What I learnt in 2019
It took until this weekend to learn about conditional formatting in Microsoft Excel.
This year I’ve been weighing my body mass most days and lately I have been manually shading the cells red when the weight is greater than 77.9 kilograms. For the last week I’ve been trying to work out the “IF” formula to turn the shading red if the weight was greater than or equal to 78 kilograms. It all looked so complicated. Then on Saturday morning I was looking at the menu ribbon and saw conditional formatting and wondered what that was. Conditional formatting allows me to shade a cell red if the entry is >77.9 kilograms. That will motivate me more to achieve my target which I missed this year. I really want to get to less than 77 kilograms and in 2020, I want to see if I can sustain a body weight between 75 and 76 kilograms.
Metabolic syndrome
Earlier in the year I went to see my GP to get a referral for a colonoscopy (which ended well). My GP suggested I have some pathology tests conducted on my blood. It revealed I have the makings of metabolic syndrome.
Since then I’ve been doing what I can to improve my physiological position. I’ve been awake and out of bed at 4 am every day going for a walk. I’ve reduced significantly my consumption of processed food and carbs (carbohydrates), especially simple sugars. I’ve reduced my weight from 86 kilograms to what is now about 78 kilograms. To improve my sleep, I’ve bought a new CPAP machine which makes sleeping a lot better in terms of quality. The old machine was older than five years and had started to fall apart.
The Yummy Lummy recipe book
Earlier in the year I started planning out a recipe book. I’d made some progress but then stuff (life) got in the way and I lost motivation. The outline still exists. Nothing further is going to happen in 2019. I wonder if anything will happen in 2020.
Sous vide and using a meat thermometer
My cooking this year has been underpinned by sous vide and roasting meats with the assistance of a meat thermometer.
What I know now is that a tough bit of meat is no longer an option. If you go through the weekly recipes on Yummy Lummy you’ll see the array of different meat dishes I’ve cooked and enjoyed.
Travel this year to Québec City, Manila, Genève (Geneva), and Norfolk Island
I’ve travelled a bit for work this year. I had no idea about the extent of the travel at the beginning of 2019. It just happens as part of my job.
Québec city was cold and icy and there was so much snow. I saw a similar amount of snow in 2007 in Ottawa. The best thing about Québec City was the rabbit poutine I enjoyed. It was in a small cosy French restaurant in the old part of Québec city. It specialised in rabbit dishes.
My trip to Manila this year was my third trip in three years. Each and every time I visit Manila I develop gastroenteritis. This time was the worst and involved a blocked and flooding toilet. I also had another vasovagal episode. If I have to travel to Manila again, I’m thinking of buying a stockpile of protein bars and just eating them and nothing else. I mean it’s not as if I don’t know what I’m doing. I only drink bottled water. I say no to ice. I boil water for brushing my teeth. I eat cooked foods and nothing raw while in Manila. The other problem is the constant nausea from the all pervading odour of stale cooking oil which seems to permeate everything.
My trip to Genève went well and I had a spare few hours to take a bus across the border with France and experienced a view of Geneva in its entirety. While I didn’t have any problems with this trip, I’m still staggered at how expensive eating is in Geneva. I cannot imagine going there for a holiday. Most of my hard earned would go on food that really isn’t that good.
A very unexpected trip this year occurred very recently and involved a week (four nights) on Norfolk Island. I’d never been to Norfolk Island before. It’s a part of Australia which I think many Australians would enjoy visiting. The people are very friendly and the food is great. It’s reminded me that I really should take time away from work and explore more of Australia.
Holidays this year Brisbane (January) and Brisbane (July)
However, with ageing parents who are getting more frail, I find that my desire for holiday time centres around visiting Brisbane and spending time with my mother and father. It also affords me the opportunity to see my daughters who are the loves of my life. As the health of my parents begins to fail more often, I feel like I need to keep visiting Brisbane for a week in January and week in July.
Looking back at the week in July, it reminded me of the cooking class I took with my daughter. That was possibly the happiest day of my 2019.
Books I’ve listened to
I’ve learnt that I really prefer to listen to books rather than read them.
