Heaven Rewards Diligence

I resolved recently to experiment with various kinds of massage, in myriad styles and flavors, representing the four corners of the world. Massage is massive in Australia these days, and every small town in the Outback has at least one or two Thai parlors, to complement their one or two Thai restaurants. Now some of those massage parlors might be derisively called "rub and tug" ventures, but most of them legal and legit, and at the very least they are servicing a need. As well as exotic services such as cupping, hot stone treatment, myofascial release, lymphatic drainage, and foot reflexology based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), you can also find evidence-based sports physiotherapy, covered by Medicare. Even if you have to pay full fare, there appears to be no shortage of punters lining up for a spell on the mattress, beneath the masseuse's healing hands.

Ubiqitious Thai massage clinic, in Wyong (Australia, 2024)

Whether it is a side effect of my meds or an early symptom of Huntington's Disease, or simply run-of-the-mill anxiety, I often clench my jaws and grind my teeth when asleep, and wake up with a stiff neck. One of my Chinese students, Nico, suggested that I try acupuncture as a potential remedy. It has a 2000-year history in the Middle Kingdom, where it is credited for curing practically every malady or disorder under the sun. More specifically, benefits include pain relief, improved circulation, stress release, boosted immunity, and restoration of the body's original Qi (energy system). In TCM, it is believed that Qi must flow freely to maintain optimum health.

According to the Lee Massage website: "Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medicine practice that involves inserting fine, sterile needles into specific acupoints on the body to balance the flow of energy (Qi). This treatment is used to alleviate pain, treat musculoskeletal disorders, reduce inflammation, and improve overall well-being."

In late February I telephoned my local Lee Massage clinic at Tuggerah Westfield, and arranged an appointment for their acupuncture treatment. Nico warned that it usually takes a number of sessions for results to appear. 

On the way to my first session at the ungodly hour at 8.30am, I passed by a rival Chinese clinic at the mall. There was a poster in the window celebrating Lunar New Year.

Not my acupuncture clinic, but in the same basic ballpark (Australia, 2026)

I strolled on upstairs, where I located Lee Massage's facility on the second floor. The manager accompanied me to a booth inside which they were playing Chinese classical music, whimsical and evocative. The scrolls on the walls reminded me of my life in Japan.

Motivational scrolls on the walls of my booth, at Lee Massage (Australia, 2026)

I later asked Chat GPT to translate that piece of calligraphy and this is what it said:

"天道酬勤
Tiān dào chóu qín
Heaven rewards diligence..."

Hard work is rewarded, in other words... and boy was it hard work, lying on that bench getting poked and prodded with minute needles by my male masseuse. Although the session was only supposed to be an hour, it seemed to drag on much longer. From time to time, the masseuse would twist or move the needles, and I would detect tiny, very peculiar electric shocks emanating from that particular acupoint. "Tight," he said, squeezing my neck and shoulders. Yes, tight and sore, indeed... that's why I was there. I sought solace in the whimsical background music, and the motivational scrolls on the walls.

Heaven rewards diligence, and some lines from the I Ching (Australia, 2026)

The acupuncturist and his manager convinced me to return the following week, confirming Nico's suspicion that one session would not be enough. So I went again, and the second round of therapy was just as gruelling as the first. It was like there was increased electric zapping all through my body, even in places they hadn't even needled. Was that the mysterious Qi energy in action, I contemplated. Dining in the foodcourt later I had a dramatic jolt in my heart, which alarmed me. Jolts were also assaulting my jaws and cheeks.

After my third session, there was a tingling in my toes which shot all the way to my neck. In the school of reflexology, toes are connected to the trigeminal nerve, the largest cranial nerve, responsible for transmitting sensory information (touch, pain, temperature) from the face and mouth to the brain and controlling the chewing muscles. It has three main branches, the ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular nerves, that provide sensation to the forehead, cheeks, and jaw, respectively. 

