Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Grant]

>> Over the years I've found that the time I spend on the computer has a
>> negative affect on my mental/emotional health.  It seems to suck the
>> life out of life and impair my ability to function in the real world.
>> I've tried various things to counteract the problem, but the only
>> thing that really works is not getting on the computer, and that works
>> really well.  I think part of the problem is caused by my processing
>> information, but I think part is due to radiation/glare from the
>> laptop screen.  Has anyone dealt with this successfully?  I'd love to
>> know how you did it.
>>
>> - Grant
>
> I'm very late to this thread so I'll only offer one thing I don't
> think showed up elsewhere. My dog. Spending 5 minutes every hour
> laying on the floor with a Yellow Lab getting licked in the face
> always makes me feel better. I work at home so this is practical for
> me. Might not work for others.
>
> - Mark

This pretty much did it for me.  Mick mentioned taking breaks too and
maybe others.  I installed xfce4-time-out-plugin and left it on the
default settings of a 5 minute break every 30 minutes and I do believe
that's what I was missing.  I never really took breaks before.  Thanks
to all.

- Grant

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Mick]

On Tuesday 11 Oct 2011 02:39:10 Michael Mol wrote:
> As far as food goes, for me, it's really not the kind of food, but how
> much of it I eat. First step is to eat smaller portions, so that my
> stomach shrinks and I feel fuller sooner.

Calories are not all the same, because we metabolise them more or less 
efficiently and therefore there's more energy left to store.  Nevertheless, all 
things being equal smaller portions are the single most effective way of 
gradually and healthily reducing your body fat.  Many of the eat only this, or 
only that, diets do not provide a balanced nutrition in the long(er) run, 
although they may offer less efficient (from a metabolic perspective) calories.

Less food over a year or so produces longer lasting results - use smaller 
plates and you'll get there.  When combined with exercise the loss is of 
course accelerated, especially as muscle mass increases (muscle has higher 
metabolic resting rate and you burn energy while you sleep! )

Now, given that we talk about diets here, what I need is to find a popular 
dieters' M/L in usenet to post for help with setting up systemd  or ipv6 
through ipv4 for my home network and then sit back and watch their faces in 
amusement!  :))
-- 
Regards,
Mick


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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Michael Mol]

On Mon, Oct 10, 2011 at 9:13 PM, Peter Humphrey
 wrote:
> On Tuesday 11 October 2011 00:19:08 Adam Carter wrote:
>
>> > Have you ever wondered why the blooming of obesity has coincided with
>
>> > the popularity of the low-fat diet?
>
>> Correlation implies causation?
>
> No, of course not, but it certainly makes me pretty suspicious.

Correlation != causation, but it does imply it. One needs to be
careful not to allow confirmation bias to carry one prematurely to an
anticipated conclusion.

>
>> Perhaps the blooming of obesity caused people to start looking for new
>
>> diets to address the issue.
>
> Could be, but I'd prefer to believe it was, and is, indoctrination by Those
> Who Know. There's a whole industry devoted to perpetuating the myth of the
> low-fat diet. You can get volumes of evidence from Atkins's books.

I don't have any unique dietary problems, so I'm probably Joe Average
when it comes to metabolism, et al. I can get by happily on primarily
vegetarian meals, I can get by happily on juicy, meaty, fatty meals,
and I can get by happily on fast food.

When I spend 90% of my non-sleep time sitting at a computer, I hover
around 270lbs, regardless of the types of food I eat. When I spend
more time hanging around outside, biking with my fiancee or wandering
parks taking pictures, I lose weight, but then hover at a lower level
When I control the quantity of food I consume, I lose weight, but
hover at a lower level. I got as low as 240 lbs this summer.

As far as food goes, for me, it's really not the kind of food, but how
much of it I eat. First step is to eat smaller portions, so that my
stomach shrinks and I feel fuller sooner. I still eat enough to get
enough nutrition, it just means being hungry at the end of meals for
three or four days. The second step is to switch to foods which don't
easily come in bulk, and don't finish off others' plates. So, soup
prepared per-bowl, or meals prepared per-plate.

