See you around... see you on the ground.

Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.

Found a different kind of quote site with some pretty good quotes!

Might use this one a bit.

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

More music? Rizzle.

Read on...

I met that Mormon on the train again yesterday. His name's Jake.

We spoke a bit about the process behind his missioning: how they circulate every six months within the country - him and a group of a hundred like him, and spend basically their entire days traveling and talking to people.

They do this all over the world, their bible's translated into a hundred languages so far, and there's even an app for those who prefer that.

We both jumped off the train in Kungsängen and stood there for another fifteen minutes, and had a pretty good chat. I'm surprised, since most religious people I speak to come off somewhat fanatic, but either this guy is very good at what he does or he's just a very genuine person. Or both.

We agreed on how if only people could try to do good and be good then the world would be a much better place... but he did recommend me a chapter in that book of theirs. On how a first small leap of faith can lead a long way; lead to faith. I'm not convinced I'll ever get there, or if I need it, but I will give it a read. I'm intrigued to see what he believes might convince me. And what he believes, period. People are interesting.

It's been a good week overall. Only three work days - mainly since commuter trains are replaced by buses a large part of the distance today (and will be for the rest of the holiday) - and I don't want to take that extra commute time. I'll make up for it next week.

On Tuesday I watched two movies straight at the cinema, with a quick dinner on the balcony in the second saloon, before people started pouring in, and on the other two days I brought home Sushi. Today is free. I've been spending it banking; doing all those things you have to do but don't find much particular pleasure in, but also walking and enjoying the sunshine which: is here! We got it. Almost strong as summer, with an occasionally chilling wind to remind you that we're not quite there yet.

I got my tax return too. Got my insurance (it covered roughly half of my bike), have tried all of GB's new summer ice cream flavors, and life overall is just... going pretty well lately. I'm feeling good. Spring time tired but: good. That's all I really wanted to say today.

Time to get out again and get some fresh air. The sun falls through the blinds on the office side in the afternoon. But it's cool till June. Usually. Maybe this year will be different.

How long has it been since my last summative post here now... over a month again huh. Or does this count? Or this?

I've been writing some shorter posts lately, but there's really so much more I want to be posting. I have things to tell y'all that these puny little occasional glimpses just can't convey, and it feels like a longer one's required. Longer gone from a weekly, to a monthly, to a little bit more than monthly now. Maybe seasonal summaries are finna be the future? Hopefully not. Monthly seems doable.

It's been a pretty crazy month though, in relative terms, for an individual who typically doesn't lead such a crazy life. Last week I had my bike stolen (insurance came through, but is less than half of the original price so it seems the next one's bound to be cheaper), and just the other day I had some mild iodine poisoning.

I say mild because I didn't throw up, or have to get to the hospital ASAP, but I did toss and turn in fevers and chills the entire night, and stayed home from work the next day to recoup. Drank copious amounts of liquids, lemon balm, motherwort, and no iodine. No salt at all actually. Even if the amount of iodine you might get from salt is probably less than a mere per mille of what I had. IOW: of little risk.

It happened like this: Thursday night, I felt like I might be coming down with a cold or something, so I decided to boost my immune system a bit with a little iodine and zinc. Standard procedure. One tablet of zinc, and a drop of iodine in a glass of water, that you then whirl around a bit and consume just two teaspoons of - because it's highly concentrated.

The pipette for this particular liquid is however not the easiest to use, and so instead of one single drop in the glass I managed to spill in at least a few.

Alright. Maybe I'll just take on teaspoon instead of two. But what harm could that do? A little extra iodine is probably just an even better a boost, right? I took those teaspoons and everything was alright. No problem.

I sat by the computer for a while more, maybe an hour or two, and I started feeling a bit strange. A bit cold. Soon I was shivering uncontrollably, wondering if it could have something to do with those extra iodine drops.

I turned off the computer and grabbed a glass of water, and then another one (not because I was thirsty - because this helps flush out potential toxins), and went to bed hoping it'd calm down.

