Pail Tales

We visited the Asian Lantern Festival at the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson last night. The weather was perfect and the lanterns were beautiful in the dark. The dragon is the symbol of my birth year and there were some stellar examples at the festival. The creators did an incredible job of building vignettes of classic Chinese themes. Even though we are regular visitors to the zoo, navigating the paths is very different at night. Everytime we rounded a corner, we saw something lovely. In keeping with the location, there were lots of animals, but there were other stunning arrangements, too.  It would be hard to pick a favorite, but this one especially captured my attention. Each lantern is hand-sewn  by an individual artist.   Leopards in the distance... A wonderful wa...

Sunday we went to see the St Patrick’s Day parade . The weather was wonderful. The bag pipers were great. St Patrick's Day Parade 2019 One of the vendors at the festival was selling CBD oil. I have been reading  about it, since a neurologist I trust recommended it, but I had not used any. Being able to talk to the vendor was an opportunity to learn more. I bought a sample pack of the THC-free oil. Later that evening, I tried 3 drops (sublingual) of the 500mg solution. That is half the recommended dose. The peppermint flavoring was just noticeable. I felt a mild reduction in soreness and stiffness. I felt a mild light headedness. The effect lasted about two hours. It seemed equivalent to 200 mg of ibuprofen. Interesting. The sample pack was reasonably priced with several different types of preparations. I am not sure how many drops are in a regular size bottle, but at $70 to $100 per bottle it costs a lot more than ibuprofen. I wonder then, is it more ef...

This bush in my backyard has not bloomed in a decade. The cool, wet winter has made it and all the wildflowers in our neighborhood burst with color. It is amazing!

This week, I created a spreadsheet to track some key parameters of my sleep. I started it with March 1, so I have 18 days of data in it. (I did not use data from before that, because the Oura was building a baseline.) The one goal I have met everyday is getting enough REM sleep. Proving that I am a dreamer. That has always been true. I dream every night, vividly, and remember my dreams upon awakening (during the night and in the morning). However, I have never been a restful sleeper. Not getting enough deep sleep could explain some of my physical ailments. I now am getting over an hour of deep sleep on most nights (13 of 18 to be exact, > 70%). Judging from February’s data that is double the amount I used to get. I think that explains why I seem to be waking up earlier and still feel good. It is not helping my readiness score, because I am getting 7 or less hours of total sleep. The app says I need to go to bed earlier.

Sunset in my neighborhood August 2018 “The best predictor of future performance is past performance.” That was accepted logic in learning theory when I was in graduate school in the 70s.  It is the fundamental assumption of regression and general linear models that statisticians have used for the last 100 years. Whether performance is linear or curvilinear, it is predictable. The relationship holds true for people, widgets, or systems. When it seems to fail, it is only because there are insufficient data. People buy stocks based on their past performance (return on investment over a 1, 5, or 10 year period), despite the warning in every prospectus that past performance is not a good indicator of future performance. Why? Because the controlling factors are themselves in a constant state of change. That change, once recognized, leads to predictable outcomes, however. A few weeks ago, I was discussing with a surgeon the most likely response to alternative treatments. I was...

On March 14, 2019, I downloaded the Oura update to the app (version 2.5.2). The next day my RHR and HRV looked quite different. Could be me and just a coincidence. It could be the unusually cold water in which I washed my hands (the gap times match up with hand washing). Could be new algorithms - new sensitivity. Last month’s software and firmware was designed to improve sensitivity of sleep algorithms. And, this update included settings for personalizing sleep goals. The version history at the App Store indicates that Oura is updating the software every month or so. Clearly, Oura is seeking to improve steadily. The new app has info markers on the graphs, which I think is quite clever. Clicking on the marker jumps to an explanation at the Oura ring web site. The updated software also has a floating plus sign on the home page to facilitate adding a note or activity quickly. That is an elegant design feature.

The wrong shoes will sap your energy and enthusiasm for exercise and that goes double for exercising outdoors, whether it is jogging, hiking, or biking. Typical Desert Trail We see hikers wearing beat up sneakers; the only thing worse is hiking without water. It does not make sense. Hiking mountain trails in Southern AZ requires shoes that stand up to the abrasive rock, hardpacked sand, and fine dust. It requires soles that grip on the rocks and gravel, but don’t get gravel stuck in the tread. It requires sturdy shoes that protect from the cacti and thorn bushes. It requires shoes that have sufficient structure to hold the foot in place during turns and twists, but that are light enough to dissipate the heat and flexible and cushioned enough to walk all day without blisters or soreness. It requires shoes from which you can brush away the sand and dirt after each hike (otherwise the shoes will be permanently desert tan color after 3 o...

