Reborn As An Early Retiree, I Now Wander America’s Costliest City: Volume 2, Chapter 8

 

WHAT’S ON MY MIND

My improving health. I purchased a bottle of MegaFood 55+ advanced multi vitamins at Sprouts that I’m popping a month early. How good are they? For about a dollar a day I can run circles around my thirty year old self and steal his girlfriends while I’m at it.

I already know what you’re thinking, but if my former obese ass had a couple of thirtysomethings interested in me when I worked in the office two years ago then it’s not a stretch in my current state.

A FUN FACT ABOUT ME

While my first and last names have an E, an A, and an R in them, I was far too young for Carly Simon to sing about me in 1972. I giggle at that fact whenever I listen to “You’re So Vain”, like I’m doing right now.

WHAT I ATE

Dijon mustard and sea salt from France, plus a jar of five pepper blend peppercorns from Williams Sonoma. They’re bougie but the intense flavors mean you don’t need to use as much product as the stuff you’d find at the supermarket. They’re worth every penny.

I switched back to whole bean coffee, and I'm quite fond of the WS espresso and medium roasts I  picked up this week. I'll still pick up a bag of Peet's Major Dickason's Blend every now and then.

WHAT I ALSO BOUGHT FROM MY NEW FAVORITE STORE

I spent nearly $700 to channel my inner Deathstroke. I now have three Zwilling Pro knives (Chef’s knife, pairing knife, and rocking Santoku knife) for prepping and cooking. I also splurged on a 4-piece set of WS steak knives that please me greatly. 

Why did I spend so much money on German steel? The Chinese made Henckles set I used to have were prone to rust spots. I’d be horrified if a special someone ever used those, let alone see them.

WHAT SACRED TEXTS I READ

• You Like Me, Not My Daughter?!, Volume 4
• Ogami-san Can’t Keep It In, Volume 6
• What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?, Volume 5
• Excellent Property, Rejects For Residents, Volume 1
• Cheeky Brat, Volume 11 (In progress)

Unfortunately I didn’t have time to read anything from J-Novel Club this week. I’ll try to catch up this weekend.

WHAT I WATCHED

QVC and HSN. I like to glance at what’s for sale while weight training as long as it’s consumer electronics, jewelry, or household and kitchen items. There’s only so much sports talk I’ll stomach that early in the morning.

As much as I love QVC’s cuddly teddy bear David Venable, I fear one day he’ll seduce me via my stomach with foods that will reacquaint me with Metformin. I must resist him and all of his temptations at all costs.

WHAT ALSO MADE MY HEART SWOON

In Fate/Zero, Artoria Pendragon (aka Saber) had a confrontation with another servant who in his previous life was Alexander The Great. This mountain of a man dismissed the former King Arthur as a little girl, and all five foot one of Saber looked up at him while holding Excalibur in her hands and sneered, “Do you want to taste this little girl’s blade?” 

That sums up why she’s the most popular character in the Fate series.

WHAT MADE ME SAD

Voice actress Atsuko Tanaka died. She was the voice of Caster in the Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works anime I recently watched, and she was also the voice of Rose in the recent The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic series. She will be missed.

WHAT MADE ME HAPPY

Remember my post about the MINI rules? Every day I get to follow Rule 1 with Miku and Yuki parked bumper to bumper in front of my place. Rule 9 is followed every time I glance out the living room or kitchen windows at them. I also noticed the other day that Yuki has a cute, growly engine note when I step on the gas pedal in Sport Mode, just like Miku.

In case you’re wondering why people love their MINIs, let’s use a little football analogy to explain why. It’s like being Barry Sanders (Miku) or Walter Payton (Yuki). They’re not the biggest players on the field, nor are they the fastest in a straight line. But OMG they will break a lumbering opponent’s ankles if they try to keep up with them as they dart in and out of tight places.

That sensation of being small, quick and agile on four wheels is worth paying $5+ for a gallon of top tier premium gas any day of the week.

WELCOME TO SLAPSVILLE…

We already have a worthy candidate in Friday's post. So…

A FIST BUMP GOES TO…

Reddit. For awhile I thought it was nothing more than an online shit hole, but I’ve found a few communities that are welcoming, educational and even boosted my self confidence. The two I’m willing to mention are MINI and Dating Over 50. 

I will not mention the third one since I’m not nearly as bold as Mistress Maddie to discuss such matters. Finally…

WHAT’S UP WITH MY HEALTH

Thanks to the new multi vitamins I have a new fitness goal: Train like I’m going to date someone two decades my junior so someone more age appropriate will reap the benefits. I’ve increased my workouts to 45 minutes a day, and I’m up to six days a week. It's no wonder I'm starting to feel like my mid twenties old self.

I stepped on the scale this morning and reached a new weight loss milestone. I lost 1.2 pounds so I’m down to 260.4 lbs. My body fat percentage decreased 0.2%, and my metabolic age decreased a year so it's now in a normal range. Hooray! 

Maybe I can shave another year off it before I visit my PCP for my annual physical in about a month?