Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

[dualstow]

That’s not the lion & tiger guy, is it?

Sure is

Ha

[joypog]

Thought I'd just share what I've been up to lately...changed gigs a few months ago which will ultimately be a time savings but a new job always come with a high mental overhead to start. Now that my portfolio is set (though I'm eyeing adding Managed Futures as one of my 1/n assets), I don't spend much time on finance forums.

So instead I've been dabbling in various hobbies. My current hobby is calligraphy and recently I grabbed a bunch of my boy's scrap papers and started practicing on them with 5-word poems (sometimes based on life and sometimes just word silliness like this one). Cheers!
~

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[Hal]

So instead I've been dabbling in various hobbies. My current hobby is calligraphy

Meanwhile in Joypogs back yard......

[dualstow]

calligraphy

Nice. Though I’m not good at calligraphy, I love fountain pens. Makes my handwriting more legible.
I have one self-inking brush pen.

[joypog]

Meanwhile in Joypogs back yard......

Hahaha maybe one day! Though I don't think we'll find trees like that in Las Vegas!

Nice. Though I’m not good at calligraphy, I love fountain pens. Makes my handwriting more legible.
I have one self-inking brush pen.

Yes! I have a Pentel brush pen...actually 4 now (they were on sale for $7 a piece and I wanted to have multiple for different colors). As for calligraphy I'm using Pilot Parallels (their largest 6.0mm at the moment). The TLDR is that the Japanese make killer pens.

[dualstow]

I have this one
https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Shunpitsu ... k/pd/28261
but I usually don’t use it unless you count asking the wife to make a sign

[Smith1776]

Insanely great work, Joypog!

[yankees60]

Day 12 of being sick.

Was fine a week ago Sunday. Not fine the next day on Monday.

Have had such a reduced appetite that I've lost 9 pounds during these 12 days, down to 142.2.

Went to urgent care yesterday. Test results should be available today. Also, shortly after writing this I will be going to pick up an inhaler and antibiotics.

Symptoms have mainly been lower energy, body pains, a cough that comes and goes.

[dualstow]

Wow, sorry to hear it, Vinny.
Get well soon!

[Mountaineer]

Wow, sorry to hear it, Vinny.
Get well soon!

Yes, get well soon!

[yankees60]

Wow, sorry to hear it, Vinny.
Get well soon!

Yes, get well soon!

I've never before used an inhaler. Followed the instructions to set up and prime it but when I used did not feel anything going into my throat. So don't know if anything did or did not.

I will later again through setting it up / priming it.

It was quite easy to take two pills!

[Smith1776]

Vinny, I had no idea you were sick. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Incidentally, I was sick just recently after our wedding (post-stress illness), and I was down and out for a good while. Neocitran and all that stuff helped, but it was really just staying in bed all the time that did the trick.

It was nice when I finally recovered, but because I was having so much bedrest it knocked my sleep schedule off kilter.

[Jack Jones]

I was dealing with some stress this spring, so I did some research into herbal medicine. I realized that a yard full of useful plants that I knew how to use was a form of wealth. I ordered some seeds.

I was able to get several perennials established: valerian, licorice, astragalus, but failed with ashwaganda. I haven’t consumed any of these yet.

However, the standout has been an annual called Tulsi (Holy Basil). It is pleasantly fragrant like basil, with a cool menthol-like aspect. I just enjoyed my first cup of tea from it!

[Smith1776]

I was dealing with some stress this spring, so I did some research into herbal medicine. I realized that a yard full of useful plants that I knew how to use was a form of wealth. I ordered some seeds.

I was able to get several perennials established: valerian, licorice, astragalus, but failed with ashwaganda. I haven’t consumed any of these yet.

However, the standout has been an annual called Tulsi (Holy Basil). It is pleasantly fragrant like basil, with a cool menthol-like aspect. I just enjoyed my first cup of tea from it!

Wow, very nice. My wife wanting to do something similar in our yard. Unfortunately, neither of us has a green thumb.

Has maintaining your garden been particularly labour intensive?

[yankees60]

Through all of this I am still getting out somewhat, like the last three nights of softball practice since I'm the coach. The cause was not helped by me constantly having to yell out instructions to people. Talking most often brings on the coughing spells.

Last Saturday was an all-day music festival day that I was looking forward to as I have gone to it many days in a row. But I had to pass it up since there was no way I'd be able to put up with 1.5 hours of driving and 12 or so hours of walking.

However, the next day I did attend a music festival that was right on my street - 2 miles / 3 minutes away.

Normally, I'm on my feet, never sitting down when I am out.

Last Sunday I was looking for every opportunity to be sitting down.

In one of the pictures, you can see where I was actually trying to sleep!

The stir-fried vegetables I am eating there were delicious!

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[dualstow]

Wow, you really do look thin, V.

I was dealing with some stress this spring, so I did some research into herbal medicine. I realized that a yard full of useful plants that I knew how to use was a form of wealth. I ordered some seeds.

I was able to get several perennials established: valerian, licorice, astragalus, but failed with ashwaganda. I haven’t consumed any of these yet.

However, the standout has been an annual called Tulsi (Holy Basil). It is pleasantly fragrant like basil, with a cool menthol-like aspect. I just enjoyed my first cup of tea from it!

I used to be very much into that, although I didn’t grow them. I’ve never planted anything but basil and sunflowers. (I don’t really have a yard).

