intermission

I met with my advisor at 2 am last night, and got up at 8:30 for talks. I'm skipping the afternoon, though, because I feel pretty unwell. I'm not sure my stomach is a worthy topic of discussion, but it has been bad for a while (since Calcutta three years ago, actually -- maybe I'll upload my travelogues from then sometime), and it might be getting worse. After a long time, an endoscopy was done (they spray rotten banana-flavored anesthetic in your throat, and then stick a tube down it), and it revealed that I apparently have the digestive tract of a 60-year-old man. Among recommendations for a healthier stomach are: sleeping on a bed with the head raised 4 inches (not just the pillow, so the entire mattress is slanted); sleeping on my left side; and avoiding: stress, large meals, fat, spicy food, peppermint, spearmint, citrus, tomatoes, chocolate, and liquids. I know, all the things that make life worth living (or, in some cases, possible). The hope is that not all of these things will aggravate my stomach, but as it has been in a complaining mood for the past month, I feel unjustified in testing any of them on it. Before going to Amsterdam, I did my best to be nice to it, and it behaved itself to some extent. Which brings me back to Amsterdam, but unfortunately I have to go now. I think this tidbit blogging would be more interesting if it were in real time, but I have a queue here, so the actual events I'm living will just have to wait.