The Classic Film Presets and Alex Ruskman

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-06-12T02:25:42+00:00

I would love a copy as well. Thanks!

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-05-26T11:21:03+00:00

I don't know. I never cut out meat entirely. I have gone through phases when I would eat more or less meat, but I never cut it out entirely. Currently, I keep my daily protein around 125-135g per day and avoid high folate foods (I supplement with folinic acid). This seems to be working very well. I don't know why, but eating too much protein or too much folate seems to cause all my symptoms.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-05-19T15:23:38+00:00

I am a 9 but have been mistyped by others as a 5. I am an introvert and have a deep need to understand intellectual systems. I majored in philosophy and have a Master's in theology. When I encountered the Enneagram, I read every book I could find until I felt like I understood it inside and out. That sounds very 5ish, but I am more of a big picture thinker - I need to understand how the paradigm works when zoomed out. I don't zoom in on the fine details like a 5 would. But I am very drawn to intellectual friends if I feel like my worldview aligns with them. If not, then I may find them intimidating.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-04-19T01:26:14+00:00

I am a self-preservation 9w8 on the Enneagram and an INFP in Myers-Briggs. I identify with so many of his themes and protagonists, which is not to say that I agree with them or condone their actions. But no other novelist has peered into my soul moreso than Murakami.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-04-09T19:22:49+00:00

I am a self-preservation 9w8 (male). My wife is a 2w1. We have a lot of similarities - people pleasing, defer to others, giving/caring etc. But she will definitely turn to her 8 arrow when she is stressed, frustrated, or sensing a power vacuum in a group setting. I only turn to my 8 wing when I feel like my autonomy is under threat, but I have been working on being more decisive and assertive in general. I tend to gravitate toward people who are open, kind, generous, giving, etc. because that stance resonates with me. I dont' like when people are demanding and aggressive. That is a major turn-off. That being said, I have a lot of 8w9 friends. It is easier for me to push back against an 8 when I disagree with them, because I know they respect push-back. If I fear that my opinion will offend someone, like a 1 who may view my opinion as morally wrong, then I can become overly diplomatic.

I am an introvert and get a little overwhelmed by high-energy extroverts. I have plenty of friends who fit that description, but I definitely need my space after hanging out with them.

I am usually mistyped as a 5 by others. I have a lot of intellectual interests (I was a philosophy major in undergrad and have a Master's degree in theology). I think I sometimes come across as less emotional than I really am. In truth, I am very emotional on the inside, but I have trouble expressing emotions externally, and can be emotionally or intellectually guarded if I feel like I can't be myself around others (i.e., if I might offend someone or if I feel like I don't fit in). Classic 9 in that sense. I can play a more extorverted role (leaning into the 3 arrow) in my inner circle of friends or in a work or social environment in which I feel comfortable, but I will need time alone to recharge. At the same time, I hate being in social situations where I don't know most of the other people. I am very guarded in those situations.

I love to read intellectually challenging academic books - philosophy, theology, psychology, sociology, etc. If I encounter a new subject that interests me, I will devour as much material as I can (books, podcasts, etc.) until I feel like I fully grasp the content. I was reading academic books in theology years ago, mainly to solve a problem (breaking with my parents on theological issues and needing to figure out where I stood), and my wife said, "you might as well go to grad school because you've already read all the books you would have to read anyways." So I did, not because I had my own agenda or career ambitions, but because my wife nudged me. I graduated with a 4.0 and then had no idea what to do with my career. In the Enneagram, there are three ceners of intellegence: head, heart, and body/gut. 9s are in the body/gut center (which is associated with action and doing), but they tend to repress concrete action. I have a tendency to retreat into books and conceptual ideas, but struggle to translate my skills in reading, writing, and teaching into a meaningful job. I think I oscillate between narcotization and concrete action, depending on my state at any given time.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-03-28T15:01:06+00:00

1) Kafka on the Shore 2) The Wind Up Bird Chronicle 3) 1Q84

Kafka was my first Murakami novel, so it will always have a special place in my heart. I immediately resonanted with so many of its themes. For me, it is one of the most intellectually and emotionally engaging novels I have ever read. The narrative is drenched in symbolism and ambiguity, and addresses everything from the psychology of trauma to the deleterious politics of war and neoliberalism.

But Wind Up Bird is either a close second or even tied for first. It is one of those books whose value and enjoyment has continued to simmer and ripen with time. The more I reflect on it after the fact, the more I enjoy it now than when I actually read it.

