Occlude's recent activity
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Comment on What are some favorite books with themes of grit, endurance, resilience, living through hostile circumstances? in ~books
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Comment on It's official: My back is shot in ~talk
Occlude (edited )LinkBack issues really suck and I'm sorry this has happened to you. I was diagnosed with two herniated discs in my lower spine a couple of years ago. Similarly it felt like it came on over a period of...Back issues really suck and I'm sorry this has happened to you.
I was diagnosed with two herniated discs in my lower spine a couple of years ago. Similarly it felt like it came on over a period of about 6 months with gradually increasing periods of pain and fewer periods of feeling ok.
I don't know what the root cause was because my spine was significantly more degraded than it should have been at my age - possibly I was genetically predisposed, likely it was not helped by bad posture, lots of bending down over the past 5 years raising a small child and also a lot of yoga vinyasas.
I had an MRI, I did a few of months of physiotherapy, I saw a neurosurgeon to make sure that the affected nerves were not going to need surgery imminently. After finishing up the physio i found that I was still in a lot of pain daily, even with the prescribed regular exercises. I was having to use heated pads and ice pads consistently just to stay mobile.
So I did some looking around online to see what else I could try. I found the McKenzie stretches mentioned on a couple of sites and bought the book on a punt. The approach to posture and the stretches were transformative for me. Over time I no longer needed the hot and cold pads. It is now to the point where although I am always aware of my back, I almost never need to take pain medication for it and it has a minimal impact on my day to day life.
I suspect everyone has to figure out what works best for them, but here are some of the things that made the biggest impact for me. Aside from the stretches the McKenzie book is big on posture. I have never been able to maintain a good seated posture, even after reading the book and working on it.
So when i do need to sit, for example to eat or to drive, I use a lumbar roll. I work from home and I picked up a cheap standing desk converter (sits on the top of a regular desk). This took a while to get used to, and I had to alternate between sitting and standing while I did, but now I find standing to work to be natural and comfortable. I recently picked up a floor mat which makes it easier on the feet and would definitely recommend that too.
I avoid sitting to relax where possible. Either I will lie on my front or my side. It looks weird, me lying on the floor on my front to chill out but my family got used to it!
For sleeping, one of the tips my doctor gave me which helps a lot is side sleeping with a pillow between your knees. Sometimes I need a further pillow behind me to dissuade me from rolling onto my back in the night.
For exercise I had to make significant changes. Running is out, anything which jars the spine is no good for me. Swimming is fantastic. Walking also works well for me. In the gym for cardio I find the elliptical to work well, because it doesn't jar my spine. I like to do interval type training at home and I built a routine of core-focussed exercises (strengthening the core helps reduce stress on the spine) that don't mess up my back - squats, mountain climbers, pushups etc.
I still have good periods and bad periods, but it's so much better than before I got it diagnosed and before I figured out what works for me.
I hope this gives you some ideas and the sense that things will get better as you figure out what works best for you.
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Comment on Advice for a day in London in ~travel
Occlude (edited )LinkFormer Londoner, although not for the past 5 years or so. If you've time to get over to Greenwich it's well worth a visit. It's quite a fun trip down there on the DLR. The National Maritime Museum...Former Londoner, although not for the past 5 years or so.
If you've time to get over to Greenwich it's well worth a visit.
It's quite a fun trip down there on the DLR.
The National Maritime Museum is interesting and not too large. There's the Cutty Sark, you can just walk around the outside and admire it. I haven't done the interior, I remember thinking it wasn't a great value proposition.
Greenwich Park is lovely, and there's the observatory there and the prime meridian. Greenwich market is nice for lunch and crafts.
Plus there's the impressive architecture of the Old Royal Naval College. -
Comment on Travel recommendations for Japan in ~travel
Occlude People have already covered Tokyo, Kyoto and such pretty well. I'll give you some recs focusing on Kyushu and some less obvious / smaller places on the way from Tokyo to Kyushu on the assumption...People have already covered Tokyo, Kyoto and such pretty well. I'll give you some recs focusing on Kyushu and some less obvious / smaller places on the way from Tokyo to Kyushu on the assumption that you will go there by train
Kyushu
Nagasaki is one of my favourite Japanese cities. The recreated Dutch trading post at Dejima is fascinating, the food is great and there's a bunch of good museums and galleries.
The National park at Aso has some nice hiking trails and some beautiful volcanic scenery.
You can take a ferry from Kagashima to Yakushima, the island that inspired Princess Mononoke. The forest with the ancient Cedars growing there is like nothing else I've ever seen.
Tokyo - Kyushu
I would be remiss if I didn't mention Miyajima. There's a good reason why it's one of the Three Views of Japan. If you can stay there overnight, the atmosphere when the daytrippers have gone home and the laterns are lit is magical.
It's off the direct path, but I really liked the mountain town of Tsuwano. Some historic buildings, fish / emergency food supply in the roadside canals, a fun chairlift and relatively few tourists.
Similarly Tomonoura for a slightly run down and sleepy yet picturesque seaside town.
If you stop at Okayama, the garden is great as is Kurashiki.
Another vote for Koyasan, it's a unique experience staying there.
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Comment on What are your favorite series that are not from the US or UK and also not popular anime? in ~tv
Occlude I enjoyed Lupin on Netflix quite a bit, although I'm currently bogged down on Part 3. Omar Sy is fantastic in it. For Spanish, also on Netflix, La Casa de las Flores. Very funny and plenty of...I enjoyed Lupin on Netflix quite a bit, although I'm currently bogged down on Part 3. Omar Sy is fantastic in it.
For Spanish, also on Netflix, La Casa de las Flores. Very funny and plenty of drama. Cecilia Suárez steals the show. Her laconic delivery is arresting and hilarious.
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Comment on Advice for Guatemala and possibly nearby? in ~travel
Occlude Yellow fever is not an issue anywhere above Panama City in Latin America. Source In Mexico near to Guatamala I can recommend the ruins at Palenque and Calakmul (much more remote / harder to get...Yellow fever is not an issue anywhere above Panama City in Latin America. Source
In Mexico near to Guatamala I can recommend the ruins at Palenque and Calakmul (much more remote / harder to get to) and the town of San Cristobal de las Casas.
However the archaeological site at Tikal is at least as impressive if not more so than those I mentioned earlier and likely more convenient to get to from where you are in Guatemala.
Two that come to mind that I've read in recent years, coincidentally both by Korean authors.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, an intergenerational tale which features the resilience of a Korean family under the various forms of oppression and discrimination from Japan. One of my favourite novels from the past five years.
Human Acts by Han Kang is a masterpiece on the terrible things that humans can do to each other, autocratic government, grief, resilience, resistance and surviving.