YIKES! STOCK MARKET DOWN 13% ON MONDAY

I took a screen shot on 'Gas Buddy' which showed gas at a local Costco at $1.64 @ 9:38AM
I took a look at 'Gas Buddy' again less than 3 hours later and the price dropped a dime.
I took a screen shot on 'Gas Buddy' which showed gas at same Costco at $1.54 @ 12:04PM

I remember inflation.
Is this deflation?

Inflation is not particularly good.
Deflation has another set of problems.

We are in a crazy time.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

IRONIC IRONY

I wish I could say that I am being treated for anemia (iron deficiency) but I am not.  My gastroenterologist is still searching for the source of the anemia - still trying to discover how and where I am managing to lose iron (blood) within my body.  That's not really treatment. Thankfully, my colonoscopy and endoscopy resulted in completely normal findings and nothing regarding the source of my anemia was discovered during these rather invasive procedures.  Yesterday, was my follow-up appointment with my doctor and (naturally) more tests were ordered.   I was sent for yet another blood test to determine if my anemia has stabilized or accelerated.  In addition, I need to return to the hospital for a CAPSULE ENDOSCOPY.  This means another day of having nothing but clear liquids on the day prior to this examination. As I understand it, I will be essentially swallowing a camera early in the morning - as well as required to wear some kind of belt all day long which will presumably record what the camera is 'seeing.'  I return to the hospital later that same day to return the belt.  (Apparently, I get to keep the camera!)

During my visit yesterday I was again asked if I am experiencing any symptoms of anemia.  Sluggishness, tiredness, unexplained weight loss?   (Of course I have reminded my doctors that I have lost 90 pounds since December - but that this was purposeful!)  For nearly a decade prior to this year - I was very sluggish.  For nearly a decade prior to this year, I have been tired.  For nearly a decade, I have been very physically unfit. It sure is IRONIC to be examined for anemia when I feel better and more healthy that I ever have.  It sure is IRONIC to be examined for anemia when I have more energy that I ever have had. And it sure is IRONIC to be examined for anemia when I have never been more physically fit than I am right now.

I am being examined for ANEMIA.  (IRON DEFICIENCY)
I have never been more ENERGETIC.
This is what is known as an IRONIC IRONY.

I cannot think of the word, irony, without recalling a specific scene from 'Seinfeld' which took place between Elaine and another woman on a New York City subway on an episode that first aired on January 8, 1992.

'The Subway' (Seinfeld)

The woman from 'The Subway' episode of Seinfeld who couldn't quite understand irony

Woman: I started riding these trains in the '40s. Those days a man would give up their seat for a woman. Now we're liberated and we have to stand.
Elaine: It's ironic.
Woman: What's ironic?
Elaine: This -- that we've come all this way, we've made all this progress, but, you know, we've lost the little things, the niceties.
Woman: No, I mean what does "ironic" mean?

- Elaine and woman on subway, in "The Subway"

 

THURSDAY MENU

breakfast    two salmon burgers, two apples, KIND fruit & nut bar                                 600 calories
lunch          SUBWAY double chicken salad, apple, KIND peanut butter bar                  500 calories
dinner         JIMMY JOHN'S UNWICH #14, two apples                                                 390 calories

CALORIES CONSUMED 1490 CALORIES

CALORIES BURNED

STAIR CLIMBING       (ground floor to 25th floor)        65 calories
STAIR DESCENDING (25th floor to ground floor)        15 calories
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE (NEW SETTING - MANUAL - LEVEL '16')    662 CALORIES

TOTAL CALORIES BURNED 742 CALORIES

THURSDAY NET CALORIES     748 CALORIES

I did something different on the elliptical machine tonight for the first time.   I have almost always set the machine to 'calorie burn' with a high water mark of 'level 18' resistance.   During the course of a 30 minute workout on this setting - the resistance goes up and down three times, only reaching level 18 for just three minutes in the middle of the 30 minute session.

Tonight I set the machine to 'manual' and set the 'resistance' to 16.  The resistance was unchanged for the entire 30 minutes (there are two minutes of 'cool down' tacked onto the end of the session) and the  workout was much more challenging.   And the 'rewards' were likewise greater.  The machine recorded that I 'burned' 662 calories during this session.  Since I initiated this workout by climbing up and down 25 flights of stairs first - it was an extremely productive workout.

