I quit all news shows since before 2000. I quit all TV for over a year now. Robert Heinlein knew this in the 1960's.
"Remind me... to write an article on the compulsive reading of news. The theme will be that most neuroses and some psychoses can be traced to the unnecessary and unhealthy habit of daily wallowing in the troubles and sins of five billion strangers."— Stranger in a Strange Land
We bought a small homestead 20 months ago. The prior owners only used it for their horses, Nothing had been planted by them. We have slowly been planting fruit trees. We lost a lot due to our drought. I just put in another 20 fruit trees this past weekend. It is good for the soul.
I saw someone on You-Tube that soaked them overnight and then used Grandpa's Goody Getter nutcracker to open them. The shells shattered less, he got much bigger pieces, and it wasn't as messy. I have tried both with and without soaking them overnight and I agree that soaking overnight is better than not soaking. You still need a very good nutcracker. https://www.grandpasgoodygetter.com/products/black-walnut-nu...
One of my first ambient records I bought after I got into Music for Airports by Eno. Still one of my favorites. After those two I got into Stars for the Lid.
I started beekeeping with my first hive in April this year. I find it very fascinating. It has helped me control my emotions as you have to be calm around them. Knock on wood, I have not been stung yet (I always suit up when I open the hive). My hive is thriving, but I did not harvest any honey to make sure they make it through their first winter. I have been fighting small hive beetles but so far have not had any significant infestation of varroa mites.
As a doctor I hope it still allows me to get up to speed on latest treatments for rare diseases that I see once every 10 years. It saves me a lot of time rather than having to dig through all the new information since I last encountered a rare disease.
I definitely am enjoying life more since we bought a small 16 acre farm/woods and I started growing vegetables/growing fruit and nut trees/foraging mushrooms and berries/beekeeping. I wouldn't call it boring. Always learning something new. Found 8 black walnut trees on the property and 3 pecan trees. Lots of hickory trees. 3 persimmon trees. Multiple red mulberry trees. I enjoy country life.
Given the proliferation of chronic disease under these prior surgeon generals they really have no standing to challenge RFK Jr. They failed doing their jobs. Before I get shadow banned, I am a MD in practice since 1997.
Most of the private practices in my town have been bought out by the local hospital system as the older partners are unable to find anyone to become junior partners as the overhead costs have doubled since Covid. The only way to meet overhead is to have the hospital buy the practice as they can charge 2x to 10x for the same visits. It is a backdoor way to socialized medicine.