Journeys 3.1

Walked over to the farmers market. In the shade of the Guthrie, a painting class focused on a red food truck, its faint reflection visible in the windows behind them. This space is special to us. During COVID, we held our spontaneous wedding reception here, complete with lawn chairs, alongside the two friends who witnessed our vows in the judge’s chambers.

The image shows a diverse collection of groceries including a snack mix, Kewpie mayonnaise bottles, fresh green vegetables, boxes of S and B Golden Curry, and Kit Kat candy bars.

Asian market run

September 4, 2026

Picked up this haul from an Asian supermarket: Japanese snack mix, Japanese mayo, Asian broccoli, Japanese curry cubes, and Japanese KitKats. Japanese egg salad sandwiches are the best, thanks to that mayo. The slightly bitter Asian broccoli nicely offsets a sweeter dish. I’ve read that over 90% of Japanese homes use curry cubes to make a curry base: just add leftover veggies, spoon some rice on the side from the rice cooker, and you have a satisfying, quick meal.

A large crowd of students, many wearing maroon and gold shirts, gathers on a green lawn in front of a university building displaying large PRIDE and M logos, with some holding signs for various colleges.

An early sign of fall

September 3, 2026

It wasn’t a protest as I cycled past people outside the U’s ice arena holding signs. It’s Welcome Week for new students, and the signs were meant to group everyone by department. Looking at them, I find it hard to believe I was ever that young when I was a fresher back in the UK.

A smiling man wearing sunglasses and a blue shirt takes a mirror selfie with his black phone, the ornate framed mirror reflecting a dimly lit hallway with a ceiling fixture and a distant door, as a pleated lampshade is visible in the bottom left against a wood paneled wall.

Lurking

September 2, 2026

I’m the mysterious gentleman lurking in the grimy Pedicord Apartments, part of the permanent collection at the U’s Weisman Art Museum. If you lean in to any apartment door, you can eavesdrop on what’s going on inside. I’m between appointments. I’ve just had the most thorough eye exam ever, including a 3D digital model of the inside of my eyes ordered by the study, hence the dark glasses.

A modern industrial interior showcases multiple large, gleaming stainless steel tanks, an elaborate system of pipes, and control panels, all set against a backdrop of brick walls and a dark ceiling structure.

The source of our beer

September 1, 2026

Dinner at Forgotten Star Brewing Co., beer and burgers, sitting outside at a picnic table with friends. Life’s good.

A row of bicycles, beginning with a bright yellow one, is parked on a sunny concrete sidewalk casting shadows beside a brick and panel building, with people walking in the background.

High-touch care

August 31, 2026

Cycled in to the U for week six of the study. Being in the study means receiving an unsustainable level of healthcare: extensive lab workup up to three times a week, time with a physician or PA up to three times a week, blood pressure checked up to ten times a day, weekly ECGs, and scans every 8 weeks.

A blue net surrounds a tall white pole on a curving wooden deck overlooking a river lined with trees under a bright blue sky with white clouds.

A short cycle ride to the 26th Avenue North Overlook

August 30, 2026

My nephews would’ve enjoyed scrambling on the climbing net at the foot of the beacon… maybe a dozen years ago. The beacon leans out over the Mississippi at this overlook in North Minneapolis, a short ride from our home. This was my first outing in three days: the study treatment has kept me laid low, which means it’s doing something! It felt good to be out among people clearly enjoying the beautiful day.