Rebirth Of The Red Lantern: Volume 2, Chapter 8

WHAT’S ON MY MIND

It’s Miku Season. We’re getting consistent partly cloudy or sunny weather in the low to mid 70s, so I’m inclined to drive Miku with the top down rather than Artoria on most days. I suppose this will continue until the temperatures become unbearable.

WHAT BOTTLE I OPENED THIS WEEK

Callaway 2021 Special Selection Zinfandel ($45, Callaway Winery). This one made me wish I had a larger wine fridge! Check out the 2025 Wines page for the deets.

WHAT I BOUGHT

Ten more shares of Chevron (CVX). At $138 each I couldn’t pass up a nearly 5% annual dividend yield for money that wasn’t actively working for me. 

The “Aloha” Ridge wallet on sale. The spare parts that came in the box were used to refresh the matte olive titanium Ridge wallet I use almost every day.

Another pair of slip in Sketchers shoes in dark grey. Now that I’m up to ten pairs of shoes and boots my Shoe & Bag Whore card was reissued.

WHAT MADE ME LAUGH AND CRINGE

FS1 talking head Joy Taylor. There’s nothing more humorous than watching a low value person sabotage their career for clicks and validation on social media. Her contract with Freak Show 1 (aka FS1) is up for (non)renewal this summer, and it’s expected she will be released to the streets — where she belongs if the salacious stuff in that FS1 lawsuit that names her as a Defendant is true.

That’s some evil shit, y’all. Allegedly. Moving on…

WHAT SACRED TEXTS I READ

Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro, Volume 19. Sadly this is the penultimate volume for the manga that inspired the hilarious anime. The final volume is scheduled to be published in English in November.

Also from J-Novel Club:

• The Poison King: Now That I’ve Gained Ultimate Power, The Bewitching Beauties In My Harem Can’t Get Enough Of Me, Volume 5
• My Tiny Senpai (manga), Awaiting Volume 2
• An Introvert’s Hookup Hiccups: This Gyaru Is Head Over Heels For Me!, Awaiting Volume 11
• The Villainess Is Dead! Long Live The Empress! Redoing The Story After A Poisonous End, Volume 2
• Notorious No More: The Villainess Enjoys Feigning Incompetence, Volume 1
• Blade Skill Online: Crushing The Competition With My Abysmal Stats, Useless Class and Garbage Weapon! (manga), Volume 1
• Make It Stop! I’m Not Strong… It’s Just My Sword! (manga), Volume 1

WHAT I WATCHED

Too many San Diego Padres losses. They impersonated the 1970s version of the team so well that I was shocked not to see Dave Winfield in center field, Willie McCovey at first base and Randy Jones on the mound.

THIS WEEK’S TOMMY MILNER SALUTE GOES TO…

Me. Once I started using the Chevron app, I quickly learned how much money I left on the table every time I filled up Miku or Artoria’s gas tank. On the bright side, one of them will get a $0.50 per gallon discount on their next visit.

A FIST BUMP GOES TO…

The hairdresser that helped me this past week. She gave me a really good cut and convinced me to try Nioxin. I bought both the small bottles for the shower and a pair of larger ones to refill them. It’s been less than a week but I’m already seeing tangible results.

The funny part is my thinning hair seems to affects others more than it does me. I’m just an old man appeasing my curiosity. I’ll give a further update towards the end of June.

WHAT’S UP WITH MY WRITING

I’m ten chapters into this rewrite and there’s not enough character conflict, either internal or external, to make them compelling. Sometimes the fix is to add a sentence or two on the fly. Chapter 10 requires a new scene to be written, and that's what I'm currently working on.

I don’t mind the extra work as long as the end result pleases me. So far, I’m pleased.