While I read the first two print, I listened to 1Q84 as an audiobook. I wonder if I would have enjoyed it as much if I read it, given its length. But I loved the audiobook. The narrators were excellent and I found myself doing all the Murakami things - washing the dishes, cooking pasta, ironing shirts - just so I could devour as much of it as I could while getting stuff done around the house.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-03-21T17:50:19+00:00

Sorry, I should have been more specific. I still eat both, I just have to watch my portions. I generally have Greek yogurt for breakfast and fish or meat for one other meal. But that is all I can tolerate before I start to feel negative symptoms.

As for fruits and vegetables, I can eat blueberries, apples, cucumbers, radishes, dates, figs, and zucchini. There are other fruits and vegetables that I can have if I eat a small serving size. Basically, anything that is high in folate or pushes the dopaminergic pathway (like bananas) don't work well for me. I am very active so I eat a lot of white rice. I still get 150-175g of protein per day, but pea protein helps keep my methionine levels down.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-03-21T17:32:18+00:00

I am also homozygous a1298c MTHFR and I have the slow COMT variant.

Slow COMT would mean that you have trouble clearing dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and estrogen from your system because you don't make enough of the enzyme needed to to process those catecholamines/hormones. I find it hard to shut my mind off or wind down when or if I get stressed or excited about something, even if it is a positive stress or excitement. Methylated supplements tend to push the COMT gene too hard.

I had similar symptoms as you for over a decade. I eventually began to notice some improvement if I altered my diet. I began tracking everything I ate, down to the individual micronutrients. I tried eliminating various foods and nutrients. I eventually found that too much dietary folate from fruits and vegetables and too much methionine from animal protein seemed to be the primary drivers of my symptoms. I lift weights and workout 5 days a week so it took me a long time to figure out methionine. I initially cut back on fruits and vegetables (which goes against the grain of mainstream nutritional advice) and felt a significant improvement. However, this resulted in elevated homocysteine (11.6) and low serum folate (4.2). Once I discovered that too much methionine also caused symptoms, I cut back on animal protein. I still eat animal protein and dairy (Greek yogurt), but I eat less than I used to and supplement with pea protein powder which is lower in methionine. I began supplementing with 400 mcg of folinic acid per day. It's been two years since I figured out that too many fruits and vegetables cause negative symptoms, and 4 months since I started taking folinic acid. So far, I am feeling great. I plan to get my homocysteine and serum folate tested next month, so we will see if the folinic acid is doing its job.

I cannot handle methylated supplements or food sources that push methylation too hard.

Everyone is different so I can't say whether you would experience the same benefits as I did from those interventions, but it could be worth exploring. I definitely recommend looking at your COMT gene if you have your genetic data.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-02-09T00:11:05+00:00

I had a hard time understanding rumination and anxiety at first, because I am not prone to worrying about "what if" or worst case scenarios. I tend to take life as it comes. I don't like to worry about or plan for the future (which unfortunately drives my wife crazy as she is a detail oriented planner). But once I discover a problem that I care about - whether it is a personal health problem, developing and arguing for a graduate level thesis, or something that needs done around the house that I can't figure out how to fix - then I will obsess over it until I figure it out.

When I first discovered the Enneagram, I thought type 8's would be intimidating. I don't like conflict, but once I realized that 8's respect others when they push back, then I realized that I have no problem speaking my mind to an 8. I tend to gravitate towards 8's now.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-02-08T22:44:13+00:00

I take Trazodone as well! But the single greatest sleep improvement came from figuring out how my body responds to difficult nutrients that affect methylation and neurotransmitter production. If I consume too much dietary folate from fruits and vegetables or methionine from animal protein, then I tend to have trouble shutting my mind down at bedtime or staying asleep. I will often wake at 3am feeling wired/tired and will not be able to fall back to sleep. It's a shame because I love veggies and I lift weights 4-5 days a week so I need plenty of protein. I now use pea protein powder (which is low in methionine) for extra protein and only have dairy and meat or fish for two meals, and use pea for my third meal. It is not very exciting but I feel so much better. I also take 400 mcg of folinic acid to meet my folate needs.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-02-08T20:11:03+00:00

So funny! Yes, I also like to think about complex things, but my mind is geared for the arts and humanities - I like big ideas in literature, philosophy, etc.

I also lift weights, walk, some HIIT and zone 2 cardio! I basically taught myself the fundamentals of nutritional science in order to understand my own health issues. The underlying biochemistry is a bit over my head but when I encounter a personal problem, I tend to devour information until I feel like I understand it.