Then, obviously, there's being physically active. That's a tougher nut to crack.

-- 
:wq

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Peter Humphrey]

On Tuesday 11 October 2011 00:19:08 Adam Carter wrote:
> > Have you ever wondered why the blooming of obesity has coincided with
> > the popularity of the low-fat diet?
> 
> Correlation implies causation?

No, of course not, but it certainly makes me pretty suspicious.

> Perhaps the blooming of obesity caused people to start looking for new
> diets to address the issue.

Could be, but I'd prefer to believe it was, and is, indoctrination by Those 
Who Know. There's a whole industry devoted to perpetuating the myth of the 
low-fat diet. You can get volumes of evidence from Atkins's books.

-- 
Rgds
Peter   Linux Counter 5290, 1994-04-23

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Adam Carter]

> Have you ever wondered why the blooming of obesity has coincided with the
> popularity of the low-fat diet?

Correlation implies causation? Perhaps the blooming of obesity caused
people to start looking for new diets to address the issue.

IMO diet is the most important contributor to weight, but exercise is
a more significant contributor to mental & emotional health (which are
the same thing).

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Peter Humphrey]

On Saturday 08 October 2011 20:12:44 Mark Knecht wrote:

> I lost 45 pounds (approximately 25% of my pre-diet weight)  this year
> on Atkins. I know a lot of folks have trouble with Atkins but it
> worked great for me.

As I understand it, it's based on sound biochemistry - not like the popular 
low-fat fad. That's why it works.

Have you ever wondered why the blooming of obesity has coincided with the 
popularity of the low-fat diet?

-- 
Rgds
Peter   Linux Counter 5290, 1994-04-23

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Neil Bothwick]

On Sat, 8 Oct 2011 09:14:53 +0700, Pandu Poluan wrote:

> That said... I am not aware that to be a Gentoo user, one has to be
> celibate... :-P

It's not so much a requirement as a potential consequence :)


-- 
Neil Bothwick

Last words of a Windows user: = Why does that work now?


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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Alex Schuster]

Pandu Poluan writes:

> That said... I am not aware that to be a Gentoo user, one has to be
> celibate... :-P

But it helps.

Wonko

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Neil Bothwick]

On Sun, 09 Oct 2011 20:39:25 -0500, Dale wrote:

> > > Arsenic, strychnine or cyanide is large enough doses do that :)

> > Gosh, you're extreme ... :-P

I use Gentoo, don't I?

> Nah, he just likes to pick on me.  ;-)

That too ;-)


-- 
Neil Bothwick

Don't let your mind wander, it's too little to be let out alone.


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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Dale]

Pandu Poluan wrote:



On Oct 10, 2011 2:52 AM, "Neil Bothwick" > wrote:

>
> On Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:11:11 -0500, Dale wrote:
>
> > I might also add, some of my meds don't help either.  Is there a med
> > that doesn't make a person gain weight?  :/
>
> Arsenic, strychnine or cyanide is large enough doses do that :)
>

Gosh, you're extreme ... :-P

Rgds,



Nah, he just likes to pick on me.  ;-)

Dale

:-)  :-)

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Pandu Poluan]

On Oct 10, 2011 2:52 AM, "Neil Bothwick"  wrote:
>
> On Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:11:11 -0500, Dale wrote:
>
> > I might also add, some of my meds don't help either.  Is there a med
> > that doesn't make a person gain weight?  :/
>
> Arsenic, strychnine or cyanide is large enough doses do that :)
>

Gosh, you're extreme ... :-P

Rgds,

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Dale]

Neil Bothwick wrote:

On Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:11:11 -0500, Dale wrote:


I might also add, some of my meds don't help either.  Is there a med
that doesn't make a person gain weight?  :/

Arsenic, strychnine or cyanide is large enough doses do that :)





LOL  That would solve a few other problems too.  Then again, it may 
solve a few other peoples problem too.  That would be when I am gone of 
course.  ;-)


Dale

:-)  :-)

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Neil Bothwick]

On Sat, 08 Oct 2011 19:11:11 -0500, Dale wrote:

> I might also add, some of my meds don't help either.  Is there a med 
> that doesn't make a person gain weight?  :/

Arsenic, strychnine or cyanide is large enough doses do that :)


-- 
Neil Bothwick

Give a man a fish and you have fed him for a day, but give him a case of
dynamite and soon the village will be showered with mud and seaweed and
unidentifiable chunks of fish.


