Back to 200ml

I stayed within my 200ml "budget" and slept OK, and feel a little bit better today. I feel like I'm fighting off some bug.

Around this time last year I had bacterial pneumonia, cellulitis, and alcohol dependency I was weaning myself off of, that had me quite shaky if I didn't drink. I'd taken to sake, which of course is sweet rice wine, and I wonder if the sugar in it wasn't part of the problem.

My solution was to go to the ER, where I was prescribed white pills for the pneumonia which fixed me up in days and I felt great after being so run-down, and green pills for the ear, which cleared it some but not totally, so I went back and was prescribed some very expensive cream that kind of works but not really.

This time last year I was breathing an unsafe amount of marble and artificial marble dust, and I'm sure that was a large reason for the pneumonia if not THE reason. It was bad enough that I decided that if I can't get the business that was illegally spreading the dust around, removed, then I was going to remove myself back to Hawaii to be homeless if need be, but at least not dying of silicosis.

I was successful against the business, so I've stayed. In fact I need to see if "Home Expo Designs" is still even in business. I hope they've gone bust.

So this time of year, here comes the cellulitis again. What I've done is taken to washing the ear (both in fact) very thoroughly every time I wash my face. And the cellulitis has gradually gone away. Now, everyone's heard the old saying, "Don't forget to wash behind your ears", well, my hygiene right now is more 1920 than 2020 in that I don't have a shower, and I might be doing about the equivalent of the Saturday night bath. So apparently without rigorous washing of the ears, cellulitis can be a problem. Just soap and water with enthusiastic use, and no expensive creams or pills are required.

I still have a little sniffle and a bit of a scratchy throat, but don't feel too bad.

I need to plan for getting back out there busking. Ultimately I'd like to bank what I earn working for Ken, and have busking pay my day-to-day expenses. Which is my vision for retiring in Israel: my Social Security would keep me housed, and I'd busk for my day-to-day money. Perhaps making a fair amount as busking is more of a thing over there and people use cash more.

My first goal will be to be in good shape for May 1, which is of course International Workers' Day. There may be a parade, however spaced apart people will be, and I can take out my cornet, being smaller and easier to carry and more expendable.

Street Musician Danial has been going out busking there in New Orleans, not making much but getting out there. I think busking will come back. I changed this blog's name to get away from him and his right-wing politics, but I note that he's writing more and better since I've stopped commenting on his blog so I'll keep staying away.

I had my coffee and chocolate etc and headed out, dropped the trash off at my favorite dumpster which is always out on Sunday, saw a couple of bums on bikes but no interactions with them thank goodness. I went to 99 Ranch and got all kinds of things from a dozen eggs to veggies to a couple bottles of booze and some bacon that was decently priced, coming to about $50.

All the stuff that's left that I'd possibly want to "prep" is cheap - things like dry beans. And since I'm not going to start cycling through my "preps" until (a) the shit hits the fan or (b) it's been about a year, I'll just be buying what I use day-to-day. So my spending should go way down, especially considering that I am done with restaurants.

So my savings rate should go back to about $100 a week.

It's been getting pretty cold once the sun gets low, and it was windy too, so pretty "brisk" out there. On my way back, I noticed it was taking a lot of effort to pedal - at least my ankle's better - and looked down and my rear tire was getting low on air. I pulled over and pumped it up using this little bike pump they sold me at La Dolce Velo, and man does that thing work well. So I did one pump-up at the bridge over Coyote Creek, and one across from Lee's Sandwiches, and I'm glad I did the 2nd one across from Lee's because once I pulled from the side street onto the main street, I noticed a large bum camp there and it's not wise to be limping along when there are predators around.

I got back in here right at the same time Ms. Crackhead was pulling in in her Primermobile. She's got a regular campsite set up in the back corner of the parking lot, cooks and does laundry and I guess cleans up the area. Still a druggie and crazy, though. She was yelling at her crackhead boyfriend for hours the other night.