Haven't had a headache in 7 months. Today I feel the slightest twinge. Not enough to call a headache. Though I'm starting my weekend a bit slow. On thursday I felt exhausted in the morning, possibly ran too hard going up to 4mph for the easy stuff. Possibly that damn mandatory flu shot. Anyway with my guard down I ate a little something at work that had allspice in it, which is a berry that also contains sulfites.

Did 7.7 mph for 6:30 couple days back.

Looking into new tennis place that's a much longer drive as it's really drying up nearby.

Maybe we collectively eventually fall apart and die because we collectively look forward to it. Maybe the secret to immortality is simply making a better world.

Bad migraine today. Think triggered by flu shot that if I didn't get my health insurance would have cost an extra 890 dollars per year. Two lortab did absolutely nothing. A tourniquet around my head seems to be the only thing that has made it tolerable. I had started eating chocolate again maybe 3 or 4 weeks ago. And I seem to be getting headaches lately. Maybe it's a coincidence, but I shall stop the chocolate. Bloodwork the other day showed a 60 point increase in my cholesterol (207). So I shall severely curtail diary products from my diet.

On some level, if not in pure agony, being sick can be nice. My wife takes care of me. I put the Dark Crystal or The Last Unicorn on. Loki usually stays with me. The responsibilities I feel can be forgotten for a while.

Tremendously bothered by this though. I can't think straight when it happens. And in general I feel like my ability to think recently has been a shadow of what it once was.

4th run was bad. 11 miles in 1:38:45 but I recuperated very well despite running very hard.
5th today was 11 miles in 1:35:55 on the harder hillier (BR) course.

Also started eating chocolate again a few days back and have not had a headache. I think eating chips (the preservatives in them...??) made me more susceptible and then all kinds of things put me over the edge. Now I can drink alcohol, cheese and chocolate even without issue.

I took two bites of a pecan tazzy last night. I think there must be peanuts lurking in there somehow. Got a migraine for the first time in months. I wonder if extremely hard runs make me more susceptible. Definitely did that yesterday for the first time in a while. Cooper's Rock 10K. Extremely hilly. Too hilly. Didn't care for that much up and down. Disliked the downhills as much even as they were too steep downhill. Might have to not do that one next year.

Being sick, I pulled out the Dark Crystal for close to the hundredth time. Tried to say the lines ahead of time. But still manage to miss so much. And hypothesize this is related to not being a writer really. That so much detail I don't remember. And why don't I remember it? Because I'm so critical. Because I don't just soak it all in. I critique constantly and reject stuff. Maybe maybe not.

"Another world, another time,.....
For the crystal cracked and a single shard was lost and strife ruled the land.
whimper, whimper, "I hate your whimper"
The skeksis with their....
They gather..... Today the ceremony brings no comfort. An emperor lies dying.
He is still alive. He is still emperor.
Bow! Down!
No! I'm still emperor. I'm.... I'm... I'm... Ahhh!
Chamberlain you should be emperor. Yes it's time to make my move!
It should be me! Chamberlain No! Stop! You can't!
Get back spit head!
I challenge. Trial by sword!
Hmmm trial sword!
Yes, me! The emperor! Now, bow down to me!

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I should have told you these things long ago and now there isn't time.
Jen, we may meet again in another world, but not in this one.
Wait, don't leave me.
Accept these gifts, accept them serenely.
Give strength to Jen's quest.
I can't do this! OK I will do this!
Hmmm, look like gelfling. But can't be gelfling! garthim kill them all. Are you gelfling!
Yes, I'm looking for Ogra.
...Are you afraid of me? Think Im going to eat you? Put him down. Boushay boushay.

Another world, another time. In the age of wonder. A 1000 years ago this land was green and good until the crystal cracked. For a single piece was lost. A shard of the crystal. Then strife began. And two new races appeared. The cruel Skeksis. The gentle Mystics. Here in the castle of the crystal. The Skeksis took control.