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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Andrey Moshbear]

On Sat, Oct 8, 2011 at 18:19, Dale  wrote:
> Mark Knecht wrote:
>>
>> On Sat, Oct 8, 2011 at 12:00 PM, Dale  wrote:
>>>
>>> I have my garden.  That gets me outside in the sun and some exercise.  I
>>> really need a gut buster tho.  I just eat to much.  lol
>>>
>>> Dale
>>
>> I lost 45 pounds (approximately 25% of my pre-diet weight)  this year
>> on Atkins. I know a lot of folks have trouble with Atkins but it
>> worked great for me.
>>
>> - Mark
>>
>>
>
> My problems are I like to cook and I like my cooking.  Since I have
> arthritis and all, I can't jog or run it off.
>
> Oh well, I'm not that bad but I do have a gut I'd like to loan someone.  I
> wish I could transfer it to my girlfriend.  She could use it.  lol  She's
> really little, like 85 to 90 lbs little.  o_o
>

If your back isn't in bad form, try stronglifts. There's nothing
better than powerlifts to keep your back safe.

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Dale]

Neil Bothwick wrote:

On Sat, 08 Oct 2011 17:19:18 -0500, Dale wrote:


I lost 45 pounds (approximately 25% of my pre-diet weight)  this year
on Atkins. I know a lot of folks have trouble with Atkins but it
worked great for me.

My problems are I like to cook and I like my cooking.  Since I have
arthritis and all, I can't jog or run it off.

I too have knackered joints, which is the best excuse for not running :)

However, I did lose 20kg in the first 8 months of this year, just by
calorie counting. An Android app to help it did assist by appealing to my
inner geek (which is not considerably nearer the outside).

Liking cooking is not a problem, you just have to like cooking lower
calorie foods ;-)




Well, I bought me a NuWave Oven and it is good for sure.  Thing is, it's 
so good I eat more. < sighs >  I gained a couple pounds already with 
that thing.  I need to wield my elbows while bent away from my mouth.  
Maybe bobbing for apples would help.  At least you got to work for it.


I might also add, some of my meds don't help either.  Is there a med 
that doesn't make a person gain weight?  :/


Dale

:-)  :-)

P. S.  Welcome to the mailing list where people complain about their 
weight.  lol  Oh well, we got Linux fixed so we can do this until the 
Fedora dev stirs up something new.  :-P

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Neil Bothwick]

On Sat, 08 Oct 2011 17:19:18 -0500, Dale wrote:

> > I lost 45 pounds (approximately 25% of my pre-diet weight)  this year
> > on Atkins. I know a lot of folks have trouble with Atkins but it
> > worked great for me.

> My problems are I like to cook and I like my cooking.  Since I have 
> arthritis and all, I can't jog or run it off.

I too have knackered joints, which is the best excuse for not running :)

However, I did lose 20kg in the first 8 months of this year, just by
calorie counting. An Android app to help it did assist by appealing to my
inner geek (which is not considerably nearer the outside).

Liking cooking is not a problem, you just have to like cooking lower
calorie foods ;-)


-- 
Neil Bothwick

Nothing is illegal if one hundred businessmen decide to do it.


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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Dale]

Mark Knecht wrote:

On Sat, Oct 8, 2011 at 12:00 PM, Dale  wrote:


I have my garden.  That gets me outside in the sun and some exercise.  I
really need a gut buster tho.  I just eat to much.  lol

Dale

I lost 45 pounds (approximately 25% of my pre-diet weight)  this year
on Atkins. I know a lot of folks have trouble with Atkins but it
worked great for me.

