#2361: Wednesday, October 9: A real jam!

Post 2361

- 8 years and 282 days since I started this blog -

  

Daily Comment

I had a rare playing opportunity tonight.

A recently-made musician friend, Nick, had the inaugural open mic at a trendy bar/restaurant in a trendy part of town (Beer Belly Deil, on Westcott Street, if you must know). He had sent me a Facebook invitation and I was going to ask if he thought it would be something I would fit in with, when I saw him last night at the open mic where we met (small town), as he was talking to another bass player.

He had said there was only a small PA - the room was tiny, no bass amp, but if he came, they'd figure something out.

I waited to not interrupt, and asked if it was something he'd like to see me at, something that would be appropriate for me. He said yes. I told him that I would come, bring a bass amp, and that anyone could use it. 

It turned out that no other bass players showed up. I got to play all night. But the rare opportunity was that it was a real jam, with people playing long improvised songs.

I'm not sure, but it may well have been more than thirty years since the last time I got an opportunity to do that. And I had an absolute blast! I saw some old friends, too, and got to play with some new people.

And when it was over, everybody seemed happy. All the musicians were smiling and congratulating each other, and I had the bar's staff and patrons complimenting me as I walked out the door. 

Imagine how grateful I am to still be kicking it around with musicians like that!

Food and Diet 

Today's Weight:                    196.6 lbs.

Previous Weight (10/8/19):         196.6 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     - 0.0 lbs.

Diet Comment

When my weight is this far below my original goal weight, I'm very satisfied with no change. Delighted, in fact. 

Food Log

Breakfast
4:30pm: Sautéed kale-spinach-cheese and eggs with onions and peppers. 

Lunch
Skipped.

Dinner
1:05am: Manchego cheese and walnuts, riced cauliflower with olive oil and herbs.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 2;   Coffee: 0 oz.;  Water: 78+ oz.; and two nice pours of Jameson's Irish whiskey.

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Thank you!

#2360: Tuesday, October 8: The earliest stages of moving

Post 2360

- 8 years and 281 days since I started this blog -

  

Daily Comment

In my mind, and by some actions I've taken in the last couple of days, I am preparing for next year's move out of the country.

I have been refining my list of places to base my expat life for the last three years, and there have been some recent changes, namely, the ascendency of Mexico. There are now two cities on the list, in the second and fourth spots: Oaxaca and Querétaro, respectively.

At the top of the list is Cuenca, Ecuador, and I'll be visiting there for a month beginning at the end of January. In third place is Medellin, Colombia. There is no fifth place anymore.

At the moment, the plan is to go to Oaxaca for three months in December, 2020 or January 2021. Approximately, because that will be a big move, and there are things I can't plan for that will influence how that plays out, including a visit to Los Angeles before the move. I won't pretend I can get the timing of that right fourteen months in advance. 

If Cuenca knocks my socks off - and it may - then I may decide to make my move there instead, and start lining things up for permanent residency before I leave Syracuse.

Ultimately, the plan is to find the place of my dreams and live there nine or ten months out of the year, with the rest of the year for travel back to the States, and maybe to Chiang Mai and Lisbon, too. 

What I've begun doing is taking little steps to straightening up my apartment, and ridding myself of possessions. I'm in the straightening up phase, which, to be honest, I expectt to take from now until I leave for Los Angeles on December 18. I'm taking little steps, because after years of neglect, which I've owned up to before, just THAT undertaking is huge.

I've made a bargain with myself: I have a long list of daily activities: I write, take Spanish lessons, play Sudoku, and prepare and eat a couple of meals, or three, every day. In addition, I do this blog and manage my portfolio and finances every weekday. There is little routine for this, but I actually do all these things consistently, without fail.

To the list, I have added 20 minutes, on the timer, of housework, not including any shopping or trips to the dumpster. I withhold any intoxicants until all the tasks are done. This creates a daily reward for positive behavior, and removes a major barrier to their completion as well, since when I'm baked it is easy to let housework, which I loathe, slide. I've been procrastinating on the housework thing for years. I have now reached my limit. I cannot let it slide any more. 

I am grateful for the good health and balance in my life that lets me do this discipline happily.

Food and Diet 

Today's Weight:                    196.6 lbs.

Previous Weight (10/7/19):         197.7 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     - 1.1 lbs.

Diet Comment

Thanks to my long-lasting (10 days) cold, that I now feel I am completely over (Yay!), I am at my lowest weight since my last illness. I guess that's cause to celebrate! 

Food Log

Breakfast
7:10pm: 

Arugula, cabbage, chard, kale, spinach, roasted turkey breast, shaved parmesan cheese, walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette.