But it wouldn't calm down. The shivers got worse and worse, and I knew I should probably do something, but was so cold I didn't want to lift the blankets and get out of my bed. I rushed to my desk and grabbed my cellphone, dove back under the covers, and fumbled with the phone a while, looking for symptoms of Iodine poisoning.

No results for chills. Fevers, though. Respiratory issues. Suddenly my throat started feeling kind of strange as well... and my face was burning. Yupp, that was a symptom. Not a serious symptom, though. If you've been seriously poisoned you're supposed to vomit right away, so overuse of iodine is never a serious threat. At least that's what The Internet says.

So I stumbled downstairs, fetched another couple glasses of water, woke up my parents, spoke to my sister (she's a nutritionist) on the phone, and waited while she read up a bit more on Google... all the while the chills and convulsions finally started to calm down, and so I calmed down.

Wonder what would've happened if I didn't drink anything though.

I went to bed, took some lavender, the chills turned to a regular fever instead, and I sweated out the night in fits of fever, and sleep, and frequent bathroom breaks, and come Friday I thought it best to stay at home. Though I was feeling a lot better. Just tired. Really tired.

The fever finally dissipated entirely sometime during the afternoon.

And today it's Saturday and I'm OK! So, that's what happens if you happen to not heed the dosage instructions on an iodine bottle, and maybe take the dosage you're supposed to take if you're subjected to radioactive exposure instead (seriously, if you're ever involved in a nuclear incident then iodine is the first thing you need to get into your system - in controlled dosage).

The unpleasantness of the night before last is starting to fade (last night I slept like a stone), but it really was a pretty scary experience.

I've never been particularly careful about the natural supplements I take, because most of them are so diluted you could basically take half a jar without getting anything worse than a bout of diarrhea, but there are definitely exceptions! I know now. Be wary.

For a week after this I'll probably be a bit more restrictive with iodine in my diet, avoiding eggs, dairy products, and sea salt in larger quantities than I have to consume (salt's in everything these days - but not always sea salt), but other than that I think I'll be OK. Might still be wise to do a check-up though. I called the local health center and they offered me an appointment in June. So maybe not. Though maybe I can get checked at some other place instead.

If you happen to live outside Sweden and think that our healthcare system over here is great and awesome: it's not. Waiting times are insane. Unless you're seriously ill there's not a chance you'll get in anywhere except in the rich, reputable or private clinics, and even if you do there's no guarantee you'll get a doctor who should actually be qualified to be one.

It's a bit depressing knowing that if your life ever happens to be in real danger, than the people you might rely on to save it might not have the necessary merits to do so. You hear horror stories. They're great at fixing broken bones and taking care of regular cuts and bruises, but for anything more complex you wonder what they're teaching the docs these days. I don't have a lot of faith these days.

Hopefully that situation is better in your part of the world.

But anyway, apart from nearly poisoning myself with iodine and getting my bike stolen there have been some good things going on in my life too. I've been going to a Chropractor - four visits in at this point - and that seems to be going well. He says I really need to take care of my ergonomics, and to take a computer break at least once every 40 minutes... how long have I been writing this right now? One moment. Taking a break... Alright. Down the stairs and back again. All good. Benefits of living in a two-story home.

My next visit's in just about a month now, and before then I've vowed to get in better shape. I'm making an effort to take walks more often than I usually do - have been keeping a nightly walking routine for over a week at this point, with an exception for the one after the poisoning, yesterday, but of course that doesn't really cut it. And I do need to think more about my posture. And breaks. I'm working on it. The sun is coming up again and hopefully it'll get easier to stay motivated.

The new mic I ordered arrived last week, and I just need to get started with some recordings now. There's a few collaborations on route there just waiting on my desktop. Also waiting for motivation, time, and practice. A little more exercise and that latter part should be easier too.

I had a little creative venting burst earlier on, but otherwise I'm not writing as much as I'd want to. It's more personal messages and emails than anything constructive. I'm changing that too. I'm writing this. I just posted a dose of twelve leftover reviews as well. Maybe all you need is a little iodine poisoning to lend you a little perspective and get you going again?