Now the Skeksis gather in the sacred chamber where the crystal hangs above a shaft of air and fire. The skeksis with their hard and twisted bodies. Their harsh and twisted wills. For a thousand years they have ruled. Yet now there are only ten. A dying race, ruled by a dying emperor, imprisoned within themselves in a dying land. Today once more they gather at the crystal as the first sun climbs to its peak. For this is the way of the skeksis. As they ravage the land, so to they learn to draw new life from the sun. Today once more they will replenish themselves. Cheat death again, through the power of their source, their treasure, their fate, the dark crystal.

But today the ceremony of the sun gives no comfort. Today the emperor lies dying. Today a new emperor must seize the throne.

A thousand years ago the crystal cracked. And here far from the castle, the race of mystic came to live in a dream of peace. Their ways were the gentle ways of natural wizards. Yet now there are only ten. A dying race numbly rehearsing the ancient ways in a blur of forgetfullness. But today the ritual gives no comfort. Today the wisest of the mystics lies dying. Today they summon the one who must save them.

Ahhhh, AHHHHH, Ahhhhhhh, Ohhhhhhh, Ohhhhhh, Ahhhhhh, Ohhhh, Ummmmm, Ohhhhhhh.
Flute playing begins.
In the valley of the mystic their lives a gelflin Jen, The skeksis killed his family destroyed his clan. Only Jen survived to be raised by the wisest of the mystics. But there is a prophecy. A thousand years have past and now once more the world must go into a time of testing. Now it must be healed or pass forever into the rule of evil. At this time Jen is the chosen one. Today Jen's pipe gives no comfort for today his master lies dying. And a journey must begin. The journey of Jen.

Thunder and wind. Reoccuring theme song.

Master!? At the time when three suns meet.
Master what's wrong?
You are in danger Gelfling and I must leave you.
Leave me?
Master? No!
Gelfling I have told you of the Skeksis.
The Skeksis killed my mother and father.
The story runs deeper than you know and you are part of it.
I don't understand.
The skeksis will vow to destroy you for the prophecy says you must find the shard. The crystal shard.
The crystal shard?
To save our world you (DVD glitches....)

Just cannot do typical industrial vocals. My voice has a smooth sound at best. It doesn't do anger, just like I'm not much for it. I'm laidback and so is my voice. Unfortunately it's not good enough to he heard without a lot of effects and tends to sound too unemotional/zombie like IMO. (I hope I don't give off that vibe in person.) Possible.

Music is back to zilch. Lots of failing. The important underlying need for a melody is being neglected. In part because there's only 7 notes dammit. And I can't help but think of that fact. And then not go forward. Instead mindless repetitive stuff.

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Got a heart rate monitor. Haven't tested my max HR but 150 to 155 feels about right. Started at 5.8. Went down to 5.6 4 miles in. But then in the 6th mile suddenly had to slow down a lot to 4.8mph. The need to slow down I've never done before. Feel really good having done so. With my treadmill fixed can see doing 50mpw. Will test my max I guess in a bit. Want to make sure my knee is good first.

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Have to stay away from tyramine to avoid headaches. Have to be careful concerning cheese, broccoli, beer. And stay away from wine, chocolate and caffeine.

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Finally bought some grape vines and a fig tree. Hopefully fig tree will survive here.

Headache again. Must now give up cashews altogether. This is getting absurd and that's fitting.

Avoid oil. Avoid cheese. Certainly no fat from any meats as I haven't touched meat in 8 years. And no pistachios, peanuts or cashews as they trigger headaches. This leaves... Walnuts and seeds and flax meal as my only fat sources. (And I guess avocadoes...) And perhaps I'll increasingly end up eating diary.

And on monday did a 4/1 six miles in 53:39. I'm not any good at 4/1's and doubt they're very useful anyway. But with my right knee feeling bad, I have to run slower.

Back lately is consistently bothering me. Probably the one armed rows. I'm running out of exercise I can do without pain.

Figured out this headache of the last two days. Once again it's nuts. Peanut residue on the mixed nuts, or maybe the brazil nuts? Guess it wasn't the chocolate wine.