Recalling my Vagabondic post on "rebellious Qi" being blamed for causing panic attacks, I wondered if my visits to Lee Massage were redirecting energy towards my feet from the upper regions of my body, where it has run amok for so long. On that matter, the Burong (ST-19) acupuncture point can assist energy to descend, and I think I have had a needle inserted there. Jianjing (GB 21) might also be useful in regulating Qi and reducing neck pain. I found myself urinating a lot at this stage, which is supposedly is a common side effect and cleanses the body of toxins.

Acupuncture can also be helpful for confronting Huntington's Disease. According to TCM, this disorder is an example of "endogenus wind".

After my fourth session, I had tingling in my fingers (Zhongchong (P9) point) and knees, although I didn't receive any acupuncture in these joints. I noticed some more tingling in my cheeks.

A few days later, I experienced what felt like an endorphin rush, a natural high. Is it possible that robust massage can get you high? If so, then I can't believe I waited so long before discovering it!

On April 18, following my sixth session, I remember wondering about what had happened to my familiar neck and back pain. Was it fading? I was also feeling slightly more energetic. Was this just a placebo, or a direct result of acupuncture?

Two days later, on the morning of my seventh session, I realized that I was getting (somewhat) accustomed to the early rising. The massage and needling wasn't as painful as it used to be, too. I was making progress, at last! As always, the masseuse and the assertive manager at Lee Massage urged me to return next week. I obliged them, but reluctantly. After all, I only originally wanted to try acupuncture once, to cross it off the bucket list you might say. I never imagined making it a permanent routine, costing me $120 per week.

So, I persevered for another month. Then reality finally hit: Bitcoin was faltering, leaving me running short of cash. Just as in 2022, the rebound of April had proven to be a dead cat bounce. On top of that, I was tired of getting up early every Monday morning for the massage. Endorphin rushes might be nice, but there are cheaper ways of obtaining them (such as teaching 8 lessons in a row on iTalki!) If acupuncture was truly working, then why did I need to go back again and again for more? I had given it long enough, I reasoned. It was time to end this experiment.

Another acupuncture place, Central Coast TCM, in Wyong (Australia, 2026)

Shortly thereafter, I embarked on a new experiment, thereby crossing another box off of my bucket list: I subscribed to a premium account on X.

Searching for Laundromats at Speers Point

I decided recently to extend the optimal length of my hotel outstays again, increasing them by an extra week. While my crypto fortune keeps amassing, I have been distracted by my obsession for acquiring wearable tech, and consequently, have fallen behind on my allocated travel allowance. So for now, three weeks will be the norm and hopefully even longer breaks are on the horizon! But while I can safely spend up to two weeks from home without needing to wash clothes, three weeks is a stretch. Therefore, for my November stay at Pippi's at the Point Hotel at Speers Point, I would have to find a laundromat. Luckily for me, I stumbled upon one as I left the railway station at Teralba.

It was spring, so the jacarandas were in bloom.

ABC Laundromat, on Anzac Street in Teralba (Australia, 2025)

Unfortunately it was also hot and steamy, and rather more distant from the hotel than I expected. Tired of waiting for the bus at the station, I commenced walking towards Speers Point, dragging my heavy suitcase. Had to dart across Five Islands Road on the lakeside, dodging the trucks. Missed the shortcut through Speers Point Park, even though it was right in front of me. All up it took more than an hour to reach Pippi's at the Point. I was close to collapse as I staggered into my room and pumped up the air-con. Thankfully, the hotel was so comfortable, I quickly regained my strength.

Suffering a near heat seizure, in my room at Pippi's at the Point Hotel (Australia, 2025)

The week which followed was cooler and I had a chance to explore the surrounding neighbourhood, venturing as far as Warners Bay to the east (on the other side of the point), and to Boolaroo in the north. Shopping at the Spar convenience store at Boolaroo I discovered what seemed to be a brandnew laundromat with modern machines. Sweet! It was much closer to my lodgings than the coin laundry I had previously passed at Teralba, and more convenient as I could eat lunch at the equal opportunity cafe on Main Road while the spin dryers whirred, or purchase my daily supplies. Teralba is just a village by comparison, with no supermarket or other diversions.

