That One Time I...

... Made A Startling Self-Discovery 

As you can tell from the above screenshot, I've had a lot of fun playing Gran Turismo 7 since I donned the VR headset on Friday afternoon. After some of the Akiba Maid War decals went AWOL from the game, I created a new MOMO/Highspeed Etoile livery for my legendary 1993 Alfa Romeo 155 touring car. That Alfa Red paint color is striking in sunlight, and I've renamed the car "Rin" after the pink fire suited girl on the hood. 

When I looked inside my closet this morning, I noticed that even after I had disposed of my old Thrustmaster T300RS wheel and pedal set I somehow hung onto the TH8A shifter, a wonderful accessory that makes driving even more realistic. It can be configured into a sequential shifter that moves forward and back to shift gears, or you can install an "H" pattern plate to mimic old school race cars. The latter is fun to use until you mistake third gear for fifth!

This discovery led me toward the Playseat web site. I always thought it was a pipe dream to own one of those "sit in" gaming chairs that look like you should wear a fire suit and a helmet before you sit in them. It's not that I couldn't afford it. It's that I had always greatly exceeded the seat's maximum weight limits.

I viewed a gaming seat that looks a lot like the real life one inside Rin, Miku, and other touring cars that I own in GT7. When I looked at the specs, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that if I lose another six pounds I'll be within its recommended weight limits. With the additional accessories I'd want, the final cost before tax and shipping would be about $400.

Then I visited the Thrustmaster web site. My old T300RS racing wheel is still available, but there's a pricier model that I assume is the latest and greatest. The same goes for their pedal offerings. Although GT Sport never used the clutch pedal, I prefer pedal sets with a more realistic feel to them. The configuration I want will set me back about $1,000.

Then there's this alcantra leather wheel that's a must have accessory. You probably think it's bougie, but the stone cold truth is the stock steering wheel doesn't have sufficient padding. Your hands will get quite sore if you race over 100 miles with force feedback -- the changes in resistance and vibrations you'll feel when the car goes over curbs, makes turns, etc..

I never imagined losing weight would open my world in this specific way, so don't be too shocked if I gift myself a few things for my 55th birthday.... even if it's one or three months early!