember my Discover magazine articles from the '90s correctly... but immense stretches of water above 80F, sure don't help... But hold up -- this the end of friggin' August already...? One more week and change, and it's September? Well tbh, much like the Snake Year (tho objectively more positives than negatives versus that very bad year for moi), wonder what the Sheep Year will be like Jokes aside... think the Sheep Year shens are already starting -- felt the change rather early, like the 4th of July-ish. The Sheep (or Goat) Year: think of a real goat (masculine) or sheep (feminine) -- constantly eating or needed to eat, will eat anything. For Sheep, needs preened and detangled regularly, or it only makes your life harder. For Goat, you must give it exactly what it wants... otherwise it headbutts you in the nads, no warning. Whilst I don't believe in verbatim interpretations of such belief-based things... can sort of see the overlap with the way my year's been going so far. Since the 4th, the unforeseen spending's been rather wild -- luckily have saved quite a bit thru sheer poverty so not too worried. What does worry me... is the dearth of work vs. this time last year. Dry as Upcountry's soaked. Bills have been paid and arrears aren't a threat... but gonna be tight going into the holidays. Since caring for Mum, have been able to avoid some pretty big money problems with her around Lala timeframe -- plus a constant stream of little ones, thank god few have needed me to inject my own income to right the list. But has been a touch stressful, exercising the old adapt-and-overcome muscle. One small thing I'd run across I'd like to share... is a way to keep mould and mildew out of your tile grout in the shower: Hang a strip of galvanised flashing in the shower (like the ones they tack onto the crown of your house roof) where water will run off of it and splash all around. The zinc ions in the galvanic coating are shed onto the roof shingles, where they prevent fungi from being able to reproduce, killing them and preventing damage to the wood. Just tin-snip a strip about the size of a school ruler, punch a hole, bend some wire and hang on showerhead or wherever convenient. That's it -- flashing lasts about what, 20y with no maintenance? The piece I cut it from was $2.70 at HD, and made strips for both mine and Mum's showers + 4 - 5 more if needed. She's been attacking it for years with bleach, apparently. Bleach unfortunately will melt a lot of things with its high pH, and her rather childlike use of loads of it, may be leaking between her shower stall seams, to wood and cast iron behind / beneath -- not good. Made the strips and fashioned an alternate mould killer spray (2 tsp of borax in 32 oz of water, spray mould directly but not with abandon). The zinc ions + mild boric acid spray, are a supposed multiplier to kill stubborn mould Oh -- learned more about TTFD (thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide): it's efficacy is apparently significantly better than benfotiamine, as more readily absorbed into the brain. Don't think they've got a standard deviation for my brain tho Guess we'll see where I am when this benfo bottle's empty
