Health & Swords, Sydney ANZUUA, Animal Crackers, Equinox

[tcpip]

Work provided health-checks for staff; for someone who is physically completely out-of-shape (let's say I fall into the very overweight category), my blood pressure is fine, my pulse-rate is fine, by cholesterol levels are fine and my blood sugars are fine. Apparently I am the rare creature, the healthy fat man. Nevertheless, I am now making some effort to rectify the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle; I have taken up fencing again at the local University club. Personally I prefer half-drunken swashbuckling in rural areas (which I used to do) to the more formal rules of competition fencing, but nevertheless it is a start back into using stabby-pointy things.

Next weekend coming caseopaya are in Sydney. We'll be staying at The Centre in Randwick, attending the ANZUUA conference, seriously for me, probably more nominally for caseopaya, although some of the agenda makes me smile and shake my head; a workshop on postmodern prayer? Well, I suppose we are a broad church. Hoping to catch up with a range of Sydney-siders many of whom I haven't seen for years. We have later Friday evening free and Monday afternoon; probably the Zoo Bar (175 Oxford St, Bondi Junction on Friday), open to suggestions for Monday afternoon.

First bit of animal news is the discovery that naked mole rats don't get cancer. An entire species of male sharks are really dickheads. Finally, two sets from Cracked (who have done the transition to the Internet so much better than Mad); the truly weird weird animals, giant versions of disgusting critters and biggest assholes in the animal world. Finally local rodents, Trouble, Mischief and Calamity, celebrate their first birthday (making them about 30 in human years) with cheesecake and chocolate sauce.

Edit. Almost forgot to mention; great equinox dinner on Wednesday night at the Mooroccan Soup Bar followed by drinks at Deco, organised by _nightflower with several guests including horngirl and alchemon. Great night, and special thanks to _nightflower_ for arranging it!

Comments

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

I think healthy fat people are a lot less rare than the diet industry would like us to believe.

[zey.livejournal.com]

Definitely agree with that. There are even a lot of very fit fat people around too. I used to see them out jogging long distances around the park (back when I was doing more walking) and I'd get puffed just watching them.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Oh most certainly. As soon as there's profit to be made any science becomes highly distorted. After all, a properly funded health and nutrition person receives their paycheck whether or not a person is unhealthy. A profit-based nutritionist... well, they require people to be unhealthy, or at least to think they are.

Witness the delightful distortions that occur once there is private prisons.