Survived the MRI yesterday but if someone asked me for tips on how to get through one, of course I have a list. It was an experience for sure. 

eyes

I wish I would have had an eye mask like the ones people wear on airplanes to sleep. I wasn't in the machine all the way but I was in far enough. The roof of the machine is really close to your face. An eye mask would have stopped the temptation to look at the roof.

mind

20 minutes plus with nothing to look at or listen to. It is pretty rare in our daily lives. I got through it but practicing a complicated linear drum pattern. You can't move in the machine. I drummed by lightly squeezing my hands and feet. I got 20 minutes of drumming in and kept my brain occupied.

ears

You have giant noise cancelling earphones on. It is still pretty loud. Lucky for me I listen to a lot of noise music. It is what it is so embrace the noise and meditate on it. There were a lot of industrial beats in the racket.

Went to get a weird soreness/bump on my hip after rehearsal checked out yesterday. Off to get an MRI scan today. I think the reason it feels intense is all the build-up to the scan. I had to meet with a person that explained to me how loud and claustrophobic the machine is and had to sign off on it.

It kind of reminded me of old horror movies in the 1950s where they had you sign a release before you entered the movie to heighten the effect of the film.

Fingers crossed it is nothing.

I am a big fan of dill. Dill is pretty rare to non-existent in a Japanese grocery store. If there is any, it is pretty expensive. I always keep my eye out for seeds when we are somewhere that sells plants but they never have it.

So I was stoked that I actually found a pack the other day. Yes I know I can order them online but there is a thrill in the hunt.

Planted them and after three days, they sprouted. Very stoked to have fresh dill soon.

Today, breathing is on my mind. Especially breathing in time to music. An eight-count inhale, holding it for eight counts, exhale eight counts, and holding for eight.

I believe the term for it is "box breathing" which uses a four count. You need to adjust it to what you are playing or listening to.

I use it for remembering to get enough air while drumming. Keeps me from getting tired.

I also use it as a metronome. Keeps my mind on the tempo.

There are two things I like to do to keep in shape for drumming and for me in general. One is using a pair of light dumbbells that we found in an old box. The other is jogging in place because I can do it at my desk during pomodoro breaks or while watching a tutorial.

During one jogging break I thought to myself, "If I could only combine the weights and jogging then I'd be done with them quicker".

So I started jogging with the dumbbells¹.

Sometimes I do the normal running motion. Sometimes I just hold them in a position until I get tired then switch positions.

This rules. Less counting. Less routines. My muscles feel the same as the past dumbbell lifting. Perhaps ever more of a workout. The app I use to track jogging is telling me "way to go".

Also the moving the legs while keeping my arms out with the weight feels a lot like drumming. Bonus!

¹ This is probably a well known exercise but I really don't want to go down that rabbit hole.

Got some half-priced katsuo at the supermarket last night. Marinated it in sesame oil and vinager overnight. ¥200 tasted like ¥2000 for lunch today.

After ten days of quarantine and then testing make sure I am good to go, we went to Hokkaido around Muroran. Even after one day, I can feel the fog, I was unaware was there, clearing.

Woke up today with some wicked influenza. I was up for about thirty minutes and then slept until Noon. Decided I needed to get tested and turns out I have the virus. I got my medications and orders to stay home and quarantine for around 10 days.

That means no show on Sunday so disregard the last three posts. Such is life.

When I woke up, I wanted to dive into whatever was announced at the 2024 Keynote. Then I found myself wanting to go on Mastodon and reading all the knee-jerk complaints about said announcements. Instead, I grabbed some coffee, iPad with pencil, and a spot on the couch looking out at the Skytree. Giving myself some points for fading into the day today.

I had a some credit for the Apple Store so I got an app called Waterllama to remind me to hydrate. Wasn't sure if I was really going to use it but after a week of using it I am glad I got it. Before I was sure I was drinking enough water all day. Getting pinged from the app at regular intervals made me realize I before I was probably drinking a bunch of water mostly in the morning and evening.

You get to set up what you normally drink and then it has a hydration percentage that gets added and subtracted from your daily score. Water is 100% hydration, coffee is 60%, and alcohol is -50%.

Nice to get "am I drinking enough water" out of my head and into an automated system.