Random thing you love right now that doesn't deserve its own thread

An office I worked in in the mid-80's had three women fall pregnant within days of each other. We were all amazed! But it turned out they all drank the same selection from the hot drinks machine! Well, mystery solved lads!

BadKen wrote:

Just be careful it doesn't get you pregnant.

My name isn't Sarah so I should be safe!

No lower back pain again this morning!!

Keep exercising and stretching! Maybe google some yoga positions to strengthen your core and lower back (which are deeply dependent on each other). Even simple bodyweight stuff like planks and push-ups are just *great* for keeping minimal strength going in your lower back. Plank for a minute on elbows or extended arms, then fold into Child's Pose and let your lower back stretch, that sort of thing. As you get more fit, extend the times and add in similar exercises (for example, lay on your belly and lift and extend your arms and legs like Superman flying, hold that as long as you can). Or do alligator crawls, nice slow low four-limb crawls where you move diagonally opposite limbs together. There are tons of good back/core exercises that need no equipment. Maybe buy a good book on stretching.

Just don't strain or ignore sharp/sudden pain.

Robear wrote:

Keep exercising and stretching! Maybe google some yoga positions to strengthen your core and lower back (which are deeply dependent on each other). Even simple bodyweight stuff like planks and push-ups are just *great* for keeping minimal strength going in your lower back. Plank for a minute on elbows or extended arms, then fold into Child's Pose and let your lower back stretch, that sort of thing. As you get more fit, extend the times and add in similar exercises (for example, lay on your belly and lift and extend your arms and legs like Superman flying, hold that as long as you can). Or do alligator crawls, nice slow low four-limb crawls where you move diagonally opposite limbs together. There are tons of good back/core exercises that need no equipment. Maybe buy a good book on stretching.

Just don't strain or ignore sharp/sudden pain.

Yoga positions are my friend! It's the other reason why I moved from the computer desk to the floor because they are my resting positions and chairs are super uncomfortable to me. In fact, most of my entire front room is covered with a thick foam mat all puzzle-pieced together! I don't have a very typical living area since I'm by myself and can do things as I want.

Stele wrote:

Even better use 100% hardwood charcoal and no lighter fluid. You can get an electric starter like this one. Stick it in the charcoal, plug it in for 8-10 minutes and you have many well lit coals.

Edit: gnome-hausered

I use hardwood charcoal and a chimney to light it. Just some crumpled up newspaper and a match and it's ready in 15 minutes or so.

It's 2020. What's a newspaper?

Stele wrote:

It's 2020. What's a newspaper? ;)

What? You live somewhere they don't throw bundles of ads on your driveway every week?

Mantid wrote:
Stele wrote:

It's 2020. What's a newspaper? ;)

What? You live somewhere they don't throw bundles of ads on your driveway every week?

They'll even stick a handy, colorful dot on your mailbox to let you know what FEMA camp you'll be sorted into whenever the government declares martial law.

I'd been a chimney starter + charcoal guy in my previous grill/smoker incarnation. After years of not having a backyard, I *just* ordered a pellet grill, so I'll be in that new world soon.

Stele wrote:

It's 2020. What's a newspaper? ;)

I bought a newspaper last year specifically for the charcoal chimney. I'm about half way through.

iaintgotnopants wrote:
Stele wrote:

It's 2020. What's a newspaper? ;)

I bought a newspaper last year specifically for the charcoal chimney. I'm about half way through.

There was an ample supply of Village Voice/real estate flyers/shopping circulars that we could always use without having to actually spend money on papers

Tanglebones wrote:
iaintgotnopants wrote:
Stele wrote:

It's 2020. What's a newspaper? ;)

I bought a newspaper last year specifically for the charcoal chimney. I'm about half way through.

There was an ample supply of Village Voice/real estate flyers/shopping circulars that we could always use without having to actually spend money on papers

None of the free publications I could find are made of paper I would want to burn anywhere near my food. They're all coated in weird sh*t.

Mantid wrote:
Stele wrote:

It's 2020. What's a newspaper? ;)

What? You live somewhere they don't throw bundles of ads on your driveway every week?

We are lucky to get any mail/deliveries in our neighborhood at all. Been having issues on a weekly basis getting stuff. Amazon, USPS, and UPS have all failed us. The fun of being the third house in a brand new neighborhood I guess.

I have a small personal shredder that I use to shred bills and junk mail that have personal info on it. I then use that shredded paper as my fire starter in my charcoal chimney. Simple, efficient, and again, I don't shred any of the coated mail that would be a problem in the fire.

For bekkilyn:

fangblackbone wrote:

For bekkilyn:

LOL I wonder if using lotus position would make you look like a slacker.

Turns out the soundtrack for my favorite cartoon as a child, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, is on Apple Music. I'm enjoying a huge dose of nostalgia at the moment!

bekkilyn wrote:
Robear wrote:

Keep exercising and stretching! Maybe google some yoga positions to strengthen your core and lower back (which are deeply dependent on each other). Even simple bodyweight stuff like planks and push-ups are just *great* for keeping minimal strength going in your lower back. Plank for a minute on elbows or extended arms, then fold into Child's Pose and let your lower back stretch, that sort of thing. As you get more fit, extend the times and add in similar exercises (for example, lay on your belly and lift and extend your arms and legs like Superman flying, hold that as long as you can). Or do alligator crawls, nice slow low four-limb crawls where you move diagonally opposite limbs together. There are tons of good back/core exercises that need no equipment. Maybe buy a good book on stretching.

