The COVID Chronicles #72: Statistical Update, Knowledge vs. Experience, & Lenten Fasting

 As of this morning, the state of Arizona has had 814,528 cases of COVID-19. There have been nearly 16,000 deaths. 

Maricopa county, the most populous county in the state has seen 509,000 cases of the virus and 9,061 deaths. 

In our county, there have been 11,145 cases of the virus and 265 deaths. 

I took a half-day off yesterday to take Wife to a dental appointment. She was getting mouth and teeth scanned for nighttime mouthguard which will prevent her from grinding her teeth while she sleeps and which we hope will reduce or eliminate the headaches that this often causes her. We also were able to renew her drivers license for 1 year while her permanent residence card renewal is still being processed. We had made an appointment at the local DMV for yesterday morning and arrived an hour early, but I neglected to bring her SSN card (b/c I was told she would not need it), but she didn't know her SSN and therefore we had to drive the ~40min back home to get it, then ~40min back to the DMV, then I had drive her back home, then drive back to get to work by 12pm. 

On the way home we another little argument of knowledge versus experience. My defense was I was told we did not need to bring her SSN card when I made the appointment on Monday, but she countered that defense by asking me if in my experience of renewing drivers licenses, if I needed my SSN, which I had to admit that I did, so in a humorous, but serious point, she stated that this would have been good time to use my experience rather than my knowledge. 

On Wednesday, I started "whole fasting" for Lent. I try not to eat anything during the day and then eat a very light meal when I get home; usually miso soup, oatmeal, rice porridge, or all three. During the day I drink a lot of tea, both Earl Gray and English Breakfast (both decaffeinated). I may also eat a (couple) spoonful of peanut butter if I really can't bear it or perhaps munch on a bag of pretzels.

I have been trying to do this since Wednesday. I plan to continue doing daily whole fasts during Lent t see how it affects my health and my spirituality. After 3 days, the withdrawal from caffeine has been hardest and I've been experiencing brain fogs & and some depression. 

As my body has withdrawn and detoxed from other stimulants like sugar, I have felt more tired at the end of the day and falling asleep on our couch much earlier while watching Netflix while Wife works upstairs. This may also be caused by making up the "sleep debt" caused by drinking coffee and other stimulants like sugar. I feel good this morning. 

After 3 days though, I admit my head feels much clearer, I feel much more rested this morning, and the amount of poo that came out of butt yesterday afternoon was more than I had seen in a long time. It felt like I completely emptied my colon.

It's Saturday. I'm not sure what I'm going to be doing today, but I feel like I have the energy and the will to begin preparing our flower and vegetable gardens for the spring and summer planting. 

All for today!