Used to take valerian pills in college. My roommate noticed that they stink
Tulsi, on the other hand, I used to use as a soap. I thought it might keep the mosquitos away. Neem soap, too.
I think Tulsi Gabbard is named after the plant.

My favorite plant is mugwort. You can make tea from it. Koreans make cakes with it. Grows all over the U.S.

[yankees60]

Wow, you really do look thin, V.

I was dealing with some stress this spring, so I did some research into herbal medicine. I realized that a yard full of useful plants that I knew how to use was a form of wealth. I ordered some seeds.

I was able to get several perennials established: valerian, licorice, astragalus, but failed with ashwaganda. I haven’t consumed any of these yet.

However, the standout has been an annual called Tulsi (Holy Basil). It is pleasantly fragrant like basil, with a cool menthol-like aspect. I just enjoyed my first cup of tea from it!

I used to be very much into that, although I didn’t grow them. I’ve never planted anything but basil and sunflowers. (I don’t really have a yard).

Used to take valerian pills in college. My roommate noticed that they stink
Tulsi, on the other hand, I used to use as a soap. I thought it might keep the mosquitos away. Neem soap, too.
I think Tulsi Gabbard is named after the plant.

My favorite plant is mugwort. You can make tea from it. Koreans make cakes with it. Grows all over the U.S.

I plant a lot of the same plants in my vegetable garden because I never what is going to grow and what is doing nowhere.

The basic went wild! I have about 20 huge, huge plants. I've just pulled some of them out of the ground to give to people.

I'd always been afraid of seeds and only planted the starts.

This year I tried seeds for the first time - arugala, sunflower, corn. Each has been wildly productive.

[Jack Jones]

Wow, very nice. My wife wanting to do something similar in our yard. Unfortunately, neither of us has a green thumb.

Has maintaining your garden been particularly labour intensive?

The more plants you touch, the greener your thumb gets.

I haven’t yet had a year where I felt like I maintained the garden well. Fortunately, plants are forgiving and can take care of themselves. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good here. Nature is wild.

If you want to keep things nice and tidy, start with a raised bed. Weeds from the yard will have a harder time creeping in.

Also, plants where you eat the leaves are nice because you don’t have to wait long. Lettuce is often recalled due to safety issues, so that’s another good reason to grow it yourself. That’s what I’m focusing on this fall.

[Jack Jones]

I used to be very much into that, although I didn’t grow them. I’ve never planted anything but basil and sunflowers. (I don’t really have a yard).

Used to take valerian pills in college. My roommate noticed that they stink
Tulsi, on the other hand, I used to use as a soap. I thought it might keep the mosquitos away. Neem soap, too.
I think Tulsi Gabbard is named after the plant.

My favorite plant is mugwort. You can make tea from it. Koreans make cakes with it. Grows all over the U.S.

Yeah I’ve recently realized that our western medical paradigm is lacking, especially when it comes to chronic conditions and wellbeing.

Coincidentally, I took a valarian capsule last night because I was anticipating difficulty sleeping. It did smell! I did feel it coming on, and noticed a change in state, but still had trouble sleeping. Will be interesting to see if homegrown valerian is more effective for me, but will have to sacrifice my plant to get to the roots.

I’m familiar with neem for pests. If ants are coming in from somewhere, I’ll coat some neem around the spot and they’ll stop coming through.

Tulsi Gabbard:

Holy Basil is sacred to the Hindu god Vishnu and is used in morning prayers to ensure personal health, spiritual purity, and family well-being.

Seems like she embodies those virtues well.

Mugwort is new to me. I will keep an eye out for it. I think I’ll be able to recognize the leaves now.

[dualstow]

Unless you live in the city, you’ll probably encounter mugwort growing somewhere once you recognize it. It has been given the “weed” libel by gardeners, and understandably so. Warning here:
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-mugwort-5077403
I bought some for calming tea. I love the bitterness for some reason.

[Jack Jones]

Unless you live in the city, you’ll probably encounter mugwort growing somewhere once you recognize it. It has been given the “weed” libel by gardeners, and understandably so. Warning here:
https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-mugwort-5077403
I bought some for calming tea. I love the bitterness for some reason.

While I was on my run I remembered to look for mugwort. I looked down and immediately found it:

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Maybe I noticed it subconsciously and that jogged my memory.

Interesting that it is useful for dreaming. I will give it a try and report back. Thanks for the tip!

[dualstow]

I’m impressed! That’s got to be it. But, like the woman in the video cautions, make sure you see a silvery or white underside, or else it could be that toxic plant that looks like mugwort.

Also, don’t consume it long term. You have to take breaks.

“Jogged”

[Smith1776]

I hope everyone is having a great Sunday. I'm currently working on a couple papers for my master's degree program, and then I'll be taking a break in the evening to spend some time with the missus.

According to the weather forecasts here, it looks like today is the last day of real summer heat for the year before a cold spell rolls in tomorrow. Here's hoping! I detest summers nowadays. The oppressive heat is really getting out of hand.

Looking forward to seeing what the markets do with the Apple iPhone event this week, too!

[Mountaineer]

Hope you’re feeling better Vinny. Let us know how you are doing.

[Mountaineer]

Anyone going to get a new iPhone 16 of some sort? I currently have an 11 Pro Max and am thinking it might be about time. Battery is about 85%.

I’m also thinking about an Apple Watch series 11 depending on the medical features that are available. I’ve never had one or anything similar. Any guidance?