AARGH, Wait I Already Used That Title. BALLLLZZZZZZ

     Early post today, because I need to write and get rid of my frustration. This week has sucked. Mom in the hospital and the battle of wills to get her out of there. Then the high of fostering a dog in the hopes to adopt. We are going to get into that one right now.

     That is Bronco, I was going to name him Barnaby. Yes, that is in past tense. He was a great fit with Morty, and fit in exceptionally well in the house. I was ready to call up and sign the adoption papers as soon as I got him home, but I decided to wait until Monday when the foster period was over. We had a great day, and night. around noon yesterday I got a call from the shelter. They wanted Bronco back. I was told on the phone that another person had already put in an application for foster on him, and that someone new at the front desk failed to look at those files, and he shouldn't have been available.

     I was lied too. When I got there, I asked the reason why this was happening, and was told a different story. The owner had come looking for him and he was supposed to be labeled a stray which should have put him on a "hold". That means he shouldn't have been available to the public. The story gets even deeper. The ex girlfriend of the owner was the one that turned him in as a stray. I honestly hope she gets arrested for theft. I'm not going to keep someone from their pet, but I felt very wronged in this whole thing. When I handed over the leash, I was brushed off and ignored. No thank you, apology for what was going on, or anything. When I released I was no longer part of the conversation, I patted Barnaby on the back and said good luck and then left in a huff.

     If I had known the true story from the start I wouldn't have been as mad. I was given hope that maybe Barnaby wouldn't be a fit with the foster family, and that I would be back in 72 hours to pick him up and adopt him, but that was not to be. If I had known, the truth I would have asked for the other dog that Morty had a great fit with. Since no one was willing to speak more with me, I was done with them, and the other dog is the one that truly suffers, because she could be in her furever home right now, but she is still sitting in a kennel.

     This sent me into a spiral last night. I did a good a good news call a little later on, and we will get to that in a minute, but it has a negative twist in it as well. Anyway, the spiral sent me into a feeding frenzy. I had already had my final meal of the day, and was preparing for the start of my week of 500 calories or less a day. My calorie count was good, as well as my carb count, but then that sunken feeling set in. I started with a Quest bar. That put me over my carb limit. I went for a small bowl of Macadamia nuts, that put me over my calorie count. I then went for another bowl of Macadamia nuts, then I hit the pint of So Delicious vegan Peanut Butter and Raspberry ice cream that I was saving for after my 28 days. That destroyed my carb and calorie count. I'm pretty sure I ate 3000 calories yesterday when the plan was to be at 1200. I'm sure I'm out of ketosis due to the massive influx of carbs, so I failed in my 28 days. I'm still going for my goal weight, but if I get it or not, I'm still a failure due to yesterdays weakness. I will do better in the future. I have to.

     That brings me to today. To make up for my failure of yesterday, I'm on a 36 hour fast before I start my 500 calorie or less week. It's not punishment, its a rectifying of a situation. It's putting balance to imbalance, and yes, even though I went off the rails, you may notice that I kept it rather healthy. I managed to stay away from the sweets I have in the house for garbage days, so it wasn't a complete failure.

     Now for the good thing. I finally got a call to say that my print was ready in it's custom frame. I don't know if you remember, but I ordered a very limited print from artist Emek. It came a couple of weeks ago, and I had already planned to get it framed. It took 3 weeks to get that frame done. They had a problem when the frame originally came in. It was scratched, so they had to reorder it. Then it took another week before it came in, and yesterday they finally had it done. Here comes the bad. I immediately went to pick it up, when I got there, the person who runs the framing department already went home. It was literally 20 minutes, and he could have told me he was leaving soon. I told him I was on the way. I had to wait for about another 20 minutes before someone came and had to hunt down the print. I finally got it and walked out the door into the beautiful Florida sunshine. Psych, it was raining, and in my infinite wisdom of parking away from where I'm at so that I can walk. The car was a good 75 yards away. The frame and print as at great risk of being damaged. I waited another half an hour before it slowed down enough so that I could make a fast walk to the call. The print is finally home and I hung it this morning, which was an ordeal in itself, but we won't get into that. Here is the final result though and I love it.

     I'll try to get a better picture of it at night when the skylight doesn't interfere with it, but I'm truly loving the placement and how it complete fits in in and out of place spot. What is better than Bowie and Potter.

     I'm going to turn all of this into a positive, and help that shelter fix their problem with some constructive criticism. I'm also going to go back and adopt the other dog that fit with Morty. Not giving the name yet, because I already have a great name in mind. It will be revealed when she is. Yes it is a she. I have a beautiful print that is hanging above my handmade bookcase, and I'm going to hit my goal, and maintain my Keto lifestyle. I will be the person I want to be and it will only come with hard work and perseverance. Peace in and goodnight.

I Did It

      I did it. I made it through all 84 hours of the fast, and lived to tell you the outcome. I guess the numbers should come first. I weighed in the final morning of the fast at 170.5, my ketones were at 4.3, and I felt fantastic. Well, fantastic may be stretching the truth. In fact I had a mild headache, and felt really rundown for the first hour of the morning. By the time I was finally able to eat, I felt great though. I went through my plan and only had a cup of chicken bone broth to break the fast, and then a half hour later I had a yogurt. The yogurt blew my net carbs for the day, but that day was more about getting my gut digesting properly again and less about maintaining ketosis. Just on a side note, I maintained ketosis. My levels did fall pretty fast, but the lowest I hit during the day was a 1.4. I checked again today and I was maintaining at a 1.6.

     I feel better than I have in a long time, and that is considering that I was already feeling great from the previous weight loss. I do think I could have lost more weight, but my plan was thwarted by life, and I spent most of my time being sedentary by sitting in a hospital waiting for people to get their acts together. I will do it again, and I will be able to get the workouts in that I want and not just sit in a hospital room all day. Other benefits are that I'm mentally clear, maybe more so than I've ever been (not sure if that is saying anything, I'm usually a bit foggy). There is an added bounce in my step. Oh, and there is another benefit, but this is more from the previous weight loss than the fast. I'm not sure if you remember me having an issue with a very high heart rate a while back. I hadn't thought about it much, because it hadn't been quite as high and I didn't get hit with shortness of breath for some time. Anyway, while I was in the hospital, I decided to start checking my pulse rate. I was astonished to find that my resting pulse rate is now in the low 60's. My resting pulse rate previously was in the high 80's on a good day. It was more like the grunge era in and around my heart in reality. I can't say enough about Keto and this whole lifestyle change. If you have any questions and want to give it a try, just hit me up, I will be glad to tell you all that I know, and if I don't know it, I can at the very least point you in the right direction. I look forward to a new healthy life.