I am monitoring five basic sleep variables (using the Oura ring and app).   #1 Does my heart rate stabilize by 2 am? #2 Does my minimum heart rate occur between 2 am and 4 am? #3 Does my heart rate begin to rise in the last hour of sleep? #4 Do I get at least 1 hr 10 min of REM sleep and at least 1 hr 10 min of deep sleep? #5 Do I spend less than 1 hour a night awake and only in brief episodes?   I woke up this morning feeling good. I woke-up an hour earlier than I wanted to wake-up, but I felt good and knew I would not go back to sleep.   I was disappointed by my data, however. Although, I got a sleep score of 91 and I felt rested, I only met goals #4 and #5. Truthfully, those are huge, positive changes for me that I have achieved in just a few weeks using the ring. And, I have been meeting goal #1, recently — also a big, positive change. But goals #2 and #3 have eluded me many nights.   In an effort to learn more, I looked ...

We had good weather yesterday (clear skies, 70 degrees, 15 mph wind), so we went for an afternoon hike in the mountains. It was lovely. The ground was still covered with several types of yellow flowers and a scattering of blue flowers. The shady corners had pale bell-shaped, lavender flowers. But the best was a water course on the west side of the hills (Lost Arrow Trail) with golden poppies (photo below). Golden Poppies on Lost Arrow Trail When we hike, I carry my iPhone and use an app, Runtastic Pro, to track our effort and route. Last week I noticed that there was a large discrepancy between the results the Oura app and the Runtastic Pro app gave me for estimates of calories burned and distance walked. So yesterday, I ran a more systematic test. The photos below show the Runtastic Pro data on pace and distance. GPS Map of Route and Pace Pace and Elevation Tracking   The Runtastic Pro app, which uses the accelerometer and GPS on my phone, said I had bur...

We are expecting a week of cold, wet weather. Ok, cold for southern AZ this time of year (daytime highs in the 60s). When we sat down for lunch, we opened the door to the back porch to watch the storm roll through.     We live along a wash (a dry river bed) that runs from the Tucson Mountains down into the Santa Cruz River. It is a natural corridor for wildlife to move from the mountains to the river in search of shelter, food, and water. Our neighborhood is a certified backyard habitat zone. So, we have regular visits from butterflies, birds, hawks, quail, road runners, rabbits, ground squirrels, rattlesnakes, tarantulas, scorpions, javalinas, coyotes, and bobcats. As we ate lunch, we watched this guy settle in for a nap.           Sorry, the photo was a quick smartphone snapshot. I was not expecting him/her to stay around. And, of course, I wanted to keep a safe distance.  Why he picked us today or why he stayed so long, I hav...

What is non-wear time and how is it used by the Oura ring? I was curious about how the Oura ring was tracking my daytime activity. Workouts that I found strenuous were being captured by the ring’s activity algorithms as low intensity. Other users have noticed this issue and suggested that it is because the ring does not collect heart rate nor respiration during daytime activity. They suggest just taking the ring off during workouts and then manually entering the activity. But, I wanted to know more about how that non-wear time was used in the activity calculations, so I did a small test yesterday. I wore my ring the previous night and kept wearing it the next day without taking it off to charge. At 1:22 pm I synced my ring and looked at the activity. As seen in photos 1 and 2, it said 2 hours 54 minutes inactivity, so far that day. I closed the app, took off the ring, and put it in the pocket of my pants. From 1:30 to 2:30 pm, I did a strength and balance workout, including st...

I was searching for information on how the Oura ring tracks non-wear time, today. I didn’t find the info I needed, but I found this review . It was thorough and balanced - worth including here.      