As you know I've been in a DOOM Phase too. But this ain't a DOOM Phase 2 (or a DOOM 2 Phase): it's a Due Phase. Woo. Where I do my dues. And those who knew me before say who's that dude? He's so smooth and cool!

I haven't animated a thing since my last dabble a month ago, but that doesn't really matter. Writing's where it's at. That's what I want to do. I did watch a pitch from that guy who ignited that collab I was working on that part for (collab still on route btw), and it went pretty well! They also popped up his Patreon page on the live stream and I saw one of my comments on the main page. :D So hey, I've been on the Adult Swim Live Pitch stream!

Sort of.

It was a cool little event nevertheless, and I'm stoked to see what ChutneyGlaze might manage in the future. If he gets a spot on Adult Swim or not. He's got potential. He could go places. I feel like being there from the start almost makes me part of the process, but at this point I'm just a fan. Keep at it man. Great stuff. The collab was more than a month due though, apparently.

I caught that plane to Malaga too, and we had a great time there. Super awesome place! The day lasted way longer than you'd think. Our flight came in an hour late so we were checked in around 1 AM, and I didn't sleep at all the first night since people kept passing my room in the corridor - very central location, but we had a blast during the day, and the next night they probably couldn't have woken me up with anything. Woke up in time for the airport transfer though, a sturdy breakfast and a quick walk through the villa streets around the hotel. Everyone has a pool there. Got some sunburn too. In just a day. In March. They don't call it the Paradise Coast for nothing!

A week later me and my sister went to Häringe Slott (Castle) for a late Christmas present brunch, my nephew came to visit for a few days during the weekend - I bought him a three meal Birthday thing at renowned Villa Godhem too, and all three of us toured museums; had a good time, and on the same day he left I left for Tallinn. Same time too.

Spent four nights there, at three different hotels of which the final one happened to be right beside a highly trafficked street with sounds just bouncing right up through the window - they had ear plugs in the closet at least, and roamed the Old City wondering what I'd really planned this trip for... I wrote a bit, though. Hope to upload a little series of songs from that too. Soon. I know I should just record the songs and upload them right now and then post them here instead of saying that, but there's a chance this won't get posted at all if I do so for now: soon!

That place wasn't half as exotic, so no pictures, but it was fun. Good food. Good weather. Sunshine every day. Just ten degrees below what we had in Sweden during that same time.

Then last week I took a two day trip to Åbo (Turku). Cruise ship. Good ride. Spent most the time in my cabin, listening to the party people roaming the corridors, hesitant to partake in a kind of life I've just never really been introduced to, but I did get out a bit, listened to the music, watched the darkness slide by in the ocean outside, and slept like a log.

I'm learning to sleep in strange places! Progress. Didn't manage the first night in that final Tallinn hotel very well, but the second went OK!

I've also tried a couple lunches, most memorably at Dolce Italiano and Almoc Coffee Box (recommended!), went to a clothes swapping day one day and managed to get a brand new Hugo Boss tux in pure wool, am back to the movies again as of last week, and spoke to a Mormon on the train one day on the way to work. A missionary, with 16th century roots here, who had been in Sweden for two years, moving from Boden to Borlänge spreading the faith.

He spoke Swedish surprisingly well, and at the end of our session gave me a Mormon bible, in Swedish! Jesus Kristi Kyrka.

I didn't know we had that here.

I've seen him once before on the same train, at least once, when we has talking to what appeared to be a homeless person, or an alcoholic. Not sure if he saw in me a similarly pitiful state of being, but it was an intriguing talk anyway.

It's not common that Swedish people talk to other Swedish people on trains - at least not to people they don't know - but being American you can start speaking to anyone here and everyone knows that's OK. Because you're American. Take that as you will.

Felt like it was a pretty impressive commitment speaking to a stranger on each trip back and to work though, if that was what he was doing. Every day. All the time. I get the impression he did have that commitment, and it's just something you don't usually see over here. Commitment. In any kind of shape or form, but especially religious commitment.

