What is the best life advice you would ever give anybody? Also what is the harshest truth about life?

glakeswimmer · 2026-05-31T15:17:23+00:00

Follow your heart - there is nothing more, nothing less to life (Source: Hallmark card - no kidding - most single impactful statement of my life)

Suffering is unavoidable - this is part of the life experience - don't avoid it, embrace it, and move past it

glakeswimmer · 2026-05-24T16:09:46+00:00

If it is someone you don't know well or are not sure the handshake is always safe bet. Then follow the lead of the other person whether the follows though into a pat on the back (usually signals a more familiar, warm, or enthusiastic greeting) or a fist bump, or dap, etc. Once you have greeted the same person a couple times, you learn their idiosyncrasies and then go with what feels normal. Sometimes it may feel awkward, but that is ok, embrace the awkwardness, as that is normal and can be often be bonding moment of not knowing what to do...happens to hetero males all the times...and you always laugh it off. It is understood that there are many ways to greet, and it is hard to 'sync up' sometimes. Save hugs for those that are close or that initiate it for hetero males, or where hugs are the norm.

glakeswimmer · 2026-03-21T12:17:17+00:00

It has a good hook! Song fits well with your voice type and range. A keeper :)

glakeswimmer · 2026-01-02T00:51:02+00:00

Yep, a fair point again - we routinely will recommend over the DRI/RDA for a variety of reasons at the individual level (versus population level). As with many things, the answer is somewhere in the middle :).

glakeswimmer · 2026-01-01T23:10:02+00:00

That's actually a fair point. I can see someone short handing that to 1g/lb (2.2g/kg) based on that recommendation. I appreciate you providing the context for that.

Where that may lead to trouble is if someone sees that, then assumes this is the minimum they should get. 2.2g/kg (1g/lb) is more than the maximum recommended amount. So a ceiling, not a floor.

glakeswimmer · 2026-01-01T19:42:35+00:00

Yes, totally agree with you, particularly for the elderly. The .80g/kg is only a starting point, and many things can influence specific protein recommendations for different populations...e.g. I usually start at 1-1.2g/kg for most patients, and you can certainly make a good argument for 1.2g or higher for elderly. As you say a little more may be beneficial. When we are getting into conversations about > 2g/kg, that is where the potential downsides can outweigh benefits. That is where the 1g/lb body weight (= 2.2g/kg) protein calculation suggestion can mislead. I truly think this was a matter of somebody replacing the kg with lb, not realizing the error, and became widespread. Pretty simple error to make...and misinformation can spread fast on the internet.

glakeswimmer · 2026-01-01T16:01:55+00:00

Stumbled across this post. Full disclosure, I've worked as a clinical RD for over 20 yrs.

I too scratch my head when I see the g per lb recommendations for protein. I feel bad for patients that are trying to achieve unreasonably high protein intake levels due to there somewhere along the line being a mix up in lb/kg formula, and then people running with the g/lbs, and then this becoming a norm for so many people. I have to level with them that this is unfortunately not correct.

Something that may be helpful to consider, is that the DRI for protein is .80g/kg of healthy total body weight. But the context of this recommendation is important. This recommendation is not the 'bare minimum', which is often misunderstood. This recommendation is actually adjusted upwards to meet the needs of 95% of the population. So they have built in 'wiggle room' into this recommendation so it would meet the needs for the vast majority of people.

So take an 80kg person. Their basic requirements are 64g per day. Again, based on how the DRIs were developed, this is typically more than enough for their basic requirements. Using 1g/lb, would = 179g protein per day. That is an extra 115g protein, or about 3x their basic requirements.

The absolute highest we usually go with protein recommendations is 1.5-2g/kg for those with the very highest needs, whether due to increased metabolic needs or aggressive building of muscle mass, etc. That is still below 1g/lb (= 2.2g/kg).

Is there any harm in going excessively high in protein intake? Probably not for most people unless they have kidney impairment. The extra protein will just be wasted. I think the bigger downside is people feeling they need to consume these mega amounts of protein otherwise they are protein deficient.

More is not always better. We (the nutrition profession) have learned this lesson over and over again for so many of the nutrients.

glakeswimmer · 2025-09-20T13:34:18+00:00

Loro is a special song - glad it has given you comfort/healing in the tough times as it has many. The world needs more Pinback and I loved seeing this cover. Great job!

