In House Outhouse

Hi Dear Readers!

I hope this blog post finds you and brings you some joy, insight, or action steps for defeating the Diabolical Forces in the Universe (DFUs). Not gonna lie...it's barely 9 AM and I've already defeated several DFUs (two confirmed). I haven't even had breakfast yet! (Although, I did have coffee...kind of mandatory when laying waste to DFUs on a Sunday morning in the Northland, where I'm visiting on temporary hiatus from Melbourne AUS).

To wit, I'm up at my folks' cabin, currently housing me, Deborah, and - not unsurprisingly - my folks. I am writing this post as I sit on the toilet of the indoor outhouse at the cabin. Back in the day, outhouses were toilets (usually of the pit variety) detached from the cabin proper and some distance away, making for some unpleasant ablutional experiences when one had to, say...ablute in the middle of a rainy night or in the middle of a hot and humid day (these outhouses were un-air conditioned).

My folks had the ingenius idea to install an in house outhouse, converting a utility closet inside the cabin into a water closet (as the Europeans call them), complete with plumbing and a porcelain throne (on which I now sit).

It's been a while since I last posted, and for that I apologize to any readers who anxiously await the next installment of this virtual life narrative. A lot has transpired in the past few weeks. Indeed...in the past few days. Of import are: 1. Deborah is officially applying for an Australian partner and resident alien visa; 2. We bought a new house (that is to say, we have an accepted offer on a new house). Both events have the unfortunate consequence of increasing the number of DFUs in our lives, but not insurmountably so.

Other than those milestones, life is generally pretty normal. Business is good. Diet and exercise are optimized. Social and mainstream media (SMSM) consumption are at all time minimums. So, the Dark Magic (the force that undermines the DFUs) is flowing voluminously...perhaps even superfluously.

Take care of yourselves and reach out if you are having any difficulty defeating the DFUs in your life. I am a licensed therapist, certified in DFU demolition, in the most abstract terms possible.

Fin.

The Week Ahead

Hi Dear Readers!

I hope this blog post finds you and brings you joy, insight, and action steps for defeating the Diabolical Forces in the Universe (DFUs) in your life.

I'm just coming down off of a PHENOMENAL weekend. On Saturday morning, I biked the 50 mile round trip from Madison WI to New Glarus WI, a ride intentionally dedicated to the demise of DFUs in my life. The town of New Glarus was having their annual Oktoberfest celebration, and I met Deborah, Gretchen, and the step grandkids there, for a couple hours of polka mosh pit (for the kids) and a pizza lunch at Sugar River Pizza, after which I made the return trek back to Mad Town.

I was a little anxious about the planned bike route to New Glarus in the morning. It ended up being mostly bike trail (rail to trail), albeit some of it unpaved crushed limestone, with a couple miles of deserted (and modestly hilly) country roadways into and out of New Glarus. The weather was phenomenal. Overall, it was a great time.

Some other stuff happened over the weekend too, but that was really the highlight, I think. Especially because it did some serious damage to the DFUs.

I'll end by reminding people that the path to salvation (aka, mental, physical, and spiritual wellness - MPSW) is three-fold: 1. eat a plant based vegan diet; 2. exercise aerobically daily; 3. boycott all social and mainstream media. You don't have to do those things, obviously. But I cannot guarantee MPSW if you don't.

Take care!

Fin.

Mass Delusion

Hi Dear Readers!

I hope this blog post finds you and brings you joy, insight, and/or action steps for defeating the Diabolical Forces in the Universe (DFUs). It has been a while since I posted. In point of fact, it is only by serendipity that you are reading this post right now. Were it not for Deborah wanting to watch a two hour episode of her favorite Reality TV show - that I have zero interest in - I'd probably be doing something else right now.

Earlier this evening, Deborah and I forsook [actual real word!] the gym to go to the Brix Cider House in Mount Horeb for their Thursday open mic night. I got slotted in for a 15 minute mini set at 6:15 PM and pumped out four quick songs that were very well received by the decently sized audience. We each had the vegan falafel plate on the Brix menu for dinner. It was too oily and salty, but very filling. We had to take some home, so much food was there on the plate. Since we have adopted a healthier whole food plant based diet, we don't consumer nearly as much salt and fat in our diet as is found in the Standard American Diet. So, when we eat food from the latter category, it is often a shock just how much oil and salt and sometimes sugar restauranteurs put in their food, to appeal to the standard American's palate. Suffice to say, my homemade air fried falafel is far superior to the Brix dish. Here is my falafel recipe.

I have been largely forsaking (present tense of the aforementioned real word!) humanity lately, because it appears to be afflicted by a mass delusion precipitated by social media (SM). In other words, humanity appears to have completely lost its collective f**king mind, and I want no part of that.

I have posited many times that SM is one of the most toxic and addictive things humanity has ever developed, and based on a quick read of the situation, it appears to be causing mass psychosis in many of its users. People have started to believe in very fictional and counterproductive narratives, which have now crept into view of the Overton Window (what was once disenfranchised by most of society is now accepted with far less question that it has any right to). This is a dire situation. SM is like an addictive drug that everyone is in total pre-contemplation about. Humanity appears oblivious to its dangers and its algorithms are literally destroying the fabric of society - as well as the minds of SM's chronic users.

That's all I really had to share. I don't expect anyone to believe my thesis here, but if you have any doubt about the addictiveness of SM, I challenge you to try going without it for a week. Or even a day. You'll see what I mean.

That being said, I am planning a total social and mainstream media (SMSM) fast for tomorrow. I did one a couple days ago and it went swimmingly. I encourage you to join me!

Take care.

Fin.