     Now that the fast is over, I did gain a half a pound back, which I expected. You can't go from nothing and then add something and not actually add something. I just had to control it, and I think I have done a pretty good job so far. I have a week left in the 28 day deep Keto, and I'm going all in on it. I'm only going to try to have only fats and proteins to make up my diet for the next week. That means I'm going to do my best to have no carbs or at a bare minimum, less that 10 net carbs. I'm also going to limit my caloric intake to 500 calories or less daily during this time. I think this could be more difficult than the fast, but I won't know for sure until I try it. 165 or bust. I will hit that number and I will hit it hard.

     With that out of the way, lets talk about pizza. I got a video for you and it's about a Keto pizza that we had at Baci. Give it a view and if you watch it on YouTube, give us that thumbs up.



     I was going to hold off on talking about this, until something more sure had happened, but what is this blog for if not to tell you about things as they happen. I've been thinking, very quietly and too myself about something.  I hadn't even told my closest friend about this, until I made up my mind and told her what I was going to do today. I went looking at new dogs. I want a friend for Morty, so I went back to my local SPCA and started the process. I looked at three really great dogs today and tomorrow I will be taking Morty to see what he thinks. I do have a favorite, but it isn't up to me this time. It's up to Morty and the other dog. I'm hoping for a big bonding experience, but if it comes down to it, I will settle for indiffernt. Two of them have Pit in them, and the other is a German Shepard. They are all incredible dogs. Two of them have slight knocks against them. One is heart worm positive and will be undergoing treatment. All the means is that I will have to take her back to the SPCA so that they can give her her treatment. It will be no cost to me other than time and gas. The other dog is prey motivated when it comes to small dogs. I know what you are thinking, Morty is not small, so no problem. The neighbor's dog is a small/medium dog, so that could be a problem, and that one is the German Shepard. They are jumpers and even though she is 8 years old, she could probably clear the fence.

     They have this incredible new program there, that you can foster a dog for a few days, so that you can see how they interact with your dog and the new environment that they are in. If Morty likes Roxie, the German Shepard, we will find out if she indeed has a problem with the neighbor dog. I think it is just a fantastic way to learn if a dog fits with you and your family.

     The final dog is a little boy that is 3 years old, and he is gorgeous. He is exactly like Morty. He even acted like him when I met him. I squatted down to be near him, and he sat right between my knees, turned his head up to look at me and give me a big ol' kiss. That is the very same thing that Morty did when I met him, so naturally that dog instantly became my favorite, but as I said, it isn't up to me. None of these dogs may work out, and this process could go on for weeks and maybe months, but I'm determined to find companion dog for Morty, and you have now see when I'm capable of when I'm determined, so I wouldn't bet against this happening. I'm dog hunting, and I'm going to find me a keeper. Peace in and goodnight.

I'm Almost There

     The mom is back at home. It took longer than expected, and I spent a good deal of the day furious, but she is sleeping in her own bed right now. Everything is going good, and she was in good spirits before going to bed, so I expect that she will wake up feeling much better than she did in the hospital

     As I write this, I am a half hour away from 72 hours on my fast, which should be the end of it, but I'm stupid. I'm going for a full 84, which means I won't eat until tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock. This has been a trying experience, and I wondered if I would make it, but I have so far, and I will see it to the end.

     My other two friends that joined me on this adventure of a 72 hour fast, fell off and had meals. I don't blame them, there have been several times during this that I just wanted to break down and eat. My biggest test of will power came this evening. I had to make dinner for my mom, and I tried something new that popped into my head, and it smelled and looked amazing. I will be making it again this weekend, so I can try it out. It was pancetta, spinach, onions, bell peppers, and spaghetti noodles. My mom remarked at how delicious it was. I normally get a "this is really good", so I think i impressed her beyond my normal meals.

     I will have to wait and see about long term effects from this fast, but the short term are already evident. My body is looking better than it has in decades, and I feel uncommonly good. Even right now I feel pretty great. I measured my ketones at 3.3 this morning, and 3.5 around noon, I'm about to measure again, just to make sure that I'm in a safe level. Ok, just did the test, and I pulled a 4.3 with 23 minutes until the 72 hour mark. I'm still in safe levels, but they are increasing pretty fast at this point. I think I can make it to morning though. I've been told that you don't want to get into the 5.0 to 6.0 range and stay there for a long period of time, that is when you go into Ketoacidosis. I just looked it up and based on what I read I'm in danger of Ketoacidosis, but I have been drinking plenty of water, and that is one of the things that they are concerned about. I'm still going to power through and hit my 84 hour mark.

     I've changed my eating plan a bit. I still plan on breaking the fast with bone broth. Beef bone broth to be exact. I then plan on having more bone broth and yogurt about a half hour later. An hour and a half after that I'm going to have a vegan breakfast bowl, and see how it effects my stomach. If all goes well, I'm going to make a pseudo stew for lunch of chicken bone broth, green beans, spinach, onions and bell peppers. That should lead me into getting my digestive system working again at some relatively easy to digest foods. For dinner I plan on Artichokes with ground turkey. Turns out Artichokes are very good for digestion and even aid your gut bacteria. I'm going to take all the help I can get for this breaking of the fast.

     Here is what I can tell you about fasting. It sucks but so far it is rewarding. You have to work for what you want, and this is a way that I'm working towards that body that I want. The hunger pangs are real, and the will make you doubt what you are doing, but by dosing myself with salt at the right time, and making sure I took potassium and magnesium during the day. I got past the hunger, and the slight weakness from time to time. If you ever plan on doing a fast, I suggest you watch Thomas DeLauer's videos and you can always ask me for help. I will support you throughout the whole thing, and I may even jump in and join you. Just don't do it for a few months. I need a break from a long fast for now.

     I will be adding a 24-36 hour fast once a month into my lifestyle. I can already see benefits from this prolonged fast, and I'm looking forward to the long term benefits as well. I will let you know how my body responds, and give you every update that I can.

     This has truly been a journey, and I can't wait for the next one. Maybe you will join me for it when I do. Peace in and goodnight.

Fasting Is Really Slow

     I started fasting last night at 8 o'clock, so as I write this I am 22 hours into my 72 hour fast, which will actually be more like a 84 hour fast. My plan is to go all the way until Wednesday morning at 8 AM. Good plan right?

     So far I'm feeling pretty good. I have those pangs of hunger, but I'm just drinking water and green tea with monk fruit. If you don't know monk fruit is a natural sweetener that has no calories or glycemic index. That means that it doesn't break a fast. No one seems to want video updates, so I guess I will just update you here on Tuesday,  and then again on Thursday night. That will be the after the fast update of course. I plan on breaking the fast very slow, even though Thomas Delauer recommended a plan of bone broth and then about an hour later a very light meal. I plan on bone broth for the first day, then bone broth and yogurt (good probiotics right there). The third day will be some easily digest vegetables, and then finally some solid food on the fourth day with some easier to digest meats.

