index.json

[{"categories":["travel"],"content":"I'm gonna make a HOLE lot of puns about travelling past this town in Connecticut!","date":"2024-03-09","objectID":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/","tags":["blog","travel"],"title":"Traveling Through Mianus (Connecticut)","uri":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/"},{"categories":["travel"],"content":"I’m gonna make a HOLE lot of puns about travelling past this town in Connecticut! As a professional driver/chauffeur, I tend to go through a LOT of towns and cities. Some of the names are more common, some are a little strange, maybe because of their original language, maybe because they’re just strange by nature (looking at you, Zzyzx). Yet, while driving to Boston this past week, I had to hold in my laughter and comments when I saw the sign near Greenwich and Stamford, Connecticut for MIANUS! ","date":"2024-03-09","objectID":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/:0:0","tags":["blog","travel"],"title":"Traveling Through Mianus (Connecticut)","uri":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/"},{"categories":["travel"],"content":"What is Mianus? Mianus is a small town in the neighborhood of Greenwich, Connecticut, situated somewhere between Greenwich and Stamford. It is a coastal community, with the population close to 14,000 people. The area is quite heavily populated and is a wonderful place for bringing up the family. ","date":"2024-03-09","objectID":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/:1:0","tags":["blog","travel"],"title":"Traveling Through Mianus (Connecticut)","uri":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/"},{"categories":["travel"],"content":"Where is Mianus? Latitude: 41.041248 Longitude: -73.596001 ","date":"2024-03-09","objectID":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/:2:0","tags":["blog","travel"],"title":"Traveling Through Mianus (Connecticut)","uri":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/"},{"categories":["travel"],"content":"What can you do in Mianus? While Mianus is quite small, there is plenty to explore and enjoy at Mianus River Park. There you can explore trails rock formations, even a cave! Beyond that, there’s really not much unless you go to the surrounding towns. Apparently there are good places to eat near Mianus, but I have yet to go to them. ","date":"2024-03-09","objectID":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/:3:0","tags":["blog","travel"],"title":"Traveling Through Mianus (Connecticut)","uri":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/"},{"categories":["travel"],"content":"Conclusion While there are many jokes and puns that can be made, I’m going to stop here. One of these days, I’ll actually make the stop at Exit 5 and get a closer look at what’s in Mianus. Let me know if you want me to dive deeper into Mianus by commenting below! ","date":"2024-03-09","objectID":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/:4:0","tags":["blog","travel"],"title":"Traveling Through Mianus (Connecticut)","uri":"/posts/2024/traveling_through_mianus/"},{"categories":[],"content":"I'm working on myself, but I need a little accountability help","date":"2024-03-04","objectID":"/posts/2024/accountability/","tags":["blog"],"title":"Accountability - that's what I need","uri":"/posts/2024/accountability/"},{"categories":[],"content":"My job keeps me very busy, and I’ve found that I’ve been slacking in things that affect both my mental and physical health. I know what I need to do, but I need a kick in the ass from people, hence the need for accountability. I have been working with a certified Functional Medicine Health Coach for the past few months and, together, we’ve identified where I need to concentrate on improving my overall health. This is IN ADDITION TO working with my primary care physician. Overall, I’ve been doing very well, monitoring the crap food I may or may not intake when working, trying to get meditaiton in, logging certain aspects of my life, but there are times I forget and need a kick in the ass. I know many of you are also working on yourselves, and am wondering who is interested in helping each other be accountable? I’d love to hear your feedback. Comment below (yay, I finally got comments working!) and we’ll see what this turns into. ","date":"2024-03-04","objectID":"/posts/2024/accountability/:0:0","tags":["blog"],"title":"Accountability - that's what I need","uri":"/posts/2024/accountability/"},{"categories":[],"content":"I've had some ideas about what I want to write about here. What are my thoughts?","date":"2023-12-04","objectID":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/","tags":["blog","ideas"],"title":"New Ideas","uri":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/"},{"categories":[],"content":"Those who know me know that I love to cook, but I also love to eat (just ask my belt). One thing I’m always doing for each of those is trying new things, new cuisines, etc. Well, that has inspired me to (re)do something I started on my older blog, but with a twist added