No such thing as a fish Book of the Year 2019
One of my favourite podcasts is No such thing as a fish. The show is hosted by the QI elves. For the last few years, they’ve written a book of the year. They’ve also recorded that book as an audiobook which sounds just like an extended podcast.
Man’s 4th Best Hospital and The House of God
House Of God (Black Swan)
Samuel Shem wrote a couple of great books. I read The House of God when I was in medical school. It was a book for that era and the language is no longer acceptable for today’s politically correct audience. If this book was released now, it would not achieve the wide acclaim it did when it was first released. The sequel to The House of God, viz., Man’s 4th Best Hospital was released this year. While the language in part harkens back to The House of God, it is more contemporary and I expect it was focus tested to ensure it would not create a furore amongst a very different medical student and junior medical officer audience.
Going Under
Going Under is a modern Australian version of The House of God. It was written by Sonia Henry and the author acknowledges the influence of Samuel Shem’s The House of God in Going Under.
I know some people found this book didn’t treat nurses well. I agree. However, the book did share a very clear message about suicide in young medical practitioners and medical students. I would recommend it to medical students and junior house officers.
Podcasting
As a result of Facebook banning Yummy Lummy, I started another site called Random Yummy. To that I added a short sharp audio clip service describing the meals I shared on Random Yummy. The podcast can be found on the Apple Podcast App as well as other pod catchers.
The Random Yummy podcast is now available in the Apple Podcast App, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Anchor.fm Please subscribe.
Television
Stargate SG1
One of the ‘discoveries’ this year has been Stargate SG1. This is science fiction that I have come to love. Dare I say, it’s up there with Star Trek. I never thought I’d write or say that about any other made for TV science fiction.
Regular readers know my love of Star Trek, and my fondness for Farscape and Firefly. Up until this year, I had not ventured into the Stargate universe. I am so glad I did. It is truly epic TV.
I’ve now finished season 10 which signals the end of SG1. In the new year I will begin watching Stargate Atlantis. I had thought I may do a rewatch of Star Trek: Voyager in 2020, but I think I’ll watch Stargate SG1 again to consolidate my thinking with a relatively quick rewatch. My fondness of 7 of 9 will have to wait.
Movies
Deadpool 2
On Christmas Day I watched Deadpool 2. It’s probably not your typical Christmas movie. It was enjoyable though.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (contains spoilers)
I just watched Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It was an enjoyable movie and ended the Skywalker saga well. However, I found the pace of the movie too fast. While the movie did tell the story, I thought parts of the story could be expanded while a lot of the action scenes could be condensed. We know that JJ Abrams can use the technology available to him but just because he can doesn’t mean he should. The movie in my opinion could have focussed more on the story telling rather than the special effects. The various coincidences of seeing Han Solo as well as Princess Leia (despite Carrie Fisher being dead) and Lando Calrissian were nice and helped end things. Seeing Chewie receive his medal also brought a tear to my eye. It was also nice getting a little of Yoda’s voice in one scene. Ewoks and Porgs completed a sentimental picture and now Star Wars can Rest In Peace.
Photographs of food and other things from this week
Final thoughts
- What made 2019 special for you?
- What are you looking forward to in 2020?
- What did you think of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker?
Happy new year for 2020. I hope your 2020 is a good one.
I hope the skies clear in 2020 as a result of improving weather, less bushfires, and much more rain.
You look very slim in your photo on this post Gary; well done on your weight loss. You have travelled quite a bit for work and have seen your family quite a bit which is lovely. I have done a bit of travelling too, Cambodia, Indonesia and South Africa – I am looking forward to next year to continue my volunteering and a bit more travel. Happy New Year Gary – wish you much happiness in 2020. Regards Sue
Dear Sue, Thank you very much. The travelling has been interesting and for work it’s been important.
I hope you have a wonderful 2020 filled with more adventures Sue 😃
Your year sounds to have been a good one, Gary.
I can’t say the same about mine, so I prefer to look at 2019 as preparing for a much better 2020.
Wish you a Happy New Year.
Thinking of your year Irene I agree with your outlook for you. I hope 2020 is a very special one for you.
Thank you very much Gary, I do really hope so too.