    I did weigh in higher this week than last week, so my weight going into the fast was 176. I expected it to be up, since I was much more sedentary this week. It wasn't the plan, but that is how life worked out.

     Enough of the fast update, I should update you on the more important event that happened. My mom passed out again. She is doing fine, and is stuck in the hospital until they let her leave. I don't think a UTI should keep you in the hospital, but they seem insistent on treating that fully. Hopefully she will get out tomorrow. Hospitals and the likes are not good places for my mom to be. It aggravates her dementia in a very bad way. She has gotten to a point where she will have violent episodes. Normally it is just her getting very nasty and calling me name and what not, but in the hospital, she thought she was being held captive, and began kicking and punching me. My normal way of dealing with it, is to leave her alone, but still keep an eye on her so that she doesn't hurt herself, and just let her get passed it and forget about it. It usually takes 15 minutes to a half hour when I do that. Since she had to be confined to a bed, it took several hours for her to get out of that rage state. It sucks and there was nothing I could do about it, but I worked through it and she is resting comfortable today. I was told that she tried to get up and leave later on, but there was no word of it happening today, and she was much calmer when I was there. I can't wait to get her out of that place and back home where she will be much more comfortable.

     I posted the new short story, and it isn't going as I had planned. I thought it was going to be a one and done, but once I started writing it, it told me that it was to be a few chapters at least. It will all work out in the end. The first part is up right now and you can read it here, or you can read it on Medium tomorrow morning. All the mistakes are corrected on Medium. I wrote it in a noir crime novel fashion, kind of like the old private eye movies of old. I know the end, but once again, I'm not sure how I'm going to get there. This will be a fun adventure as it always is, so I hope you join me for the ride. Oh, and I didn't monetize it on Medium so everyone will be able to read it there. Go there and give me the exposure and don't forget to clap for it when you do. It helps lift my presence there.

     I'm keeping it short tonight, so don't forget to read the Violet Dahlia and let me know what you think, and keep an eye out for the 3 day fast update. Peace in and goodnight.

   

Violet Dahlia (part 1)

      It was a night like any other, when she walked through my door. She was statuesque with short mussed hair. It was intentional, a wake and wear sort of look. Her brown eyes told stories of a sorrowed past, while her lips spoke of memories yet to come.

     "What can I do for you on this hot and balmy evening?"

     "I need you to find my killer?"

     It came out so easy and relaxed that I thought it must be a joke.

     "You're killer? Don't you mean a killer?"

     "I said what I mean. It must seem odd coming from a woman that is standing right in front of you, but the deed hasn't been done yet."

     I was lost so deep in the forest that I couldn't find a way past my own hand.

     "The deed hasn't been done yet?"

     "Yes."

     "I think you have more of a story to tell. Have a seat and let's start from the beginning."

     She walked over to the chair in front of my desk, each long leg only taking two strides to cross the expanse. She was demure when she sat with her right leg over her left, and hands crossed in her lap.

     "I'm not dead yet, but I soon will be. I suspect that my husband has sent a killer for me."

     "Why would you think that?"

     "Because I found out about his mistress."

     "Shouldn't it be the other way around then?"

     "I guess it should be, but he beat me to the punch."

     She spoke with a cold calculation that wreaked of murderous intent with those final syllables. If it were a hand written letter, the ink would be blood.

     "I can find your murderer, but what's in it for me?"

     "I'll pay your fee, and then some."

     "How am I to collect if you are dead?"

     "I will give you half now, with the other half in an undisclosed location. I will send instructions through the mail on how to find it. If you can find my killer before he finds me, I'll double the remaining amount. That's three times your fee."

     I was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and times have been tough lately. The private dick business has all but dried up in recent months, and my bank account was causing moths to starve.

     "I'll find your killer, and I'll do it before he even gets close enough to smell the lilac perfume you are wearing."

     I noticed it the second she walked through the door. The smell was as intoxication as those lips. I was hoping beyond hope that I could be one of those memories.

   
     She reached into the clutch on her lap and pulled out an envelope. It was thick and bulging with bills. I could see them through the opened flap. I thought she was going to peel a few off for my usual fee, but she slid the envelope onto my desk.

     "Mr. Silverman, I'm sure this will cover half your fee."

     "Please, call my Sly. That will more than cover my fee. That will cover my fee 9, maybe 10 times over. Did you come to the right PI?"

     "Sly Silverman's the name on the door, so I must be in the right place. The money will be well spent, and as I said. You will see twice as much if you finish he job before I die."

     "Consider it done, but before you take a dirt nap, can I get your name, so I know who I'm dealing with?"

     "My name is Violet. Violet Dahlia."

     That name rang a bell. A chime that reverberated through my head until I had to shake it out.

     "Dahlia, as in Marcus Dahlia's wife?"

     "One and the same."

      Marcus Dahlia was the biggest crime boss this side of the Mississippi, and then he was nearly the biggest on the other side. His fingers were in more pie than a school boy raiding his mother's windowsill.

     "This just got interesting."

     "From the look on your face, I assumed it was interesting when I walked through the door."

     She had me pegged.

     "Quilty as charged."

     "Find my killer and help me take down my husband, and that interest will be paid with dividends."

     Just like that, she rose with the grace of a ballerina, and strode out the door. Two strides and she was gone just as she had entered.

     If I knew then what I know now, I would have turned that job down, and let some other sucker get pulled into this twisted world that belongs to Dahlia. While I still have time, I'll tell you exactly how it went down.

   

Finally, The Pictures Have Arrived

     It's Thursday, and I believe I promised you pictures of the bookcase wand stand. First though, I have that video for you to watch, and you can see some of the pictures in that. It's a general update on what's been going on and what I'm currently doing. If you have read this for the past few months, then you know most of it, but it's still a good refresher. Oh, I also got Saki running again, and it was so great to be riding.



     Alright, now that that is over with, it's time for the pictures. As you saw in the video, I put my HUE light behind it for added effect, but I decided to order one just for that area for the bookcase. It looks really good. I went with the HUE Bloom this time. Has most of the features of the HUE Go, but it isn't movable without an outlet near by, and it will only operate with the app. Still puts out the great colors though, and that is what I wanted.

      There it is. I finally debut my very own bookcase wand stand. I already have someone that wants me to make one for them, and they are offering a couple hundred dollars for it. I haven't actually spoken to them yet, but I hope to get in touch with them soon. A few people have told me that I need an ETSY shop, but I still have no idea how I could sell these and not get in trouble for copyright infringement. I have been told that you simply don't say anything other than bookcase wand stand, and not mention any of the copyrighted stuff, but that is a trademarked symbol, so I'm pretty sure I would eventually get in trouble for selling it if I started up an ETSY shop.