in. ","date":"2023-12-04","objectID":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/:0:0","tags":["blog","ideas"],"title":"New Ideas","uri":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/"},{"categories":[],"content":"What is the twist? I’d like to ask for your help. I’d like your recommendations for snacks to try that are a little off from normal. I’m not talking the newest flavor of potato chips, but more of something from an ethnic aisle that you like, or a regional favorite that you can’t find anywhere else. I may extend this to some other items, as I have a few in mind I’ve tasted in the past, including a specific fruit, and two beverages – one alcoholic. Heck, I may even do one of those first! ","date":"2023-12-04","objectID":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/:1:0","tags":["blog","ideas"],"title":"New Ideas","uri":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/"},{"categories":[],"content":"How can I help? If you find me on social media, or if you know my email address, send me a message with the name of the food, why I should try it, where I can find it, etc. I’m interested to see what you can get me to eat. ","date":"2023-12-04","objectID":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/:2:0","tags":["blog","ideas"],"title":"New Ideas","uri":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/"},{"categories":[],"content":"You said video… Yes, I did. I’m hoping to get video of me trying all these foods, etc., and putting them up on YouTube. ","date":"2023-12-04","objectID":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/:3:0","tags":["blog","ideas"],"title":"New Ideas","uri":"/posts/2023/new_ideas/"},{"categories":null,"content":"One more try","date":"2023-11-28","objectID":"/posts/2023/blogging---another-attempt/","tags":["blog"],"title":"Blogging - another attempt","uri":"/posts/2023/blogging---another-attempt/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Yes, again, trying to blog. I changed the platform I’m using, and was able to copy over the old posts, but the dates are incorrect, and images are currently missing. That’s a plan for the future. In the meantime, I’m REALLY going to try my best ","date":"2023-11-28","objectID":"/posts/2023/blogging---another-attempt/:0:0","tags":["blog"],"title":"Blogging - another attempt","uri":"/posts/2023/blogging---another-attempt/"},{"categories":null,"content":"One of my favorite types of place to shop is ethnic supermarkets. I had a need for a lot of very specific ingredients for some cooking that I was going, so I schlepped to my local Indian market to grab what I needed. While wandering around, I stubmled into the snack aisle and became overwhelmed with the selection of interesting flavors. One type of flavor that always sticks out to me (and will become somewhat of a running theme) is hot and spicy. So when I saw bags upon bags of spicy snacks, I knew that I had to try something. After some browsing at the amazing selection, I decided on a bag of Tikha Ganthia. These are spicy little chickpea flour noodles. They looked like crunchy, curvy sticks of flavor, and I was sold. I opened the bag when I got home to have with lunch, and I knew that, from aroma alone, I was going to like these. There was a warm spiciness that I’ve come to expect from good quality Indian food. I poured some into a bowl, and dug in. These are defintely not the snacks we’re used to here in the United States. The use of chickpea flour is also unique to my tastebuds for snacks. The crunch was subdued, but had the perfect amount of mouth-feel. The flavor, while spicy, was not overwhelming. Then again, I have a hot pallette and usually eat hotter than normal foods that my family doesn’t care for (bonus, these chips are now all mine). Would I buy these again? In a heartbeat. Would I recommend them? Absolutely! Am I going to try to learn how to make a homemade version? Time will tell… ","date":"2020-12-22","objectID":"/posts/2020/2020-12-22-the-chips-are-on-the-table/:0:0","tags":["snacks","chips","food"],"title":"The Chips Are On The Table/Hot Tikha Ganthia","uri":"/posts/2020/2020-12-22-the-chips-are-on-the-table/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Overall, it should be good for my mind to wipe away the cobwebs and be creative. But what’s been keeping me from writing all this time, and what plans do I have? I haven’t really decided on a single path, but there’s be a good mix of cooking and food stuff, technology, my journey back into fitness, home projects, and more. There’s so much in my mind that it’s tough to figure out exactly where to start. Anyway, short post to (re)start things off, but I really hope to keep myself on track this time and keep blogging. Best, Larry ","date":"2020-12-15","objectID":"/posts/2020/2020-12-15-back-to-blogging/:0:0","tags":["blog","starting_over"],"title":"I'm back to blogging","uri":"/posts/2020/2020-12-15-back-to-blogging/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Without going into too much detail, the past year-plus has been very difficult for me. My fitness has waned significantly, my mental acuity has suffered, and I’ve just not felt very self-confident. I’m sure many others have felt this with the overwhelming power that COVID-19 has had over our society. I’m not saying I’m a unique butterfly, but my issues are mine to address, and only mine. