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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   896 thread views

Wellness Wednesday for April 15, 2026

The Wednesday Wellness threads are meant to encourage users to ask for and provide advice and motivation to improve their lives. It isn't intended as a 'containment thread' and any content which could go here could instead be posted in its own thread. You could post:

  • Requests for advice and / or encouragement. On basically any topic and for any scale of problem.

  • Updates to let us know how you are doing. This provides valuable feedback on past advice / encouragement and will hopefully make people feel a little more motivated to follow through. If you want to be reminded to post your update, see the post titled 'update reminders', below.

  • Advice. This can be in response to a request for advice or just something that you think could be generally useful for many people here.

  • Encouragement. Probably best directed at specific users, but if you feel like just encouraging people in general I don't think anyone is going to object. I don't think I really need to say this, but just to be clear; encouragement should have a generally positive tone and not shame people (if people feel that shame might be an effective tool for motivating people, please discuss this so we can form a group consensus on how to use it rather than just trying it).

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New year's resolutions check-in:

  • Posted my ninth blog post of the year last Thursday, about the reflexive urge to assume that apparent public gaffes or mishaps were deliberately engineered as publicity stunts. Lightly edited from a comment originally posted here.
  • Went to the gym three times last week, focusing on cardio. I've realised I've been neglecting cardio for the last few months, which is having a negative impact on my energy levels, mood and waistline. For the last few weeks I've spent my lunch breaks working on my novel, but having now completed a fourth draft, I think my time might be better spent exercising. My plan is to do strength training in the gym three times a week, then run at least 5k on my lunch break, at least twice a week. Did my first 5k on Monday and felt energised in the afternoon, and my good mood carried over to the next day. Went to the gym again last night. Can deadlift 1.84x my bodyweight for 3 reps, squat 1.15x for 7 reps and bench press .87x for 6 reps.
  • Have not consumed any pornography since waking up on January 1st.

How goes it, @thejdizzler, @birb_cromble, @falling-star, @Tollund_Man4 and @self_made_human?

Met my criteria, thanks for the reminder!

  1. Work. Working on only three things at a time which seems to be helping with the overwhelm. Still thinking about this job opportunity: if I take it I need to wrap up the PhD in the next few months.
  2. Fitness: 9 hours. Tapering a little this week for the Boston marathon which is Monday! Goal is a PR (sub 2:35:30)
  3. Intellectual Stuff: Italian class is ending, which I am happy about. Adopting the only three books at a time, and only one YouTube/Podcast and one substack/blog article a day is also helping.
  4. Finances: Talked to a financial advisor at my brokerage and he suggested that I should put money into individual bond funds rather than CDs (better liquidity and slightly better rates). Spending is low for this month, and we are working on finding a third roommate, which should ease my financial worries for the next year (if we don't find a third roommate, my rent will go up 50% at the beginning of June.
  5. Dating. Had a fun time hanging out with my friend Bella last night, but didn't and am not planning on making any romantic moves.
  6. Tarot. Great session with my ex-roommate when I asked about job stuff. The cards basically said to stop trying to please other people and do what I want to do
  7. Socializing: went to a board game bar with my lab. Will be hanging out with friends all weekend at the marathon.
  8. Screen time: 1.15 hours phone.
  9. Mental health: anxiety is 100% hunger-related. Haven't been the best about eating enough this week, so was quite anxious Friday-> Monday.

The good news: spending is $838.88 lower than it was on the same day last year.

Bad news #1: My insurance reimbursement for my $4k dental expense was... $35. Modern dental insurance is a Kafka-esque joke.

Bad news #2: I was awoken to a loud, repetitive banging outside my window the other day. It turns out that a woodpecker decided to punch a hole in the soffit of my house. The rot is extensive enough that I don't trust myself to do the work, so I'm looking at a $4k - $5k repair.

I'm reminding myself that emergencies like this are exactly why I made the resolution in the first place, but it's still frustrating.

Bad news #2: I was awoken to a loud, repetitive banging outside my window the other day. It turns out that a woodpecker decided to punch a hole in the soffit of my house. The rot is extensive enough that I don't trust myself to do the work, so I'm looking at a $4k - $5k repair.

I recently got a quote for $25k of foundation work, so I know the pain of having the budget totally blown by shit going sideways.

Goddamn. That's a right kick in the balls. I hope it works out for you.

Fucking hell. What dental work did you need done that cost 4k?

Implants are expensive, particularly when there are complications.

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