Nature taking over Sep 10, 2009
I feel like the vast majority of the work done around my house is simply to ensure the house doesn't get swallowed by nature.  Wood has a tendency to rot, and houses are ingeniously made of the stuff.  Weeds grow into foundations and crack cement.  Grass doesn't grow where I plant it but has no problem growing between the cracks in the sidewalk.  A roof has a lifespan of something like 5-10 years, after which point it simply disintegrates and lets nature have its way.  Pipes rust and crack.  Wires fray.  It reminds me of The World Without Us and the idea that when humans are gone, things will pretty much go back to the way they were.  It's comforting in a way, but it's also stressful because I constantly have to undo the things nature tries to do to my house, simply so my house doesn't collapse. #nature
Self-diagnosis Sep 10, 2009
Let's say I have high cholesterol.  The solution is diet, exercise, or genetic mutation (i.e. remove all traces of family history).  Now let's say I started running and want to see if it's helped my condition.  I have to go to my primary care doctor, get a prescription for a blood test, go to the blood test, wait for the results to be sent to my doctor, then go to my doctor to have the results explained to me.  [This could be a function of my insurance provider.  "Why not change insurance providers?"  It's like being offered the choice of a punch to the face or a punch to the stomach.]  The thing is, the blood test results already come with an explanation.  It says what the normal numbers should be, and it usually says what to do if the numbers are outside the normal range.  And if not, it's trivially easy to look it up online.  I look forward to the day when a doctor is not part of that equation.  Doctors don't give a crap about me.  They give a crap about insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies and medical malpractice.  This isn't so much a critique of doctors (though it obviously is), but a statement of fact:  Doctors can't care more about my health and wellness than I do, unless I specifically pay them to only worry about me.  For certain health issues like this, I'd rather be the one in control. #health
Advice from Dad Sep 10, 2009
Not to minimize the influence and effects of my dad, but the following is the most useful piece of advice I've ever received from him: 
"Always have an extra cylinder of propane."
Seriously, how much does it suck to have to call off a BBQ when all the meat is only partially cooked because you ran out of propane?  My extra propane cylinder has come in handy on multiple occasions. #food
D & W (1) Sep 10, 2009
I couldn't think of a better way to put this: 
[Image: dwgraph.png]
It applies to pretty much everything.  Energy level, volume, mood, appetite, hair length, etc. #psychology