Week 18, 2024

After an achy week past, I finally went again to the dentist to have my gum stitches removed. It was so much of a relief to do it! My gum surgery was a needed step in the treatment I'm taking, but sometimes I wish steps like this weren't necessary.

Fortunately, it's all behind me right now, meaning that I'll be able to properly eating again, forgetting the mostly-liquid diet I was having — OK, I'm definitely not complaining about the part where I was forced to have ice cream and açaí everyday, all the time. That was a sacrifice I'd do again, anytime.

The next step in the treatment can only start 20 days after stitches removal, as to ensure everything has properly healed. Only then I'll be able to replace the tooth which had a problem. So, back to waiting and having a little more patience again.

I've mentioned before here that I've been watching One Piece. It is a very nice anime and, while I'm not yet able to follow it only by listening to Japanese, I'm sure this will happen sooner or later in future times. The thing is, I'm watching it pretty slowly — aka, whenever I have time, so I'm still at episode 168 while writing this week's notes.

Now it seems I'll have to speed things up a little bit. And that's because Netflix will apparently remove a batch of One Piece episodes from its catalogue by next May, 21st. I guess the reason is licensing, probably yet to be negotiated again. Now, I couldn't find any source for this catalogue removal online, except for an obscure YouTube video mentioning that episodes 131 to 195 would leave the streaming service and, the most relevant piece, a banner on top of the screen for every episode I watch, saying the last day for me to watch that content will be May, 21st.

Now, I don't like to feel pressure watching anything. The Skypiea Arc, the current part of the anime I'm watching is fine and everything, but it's no Alabasta, that's for sure. At episode 168, I'm still 26 episodes behind the end, which is precisely episode 195. I'll very likely be able to end it all before it's taken from the catalogue, but if that doesn't happen for any reason, I'll turn to watch One Piece from other streaming, like Max or Crunchyroll, where the anime is also available.

My Japanese studies continue. I have spent some time this week reviewing grammar points and decrypting more isolated sentences from my language partners at HelloTalk.

It amazes me how simple sentences look complicated in Japanese, but I've come to the conclusion that understanding grammar — the basis of any language, after all — will make me feel better with this specific point. One of my language partners, by the way, suggested me to study 助詞, or joshi, the Japanese particles, which help glue the words. That sounds an amazing tip, and I'm already learning a few of them, such as no (の) and mo (も), respectively indications of possessive case and a replacement for wa and ga in sentences, that can be translated to “also”.

I'm also inclined to create some mind maps in order to help me study and memorize vocabulary. I can't put up with Anki and other SRS software very well, but mind maps are tools that I use and enjoy very much, and that I know can make me learn better. I'll probably make some mock-ups using Excalidraw, so I can merge them into Logseq or Obsidian, but I haven't quite started yet.

I have scheduled an appointment with my endocrinologist. It's been quite a while I don't attend an appointment with him, but this week — which by the way had the Labor Day holiday on Wednesday, breaking the workweek in two parts — I got convinced I needed to go visit him.

I'm feeling very tired these latest weeks. A sleepy sensation has drained my energy to the point of rendering me useless, and I believe I know what that is. Since the pandemics I have kept my medication as it was suggested by my doctor, but now I feel it is past time reviewing everything.

So I hope to take some blood samples and have them analyzed so things can be set up in a proper way again. It is so bad to feel tired all the time, to feel wasted... I don't even know how to describe this horrible sensation. I can only hope the appointment day comes soon enough (it is still 3 to 4 weeks ahead) and that meanwhile I'm able to get by a little better.