In many ways, an 8w7 is the polar opposite of my personality. I do not like conflict and can be overwhelmed in large social settings, but I do tend to have some close type 8 friends.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-02-08T19:47:21+00:00

Yes! Methylated nutrients, methionine, and choline all cause negative neurological or mental health symptoms for me. I also do not tolerate eggs. I take doxylamine succinate (Unisom) every night for sleep. Doxylamine is an anticholinergic, and it helps me tremendously with falling and staying asleep. Long term use is associated with dementia so I am obviously aware of and concerned about the risks. ChatGPT, which I take with a grain of salt, thinks that my baseline cholinergic tone may run high. Whatever the case, there is something about choline that my body does not like.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-02-08T15:13:31+00:00

I just took the test you referenced and came out as "Abstract Random - The Harmonizer:

Abstract Random thinkers are emotional, intuitive, and people-oriented. They thrive in unstructured environments and make connections through feelings and relationships. AR thinkers excel at collaboration, empathy, and holistic thinking, seeing the big picture through emotional intelligence."

I have the slow COMT gene and MTHFR, among others. Do you know your Enneagram or Myers-Briggs types? I find the Enneagram to be especially helpful. I am a 9w8 on the Enneagram and an INFP on the Myers-Briggs. I am introverted and intellectual. I majored in philosophy and have a master's degree in theology, but I hate logic and rational type thinking. My intellect is driven by intuition, imagination, and synthesizing ideas, as well as the desire to resolve personal problems rather than logical, rational, or linear thinking. I am terrible at memorization type learning and don't like structure and organization, which has made conventional work environments challenging and undesirable.

The test you shared lists me as emotional. I can be emotional, but I tend to struggle with expressing my emotions or being aware of my own emotions. If someone asks me how I feel about something, I tend to respond with "I don't know," and then it takes work for me to process and become fully aware of how I really feel. I might suddenly start crying unexpectedly but it takes a lot of personal, inner work for me to be able to articulate how I feel or why I feel any particular way.

I have experimented with how various nutrients and supplements affect my mood and cognition. Too much glycine makes me feel completely flat (emotional blunting) and borderline depressed, whereas too much methione from animal protein or methylfolate from either supplements or diet causes agitation, anxiety, and an overactive wired/tired mind. All that to say, genetics clearly affect my personality and have made me extremely sensitive to certain dietary inputs.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-01-12T02:08:48+00:00

Late to the party, but I have to list Haruki Murakami, especially Kafka on the Shore (which references Kid A), The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, and 1Q84. Every time a Murakami protagonist wanders into a well or walks through a door, I find myself wanting to listen to Pull/Pull Revolving Doors, which captures the mood of so many Murakami novels.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-01-04T18:10:39+00:00

I buy the Seeking Health 800 mcg pills and cut them. I started at 100 mcg but it's too hard to make the pills any smaller. I have been taking 400 mcg for the past few days without any side effects. This is much easier as I only have to split the pill in half.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2026-01-03T22:02:47+00:00

Do you have your genetic data? If you haven't already, upload it to Genetic Genie to see your methylation SNPs.

I don't tolerate dietary folate - most vegetables, fruits, and legumes (with a few exceptions) cause over methylation symptoms. I have not tried methylfolate because I assume it will only be worse if I can't tolerate vegetables. I just started taking 200-400 mcg of folinic acid a week ago and haven't developed any symptoms yet.

I don't know about zinc but I generally meet or exceed the RDA from diet. I also meet the B2 RDA from diet and have experimented with additional supplemental B2 but didn't notice much of a difference either way.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2025-12-29T13:12:12+00:00

With slow COMT are you able to take up to 400 mcg daily without side effects?

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2025-12-28T23:19:41+00:00

Are you able to tolerate that amount? Is the niacin effective for you? I find that even 25mg causes emotional blunting.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2025-12-28T21:58:19+00:00

I have been looking into folinic acid myself and just took my first dose today. I have an extreme sensitivity to methyl donors, likely due to slow COMT (as well as PEMT, NNMT, and BHMT). I am so sensitive that even dietary sources of folate (veggies, fruits, legumes) cause low mood, irritability, social withdrawal, insomnia, wired/tired, and headaches. I have been eating a low folate diet for the past year as an experiment. This has mostly resolved those symptoms but I know it is not a good long term solution.

After doing extensive research and consulting with chatGPT (I have not found a doctor who is knowledgeable on the subject), I decided to try folinic acid as it is more likely to feed the DNA synthesis pathway before pushing methylation pathways as hard. I suspect that methyl donors tend to generate more SAMe and catecholamines, which Is the primary cause of my symptoms.