     Anyway, I worked most of the day on the new project and made quite a bit of headway. I did make a huge mistake and cut the wrong wood. I simply wasn't paying attention and grabbed the side instead of the top, and cut it to fit. The good news is, that I can save it. The side is has enough wood on it, that I can use it for the side instead. I still will have to cut some material off of it for it to work, but I planned on doing that anyway with the other piece that I had, so it will all work out in the end. I do need to buy more 1x2's. I framed the interior of this project, and I need more for framing a section on the outside. I guessed at how much I needed, and came up short, so I need to make trip back to Lowe's soon, to get that wood that I need to finish it up. This one is a new experience for me, so the puzzle is coming together, it just takes some time and hopefully, no more cutting of the wrong wood. I do have on other problem, but I'm going to talk to the person I'm making it for before I worry more about it. I have to make some cuts, but before I do that, I have to clear everything with the, well, let's call them customer. I also need to fit the top in completely before I truly worry about this problem, but I pretty sure that the problem is a reality. I'll fill you in on it when the time comes. In the meantime, it's all going well.

     I watched a new series on Netflix last night. It's called The Chef Show. It was created and features John Favreau. He came up with the idea when he was working with Chef Roy Choi for training on the film Chef. It was a really great series, and I watched the whole first season last night. They show you how to make some pretty good looking dishes, and it's in a way that is different from the normal cooking shows. They tell you all the behind the scenes secrets that restaurants use. I learned a lot from it. Give it a try and you may learn a thing or two yourself.

     Oh yeah, if you watched the video, I ask you if you want me to give daily updates while I'm doing the 3 day fast. Watch the video so you know exactly what I'm talking about, and then leave a comment to answer the question I posed. It could be fun, and I promise to keep them very short.

     Well, that's all for now. Peace in and goodnight.

Calm Down

     I had a friend contact me today. It had been a while since I'd spoken to him. Mostly my own fault, because I didn't want to bother him. He has a family and a life of his own. Anyway, he was contacting me to tell me that he was inspired by me, and that he was giving Keto a try. It is still very weird for people to tell me that I'm an inspiration. I made a big change in the way that I eat, and lost some weight. That is how I see it, but if someone changes things for the better because of the tale I've told of my journey through all of this Keto stuff, then I'll take it. In the end, I only want to help people out as much as I can, and in any way I can.

     We talked about a few things that should help him out. He is only a few days in, and the "keto flu" has hold of him. That is the toughest part of Keto. It is getting your body used to no longer using carbohydrates as an energy source. When your body starts making that change, it revolts against you, and you get flu like symptoms. Rundown, low energy, your mind even starts to wander, because you can't focus properly. That is when most people give up, but once you are through that, and it should take only a couple of days, you are home free, and you are going to feel better and with more energy than you have in the past. That is when your body starts turning that stored fat into fuel, and it likes burning that stuff.

     I may have inspired him and a few other people, but they have inspired me as well. I know that my new goal is 165, but I don't think I'll be happy with that. I am going to push myself beyond my limits and break through that goal like I did my first one. I've been prepping for the 3 day fast which begins this Sunday. I'm less than a week away, and I'm ready. I have the things I will need to get through it, and then the things I will need to come out of it. You have to come off a fast the right way, and I have been doing my research. I should get my bone broth tomorrow, and that will be my first days meal, then I hit some probiotics the second day, and then finally some solid veggies and maybe a mild form of meat the third. I fully expect to lose anywhere between 5 to 10 pounds during this fast. If that happens, then I will truly blast through that goal. I will also be going to the gym during this time as well, and I'm upping my gym time. I've already increased my days, and this coming week I will be adding more exercises in beyond the core ones that I do. I've also been looking into some HIIT workouts, (High Intensity Interval Training), and I've chosen a few basic ones, that will help focus on fat burning, as well as body toning. The weight I chose is a tangible form of the goal, but the real goal is to be completely shredded by the end of this 28 days. I'm on week two right now. July 7th is the final day of the 28, so that is when I will take the final "after" photos. I will then post them all on that following Sunday, regardless of how I feel I look. A promise is a promise, and I keep mine.

     I finished the bookcase and have taken those final photos as well, but I'm not going to share them just yet. I still need to get out and make that video, and I plan on putting some of the pictures in that, so hopefully Thursday I can show you everything as well as the video. I also need to get more done on the other woodworking project that I have. I believe I have all the necessary items I need for it. I got a few more strips of wood, and a router for the job. It's been a while since I used a router, so I need some practice time with it, good thing I have plenty of scrap wood sitting around to mess up.

     It's been a while since I've done Favorite Song of the Week, and it's finally time to put one up. This one comes from someone who is considered a rather non controversial type of artist, but that changed recently and she is really giving the middle finger to the establishment on this one. I've said it many times before and I'll say it again, I'm a Swifty, and you know I had to post Taylor Swift's new song for FSOTW. This one is not only fun, but it is a strong message against hate, and I love every bit of it. There are a lot of celebrity cameos in the video, so see if you can name them all. I know I couldn't. Here is Taylor Swift with "You Need To Calm Down".



     Seriously, how fun was that? Super catchy as well. If anything, I hope it brought a smile to your face, I know it did mine. I'm taking off for bed, busy day tomorrow. I need to start focusing on that other project and I need to write that short story due on Saturday. Peace in and goodnight.

It's A Bookcase

     Let's get the Keto update out of the way first. I dropped a pound and a half this week. I know that doesn't like much, but you have to remember, this is my second go around with going deep into Keto. I'm not really sure how much weight I have left to lose. I know body wise, it looks like I have quite a bit, I just have to get it going, but body frame wise, I don't have a whole lot of room for movement. I may have to do something to really jump start a loss, and that is why I'm not doing anything until that 3 day fast. I think that might be the big change I need to shock my body into a full on weight loss mode.

     I have been looking at the short story and putting a lot of thought into it the last two days. I have an idea, but I need the time to work on it and actually sit and write. I have been busy with the bookcase and as soon as I'm done with that, I have another woodworking project that I have to go full tilt on, but I plan on getting the story written this week so that it will be ready for a Saturday release. I will then post it on Medium the following Monday. The story has changed and the main focus has changed, but it all comes from the same twisted place in my mind. You will see it soon.

     Since I brought up the bookcase, I may as well talk about it here. I got some pictures for you.

     That first one is that idea I was telling you about. I wanted to see if I could simply stain the interior of the circle with that red stain that I have and then do the rest in a different stain. I was worried about it bleeding over into the other area, which it did, but I got super lucky. I was able to sand the small area that it bled out, and it came out way better than I thought. I then stained the whole thing with a Golden Pecan, and that second picture is after the second application of stain.