Just don't strain or ignore sharp/sudden pain.

Yoga positions are my friend! It's the other reason why I moved from the computer desk to the floor because they are my resting positions and chairs are super uncomfortable to me. In fact, most of my entire front room is covered with a thick foam mat all puzzle-pieced together! I don't have a very typical living area since I'm by myself and can do things as I want. :)

I have lower back problems occassionally and would love to see a picture of this setup, if you don't mind.

Mixolyde wrote:
bekkilyn wrote:

Yoga positions are my friend! It's the other reason why I moved from the computer desk to the floor because they are my resting positions and chairs are super uncomfortable to me. In fact, most of my entire front room is covered with a thick foam mat all puzzle-pieced together! I don't have a very typical living area since I'm by myself and can do things as I want. :)

I have lower back problems occassionally and would love to see a picture of this setup, if you don't mind.

I'd have to clean before I'm comfortable showing a picture of that room right now, but here is a video that shows something like what I have. I didn't get my mats from here, but mine are 2' x 2' x 1". My karate dojo had this sort of setup, so that's where I got the idea.

You just cover as much of the floor as you wish with them like a rug. They have different levels of thickness and I wanted mine extra thick.

Thanks, bekkilyn! And some sort of low table for your computing and writing? Like a Japanese tea service?

Mixolyde wrote:

Thanks, bekkilyn! And some sort of low table for your computing and writing? Like a Japanese tea service?

Oh right!

I may get a prettier one at some point, but this is the one I have for now. It's called a "Folding Laptop Desk". I also liked it because it was so portable.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...

bekkilyn wrote:
Mixolyde wrote:

Thanks, bekkilyn! And some sort of low table for your computing and writing? Like a Japanese tea service?

Oh right!

I may get a prettier one at some point, but this is the one I have for now. It's called a "Folding Laptop Desk". I also liked it because it was so portable.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...

Oh, that my be great in the Fall if my kids are still some distance learning.

bobbywatson wrote:

Turns out the soundtrack for my favorite cartoon as a child, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, is on Apple Music. I'm enjoying a huge dose of nostalgia at the moment!

I loved that series too. I’m going to have to check out that soundtrack.

——-

I also wanted pile on to the anti-chiropractic chat. I had a friend who got sent to the chiropractor because he was having knee problems. “Oh yeah. Crack my back so that me knee feels better.”

I’m of the opinion that any benefit derived from chiropractic is either a placebo effect, or they are doing something other than chiropractic, like massage therapy. At this one PT center they wanted me to have their in house chiropractor work on me. I told her straight away that I absolutely would not let her crack my back or neck or anything. She also specialized in sports massage, so I let her do a manual stretch of my ham string that was supposed to help my sciatica. It was awkward because she started to push on my butt cheek in this really bizarre way. I started to freak out a little on the inside, but then she quickly found the tendon she was feeling for. Whatever she did caused a tremendous amount of pain relief. It was euphoric, and not in any kind of sexual way.

RawkGWJ wrote:
bobbywatson wrote:

Turns out the soundtrack for my favorite cartoon as a child, The Mysterious Cities of Gold, is on Apple Music. I'm enjoying a huge dose of nostalgia at the moment!

I loved that series too. I’m going to have to check out that soundtrack.

I found it under the French title, Les Mystérieuses cités d'or. (No idea if the English title works, I did not try it.)

RawkGWJ wrote:

She also specialized in sports massage, so I let her do a manual stretch of my ham string that was supposed to help my sciatica. It was awkward because she started to push on my butt cheek in this really bizarre way. I started to freak out a little on the inside, but then she quickly found the tendon she was feeling for. Whatever she did caused a tremendous amount of pain relief. It was euphoric, and not in any kind of sexual way.

I wonder if my issue with my massages being too delicate is that I really should have been looking for a sports massage even if my problems had nothing to do with sports. I don't really know the difference between all of these types of massages and they are all pretty expensive just to keep trying different ones out.

Hum has released a new album!

It’s telling that the big change in the last decade or so, in Chiropractic practices, is getting PT certifications and offering PT services. I’ve noticed over time that everything that has helped my friends from chiropractors is also available in PT offices.

That said, nothing stops chiropractors from being good at massage and stretching. The woo is reasonably easy to avoid.

I bought a window air conditioner unit for my home office (which is in a detached casita).

Granted, Santa Maria and the rest of the California central coast usually ranks at or near the very top of every "best weather in the US" list, but those few days where it does get hot, it's hard to escape because air conditioning is the exception here. And that's no fun when trying to work.

Being able to ice down the casita on those warm days for both work and to escape the heat after work is going to be nice.

Of course, now that I've installed it, there are no forecasted warm days to be found. Stupid idyllic coastal weather.