Blog about nopoo

5 files changed, 214 insertions, 5 deletions

diff --git a/_css/style.css b/_css/style.css
index 0281fa5..06aed00 100644
--- a/_css/style.css
+++ b/_css/style.css
@@ -137,11 +137,14 @@ html {
 .franklin-content .bibref a,
 .franklin-content .eqref a { color: var(--link-fg) }
 
-.franklin-content table.fndef { border: none }
 .franklin-content .fndef tr { text-align: left }
 .franklin-content .fndef td, .franklin-content sup { font-size: 80% }
 .franklin-content .fndef td.fndef-content { width: 100% }
 .franklin-content .fndef td.fndef-backref { padding-left: 0 }
+.franklin-content table.fndef {
+    border: none;
+    margin: 0;
+}
 
 /* Images */
 .franklin-content img { width: 100% }
diff --git a/_rss/head.xml b/_rss/head.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c9f62b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_rss/head.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<!--
+This is based on Yandex's https://yandex.com/support/zen/website/rss-modify.html
+
+The scope of this segment is the GLOBAL scope (variables defined in config.md).
+For instance 'website_url' or 'website_description'.
+
+Notes:
+* namespaces (xmlns): https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/howto/declare_namespaces.html
+* best practices: https://www.rssboard.org/rss-profile
+* fd2rss convers markdown to html and fixes or removes relative links
+* fd_rss_feed_url is built out of {website_url}/{rss_file}.xml, you can change the
+rss_file variable in your config file if you want to use something different than 'feed'
+-->
+<rss version="2.0"
+  xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
+  xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
+  xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/"
+  xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
+  xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss">
+
+  <channel>
+    <title>
+      <![CDATA[  {{fd2rss website_title}}  ]]>
+    </title>
+    <link> {{website_url}} </link>
+    <description>
+      <![CDATA[  {{fd2rss website_description}}  ]]>
+    </description>
+    <atom:link
+      href="{{fd_rss_feed_url}}"
+      rel="self"
+      type="application/rss+xml" />
+<!--
+* items will be added here in chronological order
+* the channel will then be closed
+-->
diff --git a/_rss/item.xml b/_rss/item.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..07f6506
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_rss/item.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+<!--
+This is based on Yandex's https://yandex.com/support/zen/website/rss-modify.html
+
+The scope of this segment is the LOCAL scope (page variables). For instance 'rss_title'.
+
+Notes:
+* the local var rss_description (or rss) *must* be given otherwise the item
+is not generated.
+* rss_title if not given is inferred from page title
+* rss_pubdate if not given is inferred from the date of last modification
+* the full content is not added by default but can be if the variable rss_full_content
+is set to true (either globally or locally).
+* RFC822 or RFC1123 is a date format required by RSS.
+* there is debate about supporting one or several enclosures
+(see https://www.rssboard.org/rss-profile#element-channel-item-enclosure).
+We use the conservative 'only one' approach by default but you could tweak this by
+defining your own `rss_enclosures` variable with a list of string and use that.
+-->
+<item>
+  <title>
+    <![CDATA[  {{fd2rss rss_title}}  ]]>
+  </title>
+  <link> {{fd_full_url}} </link>
+  <guid> {{fd_full_url}} </guid>
+  <description>
+    <![CDATA[  {{fd2rss rss_description}}  ]]>
+  </description>
+
+  <!-- note that fd_page_html is already HTML, so we don't use fd2rss here -->
+  {{if rss_full_content}}
+  <content:encoded>
+    <![CDATA[  {{fix_relative_links fd_page_html}} ]]>
+  </content:encoded>
+  {{end}}
+
+  <!-- RFC1123 enforces a RSS-compliant date formatting -->
+  <pubDate>{{RFC822 rss_pubdate}}</pubDate>
+
+  <!-- if given this must be an email, see specs -->
+  {{isnotempty rss_author}}
+  <author> {{rss_author}} </author>
+  {{end}}
+  {{isnotempty author}}
+  <atom:author>
+    <atom:name>{{author}}</atom:name>
+  </atom:author>
+  {{end}}
+
+  {{isnotempty rss_category}}
+  <category> {{rss_category}} </category>
+  {{end}}
+
+  {{isnotempty rss_comments}}
+  <comments> {{rss_comments}} </comments>
+  {{end}}
+
+  {{isnotempty rss_enclosure}}
+  <enclosure> {{rss_enclosure}} </enclosure>
+  {{end}}
+</item>
diff --git a/blog/index.md b/blog/index.md
index 8b342b8..c2cc909 100644
--- a/blog/index.md
+++ b/blog/index.md
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ I occasionally blog about functional programming, lambda calculus
 and other computational stuff, or anything related to computers in general.
 These write-ups are tagged as [`fun`](/tag/fun).
 
-As usual, the good old [RSS feed](/feed.xml) is available.
+I sometimes note what happens in meatspace as well.  Such writings
+might still have a thing or two to do with computing (given it is
+integrated into my life) and they are tagged as [`lyf`](/tag/lyf).
 
