Nice one!

[beer1]

On the eve of all hell breaking loose in the pitboss, let's take a minute of solace to remind ourselves that we are friends, and human, no matter what genocidal atrocities we will play out in civ before it's over.

So I've been invalid since October 9th after a bad bike crash. Pulverised cheekbone, skull fractured around the right eye, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and short-term memory loss.

It's been a long recovery. The first month was all about healing the bones and then getting tons of rest. Brain, sinus and cheek were swelling against each other: constant headaches all the way up until Christmas. Serious difficulties regulating my sleep pattern. The keto diet helped with inflammation and an elaborate routine of self-massage, meditation and breathing exercises helped with sleeping.

Then for a few months during the winter, extreme fatigue (physical, emotional and psychological). 4 scheduled retreats into meditation x15-20 minutes just to get through each day. I had the emotional volatility of a 2-to-14 year old girl, depending on the weather and how well I slept.

Through April and May, I started taking walks again. Sometimes 1km, sometimes 200m to the mailbox and back. Whatever I could manage. Even that had me accumulating fatigue and, on bad days, considering to quit.

For the last month it's been seriously coming back. I ride my bike a little each day with my dog Cazzo attached to the seatpost. Energy and sleep has been easier and easier to manage, to the point where I barely need to keep a "regular" healthy lifestyle - no endless meditation, self-massage and dietary overhaul necessary. I'll try and keep the good habits though.

So here we are, summertime and the certainty that I'll be able to go back to work this Fall semester (part-time at first). Brain injuries are a bitch. Wear your bike helmets. I dare not imagine what it would've been like had I not worn my helmet.

No need for pity or concern - though I appreciate the thoughts and prayers, save all of them for ProPain. He'll need all of your moral support once the CDZ continent turns its attention to the Finn continent. See you soon ;)

Bonus dick pic:

https://i.imgur.com/K7rLhYc.jpg

Such a good boy.

Thanks for the update.
Was unsure whether to ask what your status is or not ask...

Keep working on your health! Sometimes this is the hardest work one can have...
...but it is the one that is worth the most...

And take care of that dog at least as much as he takes care of you ;-)

Yeah it's surprisingly hard to keep healthy habits. This winter, all I had energy for was keeping a balance between good health habits and rest. Doing that full-time gave me a sense of purpose, a feeling that I was "combatting" the illness, which helped to stay motivated and focused. But as soon as I stopped needing meditation, naps, etc. to get through the day, it instantly reverted to being as hard as usual to "make time." Even while having ALL the time in the world.

Next thing to make time for: a former student wrote me asking for an internship, so I'll have a baby-teacher through 2019-2020. Out of everything, I missed students the most. Especially former ones I got along with so well that they request working with me again [sun]

Good to hear the health status is on an upward trajectory. I'll pray for Propain a bit.

Thanks for the dick pic. And good to hear you're recovering well. Judging from the game, I'd say there's not much wrong with your brain in any case! I will not, however, pray for ProPain. Instead, I pray for a fair and honest fight. Besides, I might make the long journey to the other side of the world as well. Jeke's sister broke up with me. That calls for a Trojan War, doesn't it?

Oh man, that sucks. I'm sure they have a Malinese Helen of Tumbuktu for you, somewhere out in the ocean.

Doc cleared me for part-time work at 75% load, which means 2 classes of pre-med linear algebra :D It most likely will eat up most of my time and energy but I welcome the challenge [ninja]

Last week I went for a hike (7.6k, 750m D+) with a philosophy prof and had a long, profound discussion about nature, beauty, common good and what we leave behind. [drunks1] I didn't get winded, confused or tired, it was just generally taxing on the central nervous system. Near the summit, my knees started giving out — his were hurting as well so we just slowed down on the way back and everything went A-Ok. Morale of the story: I'm good to go with anything I used to do, within reason.

I also realized how grateful I was for the throwback civ game. This winter, many times over, the highlight of a cold, inactive, uneventful and rote day was the planning of, playing and tinkering with my pitboss turn.

Thanks, Pope Maarten of the Stralish.
https://i.imgur.com/THiEHW7.png

Good to hear! https://straland.com/images/smilies/grin.gif The hike, I mean. Organising the Civ4 game was purely out of self interest. https://straland.com/images/smilies/mischief.gif

And good luck with the teaching thing. Nice attitude of taking on the challenge. Getting active again is definitely good for the body and mind, I think, though I'm not a doctor.