Last of Summer

It's not particularly warm here this weekend. OK, in truth, it is September and I did just experience the hottest summer in memory, so a daytime decline from 37C to 24C seems very painful. But we wake to 18C, a sad reminder of the trajectory we're on. I should say that it's gorgeously sunny - the kind of weather most people drop their jaws at - and it is expected to warm up again next week. The air show, which I mention annually (and which I'm fortunate enough to see perfectly from my third floor terrace), is silver perfection against an azure backdrop. I'll get to see it 3 days in a row from the comfort of my home. I love the air show.

There is no sewing or knitting going on here at the moment. Actually, this is the least crafty I've been in 6 years. But I view my new work venture as a creative undertaking and I am most definitely applying my skills to it. Instead, what I do (when I'm not working) is read. Reading used to be my salve - particularly fiction. (I was an English Lit major, after all.) A few years ago, at the blog advent, I went from reading multiple novels a week to reading online only. And, for some reason I do not comprehend, fiction ceased to interest me at all. Truly, I could hash out ANY book with you 10 years ago. These days, I don't even know who the fiction writers are. I still have not returned to it (though I'm sure I will one day, when I have a bit of time to savour). Right now everything about my life is applied. I read to figure out how to do something, to make something, to vet something, to classify. So my genetic test results have kept me happily engaged, as do the blogs. I've also been reading a number of books with a health-meets-culture/philosophy/historical perspective.

I highly recommend 2 television shows that you should watch if you want to be riveted and entertained but also educated:

Michael Mosley's Make Me Series (particularly Live Forever) and The Truth About Exercise. I LOVE this guy. He's so relatable and the pacing is great. His interest in health is well-entrenched. Not only is he a doctor-turned-television presenter, but his father died of a heart attack at a very young age and, as a result, Mosley has been exceedingly intent on detangling his own health predispositions since then. He openly discusses, in one of these series, that he's skinny-fat and prediabetic (despite gym exercising, which does nothing to improve anything for him). He and his smartie team of scientists test him out a zillion ways and apply theories to his health-care regime. They analyze his blood and predict that he's not in the best positioned to gain positive results from the kind of exercise programs we're all encouraged to undertake - largely because his genes predispose him to gaining very little aerobic benefit. He then devises and tests a high-intensity (but very short) fitness regime, the results of which are fascinating. I pretty well love everything this guy has ever appeared in - prob because I find him so intelligent (and he's a questioner, just like me!) - but also because his interests are mine. These shows aired originally on BBC in UK. I think they may be avail on the internet now. I saw them on TVO or PBS.

Redesign My Brain with Todd Sampson (a Canadian-Australian). It took me a while to get into this because I have a very low tolerance for scary things on TV - and this guy uses neuroplastic techniques (on top of a very robust genetic profile and previous elite athletic accomplishments) to do some crazy-ass shit. 2 of the 3 episodes involve heights. It is MIND-BLOWING what this guy can accomplish in a few months. Sure, he won the genetic lottery on all the fronts, but you will be amazed nonetheless. If he can do these things with relatively minimal, but intensive, training over a few months, what things could you be doing (if slightly less spectacle-focused)??

Both of these series have that Kristin-approved well-funded-scientist-meets-challenge format. If you've seen these shows I'd love to know your thoughts! If you haven't, take some of this long weekend to curl up on the couch with popcorn and a glass of wine (or nuts and a green juice). Your choice. :-)