Last Day In Philly

I am out of here in less that 12 hours now.

Last Day... start building and healing tomorrow.

I originally began this entry with a declaration of having no new words, nor any more eloquent thoughts about leaving Philadelphia, than I had five or more years ago. (Five will do...)

If there was ever a time in my life when I (even loosely) planned something, it was getting out of Philly. If everything goes reasonably well I'll be able to catch the sunset from Sunny Isles tomorrow evening.

Today a good bit of anxiety came out during a tea with Dan at the Green Line Cafe. I don't think I'll be able to find something as quaint as this in South Florida, but it's worth looking for... I'll have more time this time around.

Got the middle room sorted somewhat and got the dishes and a few other items to a good home.

I don't have much more to say. I feel the anxiety coming again... until the time I can just say "forget it," and take off.

Maybe this will be edited, or not.

Last Year 1-18-16 at the Y... for context.

Edit One: Ever since leaving the gig I've been losing weight. For this past week I have maintained weight between 174.2 - 175.8 and 14.1 - 14.5% body fat, without exercising... as I usually do. I have however been doing quite a bit of work around the house to prepare to leave. In any case, as I expected, not sitting at the desk for 4 to 6 or 7 hours has shredded some fat... but I've also dropped below 78 lbs of muscle as well.

When I get out of here, for the three or four weeks I have in South Florida, it will be time to add some muscle. Go back to the old school lifting with a combo of old school body weight exercises as well... and a few walks along the beach. We'll see what that does.

Got a few more chores to get at before I "disco" nap for an hour or two. Maybe...

Happy New Year 2017

Surviving 2016 and ready for 2017 with my Brothers

Yesterday I reached my twenty year weight goal. Weighed in at 175 lbs. Whew!! Big exhale. At some point I will recount the story of weigh gain and weight loss and what I learned. It will probably start with an e-book I am currently writing and continue with a series of reports.

So let's get to the balance of the day.

I thought I'd be able to stay in and clean house, but a text for brunch kind of changed my plans. Today,  realize I probably have more food at home than I can eat in two weeks, so I'd best not eat out much this week.

So back to yesterday.

I wanted to have breakfast at Aquarius Diner, along with Blossom, however the waitress seemed grouchy and her body language as well as her behaviour was rude, or at the very least unprofessional. I felt that she had some kind of problem with me; or it could have been her, the day, her situation, etc. Nonetheless the vibes were so bad I couldn't raise them up and my guest was overtly having a bad experience. After a cup of tea and coffee, we headed out.

There are many examples of our server's non-professionalism but no need to go into that. I may not get to go back to Aquarius before I leave, but if I ever do, I will be sure to avoid her section.

Blossom and I went to a coffee house called Five Points; a mom and pop place with a pleasant atmosphere, however the food was a bit lighter.

All things for a reason, so no worries.

We spent so much time at Five Points I was hungry again by the time we got back to my spot. Blossom got the the glasses I'd saved up for her and a pair of shoes.. perfect fit too. She'll be back for the dishes.

The Llama came through and we went out for a protein shake. This has become a thing with him. He will literally drive an hour to get a shake from this place. I go along for the ride and we get to laugh and talk about the past and the future, walk around town and sometimes... shop.

Finally to the New Year's Eve party hosted by Julia and Tim. Great atmosphere and an opportunity to meet new friends and get different perspectives on today's issues. I Actually drank and still survived. Three slow-motion dark-n-stormies with actual Gosling dark spiced rum. Long time since I had Gosling. The ginger beer was a kind of lucky find.... picked up four bottles at a spot that was still open... like a deli or something. Anyway, I used Reed's, which was used in the first D-n-S cocktail I ever had... adequate. I couldn't get Citadel.

The night ended a few hours before sun up. About 0400. I prepared NOT to be hung-over this morning. ACV (apple cider vinegar), Chlorella and Carnitine and Arginine (Amino Acids) were taken before the nod.

Just a quick note, I've been experimenting with taking arginine and carnitine before bed based on the idea that the body repairs itself during sleep. If aminos are building blocks, they should be best utilized during sleep. How do I measure the results?? I have no idea. However, if they do no harm, then I'll keep up the practice.

Well, today is Mr. Honey's 88th birthday, so I have to head up and do the family gathering thing. More important now'adays. It's a nice, relatively warm day (high 30s and sunny) so I might just take that walk up to Mom's.

I'm beginning to feel the lack of group fitness class conditioning as I exert myself in certain situations, which suggests... strongly, that I need to grab an Insanity tape, or better yet, practice my own "Come Back" session.

Okay, this is the report of the day. It could be just me or shared to those who've subscribed. I've still got so much to do. Better organization and discipline is the key.

Happy New Year.

