June 29, 2012: Post 535 (2012 Day 181)

June 29, 2012

Daily Comment

What do you do when something positive for a friend means something negative for you? I'm on both sides of this question - my plans aren't for the most part, impacting my friends in a positive way. What prompts today's theme, though is a matter about another friend. 

I'm talking about the J., the singer/songwriter/guitarist for i am Fool. Besides being a band-mate, and the nominal leader of the band, I count him as a friend. 

When we went on a trip together to a concert, he confided in me that in 3 years he plans to move to Nashville and take a shot at performing his songs as a solo artist, and hopefully selling songs. That would be the end of i am Fool right there.

My plans are to emigrate in a little over 3-1/2 years, so the impact on me would be minimal. But the impact of my leaving on many of my friends (and relatives) is considerable, and many have expressed a distaste for the plan, based on what it means to our relationships.

Here's the thing about J.'s plan - my gut feel is that he would have greater success going solo than i am Fool will have. It is much easier to present your songs as a singer-songwriter, than to put across original material as a band. Having learned all his original material from demos he's recorded by himself, I know he can pull off a one-man show.

If he decided to follow that course, it would be painful to me, as I enjoy the band so much, and because it is central to my current musical endeavors. It would be a big loss. But it might well be the right thing for J.

I am very excited for J. I think he is talented enough to pull off a solo act. His material is certainly strong enough - I think he's one of the better writers I've heard lately (head and shoulder's above everyone I've heard lately, who all sound derivative and less than their influences).

In this case, it is easy to do the right thing - I'll be happy for J. and help and promote his solo work as much as I can. In fact, I offered him my advice to go in that direction - maybe as a side-project, or maybe as his main thing with i am Fool on the side, although I think that would probably be the death-knell for the band. And, of course, I went on stage with him, and played some on his set.

For me, I think that once people understand what it means for me to spend nine or ten months out of the country, and how it will affect our relationship, they will feel better about it, too. 

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Food and Diet Section

Today's Weight:        199.6 lbs 
Yesterday's Weight:    200.4   lbs  
Day Net Loss/Gain:     - 0.8 lbs

Year 2012 daily weight from December 31, 2011.

Diet Comment:

On Dec 31, 2011, I weighed exactly 200 pounds. I want to weigh that (or near it) tomorrow, at the (exact) six month mark. I have become emotionally invested in this. Which I regard as dumb. But there it is.

Of course, this created a prime opportunity for self=sabotage, which I took as I had a late night snack of lots of my cheat-day special Wholesome Medley. Lots.

Technically, I guess, since I started eating it at 1am, it could be a cheat. But it came before my cheat-day weigh-in. So...

On to other things:  I have started eating two foods every day. One is cod-liver oil, which I eat a tablespoon of in the morning. Yes, it is not the gustatorial highlight of the day, but it is cherry-flavored (-scented, really - it doesn't have much of a flavor), and I can get it down without a problem.

The other is chia seeds, which I am experimenting with, but trying to eat a tablespoon or more of every day. Until yesterday, I was just throwing chia into my shakes. Yesterday, I made some chia gel (just chia and water - chia is hydrophylic, which means it absorbs water, and lots of it, the seeds swelling and becoming gelatinous, also making many of the nutrients more bioavailable), and it went down pretty easily. So I made some more for today.

Food Log

Breakfast
A cocoa-kale protein shake (almond milk, whey protein (36g protein), kale, cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, stevia-inulin blend).

Lunch

Roasted turkey breast, Spring Mix greens, red cabbage, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Snack
Chia gel. Hard-boiled eggs and guacamole.

Dinner

Natural pork sausages on eggs with spinach and Rajma Masala (kidney bean curry).  

Snack

Second Nature Wholesome Medley (dark chocolate chunks, roasted and salted peanutss, almonds and cashews, tart red cherries and dried cranberries) . Lots and lots.

Liquid Intake

    Coffee:   22 oz,   Water: 132+ oz

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