There is no news about UATX

Sorry. We can try poking the University of Austin with a stick, but it seems to be just lying there, inert, after the scathing laughter at the announcement of its existence. I guess Doonesbury is going to try prodding it a bit.

Do the kind of people who found fake right-wing universities read Doonesbury? Probably not. The corpse will continue to lie there, rotting.

Twenty twenty too

New year, same as the old year. In 2020, I went into the spring term worried about this new virus everyone was talking about, and then it just got worse and worse until all in-person classes were cancelled mid semester and everything fell into chaos as we struggled to turn our courses into something new.

I’ll be content if 2022 doesn’t turn into a reprise of 2020, or 2021, or 1350.

TheCrafsMan is my new therapist

I’ve got a busy day ahead of me, so I’m going to start you off with something light. I just discovered this YouTube channel, “TheCrafsMan SteadyCraftin” (I spelled every word correctly, don’t give me any grief), and I found it immensely relaxing. It’s just this guy, the camera focused on his gloved hands, playing with little toys or kit-bashing or assembling stuff, all while having the most mellow, easy-going, and positive conversation in this odd New Orleans accent. It’s like watching Snoop Dogg make latex molds while talking about peace of mind. Oh, there’s also a puppet. Here’s a sample:

It’s therapy for nerds. It’s not going to be everyone’s thing, but I found it soothing.

I tried walking to the lab

I actually walked all the way there, through the snow, got to the door, and discovered that Mary had stolen my keys and I couldn’t get in. So I trudged back home, retrieved my keys, and then was so worn out (I’ve been laid up for a few months now) and so cold (yes, it’s a major snow day) that I gave up and put on my warm slippers and told myself I’d try again tomorrow.

No hurry. We’re supposed to get around 10cm of snow today, better to spend the time indoors.

My Xmas lunch

I fast all morning, and this is the reward I get?

Two muffins this time, less rubbery, more crumbly, but still not very good. Now I wait around until 3, and then I get to poke myself for a blood test.

Hey, while I was trapped in forced, hungry indolence, at least I got the syllabus done for my second spring semester course!

My Xmas breakfast

My wife has us on this Zoe nutrition test, as I mentioned yesterday. Today we’re on a tightly constrained dietary test: we have a supply of muffins we have to eat on a fixed schedule, with intermittent fasting, while the glucose meter installed in my flesh records my responses, and then later today I have to do a blood test. Funzies!

I had to eat three of these within 15 minutes.

They have the texture and taste of foam rubber. It’s not a flavor I associate with Christmas — maybe I should have sprinkled them with nutmeg and cinnamon? Nah, that would violate the experimental protocol.

Now I’m instructed to fast for four hours, and then I get more muffins!

I hate this. Where’s my lefse and krumkake?

Even lutefisk would be better than this!