Hey Everyone,
The latest tweak to my unusual way of eating, has been to give up coffee. Though on those shopping mall days when I need to kill time and get some work done, I might buy one so that I can rent a seat with wifi.
I am loving everything about the no plant way of eating, except every now and then I get really bad body odour. Today I took some time to sit in a sauna - cold pool - hot pool - sauna. Did the cycle a few times and I am not sure if its the chlorine or the sweating but it has improved to the point where some expensive deodorant can cover it.
So why lose the beloved coffee?
Firstly I noticed that my body smell changes after I drink it, and I just cant take any more chances in that department.
The other really big one was that it totally changes the way I think.
I have been suffering from a particularly bad bout of "opinionitus" - swelling of the importance and validity of ideas adopted for ones own benefit. (of course I just made that up, but it is as serious as it is silly).
warning: psycho-babble
When I really understand a subject, I don't need to remember it as a series of bullet points or rules. I just sort of "get it", there are not too many of those, but do a thing long enough with some interest and it does happen.
Perhaps its only me, but I notice that "understandings" gained from direct experience are a sort of embodied knowledge, like a skill, they are not a big deal. They are comfortable like old sneakers, because I don't notice them.
Opinions - little bits of information that I have stored carefully as "rules" to be applied in future situations to avoid some problem or gain some advantage, do not tend to "hang" quite the same way.
I find that for some reason, I "need" to share them, and can not abide them being challenged or threatened. This is straight out, weird but damn near uncontrollable.
In short, opinions upset me, annoy others and are rarely from my direct experience anyway. Whereas "understandings" just sort of flow out in the other actions I do, the ones that are fun and may even make some money or help someone out.
Trying to gain experiences and lose opinions
Yeah, I know that sounds so trite, it could almost be an opinion lol
None the less, it is a goal I am serious about for now, until some other dazzling bauble of pseudo wisdom captivates me.
Kicking the Caffeine
I went cold turkey, during a Vipassana meditation retreat and had a withdrawal headache for 4 straight days, it was even worse than the food. (actually I enjoyed the food as I was quite convinced that all meat was cruel and unnecessary back then...more opinions).
This time I reduced my servings gradually from about 5 shots a day down to just half a cup, and then zilch..nada..zip..none.
No headaches, but I did fall asleep during a haircut and while waiting for my number to be called at the motor vehicle office. I missed my number and ended up being the last one processed just before closing time. Its funny, they ask "where did you lose your license?"...like oh its down the back of the couch..or it in my other pair of shorts.
So far I am not getting those blinding surges of inspiration to write some inane shit that nobody but me and a few people using translating programs understand. I am finding that by some miracle, (now that the narcolepsy has subsided) there is actually enough steady energy available to make it through a whole day without the rush, crash and "need" of coffee.
Interestingly, since I also recently "decreed" some carbs to be ok for celebrating, I actually had very little desire to eat them. I started a bag of potato chips about 4 days ago, and left them unfinished. Nothing since. Not sure if the lack of caffeine is settling down my cravings or if it is that I am just more serious about my goals this week...
Over an Out - have a good one!