-If you are instead looking for the more formal literature of mine,
-they are listed in [my ORCID profile][].
+As usual, the good old [RSS feed](/feed.xml) is available.
 
-[my ORCID profile]: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2336-706X
+If you are instead looking for the more formal literatures of mine,
+they are listed in [my ORCID profile](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2336-706X).
diff --git a/blog/nopoo.md b/blog/nopoo.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fed025f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/blog/nopoo.md
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
++++
+rss = "To Poo or Not to Poo"
+date = Date(2021, 5, 23)
++++
+@def tags = ["hair", "poo", "lyf"]
+
+# To Poo or Not to Poo
+
+Late April 2021, Việt Nam witnessed the beginning of the fourth wave
+of SARS-CoV-2 after a few months without any community case.  Soon enough,
+students are told to not come to their schools' campus.  This happens
+when I was an intern at [USTH][] [ICTLab][], so I was advised to work remotely
+as well.  I asked for this at the start of the internship but my supervisor
+was rather reluctant, since there was multiple interns working together
+and communication in person might be most effective.  Working from home
+was beneficial to me in a few important ways:
+
+1. I had a three-monitor setup at home and a more comfortable space.
+2. I could have be more flexible working hours at home.
+3. I did not have to bike back and forth to the lab (which is 4 km away)
+   twice a day[^1], which could be exhausting in the hot summer.
+
+Thanks to the last point, I also sweat a lot less and as I no longer
+had to maintain a public appearance, I decided to give `#nopoo` a try.
+I had been aware of such practice for quite a few years, but had never
+thought of actually implementing it until I saw [Johnny Harris' vlog][],
+which I can only describe as *intriguing*.  TL;DW the journalist
+maintained that generally shampoos washed away *his* scalp's natural oil,
+and in combination with other hair products made the scalp itchy and unhealthy.
+*His* solution was to drop the use of all products completely and so far
+it had been working *for him*.[^2]
+
+Well, my head was itchy sometimes (still itchy at the time of writing),
+alors, [pour la patrie, les sciences et la gloire][X], let's do it!
+
+## Day One
+
+I was going full no poo, no soap, no baking soda, no vinegar, *just water,
+raw water*.  Everything was going as expected, my hair was not as fluffy
+as usual after washing, but it was easier to get in shape.  I didn't really
+style my hair.  Not as a fashion statement, I was (still am!) just rather lazy.
+Usually this wasn't an issue, unless when my hair was long, it tent to cover
+my forehead, ears and eyes, which was arguably an uncomfortable experience.
+Having the hair stay in place was indeed a blessing!
+
+## Day Two
+
+My hair started to feel thicker and running hands through it no longer
+felt simulating.  On the bright side it looked fabulous and did not itch.
+
+## Day Four
+
+My hair and scalp began to feel greasy.  I guess it was because I did not
+wash it thoroughly that day.  With just water one would need to take more
+effort scrubbing the hair and especially the scalps to return them
+to a comfortable state.  Plus my mentality got worse so my perceived
+experience could be exaggeratedly negative.
+
+## Day Five
+
+I worked out and paid more attention to the hair washing process.
+It felt noticeably better.
+
+## Day Six
+
+The brief revival of my mental health did not last very long:[^3]
+later that day I was completely autopiloting and accidentally poo'ed myself.
+It felt fluffy again but I was disappointed that things did not go as planned.
+
+## Day Seven
+
+I decided to cut my hair.  I had been doing so for a decade when I wrote this,
+but I got neither better nor faster at it, so it only happens twice or thrice
+a year.  Of course I had to poo myself after to get rid of all the tiny pieces.
+
+## Day Eleven
+
+Fast forward a few days it started to feel greasy again, but this time the hair
+was shorter so it was less of an issue.  I began to apply [saline] to the hair
+after washing and somehow it helped a lot in improving the situation.  Saline
+was also my solution for face acne in my teenage year (along with finger nails
+and pillowcase hygiene).
+
+## Day Fifteen
+
+At this point the experience had become more stable.  My scalp
+still itched occasionally but seemly less often than when I was poo'ing
+more regularly.  The hair stayed in shape with merely any effort
+(I didn't even use a comb).
+
+Overall, the difference is barely noticeable otherwise but I think I will be 
+continuing holding my poo for another while, probably in long term.
+Do not let my experience speak for you, however, try it yourself if you are
+interested, but keep observing the effect objectively.
+
+[^1]: I usually had lunch at home with my parents.
+[^2]: Emphases *his*.[^4]
+[^3]: I later discovered that this was due to the lack of [sunlight].
+[^4]: He stressed that this might not be the case for everyone.[^5]
+[^5]: OK, I get it, footnotes are distracting.
+
+[USTH]: https://usth.edu.vn
+[ICTLab]: https://ictlab.usth.edu.vn
+[Johnny Harris' vlog]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-_HKFjxVl0
+[X]: https://polytechnique.edu
+[sunlight]: https://www.sunlightdish.com
+[saline]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saline_(medicine)