Not quite ready but potential laundromat at Boolaroo (Australia, 2025)

It soon became apparent, however, that I had jumped the gun in my enthusiasm for this laundromat. Buying more groceries at Spar last week I interrupted some tradies who were busily adding finishing details to the exterior. An Indian looking guy who was obviously the owner told me that it would not officially open until the following Monday. Too late for me, alas! I had completely run out of fresh clothes, and was forced to recycle many of them, wearing the same items three days in a row. I hurriedly gathered up as many one and two dollar coins as I could carry this morning, and headed back to Teralba with a box of washing powder.  

Accumulating coins, and my Radiant washing powder, at Pippi's at the Point (Australia, 2025)

In the end it didn't cost me that many coins, and it wasn't even a particularly grueling trip getting there and back. Local knowledge obviously helps: I took that short cut through Speers Point Park on the mouth of Cockle Creek where I could photograph the magnificient bridge, and then found an underpath beneath the treachurous Five Islands Road, resplendent with graffiti. The woman working at ABC was friendly and explained how the machines worked. She pointed out a bench across the road with its own bookcase, where I could patiently chill out. I then helped out a foreign guy who'd come here by train from Toronto to do his own laundry. Who knew washing clothes was a social activity and a chance to make friends?

Bubble Fresh finally open at Boolaroo (Australia, 2025)

Today I was back at Boolaroo and lo and behold, the Bubble Fresh laundromat was indeed open for business. It's just a pity that I have only one more week of my break remaining. If I ever find myself staying again from Toronto to Speers Point in the future, this place will be my go-to wash-and-dry solution. The owner claimed that payments are made by card or app only... no coins! That will definitely be a bonus for me. Coins are so heavy and outdated.

2025: The Year of Wearable Tech

I made a vow back in January that 2025 would be the year of wearable tech. In between outstays and awaiting the Great Escape, I would strive to order, purchase and then wear a number of hightech items, and incorporate them into my daily life. On top of that, I would also need to get a few food deliveries too, from the Canned Company or Snack Affair, and somehow find time to run an advertising campaign for First Contact.

As the year comes to a close, I can report that I have not only met my goals, but exceeded them. I managed to cook spicy memraku ramen from Japan, some of the even spicier instant noodles from Nongshim, and savour exquisite tins of trout pâté enriched with port wine from Portugal. I also bought three items which could be considered wearable tech, which is to say, they are prostheses in various degrees of technicality. At least one of them was electronic!

As usual, I will unbox all the items that I received here, in the order that I acquired them.

Wearing the Muse headband, in the Halfway House Squared (Australia, 2025)

First cab off the rank were some Flare Audio ear plugs, which I ordered during my Toronto stay, and arrived at Robin's Nest in February or so (at a total cost of around AUS$95). These were not your typical disposable memory foam ear plugs mind you, but durable stuff indeed, capable of lasting for eternity, due to their titanium stems. I figure that I could use them staying in noisy hotels or at the Halfway House Squared when the lorikeets get too raucus, or the plumber is repairing the water tank. The only problem is that they are rather small, you could easily lose them as I almost did in the flash flood of May, when my flat was inundated (again). However, I can request replacement tips in the future if necessary, when they inevitably wear out.

Unboxing my new ear plugs with spare tips and a carry case, from Flare (Australia, 2025)

While the ear plugs could be called dampeners, Flare also sell amplifiers, which supposedly channel sounds more efficiently, in effect sending them directly into your inner ear. Products like Immerse could dramatically increase appreciation of music, either while worn under headphones or in an immersive environment like a concert or club. Imagine pairing them with a smart drug of some kind to make it even more magical! As with their other items, you can get free shipping for orders over US$65.

Happy for now with my ear plugs, my next goal was to procure spectacles, which might not be thought of as being hightech (although they are definitely polished works of technology). Since my eyesight started to falter a year or two ago, I have been forced to make do with generic reading glasses from the discount store, but they are not a viable longterm solution as they often don't fit properly, and break after a few months. As I was to discover, the pathway to obtaining proper prescription frames in Australia is to do an eyesight check at a company like OPSM or Spec Savers. I had an appointment with an optometrist at OPSM in April and within a week, my new glasses were ready for collection. They were the Versace Ve3350 model gilded with golden temples (the total cost was $388 plus insurance).

