Flu stilleben

Day 5 of the flu, succeeded in walking to ICA. A collection of things I could possibly consider eating despite pervasive nausea. The 'cheese cake' is particularly interesting, normally I wouldn't eat this even if someone gave it to me for free, because it's, um. Disgusting?

(also, just realized it probably has gluten, which I didn't ever consider. Huh! Fever-fail)

Oh, btw.

I did too drink. But other people drank more. So nothing too terrible happened, in the end. Also I just read that alcohol usually has the short-term effect of reducing spasms. I thought it was just if I got drunk enough I didn't notice them. Alcohol is however not usually recommended as a treatment, because of well. I guess you can guess.

My ER15s have finally arrived and listening to music with them is so much better than with the ER25s. This is a nice revelation. Also the case is cuter, and these babies don't need lubrication, cleaning tools, and alcohol wipes: you just pop the filters out and rinse them with water. Genius.

Also, my up-down relationship to my thesis is currently up. ERP systems and customization peeps, it's fascinating.

Just some things that aren't completely shit. For blog karma.

IF

Is the way to start the year off properly, after yesterday's (not really) hangover-induced goodbye carbs pigout session. As in Intermittent Fasting, that is. Mind you, I'm not sure it actually qualifies as a fast, but where I've seen it reviewed they say you are allowed to have as much coconut fat and cream as you wanted in coffee during the day. I lasted on that until 6pm, when I got not exactly hungry but bored, I guess. I should maybe do the fasting on a day when time is actually scarce - when you just lounge around all day cooking is such a vital part to mark the passing of the day, that all you do is think about food (at least when you're not supposed to have any).
Anyway, I made a broth on 2 onions, 1 carrot, butter and as much olive oil as I could bring myself to add before it started looking disturbing. And broth cubes, yes yes evil I know, I still use them. And then I added cream when serving :) And probably ate about half.

So although this day probably doesn't count like a fast in any way shape or form, I think I at least came very close to having less than 20g of carbs. Which makes me realize how many carbs I probably normally eat. I think maybe I need to start hunting carbs more. I do like calculations and lists and projects and the such. Shouldn't be a hardship...

Bla bla health

In other news, I came as close as I ever have to fainting this weekend. Or dying. Or feeling like I was going to die, anyway. Hypotension is a neat little word for sudden drop of blood pressure. I got up with a stomach ache, and then when I got downstairs I was suddenly blinded by flashing lights, started hyperventilating, and was deafened by roaring weird tech noises and unable to stand, thus falling and over-turning furniture. By some stroke of luck (I suppose) I was at mum and dad's, so they picked me up and helped me call a nurse. Who reassured me I probably had a blood pressure drop. Anyway, freaky as hell, but the only repercussions was dizzyness and scraped knees. In any case, it got me thinking, and lo behold! Epiphany.

I think my dizzy spells and accompanying nausea I get occasionally are probably due to me having low blood pressure. Thinking about it I remember I did an experiment for biology in high school where I measured my blood pressure, and it was very very low (despite me being very very unfit). Also associated with hypothyroidism and anemia, both of which I have/have had to some degree.

Note to self: If you can't tolerate a red wine, mixing it with coke may make it palatable but it will still fuck up your stomach. Duh. *headdesk* (on virtual, non-existent desk)

In other thyroid related news, I decided to give up on Euthyrox after 5 weeks. It was making my feet and calves cramp again, and as I am not yet sick, but only fat, I decided it wasn't worth it. Anyway, when my TSH was at 1 last Spring and I felt like shit I still didn't loose any weight. I prefer to be un-crampy and able to go to the gym.

I really understand now the common strategy and initial reaction of my doctor: to postpone medication as long as possible. I plan to live an anti-goiterous life and scoff coconut oil until I actually start getting ill. Trying to put depressing thoughts such as 'the side-effects will always be this shitty, but one day I'll be sick enough to accept them so as to avoid much worse things and eventual death'.
Yeah. Repress repress repress

Testing testing - fluoride free toothpaste

Because fluoride is a poison, especially for turtles. I was a bit wary about trying actually, but I picked the one that has two different kind of mints in addition to other good stuff (Weleda Ratanhia toothpaste)

Evaluation:
+taste, during brushing and after: very refreshing. Don't feel the need to drink water immediately after like I always do (but try not to, as dentist tell you off for that)
-look, both on the brush and in the sink after - huja!
-large increase in spatter
+/-obviously foams less, which makes it more difficult to brush but somehow feels good also, don't ask me how...

London Day 2

So far so good. Well, despite spending Saturday evening alone in the flat and, actually, unable to operate the Digibox, having a good time so far (after all, there's BBC iPlayer). Went for Korean in Soho last night with some members of the ECU-crew plus lovely gfriends, so nice and such awesome food (place called Nara). Today I bonded with Peppi and hit the shops a bit in town before exploring the local area. I was doing my usual 'do I love London, do I hate London, do I want to move here, do I want to stay in Sweden' mental rant until I realized the fairly obvious: until I stop hating myself I'm never going to be happy anywhere. So there! (not that this actually solves the problem of where I'm going next, but at least I know it won't matter so much where the physical location is - I'm fucked either way).

Philosophical ramblings aside, I've also been cured of my Starbucks addiction. Since my presumable fucked-up thyroid induced stomach acid problems I just cannot drink coffee, and Starbucks decaf tastes like... milk maybe? Certainly not coffee. Trying to remember what the place is at CPH whose decaf I actually like, I'm sure it's a chain, pretty sure it's Costa Coffee. Will try that next time.
But why why why do they not have water mixers in the sinks? Would you like ice cold or scolding when you remove your make-up? Gaah! Also, I want a Jack Russell. Or at least a tiny dog. So neat! Like babies, except they never talk back, can be alone for several hours and making them happy is fairly easy. And what's with all the tiny teenagers blocking central London? A few of them had EF handlers but I'm sure many of them where just drifting along being obnoxious without supervision. Still, awesome people watching can be had here.

Pointless dravel

A life without coffee - it's apparently possible! Or actually I should say, a life without caffeine. I'm still drinking decaf. I still love coffee! Just for the sake of my stomach I'm currently ditching it. No reason to go back on it really (although, check back with me when it's dark again).

Mind you, this GI thing is not working out for me. As long as I still eat the occasional fruit and crisp bread, I cannot resist temptation. Today: leaving do Danish disaster. Pfah.
I already despise leaving do's; it doesn't matter if you liked, didn't know, or hated the person, they're still just awkward and horrible. The cake temptation is just added insult. I'm already dreading my own do - luckily it's the most requested holiday week so hardly anyone will be around :)

Also, going offline for a week. Very grateful actually, I find this footie hysteria completely uninteresting when Sweden didn't qualify. Suomea Suomeksi!

Librarian-girl goes fashion blog

Best investment ever! I've always wanted these kind of mittens, they're so practical! Not to mention supercute when you colour co-ordinate with your nail-polish. Got them at Accessorize in London last fall, and they made the longest, wintriest winter ever more bearable. Colour really does that! Also, bright pink may seem odd for winter but my hands are in my peripheral vision all day long so I really think it improves your mood.
(yes, it's late May, but believe it or not I wore these up until last week and anticipate needing them again tomorrow - weather forecast says a high of 11 degrees and rain....)



Now, this is... colour co-ordination librarian-style
(aka Overkill)

Still undecided if I can actually wear this colour to work. It's not like they're going to fire me now that I've already resigned. Still, I don't like to appear unprofessional. Mind you, someone in my office occasionally wears a pair of silver boots. Another one wears purple lipstick.

Hmm. Maybe if I team it with lots and lots of black polyester...