Hello my fellow loved ones. Did you know alfalfa is very water inefficient to grow past the first crop? But they grow it a lot here on the west coast (despite drought) since it keeps a really high level of nitrates and nutrients to feed to animals after dried. Speaking of water, do you have a fun hydrating beverage in hand? Take the time to grab yourself one, and then let's go for a stroll!
So, as you have probably guessed, greetings from the west coast! I greet you from the mountains north of Boise, Idaho. Our time here has been delightful. Under Simu's encouragement I've been practicing a lot of cryotherapy; We go into hot springs near rivers and take turns between the tingling-hot and the bone-shaking cold. It's so energizing! But most of the time we do this in the showers, since life can't be lived exclusively stumbling between hot springs, afterall...
Speaking of energy, we've been drinking more guaraná recently too with our morning tea, which I think is a great supplement, diuretic & energizing fruit that's fun to try out! What else has been energizing me lately? These beautiful mountainous landscapes out west are jaw-dropping! One state more beautiful than the next. It's hard to pick highlights.
We got to travel with my parents in New Mexico, Colorado and Utah; Living side-by-side with them was delightful, and it's a very unexpected opportunity to have as an adult! My father has impressed me with his ability to go on long hikes (while only complaining 4% of the time) and my mother has continued to amaze me with her sense of humor when faced with day-to-day tribulations. We'll get her out on a hike one of these days.
With the consulting company & remote living came a freedom that I just didn't expect: the opportunity to connect deeply with people we love. To travel slow and spend days-that-turn-into-weeks getting to know our family and friends better. This winding road is filled with surprises, ain't it?
I've also felt very nourished by the professional partnerships that have been blossoming the last few months. I've expanded from diabetes/liver research to also work on the psychiatric research domain; I'm helping an organization build clinical software that produces research-grade data. It's given me an opportunity to get better acquainted with more recent alternative therapy that's being used to fight mental illness (LSD, marijuana, ketamine, etc).
I'm also learning more about rheumatology for a patient intake solution I've built (forms you fill out before seeing a doc for the first time). Isn't it wild that in 2021 we still have really arcane patient intake software? Maybe that will change soon... The best case scenario is that doctors can get your patient chart from other doctors who are referring you, but we're still a while away from that being accessible to all. Tip: if you have an iPhone, check out your appleHealth EHR integrations. If your doc isn't old-school, you should be able to request your full medical record from your provider through the application.
And well, last but not least, we have some dates for you for the rest of our US extravaganza. Let us know if you're around any of these spots; would love to do a gathering!
- End of July - Aug 19 - Northern Cal & San Francisco, CA
- August 20 - 30 - Drive from CA to NY (short stop in Chicago) [are we bonkers? yes]
- August 31 - Sept 14 - Gran Manzana New York Palooza
- Sept 15 - 22 - Cape Cod
- Sept 23 - Oct 6 - Poconos, PA
Well it's about time I ask, how are you? I was recently posed a beautiful question that I'd like to ask forward: What if we recharged ourselves as often as we recharge our phones? What does it take to get your batteries up to 100%? Have you been feeling rejuvenated lately?
With love and excitement for everything the future holds,
Alda
Some links for the curious:
Pictures ❤️