Versace porn, at the Halfway House Squared (Australia, 2025)

The final item which I had my heart set on was a Muse Headband, literally a type of digital third eye which can monitor your brain activity, detect REM sleep and act as a meditation coach. The Muse S Athena unit conceals within its slender frame a SmartSense EEG and PPG heart rate detector, and can somehow also determine your sleeping position using a gyroscope of some kind! The device connects via Bluetooth to the Muse app, which will dutifully chart your progress in cognitive recharge, brain oxygenation, and other metrics, and alert you in realtime if you go off-piste. If you subscribe to a premium account you can also browse literally hundreds of audio guides, including a guy reading Alice in Wonderland. Steady. As well as choice of soundscapes, you can select session length, and goal (creativity, breathwork, mind relaxtion, heart health, even fertility support.) In one program, drums on the audio feed mimic your pulse rate. Using the magic of biofeedback, you are encouraged to try slow your heart through breathing or conscious control. Curiously, the simple act of meditation has been shown to reduce grey matter in the amygdala, the structure which governs emotions like fear.

Muse headband, delivered by Partners in Logistics (Australia, 2025)

By compiling and cross-referencing charts of the myriad cascading alpha, beta, delta, theta and gamma waves, I could establish a baseline of my anxiety at various times, places and situations, and see how that evolves in the future. I could experiment with the effects caused by drinking alcohol or caffeine, or even exercise. I could take an electrical snapshot of a panic attack!

All up the headband and accompanying carry case and charging cable set me back AUS$906, although I did earn back 1133 Amex points from the transaction. They say you can save another 10% by signing up to Muse before ordering, but for some reason I didn't seem to receive any discount from doing that. Never mind.

Digital Third Eye glowing after I removed it from the box (Australia, 2025)

Further down the track, the possibilities are endless: smart watches, smart glasses from the likes of Halliday which combine sleek design with advanced technology, VR headsets connected to Roblox or Google Streetview, Vagus nerve stimulators. Flashing eye masks to elicit lucid dreams. Robotic exoskeletons from China which could walk for me when my own limbs refuse to move. If they can carry me a few steps further on my mission around the world, then I will welcome them with open legs, and open arms. I will welcome them with an open mind.

The Fabled Gated Kangaroos of Morisset

Morisset (33 ° 7' S 151 ° 30' E) has a rather curious reputation. While local Australians might associate it negatively with the mental institute which opened here in 1909, more recently it became famous with foreign visitors attracted by the wild kangaroos that can be encountered in huge mobs on its grounds. Nanny State had the last say, unfortunately, and the hospital was sealed off with gated bridges to stop the punters from getting in. More fool Nan. As I previously mentioned, for close to 10 years I was held under virtual house arrest at my parents' property south at Lake Haven, on Budgewoi Lake. Even though Morisset was only 20km or so distant, I found it almost impossible to visit. In 2013 I had bravely caught the train which connects Wyong and Newcastle, and disembarked at Morisset. I sloshed around in the rain and mud, looking for a Buddhist temple which was supposedly existed around here. I was hoping it would be something like Nan Tien Temple, in the Illawarra, but it was actually fairly basic in comparison.

Cham Shan Temple, in Morisset (Australia, 2014)

It took almost a decade for my agoraphobia to recover sufficiently enough to allow me to return to Morisset, but this time I had my heart set on locating the kangaroos which had gone viral at the Psychiatric Hospital. As it turned out, this was a rather futile gesture, as the authorities had discretely put a stop to this unauthorized caper by sealing off all access roads to the facility. It is a pity because the hospital sounds fascinating in its own right. There is also reputed to a haunted ruins in the vicinity, with the rather ominous name of "Hospital for the Criminally Insane", and a cemetery containing many unmarked graves. It made me wonder: Wouldn't it be better to capitalize on your assets when it comes to tourism, rather than shutting the whole game down??? (For the full report of my defeat searching for the now gated kangaroos of Morisset, click here.)

Opening Installment of "First Contact", Breaking Through!