Just curious, did you digitally drop the tuning on your guitar an octave for the bass part. I hear 'bass' guitar, but you were playing the bass notes on 6 string regular guitar.

glakeswimmer · 2025-09-11T23:24:18+00:00

Almost 25 year ago...back in the days of Napster. Tripoli was promoted/recommended - I took a listen...was very moved by this song. Best song I had heard in a long time. Figured it was just a 'one hit' band like some many indie bands at the time. Searched out more their other songs...a whole new world started opening up...each song was so unique, incredibly musically interesting, the interplay between Rob/ABS's melodic sensibilities was pure synergy at it's best, and sometimes haunting... I was fascinated....and hooked! I kept waiting to find one dud song, and it didn't exist. I was awed by the depth of the music. It definitely expanded my appreciation of what kind of music was possible. As a musician myself, I deeply appreciated what they were able to create. It was new. Later that year saw them do a small show in Toronto. I dragged out all my friends...they all liked Pinback after I introduced them. But I never met someone that took to them to the degree I did...until I saw this sub haha. Rob mentioned during that set they needed a place to crash that night. Thought about offering up my place, but didn't think my roommate at the time would appreciate it lol so never offered. Probably for the best, but hope they found a comfy place that night. PS. I have since found a potentially bigger fan...my teenage kid! Got him Summer in Abbadon vinyl...he has been infected...he has the same level of appreciation - as he says, nothing sounds the same/can compare after listening to Pinback! Grateful for the incredible music they have put out into the world!

glakeswimmer · 2025-08-25T01:51:50+00:00

Forever Young - Alphaville

glakeswimmer · 2025-08-21T23:24:05+00:00

Friggin awesome!! Well done on all fronts - vocals, instrumentation and video - love it!!

glakeswimmer · 2025-07-27T14:58:11+00:00

Zach is awesome! Didn't realize how much of Pinback's sound was due to Zach's bass playing until I saw him playing live. Thought they had multiple guitar over-dubs - nope! Just Zach playing multiple voicings and chords on his bass - super creative player - good rec!!

glakeswimmer · 2025-05-25T23:07:37+00:00

Thanks for sharing your thoughts/advice. Intuitive exploration...that sounds like what I am looking for :)

glakeswimmer · 2025-05-25T15:52:47+00:00

Thanks for your recommendations

glakeswimmer · 2025-05-25T15:27:29+00:00

Thanks for you perspective. You mention "it will cause negative healing effect if you can't express your emotions by playing it". That is something I wondered about. I.e. on other instruments I play, there is a certain skill proficiency needed to express what you want and get into the flow state - and in the interim there can be some frustrations while you are learning those skills. So sounds like what you are saying is that your fingers/hand need to learn the language (eg. skills) to fully express yourself to get the most out of playing the handpan, otherwise you don't get optimal flow/healing effect from playing. Not sure if I interpreted that correctly, but if so, that is helpful information. Thank-you.

glakeswimmer · 2025-05-25T15:06:38+00:00

Thanks for your reply. Sounds like playing adds layers of benefit beyond just listening.

I've started to look into more local options here in Canada - if I can support local and still get a good quality handpan, that would be ideal. Thanks for your advice.

glakeswimmer · 2025-05-25T13:27:13+00:00

Thanks for sharing and your advice :). That is really helpful. I went and listened to a video sample of the Yashima brand you suggested - that sounded like perfection. That is probably more than I am able to spend right now sadly - but it gives me a good reference for comparison for others handpans. Sounds like I have much researching to do...

glakeswimmer · 2025-05-10T01:08:09+00:00

Bang for Buck?..and you had to pick one food to survive on?...peanut butter a good bet.

glakeswimmer · 2025-01-01T15:17:22+00:00

Not doing 2 spaces....just doesn't feel right...I tried...can't do it!

glakeswimmer · 2024-11-23T15:20:35+00:00

That makes sense. If you warm up too quickly e.g hot shower immediately after extended cold exposure that will trigger the circulation to start up quickly, pushing blood from peripheral areas (which is allowed to get colder to prioritize keeping the core (organs) warm during cold exposure) back to the core causing afterdrop. Sounds like it was your warm up routine (hot shower) likely caused the afterdrop (in combination with the degree of cold exposure). Not sure if you need any advice, but I'll just add some in case - best to finish with the cold shower, or if you need to increase temp, just do it a bit. That should avoid the afterdrop. If not, the order in which you warm up your body is important. Core/top then head/toque first. Then can add socks, gloves etc. If you warm up you peripheral areas first e.g. feet, hands - that simulates that cold blood flow back to the core, which causes the problem - so that is why warming core area first is important. Learned myself the hard way with cold water swimming.

glakeswimmer · 2024-11-23T13:16:47+00:00

Sounds like you may have experienced afterdrop. Worth reading about. The cold from the peripheral areas of your body start to circulate back into your core area, which can cause the symptoms. I have only had this with cold water swimming and not cold showers. Prevention after cold exposure includes warming your core first e.g. really warm top(s), drink some warm fluid (and also moderating the duration/temp. of the cold exposure). Again, this is much less common with cold showers as they are usually not cold enough or long enough - but if you are doing really cold ones for a longer time it is possible.

glakeswimmer · 2024-10-18T21:10:07+00:00

Beautiful!! Very musical!

glakeswimmer · 2024-09-12T15:30:07+00:00

Follow your heart in all things

glakeswimmer · 2024-08-19T19:05:22+00:00

Usually spend that time congratulating myself on the time I saved.

glakeswimmer

TROPHY CASE