- Mark




My problems are I like to cook and I like my cooking.  Since I have 
arthritis and all, I can't jog or run it off.


Oh well, I'm not that bad but I do have a gut I'd like to loan someone.  
I wish I could transfer it to my girlfriend.  She could use it.  lol  
She's really little, like 85 to 90 lbs little.  o_o


Dale

:-)  :-)

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Mark Knecht]

On Sat, Oct 8, 2011 at 12:00 PM, Dale  wrote:
> Mark Knecht wrote:
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 3, 2011 at 3:15 PM, Grant  wrote:
>>>
>>> Over the years I've found that the time I spend on the computer has a
>>> negative affect on my mental/emotional health.  It seems to suck the
>>> life out of life and impair my ability to function in the real world.
>>> I've tried various things to counteract the problem, but the only
>>> thing that really works is not getting on the computer, and that works
>>> really well.  I think part of the problem is caused by my processing
>>> information, but I think part is due to radiation/glare from the
>>> laptop screen.  Has anyone dealt with this successfully?  I'd love to
>>> know how you did it.
>>>
>>> - Grant
>>
>> I'm very late to this thread so I'll only offer one thing I don't
>> think showed up elsewhere. My dog. Spending 5 minutes every hour
>> laying on the floor with a Yellow Lab getting licked in the face
>> always makes me feel better. I work at home so this is practical for
>> me. Might not work for others.
>>
>> - Mark
>>
>>
>
> I have my garden.  That gets me outside in the sun and some exercise.  I
> really need a gut buster tho.  I just eat to much.  lol
>
> Dale

I lost 45 pounds (approximately 25% of my pre-diet weight)  this year
on Atkins. I know a lot of folks have trouble with Atkins but it
worked great for me.

- Mark

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Dale]

Mark Knecht wrote:

On Mon, Oct 3, 2011 at 3:15 PM, Grant  wrote:

Over the years I've found that the time I spend on the computer has a
negative affect on my mental/emotional health.  It seems to suck the
life out of life and impair my ability to function in the real world.
I've tried various things to counteract the problem, but the only
thing that really works is not getting on the computer, and that works
really well.  I think part of the problem is caused by my processing
information, but I think part is due to radiation/glare from the
laptop screen.  Has anyone dealt with this successfully?  I'd love to
know how you did it.

- Grant

I'm very late to this thread so I'll only offer one thing I don't
think showed up elsewhere. My dog. Spending 5 minutes every hour
laying on the floor with a Yellow Lab getting licked in the face
always makes me feel better. I work at home so this is practical for
me. Might not work for others.

- Mark




I have my garden.  That gets me outside in the sun and some exercise.  I 
really need a gut buster tho.  I just eat to much.  lol


Dale

:-)  :-)

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Mark Knecht]

On Mon, Oct 3, 2011 at 3:15 PM, Grant  wrote:
> Over the years I've found that the time I spend on the computer has a
> negative affect on my mental/emotional health.  It seems to suck the
> life out of life and impair my ability to function in the real world.
> I've tried various things to counteract the problem, but the only
> thing that really works is not getting on the computer, and that works
> really well.  I think part of the problem is caused by my processing
> information, but I think part is due to radiation/glare from the
> laptop screen.  Has anyone dealt with this successfully?  I'd love to
> know how you did it.
>
> - Grant

I'm very late to this thread so I'll only offer one thing I don't
think showed up elsewhere. My dog. Spending 5 minutes every hour
laying on the floor with a Yellow Lab getting licked in the face
always makes me feel better. I work at home so this is practical for
me. Might not work for others.

- Mark

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Andrey Moshbear]

Xkcd 456 much?

