Reborn As An Early Retiree, I Now Wander America’s Costliest City: Volume 1, Chapter 5

 

WHAT’S ON MY MIND

Besides “May The Fourth Be With You!”? Rage. It’s the only emotion I have left regarding the traumatic event I’m enduring. I have no more fucks or sympathy to give, so I’m going to just come out and air this dirty laundry. 

My brother attempted suicide two weeks ago. I was the one who discovered him and called 911. From the moment the police and paramedics arrived, I also learned a few things that left me nearly as traumatized as the 911 call itself.

It’s troubling that he will freely tell my sister his future intentions but he doesn’t open up to his therapist about those feelings. She alerted them via email, and hopefully whoever makes decisions on his care will reconsider the current one that says he’s no longer a threat. 

I likely don’t have all the facts since I’m just a bystander, but everything screams malpractice. He’s scheduled to return home in the near future, which means I should steel myself for the inevitable, future 911 call to haul him away, dead or alive. Fuck. My. Life. 

Anyway, let’s move on to happier things shall we?

WHAT I ATE

A Ready-Pac Asian style chicken salad. I typically have one with a can of Amy’s soup twice a week, but it’s notable since I can’t have certain foods like wonton strips and sunflower kernels for several days after a deep cleaning. 

I can’t wait to have one of these delicious salads for lunch later today! 

WHAT I BOUGHT (AGAIN)

Carol Danvers, Hal Jordan, Harleen Quinzel and Robyn Locksley. I can afford their statues, but I updated the so called comics harem in my closet.

After a five year old Captain Marvel t-shirt met its demise last weekend, I took a chance and reordered replacements in my smaller size. The new t-shirts are a perfect fit. I can’t wait to show off my favorite version of Harley Quinn for the first time in several years.

WHAT I LISTENED TO

I streamed the latest New Heights podcast and the “Three Presidents” Smartless episode on Friday morning. I still have a few others podcasts to listen to during this weekend.

WHAT SACRED TEXTS I READ

• The Dangers In My Heart, Volumes 7 & 8
• How To Treat A Lady Knight Right, Volumes 3 & 4
• Rise Of The Outlaw Tamer And His S-Rank Cat Girl, Volumes 2 & 3

The last week of any given month is bereft of new sacred texts, so I caught up on these ongoing titles.

WHAT MY GTA ONLINE CHARACTER IS FLASHING THE BIRD

I finally took the Open Wheel Racing (OWR) plunge. Rockstar is tripling the prize money this week, and if you win three races you earn a special Rockstar logo racing suit. Hell yes, I finally get to see how I measure up to other racers in cars modeled after past and present F1 cars!

How did my first four OWR races go? I was that bully that snatched your kid's lunch money. My fastest lap was usually at least five seconds faster than my closest rival. I lapped several cars in every race, and in one race I lapped the entire field. 

I made at least one competitor rage quit during every race, and I'll admit that I'm euphoric whenever I read that notification on the bottom left corner of my TV screen. OWR is no different than any other GTA Online racing series. Racers deliberately wreck opponents at every opportunity, so I've decided to update my victory celebration to give my rivals the same courtesy they extend to me.

I also love the fact that my character and I get paid about $49k in GTA bucks to remind competitors that I'm similar to the late Dale Earnhardt: I'm a good person but I don’t mind playing the villain.

SLAP COURT IS ADJOURNED THIS WEEK

Family members aren’t eligible to be Defendants.

WHO DESERVES A FIST BUMP

I don’t have any candidates for this either. 

WHAT NERDY THING I DID

I cleaned two old coins, or at least attempted to.

This 1976 penny was so heavily oxidized and corroded that I originally thought it was a dime or a slug when I found it in the backyard. The coin has battle scars from four decades exposed to the elements, but otherwise is worthy to reenter circulation. However, it will remain on display at my writing desk as a good reminder that anyone regardless of age is capable of change... but only if they want to.

That 1974 quarter next to it has an uneventful backstory. I likely acquired it prior to 2020, back when everyone paid cash for things. It only required baking soda, a little water, and a toothbrush to clean up.

WHAT’S UP WITH MY HEALTH

My dental hygienist was pleasantly surprised with my rapid recovery from the first deep cleaning appointment. She told me diabetics typically take much longer to bounce back, so this is further proof my blood glucose is well under control. I'm already recovered from the second appointment as well.

I lost 2.4 pounds this week, and that is shocking. I stress ate lightly salted peanuts last night while streaming the three hour Super GT race at Fuji Speedway, so I expected to weigh the same as I did last week.

I may do some retail therapy later today to celebrate this achievement!

WHAT’S UP WITH MY WRITING

With further edits to tighten up the writing, I’m now satisfied with the first three chapters of Unbound. Unless I forgot to add something that’s important for a later scene, there won’t be any further edits of those chapters. 

I’ll resume working on the fourth chapter sometime this weekend once I’m in the right frame of mind to do it.