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/:0:0","tags":["New Year","Education","Self-Improvement"],"title":"A Very Happy New Year To You","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Physical Fitness So many races were postponed or cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic. Combined with a lack of mental energy, I completely fell off in my workout routines, gained some weight (which I did try to work on and made some progress regarding loss), and have physically changed back to an uncomfortable level. I did try to lean on my social groups, but this proved to be difficult to manage, even though we were accountable to each other. As a runner, and general fitness guy, this has not sat well with me, and I need a good kick in the butt to get going again. How? More accountability. I’m going to lay myself bare, here. I’m going to update you on my physical progress as the year goes on. While it may not be frequent, I’ll try at least once per month to let you know where I am in terms of setting/following a routine and how I’m feeling. If I fall short on posting, call me out on social media. If I’m slacking off and losing motivation, call me out on social media. Overall, the goal is to use my physical fitness to build routines that will eventually help build and improve on my… ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/:1:0","tags":["New Year","Education","Self-Improvement"],"title":"A Very Happy New Year To You","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Mental Fitness To say that managing my mental fitness in 2020 has been a tough row to hoe is an understatement. I struggled with keeping my mind active, trying to read, avoiding useless video media, and wasting time on the Internet. I know that I can do better, it’s just a matter of setting the habits and goals, then sticking to them. Much like physical fitness, I need the accountability and tracking. I started to journal this year, then gave up within a matter of days. The book is sitting by my bedside. Restart it? Use the blog as a “journal” of sorts? Possibly. There’s a lot of work ahead in order to regain the fitness I once had, much like my physical fitness. Will I ever be the same? Probably not. Can I be a better version of who I’ve been for the past year? Definitely. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/:2:0","tags":["New Year","Education","Self-Improvement"],"title":"A Very Happy New Year To You","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Personal Growth \u0026 Education I guess I’ll review my past goals and set some new ones here: There are many cooking-related goals to review and set: Grilling and smoking - I learned to make pastrami this year. That was an adventure, and pretty darned delicious. Beyond that, I just smoked meats when I felt like it, but didn’t quite do enough. So, for 2021, the goal is to smoke more more meat AND to continue building my own smoker (soon to be written about in The Lab), which coincides with another goal for the year that will be mentioned below. https://www.instagram.com/p/CEudcFtHmGe Sous-vide and pickling went hand-in-hand, as I used my SV for pickling, as well as some delicious fish, scallops, and beautiful strip steaks. Again, the goal is to do more. The pressure cooker has been my go-to for a few years, now, and this year I really picked up on some new dishes that became family favorites - meatloaf \u0026 mashed potatoes, pork belly with shoyu eggs, and more. 2021 is the year of learning to bake in the pressure cooker. I’ve tried once with middling success. I REALLY want to make a cheesecake! Just keep cooking! It’s fun, I’m learning a lot, especially with baking AND the fact that my son is gluten-free, so adjusting for that has been an adventure in learning. Re-learn programming - why? Well, for one, I need it for my smoker. I’m combining a few projects and building a smoker out of a file-cabinet, then adding in a temperature regulated heater to manage the smoke temperature. As of writing this, I’m 75% done with the cabinet, and about 80% with the electronics. The latter is the tougher part. I managed to meet my Goodreads reading goal this year, with a few cheat books included that I read to my daughter. I don’t see an option for a 2021 challenge, but my plan is to either meet or exceed the 52 books completed in 2020. 2020 Reading Challenge Larry has completed his goal of reading 50 books in 2020! hide 52 of 50 (100%) view books ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/:3:0","tags":["New Year","Education","Self-Improvement"],"title":"A Very Happy New Year To You","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Tip of the Iceberg This is only just the beginning. 2021 is really the year I want to make changes, as well as be mindful of and accountable to them. I hope you’ll join me on the journey. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/:4:0","tags":["New Year","Education","Self-Improvement"],"title":"A Very Happy New Year To You","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-01-happy-new-year/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Back when the pandemic started, I upgraded one of my webcams to one made by Amcrest. I was very satisifed with it. Since then, I’ve been given the opportunity to test products from Amcrest, the most recent being the ASH21 WiFi Camera. This little monitor is a great device to have around. Let’s take a brief look at the specs, pros, and cons of the ASH21. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/:0:0","tags":["review","camera","Amcrest"],"title":"Amcrest ASH21 Camera Review","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Specs Resolution - 1080p (1920x1080) Viewing Angle 93° Wide-View Night Vision Special Modes Privacy Baby Monitor Storage Options Cloud ($$) MicroSD (up to 256GB, sold separately) ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/:0:1","tags":["review","camera","Amcrest"],"title":"Amcrest ASH21 Camera Review","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Pros Easy to set up. Using the Android app, I had the camera up and running in a matter of minutes with no issues Small and unobtrusive. This can be placed almost anywhere and not be in the way Good quality video and image capture ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/:0:2","tags":["review","camera","Amcrest"],"title":"Amcrest ASH21 Camera Review","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Cons App sometimes didn’t connect immediately when on the same WiFi network Pan/Tilt controls can react a little slowly Audio is decent, but not great. Then again, this isn’t a high-level video camera used for production ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/:0:3","tags":["review","camera","Amcrest"],"title":"Amcrest ASH21 Camera Review","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Summary I’d definitely add more of these to my home. It’s a great way of monitoring at a low cost. For me, I sometimes use it in my laundry room, where the slop sink tends to overflow during a wash (that’s a whole other issue). ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/:0:4","tags":["review","camera","Amcrest"],"title":"Amcrest ASH21 Camera Review","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-03-01-amcrest-ash21-white-review/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Tteokbokki is well-known as a spicy Korean street food - long, tubular rice cakes with a sauce made traditionally from gochujang and anchove-based broth. Considering how spicy it can be served on the street, this snack, once I looked it up after buying it, should have been good and spicy. Even without looking it up, the picture of the smiling hot pepper on the front, and the inclusion of capsaicin powder in the ingredients should have been a good marker pointing to lots of spice. It even says “HOT SPICE” on the back!! Well… Upon opening the bag, there was a hint of spice, but nothing overpowering. Not a good sign to start. I poured some out and started to munch on them. If anything, there was more of a sweetness than a spiciness. I waited and, eventually, there was a little bit of spice, but nothing that warranted the “warning signs” from the labels. I gave some to my daughter, who doesn’t like spice, and she really liked these…again, because of the sweetness. Would I recommend thse? Only if you like sweet and spicy, leaning more toward the sweet. I guess my next step is to learn how to recreate the real thing…not the crispy bagged snack. Once that happens, I’ll be sure to update you. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-03-hot-chip-deception-tteokbokki/:0:0","tags":["food","chips","snacks"],"title":"Chips of deception - Tteokbokki","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-03-hot-chip-deception-tteokbokki/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Issue resolved at 9:30 AM 2021-03-11 Due to a network issue, email to anyone at Wapnitsky.com is currently down. If you need to get a hold of me, please use Telegram in the meantime until there is a resolution. Stay tuned for updates. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-03-11-email-issues/:0:1","tags":["email","network"],"title":"E-mail issues for wapnitsky.com","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-03-11-email-issues/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Chana Jor Garam Stop #1 was at my favorite Indian grocery store. I’m telling you, I have a LOT of trouble leaving this place without browsing the snack aisle. This snack stuck out at me like a sore thumb due to the color of the bag (most of the surrounding ones were yellow). One quick look at the ingredients on the back, and I knew I was set - this one had some nice flavors, including mango powder and asafoetida - one of my favorite Indian spices. The actual snack was smaller than I expected, but boy, were these full of flavor. I can’t even begin to describe the wonderful melding of flavors that were now in my mouth. My buddy, the Musical Mathemetician, had a great description - “a simple chip, not overly complex, yet still brings a lot of flavor to the table.” Would I get these again? Probably, and I’d put them in a bowl to serve as a snack at a party. They’re different, but in a great way. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-16-hot-snack-roundup/:1:0","tags":["food","chips","snacks"],"title":"Hot Triple Snack Round-Up: Chana Jor Garam, Ghost Pepper Potato Chips, and Hot Shrimp Crackers","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-16-hot-snack-roundup/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Herr’s Ghost Pepper Potato Chips Next stop, Ocean State Job Lot. Here, the snack aisles are stacked with boxes and boxes of chips, but these were highlighted on an end-cap. Ghost pepper? Don’t mind if I do! Right out of the bag, I knew these were going to have some kick. The smell was powerful of ghost peppers, and the heat was definitely there on my tongue. Was it hot? Yes, but not so much where I couldn’t stuff handfuls into my mouth and enjoy them. Then again, I’m a bit of a heat freak. There was no way anyone else in the family was going to try these, so I got to enjoy the whole bag myself. I’d consider these again, but they’re mostly a fad. Maybe if I had a bunch of people over who I knew enjoyed hot foods I’d pick them up, but I wouldn’t go out of my way. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-16-hot-snack-roundup/:2:0","tags":["food","chips","snacks"],"title":"Hot Triple Snack Round-Up: Chana Jor Garam, Ghost Pepper Potato Chips, and Hot Shrimp Crackers","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-16-hot-snack-roundup/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Nongshim Spicy Shrimp Crackers Stop 3 - Asian Grocery #1. I love shrimp chips and shrimp crackers. I definitely go out of my way to enjoy them, but I’ve never noticed the spicy ones in the store. Once I saw these, there was no question they were going in my cart. I will not say these were a disappointment. They definitely tasted good. In fact, one of the better brands of shrimp crackers I’ve ever had. Yet, the spice wasn’t really there. Yes, they had a VERY mild kick, but definitely not what I would call spicy. Even my daughter tried and enjoyed them, and she doesn’t do spicy. These are a buy-again item, no question asked. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-16-hot-snack-roundup/:3:0","tags":["food","chips","snacks"],"title":"Hot Triple Snack Round-Up: Chana Jor Garam, Ghost Pepper Potato Chips, and Hot Shrimp Crackers","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-16-hot-snack-roundup/"},{"categories":null,"content":"I’m going to be completely honest…I don’t like working out. Yet, working out is something I need to do not only to help improve my phsyical fitness, but also my mental fitness. Both lead down the road to improved overall wellness. To say that this year started off a bit rough is an understatement. I’ve been dealing with a pinched nerve in my shoulder, which effects my right arm down to my hand. Thanks to the wonderful care of my chiropractor, it’s been improving significantly, but it’s still taking its time. This has affected my ability to work out using my arms. Considering most of my workout equipment (resistance bands, Bosu ball, Swiss balls) requires some use of the hands and arms, exercising has been short and painful. I did start hitting the dreadmill a bit again, as well. Due to increased weight and lack of consistent exercise over an extended period of time, I’m finding myself winded quicker over much shorter distances. In my short workouts, I’ve yet to break the .75 mile mark. This is a long stretch from the guy who “ran” a marathon in 2016. These things combined with other issues (some related to the pandemic) have set me back a bit mentally. I’m finding lower motivation in my life to exercise. I’ve checked in with my accountability group, and they’re great at pushing me, but it’s when I push back that’s the problem. We’re all struggling in one way or another, so I know I’m not alone. I just need to start allowing their pushing to knock me down to the point where I want to get back up on my own. Like I said in the beginning, I’m going to be open about stuff, so here I am laying it out. Want to help me be accountable? Want to help me be motivated? Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter, hit me up on Telegram, or find me on other social media. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-14-pause-and-effect/:0:0","tags":["health","fitness"],"title":"Pause and Effect","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-14-pause-and-effect/"},{"categories":null,"content":"I’ve been a slacker. It’s been almost a year since I’ve posted, and I have no real good excuse, beyond health and some mental struggles :) Well, I need to get better at this, even if nobody is reading. That’s why I’m going to put blogging into my schedule. Whether it’s a personal update, plain BS, or something from my computer lab or kitchen, I’m going to post it. Hoepfully someone out there is reading it. Best, Larry ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2022/2022-03-11-first-post-long-time/:0:0","tags":["update","blogging","shouting into the void"],"title":"Shouting into the void?","uri":"/posts/2022/2022-03-11-first-post-long-time/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Recent events regarding social media, many users have been switching to Telegram for their instant messaging needs and social media output. Media outlets have been reporting on why to switch for weeks. But why? I, personally, have been using Telegram since about 2013, and have watched it grow. I’ve had friends join intermittently, and am slowly encouraging more to join, especially those who are using WhatsApp. Why? Security features (though some aren’t enabled by default) are a big component over regular social networks. Additionally, your data isn’t shared amongst multiple platforms, unlke WA, which shares with Facebook, Instagram, and any other Facebook-owned network. Telegram is nice in that you can create groups that function in similar ways to Facebook groups and/or messenger chats. You have the ability (with a little bit of work) to automate responses using “bots” (more on this in a future article). Looking at the bottom of my post, you can see that I’m even using Telegram for comments on my articles. Even though you use a phone number for a login, I never see that data. It is encrypted between you and the Telegram server. (I also have my site data encrypted using SSL, so there’s that layer of protection, too). This is only my simple, cursory overview of Telegram. There’s much more to learn about how it works. I’ll be sure to post more about those in the future, but the articles mentioned above have plenty of good information as well. As usual, feel free to comment below, or contact me on Telegram or Twitter. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-28-telegram-and-why-i-use-it/:0:0","tags":["Telegram","communication","security","privacy"],"title":"Telegram - What is it, and why do I use it?","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-28-telegram-and-why-i-use-it/"},{"categories":null,"content":"To quote the Whitesnake song “Here I Go Again”: I don't know where I'm going But I sure know where I've been Hanging on the promises In songs of yesterday And I've made up my mind I ain't wasting no more time Here I go again Here I go again In my last post about my fitness levels, I mentioned that I had already lost my gusto for fitness at the beginning of the year due to mental and physical fatigue. After hearing from a number of people (my accountability group, friends and associates online), I decided to turn up the dial again, set some goals, and re-restart. First things first, my food intake. I let myself go near the end of 2020, thinking I could manage things myself. That did not work out well. I’m back to Intermittent Fasting using the Zero Fasting platform. I’m starting off slowly, with 16/8 split, with plans to eventually move back to 18/6. Right now, I usually hit 17 hours (or close to it) on a daily basis, and I’m trying to be better about the quality of the foods I eat. One thing I like about IF is that once I start my daily fast, there’s no room for snacking/desserts/etc. This takes will-power and control – things I definitely need to work on. Regarding exercise, I’m using my “home gym” more. I’ve my bosu ball, two Swiss balls, two sets of elastic resistance bands. YouTube has been great for finding easy workouts for all this equipment. Some even combine the equipment so that I’m getting multiple benefits. The goal is to do these workouts at least 3 days a week. Then, there’s the dreadmill. I’m not running outside right now, even though I love the weather. I need to be able to stop as needed, so indoors is the best thing for me. Rather than just hop on and go for a random run, I’ve set a time/distance goal for June. Using the TrainAsOne app as my guide, workouts are generated for me for at least 3 days a week. They’re mostly shorter runs for now, but, hopefully, I will meet or exceed my goal (TBA) when the time comes. As I mentioned, my accountability group has been great in pushing me forward. They helped me analyze some of what was going through my mind the last time I wrote. You can help be a part of my accountability by reaching out to me on Twitter, Telegram, or find me on other social media. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-22-road-to-fitness/:0:0","tags":["health","fitness"],"title":"The Road To Fitness","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-22-road-to-fitness/"},{"categories":null,"content":"It’s been a tough row to hoe for the past month or so (yet, my poetry skills still seem on point). I’ve been dealing with a new injury which, in turn, has made it very tough for me to exercise. Combine that with my ongoing mental healing, I’ve not been eating well and have gained a bit of weight. Let’s just say I’m not happy with it. Add to that a blood test that shows that I need to be a bit more careful moving forward. The injury itself makes it very tough to sit at a computer and type for long periods of time. Even sitting in one position is painful after a while. I’ve been in PT for a few weeks and, even though I think my therapist is trying to kill me, there is definitely improvement. I’m hoping that the next few weeks show a significant increase in mobility and decrease in pain so that I can get back on the horse (or, in this case, the bike, for which I just purchased an indoor stand - more on that later). Thanks to friends and family with their support, I’m doing ok, and the road to wellness will be walked on again very soon. In the meantime, I’ve a few articles stashed away that I’ll be posting soon, so keep an eye out. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-03-05-the-slackers-health-update/:0:0","tags":["health","fitness","update"],"title":"The slacker's health update","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-03-05-the-slackers-health-update/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Overall fitness improvement is the goal for not just this year, but the future in general. I’m not going to set time- or weight-specific goals, as those have caused me to struggle mentally in the past. What I DO want to do is lower my weight to a more healthy range and get my physical activity back up to a reasonable state so that I can be active without getting tired. All this combined starts today, January 4th, 2021 (well, actually last night). I began doing intermittent fasting again using Zero as my tracker and guide. I have my fitness apps all set to go, as well as videos I’ve made note of on YouTube. In addition, I’ve already spoken to the guys in my accountability group, and we’re all in this together. I believe that last part is what’s going to really push me through this year, as the intent is to really be accountable to each other. Today’s plan - continue my fast and get a little exercise and meditation in. If you plan to follow me on this journey, don’t expect the use of the word diet or specific mentions of actual body weight. What you can expect is to see updates on how I’m feeling mentally about the physical changes and (hopeful) improvements that are coming. Drop me a line on Twitter @lgwapnitsky with words of encouragement, inspiration, or if you want accountability. via GIPHY ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-01-04-the-weight-is-over/:0:0","tags":["health","fitness"],"title":"The Weight Is Over...By A Lot","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-01-04-the-weight-is-over/"},{"categories":null,"content":"I know I said I’d post more, but there’s been a lot going on since my last post. It turns out that the injury I previously wrote about got worse. After seeing my excellent sports doctor, the diagnosis of my pinched nerve turned out to be a degrading disk in my neck, as shown by an MRI. The recommendation was to see a surgeon for a consult. Well, I did. The PA that came in first wanted to just have an epidural done. I let her know that steroids and I don’t really get along too well. The doctor came in, complimented me on my bushy beard saying, “That’s going to hide the surgery scar pretty well!”. Hence, we discussed an anterior cervical fusion on C5-C6. C4-C5 and C6-C7 are also degrading, but not as bad right now, so we’re minimizing the surgigcal procedure, which is scheduled for May 5th. I’m not looking forward to surgery, but at the same time, I am, as I want to be able to play with my kids, pick them up, exercise. This inactivity (save for some walking) and my bad diet have not been too good for me. Here’s hoping that all the pain goes away after a few weeks of recovery. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-04-28-why-so-quiet/:0:0","tags":["health","fitness","update"],"title":"Why have I been so quiet?","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-04-28-why-so-quiet/"},{"categories":null,"content":"Side Note Ignore MOST of the stuff below, except for the Matrix chat link. I’ll have a post about Matrix later on, and how to get in touch with me there. I’m also slowly migrating away from Telegram. The others were a failed experiment at using some federated services. I may try again at a later date, but it’s not a priority. A post will be coming at a later date, but I’m simultaneously expanding and contracting my social presence. Feel free to hit me up on the regular channels, as well as the new ones. Here’s where I can be found: Chat @lgwapnitsky:matrix.wapnitsky.com (preferred) https://telegram.me/larrygwapnitsky #### Social Sites #### @lgwapnitsky@friendica.wapnitsky.com @lgwapnitsky@toot.wapnitsky.com @lgwapnitsky@pod.wapnitsky.com https://twitter.com/lgwapnitsky https://www.facebook.com/larry.g.wapnitsky #### Images/videos #### @lgwapnitsky@pixelfed.wapnitsky.com @lgwapnitsky@peertube.wapnitsky.com https://instagram.com/larrygwapnitsky The website will be updated with these very soon. ","date":"0001-01-01","objectID":"/posts/2021/2021-04-28-why-so-quiet/:0:1","tags":["health","fitness","update"],"title":"Why have I been so quiet?","uri":"/posts/2021/2021-04-28-why-so-quiet/"}]