On 2011-10-07, Michael Mol  wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 10:14 PM, Pandu Poluan  wrote:
>>> On 2011-10-07, Diego Augusto Molina  wrote:
>>> > Have sex! That's the first thing you can do to keep your mind out of
>>> > madness.
>>> > Really, look at the benefits of having sex and you'll see it's a
>>> > complete excercise for body, obviously you have to excercise your
>>> > social skills and has some really cool consecuences on your body,
>>> > methabolism, etc. (just google it).
>>> > You can have as much as you want (or can, hehe) and it'll never be bad
>>> > (just use condoms, and try avoiding weird stuff...).
>>> >
>>> > --
>>> > Diego Augusto Molina
>>> > diegoaugustomol...@gmail.com
>>> >
>>> > ES: Por favor, evite adjuntar documentos de Microsoft Office. Serán
>>> > desestimados.
>>> > EN: Please, avoid attaching Microsoft Office documents. They shall be
>>> > discarded.
>>> > LINK: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
>>> >
>>> >
>>
>> On Oct 8, 2011 1:43 AM, "Andrey Moshbear"  wrote:
>>>
>>> Sex? Ysex? Are you aware that this is gentoo-users that you're posting
>>> in?
>>> :P
>>>
>>
>> Well, he was replying to the thread where we're discussing ways to
>> overcome
>> 'computing fatigue'.
>>
>> That said... I am not aware that to be a Gentoo user, one has to be
>> celibate... :-P
>
> Indeed not. ;)
>
> Actually, working on getting my SO into Gentoo, herself. :)
>
> --
> :wq
>
>

-- 
Sent from my mobile device

001100 Andrey "m05hbear" Vul
010010
00 andrey at moshbear dot net
11 andrey dot vul at gmail
101101 4163039923
110011

Today's quote:
[ ] Obsolete code offends me.
[ ] Be aware of [ ] Murphy's, [ ] Muphry's Law.
[ ] Use [ ] Occam's, [ ] Hanlon's razor.
[ ] Greenspun's Tenth Rule.
[ ] Sturgeon's Law, [ ] Pareto principle.
[ ] RTFM, [ ] RTF[__]
[ ] [___]

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Michael Mol]

On Fri, Oct 7, 2011 at 10:14 PM, Pandu Poluan  wrote:
>> On 2011-10-07, Diego Augusto Molina  wrote:
>> > Have sex! That's the first thing you can do to keep your mind out of
>> > madness.
>> > Really, look at the benefits of having sex and you'll see it's a
>> > complete excercise for body, obviously you have to excercise your
>> > social skills and has some really cool consecuences on your body,
>> > methabolism, etc. (just google it).
>> > You can have as much as you want (or can, hehe) and it'll never be bad
>> > (just use condoms, and try avoiding weird stuff...).
>> >
>> > --
>> > Diego Augusto Molina
>> > diegoaugustomol...@gmail.com
>> >
>> > ES: Por favor, evite adjuntar documentos de Microsoft Office. Serán
>> > desestimados.
>> > EN: Please, avoid attaching Microsoft Office documents. They shall be
>> > discarded.
>> > LINK: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
>> >
>> >
>
> On Oct 8, 2011 1:43 AM, "Andrey Moshbear"  wrote:
>>
>> Sex? Ysex? Are you aware that this is gentoo-users that you're posting in?
>> :P
>>
>
> Well, he was replying to the thread where we're discussing ways to overcome
> 'computing fatigue'.
>
> That said... I am not aware that to be a Gentoo user, one has to be
> celibate... :-P

Indeed not. ;)

Actually, working on getting my SO into Gentoo, herself. :)

-- 
:wq

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Pandu Poluan]

> On 2011-10-07, Diego Augusto Molina  wrote:
> > Have sex! That's the first thing you can do to keep your mind out of
> > madness.
> > Really, look at the benefits of having sex and you'll see it's a
> > complete excercise for body, obviously you have to excercise your
> > social skills and has some really cool consecuences on your body,
> > methabolism, etc. (just google it).
> > You can have as much as you want (or can, hehe) and it'll never be bad
> > (just use condoms, and try avoiding weird stuff...).
> >
> > --
> > Diego Augusto Molina
> > diegoaugustomol...@gmail.com
> >
> > ES: Por favor, evite adjuntar documentos de Microsoft Office. Serán
> > desestimados.
> > EN: Please, avoid attaching Microsoft Office documents. They shall be
> > discarded.
> > LINK: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
> >
> >

On Oct 8, 2011 1:43 AM, "Andrey Moshbear"  wrote:
>
> Sex? Ysex? Are you aware that this is gentoo-users that you're posting in?
:P
>

Well, he was replying to the thread where we're discussing ways to overcome
'computing fatigue'.

