500 weeks without a drink and other health matters, with cameos from Christian "I Can Help Your Career" Lorentzen, Sigrid Rausing, and Tao Lin

Tuesday 2/17/26

Sunday marked 3500 days, or 500 weeks, without a drink. Solid. It's actually more than that, but I've erred in counting over the years--which is likelier to happen when you go by the week rather than a particular date--as I have said, and on account that the error is mine I absorb the hit, so to speak.

It's like when I run stairs at City Hall and I lose count and I'm almost certain the next time up will be my twentieth but I call it number nineteen just in case so I don't end up doing less than I intend/should. Keeps you honest. Keeping yourself honest is a good thing. More people should try it.

I have a look of health which belies how I lived. That is, someone looks at me and would have hard time imagining that I drank as I did. From 2013 to when I stopped drinking in 2016, the drinking was offset by walking what was 3000 miles a year. Yes, I logged the distances. I wouldn't just make up a number. The only thing I make up is my fiction. But that only goes so far. There's no amount of walking or working out you can do to cancel out what you're putting into yourself. Like comedy and tragedy, body and soul, peace and striving, the two go together. Laurel and Hardy. Speaking of stairs.

The Bunker Hill Monument was open--according to their website--on Saturday and Sunday, but I didn't make it to Charlestown to verify. Why? Because stairs isn't ultimately about the Bunker Hill Monument, though I much prefer to run them there, but rather about running stairs. I was letting things slide too much stair-wise, and allowing the Monument being closed to be too much of a factor. I control the stairs I run and it was time to take responsibility. I see my legs when I wear shorts and they are jacked. Highly defined, straight muscle. I don't want to lose any of that muscle either.

I had walked six miles on both Thursday and Friday, but on Saturday I got myself to City Hall to run 5000 stairs, no stopping, taking them two-at-a-time going up. I also walked three miles and did 215 push-ups.

On Sunday, I ran another 5000 stairs at City Hall the same way, walked three miles, and did 250 push-ups. My intention was to do both the City Hall stairs and to run stairs in the Monument. After I had walked the three miles after the 5000 stairs, I was feeling chilled. You're all wet, you see, from the stair running. It doesn't matter how cold it is outside. Running stairs is a hell of a workout. You'll drip and be soaked through. I concluded that a hot shower would be better for me.

Yesterday, I ran 5000 stairs at City Hall in the same fashion, and did 220 push-ups.

These have been good days. You can set yourself back at this time of year. For me that wouldn't be too far and I could make up the distance of the fall, if you will, rather quickly, but that's not really the point. I mean, it's good to be that way, but I have a way I want to be which doesn't have a before and after component.

I like when I'm reading about health issues and diseases and I'm able to look at contributing factors and can say I don't do those things or eat or drink those things. At all. Not just in moderation or every now and again, but never. If I did those things in moderation or at all, I wouldn't have the peace of mind. How could you pinpoint where damage begins? And it isn't as if that point would be the same for everyone. This is far better for me.

I wouldn't have peace of mind if I ate any red meat. I see red meat come up time and again in these readings. Obviously smoking and drinking are in every one of these reports, but you'll usually see red meat as well. And sugar, as in sweets and soda.

It's been almost two years now since I gave up red meat, pizza, pasta, bread, and hot chocolate. That was a wise decision I don't ever intend to go back on. The only thing I sometimes miss having from that list is hot chocolate on a cold day after I've worked out and I'm at the cafe to read or make notes. But I just have a tea or black coffee.

I see many men--most--my age who looks like they could be my trucker uncle. You know, someone who has lived hard, popped lots of uppers, crashed with booze, chain-smoked, and rarely took a walk any longer than they had to across a parking lot from the truck to the entrance of a diner at three AM.

Or that look like they're used to soak up oil from cars in garages. "Yeah, just throw Ron on it, that'll absorb it." And it's these guys that so many women are playing to. When you're a woman and you do nothing but post photos of yourself on social media, these are your boys, your fans, your group.

Look at the likes and comments. It's always these guys. They're doing it for these guys, the providers of the likes and compliments. Someone wants to say, "No! They do it for themselves!" They don't. Take away the likes and the "ur hot bueataful" comments and those photos wouldn't be posted.

When you think about it, these guys have a lot of power. Isn't that amazing? I'd feel so awful about myself. I wouldn't be able to live. Playing to this gallery? People who look like they're thrown on top of oil stains who see me as nothing but an object they want to get on and who usually have the brains of...what? If ever "I squat on this piece of land where I do my abducting" had a face.

What are people doing to themselves? Or like a Christian "I Can Help Your Career" Lorentzen. Imagine that coming at you? Always make sure you have an available escape route. You know how the ad goes: Why be Lorin Stein-ed when you can be Lorentzen-ed? It's a competitive market, and after all, we know how legitimately competitive publishing is. I'll have more later on this charming and talented fellow and the wonderful and judicious publishing people (like billionaire heiress Sigrid Rausing of Granta, possessor of less talent, brains, and integrity than is to be found in a pellet of rabbit scat, who believes that if you're rich enough, it'll be someone else's fault if your family feels like it needs to hide their dead body for months; and since we're talking about getting Lorentzen-ed and Sigrid Rausing, why not mention getting Tao Lin-ed, because she's a big supporter; nothing like a little rape and plagiarism! You know how it is. But when there's that much talent...wait...ah...that's right...) who hook him up. Soak up that oil.