June 5

Post 850, Day 155 of 2013
- and 886 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Continuing my musing from yesterday, one reason why I keep on thinking about retirement is all the bad news I hear about this country - and I'm not just talking politically - I'm talking about encroachments on the quality of life of retired people, and financial limitations imposed by the current corporate oligarchy that seems to be manufacturing a future that is downright scary to me.

When I hear news about Monsanto or about the wasteful medical system or Marijuana Prohibition, it is chilling. My response is often to check my 'calendar' to see how soon my retirement comes (968 days today).

Of course, my retiring doesn't change anything except my own circumstances - but that means my perception will change, mainly, I believe, to be able to ignore these things. There will be trade-offs, no doubt, but that is why I'm testing out a variety of locations to start. A factor in my decision about where to spend my retirement (AKA, my life from age 66 on) will be how much the tradeoffs benefit me.

Trading a full set of American quality-of-life doubts for a set of unknown problems - that is the adventure. The promise is that the tradeoffs will be very positive. This is what it says in the Expat tout magazines and websites - that it is worth losing the familiar as long as it includes the familiar fears and concerns and the new hassles are scarier in contemplation than they are when faced.

I won't know until the adventure starts. You could describe that adventure as putting the premise - expatriation offers a better life, one in which current insecurities are traded for the 'fun' task of reinventing yourself in a new culture - to the test. 

To see if the balance really works. To see if I can maintain my sense of adventure when faced with making a life in a new, foreign land, to see what it is like to live without the responsibility of earning your keep. 

Will, as some have predicted, boredom ruin the experience? I doubt it, no matter what I do. 

What about relationships in places where I have no ready-made acquaintances? 

I don't know. Obviously, I don't think either of those important things is going to be a deal-breaker for me.

But there's only one way to find out, and I'm looking forward to it.

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 Food and Diet Section

2013 daily weight

Today's Weight:         208.0 lbs

Yesterday's Weight:     212.0 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 4.0 lbs

Diet Comment

I did better yesterday. Even when I had some after-dinner hunger and made an off-plan blueberry smoothie, it had such healthy ingredients that it didn't derail my weight loss. I may have to re-think my position on berries and yogurt - they may not be just for 'cheat days' as they have been.

Food Log 

Breakfast
Cocoa-kale-hemp-chia protein shake: Almond milk, kale, cocoa, hemp seeds, chia seeds, a large egg, vanilla whey powder (24g protein), cinnamon, vanilla, psyllium and stevia-inulin blend.

Lunch

Roasted turkey, black beans, Spring Mix, baby spinach, cole slaw blend, and balsamic vinaigrette.

Dinner
A mix of cheeses and some pepperoni. The original idea was to have some cheese with pepperoni. Then I got into the cheese big-time. I overbought, and ate it all. at first with the pepperoni, and then just 'pouring' it down my gullet. Oh, I love cheese. Oh, this is not going to look good tomorrow, if for no other reason than all the salt from all that cheese.

Liquid Intake   

   Coffee:  15 oz.   Water:  150+ oz.

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