That said... I am not aware that to be a Gentoo user, one has to be
celibate... :-P

Rgds,

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Andrey Moshbear]

Sex? Ysex? Are you aware that this is gentoo-users that you're posting in? :P

On 2011-10-07, Diego Augusto Molina  wrote:
> Have sex! That's the first thing you can do to keep your mind out of
> madness.
> Really, look at the benefits of having sex and you'll see it's a
> complete excercise for body, obviously you have to excercise your
> social skills and has some really cool consecuences on your body,
> methabolism, etc. (just google it).
> You can have as much as you want (or can, hehe) and it'll never be bad
> (just use condoms, and try avoiding weird stuff...).
>
> --
> Diego Augusto Molina
> diegoaugustomol...@gmail.com
>
> ES: Por favor, evite adjuntar documentos de Microsoft Office. Serán
> desestimados.
> EN: Please, avoid attaching Microsoft Office documents. They shall be
> discarded.
> LINK: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html
>
>

-- 
Sent from my mobile device

001100 Andrey "m05hbear" Vul
010010
00 andrey at moshbear dot net
11 andrey dot vul at gmail
101101 4163039923
110011

Today's quote:
[ ] Obsolete code offends me.
[ ] Be aware of [ ] Murphy's, [ ] Muphry's Law.
[ ] Use [ ] Occam's, [ ] Hanlon's razor.
[ ] Greenspun's Tenth Rule.
[ ] Sturgeon's Law, [ ] Pareto principle.
[ ] RTFM, [ ] RTF[__]
[ ] [___]

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Diego Augusto Molina]

Have sex! That's the first thing you can do to keep your mind out of madness.
Really, look at the benefits of having sex and you'll see it's a
complete excercise for body, obviously you have to excercise your
social skills and has some really cool consecuences on your body,
methabolism, etc. (just google it).
You can have as much as you want (or can, hehe) and it'll never be bad
(just use condoms, and try avoiding weird stuff...).

-- 
Diego Augusto Molina
diegoaugustomol...@gmail.com

ES: Por favor, evite adjuntar documentos de Microsoft Office. Serán
desestimados.
EN: Please, avoid attaching Microsoft Office documents. They shall be discarded.
LINK: http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Grant]

>>> Has anyone dealt with this successfully?  I'd love to
>>> know how you did it.
>>
>
> You're right to worry about thisand I suspect it's also aging
> related.  The older I get, the more sensitive I am to how many
> hours/day is healthy.
>
> I don't think there is a perfect solution, especially as more and more
> important things in life require an internet device of some kind.
> It's not uncommon for me to spend 2-3hrs researching something, up to
> 8hrs working, and then have 2 hrs of other emails/social/community
> stuff all in one day that involve computers.
> 12 hours/day in a roughly fixed position indoors is never ever going
> to be healthy.  Especially if it must be kept up for years and years
> as one gets older.
>
> So, I've gathered ideas from others and have come up with my own
> recommendations:
> a) avoid going to the computer if you can be doing something else and
> don't need to be there (once I'm at a computer, there is always
> something that can make me stay there so avoiding being there in first
> place is important)
> b) stand up and take brief walks for whatever at least once/hour while working
> c) recent research suggests that taking vitamin d tablets starting in
> ones thirties can have a significant impact on relieving some of the
> sunlight/lack of being outdoor issues
> d) try to go to the gym or do some signficant exercise to start the
> day, this can possibly trick your metabolism to run faster all day
> long
> e) what many people do, I find, is simply have days where you don't
> touch the computer (briefly check cell phone but thats it)
> f) try to find something in your daily routine that will take you
> outdoors for at least an hour/day, preferably longer (can be harder
> for those of us who telecommute)
> g) try to build regular activities with your family/friends that
> involve outdoor recreation (build a home pool/take up swimming
> laps/etc)
>
> Nothing will completely remove the fact that modern life is
> increasingly unhealthy, but the above is at least a good start.
>
> Matt