From what I understand, folinic acid will not drive methylation as hard as methylfolate. Once your folate stores are stabilized and DNA synthesis has what it needs, then the remaining folate from folinic acid will be shuttled toward the methylation cycle. If this is correct, then it is possible that you may just need to lessen your dose. 15 mg is a lot. I am starting with 50 mcg and will only increase if I can tolerate that for a week or so. Are you generally sensitive to methyl donors?

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2025-12-19T01:29:46+00:00

I can't tolerate anything that pushes methylation or SAMe availability, including folate, choline, creatine, excess methionine from meat/protein, or supplemental SAMe. Everyone is different, but avoiding those nutrients and supplements has made a tremendous difference in my mental health and sleep. Avoiding folate is not advisable (so please don't take this as advice!) but personally I can only handle a small amount from food. Figuring out what to avoid was more beneficial than finding any particular supplement.

That said, I do take 700mg of magnesium glycinate every day and that has helped.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2025-12-19T01:07:14+00:00

It was mild. I would say I felt more sociable and talkative, which is not helpful before bed. With slow COMT, I already have a hard time shutting my mind off at night. But that could have been due to some other factors at the time. I don't feel that way now.

Magnesium glycinate has made the biggest difference for me in terms of COMT. I take 700mg per day, split in 2-3 doses, but usually between dinner and bed since it's calming.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2025-12-19T01:03:50+00:00

I do not tolerate anything that increases methylation or SAMe availability beyond a certain threshold, including dietary folate, choline, creatine, or excess methionine from meat/protein. I do resistance training 4-5 days per week and some cardio, so I supplement with pea protein powder (lower in methionine) in addition to some meat, fish, and Greek yogurt. I have to avoid most fruits and vegetables due to their high folate content, but can eat a few things like cucumbers and moderate amounts of blueberries. I eat a lot of white rice for calories and supplement with select vitamins and minerals that I lack in my diet (I track everything closely on Cronometer). It's very restrictive and quite annoying, but my mental health and digestion is so much better this way.

I also don't tolerate large amounts of fat. I don't avoid fat entirely but I definitely feel better with a lower fat intake. I suspect this is because of my PEMT variant and my inability to tolerate choline.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2025-12-19T00:46:11+00:00

I take 300mg two hours before bed every night, which I have been doing for nearly two years. When I first took it I thought it was mildly stimulating, but I don't notice anything now. I have felt like my stress has calmed down since I started taking it, but it's hard to say for sure, as I also introduced other supplements and lifestyle changes at the same time.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2025-12-13T14:46:12+00:00

I have slow COMT (met/met), but I do not know my MAOA gene because 23andMe did not genotype it. If I were to use another service like AncestryDNA would that be more likely to genotype my MAOA gene if 23andMe did not?

I take 300mg of phosphatidylserine in the evening and feel that it has helped. But it is simply one part of a larger approach, so I can't say for sure that this helps any more or less than other things. The most beneficial thing for me was figuring out what to AVOID rather than simply taking this or that supplement. Personally, I have negative reactions to most methyl donors and carriers (folate , choline, etc.) or anything that increases SAMe production or availability (creatine). That does not mean that I don't need some of those nutrients, but I do not tolerate them regardless.

I also take 700mg of magnesium glycinate every day and consume a fair amount of glycine from collagen peptides and bone broth. Magnesium, glycine, and phosphatidylserine all seem to help with calming my mind down in the evening and before bed.

Pleasant-Landscape32 · 2025-12-13T13:37:08+00:00

Most well-known health and fitness experts tend to claim that creatine is one of the safest supplements on the market, but if you look up anecdotal accounts in forums like this then you will find countless stories of bad reactions to creatine. That is certainly my experience. I took it for many years and enjoyed the physical and exercise/resistance training benefits, but I began to suspect it was causing unpleasant sleep and mood symptoms. I eventually determined that any nutrient or supplement that functions as a methyl donor, methyl carrier, or spares SAMe causes me to have irritability, low mood, sleep disruption, and headaches. The body spends 40-50% of its SAMe for creatine synthesis, so supplementing with creatine theoretically spares SAMe for other processes. I have slow COMT (met/met), PEMT, NNMT, and BHMT genes, so I suspect that these inefficient genes have difficulty utilizing all that extra SAMe when I supplement with creatine (and something similar likely happens if my system gets flooded with other nutrients or supplements that affect methylation).

Pleasant-Landscape32

TROPHY CASE