Week in Review

JUNE 30 – JULY 6

This week…

• I learned

  • about the Happiness formula calculated by modern psychologists where Happiness(H)=(C)conditions+(S)Biological Set Point+(V)Voluntary Activities. Basically your conditions are fixed states for significant periods of time like weight, height, sex, age, where you live, etc; S is more of a probability range your genetics predispose you to affected by your environment (the most significant factor affecting your happiness is your genetics apparently); and V is what you engage in on a daily basis. I learned which conditions and voluntary activities most affect your happiness. This is a pretty in-depth subject I’m gonna be recording a podcast on this week about.

• I’m reading

  • The Happiness Hypothesis and Terry Pratchett’a Discworld series. I’ve burned through 2 of his books this week and can’t say enough about them. I didn’t know comedic fantasy-fiction could be done so well.

• I’m watching

  • UFC 239; I’m so excited about this card I don’t know where to start! I’m also burning through LEGION on Hulu and it’s fantastic. Very psychedelic framing and visuals, psychologically interesting, but maybe a little lacking in character development on the whole.

• I’m focusing on

  • Polishing my book outline and getting the Podcast set up. I have a name, episode ideas, feed, studio 95% setup, and demo episode shot, but I’m missing intro music.

• I’m proud of

  • A new piece of songwriting this week that has some of my favorite lines and a kind of unusual melody that I haven’t found before.

• I’m worried about

  • being spread too thin in too many directions. If I add one more project to my list I’ll explode. I’ve also been battling a little insomnia.

About the fusion: I’m surprised at how much the physical therapist is letting me do. I got to get my heart rate way up there a few times and some real moderate level bodyweight movements. I felt so good I pushed myself a little more than I should have and my pain lit up to 7ish. It seems like when the pain gets into 7 or more there’s enough inflammation that it takes a day(s) to get back to baseline. I’m starting to really feel like even my brain is inflamed in those instances for over a day. The covers of the stitches are off and they look good, and long hot showers are much more appreciated than they were two weeks ago. I’m noticing though I’m a victim of the progress principle here where the I’m only momentarily happy at the progress my back is making and soon thereafter disappointed at how much I still can’t do.