Detina is a science fiction novel which I started writing in senior high school, but like many of my earlier projects, I never managed to complete. It concerns a gang of boys growing up in rural Australia in the 1980s who realize that they are not ordinary kids, but actually deepcover agents from another galaxy. Intergalactic war is summoning them back prematurely to their homeworld in the Small Magellanic Cloud, so that they can attend an unprecedented sitting of the Detinian Congress.

Concurrently, the Cold War between the western powers and the Soviet Union and her allies is threatening to go hot. From the macro to the micro levels, the dogs of war are howling!

Exiting the wormhole to the Small Magellanic Cloud, courtesy of Bing Image Creator

(To preview the first five chapters of Detina on Wattpad, click here. To read them on my Crowded World mirror site, click here.)  

Stumble on Baby Step #2

For every six hotels I stay at going forward, one will be like Hotel Gosford, and one will be comparable to the Bayview Hotel at Woy Woy, which I have just checked out of. Yet another will be like the Ocean Beach Hotel (Nightcap at Umina), my next step on the road, where I will still be staying in a pub, but at least I will have my own toilet. The Nightcap will be grade 3, while the Metro Mirage in Newport will be one step above, at level four. Hotel Gosford has been the grungiest of my hotels thus far, partly due to its location, as well as facilities and clientele. Bayview Hotel is just as cheap as Hotel Gosford, but has a friendlier vibe, and a sunnier outlook. That might be due to its location, and the demographics of the city. 

In Woy Woy the population is more gentrified, genteel, and geriatric. Local motorists stop for you when you are crossing the road, rather than beep their horn as in Gosford. There are a lot of zebra crossings... too many, in fact! I feel guilty holding up the traffic. My room was facing north, and directly opposite the Central Coast Ferries wharf on Brisbane Water, which is critical for my attempts to knock off the first two six baby steps out of the Central Coast. All things considered, it was quite cozy, though a little dated.

Afternoon sun in the standard Queen room at the Bayview Hotel (Australia, 2023)

The only problem was that there was no table nor chair, so I was forced to sit on the floor with my laptop resting on the side of the bed for my lessons for iTalki. And while sitting on the floor might be comfortable in Japan, where homes and hotels are often built around this discipline, Australian accommodation is not as accommodating. Carpets can be dusty and unhygienic, with none of the spring of your typical tatami mat. After a couple of hours of sitting crosslegged I would get sore legs, numb extremities, even muscular spasms. I assumed that I would get used to it eventually.

That said, I ticked off the first of the my baby steps easily enough. To be fair, I was suffering mild derealization upon arriving at Davistown, after talking to the boy with the toy brontosaurus on the boat, and the Elvis impersonator at the bus stop on Paringa Avenue, near the shops. In retrospect, my anxiety level seemed to be about 1.7 Distress Units (DU). After that early success, I was confident and complacent (which is always a dangerous combination). Unfortunately, the second baby step to Empire Bay on the other side of Cockle Channel didn't go so smoothly. It was a stormy day, and I had foolishly left my raincoat in the hotel, thinking that it wouldnt rain until evening. As soon as I arrived at the wharf, it started pelting down... (For the full report of my setback on the catamaran to Empire Bay, click here.)

If Google Were Teal

How many Internet searches do you do in a typical day? During a busy session of teaching English online, I can rack up 100 queries, related to topics which my students have raised. One week I clocked in a whopping 360 searches, with terms ranging from "kiszona kapusta" to "Doctor Who time loops". They were all conducted on a single search engine (can you guess which one?)

We give an awful lot of personal data away just for the privilege of using their platforms. Don't get me wrong, I love Google -- they are generous with content creators. As a basic consumer the benefits are rather scant, however. Bing will reward you with points for choosing their machine, but they must be redeemed by shopping at the Microsoft Store. If you want to be paid in cold hard cash (well, in cryptocash at least!), Presearch is the only program out there. You can earn 0.1PRE per search, with a cap of 25 searches per day.

As of December 2022, that was worth US$0.81.

Of course, it is chump change but does add up, and it is better than earning nothing at all. More importantly, your PRE gives you voting and ownership rights and the ability to build a search engine that is for the people, by the people. A Teal organization, to be precise... (For more on the Presearch search engine and Ethereum token, click here.)