Dr. Izumi Tabata of Japan quantified the positive effects of high intensity training on aerobic and anaerobic conditioning. He developed a regimen now referred to as a Tabata workout. The routine consists of doing a challenging whole body exercise, for example, squats, at top speed for 20 seconds, then resting for 10 seconds (walking in place), and repeating that sequence 8 times. That takes 4 minutes. The routine is repeated with another exercise, like lunges. Then with skaters. And so on. A 20 minute workout (5 exercises) is the limit for most fit people. The point is to do all this at max performance. A simple Google search turned up a dozen web sites with instructions and illustrative videos. Because timing is a key element of the workout, there are Tabata apps for cell phones and tablets to assist in keeping to the schedule.    Photo credit   I have been going to a fitness class for seniors. It meets for an hour 3 days a week at the comm...

The internet is filled with an endless supply of information on why one should have a bucket list, how to develop a bucket list, how a bucket list will enrich your life, etc. There is a lot of superficial stuff and some food for thought. Why do I need a bucket list? Traditionally, a bucket list is a list of activities someone wants to do before s/he dies (kicks the bucket). I don’t find the concept interesting. And clearly, it does not end well. In my 20s and 30s, I lived a charmed life, traveled a lot, had lots of adventures, accomplished important personal and professional goals. Then things slowed down - hobbies and vacations became a thing of the past; work consumed my time, energy, and thoughts. I never felt the need for a bucket list. As I eased into retirement, three things happened. One, I realized that I did not want to plan big events, go on a dream vacation, or make a grand gesture. I did not want to have an album of selfies celebrating fle...

In the Oura app, a crown indicates a score of 85 or more. A week ago I was trying to figure out whether the dots on the crown calendar were in a particular order. Specifically, did the first dot always indicate a crown for Sleep, the second for Readiness, and the third for Activity? I learned this week that it does not. Two days ago, the only crown I got was for Activity and it showed on the calendar as the first dot. Yesterday, I got two crowns, one for Sleep and one for Readiness and they appeared as the first two dots. So it is clear that the location of the dots is not an indicator of a specific factor. If you get only one crown, it will always be the first dot, no matter which factor it is.    I think Oura should change this feature. I would like to be able to look at the calendar and be able to tell why I got a crown. Color should indicate a crown and the location should indicate why the crown was awarded.     Last week I noted that the s...

This week I have been focused on being active most of the day, not eating late, and going to bed at the appointed time. The “ideal" hammock pattern has still eluded me. One night I had the dreaded straight line pattern. However, last night I got close and I felt good this morning - a good way to start the new week.     My heart rate was stable after 2 am. The minimum point was later than is “ideal," but at least it wasn’t immediately before I woke up. My heart rate rose steadily before I got up, something that has not been commonplace. I think that was due to the fact that I slept an hour later than usual. I suspect that it would be great for me to be able to sleep until 9 am everyday, but it is not practical.   I got 1 hr 31 min of REM sleep and 1 hr 36 min of deep sleep. When I have that kind of balance, I always feel better. I have been feeling better in the mornings, so it may be that the “ideal” s...

  This weekend is the 11th year of Tucson’s annual festival of books. It is held on the campus of the University of Arizona during the school’s Spring Break. It is free to everyone. Festival walk vendors, seminars, workshops, presentations by authors, hands-on stuff for kids - everything is free. There is even free parking if you look for it. If you want the easy way, garage parking is only $5. There are, of course, lots of books and good food to buy, if you like. If you are a collector, there are a zillion authors signing their books for free (bring your own copy of the book or buy a copy at the fest). The proceeds of sales are used to support local literacy non-profit organizations. All of the festival people are volunteers, from organizers to clean up crew. No one is paid, not even the authors. Some of the famous authors are on book tours, of course, and their publishers are paying their expenses, but the festival does not pay them.     ...

The folks at Oura suggest that one’s night-time heart rate pattern should resemble a hammock, with the nadir at 2 am (assuming you went to sleep around 11 pm).           Further, they suggest that a steady downward slope with a nadir shortly before you get up is not a healthy pattern. That was exactly what my night-time heart rate pattern looked like most nights (Figure 1).   Figure 1   I began to watch how day-time activities changed my sleep patterns (not eating late, eating late, lots of slow exercise, lots of fast exercise, no exercise, etc.). I found that hammock quite elusive. I have, however, seen some very positive shifts. In the last week, 6 out of 7 nights look like this night’s sleep (Figure 2).   Figure 2   My heart rate stabilized by 2 am and the nadir occurred by 3 am. Looks like I got 6 hours of relaxed, restful sleep. ...