Lunch
Skipped.

Dinner
1:55am: Brussel sprouts with butter and parmesan cheese, and a Quest bar with cottage cheese.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 2;   Coffee: 0 oz.;  Water: 84+ oz.; and a nice pour of Jameson's Irish whiskey.

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Thank you!

#2359: Monday, October 7: Weekend update

Post 2359

- 8 years and 280 days since I started this blog -

  

Daily Comment

I was still dealing with this cold over the weekend, but nearly all the symptoms were gone. What's left is a little, infrequent cough and runny nose, and a bit of weakness.

I did give myself the reward I'd signed up for with 750words.com, where, having written my words every day, I had a meal at Sahota Palace, a nearby Indian restaurant.

I also committed to 'paper' (actually, a checklist on my phone) a plan to begin dealing with my apartment and stuff, which I put into effect today. Prep for next year's move out of Syracuse.

I now have more than sixty consecutive days of Spanish lessons on Duolingo. I think I'm getting better at it, but I'll just keep plugging along. Once I move, and all the cities remaining on my list are in Spanish-speaking countries, I'll use whatever Duolingo has taught me as a leg up for in-person, human Spanish language lessons. But that's more than a year away. 

Still digging the hearing aids, especially fantastic for phone calls.

Digging in and doing the minimum until Sunday, when I had a flurry of activity: An open mic I'd never been to before. It turned out very well, I did a pretty long set of vocals and guitar, it was well-received, and as I was leaving, quite a few people asked me to come back. From there I went to the aforementioned reward dinner of Indian food, then on to my regular Sunday open mic at Valley Blues House. 

There I got to lead a set. The audience was receptive, but I got overheated and sweaty, and after the performance I couldn't really cool down and get comfortable, so I left unusually early.

I am grateful for all my opportunities, and for the feeling of coming back to something like normal, with forward motion.

Food and Diet 

Today's Weight:                    197.7 lbs.

Previous Weight (10/4/19):         197.8 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     - 0.1 lbs.

Diet Comment

I didn't eat particularly on-plan this weekend, but I didn't eat that much, and the result is, the good side of 'no change'. I'll take it (as I would have with any result, LOL).

Food Log

Breakfast
5:30pm, at CoreLife Eatery: 

Korean BBQ Pork: Quinoa, kimchi, cucumbers, spicy broccoli, Sriracha sprouts, fried egg, slow-roasted pork, ginger, and korean bbq sauce.

Lunch
Skipped.

Dinner
1:05am: 

LEO (lox, eggs and onions) on greens (arugula, chard, kale, red cabbage, spinach). Not shown: A Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 2;   Coffee: 0 oz.;  Water: 64+ oz.;

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Thank you!

#2358: Friday, October 4: Sickness update

Post 2358

- 8 years and 277 days since I started this blog -

  

Daily Comment

I am still coughing, and sore from coughing.

I'm still choosing to stay home, even though coughing is my only symptom.

I've been binging the last season of Blacklist, which I missed because I thought the series had ended.

I got all wound up with a Facetime with my friend Jerry, who's in Ajijic, Mexico. Looks like paradise. 

My reward for completing my three pages every day for the September challenge will be Sunday dinner at an Indian restaurant, Sahota Palace. They have a buffet I like.

There are also a number of concerts Saturday night, and a couple of opportunities to jam on Sunday. I hope I'm feeling better. I've been lying around (more than usual!) for ten days now. Ugh! Too much. 

But I'm learning more and more about Mexico while I'm down. I can't wait to check it out.

I'm still grateful. For everything.

Food and Diet 

Today's Weight:                    197.8 lbs.

Previous Weight (10/3/19):         198.5 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     - 0.7 lbs.

Diet Comment

Nice end to a week that started with a bit of a bump up. I'm obviously pleased with my results.

Food Log

Breakfast
Skipped. 

Lunch
9:20pm:

Brussel sprouts on curried riced cauliflower with salmon and red beans.

Dinner
12:55am: Manchego cheese and walnuts, two Quest bars.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 2;   Coffee: 0 oz.;  Water: 76+ oz.;

 Please leave a comment when you visit my blog.
Thank you!

#2357: Thursday, October 3: Taking a day

Post 2357

- 8 years and 276 days since I started this blog -

  

Daily Comment

Still feeling a little punked-out from yesterday's brief excursion, I took another day, and was rewarded with feeling better through the evening.

My resting has left me with nothing to say.

Be kind.

I am still grateful for my amazing life.

Food and Diet 

Today's Weight:                    198.5 lbs.

Previous Weight (10/2/19):         199.5 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     - 1.0 lbs.

