2021.08.DisappearingMoment
Yo!
Welcome to August 2021’s Disappearing Moment, an inventory of opinions and experiences. I hope you enjoy it.
Podcasts
- Butts & Guts (I Liked It): Engaging, focused conversations with Cleveland Clinic gastroenterologists. Host Scott Steele and his guests help us understand their practices and share in their passion.
- Firebug (I Liked It):The suspect has written a novel that might also be a memoir and confession. In LA, even true crime is pure Hollywood.
- Value Investing with Legends (Worth My Time): Chummy, academic conversations with successful investors. Beating the market is difficult. The people who do often have good stories and helpful advice.
- Welcome to Your Fantasy (I Liked It): The story of Chippendales is sketchy and tawdry, only not in the way I imagined.
Nerdy Software
In 2019, I researched every workout logging app and selected RepCount. It has a fair price, elegant interface, regular updates, and easy data export.
Bougie Products
I drink a lot of ice cold protein shakes to support my fitness goals, each one through a bent, metal straw. A nice, daily treat.
Personal Finance and Investing
I fantasized about Donor Advised Funds when they were expensive and clunky. They’re now free and easy at Schwab and Fidelity, so I’m living the dream.
Reading
- Octavia Butler, Dawn (the first book in the Lilith’s Brood trilogy) (1987) (I Loved It): Pristine, realistic expository dialogue that suits the characters and situation. Plot: Lilith earns an MBA at an extraterrestrial business school. Somehow Butler makes it work.
- Jasmine L. Clark, "Organizational Culture for Recruitment, Hiring, Job Seeking, Diversity, and Change" (I Liked It): Extensive research, clear thinking, and crisp writing. Especially relevant for people on the job market or involved in hiring decisions.
- Joseph B. Soloveitchik, "A Halakhic Approach to Suffering" (Worth My Time): Even static laws need never-ending, dynamic interpretation. Part of developing this skill is understanding why laws exist and what they produce. Soloveitchik has some ideas.
Food and Drugs
I eat a lot of different meals for dinner, on weekends, and when I travel. Before dinner on weekdays, I tend to be a lot more specific:
- Beta-Alanine: Supports my weight training and track workouts. I put a bit in each of the 2–3 bottles of water I drink during the day.
- Caffeine: I have about 3 oz. of regular, drip coffee mixed with about 9 oz. of decaffeinated coffee each morning.
- Citrulline Malate: I mix a small scoop into a glass of water about an hour before I exercise. It tastes great and seems to help.
- Creatine Monohydrate: I have some daily in a shake. Useful for all athletes, especially vegans.
- Edamame: Frozen and shelled (I let it thaw at my desk before I eat it). Tastes great and a nice complement to the rest of my lunch.
- Melatonin (300 mcg): Maybe 4 or 5 times per week before bed. Note that most melatonin is sold in 3 mg doses, so the 300 mcg I take is 10% of the more standard dose.
- Nuts and Seeds (and a Tuber): Along with the edamame and a shake, my weekday lunch is a mix of tiger nuts (technically a tuber) with nuts and seeds I get at Trader Joe’s.
- Omega 3 (from algae oil): I Liked It to me by an ophthalmologist to help prevent my recurrent styes, and often recommended for any vegan.
- Protein Powder: I buy pea and rice protein blends from True Nutrition, and will occasionally have them mix in soy protein, too.
- Shakes: Protein powder, creatine, and water for weekday lunches. I blend in fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, and extracts when I make them at home.
- Vitamin B12: Often recommended for vegans. I take a tablet every other day.
- Vitamin D3: I take a fairly low dose each day.
Thanks for spending a few moments with me. I look forward to corresponding again next month.
Brett
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