I know it's been a while since I have given an update. Sorry. I am in desperate need of a break and I am stuck in a country that I can't leave without being relatively certain I will spend quite a bit of time in quarantine before I can get back to work... so, I wait. I won't get into the mechanics of the work I am doing, but I feel pretty certain that until I get a break I won't be performing anywhere near my 100% mark.
In other news, I have been doing fairly well keeping up with my new year's resolution in the area of working out. I believe I committed to four days a week, with each session or cumulative work in the day equal to at least one hour. As it is, I have been getting in about five to six work outs a week, each one taking about an hour. With the exercise and a new intermittent fasting routine I am doing, I have managed to lose around 25 pounds since May. That would be more impressive if I hadn't let myself go so much before I decided to do something about it. The good news is that the exercise in combination with the fasting seems to be something I can maintain, as opposed to the last time I lost about forty pounds by running an ungodly amount of weekly miles and eating whatever I wanted. That was about 15 years ago, and it worked well until I couldn't hardly move because my knees hurt so much. The fasting has a lot of other benefits as well including better blood sugar, burning more fat than carbs, and generally feeling better. The negative aspects of fasting that I expected, like a lack of energy and weaker workouts never happened. Win-win. Oh, and I am fitting into clothes I haven't worn in 10 years because they were too tight.
I read three books this month, too. I read Finding the Dragon Lady, The Silent Patient, and Where the Crawdads Sing. I enjoyed all of them, but Where the Crawdads Sing was definitely my favorite. The Silent Patient had a great twist and I learned a bit about Madame Nhu in Finding the Dragon Lady the Mystery of Vietnam's Madame Nhu that I never knew before. I have read 20 books since January 1st, 2020. Not bad, but I find myself having to scrutinize more closely my next reads.
I wish I had more to report, but the job keeps me from taking any travel right now, not even in-country travel. Maybe next time.