DOES THIS REALLY SOUND LIKE A GUY SUFFERING FROM ANEMIA?

NOW YOU KNOW WHY I CALL THIS AN IRONIC IRONY.

Nothing is written in Stone?  Really?   TELL THAT TO MOSES!

This sign has to be purposefully funny, right?

This one took me a moment to figure out....That's not just a shoe - It's a 'CROC'!

I have tried, really tried to keep POLITICS far away from  the MARC JACOBS WEIGHT LOSS JOURNAL.
APPARENTLY, TODAY I FAILED TO DO THAT.

By now you have figured it out - I am not a supporter of our President. (or Democrats)
...and believe me....Republicans ain't so great either!

And finally, the lyrics from the Alanis Morissette song, IRONIC

An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
And isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Mr. Play It Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well isn't this nice..."
And isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
When you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
You think everything's gone wrong and everything blows up
In your face

A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like ten thousand spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic...don't you think
A little too ironic...and, yeah, I really do think...

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out

FITNESS TRACKING APPLICATION - MapMyWalk

MapMyWalk is an application that I downloaded onto my iPhone back in December and finally got around to using it yesterday.  This is the description of the application lifted from their own website:

MapMyWalk is a fitness tracking application that enables you to use the built-in GPS of your mobile device to track all of your fitness activities. Record your workout details, including duration, distance, pace, speed, elevation, calories burned, and route traveled on an interactive map. You can even effortlessly save and upload your workout data to MapMyWalk where you can view your route workout data, and comprehensive workout history.

I was still visiting my Mom in Lynbrook, New York yesterday and the nearest YMCA was not very near.  I decided that a simple brisk walk would be my form of exercise for the day.  It was the first time since I started exercising that I experienced the great outdoors.  I was mentally prepared for a spring day in New York so I was a bit surprised that the temperature was 36 degrees for this little adventure.  I chose a path which mirrored the way I used to get to my high school (Valley Stream South High School.  I graduated from in 1975)   After I reached my high school I chose a different path to return to my Mom's home.   Although I don't have great faith in the calories burned reported by this app, which seem an unlikely high number - I am sure that I did burn calories as I was walking fast enough to raise my heart rate - although I don't know what my heart rate was - that's where an apple iWatch comes in handy - a product that I might consider later this month.

MapMyWalk calculated that the entire walk turned out to be 4.77 miles and that I made 9970 steps.  I averaged 12:22 minutes/mile which took 63 minutes.  The application 'thinks' I burned 1342 calories... I find that number ridiculously high.   In fact, for the entry I use in my absolute favorite app, MyFitnessPal, I will record only 1/3 of that number for calories burned which will be 447 calories.   It does not really matter what number I record... if more calories were indeed burned - so be it - no complaints here.

Dinner took place at a fabulous restaurant: FRED'S at BARNEY's (9th floor of the famous clothing store)  This was for the 80th birthday celebration of my Mom.   My youngest brother, had selected the restaurant with an eye for a place where I would be able to find something suitable to eat - as well as a cousin who he claimed can find nothing to eat 'nothing' anywhere.   I selected the Sushi grade Tuna and ordered it charred on the outside and and raw on the inside.  I substituted the couscous for an order of fresh asparagus.   As a result, I had a terrific dinner, which was extremely low calorie.

dinner: FRED'S at BARNEY'S (9th floor) Sushi Grade Tuna, charred on the outside, asparagus  350 calories

WEDNESDAY MENU

breakfast     two scrambled eggs, three prunes, two slices smoked turkey 'bacon         263 calories
lunch          gefilte fish w/horseradish, slice Manischewitz Matza, CABBAGE SOUP 262 calories
dinner         Fred's at Barney's 10 oz Sushi Grade Tuna, half-cup asparagus                 350 calories

total calories consumed   855 calories

CALORIES BURNED
9AM BRISK WALK FROM LYNBROOK/VALLEY STREAM  4.77 MILES      447 CALORIES

TOTAL NET CALORIES WEDNESDAY 408 CALORIES


These were two cartoons that my Mom had cut out of the newspaper to show me... So what to do? Add them to my blog, of course!

This was the destination of for my 4.77 mile walk yesterday: Valley Stream South High School.
I graduated in 1975, and from the outside, it looked unchanged.