yfritz's Journal, 10 September 2021

A few setbacks. The shoulder pain has grown intense, triggering nausea, reducing sleep, appetite and swim time. I can’t lift my bike to load it onto the rack, which means no trail biking. The kid instructor got fired. I now resort to indoor biking; boredom would be the most daunting obstacle.

The stationary bike at the gym is equipped with a TV, which was showing the vaccine news ad nauseam, hardly engaging, and I thought about leaving, thinking that I couldn’t pedal in such a vacuous state of mind. Suddenly someone with an RBG shirt walked by. I immediately recalled that I have been meaning to listen to some of the late justice’s favorite operas. For years I disliked Puccini. Too melodramatic. But today RBG was unrelenting, urging me to activate the stationary bike and raise the opera curtain.

I opened Spotify and selected Tosca, one of RBG’s beloved recordings. This opera cuts to the chase without a tedious overture. No warm up. Seamless lament, agony, malice. I kept pedaling without even remembering that I was pedaling. Folks, the opera villain mercilessly sustained my bike speed above 90rpm. Oh how evil and delicious the legendary voice of Tito Gobbi always is! I had to stop at the middle of the act II today, because the villain’s cruelity knew no bounds and I almost screamed “o Scarpia carnefice!!” with wretched Cavaradossi. Total 60 minutes. Drenched in sweat. Nausea gone. The Notorious RBG delivers again.

Puccini: Tosca (Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi, Royal Opera House, London 1964)

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693 kcal

Fat: 29.79g | Prot: 40.50g | Carb: 73.74g.   Breakfast: Quick Oatmeal (1 or 3 Minutes), Friendly Farms Greek Nonfat Yogurt - Plain, Elevation Chocolate Coconut Bar, Nescafe Clasico Dark Roast Instant Coffee. Lunch: King Oscar Brisling Sardines in Olive Oil, Wasa Whole Grain Crispbread. Dinner: Steamed or Poached Cod, Trader Joe's Asparagus Risotto. Snacks/Other: Specially Selected Chocolate Chip Brioche. more...

1542 kcal

Activities & Exercise: Bike Machine (Cycling) - 1 hour, Resting - 15 hours, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...