     These two are after the first and second coats of polyurethane. I had to sand it down between coats, and I have since applied a third coat, and I believe that will be the final coat. I don't have a picture of that one on purpose. I want to wait for the final reveal once it is polished up and loaded full of Harry Potter books and wands. Any guesses on what the second wand is yet? You will find out when I finally post the pictures of the completed project. I think I may just wait until the Thursday night post for those little gems. So anyone want one? I'm taking orders.

     I finally got Saki up and running and will make a video this week and have it out hopefully by Wednesday. It's been quite some time since I made a video on Saki, so I may be a bit rusty, but I'll do my best, and it will update everything since the final video I made. If you have been reading that whole time, I don't think it will be anything new to you, but You may get to see the bookcase there before you can see it here.

     That's really all I have for you except, make sure you watch the final season of Jessica Jones. It came out Friday, and I already finished it, and it's great. A really good way to end a series. There is where I thin Netflix blew it, when the cancelled all the Marvel shows because they are Disney property. I've already explained why they cancelled them, because they couldn't monetize the shows, but they really hurt the fans of these shows, because there is an agreement that those characters or shows cannot be shown anywhere else for two years. These shows have been a joy to watch, and the writing has been outstanding. I do hope that there is a future for at least some of the shows, but only time will tell on that one. Peace in and goodnight.

Going Full On Douche Mode For A Selfie

     I have made some good head way on the new bookcase wand stand. I shaped the wood out by sanding it to the way I want it, and I finally drilled the holes for the actual posts that will hold the wands up today. That drill press I bought really paid off big time for that. I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to get the half inch bit in it, but it was the absolute limit of it's capabilities and it worked like a charm. I did the mock up today, and I need to etch out the spots for the base of each wand and shape the stands, and then I will basically be ready for final assembly.

  I went subtle, with a touch of a worn down look for this one, and I really like it. I have some more big ideas for this, I just hope that I can pull it off, if I do, you will of course see it right here. I'm thinking I have about 4 more days on this project before it's finished. I need tomorrow for the shaping left to do, and then the rough sanding and final sanding, then it's all about assembling it together for good. That means wood glue and clamps for a day, then comes the staining, and that is when I'm going to take a bit of a risk to pull off one of these big ideas that I have. I don't know if it will work, but if it does, I think it will look incredible.

     I should share a picture of the drill press, since it did it's job today, and I can't remember if I ever shared a picture of how I put the dowel pins in, so here is one of those as well.

     Things have gone too well on this project so far, so I'm expecting bad things before I finish it up. I'm hoping that nothing happens, but the specter of failures of the past are getting in my head.

     The 28 day challenge is going great so far. I don't have a weight update, since the official weigh in is on Saturday, but I'm feeling good, and I think I'm already looking better, but I'm sure that is my own vanity saying what isn't real. I'm still looking forward to that 3 day fast, and I have been doing research on how to come out of a prolonged fast. It's not pretty people. Just because you can eat when the fast is over, you have to ease yourself back into it, otherwise you could end up very sick and possibly die. I'm going to do this right, so that means my caloric intake for the few days after the fast will be incredibly low and consist of broth the first day, light vegetables the 2nd day, a little more intense vegetables on day 3 with the possibility of some yogurt, or something along those lines, and then on the 4th day I will be able to eat general solid foods again. It's not going to be easy, but anything worth doing is never easy, so bring it on.

     I finally took the obligatory in the gym photo last night, so I guess I can share that. Back in the day when I went to the gym, it would be in clothes that showed off as much of my skin as possible, so that I could see what was being worked, and how the blood was flowing into that area. That isn't me anymore, and you can see that by this photo.

     You can also see, that I have a very long way to go before I'm in the body I want to be in. I'll get there, it's just going to take some time. Oh, and yes, the gym is empty, except for one persons way up in the front on a recumbent bike. I prefer to have the gym all to myself anymore, because I don't want to be around people. I don't think I could go to the gym during the day now. It used to be no big deal, but even the thought of it gives me a panic attack. That is why I'm glad my gym has 24 hour access. This was at 11:30 at night, and if I didn't wake up so early in the morning, I would try to go in later, so that no one was in there except for me.

     I will have an update on Sunday with my weight and maybe some ketone levels. I did test myself a few days ago, and only pulled a .80, which is in ketosis, but it's at the lower end of it. That could also be because I don't have the massive fat stores I once had, and it could be that I was at a low level for that time of day. Ketone levels can fluctuate, so I'm not worried as long as I'm somewhere in the ketosis band. I have said before that ketosis is when your body is actually burning off the fat as energy and that is what releases the ketones into your blood stream right? If not, I just did there. Optimum level is around 1.3, but anywhere from .60 to 3.0 is a great place to be. Anything higher than that and you could run the risk of some serious health conditions, but that is only if you have those high levels for prolonged lengths of time. I have only topped out at 3.0 once, and have usually been in that 1.5 range. I'm ok with that. This isn't a quick fix, so I'm in for the long haul of overall improved health and body. Still looking for people to join me on that 3 day fast. I'll be that support you can lean on when things are getting sketchy. Anyway, I'll talk about the whole experience here, so even if you don't do it, you can get an idea of what it's like.

     The short story still has me stumped, and I was thinking last night of rewriting it with a different person in mind at the focal point. I'll see how that goes tomorrow. I still have a little over a week on my self imposed deadline, so I hope I can work this out and have something for you to read on the Saturday after next. I think I'll post the final draft on Medium the same day. As with The Patchwork Knight. I will put the rough draft here, and the final draft there. The only difference this time, is that I'm not going to monetize this one, so everyone will be able to read it without being a member of Medium. I'll post a link on here so you can check it out.

     The TPR launched another review today, so I got a video for you to watch. I'll put it right below so take a little time and view our escapades into a new pizza location.



     I just saw the numbers as I was fetching the code for the video, and it's performing pretty well, based on our last few videos. That makes me happy. I would love it if thousands of people were watching, but that just isn't the case right now, and maybe never well, but this one is doing ok right now. Hopefully it will pick up some steam by Sunday and I can say that it is truly a success. I'll let you know. In the meantime, I need to go to bed. Big day of woodwork, writing, and working out. Peace in and goodnight.

Oh Yeah, I'm Going There

     A lot of things today, are telling me what I should write about tonight, and I will get to that, but I should update you on the bookcase wand stand.

     I did some more work on the bookcase today, and it may seem like something small, but this is one of the most time consuming and difficult part of this whole thing. It takes hours just to get the symbols etched in the way I do it. I'm sure there are easier methods of doing it, and I may even have some of the tools to do it, but I like the way it comes out when I do it this way, so it is worth the time. Here is the picture I have of what the sides look like now.