Thanks to everyone for your feedback.  It's something I've struggled
with for a long time and it only seems to be getting worse.  It's
great to read what others have to say on the subject.  I'm amazed that
it isn't brought up more often.  I will be working with these new
ideas and will report back.

One thing I just tried today was turning down the brightness on my
screen and increasing the font size.  I think it helps.

- Grant

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Mick]

On Tuesday 04 Oct 2011 04:58:00 Michael Orlitzky wrote:
> On 10/03/2011 10:19 PM, Pandu Poluan wrote:
> > If I may add: try a cup of normal (i.e. non-decaf) coffee about 1 hour
> > after you start using the computer.
> 
> Ok, but how do you survive the first hour?

Coffee is a stimulant so it countenances depression, at some low level, which 
the latest research claims to have measured.

On the other hand, coffee is also a chemical which generates toxins in the 
body which increase stress, accumulation of fat, loss of hair, etc.

It seems to me that you can use coffee to publish any story in the papers that 
you happen to fancy ...

There's truth about the claim that staying indoors will not generally get you 
enough sunlight (being outdoors on a cloudy day will get you 10s to 100s times 
more light).  Sunlight is extremely important both for SAD (especially if you 
are a sufferer) and for strong bones (delaying osteoporosis).

However, what comes with advancing age is a general decline in energy and 
sight.  This means that staring at a screen causes more noticeable eye strain 
than in the past.  This also means that trying to process information which 
requires any degree of concentration/intensity will cause tiredness.  Hence, 
it sucks life out of life.  It takes longer to do what you used to do when 
younger and there's less energy to do anything else if you spend hours in 
front of a computer.

I think that the solution is to consciously try to take breaks away from 
sitting in front of a PC and engage in more physical activity - ideally 
outdoors.
-- 
Regards,
Mick


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Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Indi]

On Mon, 3 Oct 2011 15:15:54 -0700
Grant  wrote:

> Over the years I've found that the time I spend on the computer has a
> negative affect on my mental/emotional health.  It seems to suck the
> life out of life and impair my ability to function in the real world.
> 

It's the opposite for me. If only I could have a scriptable interface
for "real life" everything would be perfect -- just imagine...

indi@real_life$ feed cat && make tea --serve in_bed

-- 
caveat utilitor 

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Michael Orlitzky]

On 10/03/2011 10:19 PM, Pandu Poluan wrote:
> 
> 
> If I may add: try a cup of normal (i.e. non-decaf) coffee about 1 hour
> after you start using the computer.
> 

Ok, but how do you survive the first hour?

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Pandu Poluan]

