astradele

I’m hurriedly researching mosquito bite treatments at the time of this writing.  Normally, I get rarely see a mosquito, much less get bitten by one, ensconced in my urban bubble of concrete.  Yesterday, however, I spent a couple hours on a hike thrashing through pretty thick brush – with bare arms, neck, legs, and no insect repellent.

Assuredly, I got what I most certainly deserve, and I got it about two dozen times.  Since I cut my hair recently, they even reached my scalp! 

The trouble with the Internet, though, it’s hard to separate truth from fiction.  For example, should I really:

• Apply hot water and cover the bite with scotch tape to “suck out” the mosquito saliva?
• Mix some crushed aspirin and water to apply as paste?
• Cover the bite in toothpaste?

Many other suggestions found at http://lifehacker.com/software/summer/relieve-mosquito-bites-186333.php.

I think I’ll beg the local pharmacist for something from behind the counter.  It’s strictly psychological, but if it’s kept behind the counter, it must be the “good stuff’, right? 

A sharp turn at an intersection and all manner of belongings get tossed about, some even left behind in the dust.  Among them is my old blog, replaced by this one.

It’s not quite change for the sake of change, however.  Switching to a mainstream blogging platform like WordPress is simply more efficient for the purpose of writing for a blog.  I can’t tweak, tinker, and learn in the same way as I used to, but that’s a good thing considering I’m trying to make time for new activities.

What may those be?  Some ideas percolating in my grey matter:

• Go inline skating more often.  It’s summer, and I’ve used my skates only a handful of times in the last couple years.
• Learn the full potential of my new camera, the Nikon D40.  Haven’t picked it up yet though…
• Rock climb regularly.  After my third time, I decided I enjoyed the sport enough to get climbing shoes of my own; haven’t broken them in yet!
• Digital photography class with Ryerson this fall.
• Follow the Calphalon Basic Skills cooking courses I took in June with some more at George Brown in September.
• Dutifully attend church again.
• Find a new place to live.  I’ve been here six years…
• Buy a car.  The Zipcar bill rises higher and higher, and I miss having my own car to indulge my whimsies.
• … and more…!

I won’t get to all of them, of course, but it’s a trial-and-error process.  Try an activity for awhile, see if it sticks and becomes a habit; if not, try another one.  Then eventually complain about not having enough time, drastically clean house by cutting what is no longer as valuable or important as before, and repeat. 

I’m moving my blog again… This will cut off the temptation to incessantly tweak my blog’s underlying software, as I am wont to do. Hopefully, this will free some time for other pursuits. I don’t think it was the wrong choice to host my own blog, as I learned a lot from it, but priorities change as time passes. I still get enough “computer knowledge” food from other hobbies, anyway.

Computer type entries will go to astradele.wordpress.com and the general “follow my life” type entries will go to agfung.wordpress.com. I’m unsure whether I will migrate my old blog entries over, but in the spirit of trying to free time for other things, perhaps not.