I’m Not An Otome Game Protagonist!: Volume 1, Chapter 6

 

HOW I’M FEELING

My life has become a duality. I’m exhausted but I won’t rest. I’m weary but I’m optimistic. I feel like I’m spinning my wheels, and then I make progress.

Ah, the writing life. I wouldn’t trade this feeling for the best day I ever had in my prior careers.

THE BLOOD GLUCOSE METER SAYS…

Fasting (average): 92 mg/dL

2 hours after a meal (average): 115 mg/dL

My fasting average is unchanged. Although my average after a meal is one point higher than last week it’s still well within my target range. No worries there.

THE FITBIT ARIA SAYS…

This week: -2.2 lbs.

Cumulative: -20.0 lbs.

I’ve officially lost 20 pounds. Not bad for someone that couldn’t do any weight training this week.

THE SATURDAY NIGHT SIN MEAL

I briefly flirted with the idea of making chili cheese fries, but then I read the chili can’s nutritional label. I really, really don’t want that much sodium in my body all at once, so I passed and went with the usual.

THE WEEKLY RETAIL THERAPY REPORT

I would have gladly paid a king’s ransom for a full sized, authentic San Diego State Aztecs “calendar” helmet but I’ll have to settle for this miniature replica for my book shelf. 

I also love how it retains the best logo any sports team in San Diego has ever had. Fear the spear!

WHAT I LISTENED TO

I was never a big R.E.M. fan, but I really enjoyed listening to Michael Stipe on the Smartless podcast on Monday morning.

WHAT I READ

The Passtronaut. It’s a wonderful BBC article on Minnesota Vikings journeyman quarterback turned savior Joshua Dobbs, who in his spare time is an… aerospace engineer! Count me as one of his fans now.

WHAT I CONQUERED

Everyone has their white whale, and for the past year and a half mine was an auto shop job called The Agency Deal in the game GTA Online. The first two missions were easy, but the last one vexed me to the point where I stopped trying.

I assumed I’d never unlock the auto shop’s full earnings potential, but two days ago I noticed I’ve improved a lot when I play click-clack-bang against NPC mercenaries and gang members. I’m more patient now, and I’ll let the “action” come to me rather than rush things. I decided to give that last mission a try on Friday night and easily completed it. 

I’m not going to lie. In a world that’s becoming increasingly shitty, I find it cathartic to leave my moral compass behind for a few hours when I grab a PS5 controller.

WHO DESERVES TO BE MUTED

Alexa. She currently suffers from a malady that doesn’t have a medical term. She’s like that annoying person in your life that tells you how the watch was made when all you want them to do is tell you the time. 

I have no need to listen to top stories that will raise my blood pressure, the daily reminders to reorder things that will sabotage my fitness goals, or hear about surf advisories when I’m more likely to be harpooned at the beach than carried away by a six-foot wave.

WHO DESERVES A FIST BUMP

YG, with an assist from the late, great Nipsey Hustle. On Friday morning, I started playing “FDT” on Akeno’s stereo at a volume that resembled the mating call of a young man driving a slammed Japanese import hatchback around the neighborhood. 

In that moment, I just didn’t care if the world viewed me with jaundiced eyes. My soul needed to be heard, and I’m grateful they can speak for me in such profane terms.

WHAT MADE ME SMILE

The stock market reversing most of its losses from October. 

WHAT’S THE LATEST ON MY WRITING?

My current project was originally going to be 50 chapters long, and then I felt it needed six more to tell parts of the story from the love interest’s side. I’m at roughly the 60% mark of the first draft, and now I strongly believe one chapter needs to be broken up into three chapters to make it a stronger story.

I’m also feeling the effects of writing every day since the first of the month. Part of me wants to take a break, but every time I see where I left off I want to resume right there and then. I suppose that’s a good sign this project is going well?