On Oct 4, 2011 7:01 AM, "Matthew Marlowe" 
wrote:
>
> >
> >> Has anyone dealt with this successfully?  I'd love to
> >> know how you did it.
> >
>
> You're right to worry about thisand I suspect it's also aging
> related.  The older I get, the more sensitive I am to how many
> hours/day is healthy.
>
> I don't think there is a perfect solution, especially as more and more
> important things in life require an internet device of some kind.
> It's not uncommon for me to spend 2-3hrs researching something, up to
> 8hrs working, and then have 2 hrs of other emails/social/community
> stuff all in one day that involve computers.
> 12 hours/day in a roughly fixed position indoors is never ever going
> to be healthy.  Especially if it must be kept up for years and years
> as one gets older.
>
> So, I've gathered ideas from others and have come up with my own
> recommendations:
> a) avoid going to the computer if you can be doing something else and
> don't need to be there (once I'm at a computer, there is always
> something that can make me stay there so avoiding being there in first
> place is important)
> b) stand up and take brief walks for whatever at least once/hour while
working
> c) recent research suggests that taking vitamin d tablets starting in
> ones thirties can have a significant impact on relieving some of the
> sunlight/lack of being outdoor issues
> d) try to go to the gym or do some signficant exercise to start the
> day, this can possibly trick your metabolism to run faster all day
> long
> e) what many people do, I find, is simply have days where you don't
> touch the computer (briefly check cell phone but thats it)
> f) try to find something in your daily routine that will take you
> outdoors for at least an hour/day, preferably longer (can be harder
> for those of us who telecommute)
> g) try to build regular activities with your family/friends that
> involve outdoor recreation (build a home pool/take up swimming
> laps/etc)
>
> Nothing will completely remove the fact that modern life is
> increasingly unhealthy, but the above is at least a good start.

If I may add: try a cup of normal (i.e. non-decaf) coffee about 1 hour after
you start using the computer.

I recently read in the newspaper that 2-4 cups of caf coffee per day
significantly reduce the chance of getting a depression.

Rgds,

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Matthew Marlowe]

>
>> Has anyone dealt with this successfully?  I'd love to
>> know how you did it.
>

You're right to worry about thisand I suspect it's also aging
related.  The older I get, the more sensitive I am to how many
hours/day is healthy.

I don't think there is a perfect solution, especially as more and more
important things in life require an internet device of some kind.
It's not uncommon for me to spend 2-3hrs researching something, up to
8hrs working, and then have 2 hrs of other emails/social/community
stuff all in one day that involve computers.
12 hours/day in a roughly fixed position indoors is never ever going
to be healthy.  Especially if it must be kept up for years and years
as one gets older.

So, I've gathered ideas from others and have come up with my own
recommendations:
a) avoid going to the computer if you can be doing something else and
don't need to be there (once I'm at a computer, there is always
something that can make me stay there so avoiding being there in first
place is important)
b) stand up and take brief walks for whatever at least once/hour while working
c) recent research suggests that taking vitamin d tablets starting in
ones thirties can have a significant impact on relieving some of the
sunlight/lack of being outdoor issues
d) try to go to the gym or do some signficant exercise to start the
day, this can possibly trick your metabolism to run faster all day
long
e) what many people do, I find, is simply have days where you don't
touch the computer (briefly check cell phone but thats it)
f) try to find something in your daily routine that will take you
outdoors for at least an hour/day, preferably longer (can be harder
for those of us who telecommute)
g) try to build regular activities with your family/friends that
involve outdoor recreation (build a home pool/take up swimming
laps/etc)

Nothing will completely remove the fact that modern life is
increasingly unhealthy, but the above is at least a good start.

Matt
--
Matthew Marlowe
m...@professionalsysadmin.com
Senior Internet Infrastructure Consultant         DevOps/VMware/SysAdmin
https://www.twitter.com/deploylinux                       Gentoo Linux Dev

           "Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form
              of every virtue at the testing point."  -- C.S. Lewis

Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Computers and mental/emotional health

[Michael Mol]

On Mon, Oct 3, 2011 at 6:15 PM, Grant  wrote:
> Over the years I've found that the time I spend on the computer has a
> negative affect on my mental/emotional health.  It seems to suck the
> life out of life and impair my ability to function in the real world.
> I've tried various things to counteract the problem, but the only
> thing that really works is not getting on the computer, and that works
> really well.  I think part of the problem is caused by my processing
> information, but I think part is due to radiation/glare from the
> laptop screen.

Sitting inside at a computer all the time generally means you're not
getting sunlight. In effect, you get winter depression year-round.
Look into getting more sunlight. Failing that, try a full-spectrum
lamp.

> Has anyone dealt with this successfully?  I'd love to
> know how you did it.

Made most of my friends online. Met my fiancee through a Facebook
connection. Also, go outside regularly.

-- 
:wq