Diet Comment

No change? No comment. Except for this: I'm happy to be at the weight I'm at.

Food Log

Breakfast
Skipped. 

Lunch
8:30pm:

LEO (Lox, eggs and onions) on a salad (arugula, chard, kale, red cabbage, spinach, bacon, walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette).

Dinner
1:15am: Grilled cheese on Ezekiel 4:9 Flax sprouted grains bread with guacamole, cottage cheese, and two Quest bars.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 2;   Coffee: 16 oz.;  Water: 92+ oz.;

 Please leave a comment when you visit my blog.
Thank you!

#2356: Wednesday, October 2: Too soon

Post 2356

- 8 years and 275 days since I started this blog -

  

Daily Comment

I have been sick in bed the last week, and I was anxious to go out and play.

I seem to have jumped the gun on that.

I took it easy during the day. I was feeling mostly better,  the worst of my complaints being a pulled muscle in my side (from coughing to hard, spasmodically).

There were some signs that I might not be ready: First, my nose started running about a half hour after I got to Shifty's. Second, I wasn't thirsty, and should have been.

I did a good set, though.

But I felt totally overheated when it was done. 

I tried to hang in for a second set, but began to feel a little feverish, my runny nose also got worse.

I went home, plopped down in the recliner, drank some water, and within a few minutes, all my symptoms were gone.

I had done right by myself.

I am grateful for listening to my body.

Food and Diet 

Today's Weight:                    199.5 lbs.

Previous Weight (10/1/19):         199.5 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     + 0.0 lbs.

Diet Comment

No change? No comment. Except for this: I'm happy to be at the weight I'm at.

Food Log

Breakfast
Skipped. 

Lunch
8:40pm: 

Greens (spinach and kale), eggs, salmon and bacon with onions, peppers, hemp seeds and chia seeds.

Dinner
1:05am: Pepperoni and a Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 2;   Coffee: 0 oz.;  Water: 64+ oz.; and a shot of Jameson's Irish whiskey

 Please leave a comment when you visit my blog.
Thank you!

#2355: Tuesday, October 1: Income Factory

Post 2355

- 8 years and 274 days since I started this blog -

  

Daily Comment

The income factory style of investing that I use is difficult to understand for people who are only familiar with 'conventional' capital-style stock investing.

The goal of traditional investing is to increase the amount of capital, and minimize any capital losses.

The income factory seeks to employ capital for immediate income, with an eye towards increasing the income over capital appreciation.

I developed this style of investing on my own, then found out it was a known style and had a name: Income Factory. 

Basically it consists of buying stocks that pay dividends, then reinvesting those dividends to compound payout growth and create larger dividends.

In this scenario, as long as the dividend is paid, it is actually an advantage when the stock price goes down, since dividends are paid in cash, and reinvesting makes us net buyers, for whom a lower share price allows us to buy more shares. 

Basically, you're creating an annuity for yourself. The income factory 'manufactures' income in the form of these dividend payouts, which are recurring.

It is also a fact that over time, dividend stocks give a better total return than stocks without dividends. 

As lucky as I am, I started my income factory portfolio at the beginning of the longest all-time bull market in history. As a result, I have seen my capital grow by almost 9% a year since 2009. More importantly, my portfolio now yields 10% a year, more than $15,000 each year, in dividends. It is, effectively, an income stream I can tap without touching the principal that generates it.

This is an important point. I don't know of any other investment that you don't have to reduce the principal to take your profits.

I am, as I said, extremely lucky. I 'fell into' this, and it looks like it is going to serve me well going forward.

I couldn't be more grateful.

Food and Diet 

Today's Weight:                    199.5 lbs.

Previous Weight (9/30/19):         197.3 lbs.

Net Loss/Gain:                     + 2.2 lbs.

Diet Comment

Well, lose a kilo, gain a kilo. I knew, when I had a meal of cottage cheese and pepperoni last night, and ended up drinking more water than on any day in the past week, that my weight would be up. That's a bit of a shocking amount, though. Oh, well, it comes and goes.

Food Log

Breakfast
5:30pm, at CoreLife: Shiitake mushroom and Roasted Tofu broth bowl: Chicken bone broth, shiitake mushrooms, napa cabbage, shredded kale, roasted tofu, sprouts, ginger, lemongrass, sliced almonds.

Lunch
10:55pm: Pepperoni and cole slaw and a Quest bar.

Dinner
1:10am: LEO (lox, eggs and onions) on riced cauliflower and a Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Espressos: 2;   Coffee: 0 oz.;  Water: 70+ oz.;

 Please leave a comment when you visit my blog.
Thank you!