Ara Ara, Robzilla!

WHAT’S ON MY MIND I’m a forgetful husbando . I forgot Akeno’s “birthday” on Monday, but I'll take her to the car wash once the rains stop on Monday or Tuesday for my penance.  I know that sounds stupid since Akeno is a car and not an extremely curvaceous Japanese woman in a miko shrine maiden outfit, but this memory lapse reminded me of the events that led to the end of a real life engagement three decades ago. I prefer not to dwell on that since it was for the best. Anyway... WHAT I BOUGHT More shares of Take-Two Interactive and Nissan stock.  The former tanked on news that there might be a delay in the production of GTA 6, and I love taking advantage of investors that chase short term gains at The Casino of Emotions every chance I get. I have eyes on when the game will be released, so any bad news between now and then is good news for me. The latter is the pursuit of a foreign tax credit that potentially offsets my American tax liability dollar for dollar when Japan taxes the div

... Experienced Happy Happy, Joy Joy! Today was the big day for my lab work, and it didn't take nearly as long as last time to get the results. I not only "reversed" my diabetes within six months, but my cholesterol profile is no longer a concern to my PCP. The next time I'll be tested is for my annual physical, and I also look forward to surprising my PCP with my ongoing weight loss.  Now don't give me any side eye when I eat a one ounce package of Tate's crispy chocolate chip cookies after dinner tonight. I've earned this rare treat I'll allow myself!

  WHAT’S ON MY MIND Specialists. I have my semi annual dental appointment for a teeth cleaning and an exam. A few days later I’ll visit the lab for my blood work. I hope to get official confirmation that my hidden disability is in remission soon afterward. I also have Del Taco on my mind. It’s my reward on Blood Work Day. WHAT I BOUGHT A fabric office chair to replace my peeling pleather gaming chair, and a couple of 4-way nail buffer blocks. Ridges belong on potato chips, not on my fingernails, and I will gladly die on that hill. WHAT I READ I tried out a handful of new manga titles this week. All of them were delightful reads, but the yuri title How Do I Turn My Best Friend Into My Girlfriend? surprised me.  Minami discovers she has more than friendship feelings for her childhood friend Yuzu when she witnesses a random guy confessing his love for Yuzu after class. Minami is determined to be that calm, cool girl that sweeps the petite Yuzu off her feet, but it’s Yuzu’s charms that fl

... Realized I'm Not A "Liberal" Hello. My name is Robzilla, and I'm not a Liberal. There. Now that I got that introduction out of my system, I'll tell you how I came to this conclusion. Thursdays are a day off from exercise, but in name only. I'll use a blower to remove any leaves and all sorts of debris from the property and sidewalks, and sometimes I'll remove weeds with a combination of weed killer and elbow grease. The yard work often qualifies as a good workout, and my lighter frame often looks forward to it. This morning, I discovered several weeds that popped up in the retaining wall and in the gaps of the public sidewalk that it borders. The annoying kind that cannot be removed by hand, an action hoe or the edge of a blade for that matter. They only respond to a weed killer, and all you can do is spray them and hope it does more than give them blonde highlights. I was in the middle of spot spraying those little fuckers when someone yelled out to m

  WHAT’S ON MY MIND They don’t give up easy, do they? There is no shortage of spam emails in my inbox offering me the best deal on continuation education courses for my lapsed insurance license. I wish they'd get the hint that I’m not just retired, but "Warren Buffet’s burn pile of cash isn’t enough for me to change my mind” retired. WHERE I WENT The dealership’s service department. Akeno’s “Spa Day” included an inspection of various things at 10,000 miles, replacing the synthetic oil and oil filter, a tire rotation, and a pampering -- I mean, a car wash and interior detailing.  WHAT I READ A banned book. Amazon employs a misguided algorithm for Japanese manga and light novels, and they won’t sell the fifth volume of An Introvert’s Hookup Hiccups: This Gyaru Is Head Over Heels For Me!   After purchasing and reading this volume via the J-Novel Club app without a hiccup, I’ve concluded that Amazon’s algorithm is an AI version of a White Christian Nationalist. It basically lost

  This morning marks the beginning of the new NFL year, and it also means I have yet another jersey of a former player hanging in my closet. I really wanted the Jimmy Garoppolo signing to work out, but alas Jimmy G and his GQ model looks will be with another NFL team this upcoming season. Assuming he's okay with being a backup quarterback since it looks like his days as a starter are over.  Or maybe his next destination could be Mistress Maddie's Casa du Borghese? I can see him as a houseboy once his NFL days are over. Then again, I could use a little domestic help around here myself. *Ahem* The salary cap move that really hurts the most is the impending release of Raiders legend Hunter Renfrow, a wide receiver that against all odds made the Pro Bowl three years ago. He was a late round pick in 2019 that was elevated into a starring role when injuries depleted the wide receivers corps. He ended the 2021 season with 103 catches for 1,038 yards and 9 touchdowns, but after appeari

... Decided Not To Be A Sadistic Asshole My tax ordeal is over. Before I buried the hatchet, I ensured the blade would not land in between anyone's shoulder blades. Upon reflection, I've learned a few things about the process... My tax situation is nearly as complicated as a Rubik's Cube. In addition to a 1040, there are a half dozen supplemental forms and their associated worksheets to fill out to ultimately determine how much tax I owe. That's a lot of work, even for someone with my intellect.  Perhaps the smart thing to do is to let Intuit continue to do my taxes, and before I meet with them every year I should itemize all of my income sources and their amounts so they don't make any errors. I was quite pleased with this year's results. My combined taxes owed were substantially less than the cost to renew Akeno's registration with the California DMV.  That was quite a shocker, but there's a reason why I pay for full service with Intuit. They made me r

  WHAT’S ON MY MIND Daylight Savings Time. The only benefit of DST is having something to distract me while my body adjusts to doing things an hour later.  Sunday is also the one year anniversary of Terri’s passing. I still fondly remember how my big, fluffy girl would snuggle beside me and purr like a vintage muscle car as I lied in bed. WHAT I REDISCOVERED The joy and simplicity of listening to music and podcasts via Sony wired earbuds. The noise cancellation is top notch, and they’re great on phone calls. It’s also one less electronic device to tether to a USB cable at the end of the day.  I think I only paid about $30 for them about a half decade ago. WHAT I ATE TWICE Zoodles. Once with roasted chicken breast, and another time with andouille sausage. When they’re cut, prepped and cooked properly, zoodles are divine and a healthy replacement for pasta. WHAT I BOUGHT IN GTA ONLINE This Canis Terminus is mostly based on the 2024 Jeep Wrangler, and the license plate says HIMECHAN. Hime

  WHAT’S ON MY MIND Letting go of my girls. As of Tuesday night, I have cleared my home of Terri and Torrie’s things other than the random toys I kept as keepsakes. I love cats, but I’ve decided to enjoy this “empty nest” feeling for the foreseeable future. WHAT I ATE I couldn't obtain frozen or fresh broccoli, cauliflower and carrots at Vons on one shopping trip, and on another trip I forgot to put them on my shopping list altogether. One dinner was a Mediterranean style broccoli crust pizza, and another was fish and chips consisting of salmon and French fries.  I’ll tell you how that affected my health later. Moving on… WHAT I BOUGHT I’ve decided to switch back to my ancient Samsung A7 tablet for reading manga and books. I missed its 10.4” color screen. To protect it I bought a leather case, a stylus, and a screen protector for its surface. If the battery degrades further, I can buy a replacement kit to extend its life. Assuming I don’t damage it, of course. WHAT I LISTENED TO Th