     I put a small difference in each one, so that they stand apart from one another. It was purposely done and there is a reason for it. I'm not going to tell you the difference yet, nor will I tell you why, but in due time you will hear the tale of the difference. If you can see it, then kudos to you for having a keen eye.

     I've been keeping a friend up to date on how it has all been going, an he asked me how I do it, so I took another picture that shows one of them partially completed with the Dremel next to it.

     Now that really doesn't show you how it's done, but you can get a rough idea of how I etch the whole thing out. I still have a lot to do to it, but the most difficult part is done, the second most difficult part is next, and that is wen I start drilling holes in it, for the way I put it together. This is when things can really go wrong, and I can screw the whole thing up, so I'm hoping that I nail it, and yes, no nails will be used in this one either. I should have more pictures for you on Thursday, let's just hope they are happy completed pictures and not big giant screw up pictures.

     Now, onto that subject I was talking about earlier. It all started this morning when the woman that comes to watch my mom told me a story about a cousin of hers that took a trip to Thailand, because he wanted to buy a boat and explore the world. The story didn't go well, He was a robbed and ended up in the hospital, but he took a chance and lived his life. Actually, that's not how it started, that was the second thing. I'm remembering things out of order. The first was when I dropped off my dearest of all friends at the airport, where she was taking a plane to Africa for a photo safari. The outcome of this one is days away, but she took a risk and is taking that chance to liver her life. She is on the adventure of a life time, and it is what she wanted to do, and now she is doing it. The next was when I was watching America's Got Talent. A comedian came out, who was hitting a really big stage for the first time. He had spent a good portion of his life locked up in his house, because he suffered from agoraphobia. That is the fear of crowds. He would have terror and panic attacks with even the thought of going outside. With the help of his therapist, he was able to take small steps and made it to a comedy club where he would do open mics. He made his way onto the stage at AGT and he killed it. He has a Steven Wright type of delivery, and it is bold and refreshing. He took a risk and took his chance and is living his life in a way he didn't think possible.

     What does all of this mean? It means you are about to get hit with one of those inspirational posts that tell you to go out and live your dreams. Yeah, I've said it before, and I have done it. I myself took that big leap of faith to see just what my talent could bring me. It didn't go as I had planned, but I learned so much about myself and my own capabilities. I have always said that you should learn something new every day. Well, learning something about yourself is the greatest achievement you could reach. It gives you a better understanding of who you are, and what you are capable of doing. You push yourself to new unheard of limits. Taking risks isn't about succeeding, they are about testing yourself, to see how you handle the outcome, good or bad. I think everyone should take a risk from time to time. It can be as simple as trying a new food that you would never try before. It may be something you end up loving. It can be something as difficult as quitting your job and chasing a dream. It can be what appears to be the most difficult task in the world for me to do, and that is asking someone out on a date. I'll do it again some day, I just haven't built up the strength for that one again yet.

     Even if you fail the experience you had in doing that thing is far greater then the actual failure. It isn't always about the destination, but the journey you took to get there. Don't let life pass you by while you just sit back and stay comfortable. Step out of that comfort zone and find something out about yourself. You might just find that you are a better person for the experience. Peace in and goodnight.

It Has Begun

     I started on the bookcase, and due to rain today, I haven't done anything more than getting the wood cut, and shaped out to the basic design. I wanted to get the Deathly Hallows symbol etched in, but I just couldn't do it. I do have some pictures of the progress though. They will give you an idea of what it could look like with a little patience and some delicate hands.

     I like the progress so far, and it seems to be going a little faster than the last time. That is mostly due to much better tools, and basic knowledge of knowing what I'm doing from past experience. I already have my measurements for the Deathly Hallows symbol, which is something a sort of winged the last time. I did use measurements, but not like this time. Since this one is going to be centered at the point of the X. I got my measurements for height, width, from the center point, diameter, and all that good stuff. That should make things easy on me when I transfer the symbol onto he wood and then begin cutting it all out. If everything goes right with this, I should be done in about a week, which would be lightyears ahead of what I did last time. We will see though, things could go horribly wrong. I"m down to the part where things get hairy, because it is all about shaping and fine-tuning, and making sure that pieces fall into their proper place. There is no room for error, or mistakes, otherwise I will have to start all over from scratch, and I don't want to do that.

     Solid plans that I have for it right now are of course the Deathly Hallows symbol, I'm also going to round the top edge so that it flows from the side piece to the top. I'm going to leave the bottom squared off, because I like the way it looks, I may dull the inside edge where the books will go, but no big radius on the bottom this time. That is all for the top. I'm thinking about doing some cut out elements on the side, but I have no idea what they are yet. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get the symbol in and see what kind of room is left for some kind of patter or what not.

     Today was the first day of my 28 days of strict Keto. I did my official weigh in yesterday and I was at 175, that means I have 10 lbs to lose to hit 165, and that is the new goal. I took my before pictures this morning, and no, I'm not sharing them with you. I"m saving those for the final day. I will have them as side by side comparison of what 28 days on strict Keto can do, and trust me, there is lots of room for improvement. They make me wish I had done before photos when I started 30 lbs ago. It would have been disturbing to see what I looked like. I was disturbed by what I looked like this morning. If you ever want a hard dose of reality, just take pictures of yourself front and back in your underwear. It's not a pretty sight, and I was rathe shocked and disgusted by my appearance, but all for the sake of information, and how my body is going to change. Plus it adds content to this, that will probably make you throw up. A reaction of any kind is still a reaction right?

     The big difference this time from last time, is that I will be going to the gym as part of all of this, plus there is that 3 day fasting challenge that I'm going to do. By the way, I've only heard from one person that wants to join along for that added support of a group. What are you afraid of, you can do this, and I'll be right her to help encourage you to keep it up when you are craving that whatever your favorite food is that you aren't eating. I'll be in the same boat, but I plan wholeheartedly to see this 3 day challenge through. I may even take before and after pictures for the challenge was well, so that you can see what a difference (or lack of a difference) 3 days fasting can do for you. This is going to be a lot of fun and I'm really looking forward to it. Join me for this adventure. Either way, I'll still be writing about it, but you once again, won't see the photos until the end of the 28 days. I'll post them all on July 7th. That will be the Sunday after the 28th day, so day 29. I'll still take my final photos on day 28 though.

     I got my supply of salt in for the fasting challenge, and I've already tried it out. It's really good salt, and it came with these tiny little viles of salt that you can carry around with you anywhere. I plan on taking them with me anytime I go out from now on. If I need salt on my food, I'm using this stuff, not that iodized processed crap that they have at every restaurant. This is from Redmond, which mills it's salt from a salt mine in Utah. They do not refine it, and leave all the natural minerals in it, and it tastes better than the table salt you are using. I've been using pink Himalayan salt on everything since starting Keto, and I'm switching over to this from now on. I'll use the pink in a pinch, but this salt is really good. If you watch the video I posted on the last post, Thomas Delauer put a link in his description for that salt. It was $14.99 for a large bag a normal size shaker and 5 of the mini shakers, all are refillable from the bag. Trust me, good salt is key in fasting and Keto, and this is good salt. I should say that I'm not getting paid for or getting anything free for talking about Redmond, I just became an instant fan after tasting it for the first time a day ago.