I'm not about to turn religious just yet, but it was just inspiring to see.

I had the bible with me on the boat too (same day), but haven't started reading it yet. Read some NANA and played some Castlevania instead - until the save file corrupted. Again! More Shoujo reviews and an in-depth analysis on NDS save file corruption coming up too.

I was also hoping to write a bit about Spring, about how I've been out with shorts a few days while everyone else still cowered in their jackets, how my alarm clock played a joke on me the first of April by running out of batteries just when it was supposed to go off, about the time when there was a fire on the Odenplan escalators, my first four ice creams of the year (new reviews coming up there too), about the little wine cellar I just started in a closet under our boots or about how levain is like a special kind of sourdough, only it has to be made from pure wheat, but maybe we can leave some of those topics for some other weeks.

Spring tiredness, also... is it really a thing? Or is it a time change thing? Earlier this week I dreamt that I had massive sleep dust (just Googled that; I really like this version of it) in my eyes. Woke up so tired, and snoozed long enough that I almost fell asleep again and had to rush to the train. By foot.

I seem to get this every year though. Also just so happens that this same time last year, when I was feeling like I might be a getting a cold: I actually got a cold.

Some things sync so well it's almost like they could become routine. My yearly cold. My yearly chiropractor visits. My yearly trip to Östersund. They all started the same exact day this year as last year (though last year the chiropractor was an osteopath), and I really didn't plan any of them with that in mind. Cool, huh?

Otherwise one of my main goals this year is to not keep things going according to routine. I'm finna change things up a bit. I'm finna buy a new bike and ride a bit. I'm finna record some stuff too. Not living in the moment. You know it. Own it. Post it notes postpone shit.

Oh and that bursitis thing I went to the chiropractor to fix? Apparently my pelvis was way out of alignment, and the hip rotator cuff had been straining to make up for it, not being able to move forward on one side, or backward on the other, and hopefully we're getting that fixed now.

The instant pain disappeared after the first visit. The I-can-move-any-which-way-I-want-to-and-I-don't-feel-a-thing is going slower, but I'm almost there. Just can't sit crosslegged quite yet. Can't rotate right. Mic check.

Speaking of games: I haven't played much more GTA VC since that last post, but I've been on some Dawn Of Sorrow and RE: Revelations instead. Finna finish those up soon too, just like Plutonia.

Oh I don't think I mentioned I had a massage in Tallinn too! Hotel credit. And I've booked another trip North for the summer. Main one. Waiting on cheaper tickets again for the finale... or more if they really cheapen them up. Our plane taxes are dropping in June. Maybe then.

Until then I'm pretty much done with my bouts of quick trips for the season. I thought about getting one more just to get free baggage for a year onward (it's the Norwegian Reward for 18 flights/year), but on second thought it's not really worth it if I don't actually feel like taking the trip, and when the sunlight's found its way back here... I'm not sure I do.

The concerts take over next month too. I'm aiming for... a few of those. And old recaps. Soon.

For now though, this is plenty. Easter's coming up, and I'm looking forward to not just catching up a bit but just doing nothing.

I realize I haven't even written about work btw. We got new T-shirts there. I'm still highly appreciative of my flexible schedule, even if they'd like that I work all Fridays too when I can. So I've been doing that when I can. Of course I'd booked certain trips where Friday just happened to be one of the included days before this announcement was made so that's typical.

But they're still optional. Just feeling-the-obligation-al.

Work's going alright overall, even if I'm starting to feel a bit busy there too. Like I could make it a full-time thing after all, though I don't really want to. Don't want to burn out. Don't want to loose my hobbies. Like this. Like writing.

But was this a crazy month or what, huh? Or am I just crazy? Or have I not written enough about how crazy it was?

It's been pretty crazy from my perspective anyway, and I feel like the crazier it gets the more I evolve. The more involving the more I'm evolving. Problem solving and cognitive revolving while the cogs within us collect gall and solve them.

Until next week. Month? Whenever there's time. Peace and mind.