Freedom Year... Next Level

Blowing smoke, Limerick, Pa. 12-28-16 selfie

It gets a little more real with every meeting. Today was the Pension Board where I found out I won't get another paycheck until February 13th, 2017!!! Gasp... an early Valentine's gift. I wonder where I'll be that day. Wonder if I'll be able to check it from my mobile device. Until then I'm just gonna chill and roam and NOT shop.

Not only did I get that bit of business out of the way I made a few other moves that will help ease the pain of not having a steady, fortnightly paycheck. Note - I'll only get funds in once a month. Talk about being on a fixed income. I am in for some lean years, but I've been warned.

It's worth noting that I ate both meals at home today. I've been on a 176.8 lb. plateau for 4 or 5 days... all days/nights I've eaten out and not trained (too much). It would be ironic if I gained weight today.

Before I got back home and started pretending to be a FOREX trader, I took one last walk down to Wricley's (the wholesale nut factory, which I have only called The Nut Spot and then mispronounced when I tried to big them up.) As mentioned in one of two of my video clips, it's a place I will miss. I like their products. And come to think of it, since I've been retired and not sitting around eating trail mix for 3-4 hours I've dropped a pound or two. Makes me wonder if the trail mix was keeping my weight at a certain level. I expect a lot of changes as I move away from my at-work behaviour.

After a few hours of cleaning up the house... more or less.. Roll Dawg came by and we took a local road trip. Whenever I get in the vehicle I don't even ask where we're going. This time we ended up in Limerick, Pa. (I thought those smoke stacks looked familiar) for some outlet shopping. I am not a shopper, in fact my series Men on Shopping is a reaction to having a friend who likes to shop. (I have to do something while I'm waiting.)

In a classic act of irony a lovely lady handed me a coupon with a deal attached. But three items and get an extra 10% off. Did I mention this was a Tommy Hilfiger outlet store? Did I mention that I am NOT a TH fan?? So I bought these socks because they came out to like $4.00 a pair and they weren't white sports socks... I figure they will be comfortable on the train, plane, or bus.

Other than that the day wasn't very eventful.

If you're still asking how it feels... it's comfortable, it feels free and I notice I am a bit friendlier and open to people. I talk more freely and openly - if you can imagine that. I have nowhere to be. No curfew - I'm not abusing it... I don't think. Heck, I was up at 0400 this morning working out. If this becomes my thing, so be it. I'll keep getting up at 0400 until I stop. I'm not going to force anything.

And that's today.... I'd better start looking for flights. 

Feeling Like A Player

Foodie Tour Continues: Winter Harvest Grill

Today was highlighted by two good meet-ups, first part two of our Harvest tour with Venise; it seems like we are catching up from twenty years back... and I guess we are. 1996 was a pivotal year for both of us. She left the job and went to for the federal government and I started working graveyard shift (from previously working 3-11PM.)

Later to Aksum, where I met up with Number One Son Wolvie for a great meal at the down tempo spot on Baltimore Ave. He's digs the place... ambiance, the vibe and we had a very nice server as well. Afterward he came by and relieved me of some items in the house... as much as he could carry. Ha ha.

On the technical side, I learned how to do a few moves with Google Drive, including upload the pix from my phone, download a video clip to my phone, so I could share it on Instagram and access and complete my body weight chart in Google sheets.

Part of my plan is.. let's call it Operation: Best of Both Worlds; the goal is to live like a twenty-something (energetic and curious, in my case about the new technology) with the wisdom, experience and savvy I've accumulated along the way. Someone joked about employers wanted to hire Millennials with thirty years experience? Well, I'm that employee - problem is, you probably can't afford me... ha ha. (Watch, someone offers me a gig.)

On the financial side - and I've never been a big fan of money, but I love numbers... but not math(s)... I realize I have to position myself to be able to afford food and shelter on the road. I've been listening to the Financial Media for the past 2 years and they've been painting a gloom and doom scenario particularly for the USD. To answer those concerns, alternative as well as classic, even ancient, strategies for purchasing what's required have been emerging via the - dare I call it - Millennials - dominated interwebs. This is where I have to surmount the technology curve as well as the faith curve. That is faith in the predictions/warnings of the wackos and crackpots I readily admit to listening to.

I refer to them as such with admiring respect because several predictions they've made during 2016 have come to pass and I've scored some wins that have eclipsed the earnings from traditional financial institutions and even the long-term traditional investments. Of course I realize that one day I can be cheering about wins and the next day licking the wounds of my losses, so this isn't bragging. I'm not in for buckets of ducats, just enough to get around, from points A thru Z without too much strain and stress.

Body weight chart 6-19-16 to present (Google Sheets)

It's not only the wins that have me feeling like a player, it's being able to navigate that technology curve.