     The big problem I'm going to have, is of course, doing the TPR while I'm doing this strict 28 days of Keto. That means I'm going to have to stick to my 2 slice rule and then only having fat and protein for the rest of the day. Way too many carbs and calories in pizza. 2 slices are around 600 calories. Let that sink in. Oh, that is for pepperoni pizza. If you have more stuff on it, of course that caloric number will go up. That number means that the rest of my day will have to consist of fatty protein coming in at another 600-700 calories. It's not easy to do. Either you get too much fat, or you get too much protein. I will figure this all out when the time comes, but it's not going to be easy.

     Alright, I'm going to go and relax and ponder more on this short story that I'm working on. I should try and write myself out of block, but I'm out of practice for that, so I need to give it some deep thought. Peace in and goodnight.

   

Join Me And Succeed

     Got me a stack of wood today. Work will begin on my own bookcase wand stand tomorrow morning.

     The only thing I am working out in my head right now, is what the outer sides going to look like. You may remember the swooping design I did for the other bookcase wand stand. I don't want to repeat that, but I still want to show movement in design. I have an idea of something, but I'm not sure it will move enough. When I say move, and movement, I mean that the shape itself conveys motion. A straight up and down box, doesn't convey movement, so you create that movement with manipulating the shape to create a flow. 

     There are a few ways you can do that. One is the way I did it with the last one. I didn't have sharp edges to create an illusion of flow. Another way is with static shape edged, or jagged points. It create an electric type of feel to it. I already know that I'm going to stay away from this one. The last way I can think of, is by using negative space. Creating openings in the material to show a flow through the wood. I'm not against this one, but I may add elements of it into whatever shape and design I finalize on. 

     I am going with the Deathly Hallows symbol on it. I know, it's a bit of a cop out but not doing the dark mark, or the Death Eaters skull and serpent. I can still practice that symbol but when it really comes down to a Harry Potter book case, nothing symbolizes that more than the Deathly Hallows. I haven't settled on a finish for it either. I may go with a clear stain to keep that natural wood tone, but I may go with that deep red I used on the other one. Oh, I forgot to tell you. I went with a cheaper hard wood. Instead of the Red Oak of the last one, I chose Poplar wood. It's quite a bit cheaper, and not quite as pretty, but it doesn't have some solid graining to it, and should look really good when it is stained. Like last time, I'll take you along for the process as I complete each step. Right now is design and cutting the wood out into basic shapes, then it is about fine-tuning those shapes into the final shapes, and then finally assembly. After all that is done, it is all about the stain and clear coat to finish it off. I do need to get a second wand for this piece, and I tried to order it today, but the site crashed. I didn't get to order it. Any guesses on what wand will be my second for this wand stand? I already have the Elder wand that Dumbledore used in the series, so what is that second wand going to be. Oh, and no fair to the one person that already knows what the other wand is. You aren't allowed to answer this one.

     I did go out for a little clothes shopping yesterday. With all the weight loss I've had recently, my clothes are literally falling off of me. I needed some new jeans, and I wanted to try some one, to see just what size I was now. When I started all of this, I was wearing a 36, and truthfully, I should have been in a 38. I choose two pair of jeans to try on of different size. One I knew I would fit in for sure, and another that I thought would be tight. I was wrong about the tight ones. I put on a pair of 32's and they fit a little loose. I bought them on the spot. I couldn't believe that I actually fit in them. I went from, let's be real here, a size 38 to a size 32. 

     That whole experience made me come to a decision, that should be a fun one. I'm going to go strict Keto again starting on Sunday. I'm going to make a push for 165 lbs. Will I hit that goal? I have no idea, but I'm going to give it everything I got. I'm also going to join a group project that one of the people I follow on YouTube is doing. I'm going to post the video he put up yesterday so you can check it out.

     That's right, I'm going to jump in on this 3 day group fast. I'm also going to ask you to join me. Only do this if you are prepared for it. What I mean by that, is do a little research and prepare your body for this type of stressful impact. I have been doing OMAD (one meal a day) and intermittent fasting for a few months now, so I'm in prime shape for this. There is also that fact that it will be right in the middle of my new 28 days of strict Keto. Fasting like this is not for the feint of heart. Thomas Delauer has several videos on how to prepare yourself, and he will be posting a video or two to prep for this challenge. This guy knows what he is talking about, and is the reason for my success. Or at least the science and knowledge that I followed for my success. Check his videos out, and if you are going to do this along with me, and Thomas, let me know. I will be there for you to support you to help see you through this. It's not going to be easy, but it is going to be so satisfying. This will start on the 23rd of June, so you have time to prepare. You can do this.

     I began working on the short story, but I'm having a little trouble with it. I haven't seen the end yet, and that is giving me no direction on where to take this, so I have been heading in what feels like a zig zag pattern to an unknowing conclusion. I need to visualize an ending so I can get a direction. The start I have probably seems good, but when I started working towards the next act, I was pulled out of the moment, because the path is unclear. This is going to be a tough one, but I'll get it, and I'll share it with you when it is done, or maybe it will be done in three parts. I like the idea of a three part story, Each act distinct from the other and released over time as opposed to all at once. Either way, it will be coming soon. With in the next two weeks, is the deadline I'm putting on it.

     I also posted another picture today on the ol' Instagram. Of all the pictures I took the other day, I only got 3 that I liked, so I need to find more photographic inspiration, so if you want to model for my lens, let me know. We can work something out. Here is that second picture.

     I'm posting this one up early tonight, because I want to get to bed early. I want to wake up and get started on the new bookcase at the crack of dawn. I'm hoping to have some photos for what its going to look like on Sunday, so look forward to those. Peace in and goodnight.

Well, There It Is

     It's Tuesday night and I'm back with another post. I also have the announcement of the big change, just like I promised. Let's just dive into it. I quit my job, and today was the official last day of it. I went in early this morning to turn in the van and all the proprietary tools. Everything went really well and I left under good terms.

     Now for the why I quit. The job was simply taking too much of my time away from my mother. I was working 6 days a week and very long hours. I would see my mom in the morning before I left and then maybe see her when I got home in the evening. With her dementia getting worse, that time was shrunk to even smaller amounts of time when she actually knew who I was. I would play along each night as to who she thought I was. Some nights I would be her son, other nights, I was her brother, and yet other nights I was just the guy that worked there. Depending on what stories she would tell me, I would go along with who I was supposed to be. I have no idea how much time my mom has left, but I plan on being around for her as much as possible, and this job didn't allow for that. Saturday was a great example of why the job was getting in the way and for no reason.

     I had a service call and a job. I went to the service call first which was 2 hours from my house. When I got there, I couldn't perform the service call, because the information about the job was incomplete. I dealt with the customer and left her feeling good about the fact that the job would be done, and that it would be done right when someone came back, with all the supplies that were needed. I then went to the job site for my full job. When I got there the customer said that she had cancelled the job and that she didn't want the job to be done at all. I called the people I have to call and they told me to sit tight. That is code for, sit in the van and wait a really long time and we may remember that you called with a problem. After a half hour of just sitting there, I called back and asked if there was any news, and I was told to just call someone else and let them know of the situation before I left for the shop to unload my van and then go home. I did as I was told, and managed to get home at noon, That meant I was on the road for about 5 and a half hours for absolutely nothing, and there is a good chance that I won't be paid anything for my time, because now services were actually provided. I don't get the commission for the job, and I had to leave the service call without any work being done other then me writing notes about what the job needs to actually be done.

     The long hours and the distance away from my home location led me to the point where the money didn't matter and that the time with my mom was far more valuable to me. I will look for a job that is close by, and won't pay anywhere near as much, but in the meantime I will be writing and doing woodwork and photography. I might through a video in from time to time as well, if I can get Saki going again. The battery went dead from lack of riding, and I'm having trouble getting it charged again. It could be the battery, it could be the charger. The charger is the cheaper of the fix, but if it's not that then I wasted money, so I'm not real sure what I'm going to do to fix the problem.

     Speaking of photography, I did get some in, and here is the picture I posted on Instagram today.

     I have been wanting to get that very shot for a long time now, and I finally just went and did it. It made me realize just how much I missed being behind the camera. Yes, I take pictures when I'm doing the TPR, but it's not the same. Those photos aren't about a vision, they are about displaying what we are promoting. I want to do more model shoots, but I don't know if anyone is interested in me shooting them right now. I can ask around, but I'm going to put a call out right here. If you are interested in doing some modeling, and it doesn't matter what you look like or whether you are male or female, we can figure out a great shoot and background for you to be in. I will make you look good. That is my job as a photographer, and I won't let you down. Get in contact with me through either email, my address is at the top of this page, or if you know me personally, hit me up on my phone. Let's do this.

     I have a woodworking project in the works as well, and it's going to be a cool one. I'm not going to tell you about it just yet, and I may even wait until it is completed, but I can tell you, that it's going to be bigger and better than the book case.  I know, how can anything be bigger than a Deathly Hallows book case wand stand. Trust me, if I pull this one off, it will be. I still have my own book case wand stand in my head, but I'm not sure when I will get to that one. I am considering scraping the idea of doing the Death Eaters symbol on it, and going with the Deathly Hallows myself. I'm not firm on that yet, but I'm definitely leaning that way.

     Another new adventure begins for me, and I honestly have no idea where it's going to take me, but you'll hear about it as soon as I do. In the meantime, I'm back to the whole creative side of things, and that does make me smile. I have missed it so much. Especially the writing. Just writing this tonight is a big thing for me, and I have the first sentence to the short story written, but I feel some changes need to be made in order to get the story going where I'm seeing it in my head right now. I will post it as soon as it's ready, or maybe I'll announce it first and then set a date for it's release here, and then on Medium. I don't think I'm going to monetize it this time, so it will be free for all.

     The world is wide open once again, and I have so many places to look for inspiration. Starting new adventures in life is always a scary thing, but it is also one of the best things you can do in life. With out adversity, there is no growth, and I plan on growing. Peace in and goodnight.

Big Changes Are Afoot

      I have made a lot of big changes in my life in the past year, so why not one more. Unfortunately, I can't tell you about the new just yet. I can tell you about some of the outcome that should be expected from this new big change. I have been delinquent in writing on schedule lately, and that is going to change and get back to my normal schedule. I am also going to start working on some short stories to share with you and also on Medium. I haven't done anything with Medium since The Patchwork Knight finished, and I miss writing in a creative way greatly.

     Let's get off the what I can't tell you and talk about a Keto update. I did my official weigh in today since I had to work yesterday and I pulled a 172.5 lbs. Not bad for someone who is only maintaining and not trying to lose weight. That still keeps me in the range I was telling you about last week. I began hitting the gym this week. I'm keeping it very simple and body safe. I did what I call the core exercises: Squats, Deadlifts, and Bench Press. I kept the weight and the reps at a low and doable rate. I don't want to overly stress my body, while I'm getting it used to the stress that it will be under for paper weight training. The biggest mistake most people make when the start going to the gym again, is over doing it. I went in and began, within 45 minutes I was walking out the door. I kept my breaks between sets to around a minute, and my break between exercises to about 2 minutes. I focused on paper form and movement of each exercise, so that I didn't put anything out of position that could cause any undo stress on my joints. As I said, I kept the weight very low, but not so low that I wasn't getting anything out of it. I made sure that it was a weight that I could do 10 reps for 3 sets, in rapid fashion. I didn't want my body to completely recover between sets, I wanted it to be in movement. I didn't sit down between sets either, this is a habit I was in when I worked out before. I pace back and forth like a caged animal when I'm working out. I always have my body in motion. For me, it's a thought that I keep the blood flowing and not give it a chance to cool down. I want to generate heat, and heat means power. I will incorporate more exercises as I feel they are needed, for the next month though it will be those core that I'm going to do.

     I know that this blog has been centered on diet and working out a lot lately, but that is what is important in my life right now. I did sign up for another dating site, to test my luck again. I'm sure I'll be off it in a few weeks. I think I like the torture form time to time of putting myself out there with diminishing return.

     How about a mom update as well. She is doing great. We have to use the nursing service this week, but the family friend that has been staying with her during the most recent weeks is doing great. She is taking a vacation this week, so the service was necessary, but I set the hours to much less than they had been here in the past. I got to save that money some how, and that is how I'm going to do it. She has been eating well, and loving the meals I prepare for her. Best part of going Keto, is that every meal I make is super clean and healthy.

     I am hoping that I will have the information that I'm keeping from you on Tuesday. I promise to tell you everything when the time is right, it's just not right right now. I can share with you the latest video from the TPR. It went up last Thursday and I've been told that I did a great job on it. I hope you think so, and if you do, go on Youtube and click that little thumbs up button for us. Each one helps us out a lot.



     It never hurts to let me know what you thought of it right here either, but it's better if it's on YouTube. Ok, I need to start washing clothes and making dinner. There is an adventurous week ahead for me, so I better prepare for it. Peace in and goodnight.