Oh, and one sobering development - a Jury Duty summons came today. Of course I won't be here, but I think it's not a random event that it arrived just over a week after leaving the gig. I'm sure it hasn't been three years since the last time. Fairly sure anyway.

Tomorrow I'll find out when I'll be able to officially leave this City.

Ciao.

Those Old Emotions

The property purge continues... 

Pic of the Day 122616 Bala Cynwyd, Pa.

I don't have a lot of stuff, but I have too much stuff. A lot of it is physical photos which I've managed to save during my Philly life. Some of what I dug up stirred some emotions, from the turn of the century. I was pretty screwed up during that era, perhaps even a bit of an asshole; which is probably partly responsible for making me so popular. I worked over night, so often I'd show up at an event and have to scoot out with no explanation. That made me seem mysterious, or so I've been told.

 Rolled out with the roll dawg today and he warned me that he'd picked up a bug... apologizing in advance. I told him that it up to my immune system to fight off any invaders that enter its domain, although I had to do my part to help. My number one go to weapon is Vitamin C. I forgot to take them as soon as I got in, hiked to the market for food and still didn't take any - that is, until I sneezed - then I took 4 grams. I learned, by way of attending medical lectures, that you can take as much Vitamin C as necessary without any ill effects... that is unless you consider a softened stool an ill effect. Anyway, I feel like something may be coming on, but I'm not sure whether it's psychosomatic or whether I'm just tired and up too late. Either way, there are symptoms and I must at least address them. 

Viruses cannot survive in environments upwards of 100 degrees F, so a fever may come on tonight and I can kill this viper before I wake in the morning. I've also noticed that these invaders seem to cause fat loss; the body needs to burn something to raise the body temperature and I've still got plenty (about 25 lbs. worth) of fat to spare. So hot tea, apple cider vinegar and some aminos before bed. 

More tales about the technology curve. 

I don't know what the heck's going on with these Google apps on my phone/device; there are too many things that do too many things that I am just not understanding and/or needing these days. Anyway, they seem very intrusive. I could use Google Drive on my computer, but I am a bit leery about Chromium, I had to shut that down. It was like an annoying approval-seeking child-man.

I installed Letgo on my Android; it was the craziest thing. First it took me too long to sign up because I didn't do it through Facebook. I don't know if that's a good or bad move. I may want FB connects to see what I'm selling. But back to the experience. I took a picture of a camera, and the app identified the camera and posted it up. I didn't have any way to write a description or anything. nd then there was this wacky commercial where the item appears as product placement - actually, the camera was the main idea of the commercial... starring Dolph Lundgren. Crazy!!! So then I had the option to share it on Twitter, but not Facebook. Go figure. I don't know a thing about the Letgo app right now, except with I've mentioned, but I guess I'll learn. 

The plan is to be flying out of here on January 10, 2017. My final interview is in two days. I should know whether I an book my ticket - or not - by then. 

So back to hangin' with the roll dawg - now that we are Men of a Certain Age and more importantly of a certain maturity; meaning we're taking better care of ourselves nutritionally and physically, we've been spending more time in cafes and such eateries that serve healthier grub than your average tavern (however the health revolution or at least a greater nutritional awareness has caused taverns and pubs to up their food games)... mostly reminiscing - but not really because we have some future plans as well. So there's a good bit of both going on. Over all it's a good vibe, good company, gets us both out of the house and into some different scenery. 


We are friends like Yin & Yang or in this case bookends... in the DJ sense at least. I started spinning in 1996 and brought him to the wheels in 2001. Now he's got his own night going and he puts me on from time to time. There's one coming up in January, three days before I'm scheduled to fly off into Freedom Year. I'm not going to promote it as my final appearance, unless I have the flight booked. I've still got a lot to do at the house, I may have to give up a few trips to the YMCA, if the weather stays mild, I may get a few park workouts in. I'll miss the leg press though. 

Tempting Fate: St. Jack's Old City c. 2001

Let me just finish with one of those fond memories of someone I was very attracted to and, so I am told, the feeling was mutual. But... the timing wasn't right; or maybe it was my awareness that wasn't right. In any case, what it was, was, what it was and that's all that was meant to be. We've lost touch, but if I'm not careful, the Universe will throw her in my lap. With that last sentence my mind has wandered and I am wondering how such a meeting would go. 

I hear she got married. Not a bit surprised. I don't even know where to go from here. The photos I've managed to dig up have been reminding me of forgotten moments and a plethora of emotions better left buried... maybe. As the centuries changed and I was going through my transition years (1996 - 2002) a lot of people came into my life and I probably treated a few, or several of them unkindly.   But this is no time for regrets. If the Universe brings of paths together, I'm sure we'll have a nice time reminiscing, maybe confessing... maybe apologizing. Who knows???